Puss's Boots - Chapter 5

“The capital city, really?”

“Well, why not? We have a special invitation from the king’s personal representative to visit, and you, my dear, must still be formally introduced. You too, Orlando, now that I think about it. You see, most foreigners, especially lords and the like, usually go straight to Court to introduce themselves. A court of peacocks, my dear, but a necessary order, or so I am told.”

“But to go there for our trip! Oh Caoimhe, I have never been so excited to go on a trip before.”

“Not even for our trip here, sister dearest?” Orlando’s voice quivered with laughter while he gently reminded his sister of their story while Dione’s quaked with excitement. “Ah, dear sister-by-law, I do hope you have already made plans; if not, I fear they will soon be made for you by you new wife.”

“Oh, we’ve not been married for even a week, and she will already make my plans for me?” Caoimhe smiled broadly at the siblings. She moved to sit beside her wife as Puss abandoned her for Orlando’s lap. “Perfect! I hate to make plans to travel. Please execute your marital rights in this situation, dearest.”

“Your Court is a good step though.” Puss thought to add, “Oh and do not shrink so, Orlando; you will not be abandoned to them. Actually, I would have suggested it myself in not but a month or two - oh, there’s a nice spot - but we should go before the autumn season is through. I will even go ahead to prepare for us. Lower please.”

“What, Master Cat? You mean for us to spent the winter season there?”

“What, Master Detective? You no longer trust in my judgment now that you are married to my mistress.” Puss turned in Orlando’s lap to stare at Caoimhe. The woman quickly darted her eyes to her wife’s gentle face and smiled sweetly, taking her hands in her own rougher ones.

“No, Master Cat, I could never doubt your words. You did bring me Dione after all.”

“So we go to Gwynnë for the winter; when do we leave?” A glance at Caoimhe showed that the detective paid no more attention to him, so Orlando turned his concentration back to the cat in his arms. “Puss?”

“Hmm, the Autumn Festival is something that you two have yet to see.”

“A crime!” Exclaimed Caoimhe teasingly, pulling away from her wife. “Go; go pack dearest! You must see the Festival; it is the most spectacular sight in our whole country. Well, that it, it was the most spectacular sight in our country, but I only thought that of it before I laid eyes on you, sweet.” Predictably, Dione leaned back in to rewarded her wife with a kiss, and Orlando excused himself for a quiet walk around the garden. Puss also slipped away, giving the newly-wedded couple some privacy.

The garden was slowly becoming a refuge for him as his sister and her wife shared more and more of their time together with loving kisses and sweeter looks and gentle touches. Orlando was happy for them, he truly was, but he desperately wanted a love of his own. Or, rather, he wanted his stranger. This golden man was someone who he could easily find himself falling in love with; his laugh was warm, his eyes genuine and bright, and his gentle action showed his nature to be simple and kind, in short, he was the perfect man who, for some strange reason, was determined to show Orlando such affection.

As if the thought had jumped from his head into flesh, the stranger suddenly appeared by start of the maze. Seeing him here, especially after their over one week of separation, Orlando nearly ran toward the maze to chase after the man. The chase led him to the maze’s centre where his stranger waited patiently on one of the benches.

“So, you are finally here. I hadn’t thought that it would take you this long to arrive.” With a teasing smirk, the man stood and made to walk over to the younger man.

“You vanished.” Orlando immediately coloured; what he had once thought would sound brave and careless, he now found weak and possessive. He desperately hoped the words sounded different to the stranger’s ears for he feared the stranger’s reaction to his neediness.

“Ah, so I did.” A nearly careless response. It was as if the man had not noticed his own disappearance. “You missed me then? I would have come sooner, but I was called away on business that could not be stalled. I am sorry if it upset you; that was never my intent.”

“It does not matter. I know I have no right to expect anything from you, and I am fortunate that you still visit me at all.” His tone was so sad, hopeless, that Orlando’s suitor could do nothing to stop himself from reaching over and capturing one of his lover’s hands and bring it to his lips in a kiss.

“You are lonely. I do not blame you; how can you trust, know, a nameless man? And I will give you my name, Orlando. Look into my eyes, my sweet;” And he waited until his order was obeyed. Slowly dark eyes, made even darker by the moonlight, raised up to meet his lighter ones. “I swear to you, with every star in the sky as my witness, that I will give you my name, my heart, if you are just a little more patient with me. Though I will need just a little more time to prepare everything for you. Can you wait for me?”

They stood close together, their bodies nearly touching, Orlando’s hand still against the stranger’s lips, and their eye’s locked. It was a truly intimate scene, and it touched both men’s hearts. It was then that Orlando realized that he would, could, wait, that he did care for, no, love, his stranger, no matter who he truly was. So he leaned closer, resting his head on his suitor’s shoulder, allowing the other man to hold him.

“Yes, I can wait.”

“Then we will meet in Gwynnë. All will be prepared by then.”

“But we will not meet before?” Reluctantly Orlando released his hold on his lover and allowed himself to be gently pushed away. He felt a kiss placed on his cheek, and the lips returned to place a lingering kiss on the still-captive hand. Then his hand was released, and the stranger was leaving again.

“I am sorry, Orlando, but we will meet again in Gwynnë. There we will be together.”

And then he was gone, vanished into the maze, and, once again, Orlando was left alone. He still has no daylight lover to turn to, and his sister is happily married. That is, he is alone save for his cat, Puss, and just now that very cat was coming around the bend and into the oasis.

“Hail, Orlando; he is gone already? A shame, for I had hoped to catch him this time.” The man in question smiled sadly at the cat and walked over to where he stood, bending over to scratch his pet’s ears.

“Aye, gone to make plans for us to be together once we reach Gwynnë. I am sorry you missed him tonight; I know I am sorry that he is gone once again.”

“Ah well, do not worry so, young master; things have a way of working out. We leave in but two weeks’ time; you will like the city, I think, if you are not at once overwhelmed. Caoimhe and I will keep good eyes on you and Dione though.”

“I know you two will. I have never doubted you, Puss, and I have no intentions to start now.”

“Good. Now, you had best return to the manor. It is getting quite late, and I fear the temperature is falling rather fast tonight.”

“Will you leave us from now?" Orlando asked, fearful of two rejections within one night.

“Not for Gwynnë, but to hunt for a bit only. I will walk with you to the door; tomorrow will be a good day for some fishing I think.”

Agreeing whole-heartedly Orlando grabbed Puss’s paw and both man and cat left to prepare for Gwynnë and what futures the city held for them and their family.