The Kitten, the Witches and the Bad Wardrobe - Willow & Tara Forever

General Chat  || Kitten  || WaV  || Pens  || Mi2  || GMP  || TiE  || FAQ  || Feed - The Kitten, the Witches and the Bad Wardrobe

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 222 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 8  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: FIC: The Lesbian Fairy Tale
PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2002 9:59 pm 
Okay I'm posting this with permission of the moderators and with pressure from my beta-reader.

This is a so called über-fic.



Title: The lesbian fairy tale

Author: mirage

Email: miragesdream@gmx.net

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns the "Buffy"-characters, you know the ritual

Distribution: You can have it

Feedback? would be nice.

Summary: An ill Willow demands a lesbian fairy tale

Spoilers: no real spoilers

Note: for the someone who pushed, no forced me, blame it on her. Her name is insomnia and if you want to email her a complaint about the fic mail me I will forward it!

Note2: blame it on the cheezy Drew Barrymore film with that really

boring prince and a bored fic writer





Carefully not to disturb the crouched body under the blanket Tara closed the door behind her. It was kind of a challenge to shut the door and balance a tray with the hot tea on it but she managed it to her own satisfaction. There was only a little click but when she turned around to look at the bed her girlfriend hadn't moved. At least she hoped it was her girlfriend who was hidden underneath the blanket and not some kind of red haired monster, cause all she could see was the blanket and some red hair that emerged from somewhere between three huge pillows. Actually it looked more like a red bird's nest, the cutest one she had ever seen. She smiled as she tiptoed through the room towards the bed. But suddenly the disarray of hair moved and a small pale and feverish face turned to look at her.



"Your not supposed to smile when I'm sick as a dog." Willow pouted before a cough ragged her fragile body.



"Aww, poor baby." Tara rushed over to her lover, placing the tray at the nightstand before she sat down next to her. Her hands glided through damp hair, pushing it back from her girlfriend's face. Willow shuddered when Tara's finger touched her forehead. "You're hot." Tara commented concerned. But Willow forced herself heroically to smile. "If I didn't feel like I have to puke any second I would show you how hot I am." She giggled but soon enough it turned into a new cough that ragged her body. Miserably she looked at the blonde. "I don't like this." She whined.



"I know, honey." Tara answered. "Come here, drink your tea." Willow shuddered again, but this time not out of cold.



"I don't like this tea. I didn't like it yesterday and not today and definitely not tomorrow or ever again in my entire life." The redhead proclaimed, hiding deeper under her blanket. Soon enough the blanket was pulled aside and Willow grimaced as the bright light hit her eyes.



"Then do it for me, please." Tara begged.



Willow looked up at her lover and green eyes met with pleading blue ones. She sighed, she could never deny Tara a wish. "But I want something in exchange." She demanded, as she turned on her back to get a better view of Tara.



"What. A kiss?" Tara asked smilingly.



"Yeah, that would be a great start but it won't be enough. This time."



"Willow, I want sex too but I think we should wait till…………" Tara started but she was interrupted.



"I don't mean sex. I want a story." Tara blushed, looking down at her fiddling finger.



"Oh, not that I don't want to have sex, cause I want it every time and everywhere. Well maybe not everywhere, cause I could never do it in a restroom at burger king's. That is definitely the "yuck"-category. Oho, babbling isn't good. Makes my head all spinny." Willow stopped and closed her eyes for a second till her world stopped spinning around. "I want my babbling back." She said, looking at the blonde for help.



"I want it back too. Drink your tea and I promise babbling in a day and a story." Tara tried to convince Willow.



"You promise?" Willow asked back. She got a nod and a smile as an answer. "okayyyy." She gave in and tried to sit up.



Tara helped her and shook up the pillows to give Willow a comfortable place to lean on. Then she passed her the hot steaming mug of tea. Grumpily Willow took it from her and looked up at Tara again. "Do I really have to? It's soooo hot."



"It has to be hot or it won't help."



"And I'm sure it also has to smell and taste this awful to help." Willow added with a grimace. "Where is Mary Poppins when you need her? Her medicine is always sweet." She guided the mug to her mouth and blew softly above the surface before she set it on her mouth to take a sip.



"Well I'm sure I can get you Mary Poppins but I'm not sure she'll have sex with you as soon as you're strong enough." Tara answered wickedly.



As soon as her mind had processed her normally shy lover's answer Willow's eyes popped out. Then her cheeks ruffled before she spit some of her tea on her nightshirt, coughing heavily. Guiltily Tara rubbed her back, till Willow could breath again.



"That's not fair. You can't do something like that to a serious ill person!" She screamed. Or at least she tried to scream as she wasn't in the condition to form more than a hoarse whisper.



"I'm sorry." Tara tried to hide a giggle.



"You're a mean person." Willow pouted. "A beautiful and caring but mean person."



"What can I do to make it up to you? I'll do everything." Tara said with a grin.



"I want my story. A really long, not 5 second story with a real plot. A fairy tale. But a non scary tale cause when I was seven I found this brother Grimm's book in my parent's library and I thought that they only had this kind of Cinderella and Snow-white stories. But their stories are brutal. There was one about a man who killed his brother to get the princess and he buried him in the woods and years later a herdsman found a bone and made a flute out of it. How sick do you have to be: He's in a Forrest full of wood and he takes the first bone and thinks: 'wow great, let's make a flute out of it.' And when he played his flute the dead brother would sing, cause it was his bone, I think his tigh bone, 'my brother killed me'." Willow shuddered again with disgust. "I couldn't sleep for two weeks. Every time I closed my eyes I saw this flute with its tiny mouth singing 'my brother killed me'."



"Poor baby." Tara rubbed her girlfriend's tummy. "Sometimes I think, you even have more childhood traumas than Woody Allen."



"He was lucky. At least his mother wasn't a shrink." Willow carried on. "Once she took me with her to one of her classes. She made me sit in front of her students at her desk and I should play with my toys whilst 25 pairs of eyes were about to watch me."



"See the tea is already working. The babble is back." Tara tried to cheer her up.



"Great. Babbling and childhood traumas. The irresistible combination." Willow mumbled wiping her nose. "And now can we please let my past rest? I want my story."



She lifted her blanket for Tara to lay next to her. The blonde followed her invitation and sat next to her lover. Willow scooped down and laid her head into Tara's lap, enjoying the caressing movements of Tara's fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes and snuggled closer. After a moment of just laying there Willow repeated her wish. "Now tell me my story. My long fairy tale, but I don't want a boring prince, I want a lesbian fairy tale."



Tara smiled and looked down at her girlfriend. "Cause princes are just boring. They always think the girl can't rescue herself and she would be head over heels if she is offered to marry him. Whether she knows him or not." Willow mumbled on.



"Three wishes at once. A long, lesbian fairy-tale?" The blonde sighed. "I really have an imperious girlfriend." She only got a little grunt as answer that made her giggle. "Okay, where do I start? Of course……….. Once upon a time there was a really beautiful princess." Tara caressed Willow's hair. "She had ruby-red, silky hair. That one you can't take your hands off." She smiled.



"Princess? Hm, think more than 25 pair of eyes were watching her." Willow mumbled sleepy.



Tara giggled. "Not that much more. But now be quiet."





She was the king and queen's only child and from her birth on she knew she could never live up to their expectations because she was a girl. But she wasn't an ordinary girl. She had never been interested in dolls. She was interested in the world but at the same time she was scared of what lay behind the save castle's walls. Once she had heard the servants talking about war, diseases and death and that had scared her to death. So she decided that she would learn all about the world surrounded by her save walls. And she drove everyone around her nuts with her questions. Someday her parents saw only one solution to get rid of her. They allowed her to learn how to read. You have to know, normally girls weren't allowed to learn how to read but her father was the king and so he allowed it. So she could stay the whole day and sometimes even the night in the library and out of their sight. But for her it were the luckiest moments in her life. And she spent years in there. It didn't take her long to read all the books and so she started over again with the first one. But soon this wasn't enough for her either and so she started to write her own thoughts down. She hid them behind the biggest, most boring book, were she knew no one would ever search. Well if they knew that there was something to find maybe they would have searched, but they didn't know and so no one ever found "her" books.



But there was one thing missing in her life. A friend she could talk to. And so one day she decided to step out of her library and try to find a friend. But this task was more difficult than she thought. She took her favorite book and clutched it to her chest to give her a feeling of safety and something to talk about. She had planed it all in her head. She would walk through the castle and sooner or later someone would approach her to talk to her about the interesting book she was carrying around.





"Tara?" Willow interrupted her.



"Yes?" Tara asked back.



"What was her name?"



"Oh, I didn't tell you her name?" Willow shook her head. "Hm, lets' see, it was… hm, a royal name… like………… Clarissa." The redhead opened her eyes in shock and looked up at her lover.



"You can't be serious. It's an awful name."



"Who's telling the story, baby? And I didn't give her her name." Tara explained.



Willow snuggled back defeated. "Fine, now I know why she hid all these years. I would do the same with a name like this."



"Her name was Clarissa." Tara stressed.



Clarissa walked the whole day through the castle from the top to the dungeons beneath but she didn't find anyone who seemed interested in her and her book. Frustrated she sat down in the library thinking about what went wrong. But even her sharp mind couldn't come up with a solution. She still sat there between her books when it turned dark outside.



Her train of thoughts was interrupted when the door was opened and in the light of the candle she was carrying an old stooping woman entered the room.



"Ah, I know I would find you here." She said as her old gray eyes adjusted to the darkness outside her candlelight. "It's bedtime child."



Clarissa turned around and faced her nurse. She tilted her head and watched her closely nibbling at her lower lip unconscious. She could ask her nurse for help. She had always been right her whole life and she was old enough to know about things. And she was for sure more of a mother to her than her own mother. "Nana, can I ask you something?"



"Of course, Sweety." The old woman answered as she stepped closer and rested with a sigh in the chair next to the petit princess.



"Am I different?" the redhead asked quietly.



"Of course you are." Nana straightened herself up. "You're the Princess."



Clarissa sighed, that wasn't the answer she had hoped for. "No, I mean different except from me being the Princess." She looked down at her fingers. "I don't have a single friend." She whispered.



"Did you say something? You know my ears are not what they used to be." Nana laid her hand on her ear building a funnel.



"I just wondered, if I ever will find someone." Clarissa nearly shouted into Nana's ear.



"But of course you will. Next week. At the bride's gathering."



Clarissa looked at her in shock. She had totally forget about THAT thing. No, she hadn't forgotten, she had repressed it successfully till now. Till now. Frustrated she buried her face in her hands.



The featherlike strokes through her hair made her look up, meeting the old woman's gaze. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find a handsome, good looking prince. Look at you. They will fight for the right to marry you." Nana predicted.



"I don't need someone to fight with but to talk to." Clarissa whispered as she followed her nurse to her room.









She had really tried to believe her. She really had wanted to. With her whole essence. Every night till today she had whispered to herself that she would find the one at the festival. And every night she would pray to god that he would send him to her.



But the first thing she noticed when she woke up at the most important day in her life was the nausea that gripped her stomach. She clutched her arms around her stomach and rocked forth and back to find some comfort.



