Topic: Ignorance and Truth PG13

Miranda Branson

Date: 2014-09-10 12:06 EST
*Warning there is suggestive wording and a sexual nature to this piece of writing.*

In ignorance is not bliss, but the illusion that you do know and all is right with the world.

The steady rain of the season had cooled the earth once again preparing it for the coming season. Despite the chill rising over her flesh, Miranda continued to walk towards the forest. Dew weighed down the edge of her skirt pulling it taught to her calves with each step. The tips of the leaves bowed under the force of the drizzle, rolling down to splash upon her cheeks, taking the coloring of life with them.

Today had started out like any other. A shared breakfast with her daughter, walking her to school, but as she stood in front of the academy gate the gnawing began. Not pain, nor pleasure, it sank deeper into her core. It was as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown onto the fires of the forge, rolling down brick and ash leaving nothing, but a slurry behind.

There was no path for Miranda as she continued in a trance into the woods. The rain came harder as if to keep her in place, but the journey wasn't over yet. The gnawing turned its efforts to her bones casting bumps to crawl over her skin. A misty haze claimed the spark in her eyes leaving her to face the ignorance alone.

Crack!

Miranda Branson

Date: 2014-09-10 12:07 EST
The damning sound shot through her spine, making her normal fluid stance ridged. Flanked by black shadows, they reached for her and Miranda did nothing to stop them. Soft and tempting, the whispers lapped at her ears.

"It's time my love. I have missed you."

"No it's not. Stay with me a while longer."

Rolling over her clothing it melted into something more fitting for them both. The dove gray gown shimmered and became sheer, molding to muscle and curve. The shadows gracefully took a hand each letting their pleas roll over her skin like a lover's kiss.

"You have no idea what is in store for you. Let us find out together."

"You know what you have come here for. Tell me what you want."

Daring to turn her head left, a bronzed wild man wickedly smirked. His body had been bathed in the sun causing it to gleam like gold. Brown leather clung to his lower half leaving even the most bashful of lovers nothing to guess at what laid beneath. Hair matted and tussled only making the antlers rising from his crown seem natural. Trinkets tinkled softly from the points hanging by gossamer threads.

"Stay."

Boldly looking right, the tears began to shimmer on her lashes. He molded his slightly parted lips to her palm over and over again, not in begging, but out of want. Dark green velvet trimmed in black leather made his slender figure elegant and regal. Not an imposing man by stature, but the depths of his character burned in his eyes. Hair like silver, his flesh looked as if the winter moon had bathed him. Sensual grace rolled from every pore of his being.

"Come."

Heart beating wildly as their hands began to move for her torso. Miranda wasn't frightened of them, but frightened of herself. Their touch had banished the gnawing and replaced it with their own promises. Like it silk, it poured over her with such sensual promise and then the spark.

It hung in the air like the first note of a symphony as she withdrew her hands from their tender ministrations. Eagerly they smiled thinking themselves the victor over the other.

"I will not impale myself upon your horns, nor be pricked by your thorns. I damn us all with no choice at all."

Conviction burned away the last of her tears making the figures return to shadows that growled with mirth. A staggering step forward as the world righted itself a single voice cut across her conscious.

"Some traditions are meant to be broken."

Miranda's head shot up as she braced on an ancient tree to steady herself.

"Father?"

Miranda Branson

Date: 2015-04-09 21:41 EST
The droll day had put the houses into interesting moods. Either the gray sky had turned you melancholy for doubled your focus. Scattered across the heavy oak desk was last month's expenditures for houses, academy and various projects in the works. Everything from gardening to grocery lists and back again. Miranda stacked another into the approved pile to later be filed away as part of the year. Since her jaunt into the forest the headaches had become almost constant. With nothing physically wrong it was natural to assume it was nothing more than being overworked, but when upon relaxing the pain would ebb away leaving strange whispers, not unlike hearing bits of a conversation through a wall.

None of the words seemed to amount to a coherent conversation or even relate to what was going on in the world of Rhy'din. Before Miranda could ponder more deeply on the matter a pair of familiar rabbit ears peeked up over the lip of the desk. Her hand hovering over the next file, mint green eyes crinkled at their edges over the ears doing their own little cancan. Next came the whole stuffed rabbit body flopping up holding a rose.

"Why, thank you Mr. Bunny."

Miranda leaned over to kiss its blush painted cheeks to the delight of much giggling below. Angel smiled jumped up into view deciding her question was of the upmost importance. Bouncing her bunny through the maze of flattened trees a brilliant idea struck. Doing her best to make the rabbit bow, she tried to talk in a deep voice.

"Mrs. Angel's Mommy. I think Angel would like her new room to be painted pink and purple in stripes instead of polkie dots if you please."

"Well, Mr. Bunny I had no idea the two of you were so creative. How about we strike a deal" We will think about what colors, stripes or polka dots, till we walk the house again. Then we can paint whatever Angel's heart desires. Sound good?"

"Sounds great, Mommy! Oh, will Mr. Atticus be living in our new home?"

The games had come to a pause as Angel waited eagerly for her mother's answer. It wasn't that she expected him to be there all time because he had adult work like everyone else, but it was fun to watch mommy smile like the princesses in her books. Plus she would get to play with the hounds all the time!

Miranda found the words were stuck in her mouth. She wanted an answer as bad as Angel, but perhaps it was all too soon. It felt like the words were stuck to her lips hoping to have direction, but the best she could offer her darling daughter was hope.

"Sir Atticus will be visiting us of course."

"Adult stuff?"

"Yes, my darling. Adult things. Don't worry. Sir Atticus and the hounds will visit and time will tell other things.?

Angel nodded her head and hopped her stuffed rabbit back to the floor. Miranda watched her play for a moment before giving up on the never ending paperwork to join the fun and games.

Miranda Branson

Date: 2016-01-12 19:19 EST
Perhaps she had been too hopeful. The idea that a new location would somehow temper the headaches that waxed and waned like the moon. Eyes closing for a moment of respite, her pulse hummed in her ears giving her the nauseous feeling of being underwater. Miranda tried taking slow and steady breaths, but the pain continued. The darkness of her office was no longer providing comfort. Maybe it had been all the strain of building, moving and keeping up with the coven that had distracted her, but who had ever heard of a headache being caused by boredom'

There was work to be done and she couldn't keep cowering in the dark! Forcing herself to rise the room spun. Over and over, she repeated, "Just walk through the door. Walk through the door." Holding onto the heavy wood desk for balance, each foot step was more wobbly than the last. A shaky cold claimed her body and her mouth felt as if it was full of water.

Poised at the edge were the desk could not follow, Miranda was torn between catching a breath and emptying what little was in her stomach. Just through the bookcase and she would be easy to find if this didn't end well. Like an infant taking their first steps, her heavy head led her jelly legs. Scrambling to catch the lip of a shelf for balance, Miranda fought her buckling knees. "Open the door. Open the door!"

She couldn't tell if it was her own panic or someone else as the wall slid away allowing her weak body to tumble onto the cold floor. Everything echoed and her pulse doubled. "The Door. Yes! Open the door. The Door. Door. Door. Door!

Click.

The voices, the pain".it began to fade as the front door opened and someone's heavy footsteps sounded on the floor above. Miranda wanted to call out, but found she could not even lift her sweat laden brown from the cool stone. This waking nightmare was over as suddenly as it came.