But Darling, Dear ~ Sebby ~ Get A Grip

[Daine Merton]

For the first time since the accident at the Silver Arrow Contest, Maggie had let Daine out of her room and on her feet. She was in the stable preparing for a trip into Nottingham. Whilst she was incapcitated, Daine had discovered that she missed the trivial noble gossip. She had gone fair stir crazy whist being on her own. And during her period of rest, only one had come to visit her. So much for friends... Not that Daine really believed any of the nobles to be her friends.

Except Sebastian. The one person who had visited her. But part of her wondered what his exact reason for visiting was. Due to certain events, namely him kissing her, she couldn't help but think he was only there for his enjoyment. The thought saddened her, because she was getting far too attached to Sebby. It was wrong.

So very wrong. She thought as she walked her horse out into the spring sunshine. She knew all about Sebastian's reputation. She hadn't needed to have heard the whispers between kitchen staff to know what he got up to. She'd heard about him long before she'd met him. Daine knew she was being stupid for getting this involved, but part of her wanted to believe it was different with her. All they'd ever done was kiss, and was nothing on what he'd done with kitchen staff.

Maybe that meant things were different. Maybe he was biding his time because he truely cared about her? But what should that matter? Daine shouldn't care if Sebby cared. If she went down this path she would only get hurt. Things were already starting to hurt. The confusion in her mind made her so dizzy. And she hated contradicting herself. Daine missed the simplicity of childhood. No questions. No confusion. All you had to worry about was not messing up your Sunday best...

[Sebastian Mannering]

Life in Nottingham was beginning to bore Sebastian. The interest generated by being the new lord, more flamboyant and eccentric than the usual nobility had long since worn off. His extravagant gestures and outrageous flirting were becoming the norm, even some of the servants were becoming wise to his ways and steering clear. It was frustrating to say the least, he was used to always getting his own way and always being the centre of attention. Nobody put Sebastian in the corner.

The Nobility here were just so... unchallenging. To put it bluntly they were simple, but he really shouldn't have expected more from country folk anyway. Sebastian gave a small self-indulgent sigh and let his shoulders droop, spurring his horse on with a small kick in the same movement. The mount was disobedient and as he was lost in thought it kept slowing to barely more than a walk, head even stooping once or twice to try and nibble on the grass that lined the path he was following.

Towards Merton.

Was it really too much to ask for a little company with more intelligence than the average peasant? Not the Lord of the manor of course. Brian Merton could easily be outwitted by a child. In fact Sebastian had heard the man had been overcome in his own home by a barbarian, it didn't get more spineless than that. He was fun taunt, but he held little more reward than that and Sebastian got plenty of opportunity to embarrass the young lord in the company of other nobles at the castle. Somewhere his displays of power would be witnessed.

No, he wanted to see Daine again. She'd played on his mind a lot since their last meeting. He usually prided himself on his ability to focus, but the lady had caught his attention. She was like an intricate puzzle that he hadn't quite figured out and a man as arrogant as Sebastian couldn't help but keep prying until every last piece fell into place. Besides their second kiss had been most unfulfilling. The unwelcome interruption of Daine's busybody servant leaving him feeling thoroughly unsatisfied. No matter, if all went according to plan he would have all the time he needed to work this insatiable interest in Daine out of his system.

As he approached the Manor, Sebastian spotted the familiar figure of the lady herself walking her horse outside. "Lady Daine!" He called out, delight clear in his voice as he quickly brought his horse under control by tightening his grip on the reigns. It wouldn't do to appear unskilled at riding, especially not in comparison to a mere woman. "What a pleasure it is to see you up. I trust your injuries are healing well?"

[Daine Merton]

Daine was well and truely lost in her worrying thoughts. Normally she would have seen anyone approaching the house way before they wer close enough to communicate at a normal volume. As it were, she was too busy dwelling on times when she used to play with some of the village children, like the baker's girl. There was only a year between the pair, but Daine felt so much older... The baker's girl still looked and acted young, but Daine felt like she had the world on her shoulders. Her Ma had always told her that nobles had to age quicker than baker's girls though, because they had more responsibility. Daine didn't want the responsibility! But in the same instant, she needed to keep Merton safe from corruption, it would be what her father would want.

She almost jumped out of her skin when Sebastian called out her name. She instantly felt the colour rise in her cheeks - hating every second because she didn't have a fever to blame this time. It was nice to know that she wasn't completely broken, the sudden flurry of butterflies told her this was more than physical attraction. It was wrong to consider being in love with Sebastian Mannering, but Daine was quick to take seen as how no one else would have her. The delight in Sebby's voice gave her both joy and a sinking feeling. "Sebastian. If I am to call you by your first name, then you must do the same with me." She replied, as non-challontly as she could muster.

It was such a pain that normally she could be as distance as she needed to be, but Sebby come calling and she was putty in his hands. She didn't want to be like the rest of the girls who just flailed at the sight of him. She was stronger than that. She didn't need the love of a man, or Sebastian - but part of her did want it. That scared Daine no end. "I must say, it is a pleasure to be up. I've missed the ability to walk. The novelty of having someone do everything for me wore off fair quickly."

