2 comments/ 7316 views/ 5 favorites A Thousand Cranes By: impeterpan William stormed through the kitchen as all the maids scurried out of his way. He was livid, his hair blowing upwards and his cloak bellowing behind him from the force of the wind and his stride. He took loud, concrete steps as he approached the peculiar maid that had irritated him from the day she arrived. "You," he snarled, "come with me." He held himself still as Lena refused to look up. She continued teaching one of the younger maids, a tiny girl of twelve, how to fold those strange paper contraptions the house had become so fond of. "It's a paper crane," she had said, "legend has it that if you fold a thousand of them, you will get one wish." He remembered watching the light in her eyes die as he asked her what she wished for. Even after a load of threatening, she wouldn't tell him. So he crumpled the crane in his fist and threw her out of the study. "Lena." His tone was dark, and full of warning for a man his age. Or a boy, Lena thought as she remembered that he had just turned twenty-one. He was only a boy to her, and yet in the months she had been here, he was already slowly filling out into the man she had known. Except, she thought sorrowfully, deep inside, he was nothing close to the man she had known. No, this boy was a monster, and was growing into a beast. "I'm busy," she replied quietly, not looking once at him. "If you need something done, ask Annabelle. She is your servant." William clenched his fist, knowing full well that she did not have to obey him. He had his chance to own her, and he passed it along simply because he hated the way she looked at him. It annoyed every fiber of his being. He had always hated peppy smiling maids. He found them ignorant as if they were unaware of her position as a maid. Worst of all, it was like Lena had reserved all her happiness for him. Whenever he looked at her, her gaze was filled with so much... joy and something else - something softer - that he immediately turned around and walked the other way. But that all changed after he deliberately had her watch him fuck Annabelle. She stopped smiling in front of him. Whenever they were about to cross paths, she was the first one to run the other way. And it went on for weeks, not a single smile on her face, not a sound of laughter, until he came back from his morning ride and unsaddled the horse when he heard her voice, along with the stable hand's. "You don't make me any cranes anymore, Lena." William hid in the stall, stifling his snort. Of course she had made cranes for everyone. But then there was a nagging feeling. He felt a little jilted that he wasn't the only one she had been making them for. "There's no reason to." "Don't you want a wish?" Lena let out a sigh. "I had hopes for a certain... outcome, but I'm starting to think that wish has already come and gone. And that I'm just here to make sure it'll happen in the future." "You're not making any sense, Lena." "When do I ever, Charlie?" William peeked from behind the stall just as Charlie lifted his hand to brush a lock of hair away from Lena's face. "Lena," he heard Charlie whisper, "You've made everyone around you so happy. I hate to see you so sad. Whatever it is that's making you hurt, it's not worth it." At that Lena burst into tears. "It is, Charlie. It is to me. Or it was." William watched as Charlie cupped her cheek in his palm and drew her closer in for a kiss. Their lips touched, gently at first, and then with a more renewed passion as Lena lifted her arms to wrap around his neck. Watching Lena kiss Charlie with her eyes closed, William felt a sudden burst of anger. His knuckles turned white as he tore himself away from watching them. There was a light laughter, like a soft rainfall, from Lena. "I can wait for you," Charlie said. "No, I'm not worth it. I won't be here for much longer." William frowned at those words. He waited until their footsteps faded before leaving the stables, but those reassured words, that Lena had said with such certainty bothered him well throughout the day. Even when he had Annabelle sent to his room, he was unable to concentrate on anything else. That night was when he found himself storming in to the kitchen, realizing that he was demanding for her attention. The same attention he had lost ages ago. Not wanting to explain himself in front of all the maids, William swept forward and grabbed Lena by the wrist. He knew she was delicate, but he hadn't known she was that tiny, her wrist fit between his thumb and pinky and she followed him as easily as a kite. "Let me go," she whined, twisting and squirming, only to have him tighten his grip. They reached his study, the same room he had thrown her out of. The same room he made her serve tea and watch as he fitted himself between Annabelle's legs. He hadn't cared then if she watched or not, all that mattered were the tears streaming down her face as he climaxed into his servant. Lena was unable to keep the tears out of her eyes as she re-entered the room, remembering how he had made her clean up the mess every time he finished having sex. "Let me go!" She finally wrenched her arm free. Rubbing the redness around her wrist, she eyed William with such a newfound hatred that it caused him to take a few steps back. "What do you want?" William shook his head, regaining clarity. Lena snorted and turned to walk towards the door. She had only taken a few steps when William stepped in her way. His tall frame was much bulkier than she remembered. He towered over her, his broad shoulders crowding her vision, as he made tiny steps forward, encroaching into her comfort zone until she found herself backed up against his desk. She tried to take one deep breath, but it ended up in a succession of pants before she finally got air. "Are we waiting for Annabelle," she asked, unable to hide the pain in her voice. This time William was well aware of it. "No," he replied. "It is just you tonight." "What, did you get sick of her already?" "Yes." That caused Lena