Next Chapter is up. There is a bit of a time jump, but over the next few chapters I will have a few flashbacks to what happened during their journey to the and don't forget to review.

xoxox

-Cassie

Chapter 10:

Two weeks later

The wind had begun to blow violently as Amberle and Wil continued on the path through the forest on the outskirts of the Vale. Until now the trees had offered shelter from the storm raging on around them, but as they reached the end of the forest it became apparent that they could not continue on until the weather cleared up.

Wil had suggested they remain in the safety of the trees to allow protection from the rain. So here they were retracing their steps to find a place to rest for the night.

"How you holding up?" Wil asked as he brought his horse next to hers.

"I'm fine." Amberle replied pulling her cloak tightly around her as a gust of cold wind hit her in the face. "Although I could do without this wind."

Wil laughed.

A crack of thunder rolled overhead and Amberle jumped a little in her sadde.

"I guess this is something i should get use too." Amberle stated pulling the reins to her horse tight and stopping in a little clearing just off the well worn path.

"The weather in the Valley at this time of year is not as bad as other places in the Vale. The summers are beautiful, although the winters can get pretty harsh. People tend to avoid going outside during the colder months unless they have too." Wil replied stopping his horse behind hers, turning his head to the sky.

The canopy of trees above them left little to no space for the rain to reach them, and the branches reaching out from the base of the tree were dry enough to start a small fire.

Getting off his horse, Wil moved around to help Amberle down.

His hands remained on her waist a little longer than needed, "Why don't you tend to the horses while i start a fire?"

She gave a quick nod, but Wil did not let go of her waist.

"In order to build a fire, you have to let go of me Wil." Amberle said.

Kissing her cheek, he let his one arm drop to his side as the other went to his head and pulled his hat off.

Without thinking Amberle raised her hand to his ear and moved the hair away from it.

Wil closed his eyes as a blush worked its way towards his ears.

After a moment Amberle lowered her arm, "I'm going to find us something to eat."

Wil nodded and turning his back to her and walking back to his horse. He then proceeded to remove a small axe from his saddle bag.

Amberle smiled to herself as Wil went off to the far end of the clearing and started hacking away at a small tree that had fallen over.

Turning her attention back to her horse, she ran her hand over its side, before giving it a gentle pat. He had served her well on their journey over the past few weeks and she assumed he would for the remained of her stay away from Arborlon.

Amberle gave a sigh and turned her head North towards her home. They had long since past the mountain range that made her lose sight of Arborlon, and although they had stayed on the mountain for 2 days allowing her time to say a final goodbye to her home. She still felt a pain in her chest.

She did not know how long she would be away.

She had not been able to visit her father, and tell him all that had happened since she had last sat with him. She suspected that she would have a rather long tale to tell when this was all over.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Amberle went about removing hers and Wil's saddle bags. She found their food bags and set out to make a simple meal of rice and beef, they had run out of fresh fruits and Vegetables 2 nights back. However Wil had assured her that they would be in the Vale before the end of the week.

The weather had slowed down their journey of course, but she was in no hurry to reach the Vale. Wil and her had still yet to decide on a story to tell everyone once they had arrived in the Valley.

Amberle stopped stirring the rice and thought back to their conversation they had just the other day…..

Amberle bent over the river's edge running her hands through the cool water, bring the water up her arms to wipe the dirt off her skin.

They had been having a simple lunch in the fields when Wil had begun chasing her about. It had been fun until she had fallen down the hill at the edge of the brook and into a puddle of mud. Wil had rushed to her side to make sure she had been alright.

They had laughed for a while, but then Wil had offered her his shirt and told her to clean up.

So here she sat draped in only Wil's shirt. She had wiped off her belt and used it to fasten the shirt into a dress. It would not be appropriate to ride in, she would have to wait till her clothes were cleaned and dried before she could mount her horse.

Standing up Amberle grabbed her clothes from the grass beside her and head back up the bank to where Wil was starting a fire.

When Wil spoked her he stood up and walked towards her, "You look better in that shirt then I do."

Taking the wet and muddy clothes from her, he walked with her towards the fire and their make shift tent.

"I made some stew if you're hungry." Wil said nodding towards the pot hanging over the fire.

"Thanks." Amberle replied using the ladle to scoop some stew into a bowl.

Raising the spoon to her lips, Amberle let out a moan as the meaty broth slipped down her throat, "Well looks like you're going to be doing most of the cooking once we reach the Vale."

Wil laughed.

Amberle smiled, "I'm going to have to learn a lot of things. I never had to cook, clean, or worry about anything before."

"I'll teach it all to you." Wil said.

Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out the bag that house the elfstones. "I think I have an idea for what we are suppose to tell everyone." Pouring the contents of the bag into the palm of his hand, Wil picked up something in between his fingers and motioned for her to hold out her hand.

Amberle offered him his hand and he placed something in her palm then closed it.

"It belong to my mother." Wil said as Amberle took her hand back and opened it up to reveal a small ring.

"Wil-" Amberle started.

"I'm not saying that we have to get married, but I think my uncle would find it less suspicious if I come home with a wife. We could say we met in Storlock when I was learning to be a healer." Will said cutting her off.

Amberle held the ring out to Wil, "This ring means something, I can't simply take it."

"And it will still mean something when all this is done. Whether I give it to you now or later, I still plan to have a life with you…."

Amberle looked down at the ring hanging from her neck. Wil had told her to think about it, and the closer they got to Shady Vale the less time she had.

She didn't know if she could pretend to be married to Wil just for show, and yet she knew she was not ready to marry him for real.

Wil throw the wood that he had cut up in a pile beside her and knelt down to start stacking it.

Amberle would have to give him an answer eventually. All he wanted to do was keep his promise to her uncle to keep her safe. And if this was the only thing that she could do to help him keep that promise then she would make it easy for him.

Amberle leaned over and kissed him.

At first Wil was surprised, but he dropped the wood in his hands and brought them up to her face.

Amberle pulled away and leaned her forehead on his.

"Not that i don't enjoy when you kiss me but, what was that for." Wil asked.

"Yes."

Wil looked at her confused, "Yes what?"

Pulling the ring free from her neck she placed it upon her finger, "If we are going to do this then we are going to need one hell of a story. Even if I can not tell anyone who I am they are still going to know I am from at least the outlining villages of Arborlon. Even your uncle will know, no elf would ever live in a human settlement."

"We can say you were visiting an old friend, or passing through." Wil smirked taking her face back in his hands.

Amberle nodded.

Wil smiled and Kissed her.

Everything was going to work out fine.