It was true. As soon as Maggie had told Daine she couldn't do anything for herself she'd instantly become restless. But she'd stayed cooped up for an entire month! And Daine reckoned the last week she hadn't needed to be in bed, that was just Maggie being careful. Daine was grateful, but it was hard to show when you'd been confined to your room for a month and only recently been allowed to do the essentials by yourself. "I'll be on top form very soon, but I thought it was about time I got on my feet." She smiled at Sebastian, genuinely feeling happy - glad to have the company again really. Daine's world was rapidly spiralling out of control.

[Sebastian Mannering]

The blush that rose on Lady Daine's cheeks was reward enough, Sebastian felt, to warrant the journey to Merton. A smug, self-assured grin quirked his lips, watching her falter and behave in such a smitten fashion stroked his already inflated ego. Sebastian had heard exactly how foolish, defiant and independent the younger Merton had been before his arrival at Nottingham. He couldn't hold with all these modern women who thought they were entitled to have an opinion, let alone voice it. The slightest of sneers marred his smile at the thought.

The fact that Sebastian had deceived the lady to gain her trust didn't detract from his feeling of triumph at all, in fact it only added to it. Of course he hadn't tamed Daine yet, but it would only be a matter of time before she was under his complete control, the way a woman should be. He bowed his head gracefully at her admonishment, eyes twinkling with amusement as they took up they usual flirtatious banter with practiced ease. "My apologies, Daine." He slipped easily from his mount. "Your beauty seems to make me forget myself."

Sebastian quirked his brow at her complaint at having somebody do everything for her. He, for one, tried to get the hired help to do as much for him as possible. He only stepped in when it became clear that the servants were too uneducated and incompetent to complete a task themselves. "Well, I hope this is a sign that you will be joining us at the castle soon?" He inquired hopefully. "I have missed your company." For once his words were not an untruth meant to flatter (although he hoped they had that effect) he really had missed her.

"Your brother isn't nearly such good company." He said, allowing his lip to turn up into the slighted curl of distaste. "Nor is he as easy on the eyes." Sebastian grinned, his words teasing. He had walked his horse the rest of the distance towards her, but now he dropped the reins, trusting that the beast would not wander too far in it's search for food. Instead he took up her hands, grasping them in his own, and looked earnestly into his eyes. "Well Daine, since you have missed walking, perhaps I might be so bold as to suggest we go for a stroll now?" Sebastian asked, tone low and inviting. Surely such a simple request had never been made to sound so seductive. "Unless it would put your leg under strain, I would not want you hurting yourself further."

[Daine Merton]

The fact that Sebastian took satisfaction out of her blush would have made Daine's blood boil, had she known. She hated being thought of like that, just as something for a man's enjoyment. She'd spent the first eighteen years of her life fighting that notion. For a few years Daine had kept her hair really short so fathers wouldn't assess her as a potential wife for their sons. It had worked until her Ma found the knifes. Daine promised to never cut her hair again after that, so long as she could be trained with a blade. She'd given her Ma the whole speil of wanting to be safe in a man's world, but really it was adding more points against her wife potential. Daine was adamant that she was going to marry who she wanted to marry. It just terrified her that it might be Sebastian Mannering who was the man she wanted to marry.

Daine nodded politely, accepting Sebastian's apology. His next words nearly threw her off balance. Steadying herself on the fence, she would blame her leg if he asked - which she knew he would. How she hated Mannering. He'd broken all her defences, gained her trust. She was supposed to let no one in and trust no one, except Maggie. But Maggie had been fenced in when Daine built her defences. "I apologise then, Sebastian. Though I can hardly say I agree. There are far more beautiful women in the world than I. It's like dear Maggie says, I'm a twig." Another self-inflicted torture. During her early teen years she'd send her meals to a different family each night, making her underweight. She got caught again, but then Vaysey came to power and crops started to fail. Her body never recovered.

Unlike Sebastian, Daine enjoyed working, using her hands. Even in the long winter months as a child she could be tamed into doing needle work. She just liked having something to do, being caught in boredom's clutches made Daine stir crazy. And she didn;t need the additional crazy, as she had enough as it was. "It certainly is. I was just on my way actually." An involuntary smile spread across Daine's face. It was odd, she hadn't smiled properly for years. It kind of ached. "And I yours." She admitted without thinking. As soon as she registered what she'd said, Daine was mentally kicking herself. Too late now though, all she could do was hide the regret of saying such words.

"Tell me about it." Daine said, a slight giggle escaping her lips. What was wrong with her?! Daine didn't[/b] giggle. She'd never giggled. Not even Adrian Taylor - Maggie's son - had made her giggle when she was little. It was a fact: Sebastian Mannering had broken Daine. She was beyond repair. "You can't think that I am easy on the eyes? Surely not." During all her self-marring, Daine really had culminated a poor self image. She supposed it all helped in the end. It did mean she'd end up dying an old spinster who couldn't look herself in the mirror, but such was life.

She let her eyes fall to the floor, so it came as a surprise when Sebastian took her hands in his. She looked up into his eyes a little startled. Had she not been really concentrating on what he was saying, Daine would have not heard him at all. she was just very aware of her dainty hands being held in Sebastian's cool hands. "You may be so bold." She tried to mirror his casual air, keep the indifference, but it was hard when one was so distracted. And his velvety tones were scrambling her brain. "Maggie thinks it would have been better for me to talk a walk in the first place." Her voice was disconnected and quiet, like she'd completely switched off. Daine hit a whole new level of seth loathing, she'd become like one of those girls.