Great, things like that always happened at really important days. She wanted to look good and interesting and now she felt like she had eaten a slug. The ones without houses. She held her hand before her mouth and breathed into her palm. Then she took a deep breath. Well it least her breath didn't smell like a slug. The first positive thing at this morning.



But if she had known what the day would bring she would have been more than willing to eat a slug and stay the rest of the day in her bed. With one word: boring.



Although it started with a rare sensation. It had been the first day in years that her mother had entered her room. She had looked around before she had turned to her daughter and had smiled at her with one of her false smiles. "My child." She had told her. "I hope, you know HOW important this day will be in your life." Her shrill voice didn't help to get rid of her nausea, Clarissa noticed but she put all her strength together and nodded what she hoped would look enthusiastic. Either she succeeded or her mother didn't bother at all. "Fine, fine." She examined Clarissa's new dress that was spread over her chair. "Yes, I think, that will fit her." She told herself, like her daughter wasn't in the same room any longer. Then she turned around to Nana. "Nana, help her get dressed. She has to look good today. Or she will never find a rich, handsome prince." Her fingers played with her long golden bracelet. "Rich" had always been the key to her mothers ears and heart, Clarissa knew only to well. And suddenly she knew that the day wouldn't be about her wishes but her parents plans for her. To find a rich husband. She shuddered.



The rest of the day didn't turn out any better. She wasn't sick anymore but at some moments through the day she had wished to be able to puke. In fact every time one of the 'handsome, rich' guys approached her. They were boring. They didn't talk about anything else than hunting, their horses or how rich they or rather their fathers were. Some of them had another subject. How they would reign over their land and donate her lots of children. And one of them even tried to talk her into starting with making children right there.



And for that her parents had forced her into that really uncomfortable dress. She took a deep breath. Maybe she would be able to find at least a friend if not her soulmate here. She strolled through the rooms and garden watching the other princesses and princes. Once more she felt different without knowing how different she felt. Finally she decided to make the best out of this day and go to the library. The sun had vanished behind dark clouds and she didn't see any reason why she shouldn't vanish too. She still had enough time. And no one would really miss her, even on her own festival she wasn't more than a fringe figure.



She just was about to walk around a corner, when she heard some voices talking. She stopped and pressed herself against the wall. Other people were the last thing she wanted right now. Maybe if she just stood there stock still the others would finish their conversation and walk back to the festival. For sure she didn't want to listen to their boring talks but when she heard her name she pricked up her ears.



"The pale redhead?" a shrill voice asked back the one who had dropped her name.



"Sure, who else could I mean. She thinks she's superior. But have you seen how she shrieked when she came near that horse?"



The other voices giggled.



Clarissa confessed, she had shrieked but who wouldn't have if an enormous monster suddenly emerged in front of them its snout torn opened to devour one? It had been a totally normal behavior from her side.



"I heard that her parents don't let her out because she's afraid the wind would blow her away. One time they tried and she screamed till five of their servants were deaf."



Deaf? Clarissa was near to beat them till they were deaf and blind, but she held her anger back, clenched her fists and took a deep breath. It was all about self-control she once had read. Self-control she repeated like a mantra in her mind while she listened to the conversation in front of her.



"The night she was born there was no moon at the sky. All people born in a night like this are labile, my nurse told me. You can scare them if you talk to loud to them."



She had enough, she would show them that nothing in the world scared her. She wasn't a freak, she was just different. Better. Yes, she was better than them and she would prove it to them.



She took a deep breath before she turned around the corner and smiled at them as she passed them on her way out. Her smile grew wider as she noticed them blushing and lowering their heads. Yes, she was still the Princess of this castle.



The sky had darkened up and she could hear a far off thunder. But that didn't count for her. Thunder or not, she would show them that they were the one scared not her. She turned right before she remembered that the stables were left.









"Good horsies." She whispered as she tiptoed through the stable. "Many horses, too many horses." Just now she registered how many horses it took to transport a bunch of idiotic royals. She didn't know where to look first. Right, left, behind and in front of her everywhere horses. They snorted and neighed angrily at her. Suddenly the black stallion on her right stood on its hind legs, slamming its front hoofs into its box. She shrieked and jumped back only to land in a stack of straw. She laid there for a minute, her arms protectively shielding her face before she was brave enough to look up again. A deep sigh escape her mouth as she realized that it hadn't been able to brake through. Actually it had lost its interest in her and was now busy eating its straw. For a second she thought about to confront the beast but that self-destructive whish only lasted for a second. Then she concentrated all her strength to fight her way out of the stack. And it wasn't that easy with her long uncomfortable dress. But she made it. Somehow. But now she felt sweaty and with her dress she looked more than a scarecrow than a princess. From every piece of embroidery hang straw and wiping it away proved itself as impossible.



"Where there any half camels?" Tara heard Willow's voice from her lap.



"No not this time, honey."



"You know, I liked the half camels."





She took off her overdress and stood there only in her underdress. "Now I only have to find something to wear." She talked to herself. "And then I will ride one of those beasts. And if it's the last thing I do in my boring life." She promised herself while she walked further through the stable looking for a calm horse. At the last box she found what she was looking for. It was an old really calm looking horse. And it didn't snap at her when she stood at its box. Definitely a plus. A very big plus. It didn't take her long to find a bridle and next to the bridle she even found a jacket she could wear. It was a little to big for her but it would do to show the snobs just how much better than them she was. She took the bridle back to the old horse's box and carefully she opened the door.



"Good horse. You don't hurt me and I don't hurt you." She soothed, a little tremble in her voice. And the horse seemed to agree. From her books she knew how to saddle a horse and it took her only three trials to implement it. She was really proud of herself although the really hard part was only to come.



She took rein and led the horse out of the stable. The weather didn't look too good, even she could see that but she also knew that if she didn't do it now, she would never be able to do it again. And a little rain couldn't harm her. Not today. She patted the horse´s neck to sooth it and cleared her throat before she made a deal with it. "Good horsie, fine horsie. Nothing to be afraid of. It's just me, plain old Clarissa. And I promise I'm not that heavy, not like some of the other idiots here. Just me. Light as a feather me. And see, I don't wear that heavy dress anymore. And it won't take you long. Only a little ride around the castle. Nothing more, I promise and after that lot of carrots for you. Or straw if you prefer. Just say a word. Well, I know you can't talk but a little neighing of approval will be enough. Fine? Fine." She straightened herself up, took a deep breath and grabbed the saddle. With one foot at the stirrup it only took her some minutes of jumping on one foot around (and the moving horse didn't make it better) before she finally managed to sit onto the saddle.



"Did they ever tell you how high you are." She asked the horse insecurely. "Really high." She added and nodded.



First everything went good. Like she had considered it. The secret lay in the pressure of her thighs. This was the way to lead the horse. But it sounded easier than it was. Somehow they had managed to reach the gate, although she would have had preferred a short round through the garden first, but they could go there later. No need to hurry. Right. First there had to be the "getting one with your best friend the horse" thing, then they could ride, well better walk back.



She could hear the thunder. This time it was nearer than before. Too near. She hadn't known that a thunderstorm could be that fast in approaching her.



"Horse, I don't want to interrupt you but maybe we should…you know…go back. Look, it seems there will be a storm. There you can see the dark clouds and dark clouds mean storm, you know?" When she horse didn't look up she tightened the rein and pressed her right thigh at the horse's back. But now it started to walk to the right, farther away from the castle.



"No wait, we need to go the other way." She grew nervous and pressed her left tight to the horse. But it didn't react. Her nervousness grew bigger. For a moment she thought about climbing down, but it didn't seem like a good idea while the horse was still moving. She started to tear at the reign and press with her tights. But that only made the horse go faster and suddenly she it was in gallop.



"NOOO; bad horsie. Stop, now…….. Please, please. I will never ever climb you again, if you stop now." She pleaded as she wrapped her arms around its neck to find a hold.



And that was when the storm reached her. It didn't take a minute before she was dripping wet, but the horse didn't seem to notice, it only started to gallop even faster. She closed her eyes, her arms tightening their grip around its neck. Even with her eyes open she couldn't see anything. The dark clouds had transformed the day into night. And then there was the thunder. Looking back she didn't know who was more afraid, she or the horse who suddenly stood on its hind legs. She lost her hold and the last thing she knew was that she hit the ground. Very hard.



And everything went black.





"Horses are evil. They're nothing but big ponies. And ponies, small, big or giant are always evil." Willow interrupted.



"It wasn't the horse's fault." Tara tried to tell her, gently brushing Willow's back. "It was scared because of the thunder and Clarissa's hectic movements. It felt her nervousness and got nervous itself."



"Just camouflage." Willow insisted.



"You'll see. Everything has its import. Even a fall from a big pony." Tara bent down to kiss Willow's forehead. "Just be patient, baby."





Thanks for all the kind words but I'm afraid there is no more Mary Poppins in this tale (but then I'm only at page 60 right now).

and yes I've posted the fic at the willtara list a month ago.



Part 2





The first thing Clarissa noticed when she woke up was her headache. The second thing was, that she wasn't wet anymore. And the third thing was that she lay between two blankets and that through the blanket beneath her she could feel the itching straw. When she came to the fourth thing her head started spinning and she decided just to be quiet for a moment and maybe to find out where she was. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as she realized that straw could only mean one thing: she was back at the stables. A very unpleasant thought. She would never in her entire life go back to this place. Even if they put a library in it with books she didn't know. But she couldn't smell any horses. On the contrary she smelled herbs, their essence hanging soothingly and calmingly in the air around her. And she could hear a fire crackling. That would explain the warmth she felt. From somewhere deep down her analytic mind a small voice reminded her of something and it only took her a minute to figure it out. Of course she had eyes she could open to look around and find out where she was.



Carefully she opened her eyes only to close them again in an instant, her face twitching with pain. Clarissa took a deep breath before she opened her eyes again and this time the hurt wasn't that bad. Her gaze fell on the ceiling above her. Herbs. The whole ceiling was covered with herbs that hung there for drying. Slowly not to strain her stiff neck, her gaze followed the ceiling to the wall opposite to her. It was covered with shelves, filled with jars, all different sizes. Her look traveled further. She was in a farmers house she realized now. It was only one small room with a table, two chairs and a bed. The bed she was lying in. And when her gaze fell upon the fireplace she saw the inhabitant of this poor hut. A girl, her age lay next to the fireplace, but far enough to not get burned by the flashes. She lay on the bare ground her head resting on her arm and she was only covered by a thin blanket. She looked content, her blond hair shimmering in the fire's light like gold. Her other arm embraced the blackest cat, Clarissa had ever seen and it looked straight at her. Her shimmering eyes looking right through her, like it was trying to estimate her, if she meant any threat to her owner. It gave her the shivers and she broke the eye contact only to see the dress that hung near the fire. It was her underdress. Suddenly she realized she was naked before she fainted again.





When she woke up again the sun already shone, bathing the room in warm light. Clarissa snuggled deeper into her blanket. She didn't want to wake up right now. Sleep felt just too good. But she altered her decision when she heard the door open creakingly. She turned her head and locked eyes with the girl that had lain at the fireplace the night before. The blonde blushed and looked down, her hair covering most of her face.



"Y-you're awake." She established.



Clarissa only nodded. She propped on her arms carefully not to expose her breasts. She watched as the blonde placed her water bucket near the fire. The whole time she avoided Clarissa's green eyes. When there was nothing else to do, the blonde wiped her hands at her shirt and stepped to the bed.



