Sounds of Fire

20

"Grace?" Anatolia asked, pushing open the bedroom door. She juggled their breakfast plates and closed the bedroom door with her hip.

Lady Grace was in her closet, murmuring to herself. Anatolia set the plates down by the bed and waited until her presence was noted. It wasn't for a while, but she didn't mind waiting. She smiled when she was finally seen, as Lady Grace jumped slightly, her fingertips going to her mouth in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Lady Grace asked quickly, then she waved the question away. "Nevermind. I should have known you'd follow." She went deeper into her closet and started murmuring again.

Anatolia relaxed on the bed and started in on her breakfast. She idly listened to Lady Grace's murmurings, waiting for a way in. Eventually, when the murmurings slowed and quieted, Anatolia sat up and put her plate down.

"May I ask where you're going?"

Lady Grace stepped out of the closet with fresh clothes hanging on her arms. "No, you can't come," she answered.

Anatolia wiped her hands on the mattress, pretending she didn't see Lady Grace's scowl. "That's not what I asked."

"You would have asked eventually, and my answer is no."

"Fair enough. So, where are you going?"

Lady Grace sighed. "I'm not sure yet. I just... need to get away for a little bit. I think I'll go into the office today. Maybe. I don't know."

"Okay. I would ask to go but you already said no. Can you at least tell me why you're upset? I thought our chat this morning made you feel better but if I said something wrong..."

"No, no. Ellasbeth, no." Lady Grace threw her clothes on the bed and sat down beside Anatolia. "Its not that, really. I feel better about that." She bit her bottom lip and cradled her hands in her lap, her eyes on her rubbing thumbs. "It was the way Nan and Ilene were talking about us. They can't do that, I don't like it. They can't talk like we're so in love and on the road to two kids and a house with a picket fence."

Anatolia pursed her lips. "Picket fences aren't even all that appealing. What if one of the kids gets their head stuck in one of the spaces between the wood boards?"

Lady Grace smiled unwillingly. "Shut up, that's not my point."

Anatolia chuckled and scooted closer to Lady Grace. "I know, I know. Look, I get where you're coming from. They're putting us at a place where we haven't arrived yet in our relationship. Its annoying, I'm with you there."

Lady Grace exhaled and shook her head. "Very annoying. How can they say those things so easily? I mean, by Gods, I don't love you." She heated and backtracked. "Wait... no, I didn't mean that. Oh, I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't worry about it. I know what you mean." Gently, Anatolia wrapped her arm around Lady Grace's waist. She shrugged. "I don't love you either."

Leaning into the embrace, Lady Grace lifted her chin to put her lips level with Anatolia's. "Thank you."

"Any time."

They kissed softly for a moment, tasting each other, breathing each other in.

Anatolia licked her lips and brushed Lady Grace's hair back. "Do you still want to leave?"

Lady Grace sighed and eyed the clothes she had taken from her closet. "No, but I think I really should go into the office."

"Can I come?"