to snap. She tried to move around him but he trapped her between his arms. They were so close, and her rapid breath was hot against the base of his neck. Without thinking, William lowered himself down until he felt her pressed against him. She was shivering and he knew it wasn't from the cold. He waited until she stopped fighting, stopped thrashing about, although the trashing was insanely relieving when she moved right. "I can't do this, my lord." "William." He wanted her to look up at him. Those eyes, he thought, he wanted to see eyes that were happy to see him again. She sighed, still looking at the ground. "What do you want from me, my lord," she replied, avoiding his name. "Look at me." Very slowly she raised her eyes. Instead of the twinkle in her eye, William saw his own reflection in her glossy pupils. William carefully lowered himself, pinning her down to the desk with his hips, and used one hand to move her chin up. With her face fully turned towards him, he saw all the sadness and rejection she harbored for him. He thought of the way she looked at Charlie, and his fingers pushed down until they turned white. Lena did nothing about the pain. "Am I done here." The deadness in her voice made him bristle. "No. We are not done. You know what I hate more than ignorant bliss, Lena?" He didn't wait for her to respond. She already did by rolling her eyes. "Liars. I fucking hate liars more than completely blindsided retards," he spat. "And you are a liar." She stiffened. "I never lied to you." "Yes you did." His voice dipped low, and his face even lower. He made sure to place most of his weight on top of her, forcing her to lean back so that it was hard for her to breathe. And then he hissed in her ear, "You lied to me the moment you entered the manor. Every time you looked at me, every time your eyes accused me when I fucked Annabelle - every time you made one of those fucking paper cranes and left it on my desk." "Wh-what did I lie about?" "You know what you lied about." Suddenly his hands were on her. Reaching down her blouse and pushing the cloths over her shoulders to reveal the pale flesh. They were soft to his touch, and William wasn't able to control himself. She was his, she had always been his first and his only, he thought, she had given herself to him the moment she walked into the manor. She really had, he remembered. She had offered to be his servant, and his servant only. Instead he chose Annabelle. And even then, she did the little things - start his morning fire, brought up his meals - to a point where Annabelle was more of a mistress than a servant. He cupped her breast, watching her lips open up. He had a flash memory where Charlie was kissing them, and then a sharp gasp from Lena brought him back to earth. He was gripping onto her now, like she was about to disappear. "You aren't allowed in the stables anymore." He bent down to her neck and then kissed her collarbone. "You will serve me only." "I am a household servant," Lena trembled. She struggled with her emotions. More than half of her loved him so fiercely that she would take whatever he offered, but the lesser half was more logical. It reasoned that the William she had loved was not the same William now. This one was so young and selfish. Even the way he trapped her now reeked of possession, like a two year old boy and his toy car. "No," he kissed her lips quickly, "you were always mine." He kept kissing her, trailing the kisses from her neck to her nose and to her forehead. He kissed all around her but her lips until he moved back and found time to look carefully at her face. She was older than his usual pick. He normally liked them young, sixteen, eighteen or so, but Lena was almost twenty-five, which was ancient to him. She lifted her face up, and in that moment, William captured her lips in a tangled kiss. He coaxed her mouth to open, which was an easy feat considering how much of a fire she carried for him. As his tongue found a way past her lips, he suddenly felt a sharp pain and warm blood entered his mouth. She had bit him! "I'm not yours anymore." "Shit!" he cried, stepping back to wipe his lip. Lena used this chance to run away, but she didn't get far. In two steps, William pounced onto her and tackled her to the ground. Now she was underneath him and even more vulnerable. Heat pooled off his body as he wiggled himself in between her legs. His hand moved to remove her petticoat as he taunted, "What's that sing-song you taught the little girl? Oo, I remember. Liar, liar, pants on fire..." "I never lied to you," Lena spoke up, her voice strong. "Yes you did," he spat, biting her neck and then moving in to kiss her again. The picture of her and Charlie now replaced with images of her and all the other men in the manor, in town, from nearby villages. "You said you loved me, then a week later, you kissed another man. What kind of love lasts that long?" Lena gasped as he began the familiar thrusting and fumbling. She wanted to fight it but... even while her mind was aware of the complications, her body recognized it all to much. "Don't move," he said as he quickly got up and went to his desk. Lena closed and opened her eyes to his silhouette wielding a knife. In two quick movements, he opened up her dress, baring her naked like a butterfly in its cocoon. He threw the knife aside and laid on top of her again, as if he were afraid she would run. Beneath all his clothes, he felt his hard cock aching to be released, to at least be against her skin. "It wasn't just a week." Lena tried to explain, but he hushed her as he pushed down his pants to free his throbbing member. Then he laid back down, letting out a sigh as it rested against her cunt. Lena held back a moan and tried to move away. The more she moved, the harder down he pressed. Lena tried to squeeze her legs together. "I didn't lie about loving you." She knew the entire story was far too complicated and he wouldn't have believed her anyway. She didn't believe him the first time around either. William started to