"H-h-how do you f-f-feel?" She asked her as she knelt down so till their eyes were the same level.



"My head hurts a little bit but I feel better as I'm no longer on the back of an evil horse and I prefer to lie in a non-evil bed even with a little headache." She caught the little smile that played around the other girl's lips before she hid it again behind her hair. "I'm talking to much, don't I?" She asked. "It's only there aren't that many persons I can talk to." She stopped when she realized that she was telling all that to a total stranger. But the kneeling girl only shook her head.



"I like it." She smiled and for the first time Clarissa saw her whole face.





"And it was beautiful." Willow commented her eyes directed at Tara.



"Well she didn't look that bad.." Tara gave an evasive answer.



"No, she was beautiful. And Clarissa fell in love with her right there right then." Willow insisted, jumping up from her comfortable place. "Don't you ever forget that."



Tara blushed but nodded. "I won't forget but they didn't fall in love right there." She said as she guided Willow back into her lap.





Again the blonde wiped her hand at her skirt. "May I?" she asked before she laid her palm against Clarissa's forehead. "Just a little temperature." She stated. Then she examined the redhead's eyes and nodded satisfied. "Show me your tongue." She nodded again. "Better." Then she stood up and walked over to the fireplace where a kettle hung over the fire. With the corner of her apron she took the kettle and poured some of its steaming fluid into a cup at the table. Some of the herbs from her shelves landed in there as well before she stirred it and brought it to the bed. She rested it on the ground in front of the bed.



"You have to wait some minutes." She told her.



"Can I ask you something?" Clarissa looked at the acid green fluid in her mug. "Where am I, How did I come here and why am I naked?" She squeaked.



"Oh." The blonde blushed again. "I didn't tell you. Some of the farmers found you out there in the storm and they brought you here." Clarissa went pale. "Oh no, they didn't undress you, don't worry." The blond laid her hand at the smaller girl's arm, squeezing it reassuringly. "Your clothes were dripping and I didn't want to risk a fever. I-I un-d-dressed you." She fought with her words. Their eyes locked and the redhead beamed at her thankfully. Suddenly the farmer girl registered where her hand laid and broke the contact. Hastily she stood up and Clarissa´s smile faltered. She had liked the contact. It seemed caring. Something she only knew from her Nana.



"Why you?" At least she wanted to talk to the girl further.



"B-because I h-help people." She blushed again.



"You're a witch." Clarissa concluded enthusiastically. She never had met a witch before in her life and everything she knew from her books didn't fit the girl in front of her. There was no wart, she wasn't ugly or scary. The only resemblance she could find was the black cat that strolled through the door and crossed the room to lie at its place near the fire. Clarissa's gaze followed the witch as she walked over and ruffled the cat's fur. The blonde didn't want to discuss this subject with her, the redhead realized.



"That's fine. I don't have anything against witches, actually I've never met one before so I can't tell but now I have met you and I don't think that you're scary or evil. And I won't tell the monks about you." She babbled not knowing how to explain that she like the girl although she didn't know her.



"I just help." The blonde repeated firmly.



Clarissa nodded to show her understanding. "Are you going t tell me your name? I need a name to thank you."



The blonde was about to answer when a loud angry man's voice boomed from outside. "Natasha!!"



The blonde startled, hiding her face behind her hair again. Even the cat jumped from its place, hiding behind the few blocks of wood that lay near. "I-I have to go. S-s-s-stay here." She whispered.



Clarissa watched the blonde leaving. At least she knew her savior's name.



She was bored. Really bored. She had slept for some time but now she was wide-awake. She had washed herself, had put her dress back on, she had even drunk that awful tea and she had examined every single jar on the shelves and every single herb that dangled from the ceiling. She had expected to know most of the herbs from her books but she had only been able to categorize four of them. Four of maybe 50. An aspect that made her restless. She wanted to know and the only one who could tell her about that stuff was the blonde and she was out there somewhere. There was nothing left to do, except to wait for the girl. Natasha she corrected herself. Her name was Natasha. Natasha and she was a witch. That was everything she knew for now. Not very much. But enough to arouse her curiosity.



She decided to go out and search for Natasha and on her way she could find out where exactly 'here' was. Considering the speed the horse had run with she could be everywhere. Well not everywhere in the world, but everywhere where they did speak English and that was a big place.





"Awful tea, huh? What is it with sweet witches and awful teas?" Willow asked.



"Don't you know honey? It's a curse. The ugly tea-witch from the North got jealous and she cursed the beautiful witches so they could only make bad tasting tea. The ugly witch got really rich with her tea and at the end she had her own successful tea-company and she could afford a cosmetic surgery and became Miss Tea." Tara explained serious. "and now back to your tale."





Carefully she opened the door a bit and slid her head through the gap to examine her surroundings. At first sight there was nothing that looked threatening to her. Just a farm. Right to the small house she was hiding in there was a bigger one. Its door was open but it was too far away and too dark in there to make anything out. Between the two farm houses was what looked like a small stable and Clarissa prayed that horses wouldn't be among its inhabitants. She closed her eyes and listened carefully. She let out the air, she had kept holding when she registered that there couldn't be a single neigh heard from there. For a single moment the lack of any horses on this farm boosted her mood only to be crushed again when she noticed that there wasn't only no horses but no human beings as well. Actually she had only hoped for one human being, for Natasha but there wasn't a sign of the blonde either.



The wavering heat hit her with full strength when she stepped out of the chilly hut. How could someone work in this oven? It was even too hot for her to lift her small finger. A difficult decision had to be made: Should she fight through this hell to find Natasha or should she wait in the safe and cool room for her to return. Natasha had even told her to stay and if she wanted to make a friend maybe she shouldn't start with passing over her wish.



Wait, where did this come from? Friend? She tasted that word on her mouth again. It didn't taste that bad and why shouldn't she try to make a new friend. Her first friend? And having a witch as a friend could become handy if she needed someone to transform boring princes into toads. Yes, toads could be very handy. You could throw them against walls or into wells if you had to. But where was the magic book. Every witch needed a spell book for her spells, charms and magic brews. She hadn't seen any book but there had to be one. Maybe it was buried under the wooden floor or it was invisible. She had to know. Finally on her search she had found something new to learn and maybe someone she could be friends with. They could read together, discuss politics and the stars. A whole new world would enfold itself before her, she was sure. She only had to wait till Natasha came back and then she would convince her that they needed to be friends. And waiting out of this heat was good. There was only one problem: She was really bad with waiting. And what use would she be for her new friend in a bad mood?



After she had made the decision to fight the heat and find Natasha she had only to make one more decision. Where should she start her search? The fates were with her when the black cat emerged from the stable. It stopped and its yellow eyes locked with Clarissa's green ones. Not knowing how to react to an animals attention, Clarissa waved her hand. However the black cat didn't seem to be impressed as it stretched itself and continued its walk. And because there was no better alternative Clarissa decided to follow it. A black cat and a witch belonged together her rational mind told her and who was she to oppose.



Once again her mind had been right. As she followed the cat around the big farmer's house she found a view she hadn't expected. Only a one or two hours walk away she could see her castle sitting monstrous at its hill. Despite the heat around her, a small cold shiver went down her back, bringing back the feeling of being trapped and lonely with it. With a slight shook of her head she banished that look from her view and mind. Yearningly her gazed followed the black cat as it lay down in a shady place under the roof next to a pile of wood. But when she look at the small garden before her, her eyes found the small figure that was crouched between the plants. Her face was hidden from view through the big straw hat she wore. Her finger glided fast through the plants as she tore out the weeds.



Absorbed in her work Natasha never stopped or looked up as she worked herself through the rows. Only by watching her in the hot, wavering air, Clarissa felt her headache return and she decided to join the cat under her shady roof. She sat on the pile of wood, her feet dangling in the air. She would wait to talk to the blonde until she had finished her work. Now she would only interrupt her, painfully lengthening the time Natasha had to work out there. Her mind already used that time of waiting to picture their following talk in detail. A sudden weight in her lap made her look down, only to find the cat lying there. She smiled down. "Looks like I have made one friend at least." Her only response was a content purr as she began to scratch it behind its ears. She leaned back against the wall, enjoining its cooling comfort. Just watching Natasha out there made her sleepy again and it didn't take long before her eyes closed against her will and she fall asleep again, the cat still in her lap.



When the comforting weight in her lap vanished suddenly Clarissa woke up startled and jumped down from her seat. Her sudden rush shot back at her as she felt a dizziness infiltrate her, leaving her in darkness. Her knees buckled but before she could connect with the solid ground she felt strong arms around her holding her.



As her view came back into focus she found herself very near to Natasha's face, her arms still embracing her.



"Thanks." Clarissa muttered. Her chest rose and fell fast as she tried to get the air back into her lungs. A difficult venture, regarding the thick air around her. Hands guided her back, leaning her against the pile before they left her waist. Instantly Clarissa missed the touch, the steadiness it gave her as she noticed the dizziness coming back.



"You shouldn't be here." Natasha accused her. Shocked by the grim voice Clarissa looked up.



She gulped, feeling the tears that threatened to dwell up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…….. I could leave if………."



But the blonde interrupted her. "No." Her voice a million degrees softer this time. "I-It's my fault. I'm.. it's…… " She sighed unable to articulate what she wanted to say. Her dirty hand moved to her forehead and wiped the beads of sweat away, leaving a smear behind. Arching her back, Natasha's features distorted in pain but an apologetic smile replaced it as she saw Clarissa's concerned gaze. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day."



"Oh, sure." Clarissa waved her hand dismissively. "I, I understand. Working on the fields in the hot sun is hard work, I know. Of course I know. Why wouldn't I know." She babbled on, glad that the blonde talked to her.



"Because you never worked on the fields." The blonde answered her, a smile covering her tired face.



The redhead looked in shock at her, her mouth wide open. "How, did you know?" Damn, she had tried to make a good impression and now she was caught in lie. 'Really good start. This will really help you to make a friend.' She accused herself.



"F-first your dress, I've never seen something filigree like this linen. Second your skin doesn't look like it's seen much sun and I'm sure it never sunburned." She showed her own bronze shimmering forearms. "And th-third: Your hands."



"My hands?" Clarissa asked turning them up and down without discovering what was wrong with her hands. "All ten fingers there." She thought aloud before she could stop herself. But to her relief Natasha just chuckled.



Then the blonde took the slender hands into hers and turned them to show their palms. Her thumbs stroke gently over the surface. "I've never felt something that soft." She whispered absently, brushing over them once more.



Clarissa felt a shiver running through her whole body but this time it felt good. She liked the feeling of Natasha's rough palms against the back of her hands. She gulped when it suddenly grew even hotter than before. But the feeling left her as soon as Natasha pulled her hands back.



For a moment both of them just stared at each other before Natasha lowered her head again.



"You've got me." Clarissa confessed if only to fill the unpleasant silence that stood between them. At least the blonde looked up again.



"I-I won't ask. I'm s-sure you have a reason you've lied." She bent down to take her basket filled with plants but she stopped and looked up again. "You're save here." Clarissa could only nod thankfully.



