The stars reflected on the water look like pond skaters. Shimmering slightly as the slight breeze brushes against the surface like a lovers caress. The grass that surrounds it is emerald green, and has the deep rich tones of summer in Forget-Me-Not Valley. The air is light and free, storms a few days past had cleared the air of the humidity that had hung over the valley houses like a blanket too thick. The night was alive with the movement of insects. The chores of cicadas and the light buzzing of flies. The moon is a perfect circle against a deep, inky blue sky. Casting a silver glow on everything below it, and was the main source of light this late. The pathway is dirt, with the texture of chalk, and lined along are large stalks supporting overhanging crystals that cast a phosphorescent glow to light the way for anyone, or anything, wandering around in the night hours.
But at first there was only the woman.
She was like a ghost against the backdrop. A raven haired beauty with skin tanned for the season and large amethyst eyes on a tranquil face. Her features hold all the symmetry associated with classical looks. Her lips are like rose buds and soft pink, with the look of silk. Her eyelashes are long and dark, brushing against her cheek as she blinked. Her hair hangs to a point midway around her back, and is lightly curled at the ends. She is dressed simply. A white dress that hangs to her knees. It is clutched at the waistline and skims along her chest, showing off an willowy figure worthy of envy despite her petite stature. The dress is belted around the middle with a woven leather buckle, and the wind moving the material gave her the look of a being from another world. Perhaps a Goddess come down from the skies. Perhaps the Lady Artemis, staring into the Goddess pond to find a hint of truth. Perhaps the Harvest Goddess herself, out in the night were no-one could see her. Perhaps even an angel, from heaven above and into the dark to appreciate the beauty of the Goddess Pond.
But those who would see her would know her face. They would know her name. Angelique sighed once and then smiled. Why she was out so late, no-one could say. Angel herself was not quite sure of the reason. But when an urge presented itself to visit the pond, she had decided to consent. After all; she knew the legends were true. She sank to her knees and the dress accommodated by flowing around her, her delicate fingers skimming over the surface of the pond as lightly as the wind had been. Ripples spun out from her fingers like spider webs, and for a moment she simply sat. Hypnotised by the sight.
That was when she heard the voice.
"It's a little late to be out all alone... Isn't it, darling?"
A voice with low tones. The soft flurry of an accent with some rich allure that called through the night like a song. Angel closed her eyes against the sound; willing it to go away. The night had been so beautiful and peaceful. The voice an unforgiving interruption. Not for the sound, for no-one could deny that it was sweet, but for the man that had spoken and used it. Angel stood in a fluid motion and turned to face the speaker. Her expression blank and oddly cautious. The man smiled, approached, and then spoke once more. "You should not be all alone. It's dangerous. You never know what people could be wandering around." He whispered as though they could be overheard; a secret between them. The statement was filled with hidden meaning, and she could not help but feel a slight change in emotion.
"People like you.. Phantom Skye?" she asked, her voice as lovely as her face. He closed his eyes as he listened to the sound. As though he had never heard something so sweet. His sapphire gaze locked on her amethyst and he smiled. His lips curling upwards like a cats might. An attractive and seductive smile on the face of an attractive and seductive man.
"Yes." He agreed. "People like me."
Spring was different here. A little slice of fantasy that Angel had not known could exist outside her dreams. Everything was emerald. The trees supported huge green leaves that looked as full and ripe as fruit. The grass was lush and smooth, and the air was clean and sweet. Angel stood at the start of the path to the valley her eyes drinking in the scene as though she'd never seen something so fascinating. There could not be a greater contrast between the place she had left and the place she had arrived. It was almost as though she'd stepped into another world. She shook her head, dislodging the absurd thought before she took a deep breath. There was no going back now. She'd made her decision. Steeling herself she took hold of the suitcase she had been dragging behind her and began to pull it down the path. It was a difficult task, the path was not a smooth one. But rather a rocky and pebbled winding mess. Even worse than the previous town had been. She winced whenever the wheels caught, and it would cause her to lurch to the side. Eventually a voice called out.
"Need a hand with that? You look like you're struggling sweetheart."
The voice was deep and mellow, and at first Angel thought it must be male. But when she turned around her eyes widened in slight surprise before they fell impassive and blank. A fairly large woman stood before her. She had lightly tanned skin and light brown hair, pulled behind her in a loose ponytail; clearly for the purpose of getting it out of the way. She wore a rather bright canary yellow t-shirt, vegetable patterned apron and blue jeans with boots. She was taller than Angel by a head, which made the latter take an automatic step backwards so that she was not craning her neck to look at her. Though the woman's eyes were wide and kind. A soft sea green. "Not seen you around here before." The woman added when Angel failed to answer the first question. Angel blinked and shook her head, and gave a rather awkward smile. "Yes... I just arrived. I'm supposed to be moving here today." She managed eventually. She seemed to remember something with a jolt and stuck the hand that had been holding her suitcase out in front of her "Angel." She elaborated and the woman grasped her hand tightly with a smile. Her hands were rough and brown with soil and her grip was strong. "Vesta. You'll be the new farmer then? Gotta say you don't look the type if I'm honest with you." She chuckled. Angel blinked and looked down at herself before she smiled bitterly. The assessment was easy to come by.
