Colours

# Colors

*Posted by : White\_Caribou on Apr 8, 2018, 8:12pm*

- August 20th, Corbet Estate, Highholm, Afternoon -

The room had gotten brighter in the last hour or so, not visible to the naked eye. Like gasoline, the room had been doused with a color and vivid nature that was absent mere days before. Westley brushed her arms with a delicate touch as she curled her back into him, leather of the sofa groaning. Her eyes scanned the floor which was scattered with articles of their clothing, a longing glaze coated her eyes as if this was a medicine.

"What kind of curtains do you think should go in here? These are drab."

He kissed the top of her head, "Whatever you'd like. An ocean blue would be nice."

Stella sighed. "What even is ocean blue? Like, what does an ocean really look like?"
He smiled.

"I imagine it's like the Styx, but bigger, cleaner, and full of exceptional beauty. One day we'll find one just like that. Letting the waves roll over our feet and the sun --up above the Maelstrom-- melting our troubles away."

"You speak like you've seen one," she shifted to face him with a smile. "A wonderful mind is what you have but your imagination is through the roof. I don't want to lose that."

They shared a look for a brief moment, "If things were different this would be okay, but years ago I chose to use the academy to influence the future. And if this future I'm working to create doesn't go according to plan I can't put you in harms way."

"You're really going to pull that on me?" Stella giggled and gave him a slow peck. "I might not want what you want, but I know I am part of whatever that is. That future you always talk about-- your idea involves me, doesn't it? When we meet with the executive tomorrow to discuss the will we can start our... happy ending."

"Listen to yourself," Westley rolled his eyes and she gave him a playful punch in the chest. "But yes. You are the biggest part of my life and I want the marriage and the children, I really do... but now isn't the time or place for that. Dusk is burning up from the inside as we speak." Her eyes focused down at the foot of the couch as he spoke.
This city was ruining her life. It was filled with invisible toxins taking the form of people.
"When is the time? Thirty years from now when one of us is dead? You said the same thing at the party; there's never time for anything. I want a life together now. I get that your job puts you at risk all the time because if you teach one lesson wrong you're out of the game, I just don't get why you make it so hard on yourself... but if things are as bad as you say down there then maybe you're on the right track." She tried to make her expression less gloomy.

He snickered and stroked her cheek. "I think we derailed years ago. All of us." The echo of a knock on the front door could be heard and Westley glanced at the study entrance. "We should get dressed, there's a bigger concern than our flirtations."
Stella ruffled her hair after getting into a seated position so he could get up.

He was dressed by the time Jessy knocked. "A letter addressed to David Corbet, it's quite urgent." The girl's eyes scanned as much of the room as possible. Westley nodded and accepted the letter, blocking the door enough to keep Stella hidden. The crinkled envelope was opened upon closing the door and the professor quickly read through the words. He was quiet.

"What is it?" Stella spoke up slipping the fur throw from the couch around her shoulders. His brow furrowed and he let out a sigh.

"The strike. They won't stop until their demands are met." He looked to her. "I need to go."

She stood and walked to him, "What if you get hurt?"

"It's my job now as the only living Corbet child. After tomorrow I will own the mill but until then the least I can do is satisfy their needs. They want better pay and safer conditions; they'll get that. It's only fair and I have enough in my account to do so." He handed her the letter and turned the knob to open the door.

Stella leaned out halfway watching him walk, Jessy was polishing a statue in the corner of the hall, carefully peering out of the corner of her eye.

"Please be careful," the nearly naked woman spoke as if it were a plea. A cry. It almost pained her to have to warn him, anything could go wrong in just a few seconds. Everything.
Westley smiled back at her with a wink and he grabbed his hat off the stand. "One of these days we will find *our ocean*."