At the back of her mind a little voice reminded Clarissa that she actually could tell Natasha something and that she really, really should tell her. "Well, there's one thing I can tell you." The blonde's attention returned to her. "I'm Clare." Okay that wasn't the whole truth but she always had preferred the short form of her name even though there had never been someone who actually called her Clare. Till now.



"Nice to meet you, Clare." Natasha answered her face lightened up in a half grin. "I'm Natasha." This time she lifted her basket up and they returned to the small hut.



"Drink this." Natasha ordered her pushing a big mug in front of Clarissa at the table.



"Uhu, not this awful tea again." The redhead grimaced.



"It's just water. I'm sure you didn't drink anything, otherwise you wouldn't have fainted out there."



"I didn't faint." Clarissa returned. "There was just this really short period of blackness in front of my eyes." Nevertheless she drank the water in one gulp. Then she sighed.



"Better?" Natasha asked from across the room were she washed herself over a bowl.



"Much better." Clarissa gave back, her eyes pinned at the blonde that had returned to her action. Green eyes followed the rout of Natasha's hand over her arm, washing away the dirt and sweat. She repeated the same action with her other arm. Rubbing over its surface three or four times till she was convinced that all the dirt was off. Than she lowered her face over the bowl, splashing the cold water into her face. After that her right hand pulled her thick golden hair from her neck while her left wet one cleaned and cooled her neck. The whole procedure looked very private but in spite of her guilty feeling Clarissa couldn't take her eyes off.



"Better?" Clarissa asked when Natasha turned around and caught the green eyes that were lingering at her.



"Better." She gave back with a smile, rubbing her hands dry at her apron. "Are you hungry?"



Only then the redhead noticed the hollow feeling in her stomach. "Now, that you have mentioned it, I could use some food. But only if it doesn't mean additional work for you." She didn't want to bother the blond more than necessary after her long draining day at the fields.



"We have to eat. And it's no work." Natasha answered. "I'll be right back." She said as she left the room.



Clarissa just waited at her chair, her fingers tapping on the table when she felt a soft furry rub at her leg. Looking down she found the cat again that self absorbed rubbed its back against her leg. She bent down and scooped it up.



"Hello there, ……….. cat." She ended when she realized that she didn't know the cats name. "Don't even know your name." She said, holding it up in front of her.



"She doesn't have a name." Clarissa looked up at Natasha who came back, carrying a stone pot and bread on its top.



"Why not?" Clarissa asked turning her attention back at the cat. "Don't you wanna have a name?" She addressed the cat.



"I-It's my fault." The blonde explained, her eyes fixed at setting the table. "I never found a name that fitted her."



"Oh, poor Miss Kitty." The redhead settled the cat back into her lap. "Well, it doesn't look like it's bothering her." Clarissa added. "Hmmm, looks good. And tastes good." Only then she registered how hungry she really was and she needed her whole self-control not to gulp down the cold soup.



"It's nothing special." Natasha blushed. "Only cold vegetable soup. I don't eat meat."



"It's great, really." The redhead had already eaten everything up and was now wiping the plate clean with her bread before Natasha had even started.



"You can have more."



They had eaten in a content silence. Clarissa enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, taking it in with every single cell of her body. Life could be good. Well there was the hard work but at least at the end of the day you could sit at you table filled with food and your cat in your lap. Every now and then her gaze would sneak at the woman across the table. Through their meal the blonde had fought against the sleep that threatened to overwhelm her. Sometimes her heavy lids closed for a second only to be opened up with force again. But the sleep won and the periods between closing and opening lengthened till her lids stayed close. Only then Clarissa allowed herself to stare openly at the blonde. In sleep she looked even more peaceful than awake. All lines of worry and exhaustion smoothed away. Her face embraced by her golden hair. The expression reminded Clarissa of the last night when she had woken up, finding herself in this room with the blonde sleeping on the ground. Except for Nana she never had met such a caring person. She had accommodated a stranger giving her her bed and food and never asked for an explanation. Clarissa nodded to herself. She would make friends with this girl. A panic knocking at the door let her jump up, the cat meowing in protest about the sudden loss of her lap.



Disorientated Natasha looked up, shaking off the last remains of her sleep. "I'm coming." She rushed to the door and opened it to reveal a small boy standing there.



"Nat, Daddy needs you." He said between deep breaths.



"What's wrong, Thomas." Natasha knelt down to be at one level with the small boy. "Did you run all the way?"



He only nodded, trying to regain his breath. "It's our cow, she's calving but the baby won't come out. It stuck."



"Shh." Natasha stroke his cheek. "We'll fix it." She reached for her bag hanging on a nail next to the door and filled it with herbs and jars. "I'll have to go, you can stay. I don't know how long it will take, don't wait for me." She told the redhead.



But Clarissa shook her head, she was way too much hooked up by the sudden adventure. "Can I come with you? I promise I won't disturb."



Natasha looked at her and nodded. "But we have to hurry." And with that Natasha run out, Thomas and Clarissa following her.





She couldn't hold up with the blond as they run through the fields. Their distance grew as the witch didn't slow down but fastened up while Clarissa had the feeling that her lungs would burst if she would make another step. But she didn't want to lose the both figures running ahead of her. She clenched her teeth and swallowed the pain down that shot up from her legs.



Suddenly Natasha stopped looking back at her. "Are you alright?" She shouted but the redhead only waved her hand dismissively as she stopped thankfully to take in a deep breath.



"Don't wait for me. I'll follow you." She shouted back. No one had invited her or expected her to come along but she had asked and now she didn't want to slow them down.



She couldn't hear what Natasha told Thomas but when the blonde ran on the little boy stayed back, waiting for her. It embarrassed her that she was that needy but at the same time she was glad that the boy was there so she couldn't get lost. Activating her last reserves Clarissa commanded her legs. To her own surprise they were willing to listen to her as she and the boy followed Natasha through the wheat fields.







Even before she saw the stable she could hear the cow's screams giving her the creeps. Never in her life before had she heard such a sound of agony. She stopped in midmotion suddenly not sure if she really wanted to be part of that "adventure" but Thomas tugged at her sleeve.



"We have to go." He reminded her as he walked towards the hovel to join Natasha.







"It was great." Clarissa beamed afterwards. "Have you seen its eyes? I'm sure he's the most intelligent calf I've ever seen. Actually he was the first calf I've ever seen but I'll bet my whole library that he's the smartest among all the other calfs at the meadow." She waved her hands around enthusiastically.



Natasha walked silently by her side back to her house smiling at the redhead's babbling. "And the birth, you were great." Natasha opened her mouth to contradict but Clarissa didn't let her. "No, you were really great. And so calm you knew exactly what to do. And thanks that you let me give him his name. Don't you think he looks like a Louis? Anyway he looked very satisfied with his name." She stopped and looked at Natasha. "Thanks, I've never had so much fun in my life." She said with a serious voice but then she crunched her nose. "But I could have done without you sticking your arm into the back of that cow cause that was really ewwwwwwww." She shook her shoulders, trying to get the image out of her mind. Natasha just smiled at her.





"She babbles a lot." Willow commented.



"Looks like redheads tend to do this." Tara smiled.



"Hey, I don't babble that much, only now and then and when I'm really nervous or excited." Willow defended herself.



"And I love it every time."





Clarissa stopped. "I talk too much." She lowered her head.



"No, I l-like it." Natasha said looking down herself.



Both looked up at the same time and their eyes meet. For a moment they looked at each other before Natasha broke the contact. They walked in silence but Clarissa wanted to talk to the blonde. She wanted to get to know her.



"You can be proud of yourself. You have a generous heart. You help people even if you don't know them and they don't tell you who they are. Your family must be very proud of you." First Natasha had smiled and blushed a little but when the redhead mentioned her family her face went pale and she looked down.



Immediately Clarissa knew she had said something wrong, she touched the blondes elbow. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong."



But Natasha shook her head. "N-no it's just, my mother taught me everything I know and maybe she was proud of my. I'll never know."



"Why?"



Natasha inhaled deeply and she gazed at the clouds above them. "She's dead." She whispered.



"I'm sorry. I didn't ……… "Clarissa was shocked. She hadn't meant to open old wounds.



"It's not your fault." Natasha smiled sadly at her.



"And the rest of your family?" She had to ask although she knew that the bets were good for her to open up an other wound and she was right.



"My father and brother live in the big farmhouse. They don't like a witch in their house but they let me stay. They are ashamed of me." She couldn't look at Clarissa. "But I want to help people and that's the only way I know."



Clarissa cupped her chin, forcing the blonde to look at her. "And you do. You helped me and Louis and we're really grateful for it." Natasha closed her eyes as tears threatened to show up. Then she opened her eyes and Clarissa felt her blood rushing hot in her veins as the thankful blue eyes looked at her.



and to answer your question: When I began writing fanfiction I first wrote the stories in German and translated them then but it took me too much time and some phrasing that sounds great in English just sounds totally stupid in German; so writing in English makes it easier for me.





and now to the tale:





"Princess Clarissa." Suddenly a voice broke the moment and they jumped apart.



Angrily and shocked Clarissa found a young handsome man standing in front of them, leading his horse at its reign. She knew that face and the voice from somewhere but it took her a minute to figure out that she had met the count at the festival.



"Count Phillip?" she asked. He had been the nicest one of the bunch of idiots and had been able to talk to her about more than hunt and marriage despite her expectations.



"Thank God I found you. Your family was really worried about you after they found you and a horse missing. We've searched the whole day for you. Are you unhurt?" His gaze fell on Natasha.



"I, I'm fine thanks. This girl saved me." Clarissa gazed at Natasha. She wanted to tell her how sorry she was and that she never had wanted to lie to her. But the blonde wouldn't look at her. She knelt down and lowered her head. "I'm s-s-sorry Princess, I d-didn't know it was y-you. I would never.." She fell silent.



"No." Clarissa whispered but she didn't dare to say more with the Count standing next to her.



He looked back and forth between the two women his eyes staying for a moment with Natasha before he turned back to the princess. "If you allow me, I'll bring you back home. They are expecting you." He offered her his leather clothed hand.



First she looked at it like she didn't know what to do. The only thing she knew was that she didn't like what had happened but she although knew that there was no chance to make it better right now. She had betrayed her first friend as she was about to open up to her. Suddenly she felt very sick and didn't want anything else then to hide in her bed. She nodded and took his hand, letting him lead her to his horse.



She looked back at Natasha, who still knelt on the ground. She squeaked when the hands around her waist took her by surprise and lifted her up on the horse. Then she count sat down before her. He took the small leather bag from his belt and threw it down next to Natasha. "For your help." He told her as she turned his horse around, guiding it back to the castle.



"Don't worry you'll be safe." He told Clarissa who clung to his waist afraid to fall down although she didn't like the closeness. She looked back. All she knew was that she just had lost her safety.





"I don't like him." Willow stated.



"Will, he only had a small scene and you already don't like him? Just because he's a man? Where does all this prejudice come from?" Tara looked in played shock at her patient. "Have you been at this 'radical lesbians against patriarchy' homepage again?" Tara mocked her lover.



"No. But he interrupted them and he has a horse. Don't trust men with horses." Tara opened her mouth to reply but the redhead stopped her. "And don't tell me you don't plan on using him further in the tale. I may be sick but I'm not stupid." Willow stick her lower lip out and crossed her arms over her chest.