kiss her again, but his lips planted against her wet cheek and tasted the salt. Lena quickly pulled him in before he see her face. "You were the only one," she whispered into his ear. He growled at her use of the past tense. "I will always be your only one." Without warning, he pushed himself into her and held still when he heard her cry out. There had been no barrier, he realized, but the thought was fleeting as he felt Lena's muscles grip him tightly. He didn't move, he waited until Lena's arms tightened around him, and he felt her legs slowly widen and lift up. Her heels pressed into his lower back, forcing him to sink in deeper into her. Her moans trembled right into his ear. He continued to hold still, waiting for Lena's cue, for her admittance that she still needed him. Still wanted him. Everything touching his cock was to painfully tight, and despite Lena wrapping herself around him, she did not move. She did not beg. She simply waited, content to be filled. Unable to stand this game any longer, William shifted left and right, causing an itch inside Lena to start. He slowly rotated his hips, hitting dormant spots that had Lena squirming so they would be touched again. Then he made sure to let his weight rest above her pussy so that every time he moved, he would rub against her clit. And then he felt her move, rock her hips back and forth, until she begged him quietly, "Faster." With her permission, he pounded in her. Lena's legs opened up even wider and her nails scratched down his back as she muttered encouragements in his ear. They were barely audible, but he understood exactly what she wanted from the way she sounded. She got wetter and wetter, making it easier and smoother for him to move faster, and then he felt the building begin, just as her pussy sucked him in as deep as he could go. He felt a blinding wave crash over him and his eyes were forced to close. Lena was undulating beneath him, asking him to go harder, faster, harder until even she wasn't speaking in words anymore. As he came inside of her, he felt her come all around him, her arms, legs and body engulfed him in a way that no other woman ever had. She made him feel as if he was one with her. Then he stilled. Lena's hand was on his cheek, and the way she looked at him was the same gaze he had been searching for, the look of love that he finally realized he had been missing ever since he forced her to clean up after his sexual encounters. It hadn't been just Annabelle. After Annabelle, there had been so many others, and now he was beginning to realize that he hated the way Lena's eyes faded each time after sex. All of a sudden he heard her laugh. "This was sudden. I wonder what made you change your mind about me." William kissed her forehead, unable explain his selfishness. He wasn't sure what he felt for her yet. He just knew that he just got her, and she made him feel satisfied in more than just a physical way. She made him tremble... at the thought of losing her, he realized as he recalled the conversation that had sparked this chase. "I will tell you eventually," he said, thumbing her lower lip, "as long as you promise not to leave." Lena suddenly froze. "William..." He did not want to hear it. He quickly shushed her with a kiss, working his lips until she opened her mouth again. With his free hand, he spread her legs and teased her clit until she squirmed, wet and ready for another round. He was still soft, so he made her come with his fingers, switching between plunging in and out of her and rolling her clit until she twitched uncontrollably. She came with a silent scream, his name as quiet as a heartbeat, causing him to devour her mouth again before she could say another word. He did not know why, but he felt like this was the most perfect yet broken moment in the world. And he knew Lena felt it too. He knew Lena was hiding something, but every time he made a move to ask, she seemed to sense it, and would do something incredible to distract him. Eventually they were too tired to talk or move, and William made sure Lena was asleep first before he carried her back to his room. On the bed, he sunk in around her, holding her as close to him as possible, not trusting himself to sleep until he felt her turn around and tuck herself under his chin. And then he heard her whisper, "You told me long time ago that it was when you wanted me to stay, I would finally leave," but told himself fervently that it was only a dream. *** It had been four years since Lena disappeared. He had woken up that morning to find the bed cold and Lena nowhere to be found. He personally tore apart the maid's quarters, searching through her things, finding nothing but a bag barely filled with cranes and all her belongings. He nearly beat the life out of Charlie, even as the poor stable hand protested that he hadn't seen her, and if it weren't for Charlie's screams, the other servants would've never come down to stop him. So he turned to drinking, smoking and gambling to fill the gap she had left. She said she loved him and then she left him! Why hadn't she stayed long enough to show him what love was - to let him grow to love her? He wasn't sure he could ever understand love now. Instead, he clung on to whatever she had left behind. Like the little girl, Sarah, that Lena had been mentoring. Sarah was now his personal servant, although he never touched her, he merely had her repeat the stories that Lena once told her. In his spare time, when he was sober, he had Sarah teach him to make paper cranes. It took him several months to get it right, and even then when he relapsed into drinking, he would wake up, forgetting how to fold them again. But on a good night, he would be able to fold at least twenty of them, and it took him a good ridiculous four years, but four years later, he was finally folding his thousandth crane. Then he went to sleep, only wishing for one thing. The next morning there was clanging and shaking, and Sarah's face appeared above him in a mixture of confusion, joy and panic. "My