kulanah :.casino royale

Monday, January 01, 2007
casino royale?
Current mood: calm
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural

"And why are we here , again ?" brayan asked , while trying adjust the tie that was too tightly knotted around his neck .

kulanah , already weary from answering questions , merely repeated the same reply she had given the first time he asked , "training . we're here for training purposes. your training . so shut up , watch carefully , keep your ears open and FOLLOW my instruc ..."

"training for what ?" he interjected "what's this gotta do with... ?

"would you shut up and for once just do what i tell you ? " she hissed trying not to be overheard . "you talk too much to be a warrior."

loabe broke eye contact at her accusation , looked downwards and grew quiet . he again fiddled with the necktie --one of the few he owned . it was silk and well made , but now was clearly out of fashion --if he cared at all he gave no outward sign .

in silence they walked further along and into the casino .

inside , even the air seemed caught up in the sounds and the induced thrills of crowds in the various stages of giving away their money .

the bright blinking lights on the rows of mega-slot machines dazzled his eyes and the multiple sounds of coins upon coins , the endless cranking of handles , the ringing bells and chimes announcing their unashamed banditry , made a strange yet enchanting music --all designed to befuddle and allure the senses and deliver to the victims an illusion of excitement .

"a well lit trap" , was what brayan was thinking , but did not bother to say anything to his companion , desiring to avoid another reprimand . at the caged booths where funds and chips were being exchanged , she turned towards him to ask , "did you bring money? "

without replying he , reached into the front pocket of his suit's trousers and handed her a small wad of ten one hundred dollar bills folded in half and then folded in half again .

she quickly took the money , placing it in the envelope-sized , flat purse she carried for that evening . it was the first time he had ever seen her with a purse . it was also , the first time he had seen her dressed like any other woman out for a night on the town .

the expensive , red , "do me" dress - spaghetti straps -- low cut -- and with the slanted split up the side , fit her spectacular form almost as closely as did the thin arcs of cotton cloth she normally had wound around her hips during her times of instructing brayan .

the understatedly elegant black pumps on her feet only accentuated the remarkably tapered curves of her long calves and thighs , but she had deliberately selected shoes with the lowest heels she could find , to make her height seem more compatible with his .

it was also the first time he had seen her with her hair professionally styled , worn loose and down caressing her shoulders . her earrings matched the moon glow of the pearls comprising her necklace and on her left hand he noticed an engraved silver band resting on her next to last finger .

he also could not help but notice how her eyes seemed to catch up all of the cut glass sparkles from the various lights in the room and generously offer them back .

"i need more than this , " she said , while motioning towards the purse his money had disappeared into .

he quietly reached into his other front pocket and handed her an identical stack of twice folded hundreds .

"look , i didn't mean to hurt your feelings ", she said in an almost teasing tone of voice . "but you have no idea of how annoying you can be at times . "

"i had a very good teacher" , he replied dryly , through the pout still on his face .

caught by surprise at his remark , she smirked and then smiled broadly at him .

"come on now" , she said . "you're my favorite pet , brighten up --sometimes you're as emotional as an old lady --if i didn't know better i'd swear you were suffering from pms or something . "

she gently patted him on the cheek , opened her purse and dropped the second wad of bills in with its predecessor .

when she was certain that his attention was still hers , she pretended as if looking for something else in her purse , while mumbling out loud to herself , "now where the hell is that knife? "

she giggled playfully at his startled reaction as he jumped a full step backwards-- not knowing what to make of this crazy woman .

" just kidding , pet , lighten up ." she peered into him with her laughing , sparkling eyes , freezing him in her headlights --stopping him dead in his tracks .

with ballerina grace , she abruptly turned and began walking away while announcing to a stunned brayan , "i'll be right back . wait here ."

"where are you going ? " he asked trying unsuccessfully to hide from within his voice the acute sense of vulnerability that her eyes had just provoked in him .

"to see if i can get us a room , " she responded without looking back . " we might have to be here a day , or two" she mumbled , now inaudible to his ears .

watching her as she glided away and disappeared into the thickening crowd , loabe wondered to himself , "woman , do you know how beautiful you are ?"

if she did know , she did nothing to reveal it .

she seemed as natural in the crowded casino as he did in the forest . unlike him , she seemed as natural in this setting as she had in any others .

loabe on the other hand , had to quietly remind himself to relax in order to take his focus away from feeling as ill at ease as he always felt when around strangers .