"Daniel, what do you suppose we do with her?" said a lady dressed in white.
"Hmm…." said the man next to her. He had his hand over the body. " 'Tis strange."
"What is?"
"This soul…I sense..anger..yet it's intentions are pure," Daniel replied. "Kaitlyn, this person, whoever she is, has a powerful aura, one that I've never come across before."
"Take her then. She might be of use to us. We do need one of us to keep watch on the earth," Kaitlyn replied.
She walked over to the body and took a vial out from within her dress. She then proceeded to close her eyes and placed her hands above the body. When she muttered a string of Celtic words, a bright light emitted from the body and vanished into the vial. Soon after, she and that man, Daniel, turned and walked away, disappearing into thin air.
Brianna could no longer feel the earth beneath her feet. She felt as if she was floating among the clouds. What had happened to her? She strained her mind to recall the events that came before. All she could remember was Cole dragging her out of the house and into the woods, where they ran and ran until. Until they stopped in mid tracks. Brianna remembered peering out from behind him. What she saw she'll never forget.
The next day, in a village not too far away from where the two mystical beings had appeared, a newborn's cry was heard, echoing throughout the woods, as if to announce its arrival to the heavens. This village was named, Immortal Valley. And this babe was to be named, Danielle.
Fifteen years later………Mama! I'm home!" Danielle shouted as she entered the house. She was in a joyous mood today. "Mama!"
"I hear you, child. I've yet to be hard of hearing," Cynthia answered as she emerged from the kitchen.
"Look what I got for you, Mama," Danielle said as she sat next to her mother at the dining table. "Flowers from the border of the woods. Aren't they just the prettiest things you've ever seen?"
"The border of the woods again, Dani? My dear girl, how many times have I told you not to venture there? It is not safe for a girl of your time to be there. What if something happens to you? What then?" Cynthia berated Danielle. She was worried for her child.
But, no matter how much she worried for her, she knew deep down in her heart that nothing would happen to Danielle. Very simply because, nothing ever does. Never in the fifteen years of Danielle's life had she returned with a scratch on her. Nor has she ever fallen sick. There was this time where Danielle and her playmate rolled down the hill when they were just seven, and Danielle came out of that tumble totally unhurt while her poor mate Sarah suffered from shock and some mild scratches on her arms and face. There was another incident when Danielle fell off a horse. She broke her arm, but she didn't seem to be in much pain for a nine year old. Miraculously, her arm healed within a week!
But what was the strangest about Danielle was that she seemed to be able to heal herself and others. When she visited her friend, Sarah, after that tumble down the hill, she laid her hand on Sarah's arms and the next thing they knew, they scratches faded away. Of course, no one took heed of this except Cynthia. They merely thought Sarah had the ability to heal fast.
"Mama? What are you thinking of?" Danielle asked, waving her hands in front of her mother.
"About how you could have met with something horrible back there at the border of the woods," Cynthia lied. "But thank you anyway. These flowers are indeed the prettiest things I've ever seen."
"You needn't worry about me, Mama. Cole came with me," Danielle answered.
"He did?" Cynthia asked as she went back into the kitchen to retrieve a vase to put the flowers in. "Didn't he say he had to stand in for Michael at the store today?"
"He did. I waited until he was excused before going," Danielle replied. "I saw it was summer, and knew the flowers at the border of the woods were in bloom and at their prettiest, just like the year before and I wanted to get it for you, Mama."
"Oh, come here you," Cynthia crooned, touched by what Danielle did for her. "I do love you so much."
" I love you too, Mama," Danielle replied, savouring the hug.
Just then, Cole and Ian walked into the house, smiling at the sight of both of them.
"What? No love for us?" Ian jokingly asked as he walked towards the both of them while Cole merely leaned against the doorframe and gazed at Danielle. He had helped Ian carry the stacks of wood home, hoping to get a glimpse of Danielle.
Danielle and Cynthia looked up and smiled warmly at him. "Of course there is, silly. Come here," Danielle said, extending her arms to him.
Ian smiled and walked into the embrace of the two women he loved dearly and hugged them both tightly. Cynthia, not forgetting Cole's presence in the home, stepped back from the embrace and smiled at him. Cole, noticing that Cynthia was looking at him, returned her gaze with a nod as he greeted her, 'Ma'am."
"Good day to you too, Cole," Cynthia said with a smile. She knew Cole liked Danielle and the feeling was mutual. Cole wasn't too bad a choice for Danielle too, though he wasn't rich or had any land, but he was a good man who loved Danielle and would protect her with his life.
Feeling extremely awkward in the room, Cole mistaken Cynthia's look and thought he had outstayed his welcome. He stood up straight and set about bidding them goodbye, even though he would like to stay and spend more time with Danielle.
"It's getting late and I'd better get home and leave you folks to your dinner now," Cole said. He nodded a goodbye to Ian and Danielle before he turned and started walking out.
"Why don't you stay on for dinner Cole?" Cynthia asked, hurriedly walking to Cole and grabbed hold of his elbow and pulled him in towards the house.