lord," she gasped, "she's - she's - she's at the door!" He jumped up. "Are you sure it's her?" "Well, she looks younger, my lord. And her clothes are funny. But it's definitely her," Sarah said rapidly, "she has the same voice, the same eyes. I even asked her if she knew how to fold cranes, and she said yes!" "Bring her to my study now." William threw on his robe and rushed to the door before he stopped himself. No, he would make her wait just as she had made him wait for four years. He deliberately and painfully washed up, donned his best suit and paced himself to the study. When he got to the door, he closed his eyes, thinking of all the things he would say to her, of how she would finally feel in his arms again, of how he could finally learn to love someone who loved him. He opened his eyes again and pushed the doors open. In the chair by the fire was the familiar chestnut colored hair, the pale hand and the face that turned around - William held himself together, unprepared for the sight. It was his Lena. It was most definitely her. But she looked incredibly young, less worn out than he remembered as if she had gone back in time. But what was missing was the look in her eyes, the look of love, was gone, replaced by complete confusion and fear. And she was wearing such form fitting clothes. "Lena?" he asked, just to be sure. "Wh-who are you?" she stuttered, biting her lip. "Where a-am I?" He came closer to her but she drew back from the unfamiliar man who stared at her with such strange eyes. She didn't know this man and he was looking at her like he had known her all his life. A Thousand Cranes Ch. 02 Some people emailed me begging to finish this story. In my mind the concept already developed and died with the first entry, and I don't have an urge to complete it. But then I thought about how pissed off I get when I encountered unfinished stories. So I'm writing this last part to help make sense of the first half and provide closure. --- He had only wanted to see her happy eyes look upon him again. Five years had passed since she first appeared on his doorstep wearing the most obscene, yet tantalizing clothes he had ever seen on a woman. Her shoulders were bare, reddening quite quickly to the sun, and her dress wrapped loosely around her body, doing nothing for her curves. And yet she reminded him of a forest nymph, her wild undone hair whipping about, as she gaze upon him with such love and adoration, he thought himself to be a God. And now, five years later, she appeared at his door step. Her clothes weren't necessarily more conservative. She wore a strange pair of breeches, blue and rough in color, which drew gazes towards her center. The rest of her clothes were equally as undesirable, and William threw his cloak over her shoulders to avoid the judging gazes from other servants. Since her appearance, the house came alive again. Rumor had it that William had no intention of making her his servant. But she had refused to see anyone, including William, and would not talk to anyone, unless it was to Sarah. On the first night of her arrival, he could not sleep. The pain in his chest caused him to twist and turn all night at the thought of Lena right there. He knew it was her. He had asked Sarah to make sure that there was a birthmark on Lena's left shoulder blade. It was. She was here but not with him. The look of love in her eyes had completely disappeared, along with the memory of him. But it was her. He knew without a doubt that the girl who had appeared on his door step was the same woman who had damaged his heart. While she refused to speak to him, he had Sarah coax stories out of her, and each night Sarah reported to him on Lena's progress. Other than her slow acceptance that she was going to stay at the manor, Lena did not seem too keen on the idea of spending time with him. In fact, whenever he walked into a room, she would excuse herself. When he asked her to dinner, she would politely request to eat in her room. He tried to corner her in the garden, but her violently shaking had him cursing as he fled the scene, not sure what his anger would do to her fragile mind. What he wouldn't give for the same eager Lena from before. The one that tried to spend every waking moment near him, and looked at him with such emotion he thought she would explode before him. He didn't know how he ever thought her irritating - no, he had never found her like that - he had just been intimated by being loved so much. No one had ever loved him the way she had. Every caress and touch from her was supportive, giving him a peace of mind even during his temper tantrums. William sank into the bath Lena had prepared for him. After a week of going nowhere, Lena had insisted on becoming a maid. Initially her request revolted him. Never again, he roared, never again was she going to be placed in a subordinate position. It reminded him too much of the cruelty he had subjected her to. But she insisted on earning her keep. She wanted to owe him nothing. Didn't she understand? He owed her everything. When he brought up how he had tortured her, how he made her life as his maid absolutely horrible, she only looked back at him with a blank stare. "I've never seen you in my life, my lord," she would whisper, her gaze towards the ground. It was the way she said those words that convinced him more than ever she was the same Lena. Yes, my lord. No, my lord. As you wish, my lord. A slight hint of sarcasm tinged the beginning and end of her words. "I'm ready," he murmured as the warm water clouded his lower body from being seen. "Come wash me, Lena." He heard her footsteps coming from behind him. He had granted her wish to earn her keep. Not a single muscle betrayed her thoughts when he announced her replacing Sarah as his personal slave. For the first few days, Sarah remained by his side to show Lena what to do, but Lena caught on very quickly, once again confirming that she was the same woman he once knew. "Is the water good, my lord?" "Yes, it is very good." He moaned as