Hmmm

Jericho raised a brow... what had his father said? Oh yes yes... that she was so very 'innocent' "mmmmmmmheheheheheeee..." Innocent... of course.

He giggled and took her hand, placing it carefully in the crook of his arm, his other hand remained on hers for some time as they began to walk, their aides behind.

"Tell me my lady... aside from mine, how many more hearts have you broken by distancing? How many more have you denied of your beauty? Of your company?" he looked at her, the smile that was forever plastered on his face bright and open.

Oh lords, this was so much fun.

Ciera blushed and found it hard not to remove her arm from his. She needed the support oh so badly. "I only break hearts if they are there to be broken, cousin."

"Oh!" Jericho pressed his other hand to his chest, "Do you hear that my sweet cousin?" he inhaled deeply, "It is my heart... already breaking..."

She blushed, "Then perhaps we should try to mend it." She turned her eyes away from him, studying the intricate patterns on the floor, "Though, I wouldn't quite know how to do that."

He giggled, "Oh, I am sure we could both... find out." he patted the cold hand that was on his arm, on the last pat leaving it there for several seconds, his index making a tiny circle on the top of her hand. "Perhaps over tea? That is... if your father would not mind... mmmmm?"

"My father is currently tied up with business and I can choose to do what I desire. I am nearly a grown woman." She tilted her head and the briefest of smiles touched her lips, "Out in the gardens perhaps? I could use some fresh air."

Jericho looked at her. Aha! He knew it! These young, sweet, 'innocent' girls were anything but! "Excellent then," he stopped and faced her fully, "shall we now? You will have to pardon my eagerness but... It has been so long since I have seen you. Now that you are here it would be just too cruel if you were to make me wait any longer." he flashed her a most sweet smile.

She bit her lip, catching her breath because her next words could come out as a stutter. The silence seemed to be imploding around them as Jericho waited for a response, "I just need to go by my rooms for a few seconds. To..." her eyes darted to the side, "freshen up. It would be just a few minutes longer... no more, I promise."

He sighed, pretending to be disappointed, "Oh... well.... I suppose a few minutes more will not do any more harm." he gave her a look of such hurt that would have warmed the coldest of hearts. "Let us continue to your chambers..." he said in a saddened tone.

Her bottom lip curled under her teeth as they turned to walk again, "I suppose it would not be that important." She really didn't want to disappoint her cousin, "I can refresh myself later."

Jericho's head snapped up as if suddenly given a new taste of life! He just loved the drama. The prince smiled at Ciera and then snapped his fingers, the aide hurrying along. "Have everything ready by the time we arrive there... and I want perfection." The man nodded, "Yes sir." he turned around and quickly went around snapping his fingers and mobilizing maids and servants. Jericho began to turn with her back towards the gardens.

Ciera almost tripped on her skirt with how quickly things had changed. She wasn't sure if she understood Jericho's eagerness. It was quite overwhelming. Soon the gardens came into sight and she relaxed as a breath of sunshine touched her face, "So cousin... what have you been doing all these years?"

"Ohhhh you know... mmhehehehh... the usual. Laws, rules, meetings... all such boring things, but things that must be done in order to keep the kingdom in order." He guided her to a chair and helped her down while one of the servants moved a parasol over her to give her shade. "But such things are not for a young and beautiful girl like you to hear. I would not wish to fill your pretty little head with my troubles." he sat opposite her, but close enough so that his knee almost touched hers, "Tell me about youuuu" he purred.

She shifted in her chair, her gown crinkling under her shifting and tried, carefully, not to lean to far forward to be almost nose to nose with Jericho. She let out a light breath, feeling a strange thing run through her veins, an underlying excitement rising into the air. "My father keeps me a prisoner at home... much like a fairy tale." She smiled.

"Hmmm..." he placed a delicate finger to his mouth, biting carefully at his manicured nail. "He may love you too much. I do not blame him, I would do the same if I were in his place... would not allow anyone to lay their dirty eyes upon you."

She suppressed a laugh, "Dirty eyes? Are you speaking of men thinking of impure thoughts?" She lifted eyes to a servant as tea was poured for the two of them, "I think I would rather that than be locked in a room all the time."

"Any kind of thoughts, my darling Ciera... but yes, those are the worst." after Ciera was given a cup, Jericho took his, but he did not drink from it. He preferred wine so instead he placed the cup on the table. "Tell me, if you were given more liberties, what would you do with them? Mmmm???" he leaned closer, "You can share with me... I won't tell him and I may even be able to help you." There was a certain gleam to his eye, one of mischief.

Her heart picked up as he hinted at the possibility of making her dreams come true. What would she do? She wasn't good at anything. Not even socializing. "I don't... I don't know what I would do. It's something I've never really thought about." Ciera paused for a few seconds, "Perhaps... I would explore... life more..."

