Quiet Rain

Quiet rain soaked the fallen leaves of the garden that lay in late autumn's slumber outside the elegant French doors. Katherine watched as it gathered in small pools on the ground between the naked trees and reflected the light of the three lamps there. She brushed the long brown hair that coursed its way luxuriously down her back. Her thoughts flitted from one thing to the next randomly searching for something interesting enough to occupy them. The lamps flickered in the wind adding their own dancing to the sparkle that entered her room. On nights like this she'd sit at the dressing table in her darkened room and mused on whatever struck her fancy. Sometimes she'd think of the day past and other times the future. Her thoughts tonight settled, finally, on the coarse young man who'd accosted her earlier.

Her wandering was distracted momentarily when one of the lamps, disturbed by the wind and quiet rain, flared and went out. She made a mental note to have words with the gardener about better maintaining the wicks. Still, with only two lamps burning, the light seemed more intimate and soft. It fit well with the softness of the rain. Perhaps she'd mention that the wicks required attention. Her thoughts returned to the young man from the market. Katherine had just completed bargaining with a jeweler for a broach, gold encrusted with emeralds in the shape of a winged dragon. Two perfect red rubies made up the eyes. She'd chosen the dragon because of its prominence in her family's crest. He'd bothered her in the market square with brash accusations of living off the backs of others.

Again her thoughts were disturbed as the lamp on the opposite side of the garden flickered and went out. The remaining lamp did little to illuminate the few blooms and tiny pools that helped her escape into her thoughts. Angrily, she resolved again to speak harshly with the lazy gardener. Her concentration shattered, Katherine set down her silver brush, quickly braided her hair, and prepared for bed. The heat, piped up from the kitchen fires two floors below, was a bit too warm for the night that was pleasant in spite of the wind and quiet rain so she propped open one of the doors to the garden. She removed her dressing gown and shivered slightly as the cool breeze caressed her body through the thin nightgown she wore beneath. She smiled briefly as she her nipples tightened in response to the chill. The sweet smell of the fallen leaves slipped quickly into the room. Katherine inhaled deeply as she climbed beneath the thick velvet quilts that covered her bed. Her thoughts drifted again as she settled into sleep, noting as a curiosity a slight shift in the air coming in the door.

In early night dreams Katherine again thought of the man in the market. She giggled in her dream at the fact that he'd made such an impression on her subconscious as well as her conscious mind. She let the thoughts take her back. In her dream he spoke to her in an altogether different manner than he had in waking. His voice was still a strong baritone that touched a previously unknown string; a string seemingly tied to several delicious parts of her being. The small part of her mind that sat back and observed and evaluated her dreams again smiled at the effect he'd had on her. A light (one of the garden lamps?) flickered across his face as he spoke making him appear mysterious and sensual. Katherine couldn't quite make out the words he spoke but shivered as his voice stroked the strings of her very soul. She felt her nipples tighten once more in her dream state. The tone of his voice tickled and teased around the pink areola and rising buds of her breasts. That small part of her mind was slightly alarmed at the realistic feeling but was quickly banished by the other parts that were relishing the touch. It flickered and danced and became the light of the lamps in the garden, warm and gentle it ignited other flames in her. She moaned softly in her sleep and the lamps vanished.

The quiet rain took their place. It was warm and wet lavishing her nipples. Where the lamps had flickered and teased it caressed. Where the flames were ignited it fanned and fed. The aware part of Katherine's mind forced itself to be heard. She realized that what she took to be a dream was not. Had she in her half-asleep state imposed dream thoughts on real touches? She gasped as she fought to waken fully. The warm, wet touch on her breasts stopped and was replaced by a brutal hand crushing down on her mouth as she drew breath to scream.

"I'd think about that if I were you." Katherine stiffened in shock at the baritone voice. Small wonder he'd been in her thoughts, he'd been in her room to coax them. "If you scream I'll have to hurt you to slow any pursuit. I would truly despair to injure one as beautiful as you." He emphasized his statement with a quick caress of her nakedness with soft fingertips. Katherine shivered as she recognized the touch she'd imagined was the garden lamps.

"If you promise not to cry out I'll release your silken lips. But beware that you speak only in whispers. I have no wish to hurt you. Do you promise?" His hand on her breast made it difficult for her to maintain composure long enough to nod her agreement.

"What do you want of me sir?" Katherine's whisper shook with her fear. "Who are you and what kind of man are you?"

"As to who I am, let us just say that I am not one who intends you harm. What I want is merely a small bit of what you have, a few baubles and trinkets that you will hardly miss but will allow me to continue my meager existence." When he stopped teasing her nipples to show the small, jingling bag tied to his belt Katherine nearly cried out, not in alarm or fear but, amazing to herself, in the thought that his fingers would not return. "Be assured, my Lady, that the broach you purchased this day is still in its place. I couldn't live with the thought that it wouldn't grace your breast with a beauty that rivals your own."

"Now what kind of man am I..." He smiled slightly, "I am not, as circumstances may seem to suggest, a thief."

"Circumstances in this case may be difficult to disprove with that bag at your hip." Katherine tried to fight this bold man with his own apparent weapon.

"Ah, well put except for one small point. A man who pays for what he takes cannot possibly be a thief. And, I intend to pay well for what I take tonight."

"What can you pay with when you state yourself that this is what you need in order to sustain your life?"

"My beauty, I have already begun my payment. I will continue until you feel you have been paid in full." With that he lowered his lips to her nipples. The quiet rain, warm and wet, touched her to the core of her being. The lamps flickered from her breasts down beneath the velvet quilt. As Katherine slipped into delight that small part wondered briefly what had happened to her nightgown. Once more it was hushed into silence where, this time, it gladly stayed.

The flames of his fingers touched Katherine where none but she had previously touched. She had teased a few shivers from herself before but this, this was a new world. She felt her legs part, seemingly of their own volition, as he continued his probing. All thought of resistance was gone as he progressed. His lips, still on her breasts, drew a line of fire though her soul from where his fingers touched. Never had Katherine thought that anything could feel this way.

Her skin burned as his legs covered hers, the small part didn't remember his getting undressed, his chest burned against her nipples, his manhood burned into her belly. She thought of the massive stallion in the stable and the screaming mares he took in their heat. She wondered if she'd scream the same way and cause this amazing man to hurt her and leave.

When he entered her she bit her lip at the tearing pain and wondered how long she could keep it back if it went on. When the pain passed and exploded into ecstasy she lost her thoughts in a rushing whirlpool of feeling. She felt him inside with nerves she never knew before. As she became aware of this, she felt something more, something she couldn't explain in words or thoughts. It grew from deep within grabbing and pulling at her entire body and soul dragging everything that she called her "self" to a point where it collapsed, holding itself together, until she couldn't contain it any more. When it finally snapped apart she felt everything in her world turn inside out and dissolve into bliss.

As her heart began to slow the small part in her mind roused the other parts. She woke and smiled at her dream. She lay under the velvet quilt and listened as she drifted back to sleep to the sound of quiet rain.