she worked out the kinks in his shoulder. As she moved down to lather his chest, he reached out and caught her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Lena gasped in shock, jerking it away. "My lord..." "It was to tell you how much I like what you're doing." He knew his rough ways would only scare her. He had seen it from the very first day that she had to be treated as gently as possible. Like magic, over night, he gave up all his bad habits. Most of them had only developed because of her disappearance anyway. When she had returned, he felt a new sense of life. Then when she displayed no recognition of him, he thought about hitting the bottle once more. He emptied an entire bottle of whiskey, the alcoholic infused brain of his addled his sense as he stormed into her room, cornering her until she cried. When he woke up, he was on the floor and Lena was in the furthest corner of the room. Making her his personal servant was a terrifyingly difficult ordeal, but it was the only choice he offered her, and he was happy when she consented. Just not as joyful as he could've been had she agreed to live with him as an equal. Lena continued to wash his body, paying attention to the stiff muscles underneath his skin. William closed his eyes, inhaling her scent. "Tell me about yourself, Lena." "There's nothing to talk about." He opened one eye and caught her face only inches from his. She blushed a scarlet red, and the heat from her cheeks radiated like a flame. "Even the mundane, daily things, Lena. I want to hear them." He paused, and then added, "Your voice soothes me." "Um... well." He heard her sigh and felt her breath rush over his wet skin. A thick part of him tingled. "I was born... somewhere far from here. My mother and father are di... not together. They spent years fighting over custody of me - " "Custody?" "Oh. Like the rights to care for me." "Like papers?" "Yeah, something like that." William frowned. "I don't want to hear a sad story. Tell me a happy one about you." "My life doesn't contain any happy stories, my lord." Her hand stilled over his. She breathed in heavily and exhaled just as noisily before slowly massaging his hand. William felt the tension leave as she laced her fingers with his and began shaking his arm. "That can't be true. You used to tell me happy stories about us," his voice was coy, teasing the memories she didn't have. "Stories that involved you and me like this." Lena wasn't sure why William insisted that they shared something, or that they had some previous relationship. She had asked Sarah about it once. The poor servant girl nearly cried her eyes out as she explained how much Lord William loved her, how she loved him too and now it was just a sad story that she couldn't remember him. Their palms bounced back and forth. Then she began to tug at each finger, stretching out tiny muscles he didn't even know he used. She didn't remember those stories, because they never happened. Lena made the mistake of mentioning that once. The fury in William's eyes had her running out the door, but he caught up with her even before she made it outside. His arms had wrapped around her like steel bands as he muttered in her ear, "You will remember them, Lena. I'll do anything in my power to make you remember." He was certifiably insane. A certifiably hot, insane manor owner from some old time period. Lena simply nodded and said she'd try her best, and that seemed to placate him enough to let her go. She gulped as his eyes turned to her, full of expectations. "Wh-why don't you retell the stories to me while I finish your bath?" That answer seemed to please him. He launched into a story that played out similar to how she had gotten to this god-forsake time period. Even when his skin pruned and Lena forced him out of the bath, he wouldn't stop the story. And Lena found herself encouraging him as well. Not only were they interesting, featuring her a million times over, but they seemed to be made up of a fantasy only Lena had thought she wanted. Lena managed to dress William without looking at his privates. Her shyness caused William to laugh, and when she was done fixing his robe, he held her hands in front of him. "Lena," he said softly. "Lena, look at me." His breath hitched as her large eyes gazed up at him. All the emotions from the four years came rushing back to him in full force. He wanted to take her. The memory of her tightness grew on him slowly like a deep breath, and he felt the blood rush to his lower region. "Don't run from me again." "I-...where would I go? I don't even know where I am." Half consent, half confusion - Lena gripped the edge of his robe as he pulled her close to him. Her knuckles were white, not knowing if pushing away would only bring her closer. Gods, she was driving him mad. He wanted her so much, not just physically, but emotionally. The memory of their last night together plagued his mind. He had begged her to belong to him, to promise not to leave him, and in return she left him. "It took me so long to admit that I loved you. You waited so long for me to love you. So when I finally did, why did you leave? Why did you leave before I could tell you? When I finally wanted you to stay, you left me!" He tore away from her, his robe fell open as it ripped from her clenched fists. William made no move to cover himself up as he sat on his bed, his head in his hands. He was crying, the pain finally catching up with him now that she stood before him, the feelings he had relied on for so long now completely gone. Obliterated. Footsteps came gently closer to him and he saw her kneel beside him, compassion filling her eyes. William looked away. He did not want her pity, her help or her compassion. He didn't want anything from her unless she was returning his love, a love he was returning first. "William." The sound of his name from her lips had his full attention. She had never said his name before. "William," she said again, more clearly, until he looked at her. She gasped at the sight of his watery eyes. "I'm