"I'll be intruding-"
"Don't be silly now," Cynthia chided. "You've helped our Ian carry those stacks of wood back, the least we could do is to invite you to stay for dinner. Besides, you're like family to us."
Cole looked at Ian, catching the silent message that he was sending him through a nod. "Alright, ma'am. I'll stay for dinner," Cole relented, smiling at Cynthia, placing her arm in the crook of his arm instead and guided her towards the living room. "Thank you for inviting me to stay.
Danielle watched Cole and her mother walked hand in hand towards the living room, chatting happily. A smile touched her lips. Oh, how she loved Cole. She'd met him when she was five. Cole had been friends with Ian ever since they were born and she would play with them both. They had grown up with each other, with Cole and Ian watching her grow up into a young lady and she watching them, particularly Cole, grow up to be magnificent men. And before she knew it, she was in love with Cole. Danielle sighed, wondering if her mama would accept Cole if he were to offer for her.
Ian, silently watching his sister gaze at Cole and his mother chatting gaily in the living room. He smiled. He knew his baby sister was in love with Cole. He also knew that his best friend shared the same sentiments about her. Ian knew Danielle was worried that their mother would not accept Cole as her future husband for he had nothing to offer her except his love. But knowing his mother, she would not despise Cole just because he was poor. Ian walked up to Danielle and placed his arm across her shoulder and leaned down next to her, whispering, "If you do not tear your eyes away from them, my little sister, we'll have no dinner tonight and will have to send poor Cole on his way home."
Jumping a little, Danielle turned and scowled at her brother's grinning face. Her face burned, knowing that she had been caught staring by her brother. He let out a chuckle, as her face became redder by the minute. Danielle playfully stomped on his feet, causing Ian to yelp in pain. Satisfied, Danielle gave her brother a winning look and walked on into the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Life was peaceful and as usual. Danielle would stay in on the odd days for her lessons while on the even days, she would go to the bakery shop that Sarah owns to help out. As her twentieth birthday drew closer, Danielle was unaware that Ian, her mother, Sarah and some of the villagers were preparing a big birthday bash for her on the night of her birthday. They had the banners, the cake, the music, everything! But unknown to Danielle, and the villagers, was a bigger surprise waiting for Danielle, on the eve of her birthday.
"Ian! Ian!" Danielle knocked on the window of the shoe shop. She stood back when she saw Ian walking towards her.
"Dani? What's the matter?" Ian asked.
"Are you about done yet?" Danielle asked.
"Not for another two hours. Why?" Ian replied.
"That would already be sundown by then," Danielle muttered. "I want to go get Mama some more of the flowers that I got her the other day. The ones at home are already withering."
"Why don't you go tomorrow? You know mama wouldn't like you going alone to that place," Ian suggested.
"Well, if you're not going to tell on me, Mama wouldn't know," Danielle argued. "Besides, I promise to be back here within an hour. Then we'll return together and Mama would never know."
"Hmm…"
"Oh please, Ian," Danielle begged.
"Oh alright. No more than an hour. Deal?" Ian asked.
"Deal!" Danielle replied happily. She gave Ian a kiss on the cheek before running to the border of the woods, unwilling to waste any time.
Cole came up behind Ian just as he saw Danielle running off into the woods. "Where is Danielle going?" he asked, wiping his hands on his apron.
"To the borders of the woods," Ian answered. "She promised to be back within an hour."
Ian went back into the shop, leaving Cole standing at the doorway, staring at the woods where he had seen Danielle going into. The more he stood and looked, the more he frowned. He had woke up with an unsettling feeling that something bad was going to happen. With that feeling hovering around him, he wasn't comfortable leaving Danielle to go into the woods alone. He looked at the clock. There was another hour before he finished work. Reluctantly, Cole trudged back into the shop, promising that he would look for her in the woods if she didn't return within the hour, silently hoping time would pass by faster.
Once at the border of the woods, Danielle immediately started picking the flowers for her Mama. When she almost had a bouquet in her hands, she turned, ready to leave. Just then, she heard something rustle in the woods. She turned around to see if there was anyone there. There was none. Then, she heard someone in distress. Curious, she cautiously walked into the woods. Even though her heart was pounding away, Danielle clutched the flowers tightly to her chest and followed the voice. Suddenly, she saw a squirrel pinned to the ground by an arrow.
"Oh you poor thing," Danielle crooned, bending down next to the squirrel. She placed the flowers beside the poor animal and tried to remove the arrow. Frightened, the squirrel tried to claw Danielle.
"Hush, little one. I'm here to help you and not harm you, " Danielle whispered.
Miraculously, the squirrel calmed down. Shocked, Danielle did not know what to make of it. Instead, she looked around the forest floor for some nuts to distract the squirrel from what she's about to do. Finally, she found one. She threw the nut gently at the squirrel, and when she saw that the squirrel caught it and was busy nibbling at it, she immediately went to work on the arrow. With all her might, she gently, yet quickly pulled the arrow out.
'All right. Arrow out. That's one thing accomplished. But what about the wound? I haven't anything to cover it up.' Danielle thought.
'Use your hands.'