He spurred his horse on faster, trying desperately to catch up. But her horse was faster. She looked back and smiled, the wind whipping her blonde hair across her face. She looked so alive. His heart skipped a beat. He needed her with a desperation he never knew existed inside of him.
"You don't want me?" she teasingly yelled back at him. The wind carried her words to him and then whisked them past. He kicked his horse faster but the poor beast was already at its limit.
"You're a cheater!" he yelled into the wind. He doubted she heard his words but she got his message; she winked one silver-filled eye at him.
It wasn't fair that she had advanced more in the training. It irked him that he still didn't know how to manipulate organic life as she had done to her horse. As though sensing his thoughts, she looked back with her normal blue eyes and slowed her horse down.
He caught up with her and they settled into a brisk canter. "Master Marin would be irate with you right now if he saw what you did to that poor horse." His words were a rebuke but he couldn't keep the smile off his face.
"And who would go tell him what I did?" She quirked her eyebrow at him, knowing full well he would never do such a thing.
He smiled ruefully and ran his hand through his chestnut-colored hair. "Your constant improvement always amazes me, Sarah. Master Marin barely began teaching Organic Manipulation and here you already mastered it."
She shrugged. "It wasn't hard." She smirked at him, her eyes shining with mirth.
"You do love to tease me, don't you?" He gazed longingly into those perfect blue eyes.
She glanced away from his look. "If I can't tease you, what else should I do to occupy my time?" She glanced back at him, her eyes still shining with life and joy. They always were.
"I can think of something you could do," he replied, giving his voice the best masculine sound he could produce at his boyish 160 years.
She threw back her head and laughed. He thought he could die happy listening to that laugh. He heard music in that sound; better than any minstrel had ever been able to pluck from an instrument. "Jocelyn warned me about you. She told me you have a gifted tongue. She also told me to beware its power."
He put on his best affronted look. "Me? I daresay Jocelyn is playing mischief with you. Why, I am the picture of youthful innocence."
"Somehow I doubt that," she said quietly, her eyes shining as bright as ever. They walked their horses in peaceful silence for several minutes.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he said.
"What's that?" Her eyes were half-closed to the gentle summer wind and her face was turned to the sun.
He opened his arms wide. "The Segundi Fields," he said simply. His gesture took in the gentle rolling hills that were covered in blue flowers and rows of apple trees blossoming with their succulent fruit.
"Hmmm," she muttered, never really opening her eyes. He took the opportunity to study the most beautiful thing in these fields...her. Sarah, she was named; the Daughter of the Sun. Looking at her now, he never knew a truer name. Her golden curls gleamed in the afternoon sunlight. Her golden skin sparkled like thousands of little diamonds.
"Beautiful," he whispered.
She turned her head toward him and opened her eyes. He stared at her intently, willing her to feel what he felt. The smile slowly faded from her face as she stared back at him. "This looks like a good place for our picnic," she said, indicating a nearby apple tree with her hand.
He nodded. "Yes," he agreed. The word almost stuck in his throat; she was staring at him with an intensity he had never seen or experienced before. He gulped nervously.
He dismounted from his horse and pulled off a blanket from behind the saddle. He unrolled the blanket and set in gently down underneath the apple tree. She took down the picnic basket from her horse and sat down beside him on the blanket.
He leaned back on an elbow, not to appear casual but to avoid her gaze. His heart was hammering in his chest. He had never been so close to her in such isolation. He could smell her scent from this close; she smelled like the sun.
She opened the picnic basket and pulled out a loaf of bread covered in cloth. She carefully unfolded the edges and tore a hunk off the bread. She twisted around and handed him the piece.
His fingers trailed along her hand as he took it from her. He felt sweat bead on his forehead. He felt an ache from between his legs at the touch from her skin.
She smiled at him knowingly. She tore off a smaller piece of bread and chewed it in thoughtful silence. He wolfed his piece down too fast; he almost choked on it. He thanked the God that her back was turned to him as his face reddened before he could swallow the bread.
He spent several minutes gathering his courage as he watched her chewed her bread contently as she took in the peaceful day. He sat up and was about to set his plan in motion when she spoke.
"I've heard troubling rumors," she said quietly.
Her tone was serious. He felt the electric atmosphere dissipate. He almost sighed but said instead, "What rumors?"
"That the True-born have begun acting strange; that they are becoming...violent. Jocelyn heard a rumor that several True-born wiped out an entire village over in Core."
He snorted. "And you believe her? Jocelyn loves nothing more than causing mischief, you know that. Besides, I wouldn't worry about the True-Born. Everyone knows they are an odd bunch. It's the magic, Sarah. They can't help it."
"I know, I know," she replied. She grabbed a handful of grass and threw it up into the wind. She watched the blades of grass dance on the air before continuing. "It's just...I have been hearing a lot of rumors like these lately. Have you noticed anything strange from Marcus?"
He tensed at the mention of Marcus and then let out a slow breath. She didn't know any better, he reminded himself. "Not really. Marcus has always been odd, even for a True-born. I'm told he doesn't sleep well. He says he is haunted by his dreams. But violent? No, Marcus is most definitely not violent."
She nodded her head. She looked up at him and put a smile on her face. "I guess you're right. But these whispers of war have put me in a funny mood. It makes me take stock of my life. I want to live now and stop worrying about the future."
"What do you mean?" he asked. He scooted closer to her.
"I don't care if your father will approve of me or not," she said, defiance painting her every word.
He blushed in embarrassment at her directness. "I...we...I mean...I know we talked about...uh...marriage, but I didn't know...that...that..." He cursed his awkwardness and ran his fingers through his hair, searching for the right words.
"That I love you?" she whispered. She wasn't smiling but her eyes shone with a different light.
He felt his heart flutter in his chest. "Truly?"
She placed her hand on his chest. "How could I not fall in love with you? I don't care if we ever get married. I...I want to live now." She blushed and looked away.
Her declaration of love calmed his nerves. He reached out and caressed the side of her face. "You want to make love to me." It wasn't a question.
She blushed deeper but nodded her head. "Yes," she replied huskily.
He leaned in to kiss her. But she held up her finger in front of his lips. "No, I don't want you to kiss me there." She turned her head and pointed with a shaking finger at her neck. "Kiss me here."
He did as she commanded. He breathed against her neck as he took in the smell of her skin. He felt her shiver. He brought his lips down and sucked gently on her neck. She shuddered even more and brought her hands to his head and held him tightly.
