Why do you love them? What are their qualities that speak to you? Are you from the same place, the same background, or very different? (Are you the same species?) How does that affect your relationship?
And...what drives you mad about them? (C'mon, everyone we love drives us mad just a little bit!)
Who do you love and why?
120 comments:
Jesse Littleton has always been the love of my life. We met when we were teenagers. I was visiting Mammoth Cave with my family when I decided to go off on my own - and promptly got lost in the caves. I ended up falling off a ledge and would have died had Jesse not found me when he did. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay in Ruby Hollow - the underground village that nursed me back to health - but I never forgot him - or that amazing place.
Although we both married other people and lived separate lives, we eventually found each other again. For a while, we simply lived together in the Hollow, but one day, I asked him to marry me - and he agreed. Honestly, though, marriage was just a formality for us - we've been in love, after all, since we were kids.
We might come from very different places, but that's what drew us together in the first place. I love him for so many reasons that it would be hard to list them all here. He's kind and funny, smart and adventurous - and really, the perfect man for me.
I met my love almost by accident. Once I saw him I meant only to have him for one night. But something happened between us that held us together. I'm still not quite sure what.
Raynor is the strongest, most brilliant, handsome, exciting, infuriating person I know. Never a dull moment, as the saying goes.
But truly, I love him with my whole heart, as much as a demon is capable of it. His love breathed life into me.
And no, we aren't the same race. He is Hanorjan, a prince among his people, and magical. As my sister-in-law says of him and his brother the king, it's as if a ray of sunshine walked into the room when they appear. I am a warrior of some capability but of little rank.
Marenya. (sigh)
She is my heart.
(rolls eyes)
Oy, get a load of Saxen going on and on over Raynor as if she's a real girl or something--
(gulp)
Just teasing, Saxen! You can put your knives away now.
Damn, I think she nicked my throat.
Marenya is wonderful.
Raynor is annoying. Especially when he's trying to kick my ass and pouting because he can't win.
Unfortunately, I got him with Marenya.
Fortunately for me you did, my lord.
I--. Well.
I love it when Marc sings to me.
Ha! Raynor speechless!
And by the way you are supposed to write about ME Marenya. Not my cousin.
Anytime little cousin. Anytime.
Yeah, Aidan, I thought that was weird, too. 'Cause I thought this conversation was supposed to be about our partners - not our partner's cousins - but then again, I learned long ago that anything goes in this place. ;-)
Oh, and the love of my life is Michael Harper. I met him shortly after grad school - in, of all places, a bar in Texas. And I was smitten from the moment we met - literally. We've now been happily married for over two decades - and we have two teenagers together. Oh, and a really old beagle.
In some ways, we're very different - he's a doctor and a writer, I'm an artist - but for the most part, we're in sync. We both teach part-time, we're both athletic, we have a similar sense of humor, we love to cook together, and we're equally fond of traveling and being homebodies.
But, in a weird way, it's my mom who's responsible for my being so happy in love. When I was growing up in New Orleans, my parents didn't really get along - so I can't say that I was fond of marriage back then. But seeing my mom back in Ruby Hollow, with Jesse, made me realize that true love was possible. So, thanks, Mom.
Lucy. Hmm. What is there to say? She is whipcrack smart, powerful, and she tolerates me. Oh, and sexy as hell.
I love Kaelin because he's so gentle and patient and very romantic. Once he put a live butterfly on my pillow so I would see it when I opened my eyes. And he has this low, sexy laugh that he uses only for me.
Aidan is my life. He is heart and courage and fire and strength all rolled into one. He loves me so much I hardly feel I deserve it. He plays with our daughter and protects her with his ken.
He collects people that other people don't value, because he knows their worth.
What drives me crazy? When he doesn't tell me things. But I can usually worm it out of him. Fortunately, he's a terrible liar.
At the moment, my life's companion is my horse. He is better than people.
