Mutual Feelings

A conversation between two characters centered around their mutual thoughts for another. Updated, did a bit of editing to it. I liked the exercise. I might do more of them with more of my characters.

            Cairo sat up in a window of a sprawling manor towards the back, away from the grandeur, and bustle of the rest of the place. Her golden gaze lingered out over the vast grounds, following the contour of the rolling hills, counting the trees of the forest that boarded her Master's territory. The window pane was half open and bringing in the fresh scent of a clean rain with the promise of more to come. Pinching her brow softly Cairo ground her teeth in thought, fingers drumming against the knee she had pulled up as she leaned on the window frame.

          Rafe had been gone longer then he should have been, at least a day longer then it would have taken herself to complete the task their Master had set on him, But he isn't me... he wasn't trained the same and he has his own way of doing things... Even if it is a bit, blunt and oafish...

          "Thought I'd find you here, don’t need to ask what's on your mind, do I?" From off to her right the familiar sound of a fellow Irishman floated to her ears, breaking through the thoughts she had been pondering and Cairo blinked, turning her head ever so slightly and causing a strand of her black curls to fall into her eyes. Galen, Rafe's self appointed older brother and keeper, he had a deep affection for the British Werewolf, even if he was a Vampire, the same as she. Without saying a word Cairo smirked softly, dipping her head in quite agreement, letting her gaze once again return to the grounds of their Master's manor, her fingers resuming their drumming and once in a while straying up to touch her forehead, push some of her hair from her eyes.

          Galen watched the Blood Knight from under his brows, his head dipped slightly as he took her in. It still amazed him whenever he saw Cairo in a soft, reflective moment. She looked so exotic, so delicate with such emotion etched across her features, Aye, as beautiful as a cobra right before it strikes... He didn't know what it was between Cairo and Rafe, but there was no mistaking that they shared a mutual affection for one another, even if it mostly went unspoken.

Sighing he moved up beside the other vampire, hands in his pockets as he did and careful as always to never send a hostile or dominate vibe Cairo's way. They may have been friendly towards one another, possibly even the closet thing to friends as either could posses given their situation, but Galen never let it slip his mind what Cairo was: She was a trained and deadly Blood Knight, the right hand of one of the most powerful Blood Masters Galen had ever known, and she was also a little disturbed, and unpredictable.

          "Gregor never should of sent him, he's too reckless, too foolhardy in his ways, too young..." Her voice was like rough silk and Cairo lifted a hand, gently pushing the window open even more with a few finger tips, her head tipping back as she closed her eyes and took a deep lungful of the crisp breeze as it blew over her face, and through her thick curls of ebony and blonde lock, sweeping them away from her face in a gentle caress.

          "Rafe was trained by the both of us, and my sire. He acts young but tis nothing but his nature, I think at times we both forget he's a fully shifted Werewolf and close to four hundred years old... But compared to you and Gregor, I suppose almost everyone is a mere babe." Chuckling softly, Galen winked at the female, trying to lighten the mood, ease the tension that was rolling in waves from her. Galen had the utmost confidence in Rafe, he could stand on his own, he was resourceful and smart, no matter how badly they teased him otherwise.

          "Aye, I suppose your right... still, Gregor had no right, he knows what Rafe is like, he knows...But Rafe is capable, he's a survivor... He'll be alright, another day, another day and he'll be back... another day..." Cairo bobbed her head as she mumbled softly, her golden eyes wide and darting a bit faster then Galen liked and he frowned more when she started to rock slightly, an old Irish lullaby working from her in a hum. Clearing his throat softly, he looked around, rubbing at the back of his neck. Rafe was the only one he knew who could handle Cairo when she got like this.

          This will be brilliant, Rafe comes back to find me killed by our dear little Knight all because he wasn't here to calm her... Pinching the bridge of his nose, Galen watched her with one eye closed, before looking out the window, and slowly moving to brace his back on the other side of the frame. Taking a deep breath of the air, he crossed his arms over his broad chest, murmuring in a soft tone, "Reminds you of home, don’t it? The rolling hills, the lush deep green o' the grass... Even the distant sound of the stream nearby, you can almost pretend tis the rush of the ocean. The rain this afternoon was nice, added to the memory.

          You know, even though those years as a mortal, spent under the thumb of me da, hounded by his ever insistent ye need religion!  It never did dim the beauty of Erie. She's such a lady to love. Cold, but gentle when you get to know her, hell cold is no longer an issue for creatures like us, now is it? I bet her worst downpour would feel like nothing even bare arse naked, now would it?" Galen had settled into the next best thing he knew how to do: Talk. His body had relaxed, a foot crossing idly over the other to rest the toe of his shoe against the hardwood floor and offered Cairo a wink.

          A small giggle came from the Blood Knight, a lopsided grin pulling her lips away from her fangs as she tipped her head to the side, looking childlike as she gazed at the other vamp. She didn't know what it was, perhaps it was merely the familiar sound of another Irish lilt that was soothing to her, but Galen had his own way of pulling her from the fog of her psychosis. Impishly she eyed him sidelong, a dark brow arching before she returned the wink with a murmur of gravel amusement, "Oh, aye but others might take issue with it..."

          "Are you calling me fat?" Galen feigned shocked hurt, resting a hand on his chest as he stared at her, not missing a beat. Banter came easy between them, almost as easy as it did with Rafe. Though it was hard to find or keep Cairo in the clear headed state that brought this kind comradery.

          "I didn’t want bring it up, but you have packed on a few pounds lately, all this lazing about no doubt... and I've seen the snacks you keep hidden from Rafe." With a purse of her lips, Cairo nodded her head knowingly, tossing her hair back over her shoulder as she lifted her head and tried to keep a smile from her face as she watched Galen out of the corner of her eye, her thoughts of where Rafe was, silenced, if only for a little while.

          For a moment Galen didn't know what to say, too shocked by the candid teasing he had been able to draw from her, then he was grinning, the act brightening his entire countenance as he looked back out the window and started to laugh gently, feeling his own body and mind relaxing, content to stand there with Cairo, looking out over the view.

Author's Note

This was a writing exercise, the prompt was to write about worry, without using the word or any direct synonyms of the word, Cairo is the main character of the story I'm working on for publication.