"You're just too smart for me." Tara bent forward and placed a kiss on her pouting lover's forehead. "And do you know what I'm planning for him?"



"No, but I will find out. Just give me more information." Willow promised her.





Clarissa leaned against the cooling stone wall, her gaze directed at the hill and land outside of her window. If she narrowed her eyes and titled her head slightly to the right side she was sure that she would bee able see the small farm and with her telescope she might even been able to catch a glimpse of the blonde working on the fields.



Five days. She was back at the castle for five days now and she never had felt that locked in before in her life. Even her library felt like a prison for her.



When the count had brought her back there had been a big tumult servants maids and guards, the every occupant of the castle had cheered as they rode through the big gate. Even her mother had taken her into her cold, stiff embrace. Then they had fussed all over her checking her hundred times if she was unhurt. Only a few days ago she would have been happy about all the attention but now it seemed hollow and false. They had been concerned about the princess but not about her as a person, as a living being.



Their questions had been the worst. She had only told them that she had been stupid enough to ride out in a storm, that she fell off and that some farmers had saved her. But for everyone except her it was obvious who her savior was. Count Phillip. And she had left it like that. She was glad when everything was over and she was allowed to go to bed. Nana had tugged her in and had given her a good night kiss like all the nights before and she had hidden under her blanket, hoping to get the chance to make it up to the one person she had hurt most.



Five days and she hadn't had any chance to sneak out. They had watched every one of her steps, forbidding her to go near the stable. As if she wanted to go there ever again in her whole life.



And every day the Count would pay his respect to her. He would walk her through the garden, asking about her welfare and she would answer him politely but in monosyllables. Soon she heard whispers where ever she walked about her and the count falling in love. A dry laugh escaped her throat as she heard it for the first time but the laugh tied her throat up when it struck her that they didn't joke.



Only five days and rumors about a wedding occurred. The mere thought of it made her panic. Sure he was a handsome and kind man and he wasn't as boring as the rest of them but that wasn't what she hoped for the rest of her life. But what did she want? Without realizing her mind returned to a small hut, a black cat and a girl in front of the fire.



She ruined it and she had to make it up to her.



Finally at the fifth day she was back at her library, her safe place where no one bothered her. The first hour she only sat there, planning what to do and say before she finally took action. She climbed the small ladder to the highest shelve where the plans and cards were stuffed up. It didn't take her long to find the what she looked for and with a grin on her face she climbed back and unrolled the card on the table.



"Yes." She smiled as for the first time in five days the gods were on her side. Carefully her fingers followed the hidden paths through the castle as she bent down over the architect's plan. And one of the entrances lay in the library the place where she spent most of her time and where no one ever bothered her. She could stay here for the whole day without anyone having a look at her. All she had to do was to say she would go to her books.



Now to the other part of her plan. She looked at the bundle next to the table. She had managed to get a dress of rough linen, a headscarf and a straw hat, so no one would recognize her because of her clothes. She changed fast into her new clothes and twisted as her skin adjusted to the new rough fabric. Then she took the hat and a small book she had picked from her collection and walked to the wall behind her where the entrance lay. She pushed the stone back that was marked on her plan and suddenly one of the shelves swung open, revealing her path.



It took her over two hours to get to the small farm and she had to rest two times in the shadows to recover form the exhausting walk through the hot sun. She cursed herself that she had forgotten to take some water with her and she hoped that the dizzy feeling she had felt as she had watched Natasha out at the field wouldn't return. She didn't go to her to be saved again but to tell her how sorry she was. Although she liked the thought of being saved by Natasha even if she didn't know from what.



She sighed as she reached the farm. Silent and deserted it lay there like when she had been there the last time. Without hesitating she went to the garden, preparing herself for the second part of her plan. She turned around the corner and………… no one was there.



Not knowing where to go next she walked back to Natasha's small house when she heard sounds from the stable.



She swallowed. Stable meant horses her mind told her and horses and her shouldn't be in the same room. But she had to go to Natasha even if she was in there with hundreds of horses. Taking in a deep breath she straightened herself up and stepped into the stable. No horses she registered relieved, only two cows and a goat.


Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: FIC: The Lesbian Fairy Tale
PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:41 pm 
Great Fairy Tale hope there is more.

Tara: Assume Crash
Positions



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: FIC: The Lesbian Fairy Tale
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 12:48 am 
Quote:
hope there is more.


Umm... I don't think there will be. This one just sort of dried up, I think.



It was good while it lasted, though. Pity.

"And the fun just keeps on leavin'."



Top
  
 
 Post subject: actually
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 1:29 am 
Offline
11. Fish in the Bowl

Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:27 pm
Posts: 1366
Location: USA
there's more. i've seen it. :P hehe...

‘Take care of my heart, won't you please? Take care of it because it's all that I have. And if you let me, I'll take care of your heart too.’ ~Anya, *hell’s bells*



Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: actually
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 2:32 am 
More? Where? I love this story, but we never saw the ending on the old board. We need more! :)



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: actually
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 3:33 am 
but there must be more!

"It's like, it's like freeze frame. Willow kissage."
Innocence



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: actually
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 4:02 am 
Quote:
there's more. i've seen it. :P hehe...


Do you mean waht was posted to willtara, or is there more than THAT?



Two can play at this... ;)

"And the fun just keeps on leavin'."



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 10:13 am 
Aw, I was hoping there was an update of this lovely story.



I still snigger at the description of Clare's babbling being like a boiling teapot. Its very true.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 11:13 am 
I also loved this story with Clare and Tasha, and was disappointed when the story stopped. I would love to read more of this fic, if more updates ever get posted. It was just so cute how Tara told Willow the fairytale to make her feel better, and the fairytale itself was amazing.



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 12:21 pm 
I'm really glad to see this story back - an update please. The relationships between the characters are so sweet! :tara :love :willow

WILLOW: Where would you go? If you felt lost
and alone? Where would you go?

TARA: To you.



Top
  
 
 Post subject: new tiny part
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 6:52 pm 
okay my beta-reader thought you earned an update. Acutally I wanted to wait till I have more, but I didn't find the time to write. A little thing called job frustration stopped me (one tip ... never work in a clinic). But there is a big beautiful holyday ahead....... and hopefully much creativity.





so here's a new tiny part:



“Tasha?” Clarissa asked into the night, her voice still heavy with sleep.



She had woken up freezing. Searching for warmth she had edged closer to where the blonde normally lay, finding the place next to her empty and cold. A chill ran over her skin as the cold air hit her bare shoulders as she propped up onto her arms and blinked a few times to adapt her eyes to the darkness.



She hadn’t to search long before her eyes found the blonde standing at the open window. She called out softly once more but Tasha still didn’t react. The blonde just stood there staring out of the window into the night sky, her arms wrapped around herself in the fruitless attempt to ward off the cold. Even from the other end of the room she could see the blonde’ fragile frame in the white nightgown shivering in the cold.



Clarissa got up from the bed and pulled the thick cover with her to protect herself against the night air. She crossed the room and stepped behind Natasha to pull the blonde into her warm embrace. Carefully she tucked them both up into the cover her arms resting at the blonde’s shoulders. Her body melted into the one before her as she tried to drive away the chill that radiated from the body in front of her. But instead of relaxing in her embrace the blonde stayed tense.



She replaced one of her arms around Natasha’s waist to rest her head onto her shoulder. “You shouldn’t do that. You’ll get a cold.” she chastised the blonde in a whisper. “Especially when you’re bare footed.” She frowned.



When Natasha still didn’t answer she followed her gaze into the sky. It was a clear night and above them hundreds of stars sparkled. Only a month from now the sky would change into the winter sky revealing new legends and tales with it’s constellations.



They stayed there in silence for a few minutes and finally the blonde slightly relaxed to the touch of her lover and leaned her head against the resting one on her shoulder.



“It’s beautiful. Just like you.” Clarissa said huskily. Her eyes traveled from her lover to the sky. “There's Canis Minor.” She pointed at a constellation. “Cassiopia.“ Her finger moved in the sky.



“The cross-eyed cow.” Tasha whispered.



Clarissa frowned slightly as she tried to remember that constellation. “Um... you know... not sure I remember that one.”



“Oh, it's a major one. See those bright stars right there?” Clarissa leaned her head against Natasha’s and followed the path the blonde’s finger laid out for her.



“Yeah...”



“And see those stars along there?” Tasha asked.



“It's big.” Clarissa answered astonished when the stars suddenly turned into a cross-eyed cow.



“Hence the name.” Tasha stopped but then continued. “The real ones never made sense to me. I sorta have my own.”



Clarissa wanted to ask the blonde to teach her all of her stars but before she could voice her request she felt her shivering in her arms. “Come back to bed.” She mumbled into blonde hair, pulling her with her but the blonde stayed stock still, resisting the soft invitation.



“Honey?” Clarissa asked concerned. She shifted to look at the blonde.



Natasha didn’t look at her, her gaze still locked at the night sky. “I don’t belong here.” She whispered, her voice quivering.



“No!” Clarissa yelled panicked. She stepped in front of the blonde. Unnoticed to them the cover slipped to the floor as she took the blonde’s face between her palms. “You belong here. You belong with me!” Her voice cracked with emotions as her hands covered the face in front of her with tender strokes.



Natasha dipped her head, her long golden strands covering her face. “Look at me.” The princess pleaded, fear coloring her voice.



“I don't think this is working.” Tears ran down Natasha’s cheek as she looked up again.



“Hey. It is. It's working. Tasha, please. I need you baby. I need you.” Clarissa could feel her tears wetting her cheek as she plastered her lover’s face with desperate kisses.



“We can’t go on like this.” Tasha answered. “We’ve ignored reality too long.” She answered quietly as she removed herself from her lover’s hands.



“Is it because of the priest? I can handle him, he won’t hurt you ever again.” Clarissa promised her voice squeaking with fear.



“It isn’t because of him. There’s so much more we refused to acknowledge.” The blonde shook her head slightly. “We lived in a dreamworld and I c-can’t do that any longer.” She said determined as her eyes locked with the green ones in front of her.



Clarissa frowned. “I thought what we had was for real.” She gulped as her world crumbled around her.



“Clare,” Their foreheads touched, as Tasha leant against the redhead. “Our love is the only real thing here.” She whispered her voice filled with love. “But you’re neglecting the truth.” The witch continued sadly.



Clarissa couldn’t believe that such a gentle voice could bring so much pain to someone. Even the blonde’s gentle touch suddenly hurt her like Tasha’s skin was plastered with tiny needles tormenting her.



With a sudden jerk she pulled back away from the blonde’s touch. “Which truth?” She asked her voice betraying the sudden anger she felt.



“The Count for example, or your mother.” Natasha stated in the same voice like before, her eyes shimmering with the pain Clarissa’s action and tone had caused her.



“I don’t love him, I love you.” Clarissa stated angry. Why couldn’t Natasha accept that they belonged together. Why had there always to be new problems as soon as they recovered from the last ones.



Tasha crossed her arms above her chest, her shoulders collapsing. “But you will marry him.” She answered downcast.



“No!”



“You will. You have no other choice. Or will you disobey your mother?” Tasha looked at Clarissa, waiting for an answer.



And Clarissa wanted to answer her, wanted to show her with one tiny witty comment that there wasn’t anything in their future together to be threatened off. Her mouth opened but the words left her as she realized that Tasha was right.



