Happiness
319 words for beginnings Challenge 61 - "What do you want, a happy ending?"
Again, these characters are taken from Hunter's Daughter (the story I'm planning).
The Pursuit of Happiness
"What do you want, a happy ending?" Emmaline glared at Nikolai across the hiss and spit of the fire.
"Well yes, actually. Is that wrong? I just want to be happy," his voice softened as his gaze shifted to Eliane's dark form, where she slept on the edge of the circle of firelight.
"She's different, isn't she. Not the same little girl you fell for."
"She's had a lot to deal with. I left her all alone. What was she supposed to do?"
Emmaline laughed, "She was supposed to wait to be rescued, wasn't she? Your princess in the tower...and instead here she is, all grown up."
He sighed, "I just wish she would talk to me like she used to. All I want is to make her happy."
"And all she wants is her sister back. We don't even know if this sister is real, Nikolai! We could be tramping round the countryside after a madwoman!"
"Don't say that. I believe her," his voice betrayed his uncertainty.
She pulled her cloak close around her hunched body, and slid over until she was sitting right next to him.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to upset you, but don't you understand? This isn't good for her, and it isn't good for the rest of us."
"I know," his voice was flat as he replied, "I just don't know what to say to her."
"Don't worry," she leaned in against him, and rested her hand on his thigh, "We'll think of something, and we'll do it together." She squeezed his leg gently for emphasis.
"I just want her back, Em. I want her to want me again."
She let her head slip down onto his shoulder, and exaggerated her shivering a little. As he wrapped an arm around her she suppressed the hint of triumph that threatened to creep into her voice.
"I'm here, Niki. I'll help you. It'll be alright."
Again, these characters are taken from Hunter's Daughter (the story I'm planning).
The Pursuit of Happiness
"What do you want, a happy ending?" Emmaline glared at Nikolai across the hiss and spit of the fire.
"Well yes, actually. Is that wrong? I just want to be happy," his voice softened as his gaze shifted to Eliane's dark form, where she slept on the edge of the circle of firelight.
"She's different, isn't she. Not the same little girl you fell for."
"She's had a lot to deal with. I left her all alone. What was she supposed to do?"
Emmaline laughed, "She was supposed to wait to be rescued, wasn't she? Your princess in the tower...and instead here she is, all grown up."
He sighed, "I just wish she would talk to me like she used to. All I want is to make her happy."
"And all she wants is her sister back. We don't even know if this sister is real, Nikolai! We could be tramping round the countryside after a madwoman!"
"Don't say that. I believe her," his voice betrayed his uncertainty.
She pulled her cloak close around her hunched body, and slid over until she was sitting right next to him.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to upset you, but don't you understand? This isn't good for her, and it isn't good for the rest of us."
"I know," his voice was flat as he replied, "I just don't know what to say to her."
"Don't worry," she leaned in against him, and rested her hand on his thigh, "We'll think of something, and we'll do it together." She squeezed his leg gently for emphasis.
"I just want her back, Em. I want her to want me again."
She let her head slip down onto his shoulder, and exaggerated her shivering a little. As he wrapped an arm around her she suppressed the hint of triumph that threatened to creep into her voice.
"I'm here, Niki. I'll help you. It'll be alright."