"Well... Perhaps not. But I thought I'd like to try it.. A... Childhood dream of mine." She replied easily, her smile becoming slightly less awkward as the lie rolled off her tongue. She felt a pang; there had been no reason to lie, but she had felt more comfortable doing so. A role to play. Vesta either did not comment or believed this story and she clapped Angel on the back, Angel lurched slightly forward before she steadied herself. "Well it's always good to have a little competition. I run this farm here." She said, spreading her arms around her and gesturing to either side of the path. Angel could detect a note of pride in her voice, and when she looked around at her surroundings properly for the first time it was easy to see why.
To her left there were two thatched roofed farmhouses, each two stories high and made of a soft brown wood. Behind them stretched two large tented greenhouses, with vegetables so thick and delicious that Angel could almost taste them on her tongue. Next to it, and in rows and rows in the fields of her right, were thick turnip leaves, cucumbers, potatoes that bloomed from the ground in bunches. Bright red strawberries bursting with colour on vines lined up near the edges, and dark green cabbage leaves ready for harvest. For a moment Angel simple stood there. Her eyes wide and alarmed. For the reality of what she was about to do hit her full force like a steam train. She was supposed to make a farm to rival this one? By herself? Was that what they expected of her?
Oblivious to Angel's internal dilemma Vesta carried on with her speech. "Well I'll get Marlin to help you to your farm. He's my brother. He's a little sour but I'm sure you'll get along fine." She said with a grin. Angel blinked and opened her mouth to protest but not before Vesta had turned to the field and shouted "MARLIN."
Her voice was so loud Angel was hit with the childish desire to cover her ears, instead she shrank back slightly and scanned the farm grounds for any sign of this apparent brother. After a few moments there was the sound of shuffling footsteps from around the corner of one of the greenhouses. A man emerged from behind, his expression irate as he mumbled something incoherent under his breath. Though it sounded sus piously critical. Angel's first bizarre impression of him was that he reminded her of an 80's hippie. He was tall, and his skin was sun kissed so that it was very dark with tan. Even more so than her own. His hair was jet black, and it seemed fuzzy in such a strange way that Angel wondered if it was hair sprayed. But looking at the man that supported it discredited the idea almost immediately. He was dressed plainly in a white button up shirt and blue pants. His eyebrows were very thick, and bunched together so tightly that the frown lines on his face seemed almost permanent. But when his eyes fell on her his expression drew up blank with confusion. "Marlin, this is Angel. She's taken up that old farm. You know the one on Takakura's land?" Vesta said as soon as he had arrived. Angel's eyes immediately looked up at the name Takakura. Purely because it was, at last, a name she recognised. Marlin raised an eyebrow before he grunted to show he understood. Earning a sigh of exasperation from his sister. "Anyway. Won't you help her with her bags? She seems to be having trouble." She ploughed on. Angel looked up and shook her head.
"No.. No Miss Vesta it's quite alright I can carry my ow-"
"How's she going to run a farm if she can't even carry her own bags?" Marlin's voice was a shade colder than frozen as he cut across Angel's protests with one of his own. His abrupt rudeness was a little startling and Angel lapsed into an uneasy silence. Vesta bristled at once. "Marlin, don't be so rude. How on earth do you think you'll get married if you treat all the girls like that, eh?" She replied heatedly, almost as though she could defrost his icy manner. Marlin gave her a cautious look, and Angel immediately recognised the look of one treading around a bear trap. He sighed, perhaps a shade quieter than one normally would, and lifted her bags until he found the heaviest, and heaved it over his shoulder. Angel bit her lip, but thought it best not to argue this gesture; she did not want to so quickly offend her new neighbours. "Thank you." She said softly, her tone feather light as she gave the siblings a small smile. Vesta returned it with a rather large grin and Marlin's expression remained as it was; with the complexity of a marble statue. Marlin did not waste any more time on words, and grumbling darkly, set off down the path at a brisk pace. Angel blinked a little before giving Vesta an uneasy smile and thanks before grabbing her remaining bags and hurrying after him.
That's it for the opening chapter. Please let me know what you think and if I should continue. c:
