Chapter 2

"I'm by th' lilies!"

Dickon sighed as he paced around the garden.

The garden was perfect. The summer sun shone brightly in the cloudless skies, lighting up all of the flowers and tress within the garden's walls. Stones glittered and shimmered as they basked in the strong light. Red-breasted robins sung loud and clear as they flew gleefully around the trees, their song as beautiful as ever. A melody he has tried, but failed to capture with his flute.

This was the first time Dickon felt no joy being in the garden. His thoughts were heavily clouded with pictures of fallen soldiers, explosions from every angle as the screams and gunshots echoed in his ears.

Dickon shivered in disgust as he leaned on a tree and slid to the ground. Unfortunately, in front of him lay a bed of Indian Empress Lilies, the very ones he and Mary had planted and kept alive all those years ago. Dickon had to swallow down the tears that gathered in his throat as he blinked rapidly to clear his eyes. Never have Dickon's cheeks been so pale and eyes so defeated. If Mary were to see him now…

Mary

She should be here soon. Dickon had arrived along with the early morning sun and had been there ever since. He knew Mary would come any moment now. Her eyes would ignite with a sudden passion as her body would gracefully dance among the bed of flowers. The garden always did have such a strong effect on her. She would probably be followed by Collin, if he wasn't so busy with his studies.

Collin

That lucky chap. He doesn't need to worry about war or death. He would be able to grow up, travel and be educated… He'd also get to be married and have children to support. Dickon wasn't even sure he'd be coming home.

But what hurts the most was the thought that Collin could now marry Mary with no interruption. He would viciously steal Dickon's dream.

Yet, Dickon doesn't blame Collin for being born into luxury. How could he? With the childhood Collin had to suffer through, the thought of death looming over him day in and day out. The frightful wails that echoed through the halls of the manor. He had to endure all this while Dickon had been out in the moor, running and playing. Talking to any and all animals he found…

Was it now his turn? Was it his turn to have the thought of death over his head? To believe that his life may be cut short because of the uncontrollable?

"Dickon? Are you in here?" Mary's voice disturbed his train of thought and he instantly felt his heart pounding. He tried to pinch color into his cheeks and have a bright smile, but the color refused to return and the smile was strained… hopefully Mary wouldn't notice, though that hope was faint.

"I'm by th' lilies!" Dickon shouted in return, coughing a bit to clear his throat.

Mary came seconds later and she seemed a bit concerned. Her dress swirled around her in elegance, her hair pulled up in a mess of a knot and her face clean of makeup, one of the many things Dickon loved about her. Her skin was certainly not as yellow as it had been before, no, in fact she had gotten a bit of a tan from being out on the moor for so long, though it couldn't compare to Dickon's tanned and rough skin. Her hair was a beautiful hazel color that seemed to be as soft as silk, and her eyes… brilliant hazel, framed with thick lashes that seemed as if they kissed her cheeks whenever she blinked.

"Dickon!" She shouted as she hurried over to him. Her skirts swayed around her as she plopped herself down near him. She then placed a gentle, soft hand on his forehead. "Are you alright? You look pale and your eyes are swollen!"

"I'm alright, Miss Mary. Just caught a wee little cold." He said as he waved her off, secretly enjoying her warm hand on his forehead, but feeling the sting of the lie. He hated lying.

"Oh, but if you're sick then you shouldn't be outside! Come now, we must get you inside where it's warm." Mary said as she tried to drag him up by the elbow in worry. "Collin may have some cold medicine and I'll ask Martha to make you some soup."

Dickon chuckled and ruffled her hair. "No need to worry, Miss Mary. I'm fine, really! The garden will take the cold away! It is after all, Magic!" Dickon grinned as he stood up and hooked her arm with his. "Now, what shall we do? Is Master Collin joining us 'is fine evening?"

Mary sighed as she strolled with him through the garden. "Oh no, he's been so boring lately." She huffed. "If I wanted to know how the world came to I would've gone back to that blasted school." She scowled in a way that reminded Dickon of a young unhappy yellow Mary.

Dickon chuckled and led her to the swing. "Master Collin is just excited, is all. He will after all be a scientist and will one day 'ave inventions of his own." Dickon smiled broadly at her as he helped her onto the swing.

"I know that, Dickon! It's just that… I feel like I'm losing him. He is always busy with something! If it's not schoolwork it's research, if not research it's reading! And so and on and so on! It's a never ending chain of boredom." Mary grunted as she softly swung her legs to gain some height.

Dickon had gotten behind her and softly pushed her into the air, chuckling at her sour manner. "Can't really blame thy chap for 'aveing a hobby, can we?"

Mary sighed sourly knowing he was right about that. "I know… but I just wish he'd be more fun! I want to talk to him about everything and anything! Just like I talk to you. I'm glad I have you here, I bet you'll never leave me to travel around the world for scientific research!" She commented with a smile as she glanced over her shoulder, in time to see Dickon's broad smile fall and his composer go tense. "Dickon? What's wrong?"

Dickon gulped as he looked away from her penetrating gaze. "It's nothin', Miss Mary."

Mary stopped the swing with her heels. "It's certainly not nothing! Was it something I said?" She asked, worry evident in her voice as she too became rigid and tense.

"No… I mean… It's… complicated." He finished pathetically as his shoulders slumped over. He squeezed in next to her on the wide swing, still avoiding her accusing eyes.

Mary took his hand in hers and gently stroked the tensed muscles in his hand. "You can tell me anything, you know. I won't think badly about you." She whispered as she looked down at his hand in hers.

Dickon closed his eyes and enjoyed her gentle strokes. He didn't know what to say or how to act, but finally he decided to tell her the truth. "I've been called into the war." He whispered as he hung his head. Mary gasped and tears filled her eyes.

"Oh, Dickon! Why didn't you tell me?" She had to swallow down the tears that gathered in her throat. It was all too much to take.

"Tha would've worried 'bout me." Dickon couldn't get his voice to sound any louder than a measly whisper. He was a bit disappointed with himself for being pathetic in front of Mary.

Mary on the other hand was very annoyed and worried. Her emotions were battling one another, but she continued to stroke his hand. She looked up at him and placed her free hand on his cheek. "Of course I'm worried, Dickon. You're my best friend, my first best friend in fact. And I am devastated, but I believe in you. I believe that you will be coming back home…" She had to swallow down the growing bales, but she was helpless to the lone tear that fell. "I know you'll come back to me."

Dickon looked up and met Mary's eyes, his face was gaining color as he enjoyed the heat that radiated from her hand. After a little while he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Mary?! It's lunch! Are you in here?!" Collins voice seemed to bounce around in Dickon's head, taunting him. Dickon was close to groaning in annoyance as Mary's hand dropped from his cheek and her other hand let go of his.

"I'll be right there! I'm on the swing with Dickon!" She shouted back, her scowl was firmly in place as she hurriedly wiped away her tears. They could hear Collin's rapid footfalls coming in their direction. "When are you leaving?" She asked quietly before Collin would arrive.

"Tomorrow afternoon." He replied just as Collin came busting through the trees. His cheeks were red and he was slightly breathless after running.

"'Ello, Master Collin! How are thee on this fine afternoon?" Dickon said in a cheery voice as he gently swung his legs to make the swing move.

"Good day, Dickon. I'm fine, thank you, but I am slightly hungry." Collin replied with a grin as he clutched his stomach. Dickon smiled in return.

"Aye, it is 'bout time for lunch, ey?" Dickon jumped off the swing and offered his hand to Mary. "Come now, Miss Mary. You mustn't miss lunch."

Mary gave him a small smile as she took his rough hand and slid gracefully off the swing. "Alright, but don't think this conversation is over, Dickon." She said sternly as she released his hand and made her way to Collin.

"Never thought t'was, Miss Mary!" Dickon called after her as he waved them off.

Collin threw him a confused glance as he hooked his arm through Mary's and left with a small wave. Dickon was just able to hear him ask, "What conversation?" and then heard Mary giggle as she ran off, Collin groaned as he ran after her.

Dickon waited until he was positive that they had left the garden to let out his own frustrated groan. He wanted to curse Collin for his timing and interruption!

He drew in a few deep breaths and sat down on the lonesome swing. He swung his legs once again to get the swing moving as he stared at the ground. What could he do to show Mary how much she means to him? That she will be the one he's fighting to come home to?

Slowly he lifted his head and caught sight of the beautifully blooming roses. A small smile crept on his face as he stared at the precious petals on the hundreds of stems that lined the walls of the entire garden. So beautiful, so full of magic… just like Mary.

Dickon's eyes widened as he, once again, jumped off the swing and approached the bushes. A plan forming in his mind as a broad grin took its place across his face.

"Oh, c'mon Mary! Tell me, please?" Collin begged as he batted his thick lashes and widened his already big grey eyes, his mouth was slightly pouted as he started to beg.

"No, Collin! The conversation I had with Dickon is strictly private." Mary said as she took a sip of her tea.

They were having lunch in one of the public gardens, it was nothing like their own precious garden, but it was quiet relaxing. Flowers didn't grow as wild as it did in her garden, here they grew in rows and were kept neat and polished, nothing magical at all.

"I thought we didn't hide secrets from each other." Collin scowled as he left the puppy-dog act and took his true act of the spoiled child. "but, I see that Dickon means more to you than I do." His eyes narrowed drastically at her.

Mary had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Her patience with him was growing thin as she too took on a scowl. "It's not a secret, it's just not my place to tell." She said through gritted teeth. She has become much more patient during the years, but sometimes that patience can easily fly away, especially when it came to Collin. It always seemed as though he just tried to get on her nerves.

"Oh, I see, so Dickon's the one with the secret. Maybe I should go over to him and dema-"

"You would do no such thing!" Mary snarled at him as she stood up. "I will not tolerate you acting spoiled. I merely said it was not my place to tell you. It's certainly not my fault that you don't have any time to be with us in the garden, otherwise you would have known." Mary scowled, the scowl that she was famous for back in the manor. The same scowl she wore when she was a child.

"I am not being spoiled! I just want to know what's going on." He said as he too used his own famous trait; his harmful glare.

"I'm leaving now. I do not want to see you until breakfast tomorrow, I'll have dinner in my room and I will ignore you if you were to talk to me." Mary said as she crossed her arms, grinded her teeth and turned around.

Collin had had enough as he stood up. "Turn around and look at me, Mary! I will not be ignored." Collin demanded as he glared at her back.

Mary straightened her back and walked away with her nose in the air. She could hear Collin's shouts, but she was as stubborn as a mule and when she said she was going to ignore him, then she was going to bloody ignore him!

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