"Ohhhh." he was interested, "and what would this life exploration be about? Wordly, Heavenly... Personal.... or perhaps for love?"

Ciera blushed and then hid behind her cup, avoiding his answer for a few seconds before placing it back on the table, "I don't know... perhaps love... perhaps personal. If you were given that choice, what would you do?"

Jericho sighed and got up, looking to the horizon... but before he did, however, he had given 'the look' to his servants. They had carefully began to vacate the place as to give them a bit more privacy. They were still around, of course, just at a voice's call, but not close enough as to hear their more private talk. The only one still there was the one holding the umbrella for Lady Ciera, but that one happened to be a deaf mute, so he was no problem.

“Love... most definitely Love.” the warm setting sun tinted his tanned skin a golden tone. “If only you knew, cousin.” He looked back at her, an almost sad look on his eyes. “A man like me... can be so alone, even when surrounded by so many.” he placed the tip of his fingers to his forehead and closed his eyes as if something painful had just come to mind. “Everyone trying to please me... PRETENDING... to care for me.” He moved his hand away and walked around to stop behind her chair, hands going to the back of her chair, just barely placing them there. “Ciera, I too am a prisoner. A prisoner of deceit...” he sighed again.

She melted in her seat and reached out her hands to cup one of his own, "Oh cousin... fate must have led us to each other. I truly, honestly care about you. You have always been in my thoughts, especially when the war with Drackonis had commenced." The naivete in her face, her eyes would of sent pity through any other person who knew what games the prince played.

"Is there anything I could do to help you not feel so trapped and lied to?"

Jericho raised a brow. The war?! Pft! He'd been hidden away in a safe place while all that happened, besides he'd been a child himself. But fine... women always did fall for that sort of thing. "Those were most troubling times... the horrors that I witnessed have taken so many years of rest. But alas... we were victorious." His hand wrapped around Ciera’s and he very carefully moved back in front of her, always holding her hand. He kneeled in front of her.

“But that is nothing like the pain I ‘felt’ in here.” slowly, so very slowly, the hand moved to his chest and he placed her small hand over his heart. “A pain that now has begun to heal, Ciera... heal... with your words.” he looked down at his hand over hers and moved it up and down, caressing her pale skin. “Your concern... oh please, I pray to the gods that it is forever true...” fingers moved under hers and carefully raised them to his lips to just brush them lightly.

It was then her whole body began to shake, trembling at the brush of his looks, the coolness in his eyes. How many times had she dreamed of such a scene of perfection? Of having her hand held so lightly, kissed so beautifully? Her voice was soft, so very soft, "It's true... I would never lie." And then... she didn't know what to do. Did she kiss him to reinforce that? Did she embrace him and start crying at finding such a kindred soul? Her confusion was made evident when she chose to do nothing.

Ahhh but Jericho was no novice. How many times had he not seen the same scene played out? It was all so simple. Jericho bit his bottom lip, eyes moving from her soft lips to her own eyes. “How will I ever be able to gaze upon anything else... when I have lost myself in the depths of your eyes...” he began to move closer, inching. Fingers going daringly over hers with such need as to make the simple motion seem almost... almost... too intimate. His lips were so close to hers now...

The clearing of a throat interrupted the beautiful moment. Stopping him from reaching her so completely to taste her; for her to taste him. Behind Jericho, barely 20 yards away, stood her father, the Duke's eyes clearly revealing disapproval. Ciera met her father's eyes and panicked. She stood straight up, knocking her chair back (and thus, knocking the poor deaf mute servant down), pulling her hand from her cousin’s. Her heart now beat with anxiety, no longer melting for the feelings of love and romance. Looking like a ghost, her words rushed out barely audible, "I'm sorry my cousin. The queen, I have to return to her to help finish the planning for the party. I really shouldn't keep her majesty waiting..." She almost ran out of there, sliding passed him... wanting briefly to run a hand across his cheek... only to nod briefly to her father and then disappear from sight

The young prince sighed heavily with annoyance as he began to stand up and turn. If it had been one of his stupid servants! They would pay! Jericho would make sure that the servant and the entire vile family would suffer for all eternity. In blood they would pay for daring to interrupt the... the... Well drats! “Ah, dear uncle!” he made a twirl with his hand and then bowed exaggeratedly in mock respect. And he had been soooo close too. He stood and giggled nervously. “I suppose the meeting is over. Mmmm?” He waited but the duke simply stared at him, and it wasn’t in a very nice way. “Um... yes well... if that’s the case then I should meet with my father... The King...” the phrase that had for many years saved him. He bowed again and then made his way out of there all the while the Duke of Kythe stared daggers into his retreating back.