very sorry about the love you lost. I don't know who broke your heart, but... I'm not her. I think if you want get over that, if you stop waiting for her, you'll finally heal." He shook his head. "What? No. You're Lena. The same." "We might share the same face and name, but I'm not her, William." Her voice was calm and soothing, sounding more like his Lena than ever before. "You said she was twenty-five, right? I'm eighteen. You said she loved you. I barely know you. William, look at me. Look at me carefully. Am I the same woman?" There was no reason for her ask him. He was already staring at her, wondering how she could be even more beautiful to him now. It wasn't just her youth, it was the innocent look in her eyes, the untainted glaze that was different from the one he saw five years ago. No matter what she had said, he found that he couldn't believe her. She was the same Lena. The only explanation for her change must've been memory loss. That thought comforted him all the more. Perhaps she had not chosen to leave him. Perhaps she had gone out in the morning to pick berries or mushrooms and accidentally fell over, losing her memory in the process. But that thought tore through him even stronger than the thought of her willingly leaving. Because he had made her promise not to leave him. He made her promise, and if she had agreed, she would not have suffered. He would've been there for her. His chest threatened to suffocate him right there as he stared back at the woman he loved, the one who no longer recognized her love for him. Slowly, he dragged her up and sat her down on the bed. Her eyes flickered with fear but she did not move. "My lord..." she said hesitantly as he caressed her cheek. He leaned in and paused, waiting to see if she would turn in fear, but instead she closed her eyes. A thrill ran through him before it was replaced with a strange mixture of anger and sadness. "Why aren't you turning away now?" "You won't hurt me, will you?" William exhaled as he gathered her into his arms. "Never. I've hurt you so much already. I promised I would never do it again." Lena nodded into his chest. She pulled back, holding his face in her hands, making sure he looked her straight in the eyes. "You are one of the most handsome men I've ever seen. I'm... I'm jealous of this other Lena." Not wanting to hear another word, not wanting to even entertain the thought that he was betraying his only love with a replica, William advanced with the prowl of a panther. He pushed Lena into the bed, attacking her mouth with the long built of passion of four years. He nipped and sucked, taking every bit of her that he could get, and her mewling sounds only encouraged him further. Rolling to his side, he settled Lena on top of him, controlling the erratic movement of her hips so that she could move against his hardening cock. "Ah yes," he groaned as he felt her undergarments grow damp. "Let me undress you." His hands went to work until every piece slipped off. With a swipe, he had her clothing dashed to the ground. He growled with satisfaction at the sight of her lithe and toned body. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but compare how much smaller she seemed. Perhaps she had lost weight. But he knew this was his Lena. Every curve of her body and every sound she made was unique to his senses. When he felt her slickness coat his cock, he wetted his finger in her juices and began massaging her clit, causing her to buck even more wildly. "Lena, slow down," he rasped, "slow down, sweetheart." "No, please, go faster. Faster, oh my god. Please!" He felt her squirm and take control, and as she moved, he realized that she was moving to her own rhythm. Her eyes were closed. What was she thinking of? William shot up from lying on his back, bringing them close together, his face right in front of hers as he commanded, "Keep your eyes open." "No." He gripped her jaw. "Look. At. Me." Her eyes fluttered open and his breath left his chest. Her eyes sparkled, as if there were tears wanting to come out. Lena shivered as William froze, his eyes never leaving hers before he swept in to take her mouth, absorbing all of her. She couldn't admit it out loud, but he had got to her with all his promises that were meant for another woman. A woman who apparently looked like her, sounded like her and had her name. Whoever she was, Lena wanted to wipe her from his memories and replace them all with her. She had never, in all her life, thought a man could love her the way William loved the other Lena. The way he touched her brought her body on fire. Made her want him inside, outside, all over her, touching her body only to extinguish the burning inside. She had dreamed about a man like this, and fought so hard to keep him at bay. For three weeks, she battled her inner desire to succumb to his loving words. But the thought of the real Lena returning crushed her. To have him one day and not the next... but tonight, the way he looked at her with such love in his eyes. She allowed herself to pretend. When would she ever find someone who could love her like that? "Ah fuck," she screamed as he slid his finger deep inside her. Her juices led to an easy slip, and she pumped her hips against him. "Lena." "Don't stop. Make me cum," she begged. "Make me cum." His fingers worked fast and hard, bringing tiny jolts of pleasure throughout her entire body. William bent down and bit her shoulder, causing her to cry out and thrust herself against him. And then she felt it, the tight coiling and wetness seeping out as he began to plunge his fingers deeper. "Shit," she cried out as her orgasm riled her from head to toe. She was on her back before she knew it, and William hovered above her with a dark gleam in his eyes. He lowered his mouth down to kiss her, wracking her body with his love. She heard his whispers and cried each time he said, "I love you, Lena. I love you." But even before she could protest, he thrust into her - once, hard - and she screamed in pain. "I'm a virgin you bastard!" she thumped her hand against his still chest repeatedly. Then she noticed. He wasn't moving. His eyes stared at her in awe. Teary eyed and confused, Lena stopped struggling. She felt like she could hear the wheels turning in his head with the way he looked at her. All of a sudden he smiled and lunged forward, meaning to kiss her on the lips, but his cock speared even deeper into her, causing her to cry out in pain. "I'm sorry, love," he replied, showering her with more kisses. He reached down and began to tease her clit. "It'll feel better now. I promise." Lena allowed the tears to fall as he kept whispering. Her heart breaking with incomparable pain. The burning sensation in his pussy was nothing. Nothing compared to the tenderness he was showing her, tenderness he was directing towards another. