User blog:GoldenDiva/Stupid Antic: Ballet des poussières brillante (Ballet of the glimmering dust)


 * A city in the full spark of activity. The market, busting with trades every 8 seconds. The town's people, all busy in the daily runs of life. The city is as typical as it can be, even though this one had severed ties with the order quite a long time ago, for it seemed that they had not the requirement for the Order to leech on, so they had left it to be assaulted by whatever came on later. But, fortunately, due to the city's dense surronding by the trees, they were able to not only avoid most of the large armies of eitehr camp, but also managed to make safe paths for their merchant to sell and buy things of the other cities.

Somewhere along all of those trades and purchases, a different kind of activity was taking the mind of a young man called Austiche as he was running back to the largest building of his sector, an academic school for aspiring apothecaries. He ran past everyne, from the outdoor sellsmen to the goods carriying oxes. He was able to quickly escalate the stairs leading to the entrance for someone seemed to be waiting for him.

The one waiting for him was of long, a flurry of long blue hair with a gentle face to accompagny them. Blue eyes that spaked the seas at their brightest also were present on her. The texture of her skin was nowehere like the snow-like color that the noble would have since she was not one to stay indoors but it was such magnificient that some would dare compare hers to a noblesse.

Samantha waved at Austiche as he was running the stairs, branding a big smile at him.

"Hey Austiche, where were you?" she inquired

"Sam, I have to show you something!" he responded as he caught up to her in the stairs, panting and regaining his breath.

Austiche, being a apprentice apothecary, was currently bearing the novice's attire which consisted of a white pair of pants with a small vial installed on it, a very light also inexistant chest vest with a tiny backpack that was used to mix and prepare medecine. His chest vest also had compartiments to allow him to store flower specimens as well as vials and pills. POuches and gold coins could also be fitted on it. Being a begeinner's aopthecary backpack, it was not very impressive. He also had a begeinner's mask rigged to suit the needs of an apothecary, but at the moment, it was detached from his face.

Austiche was very excited to be before Sam because he had a new type of flower he picked up from the latest field trip. It was a beautiful orchid that had mutated into a rare type, the orchid that became blue. It had sparkles blowing out of it whenever anyone would sway it left or right since it seemed ripe with healing proprieties. He had found his after an extensive researching  that had granted him the praise from his superiors. Of course, the one being he wanted to show was his best firned Samantha.

"Look at this!" he pronouced proudly, showing his blue Orchid at the surprised lady.

"Woah! Where did you find this?" she asked.

"During our latest expedition in the North-East island. Apparently, those were rare and they were right, We had to put 2 weeks to find those and that was even more demanding to us novices,but I found the first one."

"Well, it looks astounishing. I've never seen one like this. Can I touch it?"

Of course" Austiche happily said while handing the blue Orchid to Sam. She was absolutely blown away by the flower's beautiful display. She gazed at it, forgetting everything around for a whole minute before regaining her senses. She was happy he had shown this to her since she was also studying in the applied medecine.

"Did they tell what possibilities thie flower could have?"

"Nope, it's why they picked up several more. I get to keep this one."

After talking for a few more minutes, they both went back inside, talking about the current events,which then revolved around the new island they found that could be teeming with unexplored new medical items, be it herbs, flowers, food, seeds or otherwise.

Austiche was mostly listening to Samantha talk about the potential discoveries, lost in her voice. He never showed it, but he always loved hearing her talk about pretty much anything, as long as she was making use of her beautiful voice. It enthralled him everytime she talked. So muich that even in their pre-teen years, whenever she did talk about something, he would usually forget anything but her voice and she would giggle while calling him back, wondering why was on his mind to make him dooze like this.

In fact, as they reached the main hall, Austiche had pulled out a letter from his pouch. It was a somewhat smaller letter than the casual but still pretty average. She was talking and couldn't see it due to the direction she faced, which was foward. Autishe's heart was spiking up. His hand was slightly trembling at the perspective of her reading it.