He is faithful, dependable, experienced and he never criticizes or argues. And he's not going to run off with someone else.
There's a lot to be said for horses.
Oh, Faldur. I worry about you sometimes. Although a horse can certainly be a worthy companion, it's not the same as sharing your life with someone. Hearing about the happiness that Marenya shares with Aidan must be hard for you. But I have faith that you'll find someone else to love... someday.
Don't worry about me, Olivia. I appreciate bachelorhood more each day.
Marenya.
Kaelin laughing? I don't believe you.
Ginger makes me laugh sometimes. She's funny.
Aidan. I love you.
When you lot aren't around, he actually loosens up. Which is why I bought him an island for Christmas.
Like that Zac Brown Band song I can't get out of my head:
Knee deep in the water somewhere
With the blue sky above and the wind in my hair My only worry in the world
Is the tide gonna reach my chair?
Sunrise is a fire in the sky
Never been so happy, never felt so alive
I think I might have found my own kind of paradise.
Hi. I don't have a love of my life. Not exactly, but there is this guy I've been seeing. He's intelligent, funny, sophisticated, polite, charming and totally sexy. I can't stop thinking about him.
He's making me dinner at his house tonight. He owns his own investment firm so I'm guessing it's pretty posh. I should start geting ready. I made an appointment to have my hair and makeup done.
Squee!
Good luck tonight, Mickey - I hope you have a wonderful time!
Thank you for the island, Ginger. I love you.
Good luck with that, Mickey.
Yeah, so come here and prove it, soldier. ;-)
Ashlyn needs a cousin, right Marenya?
You're more likely to get two!
Thanks, Marc!
Thanks, Olivia! Now I just have to figure out what to wear. I have no clue. I'm not even sure if he invited anyone else or if it's just us. He didn't really say.
Naked is always my first choice.
What?? It is.
And your daughter takes after you.
Proof she's mine.
Kidding, kidding!
In that case, you may stay up with her tonight, Daddy.
I will, until she's hungry.
Ah, yes. Bachelorhood. I shall enjoy my sleep.
Dreaming about a certain blonde?
Heh, good one Gingersnap.
Faldur's wanting to guard Ashlyn. I think he should probably take night duty.
Either him or Raynor.
Yeah. Raynor.
I am not going on my date naked! ROFL! Oh my god. You are too much, Aidan.
I mean, Roger might like it but..No.
It would be my honor to guard Ashlyn tonight. Mickey, please ignore Aidan. We do.
You look lovely. I hope you have a very enjoyable evening.
Love is a trap. I avoid it.
Oh C'mon, Mickey. Live a little.
Raynor, shut up now.
Wow, Chris, how very dark of you. I don't happen to agree, by the way. When it's right, love can be very liberating.
Good thing that wasn't Roger saying what Chris did, huh, Mickey?
I agree. Love can be a trap. Unless it's right.
Everything's a trap. It's not a matter of if you'll be caught, but how long you can put it off. I intend to put it off as long as I can.
That's all.
Roger would never say anything like that. I gotta run. Time for my date.
Bye!
Mickey, how was your date? What a curious human custom. We've courting among my kind, but my family kept me quite innocent and protected so I never experienced it firsthand.
Really, Saxen? I guess I thought... well. I suppose the Lord Prince is rather protective of his legacy's reputation.
I think the elders among our kind rather prefer we court more traditionally, but demidemons being what they are... (laughs) Marenya and her people had Aidan in bloody fits trying to court her.
She's not back yet. Knowing him she won't be for a good, long while.
He made sure I couldn't stop her.
Would you like help finding them? We are good at finding. My lord husband is a prince with magic and Lord Aidan is a Seer.
Thanks, Saxen, but I think I know where they are. At his mansion in Stone Harbor. I'd try to get her out, but I can't. It's hopeless, anyway.
Anyone got a drink to numb the pain?
Drinks we've got.