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the throbbing member inside of her, but William kept whispering. "I'm so sorry I didn't believe you. Please forgive me, oh god, what have I done. What have I done." She opened her eyes when she felt wet drops on her face. William's eyes were squeezed shut as he came down and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you so much," he mumbled into her, "thank you for coming back to me." That's it! Lena opened her mouth to shout, not wanting to be replacement anymore, when William started thrusting. The burning sensation had dulled into a pleasant ache, one that his movements were now soothing. The lubrication between them was so slick that he moved with ease, and Lena found her legs opening up to take him deeper. She felt like he was trying to drive all of him into her. As if this was going to be another last coupling. Lena hushed him as he tried to speak, another rumble of apologies that meant nothing to her. She tried to focus on the fact that she was here. Not the other woman. She was the one William was making love to. Soon the feelings inside of her bubbled to a point of overflow, and William began to move so fast the bed beneath them shook. He pounded into her, making her come as his cock re-entered her, making her feel full as her pussy tried to keep it inside of her. "Oh fuck," he cried as he felt himself spill The warm essence spread throughout her lower body, and the feeling of him like a warm bath surrounding her made come again, milking his cock for all its worth before he softened up and slipped out. She laid there peacefully as William rested on top of her. He brushed her hair out of her face before rolling to the side and dragged her close to his body. "You are staying with me tonight," he whispered, kissing her fully on the lips, "I won't let you leave... me again." It should've made her feel wanted. Made her feel desired, but all she could think of was the second place trophy he didn't even know he was offering her. Her inner regions pulsed as she scooted to look at him in the face. He was so handsome... her heart ached as she spoke. "I know you still don't believe me," she whispered, "that I'm not the same Lena you speak of. But the way you look at me... as if I am her, I can't do this if you keep looking at me like that." A Thousand Cranes Ch. 02 "I love you." Her eyes widened. Her head started to shake. "No, that's not fair! You can't - you don't even - " "Stop it! Listen to me, Lena. I need to say this." "No, no, no, no." He nearly shook her but the tightening grip on her arms was enough as she winced in pain. William loosened by refused to let go. "When you first left, I was more than devastated. I was broken. I wanted to end my life, but your presence was everywhere. Little things that you left behind that I didn't know if you meant to torture me with or give me hope." "That wasn't me," she cried. "It wasn't." "No, Lena. Listen. Think carefully. How did you come to this manor? Isn't it very much different from your world?" She stopped struggling. "What?" "You told me once, when I was younger, that you were from a different time. Two thousand and five, I believe is what you said." Lena's eyes widened as she processed what he was saying. She had kept quiet about her secret, believing strongly that she would've been thrown into an asylum if she had spoken up. She had read up about old English asylums - they were terrifying places that didn't guarantee any sanity, especially for women. She swallowed as William continued to unravel his tale. "I simply thought I had fallen in love with an escaped lunatic who held her sanity long enough to be my maid. I thought those loving eyes were just a product of mental illness." He held her tightly as if he was never ready to let go. "But my god, I put those eyes there. I'm the one who made you love me and I drove you crazy." "William..." He started choking up. "And if the stories you told me are true. If those stories were about us - you're going to leave me aren't you? You're going to leave me again!" He was shaking so badly that Lena had to wring herself free from his hold and cradled him to her breast. "I won't leave you, William. I won't." It took him a while to calm down before he spoke again. "No, you don't understand. You have to leave me. If you don't, I won't fall in love with you, and if I don't fall in love with you, then you won't love me in return. Do you understand, Lena?" He stared into her eyes, trying to convey exactly how much he loved. He loved her so much he was willing to lose her again in order to secure their love for one another. Lena felt the tears spill from her eyes as she briefly wondered if he was insane. "You called it a... a causality loop." He said, not understanding his own words. "That you were destined to come back or be here." Parts of it had been true - she was from the future and had stumbled upon an old book in the New York Public Library about spells. She had started mumbling parts of it aloud when she suddenly fainted. When she woke, she was on William's door step. The way he looked at her when he entered the room took her breath away. No one had ever looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. If