Unfortunately, the moment he was about to hand her the letter, she had ran toward someone. Austiche had not seen the man and wondered why Sam ran toward him. Seeing her hug the man had not worried Austiche, but, when he kissed her, that had made his heart skip a beat.

Austiche was confused and slightly jealous at the display of his best friend in the arms of another one. He did not wish for his feeling to sho so he had put on his apothecary mask as the two continued for a few more seconds.

Then, after the two had broke their embrace, Samantha took her lover's hand and brought him to her best friend.

"Martin, this is my best friend and fellow student, Astiche."

"Ohh, so this is the other one that has been standing with my girlfriend all this time? I'm pleased to meet you sir." he said while offering a hand shake with Austiche.

"Sure thing." Austiche replied while shaking his hand, his shaking voice hidden by his mask. "Since when have you two been together?"

"Well, we've meeting dating since 2 weeks ago" Sam replied.

"So, you two met when I was one week into the expidition..." Austiche let out, a hint of dissapointement in his voice.

Samantha felt smoewhat guitly for avoiding to message him about it when he was away but forgot about it.

"Well Austiche, we're going out for now, so have a good time." she added as the two began walking out of the hall way. Austiche turned slowly and lifted a hand."Wait, where are you going?"

"Miss over here wants some time between us." Martin said, lifting a hand and barely waving it as the two left the main hall, leaving Austiche to glare at his letter. He sighed and folded it before putting it in his pouch. He walked down the stairs, feeling broody but hiding it all under a fake smile.

Reaching his home and opening the door, he threw his bag on his room's bed and dressed down to his undergarments. He then went to take a bath. He thought about the flower as he spashed his face with water to scrub it with a soap. Shaking his head at a missed opportunity, he scrubbed himself with soap and took a dive down his bathtub to rinse off.

He placed something to eat, a small diner over the spit roast and consumed it without a word, too busy thinking about Samantha and her boyfriend, Martin. Everytime, it made him sigh. Eventually, he went to sleep as the night fell and his dreams were related to this situation. They were all making him jealous.

The next day, Austiche was still in bed as the first rays of light invaded his bedroom. He was given the day off because this month was at last a month off from studies. He frankly preferred staying home to avoid seeing his best friend and her new date but tiny rocks felled his window,prompting his to get up and see who was doing that.

Samantha was waving from outside, gesturing him to come out. With a sigh, Austichewent to prepare himself, putting on his casual attire which consisted of a blue coat with brown panst and thing white gloves as well as his mask. After takinga small hand full of tiny nuts, he got out where her friend Sam was waiting to greet him.

"Hello Austiche.You slept late tonight?" she asked.

"What makes you think so?" he asked, midly surprised.

"Well, usually we always meet up at 7 in the morning, but right now it's 9."

"Well, I did sleep late."

"Well, at least you're up. Since today it saturday, I thought maybe we could go see that new park they've just set up."

"I'd like to." Austiche said with enthusiast.

10 minutes later, the two were walking away from the housing compartiment and from the city. Austiche was really happy to be able to do something with her. As they walked, they would begin speaking about trivial things such as school, their work and hobbies. But, most of the time, the conversation would drift to how much Sam's new boyfriend. Indeed, everytime Austiche would change the subject, Samanthat would unavoidably include Martin and his exploits in the subject, giving a great amount of frustation and jealousy to Austiche. Unfortunately, his anguish at her talking about her boyfriend would only worsen as the two had reach the gate of the city.

"Samantha, there you are!" a masculine voice resonated at the end of the gate. She ran towards the voice as Austiche sighed low enough to avoid anyone hearing it. Of course he was going to be on part with the trip. Martin and Sam were embracing each other, once again giving a bit of jealousy on Austiche. So much that... "I've got to go..." he suddenly let go "...as I've got work on that new specimen I just got." As he walked away, Sam grabbed his arm, a look of discerned and a bit of worried washed over her usually relaxed demeanour."But, we are at a day off. Surely you could forget it for today and come with us." she said, trying to convice him.

