chapter Five

she walked into her room after lunch and walked to the dresses spread out on her bed. one caught her eye immediately, it was dark green. she picked it up and spread it in front of her, it had sweetheart neckline. a smile growing on her face, she took of her riding clothes and tried it on.

"perfect!" she said to herself. And did a little twirl. And turned to the rest of the clothes, she sighed. they were precious, but the one she held called out to the most. she would have to take it to the castle's seamstress later, for any adjustments. she took off the gown and padded into the bathroom. she let herself into the the ready tub and sighed as the foamy water caressed her skin. the shampoo that was used smelled of vanilla and jasmine flowers, she inhaled and all but purred, a smile spreading across her lips. she had always heard people ssay it was the small things. she believed, and so gave thanks to God.

she tried not to feel guilty for letting herself enjoy the delight and let her mind wander, let it drift.

~~~~

" Hannah." the silky voice called out her name, making her whirl around. she was in a different time and place and groaned internally, hadn't she just been in her tub?

" who are you?" she called out, calmly, although she felt herself begin to get warm with anger

" why do you reject me?" the voice asked.

" I reject no one. i reject no one, especially one I do not know. who are you?" she asked again, this time a little bit more fiercely.

" there will be time to get acquainted, all you have to do is accept. Accept me, princess." the voice seduced. but the hand that brushed her face, caressed. The hand that brushed her face felt familiar, the hand that felt familiar awoke her.

" Jasper." she sighed, as she opened her syes, and close them again to lean in to the gentleness of his touch.

" I love you, Jasper. you who God uses to save me."

"I love you too." he ran his thumb accross her cheek. she was shivering, but not from her bath for the water in which she bathed was still quite warm.

" please help me out of here." she did not feel altogether well, anymore. Jasper reached for her towel, and wound it around her when she got up. If he noticed just how beautiful she was, he hid it well and helped her out of the the bath. she wobbled a bit as he led her into her room. And he worried.

" How long have you felt ill."

she looked up at him, still locked in his embrace, the scent of her intoxicating him, How weary and tired she was grounding. " I did not say i was ill."

" you said you don't feel altogether well. same thing." she tsked, with how horrible she felt, she tsked. And it made her smile, just a littke. it made her smile.

" Just right now, since waking up i guess. " she sat on her bed, instead of at the dress table, she looked at the pile of clothes, and then remembered,

" there'll be a party for Cousin Cephas's arrival."

" I know." he said with a ghost of a smile, " you picked the green dress?"

" I did."

" Good." he walked to her wardrobe and got out a sleeping gown. handing it it to her, she took it from him without complaint. he grabbed the clothes she had laying on her bed, and looked at her,

" I'll return these to madame hawkins, and will be back soon. you better be in bed resting."

he turned to the door and stopped, " I mean it." before, opening the door and walking through it.

he left with her mouth open, and then she shook her and dorned on the sleeping gown. she was tired anyway.

~~~

He did not go to the seamstress immediately, he went to martha's room. he let out a cleansing breath on when he got to her door and knocked softly,

"come in." she called out gently from within the room,

he got in, a smile on his lips, Hannah's gowns in his hands.

" Jasper, how are you?"

" I am well. But Hannah isn't. she isn't well martha. i'm sorry to bother you." Martha sat up, and dropped the book she was reading beside her.

" sit down, you and Hannah can never be a burden to me." He sat a let breathed out heavily.

" I was in my room when i felt something was not right, when all was not wel. it just... it just hit me, right here, in the center of my heart." he placed his hand on his chest. " And so i went to her room and met her in the tub, where she was deaming. dreaming, Martha. and she looked so troubled. so i placed a hand on her cheek, and when she woke, when she woke, she was shivering, the water was warm, but she was shaking as though she bathed in ice water."

martha looked at a spot on her bed while he spoke and looked up at him when he was done, looked up at him with a smile,

" she is a traveller. but she cannot cotrol where she goes, whom she meets, and who- as in your case- she calls out to. but at least she calls out. Don't be afraid, Jasper the valiant, our Hannah is a strong one, but I have something that i believe will help. I should have given this to her sooner." Martha got up from her bed to walk to her drawer, waved Jasper away with her hand when he made a fuss about her walking around.

" i am not an invalid, young knight." she searched through her things, and out of them produced a silver necklace with a st. Rapheal the archangel pendant. she walked to Jasper and handed it over to him, closing his hand over it.

" He is the patron saint of those who travel, among other things. Give this to her, put it on her. when she travels, she'll never walk alone."