La Musique

Thursday, October 9, 2008

~ A conversation between Lady Polgara and Ontrose, her knight protector ~

"Oh, dear", I laughed, "You are an innocent, aren't you, Ontrose? That's what young girls do, didn't you know that? We wear our prettiest dresses and ribbons, put on our most winsome expressions, and then go forth to do war. Our enemies are all the other pretty girls in the vicinity, and our battleground is the collective hearts of all the young men within reach," I gave him an arch look, "Be very careful around me, dear boy," I warned him. "I could break your heart with a single flutter of my eyelashes."

"Why wouldst thou wish to shatter that which is already wholly thine, dear Lady?" he asked, and I sensed a certain subterfuge in his carefully phrased question. Ontrose was obviously not quite as innocent as he seemed to be. This was moving along even better than I'd hoped. Ontrose obviously no longer looked at me as an institution. We were definitely making progress now.

"Be warned, my champion," I bantered. "Methinks I shall unlimber mine entire arsenal upon thine unprotected heart. Defend thyself as best thou canst."

I think my lapse into formality startled him just a bit. "Thou wouldst take so unfair an advantage of me, Lady Polgara?" he chided lightly. "Fie! For shame! Must I now defend thy realm 'gainst the Asturians and mine own heart 'gainst thing unspeakable charm simultaneously? I have no fears concerning the Asturians. Mine heart's fortress, however, doth already crumble before thine onslaughts, and I do fear me that I must inevitably capitulate and submit to this gentle enslavement which thou dost propose."

I laid my hand on his arm. "Well put, my Lord," I complimented him. "Very well put indeed. We shall talk about this more anon." And then he took my hand and gently kissed it.

Oh I never get tired of reading this book! The language is so utterly heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I wish I could write like that. It would be such a delight to compose a symphony of words that flow seamlessly, encirling and entrapping the heart of all who hear or read it. Marvelous!

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