"No sorry, my headmaster wanted my input on the new flower's potential since I found it first. It's really important." he claimed as she would let go in a concerned look. As he left, he would sometimes look back, seeing Samantha stare at him from a distance. He felt like he could maybe go back but then Martin would come to her and put his arm over her, talking her to go on with their plans. She turned with him and went along, even though she gave a last glance at Austiche, as he walked away.

Coming to an empty laboratory, Austiche went to the nearest bathroom to change himself to the apothecary set. Sitting on his station with his new specimen before him, he sighed loudly, his hands on either side of his head,resting on the table.

"I should have given her the letter..." he lamented "Now, she'll never know how much she means to me." He then looked at his letter still unopened and had a moment of hope. "Well, maybe I'll get another chance. Why not? I'll just wait it out and see how they go. Surely that chance will swing by." he told himself, getting more hopefull as he took the rare shimmering Blue Orchid out of his back pack and prepared his tool. "Yes, I'll wait and work on my path and see that things get better." he triumphly declared right before putting his scalpel on the Orchid to begin. Day after day, he worked on his specimen,seeing what temperature it could endure, it's inner composition, the medicinal potential and much, much more. Nearly all of his time during the month off was dedicated to his work.

He also continued to see Samantha on a daily basis. She was pretty relieved that he seemed to have gotten better. Indeed he was, even as Martin often went along with them on their friends' trip. Of course, the couple were more about each other than anything else. Austiche noticed that. As much as he was happy about his friend finding someone, he once again couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy. He ignored it and felt happy for her, even as she was unaware of his deeper feelings for her.

One day, a knock on his door was heard. Curious as to who it could be at evening, he walked up to open it, only to find out, surprised that Sam was at the other side."Sam?" he hesitantly blabbered.

"Hi Aus, I do hopt I'm not bothering you at this moment." she fidgets a bit, dressed in her casual wear.

"Of course not." he smiles "What can I do for you?" he adds while gesturing her in.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go out for a walk across the river. Well, if you don't mind." she asks, as if she held something inside her.

"Sure" he responded almost excitinly. Before though, he held his joy in check and went to his room "Hold on a moment, I need to change."

Minutes later, he was also wearing  casual wear that consisted of a white coat and silver pants. Opening the door, he looked back at her "After you" he said as she walked out.

Making their way to said river, Austiche and Samantha were walking along it. It was mostly a moment of quiet as neitehr of them were saying anything. He knew she wanted to tell him something important but for some reason, she held her tongue. Well, at least until she grabbed his hand to stop him. Intrigued, he looked at her. She had something to say to him but couldn't quite muster the courage. He thought about that for a moment, Maybe it was that faint hope he nutured that she would confess to him, or even that her current relationship was going badly and would need someone to listen to her. That frail hope whitered in the wind as she picked a over joyous tone to her voice...

"I think he's the one."

"W-what?" he stuttered,unable to accept what she just said.

"I think he's my true soul mate."

"B-but, you two have been in a relationship only since a few months, how can you be sure?"

"Well, because he's what I've been searching for. He handsome, generous, smart, kind. He's what every lady could be wanting in a man. And, he's also from a noble family."

"B-but, you can't possibly think he's the one." Austiche stuttered, unaware of his panicked look in his face and the fact that his voice had gotten somewhat louder.

"But why not?" asked Samantha with a voice full of worry. "Why shouldn't I? We have much in common."

"But...but..."

Austiche realized that he was about to say something he never had the courage to admit. Instead, he looked at his friend that now was worried about his sudden raise of voice, as if he had a problem with that. Samantha had taken a step back, not sure of what to say. She spoke...

"Aus, I think you need to calm down. I don't know what got into you, but, perhaps we should let this calm down for a few days."

"W-What?"

"Besides, I'm going somwehere with Martin. He's bringing me to his summer mansion."

"...it's for the best"

Muttering those words, Austiche stared at Samantha while she turned to walk away. Though she did have some worries for him, she had to prepare herself for the date. And thus, Austiche was left alone along the river, as night approached. It had finally sink in that he hesitated for too long and was now forever out of her reach. He sighed, this time, a resigned one. One that would signal a deep change in his heart...

