A/N: thanks everyone for the reviews. Sorry this chapter took so long, but life's been pretty crazy lately. And I've started a few more fics too that I may post soon. Make sure you add my to your follow lists! Enjoy!
I can hear the noise before I see anything from my vantage point. The hustle and bustle of a mass of people. Men and women talking, children playing. "Where are we?" I ask him. "Have we left the woods?" He chuckles softly and let's me turn around, placing his hand on the small of my back as I look around the small village. The homes are small and modestly built, but there are more than a few in a circular layout surrounded by trees and flanked by the curves of the river behind it. "What is this place?" "Home." He replied as he lead me onward into the settlement. As we walked people greeted Bray quietly as they passed, busy with their lives. I spotted Luke off to the side, chatting up a pretty girl with dark hair and freckles. Several children ran up from behind us and stopped to greet Bray. A small girl even hugged him around the leg and he stooped to her level to speak to her. "Have you been a good girl for Mom and Dad?" He asked and when she nodded vigorously Bray produced a small trinket from his pocket and gave to her. The plastic ring pleased her immensely and she hugged his neck tightly. "Thank you Bray!" "You're most welcome, Shiloh." He replied. When she ran off to join her group, Bray stood next to me and replaced his hand on my lower back, leading me further in. "Her parents were having trouble with her being violent and I had to speak with her." He commented. "You discipline these people's children?" "I don't really have to discipline anyone. Usually they just want someone to listen to them."
In the heart of town Erick sat beneath a shade tree as several small kids rushed back and forth, dumping handfuls of wildflowers and small twigs beside him. His fingers worked quickly as he finished another flower crown and he called over a little girl, placing the crown gently on her head. Several children already sported crowns, the girls wearing flowers and the boys wearing woven stick crowns. Erick worked quickly as if he'd been making the crowns forever. "Does he do this often?" I ask and Bray nods. "He always plays with the children when we're here. He usually makes them things like crowns or swords..." Bray was interrupted as a small boy ran between us and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Eli!" A wave of relief rushed over me as I hugged him to me. I'd been so worried that Bray and the boys had hurt him...and here he was running around sporting one of Erick's twig crowns. He produced a small plastic dinosaur from his pocket and showed it to Bray. "Ah you still have your dino. Are you taking good care of him?" Eli nodded before his friends caught his attention again, calling to him to help gather more twigs. Shiloh ran over to us again, presenting me with a flower crown of my own. Bray took it gently from her, placing the crown of small white flowers over my dark hair. "Now you look like a princess!" She beamed up at me before running back to Erick. Bray smiled at me and I had to smile back. Why he'd kept this wonderful surprise from me for so long is a mystery, but I'm glad he finally decided to show me.
Bray and I walk on until a wave of nausea hits me, making me stop and double over in pain. His voice is full of concern as he tends to me, but I can hear another voice. A familiar one, though I haven't heard it in quite a while. "Go to the tree. Find it." She whispers into my ear, hovering right by my side. "Find it!" I struggle to take a few steps forward, the sudden sickness tearing at my insides. "Where are you going?" Bray asks as he reaches for my arm but I push him away as I step closer to the riverbank. "Do not go to the river." He commands, wise to my direction. He calls my name, grabs at my clothing but I ignore him as I attempt to find the tree by the river that I see so vividly in my mind. She's calling my name repeatedly, until it no longer sounds like my name to my own ears. I find the old oak by the river, it's old branches weighted with spanish moss reaching over the murky calm of the river. She urges me to reach into the hollow in the roots and I grasp something small and metallic, enclosing it in my fist just before Bray grabs me by the waist, dragging me back towards the area where Erick was still making crowns for the children. I manage to slip the ring on my finger before Bray lets me go. I'll look it over later when I'm alone. I don't know why she wanted me to find it so badly, but I did.
"What was that about?" Bray asked, staring at me. "I just felt really sick. I thought maybe being by the water would clear my head a bit." It's only a half lie and for a moment I think he's not going to buy it. He studies my face for a minute and opens his mouth as if he's about to protest, but he closes it and instead rests a hand on my shoulder. "Why don't we head home, huh? We've had a long day haven't we?" "Yeah, maybe it's time to head home." I agree, eager to look over the ring.