She had never thought about what the future held for her. She had always been able to put that part of her future at the back of her mind, burying it with her future plans with the blond witch. And now all these plans were shattered, leaving only the cold future with the Count behind. Tasha was right. She had dreamed about their future together but in reality that future wasn’t possible.



“I, I don’t know.” She stammered. She couldn’t stand the blue firm eyes any longer and looked away in shame. Her mind raced as she tried to come up with a solution. She wouldn’t give up Natasha. That wasn’t an option. No matter what she had to do.



Her face lit up as her fast working brain found the answer. “We could go south. Leave here. Maybe go to one of the free cities. Just give me two or three days to plan out everything.” Her eyes sparkled with newfound hope as she stepped forward and took Natasha’s cold trembling fingers into hers.



Tasha smiled sadly. “You could leave everything behind?” She asked in disbelief a sad smile playing around her lips. “Life isn’t easy out there. You never lived outside your castle. Could you really leave it, your mother and father, Nana, your books?”



“I will. There’s only one person I want to spend my life with, only one book I want to read over and over again. You.” Clarissa laid her heart open to the blonde. “Please stay with me. Don’t leave me. We can work this out. I promise.” She pleaded with big teary eyes. “Let me prove. I just need time to prepare anything.”



A dry laughter escaped Tasha before she could stop herself. In shock about what she had done she covered her mouth with her hands but the hurt expression was already there in Clarissa’s face.



“You’re laughing at me.” The redhead expressed her hurt feelings and shook her head. “I can’t see anything funny here. Well maybe I’m the fun here, thinking that you love me and want to be together with me. Funny me. Haha.” Her shrill voice filled the room.



After the sound of her harsh laughter had vanished thick silence was all that was left between them. The silence closed its iron hand around Clarissa’s heart and tighten its grip with every beat. There was nothing left in her, no emotion she could cling onto and shove into the other girl’s face.



She stumbled back till she felt the heavy wooden frame of her bed against her knees. Drained she sat down. She wanted to feel the soft arms of her lover around her, wanted to hear her soothing whisper confirming her that everything was alright that last minutes had only been a bad dream she had woken up from. She wanted to lay her head and the secure lap of the blonde, feeling her fingers stroking her hair. She wanted to drift off to sleep hearing the soft voice telling her stories of a better world. She wanted to wake up the next morning only a slightly uncomfortable feeling reminding her of a bad dream last night.



Clarissa looked up her eyes telling her lover all she wanted but when the blonde was about to approach her and to fulfill at least some of her wishes the princess stopped her with a raised hand.



“Don’t.” She whispered. To feel these arms around her now would only increase her pain would only remind her of what she was about to lose.



Tasha stopped. “I love you.”



“Why do you want to leave me then?”



“I don’t but…………” The witch stopped and sighed.” It’s complicated.”



Clarissa shook her head vehemently. “No it isn’t. We just leave this place together. Right now.” She stood up with new determination in her voice and started to open her drawers and wardrobe dropping casual clothes onto her bed.



A gentle hand on her arm stopped her from throwing another stack of clothes at the already big pile. “Clare.” The soft voice of her girlfriend reached her ear stopping her in mid-motion.



Clarissa refused to look up, right now she couldn’t use another dose of reality. Right now all she needed was to pack her things and leave this place with Tasha in tow. But another delicate hand reached up under her chin and forced her to look up to meet the blue eyes that were shimmering with unshed tears. Another thing she couldn’t use right now.



“Please, let me pack.” She pleaded, clinging desperately to her self-delusion.



“I wish I could. But I can’t. You don’t know the world out there. It isn’t like in your books where they discuss the simple joy of tilling the ground and living in worthwhile poverty waiting for god’s reward in heaven. You will ….” The blonde trailed off her face darkened with her sudden thought.



“What would I do?” Clarissa asked.



“Nothing.” Tasha’s head turned avoiding Clarissa’s gaze.



“How should I understand why you are leaving me if you don’t tell me.” From the gaze of the blue eyes she knew that this was her chance. If she now said the right thing she could convince the blonde to stay with her. Or to take her with her. The determination that had been there only seconds ago had left the blue eyes and she could see the unsteadiness shimmering in them. If she now insisted to learn the truth Clarissa knew she would win. No, she shook her head invisibly. This wasn’t about winning. This wasn’t a contest, this was her future she was fighting for. “Tell me.” She asked softly as she sat down in front of her pile of clothes patting the place next to her.



Her eyes followed Tasha as she sat down next to her, following her request and finally the blonde’s defense broke. She lowered her head and watched her fiddling fingers in her lap before she answered. “You’ll hate me if I take you out into this world.”



“Never.” Clarissa was shocked. Her hand reached out and entwined with Tasha’s before she placed them above her heart. “I could never hate you. Never in my whole life.” She said sincerely.



“Not until you lie hungry and freezing in a drafty damp hut.” The blonde answered resigned.



“Right and life here without you would be so much better.” Clarissa said sarcastically. “A caring mother at my side and at night I’ll lie in the caring arms of my beloved husband who will treat me like his most valuable treasure. And I’m sure the sex will be great.”



“Sex?” The blonde gulped. “You can’t, he is…….”



“Well I won’t have a chance when I’m his wife.” Clarissa needed her whole self-control not to grin. She had her.



“No you can’t, he……...” Tasha stopped, her breathing fastening as she tried to draw in more air.



Clarissa put her finger on Tasha’s full lips to silence her. “Pssssst. Calm down.”



“You don’t understand.” The blonde tried again but Clarissa interrupted her again. “We both don’t want me to have sex with him.” She assured her. “Let’s make a deal. You show me the town and all its ugliness and I prove you that I can stand it. Two weeks and then we’ll see. Or can’t you stand two more weeks around me?”





***************************



that's it for now............





Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 10:47 pm 
wow more please!!!!!!!!



i wish Tara would read me fairy tales!



------------------------

"Dude! like you're getting in the Boob light alright!" - AB Stuff photoshoot



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2002 2:06 am 
Great update... Actually just great story!



Catwalks--I agree totally with you... I want Tara to tell me fairy tales, too!



More soon, please?



-Aimee :)

*****
"Hey Will, this is me. It doesn't all have to be good and fine. This is the room where you don't have to be brave. I still love you. If you're worried, you can be worried." -Tara to Willow in ep. 603 Afterlife



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2002 2:49 am 
Oh, cool, this story goes on, me glad :)



I am loving this fic!





*********



Computers don't suck. ahem



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2002 4:24 am 
Mirage I am glad you decided to continue this wonderful story, and take as much time needed to update. I just love this fairytale with Tasha and Clare. So much angst in this part, but it is clearly shown how much they truly love one another. Loved how Clare mentioned sex with the Count, to make Tasha give her a chance to prove they could live together outside the castle walls. Looking forward to seeing what happens next, and really this is one story I could read over and over again.



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2002 4:37 am 
Wow, it's back!



I take back my earlier comments, I guess there's something in the spring air.



Great to see it, Mirage, and please keep it up!

"And the fun just keeps on leavin'."



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2002 10:31 am 
Yay! Was really happy to see an update of this lovely story.



And the following two lines were beautiful, and fill me with hope!



Our love is the only real thing here



There’s only one person I want to spend my life with, only one book I want to read over and over again. You.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2002 1:40 am 
I'm so glad this story's back, loved the latest update, but please can we have more? *in a tiny whispered voice* Please?

WILLOW: Where would you go? If you felt lost
and alone? Where would you go?

TARA: To you.



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2002 3:52 am 
Thanks so much for the new part! This is such a great story; I love that it's started up again. I hope we get more soon. :)



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: new tiny part
PostPosted: Fri Apr 26, 2002 6:56 am 
Loved this update, hopefully we wont have to wait as long for the next update. But I have to say the wait was definatley worth it :)



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: FIC: The Lesbian Fairy Tale
PostPosted: Sat Apr 27, 2002 8:47 am 
I saw this thread at the other board and I happy to see it continuing, its very sweet, both the interaction between Clarissa and Tasha, and Willow and Tara

"All I'm saying is, if these big stars didn't want people going through their garbage and saying they're gay, then they shouldn't have tried to express themselves creatively."



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: FIC: The Lesbian Fairy Tale
PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2002 3:16 am 
is there going to be an update soon? no rush, just wondering...



-Aimee :D

*****
"Hey Will, this is me. It doesn't all have to be good and fine. This is the room where you don't have to be brave. I still love you. If you're worried, you can be worried." -Tara to Willow in ep. 603 Afterlife



Top
  
 
 Post subject: next part
PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2002 7:23 pm 
wow didn't think that anyone would remember the fic....... thanks for the kind words and well here is the next part.........







On the main street every second house was a tavern filled with noise and movement. And Clarissa vibrated with excitement about her new adventure as Natasha guided her through the town. Every turn offered a new world. Revealed something new that waited for her to be explored. Her heart was filled with strength and confidence. This would be easy. With Natasha’s finger entwined with hers there was nothing she couldn’t face and conquer.



‘This will be easy’. She smiled to herself. Proving to Tasha that she could do it and learning new things at the same time. And she would be able to spend even more time with the blonde. She couldn’t find anything negative about this deal.



There was so much to see, so much to learn and she hoped that two weeks would be enough to explore everything. After this time……. Well after this time she wouldn’t be here to explore the city. She would be far away on her way to one of the imperial free cities. With Tasha by her side. Only the two of them facing new adventures and living a new life. Outside the oppressive castle walls. Out of reach for her mother and the count. No more patronage. No one to tell her what to do. No more expectations she didn’t want to fulfill. Only expectations she wanted to fulfill. Expectations she had about her future with the blonde. Her smile brightened as she thought what she would do with Tasha. And to her.



Clarissa took a deep breath. Freedom. She could smell it. And she wanted to fill her lungs, her heart and every other part of her body with it. This was the beginning of her new life, she decided. Again a new beginning. Every new beginning in her life involved the blonde who held her hand secure as she walked next to her through the colorful streets. With her her life had only begun and she hoped that it would never end. There were to many beginnings waiting for them.





With one look at the witch’s face Clarissa forgot all the interesting new things around her. Tasha was the most exciting, most interesting ‘thing’ for her. She would never get tired of watching her. Of following the cascading golden hair with her eyes, of traveling along the delicate features of her face, feeling the soft, full lips parting under the touch of her fingers. Involuntarily her other hand reached out to feel what her mind was dreaming about and it took al her willpower to stop herself. She couldn’t do this, not now. But she would definitely do it and more when they were alone in their room. In their bed lying next to each other, there bodies pressed against each other filling the room with warmth in the already cool nights.



The mere thought of it flooded her body with heat and parched her throat. She gulped in her effort to gain control over her body once again. She had to pull her gaze from the blonde and forced herself to watch the life around them. Just as she felt the heat fading from her body and just as her brain was able to comprehend what happened around them again the blonde looked at her. Even in the dim light of the oil lamps she could see the deep blue eyes that looked down into her bare soul.



“Are you alright?” a soft caring voice asked her.









“Willow stop it.” Tara moaned as the redhead’s fingers traveled along her jaw, sending electrifying jolt through her body.



“It’s your own fault, telling me stories like this. How am I supposed to keep my hands of you with images like this in my head.” Willow whispered.