The next day, in the morning, he was still on his bed while devoid of sleep. Yesterday's botched attempts at confessing while also hearing of her love for the noble had prevented any sleep from him. His gaze was without weight, nor care. He was completely resigned, because, he had lost the one person he could love. Having lost that special someone, his mind shifted to other things as he finally got up after laying here for 2 hours.

he dressed himself up in his apothecary suit and walked out with his Blue Orchid."This would have made such a beautiful flower for her..." he whispered to himself before heading out.

He went back to the medical institute where he began pouring his mind and soul in the medicinal arts. Even as only half of the month pff passed, he was always locked up in his laboratory.Such was his new found dedication to his art that he managed to understand and apply the studies and knowledge that the superior studies would have brought to him in years. But when his teacher went to praise him, all Austiche ever did was look at him and nod slightly.

One day,however as Austiche was preparing prototype samples for active application with thr Blue Orchid, his teacher walked in his lab and called him out. He told his that his work as a rookie was somimpressive that he mentionned his name for another expedition on another island, a more exotic one. He added the fact that this could be great experience for a rookie as well as the pay since it would span over 2 months. Austiche immediatelly accepted but the teacher asked him whether he would not miss anyone here. He replied that it would be better like this...

Back home with a letter with the front written as The purple Expedition, the name of the event he was going to attend, Austiche packed up most of his apothecary gear and supply since he was now to come back for 2 months. He was quick and precise in his preparation but, as he gathered his things in front of his door, he noticed the flower.

It's vibrant glimmer of gold dust was lessen now, it's color,tuned down. It was as if the Blue Orchid knew it's current owner was feeling anything but bright and changed according to him.

"If only I had not faltered. If only I could had walked to her...."

Austiche picked up the flower and had it set in a small decorated pot with a small life support coat around the pot. He then sealed in the flower with small holes around to allow it to breath. He then took out his letter and sat it besides the flower, still closed with the seal unbroken.

"Well, it's too late now, but I wish her a happy time..."

He then picked up his stuff and got out of his house, walking right at the gate as the other citizens were tending to their daily activities. He looked straight ahead, ignoring most of the background noise, coming ever closer to the exit gate. Passing through, a carriage waited for him and 5 others. Seems he was not the only one invited to participate on the expert's expedition. Of course, he never questionned that and just went inside, never to be seen in this city again...

The island Austiche was to work on for the next months was nothing short of strange. The trees were unaturaly large and imposing. The grass was also tall enough to touch their waist belt. Of course, the fact that there were so many giant trees made it hard for the group to carry their things around, even having the others complaining about that while Austiche ignored their woes and continued walking to the Headquarters. That would earn his a title that he would carry without response: "the heart of cage."

First thing the group was welcomed to was a small buffet where every kind of sweet was on the table, as a greeting reunion with the gifted apprentices. Of course, Austiche didn't care that much about buffets and merely walked up to the foreman.

"Greetings. I am here merely to ask for the location of the field where we are to start working on."

"Well met apprentice. I know you are eager to work here, but, seeing as you've just arrived, would you not want to get some rest, anything?"

"I'd rather just start really, my mind cannot thing of anything else."

"Really now? Well, you really seemed thrilled to be here despite your voice. Very well, I'll open the gates so you can go forth."

The foreman went back inside, ignoring the noise that the other apprentices were making as a result of being chosen for expert work.

Austiche merely bowed down to the foreman before leaving with his tools out, into the unknown as the rest was eating, laughing and boasting about their skills."What a weird child" the foreman muttered before going back to the rest of the invited. Austiche followed behind to the back door who hid a barred gate leading to some excavation and furher unexplored planes. As this day was about to end, shadows became progressly larger, enveloping his shallow form as the white he wore on his back was coated in the dark of the uncharted lands, ever going deeper without so much as a hesitation,fading in the background...