it were true... Lena could never know. And besides, if it were true, the woman he loved was not her. Not yet anyway. As far as she was concerned, they were two different people. But the way William looked at her, as if he had finally solved the final puzzle piece of his life through her, crushed any resolve to reject him. "Well then," she muttered, bringing her lips close to his, "we best make use of our time before I go." And they made love over and over. --- Four years later... Lena's lips began to hurt, but she kept on whistling, knowing it was the only thing that soothed William when she was out of his sight. She whistled a tune unfamiliar to these times as she leaned against the door way, watching William played with their son. Their beautiful son. Her heart ached as she continued whistling for both loves of her life to hear. For them to know she was there. It had taken him five months before William was willing to let her off the herbal teas so that they could have a child. His greatest fear was that she would suddenly disappear, child and all, but she reassured him that if she had disappeared, she surely would've brought him back when she was 25. And besides, she whispered, when I leave, I don't want you to be alone. Those were the words that convinced him, and now with his one year old son running and stumbling in the dirt. William couldn't imagine his life without them. So as much as Lena begged, he refused to risk a second pregnancy. He watched her gulp the herbal tea, her eyes blazing in anger every night she did so, and every night he would ease their pain by making love to her as passionately as he could. When they finished, William would tie their wrists together with a leather collar, secretly hoping that this would bind them together. And every night, he apologized for the bastard his younger self was, or in her case, would be, hoping his loving words would ease her future pain. But deep in the corner of his mind... he knew time was running out... "Da!" His smile broke as his golden haired son ran towards him, a handful of broken flowers in his fist. "Albion," he chuckled deeply as he picked up his son and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Come, let's go find your mother." Suddenly fear gripped his heart as he realized that he could not hear Lena whistling. "Lena!" No answer. "LENA!" He held his son tightly as he screamed for his wife. No reply. William ran into the house, calling her name until his throat grew hoarse. It wasn't until Sarah, the now matured maid from before, came running down the stairs to cradle his crying son. "My lord, what happened?" He looked up, a man defeated by fate. "She's gone." "Lena?" Sarah, the one maids privy to their secret, searched the garden. Her face fell as he nodded. "Oh my lord, I'm sure she will come back. She'll find a way back." William could only hear the pounding of his own heart in his ears. --- "Tell me one of your famous story then," he snarled at the strange but alluring maid who knelt at his feet. She had popped on their doorstep a few weeks ago and immediately offered her services, to him specifically. He was not sure what it was about her either. She seemed to know how everything in the house ran, and more than ever, she knew how to calm his nerves, especially after a losing duel with the Duke's grandson. "There's a tale, my lord, that reaches far across the ocean. All the way to Asia, where once upon a time, a poison filled the land, terrorizing all the children. The poison had a curse that prevented the children from growing up, in fact, it killed them before their fifteenth birthday. But legend had it that if two children were in love and willing to spend the rest of their lives together, then they should fold a thousand cranes before their fifteenth birthday. If they could do so, the poison would spare their lives and allow them to grow old together, forever..." --- Lena waited at the steps of the MOMA, counting down the minutes so that she could find the book. It had taken her years to wait for this book to come back from its world travels. She wasn't sure how she was going to get her hands on it, but she prayed that the book was opened to the right page. It had been three long years, and she was ready to go back to her William. His voice still rang clearly in her head. I'm so sorry how I've treated you. Just remember that from the moment I saw you, I thought you were beautiful and made just for me. I know your intensity will scare me, but don't hold back. Show me what it means to be in love, Lena. Show me just like I've shown you. She wiped the edge of her finger against her newly bought sundress and breathed deeply as she stood in front of the ancient book that would bring her back to the love of her life. Her heart thumped as she read the words aloud. END A Thousand Cranes Did she really not remember him? The wide eyed look she was giving him had to be a game. She was so fond of them back then, and while all he wanted to do was kiss her, the look on Lena's face made it seem as if she would punch him square in the jaw if it happened. So he would play her game, he decided, if that's what she wanted. "My name is Lord William Eustace. And you are..." Home, he wanted to say, but instead, "at my manor. Lena." Her eyes softened for a moment like he was He reached out to touch her and all she did was stare. Like she had never known him. Loved him. Like she was a liar all over again, he thought angrily. And yet her eyes were so young, untainted, he felt compelled to ask, "Don't you remember me?" Lena frowned with enough fury that had him back away. Her eyes did not recognize him, her body shied away as she slowly shook her head. William closed his eyes and waited for her to pop out and say, "Just kidding!" It was a weird joke of hers that he used to roll his eyes to, and now he wished nothing more than for her to play it again. But all she did was hold her arm as if she were trying to comfort herself from the very thing that frightened her - him.