“O-okay. Break. Five minutes.” Tara croaked as she leaned down to capture Willow’s lips with hers.



Half an hour later she settled back to continue her tale, her fingers massaging her lover’s skull till she elicited a small purr from the sick witch.









“Are you alright?” a soft caring voice asked her.



“Fine.” She squealed than cleared her throat before she tried again. “Fine.” This time even she believed her own voice.



But Tasha wasn’t as convinced as she was. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do this. We could go back.” She offered but the princess stopped her.



“No. I’m fine. I’m fine whenever you’re with me. I’m more than fine then. I’m great.” She smiled sensual.



Tasha lowered her head and Clare was sure that a blush covered her cheeks even if she couldn’t see it in the dark. She just knew that it was there.



“Uhm. We, we have to……… this way.” The blonde stuttered.



“Lead me, I follow you.” Clarissa answered still smiling. ‘Wherever you go.’







They had continued their walk along the main street the light from the taverns illuminating their way. Eyes opened wide Clarissa drank every detail that enfolded before her. Her eyes couldn’t be big enough to take everything in, afraid of missing something important. She was sure to hear her brain pulsating under her skull as it tired to process the sensations that overwhelmed her senses.



Suddenly the door to one of the taverns was pulled open as two men stumbled out their arms around each other’s waist to protected them from falling. The door stayed open and Clarissa peeked inside as they walked by.



The tavern was filled with drinking men shouting at each other as they smacked their steins together. A man was sitting at the table next to the door, a woman on his lap. She threw her head back and laughed shrilly as he whispered into her ear and grabbed her breast squeezing it. He had to feel her watch him cause he turned around focusing on her. Clarissa stopped in mid-motion as his gaze pierced into her, his lips curled into a lecherous smile as his searching look wandered up and down her body.



The princess felt trapped but unable to move, transfixed by his stare, his hand still around the tall woman’s breast. She wanted to run, to hide from his stare but she wasn’t even able to force air into her lungs. He had caught her spying at him and he liked it. He liked the power he had over her. Never in her life she had felt that dirty and disgusted. And ashamed about her curiosity. She wanted to go back to the world she knew. Back to her safe world behind thick walls. Suddenly she wasn’t so sure anymore about two weeks in this world.



A pull at her hand brought her back to life as Tasha saved her from the man’s gaze. Their encounter had only lasted a few seconds but for her it felt like eternity. She could still feel his eyes all over her, sending a chill down her spine. The princess looked down at herself to make sure that his hand didn’t linger at her breast that she didn’t feel his breath on her neck.



“We shouldn’t stay too long at this street.” Tasha explained unaware of the redhead’s encounter.



They turned around a corner, into a small narrow street. Darkness enveloped them protecting them from the noise and images of the main street.



Only a few steps and the world around them had changed again. Only now and then there was a small light from an oil candle barely illuminating the street ahead but Tasha never stopped. Without hesitation she found her path leading Clarissa through the night and a destination only the blonde knew.



The redhead pressed herself against Natasha to feel the calming presence helping her to forget what she had experienced.



It was a world her books hadn’t prepared her for. Looking back she only could shake her head in disbelief of her own naivety and stupidity. Life was more than reading a book in a secure library. But she couldn’t show Tasha her concerns. She had told her that she could stand all this and now after only thirty minutes she wanted to run back to her castle and hide in the safety of her books. She gulped and straightened up. She could do this. She had to prove it to Tasha and herself. Too much depended on her being strong.



A turn left, a small dark street, some stairs up, a narrow street such small that they had to go behind each other and Clarissa had been lost in this labyrinth. She squeezed the blonde’s hand just to be sure that the witch wouldn’t abandon her, leaving her behind to roam through these streets till her death. Her view traveled up along the tall walls to the small gap above her. Even though the houses right and left from her were drawing close to each other there was a small crack permitting her a gaze at the sky.



It was a clear night and she was relieved to see the bright stars even though she wasn’t sure where the dark sky ended and the walls began. She took a deep breath only to regret it the second the smell entered her mouth. The awful smell of the day’s remains covered her tongue and she had to swallow to suppress the sudden urge to puke.



“I’m sorry but it’s the shortest way.” Natasha excused her chosen way as she felt the redhead tensing up.



Clarissa only nodded although she knew that her lover couldn’t see the gesture but for nothing in this world she would open her mouth again in this street.



A sigh of relief escaped her throat when they left the stinking narrow street to enter a bigger and brighter street. She felt even more relieved when she realized that there wasn’t a single tavern but only small neat houses. Her second hand joined the one entwined with Tasha’s tightening her grip.



The blonde looked at her questioning. “You want to go back? It would be no problem.” She asked concerned.



“No. It…” Clarissa looked around searching for an explanation that wouldn’t reveal her fear. “The smell. The smell was awful. But I will adapt.” She straightened up do emphasize her words. “I’m a very adapting person. Let’s go back. I take another breath and I’m sure it won’t bother me at all.” At the end of her little speech her voice got smaller but she would do it, if she had to. She could do the vomiting when she was alone.



To her relief her lover shook her head, a little smile replacing the earlier frown. “Don’t worry. No more stinking streets for you tonight.”



“Where do we go?” She felt silly to ask her this question just now.



“Actually we’re here.” The witch pointed at a big two-storied house at the end of the street a small square in front of it. Only a small light shimmering through one shutter at the end of the house indicated any life within.



“Looks nice.” ‘And not threatening’ she added in her mind. “What is it?”



“A soulhouse. Some friends of mine are running it.” Natasha said.



“What’s a soulhouse?” The princess asked as they reached their destination. They stopped before a small wooden door and not at the big entrance at the other end like Clarissa had expected.



“A shelter for old people. The soulwomen are running it.”



“Nuns?”



“No, they live and work together without a vow. They don’t need a priest’s benediction to do good.” Tasha’s features darkened as she thought about the priest.



Clarissa reached out and caressed the other girl’s cheek. “Hey, remember he won’t hurt you again.”



“But…” A finger on her lip silenced her.



“There’s no ‘but’. He hasn’t the power to do anything and he knows it. If he could have done anything he’d done it by now. He was never a very patient man. I have to know. I’ve known him my whole life. It’s not a very long life and I tried to spend as less time as possible with him but if you don’t trust me, we could ask Nana, she…”



“I trust you.”



“Fine.” Clare grinned, earning a smile in return. “Let’s meet your friends.” The last hour was forgotten in her excitement to meet Tasha’s friends. It were the first friends of her girlfriend she would get to know.



The blonde witch knocked at the door. Three times long, two times short and again one long knock. A sign for the inhabitants Clarissa assumed. Her fingers closed tighter around Tasha’s as her stomach started to flutter with nervousness. What people needed a secret signal?



There was some noise, like shifting chairs and excited chatting before the door opened, revealing a small, middle-aged woman holding a candle. A woman with long brown hair who didn’t look the slightest dangerous much less like a woman who needed to hide stood before them holding the candle above her.



“Tasha?” The woman asked in disbelief as her eyes adapted to the darkness outside. She turned her head shortly calling the other inhabitants “It’s Tasha.” Then she pulled the blonde into a fierce hug, the candle still in her hand. Too dangerously close to the blond hair in Clarissa’s opinion.



“Where have you been?” She held Tasha’s at arm’s length to examine her closer. Her brown friendly eyes sparkled, satisfied with what she saw. “You look good.”



Only then her eyes scooted over Clarissa and narrowed for a split second before she relaxed again.



“She’s a friend.” Tasha explained aware of her friend’s unspoken question.



Clarissa flashed the woman a bright smile. A smile that she had trained at many occasions. And she hoped that it would be handy in making a good first impression.



It was good enough to be ushered in.



“I’m Helen.” The brown-haired woman introduced herself before she motioned them to follow her through the narrow dark floor.



“Clare.” Clarissa squeaked.



“So you are the one that kept her from us.” Helen teased Clarissa with a look over her shoulder.



“Well I didn’t… I’m sorry, I, she didn’t………. if……” The redhead defended herself unsuccessfully unaware of the little joke the older woman had made. Desperately searching for help she sent a pleading gaze at the blonde beside her only to find her suppressing a giggle.



Her mouth opened in shock.



“She’s teasing you.” A slender finger under her jaw closed her mouth. And lingered there for a moment sending a tingle through Clare’s body.



“They won’t harm you.” Tasha whispered reassuringly while her hand traced small patterns over the redhead’s upper arm. And Clarissa couldn’t tell if by word or touch but her nerves were soothed.



“And if they try I’ll hurt them.” Tasha pulled her with her to follow Helen who had vanished to a room on the left.









Five pairs of eyes were settled on them as they entered the door stopping the redhead.



Clarissa fell back a little and watched the women surrounding and hugging her lover. Seldomly she had seen her lover at such ease with other people. She leaned against the door frame taking the scene in. It made her happy to know that other people except from her and Nana had discovered what an extraordinary and lovely person her lover was. Happy and proud. The whole world should know. But that would mean she had to share her. A big ‘nono’ for that.



Sharing her with these few women was enough. Not ‘sharing sharing’, she blushed at her own thoughts. Just sharing in the non-girl-girl-sharing way. She cleared her throat and shook her head slightly to focus again. Just to find everyone in the room staring at her.



“Uhm, hi.” She waved her hand sheepishly.



“That’s Clarissa. Sh-she’s my friend.” Natasha introduced her. “And she saved me.” She added with a smile directed at the redhead. And Clarissa smiled back.



Then she introduced the women. Except for Helen. The brown-haired woman had vanished again through another door.



“This is Monica.” Tasha pointed at a corpulent woman with dark-blonde hair who smiled at her. “Julia.” A dark-haired girl her age nodded. “Marie.” An other middle-aged woman with blonde hair greeted her.



“And Elisabeth.” She was the oldest one, her white hair framing her kind, wrinkled face. From her position at the table’s end she watched the princess intensively causing a lump to form in Clarissa’s throat. They didn’t look alike but somehow the woman reminded her of Nana. They had the same look in their eyes. The look that told you that they had seen everything in this world and that there wasn’t anything that could surprise them anymore.



The redhead nervously shuffled her feet but held the older woman’s gaze. If this was some kind of test, she would pass. A lot of eyes had sized her up in her life, some kind, some indifferent and some even cruel. Nothing new here. But why was she nervous then? Because too much depended on Elisabeth’s approval. It meant to be accepted by Natasha’s friends. To be allowed into another part of Tasha’s life. And she wanted to take part in every part of the blonde’s life.



With a smile and an invitation to sit down she was let in. As soon as she sat down next to her lover she could feel her thigh pressing against hers sending a warm feeling through her and washing the panic away with it. The women didn’t look threatening at all ………..and Tasha had promised to protect her.



The other women settled down around the table.



“Uhm, Did I take anyone’s seat? I can move, no problem……” Clarissa blurted out eliciting giggles all around her. She was barely half on her chair anymore when a hand from behind settled on her shoulder and pushed her down again.



“No, sweetie.” Monica emerged from behind and placed a mug filled with hot steaming tea in front of her. “And we can use a little change now and then.” She added with a mischievous smile.



“Thanks.” Clarissa muttered. Her finger closed around the mug, welcoming the heat of the boiling water that seeped through the clay.