--

The wind blowing across a vast land of sand, one that ended it's large presence ending where the endless tide of sea began, a familiar blue-haired lady was kneeled down, rolling her hand over the mix of sand and water with a glee on her face.

"How incredible that your family owns all of this beach." she says as she splashes her arms full of warm sea water to a walking man coming to her."Of course we own this, my family has come here for their leisure for generations." he replies before cupping a small amount of water to drop it on the lady.

She immediately replies by throwing some at him, which then prompts the two at battling each other by with water. In this vast,empty beach, the one sound anyone could make out besides the gentle wave of it's water was the two laughing and putting on fake threats regarding water to the other, that lasted for about 2 hours.

Still laughing and seeking to dry herself, Samantha slowing waltzed toward the chariot containing their towels and spare clothes, as well as snacks. But, her boyfriend, Martin, decided he wanted to have the last word and with a grin on his face, took hold of her foot while she was getting out of water and yanked her pretty violently, causing Sam to fall flat on the watery sand. Seeing this, he laughed loudly while she spat sand out before swiftly using one of her leg to yank at his and make him fall as well.

Before he could get up, she was already walking away to the chariot, her back turned on him. He could not see what face she sported, but at the moment, it was one of slight anger for such a dangerous trip on very shallow waters. Anyone could have seen that with the way she was walking, but not Martin, for he thought she didn't mind, considering she struck back.

"Wait for me, babe." he shouted while getting up and running after her.The sand pushed away from his dripping feet, his sprint accompanied by short breaths. This noble strugged not falling from the small dunes of sand separating him and Samantha but never the less managed to get to her and the chariot.

She took a deep breath and climbed on the chariot, with Martin shortly folowwing behind."Babe, you're not angry, are you?" he jokingly asked, his hands in a questionning gesture with an eyebrow lifted. Of course, she didn't bother answering. Her exasperated sighs would easily have given it away. Unfortunately, Martin not only missed that subtle hint that this date was turning sour, but he genuinely was almost insulted at her lack of a grin, laugh or even a faint smile.

"Oh, come one, it was just a joke. You're seriously taking this seriously?"

"You made me trip on the floor! Of course I'm not going to laugh at this you ass!"

"Aw come one, you're not injured, it was just a prank."

"That's besides the point. You don't pull something like this when the person is leaving. I COULD have gotten injured from a sudden trip like this."

"Pff, even if it did happen, I could have gotten you fixed with the best healer around."

"..."

Samantha stopped answering back and went inside the chariot, asking for the driver to take her back for her mood was now gone. Martin also sat in after running in, still trying to explain himself with "come on", "Just a joke" and "I'm sorry". But, everytime he said those, his voice had a underline of smug and arrogant tone in it, as of he was not sincere,earning him a cold glare from the otherwise gentle and soft lady.

Arriving in the manor, she immediately got off and walked toward the towering house as a servant awaited her with spare clothes and a towel. Of course, Martin went after her, tyring to explain himself, but at this point, he was just background noise to her now. She went to her room and locked herself inside. Inside her room, a litter of sophisticated objects that saw their use in a laboratory rather than in a vacational home. Vials with plants roots, glasses container with complete specimens, tools that saw many uses and kept their  edge due to constant maintenence. With all of those, the room looked more like a medical bay than a vacationeer's resting place.

With a swift gesture, what little clothing constituted as a beach bikini landed on the bed as Samantha outfitted herself with a modest blue robe. The robe danced beautifully as she spung around, giggling all the way, soon forgetting that regretfull event sooner in tha day. She went to check on everything she collected so far, making sure they were in pristine condition.

"I do hope he'll like them. So many good specimens here." she told herself while tending to some of them. Locked in her room, she let her great passion for medecine flourish, making her lose the sense of time as she does this for the rest of the day until the first signs of nightfall.

Only the owl's gentle howl in the night had interrupted her focus on a purple Orchid. While not as rare as the exotic Blue Orchid, this one was still among the convoited by many interested in either advanced caretaking or collection. She sighed in relief once seeing it was not that late in the night and had cleaned her tools before putting everything away. With that done, Samantha slowly and quietly opened the door. not a noise in the sector.