Ugh. Stone Harbor. Hate stone. Why would they call it that?
Yeah, thanks Jason. That's good stuff. But no one can get into Roger's mansion.
Saxen's husband has magic?
They have stones there.
Yes. Raynor is very powerful.
Oh yeah? How?
Ah, some mansion shouldn't be a problem. Come, lad, drink more and we'll discuss it.
I'm afraid I cannot go into details with someone I barely know.
But he is powerful, yes.
And protected. By me. So don't get any funny ideas, Chris.
I thought we were talking about love? Can we once have a discussion without posturing to strangers?
Nobody can solve this, okay? It's already done. Ask your Seer.
Roger Velyan has Michaela. I can't come anywhere, because he beat me to a pulp and left me behind her garage. Just to remind me what he can do and what I can't.
I was too late. It's too late.
I talked about love.
Aidan. I know that look.
We can't save everybody.
Dinner's ready. Um, who's the unconscious guy? What happened?
Apparently it's a fight over a woman.
Most of his bleeding has stopped. He doesn't look well, though.
I've done what I could for him. He's in less pain. But we can't leave him here in the grass.
Don't look at me that way, Kaelin. We can't.
Come on then. Help me get him up. We'll take him to a hotel.
So. Do I get to go kick this Rogers ass now?
No. We are not getting involved.
Getting involved with what? Who's Roger?
Look, Fred's licking him. He likes him.
This is our week for finding battered humans, isn't it?
Apparently so.
Take him up to the guest room, would you? Thanks. I'll clean him up.
Maybe Dr. Harper can check him out. Poor guy. You said it was a fight over a woman, Saxen?
Demidemons. A human with magic. A Seer. A Hanorjan prince. People who live underground.
And a family from Texas. And...is that a baby fox?
This ain't Facebook.
But... There are no more Hanorjan princes. I must be delusional. Or Roger sent them to mess with me.
MICHAELA!
Lie still. Who's Michaela?
Mickey. Michaela.
Dammit, I... You have magic. How?
It's a long story.
Yeah. I'm sure it is.
Hi, Aidan, would you get over here? The guy is crying.
He's babbling about Hanorjan princes and a girl named Michaela. He knows about magic. Fred won't leave him alone. He's plastered to his chest.
This is starting to freak me out.
Dude. Breathe.
Ah well hell. Selbrinna was a mess without her magic. I swear it's like a drug or something. You guys are addicted.
I wonder sometimes.
Shall I fetch Raynor, my lord?
Who are you people? What do you know about this?
Where the HELL am I?
You're at my house in Ocean City, New Jersey. No one's going to hurt you.
I don't know, Saxen. Raynor under a lot of stress right now.
Scones always help me feel better, Gingersnap. Maybe it would work for him, too.
Heyya, I'm Aidan. This is my family. That one with the knives is Saxen. The redhead is Ginger. The mean looking one is Kaelin and those guys are Jason and Marc. Marenya and Raynor are sleeping. We have a new baby who likes to keep us up all night. Where's Faldur and Selbrinna? Around somewhere I guess.
I know. They're kind of a lot to take. But they mean well. Most of the time.
Okay, sure. I'll makesome. I'll try calling Michael again, too.
Yeah. Okay. I'm Chris.
So, you have me at a disadvantage here. Are you an underground cell? Does this prince ofyours support or oppose the Regency?
Nothing personal, but I'm in enough trouble already. I can't associate with the opposition or they'll revoke my parole.
I'm quite certain Prince Raynor neither supports nor opposes the Regency.
Where does this Roger stand on it?
He supports the Regent, of course. He wouldn't be free to move among the humans if he didn't. (sighs) You don't know what I'm talking about, do you? You have no clue.
Just let me go. I won't say a word about this to anyone. They won't believe me anyway.
