The Game of Love

Ch.1

I move to the sit on the side of my bed and pick up my candle. There's a noise coming from someplace in the house. Its not a loud noise and I'm not a light sleeper, but I've trained my ears to be extra vigilant for when Im staying up reading longer than my mother's liking. The boards beneath my feet creak loudly when I step deeper, slipping from my bed completely. I wait a short while before carefully picking my next step. The noise sounds once more Tap...Tap...
And— giggling? I make my way quietly to my door and open it to the hall. Its pitch black except for the glowing sliver of light below my sister's door. Why would she be up? She said she has no interest in literature, unless, of course, it be the weekly paper—she loves to be informed, she says.
Less cautious now of waking the only family member on my floor, I make my way swiftly to my sister's door.
Tap...Tap...Giggle...
I thrust the door open to see a giggling Lyla crouching over in her candle lit room and picking up pebbles. Surprisingly, she looks completely undisturbed by my quick entrance, but quickly puts a finger to her mouth, which is sporting a mischievous smirk. She beckons me toward her, and I do so.
"Shhh," She whispers, giggling, and points to her window.
I stealthily make my way to the large frame and peak through. Outside stands a familiar tall blonde boy.
I rush softly back to her "Lyla!" I whisper shout "why is he here?!"
She giggles once again "Shhh, I dont want him to know I'm awake! I want to collect as many pebbles as I can in this stocking," she says holding up a bulging, lumpy, stocking "and I'm going to—" this appears to be too much, as she can hardly keep quiet now, her giggles becoming harder to stifle back "and I-I'm going to sling the collection at him through my window!"
I snort, unable to help it.
It seems cruel to crush the dreams of a lovesick boy but this boy is hardly worthy of such mercies. It has been two weeks since our first meeting with him, at the ball we hosted. Lyla, being polite to the new visitor, danced with him for a song, which I suppose must have lead him to believe she had become ill with infatuation for him. Since our first meeting, there has not been a day of peace for Lyla, her not so subtle hints clearly no match for his relentless attempts.
Oddly enough, this was not the first time he showed up, uninvited, with pebbles. Only the last time, he used them to distract our dog from "guarding" the door. Which was pointless, really. Charlie would hardly fall for a silly trick like that if he were a real guard dog. And besides, although he looks intimidating, he'd not have protested to allowing him to simply knock. He's completely harmless.
Another pebble hits the floor, seconds later another hits Lyla's bedframe. At this point, Lyla doubled over in pain trying to contain her rising laughter.
We both raise our heads when we hear footsteps closing in on the door.
I, along with Lyla, put a finger to my lips when I see the face of our brother, Simon in his silk robes. He looks somewhat confused at our action until he sees a pebble soar through the window and hit his foot. His face brightens in recognition of the lover boy's schemes, and he hunches over beside Lyla and I.
"Whats she up to, Lu?" He asks me gesturing to Lyla and her sack of pebbles.
" That gentleman we met at our ball is attempting to wake her, so she is going to collect all his stones in her stocking and throw it at him."
Simons face turns red and tenses as he try's to hold in an explosion of laughter. At the expression on his face, I can't contain my laughter without restraint, and hold my hand to my face and bite my finger hard, in a weak attempt to hold it in.
Lyla returns from her pebble harvest and displays her growing collection. It's the size of her head now. The realization that the boy has been trying for so long makes it even more impossible to hold in our laughter.
"He's been at it for awhile, I see," Simon says breathlessly, barely able to get a word out without releasing a pained chuckle.
Then, a new sound,
"Ly!" the boy whisper shouts " Ly! Wake up! I wanted to show you how grand a shot I am, but I could not wait until morning, and I knew you couldn't stand to either—"
THUNK
Lyla had dropped the sack of pebbles ontop the boy, now double cased several times because of its weight—and of course for padding. As bothersome as the boy was, Lyla could never wish real harm upon anyone or anything.
Simon and I burst out in laughter, holding onto eachother for support.
We both limp over to where Lyla is pearing through the window giggling, and see the boy staring up at us from his fetal position on our dew sprinkled lawn. His face is filled with horror and shock as he shouts, not so quietly, at Lyla.
"HOW DARE YOU!" his face is plump and flushed with anger, which only creates a more amusing scene "You should be flattered that a man with such a noble rank as I, displayed an ounce of interest toward you! I am the most suitable match you shall ever be given the favor of setting your deceitful eyes upon!" His screams echo throughout the entire estate and after a minute or two mother and father arrive into the room. She apologized profusely to the boy and scolded the three of us without restraint.
The joyous night was short lived but mother was accustomed to our tricks and all, so she never became too harsh. When she and a half asleep father left the room, Lyla, Simon and I all decided to spend the night in her room on the window bench. We all gather some blankets and pillows to the bench and huddle up to talk til our voices are only incoherent hums in-tune with the crickets outside the window.
I wake in the morning with a heal lodged into my eyesocket, and an elbow jutting into my stomach. I jump back and yelp in pain, but make heed not to wake my two siblings. I carefully unwind myself from the heap of limbs, and stand above the two.
My brows crease in affection at the sight. Even with drool seeping down his face, and dark hair sticking in every direction, Simon is the picture of a loving, protective older brother. Lyla lays beside him in complete contentment and beauty. The sides of her mouth are slightly curled. Plotting her next scheme. I half suspect she really hopes Ben will still pursue her so she can use him as an excuse to try her newly developed tricks she's always thinking up.
Today we were supposed to see Sarah and her husband, Lord Fairfax. I wondered if Malcolm might come along with them this time like he did on some occasions. I didn't know why I wanted him to come along with them because there wasn't anything to say I would make any attempt at conversing with him or anything of the matter. Most of the time when he had come along, I spent the visit away in my room or in any other corridor of the estate that I knew was unoccupied. I had known and loved him all these five years of my sister's betrothal to Lord Fairfax yet he did not bat an eye in my direction. I knew there was no hope of becoming an acquaintance of his at this point since it had been far too long and I had most likely lost my only chance to do so. The closest I ever came to speaking with him was when he and Simon spoke with one another. They had gotten on so well, considered each other their best mates, yet I could not even get a single word out when he and I spoke, on the very off chance that I was left in his presence without someone else to entertain him. My heart was set on him but not strung to it. I did not wish to find myself a suitor, not for any reason, I merely appreciated the life I had as an old spinster in waiting. I could read all I wanted, be left to my room for however long I wished, and I would have the family fortune if ever I needed to make any financial adaptions to anything. I was set for a life of quiet comfort with nothing at all to take me for granted or for less or more than I was.
But deep in the corners of my mind I knew that there was that one exception to my carefully sorted out future, and I would find no issue recalculating those plans for him.