"Everyone must be asleep or back in their rooms." Samantha takes two steps out of her room while closing it gently, to be sure not to wake any potential sleepers.Along her way to the living room, the path neglected to lit her way. She probably would have stumbled over the many pots of flowers stationned to mini-tables on the walls were not for the candles on the high walls lighting them out, giving a bit of clearence on a otherwise dark corridor.

Eventually, she managed to make her way to the living room, where a crack of a match tossed into the fireplace's logs had filled the room with orange light and heat. She sighs in content and thinks about when they'll come back. And yet, for reasons unknown to her, all of her thoughts eventually came back to her best friend,Austiche. Despite the sour way she said goodbye before going for the summer house of her current boyfriend, Samantha couldn't help but think about him. Rather, she didn't want to contest those thoughts, whether because she felt a bit guilty about how things ended. That...

...or because she had a terrible feeling something happened, like that night walk they did would be the last time they would ever meet in this life...

That thought had set her in a quiet state of near lamentation. Her robe had dulled a bit as the fire lessened, her joyous tone now gone, replaced by a mournful thibking of how to reconciliate with her friend when they would get back.

That state,however, was interrupted by a pair of hands rumming their fingers over her shoulders. "Someone is weary about something." The voice kept doing so for about 5 minutes as Samantha soon began to relax, some of her gloomy disposition retreating. "But it dosen't suit you, baby." The voice soon stopped with the massages while sliding his hands over the sofa where she was. A loud "pumf" ripped the silence apart from the seat being sat upon.

"Now, what is wrong,my muse?" Martin inquired, his eyes glowing with something in them.

"Well, before we went here, I had a disagreement with my friend. Now, I feel like something is wrong, as if he left or disappeared."

"Don't worry,babe. You two can fix up things when we come back after a month. But for now,let's forget about him." he said, his face nearing her as he began holding her in his arms.

"But, I'm still-- Her words cut off by his kiss, she moans lightly and lets herself sink into his arms, momentarely relieved by his recomfort.The two had their eyes closeed, savoring the moment as evert couple would. Alas, this comfort she slumvered in would abruptly end the moment one of his hand surfaced the more "private" parts of her body.

The scene changed from a heart-warming one to a blatant attempt at sating from the noble man as he took his hand ever closer to her underpants, unprotected by her robe. While she would usually tolerate this behavior with a mere reprimand, Martin, by violently trying to pull it off, had shown exactly what he wanted on the spot. Breaking their kiss suddenly, she took hold on his invading hand with force."I'm not ready foor this!" echoed through the otherwise silent manor of the night.He didn't care and disregarded her pleads with his hand steadily uncovering her womanhood under the long dress she bore. Her eyes widened as she now struggled under his grasp.

He tightened his second hand's grip on her, a nasty glare gazing on her lower body. He wanted to do it, to claim her, right here,right now! She didn't and desperately sought a way out. Her free hand, under his chest clentched as a fist and drove itself to the man's lower jaw. The sudden hit snapped him out of his focused. He tried to apologize, thinking of excuses to justify his behaviour. "I thought this was the right time, since we've been together for a long while." he tried to explain. She didn't see this way...

Her feet now free from his body, she pressed the two of them against his chest, anger in her eyes with a bit of tears and violently pushed, causing him to fly very briefly out of the sofa, only to crash on the floor. Her light steps, now sounding more like stomps running off to her room. A last glance at the now downed Martin, his eyes seeping out bare lust and a hint of impatience. Samantha didn't care and rushed to her room.

Inside once more, she gathered her arms around her shoulder, trying to comprehend what just happened.She didn't want to think about it and simply fell asleep, drentched in doubt and uncertainty...

Samantha avoided her boyfriend for a few days. It was convenient that he was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he needed to cool down as well. He was not on his mind for a few days. Instead, Samantha focused on her medical specimens in her room. Over the next days,however, she began wondering where Martin had been all this time. Maybe...

{To be continued}