Terra Tunn. The castle on the plain. Saki's surprise.

[mancalledjubes]

((starts here))

The building was many turreted and covered several acres, with gardens that spread even further. To one side was open, grass-carpeted woodland with massive old trees intermixed with their sons and daughters; on another was a slight rocky bluff, from which ran a picturesque waterfall; while on the third was grassy plain with a walled city in the not too far distance. Walls of reddish granite gleamed softly in the sunlight, and pennants bearing the image of a sun and stars fluttered gently in the fragrant breeze.

Inside everything was pleasantly bright and welcoming, with the occasional merry-faced servant hurrying along their way. Pictures hung on the walls between the large windows in the hallways and in the rooms, some of which were set up as places of wonder and others as living spaces. Everything smacked of loving care and a desire to please one certain person, though there were things to suggest the presence of an active child in the family too. Up in one corner of the castle was a comfortable suite of sitting room and two bedrooms, one of which had the basics of a nursery sitting still in their packages and waiting. Across the hall and down a little ways was a door that led into the library, which took up two floors and was stocked with every book the master of the place could think of that might be of use to his wife and child.

There was a soft swish and a slight flash near this door, and then Jubal gently set Saki down. "Okay, babe. Open your eyes."

Comments

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

She does so, and then stares, eyes wide and mouth open.

"Oh Jubal, this is a fairy kingdom!" she says, looks around, and moves away slightly, though she still holds his hand. "This is just like the stories... oh Jubal, it is so beautiful!"

[mancalledjubes]

He grinned, then gently tugged on her hand and led her toward the suit. The door opened into the big sunny white sitting room, which sported comfortable leather furniture and racks of flowering plants in the windows.

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

Her eyes stay wide, and she follows obediantly.

"What is this place, Jubal?" she says, voice soft.

[mancalledjubes]

"A surprise I fixed up," he said, taking a deep breath. "For us, if you want it."

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

She stares at him in utter amazement, then lets out a small cry of pure happiness and throws her arms around him.

"Oh Jubal, it is so beautiful," she says, her voice full of tears.

[mancalledjubes]

He caught her and held her, feeling like his grin was going to split his face. "Hey, you haven't even seen it all yet."

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

"There... there is more?" she sniffs, and smiles. She feels dizzy with happiness and excitement.

[mancalledjubes]

"Yeah." A swish and they were suddenly floating in the middle of the vast room. "See?"

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

She looks around in wonder, then realizes that it is real.

"Oh..." she says, then turns, burries her head in his shoulder, and bursts into tears.

[mancalledjubes]

"Hey," he said softly, feeling her overwhelmed happiness as he flew her out of the room and took her back to the sitting room. "Easy, babe." He sat them on the couch and held her close.

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

She tries to say something, but finds herself unable to stop her tears. She had thought the loft in the cafe was everything she'd ever wanted, and now Jubal had given her a castle. It was more than she'd ever dreamed possible of having.

"I love you," she finally manages through her tears, then burries her face in his chest and tries to get a hold of herself.

[random_xtras]

"I know, babe." He stroked her hair and rocked her, his love for her coming through their link. "I know, my Saki."

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

She blinks, then hugs him gently, unable to say anything else.

[mancalledjubes]

"That door there." He nodded toward the one that Clarice had come from, his heart still singing joyfully as he stood up and set Saki on her feet. "Wait till you see the closet."

And the bed, the beautiful wrote iron king sized bed with the intricate scroll work and the long gauzy white curtains. And the matching doll cradle for their rag bunnies and Puffball. But that closet... was a room in itself.

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

"Oh Jubal," she looks around and stares. "This is beautiful."

[mancalledjubes]

"I put the bed by the windows, because I know how much you like the sun." He walked over to the closet and looked inside at the pile of stuff sitting neatly in the middle of the floor, then chuckled as he remembered something and went to a little decorative table and opened the enamel music box so that the tune would play. He'd made that box himself, by hand.

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

"It is so beautiful... oh Jubal, not even the Northern Towers were ever this beautiful," she says, then goes to the closet and nearly swoons.

[mancalledjubes]

"Woah!" He jumped over and put his hands on her shoulders, heart in his throat. "Are you okay, babe? Do you wanna sit down?"

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

"It is so much," she says, as her eyes brim and cheeks pink again. "I... I am sorry. I am foolish, I know. I just... you have given so much, and you always offer more. I never thought this happiness was possible."

[mancalledjubes]

"Love you too, babe," he murmured, putting his arms around her and nuzzling in for another kiss, then wincing as he felt how tired she was. "Man... I have to go to bed more often. How much have you been sleeping?"

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

"I do not sleep so much usually," she says. "But lately I have slept very little... I have been reading."

[mancalledjubes]

"Well you've got to have at least eight hours a night, okay? You need to be strong for the baby." He stroked her hair, kicking himself mentally for goofing off at night instead of staying around and making sure that she was alright.

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

She flinches, unable to believe she was so mindless, and looks up as her lip trembles slightly.

"Yes. I am sorry, Jubal, I will not let it happen again," she says, her voice very soft.

[mancalledjubes]

"Hey." He bit his lip. "I'm not mad. It's hard when you get interested in something... and I was being a dweeb running off at night instead of staying around."

[innocent-lips.livejournal.com]

"But I am a mother. I need to put the baby first," she lowers her gaze. "I am sorry, Jubal, I swear, it will not happen again."