An expectant silence filled the room and Clarissa needed all her willpower to stop her fingertips to tap against the clay in her hand. She didn’t need any more attention loaded on her. A short gaze at Tasha showed her that the blonde was unaware of the rapt attention.



Actually, she seemed to be the only one aware of it. The others around her chatted or continued the works they had abandoned due to Tasha’s ‘come back’.



Well she couldn’t tap with her fingers, but a little foot wiggling to get rid of her nervousness was soundless, invisible and all she could do right now. What were they waiting for?



Princesses’ were bad in waiting, didn’t anyone tell them? Actually they didn’t know but still, waiting in comfortable silence whilst there was someone really nervous among them wasn’t polite at all. Didn’t make a good first impression. If you wanted to make a good first impression. And from her look around she seemed to be the only one keen on making one.



She sipped her tea and regretted it instantly as the hot liquid burned her tongue and ran down her gullet to her stomach leaving the sensation of fire raging through her behind. Her head shot up to assure herself that nobody had noticed but Elisabeth’s sympathetic eyes lay on her a pitiful and amused smile twitching around the corner of her thin mouth.



Clarissa blushed in return. Gladly at this moment Helen returned. She bent down over the older woman and whispered into her ear before she sat down next to her.



“Now that we’re all here.” Elisabeth looked around and till her gaze settled at Tasha. “We’re curious where you’ve been.”



Since they had entered the house it was the first time that Clarissa saw her lover shifting uncomfortable under their eyes. This time it was her hand that sneaked out under the table to squeeze her lover’s knee reassuringly.



After taking a deep breath and a sip from her tea the blonde told her story. At least some of it. The part without a princess and without them making out. In her story Clarissa was another maiden and their were just good friends, really good friends. But that didn’t stop Tasha from praising and thanking her so effusively that the redhead found herself blushing till her face had the same color as her crimson hair.



She was glad when Tasha finished her story. The blonde gazed at her to make sure that Clarissa approved her version. Their eyes met and Clarissa drowned in the blue that looked at her. Never in her life she had seen so much love radiating from someone’s eyes. She gulped when she realized that this love was directed at her. Her and no-one else in this world. This time it wasn’t the tea that burned deep down inside her. It was love that spread through her and melted her heart. This time the sweet pain she felt told her that she was alive. Alive and loved. A good feeling and a pain she never wanted to end.



She beamed at her lover and grabbed her hand.



“I’m glad you found her.” Elisabeth’s word brought them back to reality and Clarissa realized that she held Tasha’s hand in front of everyone. Their affection for each other plain on their face. She pulled her hand back and hid it in her lap. Just to be sure that it couldn’t do anything that would compromise her even more she entwined her own hands holding them close to her stomach. The butterflies that had whirled around there a moment ago had been transformed into heavy bricks. A quick glance to her left told her that Tasha was in a similar condition.



The giggles around them didn’t made anything better.



So they knew.



A tingling feeling of being watched caused her to look up. There they were again, the bright blue eyes of Elizabeth mustering her again. Looking deep into her soul. With nowhere to hide. And she didn’t want to hide. So they were lovers and the old woman knew.



She had dealt with a priest, she could deal with her. At least she could try to gain a small grain of the pride back she had lost in the last minute. That or die in an instant out of embarrassment. And that wasn’t even an option. She would die again just out of embarrassment that she died. And you couldn’t die twice.



Clarissa gathered all the dignity she could find and laid it into her gaze. Sometimes the training as a princess paid off. Self-conscious she allowed her hand to sneak out again and reunite with Tasha’s cold one. Her thumb brushed over the pale knuckles. Slowly she could feel the other girl relax again.



Like she hadn’t realized the turmoil she had caused Elisabeth turned to face Tasha. “So you’re back now?” she asked her.



Tasha nodded before her head dipped down again. “I’m sorry I was gone so long. I, I shouldn’t….” She muttered.



“No need for excuses to live your life. At your age you only should excuse if you don’t live it.” Elisabeth tilted her head to get a better look but the blonde hair still hid Tasha from the world around her. Softly the old woman sighed.



Like on command the other women got up and left the room murmuring excuses about having to look after the other inhabitants that were sleeping at the floor above or after the animals in the barn behind the kitchen.



Then they were alone with the old woman. “Tasha, look at me.” She asked softly. “I’m not a big two-headed snake. And I won’t devour you. I already had dinner.” She snickered at her own joke. And Clarissa joined her.



Finally Tasha looked up.



“Don’t be ashamed of whom you love.”



“Never.” The blonde whispered. “I, I was just afraid……..”



“Believe an old woman, there’s only one thing you should fear in your life. Not to love.” The white-haired woman sighed. Then she stood up, supporting herself with her hands at the table and walked over to the oven.



She came back with the teapot and filled their mugs again. “I’m getting old. An old sentimental woman. And sooner or later I will lose all my teeth and tell the young ones stories about how good life had been in my youth. And they will eye me pitiful while I tell them about life and what to fear and what to embrace.” She stopped a frown visible between her brows. “Hm, I’m afraid I’m already old.”



Clarissa opened her mouth to oppose but a hand in front of her face stopped her. “I’m still not too old to identify a polite but hollow phrase. Keep your breath for telling her that you love her.” Elisabeth continued aware of the blushes she sent again over the young faces. “and I’m old enough to embarrass the youth. Ahh, the advantage of the old.” Her eyes misted over and the cleared them with a short shook of her head.



Then she settled back into her chair. “I assume you want to help again?” Elisabeth changed the topic.



“Oh, yes.” Natasha whispered breathless causing her girlfriend to turn around and glance at her questioning. There had been no mentioning of any help to her before. So this wasn’t just a polite visit. There was something going on here. Something she didn’t have the slightest clue of. Night of surprises and she wasn’t sure if she could take any more surprises.



Natasha shot her a glance telling her she would explain everything. Just not now. And Clarissa was bad with the waiting. Always been. Bad habit. But Princesses rarely waited. Her foot tapped impatiently it’s pace fastening. The rest of her would wait patiently. But her foot would show her non-approval. Really visible. If anyone would look under the table it would be there, all visible expressing her opinion.



“It’s dangerous.”



“It has been dangerous before.” Tasha’s voice grew stronger with the change of subject.



“Yes. But they doubled their effort to catch us. The church wants to get rid of us for good. There’s no place on god’s earth for healers like us.” The wrinkles in Elisabeth’s face deepened. “Or in his heaven.” A sharp laugh escaped her throat. “Like I want to be in the same heaven as them.”



Then she turned back to Tasha. “I can’t allow you to help. Not after you finally started to live your life.”



“I’m doing it with or without your help.” The blonde witch answered harshly.



Clarissa looked at her lover in surprise. Only once before she had heard such determination in her lover’s voice. It had been in the night when Tasha had told her, that she would leave.



“With your help it would be easier.” Natasha added softer.



But Elisabeth shook her head. “The priest is more committed than ever. Like he’s looking for revenge. It’s no longer just his clerical mission. It’s personal now. He was dangerous before but now……..”



The hand in hers tensed up and as Clarissa looked at her lover’s face she could see the pain. “It’s my fault.” The young witch whispered. “I, I offended him.”



“No Tasha.” It was the first time Clarissa spoke a full sentence. “I offended him. It wasn’t your fault.”



“It was.” The blonde pulled her hand free from Clarissa’s grip. “And I will make it up. Starting right now.” She stood up ready to leave.



“Sit down.” The old woman commanded in a voice that didn’t allow protest.



“Youth. Why is it always the youth that wants to throw its life away?” Her steel-blue eyes fixated the blonde.



And Tasha held her gaze.



Finally the old woman gave in. “I can’t stop you, can I?”



“No.”



“And you want to take her with you.” Elisabeth nodded at Clare.



“No. she’s staying here till I come back.”









“No way.” Willow screamed. „Forget about it. She won’t leave her behind. Not this time.” The redhead jumped up to face her girlfriend. “She’s not leaving her behind.” She hissed between gritted teeth.



“Shhh calm down baby.” Tara shushed.



But Willow didn’t want to be shushed down. „No way.“ She repeated. She blinked feeling suddenly dizzy from her jump. “Oho, all spinny.” She added weaker.



This time she didn’t protest when Tara pushed her gently down. And she didn’t have anything against the cooling palm on her forehead that wiped the feverish beads away.



“Let me continue.”



Willow focused on Tara’s soft voice. The only steady thing in her tumbling world right now.



*******************





tbc……………







Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: next part
PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2002 9:05 pm 
YAY! Update! Thanks for the new part, mirage! I liked a lot!



More soon, I hope?



-Aimee :D

*****
"Pope John Paul today confirmed his opposition to gay marriages, said they're unnatural. Gay marriage is unnatural. Then he put on a pointy hat, his dress, and returned to never having sex at all." -Bill Maher



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: next part
PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2002 9:43 pm 
Hurrah!! :bounce :bounce :bounce



An update!!! I was so glad to see this story resurface earlier and now an update! Mirage, I love this fic!



Please keep it going!!!! :bounce :bounce



kath



edited to fix my bounce

Edited by: oneinten at: 5/7/02 12:45:08 pm


Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: next part
PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2002 11:34 pm 
::thunderous applause and whistles:: Oh, hoorah, there's more! WOO and HOO and many other excited noises! I check for updates every day, you know.

Hear that, baby? You're my always. -Willow (Tough Love)
Hmm, straight is boring. Curves are very nice things. -The wisdom of me



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: next part
PostPosted: Tue May 07, 2002 1:05 am 
I always love seeing an update for this wonderful story. It was very enjoyable and also exciting now that they're out in the world together. Looking forward to more! :)



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: FIC: The Lesbian Fairy Tale
PostPosted: Tue May 07, 2002 1:12 am 
I haven't actually read the update yet, but I really wanted to point out how much I enjoy this story. It's smart, touvhing, sexy and very funny at times. It's like a warm cocoon of W/T love just engulfs me everytime I read it, it's all so... I mean, it's a fairy tale, you know ?*g*



Away I go, to read.



Rose

" Well, Xander is a guy, so... kinda not a surprise that he likes to watch... girls. Why are we talking about this ?" - Wilow, Entropy



Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: next part
PostPosted: Tue May 07, 2002 1:16 am 
Great part Mirage. I liked how Clare realized the real world wasn't quite like her books, but for the love of Tasha, and hope of a future life together with her she was willing to "adapt" to being outside the castle's walls. Enjoyed reading a little about Tara's past with the "Soulhouse" and especially the addition of Elizabeth to the story. She is definitely a very wise old woman, and I loved her interactions with both Clare and Tasha. The cliffhanger with Tasha deciding to fix things by going to the priest alone was intriguing, and I look forward to reading more whenever you have a chance to update this wonderful story!

Edited by: VampNo12  at: 5/7/02 4:17:44 pm


Top
  
 
 Post subject: Re: next part
PostPosted: Tue May 07, 2002 5:37 am 
Lovin' this! Update! Update!



I wonder why no one ever told me fairy tales like this? This is VERY nice and not...what's the word...lame.

"Hi, um Tara. I was wondering maybe you want to go out some time for coffee? food? Kisses and gay love?" - Willow - 'Normal Again'


"I know you had to go away, I died just a little..." - Michele Branch, 'Here With Me'



Top
  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 222 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 8  Next

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron

W/T Love 24/7 since July 2000
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group