(pushes up, eases his legs over the side of the bed)
I'm afraid not. We helped you. The least you could do is explain. (pushes him back down easily)
Shit. (winces as he leans back)
Your friend Ginger. I don't know what happened to her - how she got magic - but I can guess. Some elevja seduced her and forced it on her. Since he's not here, I assume she got away from him and you broke his hold on her.
That's what's happening to Mickey. And the only reason he picked her is because I started hanging out with her. I should have stayed away.
His place is so secure, Merlin's army couldn't break in. Technology and magic. He's going to keep her there until she's so deep under his control, she'll forget she ever had another life, except in the middle of the night when she wakes up sobbing for something she dreamed about
I can't stop it, but I can try to help her. If we're in Ocean City that means I can be in Stone Harbor in twenty minutes.
Please. Let me try to help her.
I'll go with you. I've been in need of a fight. Shall I ask anyone else?
What are you two talking about?
Going to extract this Mickey.
Uh huh. Have you cleared that with Raynor?
Of course not. He wouldn't let me go.
I'm sorry I'm late, everyone. Didn't mean to be so hard to find... Long story short - the dog ran away, and it took all night and day to find him in the mudflats north of our house.
Anyway, I'm here now.
*produces his medical bag*
So, where's the patient?
I think we might have missed him, honey. According to this note, they all went to some place called Stone Harbor.
Roger... Chris... Mickey... Selbrinna... Who the heck are these people?
Just hop through the portal from the common room to my house, Michael. I'm so glad you're here. The patient is in the guest room upstairs. I'll show you.
We found this guy, Chris, beat up pretty badly and brought him here. He's upset about his girlfriend, I think. She's with some guy named Roger he had a fight with.
Selbrinna is Jason's girlfriend.
Ah hello. Quite handy to have a doctor about for the humans we accumulate. Wait. You are human, arent you Chris?
(pause) Not exactly. More than I was before.
It's fine. He can do whatever.
Not exactly? Perhaps we do need Raynor.
What do you mean, "not exactly?"
That's a good idea. If we're going up against magic, we need someone magical to help. I needed his help with Ginger's situation.
(scowls, flexes his right hand nervously)
Yeah, so, tell me why four of your people have Hanorjan names but you don't know about the Regent? I'm not getting this at all.
They aren't from around here. Start from the beginning. Who is the regent?
(her eyes narrow) You're Hanorjan. But you have no magic.
You're as helpless as a human. That's why you're so upset.
(tight) Yes. That's why I'm upset.
You want my shirt off or what, doctor?
The beginning? Fuck, I don't know the beginning.
Okay. Okay. You know what elevja are? Hanorja with more magic than commoners, right? A really long time ago we had our own kingdom, we were protected by magic and gryphons. We lived for two hundred years.
Demons killed the gryphons. We were no longer protected. The last king died in battle.
Long story short, we've been ruled by the regents ever since. Our lives and our magic are dwindling. I'm one fourth human.
But Hanorja can't have children with humans. Marenya told me.
They can if they give them magic first.
(pales) And that's why this Roger guy wants Mickey? I'm getting Raynor.
Thanks, Ginger, for reminding us about the portal. Sadly, it's been a while...
Anyway, hi, Chris - nice to meet you. I hear you're a bit banged up. Why don't we get your shirt off, so I can have a look? I'll do what I can - though, if magic is necessary, I'll definitely need a little help from Raynor...
Magic won't be necessary. I'm just flesh and blood like anyone else. Thanks, Doc.
Patch me up so I can go after Mickey, okay?
We don't need Raynor, Dr. Harper. I have magic, too. I already partially healed him. He was unconscious when I showed up earlier.
That Roger guy must have broken half the bones in his body.
Thanks.
(Eyes Saxen) We definitely are talking to Raynor before you go anywhere.
(scowls at Kaelin, unafraid of his temper) How powerful is this Roger anyway?
Powerful enough to clear out a nest of Taliban in Kandahar with just a handful of warfirien for backup.
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