Chapter 2: Her

Dawn

After one cold and stormy evening, the morning sun has returned with it's bright golden rays and heavenly warm touch. It crept through the trees, a bright warm ray hit the two children sleeping in the hallow tree. Sparrows chirped to one another, them and the bright ray made Arthur finally wake up from a night's long slumber. He sat up, yawning and stretching his arms. Arthur turned around and began to repetitively shake Francis to wake him up. "Rise and shine, chicky, we got a long day ahead of us." Luckily for him, Francis was not a heavy sleeper, so it didn't take long for him to rise up. Arthur headed outside and Francis followed, now continuing their journey through this forest of mystery. The dirt road was now as dry to the bone, so was the air. It was already hot for the morning hour, and the two began to grow fatigued and sweaty. Francis looked up, there had seem to be less pine trees than there was. The sky was as blue as his own tunic and the leafs on the trees were as green as the moss growing on the logs and twigs around them.

"Arthur, where are we going? Are we heading back to the orphanage..?" He finally asked after moments of hesitating.

"No. I'm finding somewhere else better to stay, and you're going to come with me." Arthur had answered back to him, he sounded less cold and careless than how he did yesterday afternoon. Up ahead, the road had suddenly stopped at the very end. It was blocked by shrubs, bushes, and small saplings. Soon then, Francis and Arthur came to their stop. Francis went to turn back around and head back to the small village, but Arthur soon stops him by grabbing his hand. "Hold it now, why don't we go through it?"

"How?.."

"Just watch and follow me." He gently dragged him through the twigs of the shrubs and bushes. Francis felt small thorns scraping his legs and tunic, as soon they made out he began rubbing his legs. "Oww, why couldn't we had gone another way?" He whined, when he looked at his stubby finger tips they were stained with bits of blood. It was red like a ripe apple, he yelped as Arthur suddenly turned around to examine his small cuts. Using his dark lime cloak, Arthur used the edge to wipe the blood and prevented anymore bleeding coming out. Soon the pain had gone away as Arthur wiped the small tears off of his friend's eyes. The two soon began to be distracted by something else.. they were no longer in the dark and mysterious wood. There was a dusty maroon road, lied on the other side was a few trees and shrubs that revealed the Seine river. Everything now had suddenly began to be so calm and peaceful at this moment. The two ran over towards the river and began putting their hands and sometimes their feet into the water, washing the dirt and icky mud and leafs off of their feet. The water was cool to such touch, after a few moments they had made it to dry grassy land. Their eyes began to explore the new surrounding, they couldn't tell where the road was heading to in either direction. On the other side of the Seine appeared to be another small village. Rooftops were seen from afar behind the trees.

"Arthur, look! I think we found somewhere else to stay!" Francis exclaimed as he pointed to the other side of the Seine.

Arthur looked around, "Yeah.. but where are we going to find a bridge to get across?" The two looked around them, all that was seen was the dirt road and the small bamboo trees aside it. There was now a gentle breeze that began to gently stroke them, up ahead the dirt road seemed to have curved off to the right. Arthur began to notice the sudden change in the road's direction, "Maybe it's over there.." They began to walk down to where the road eventually lead them, patches of the sun's ray touched the two. It was a pleasant warm welcome to them, and the breeze cooled them off to such touch. The trees suddenly came to clearing end, and the road led to a nearby old bridge. Passing through were travelers on their horses and men carrying sacks of hay and supplies with them in wagons. Watching them go by, Francis and Arthur followed along to the village that lied on the other side of the Seine. They walked quickly, eager to get to their soon-to-be new home. Once they finally made it to the other side, Francis and Arthur began to examine their new surroundings. Around them were peasant farmers, going about their daily business of working at home and in the French fields. Only thing left to do now, was explore...

Vulaines-sur-Seine

A few hours had passed, now striking eleven in the morning. Francis and Arthur had hit the quiet parts of the village, there weren't a lot of people to be seen now expect passing by strangers with their children or stray dogs. It was too quiet, the two of them were secretly waiting for something to happen, like the calm before a big storm.

"..Doesn't it feel weird around here to you, or what?" Arthur asked.

"It's too quiet, that's for sure." Francis whispered, looking around. "It seems everyone has suddenly gone on a break.." Suddenly, the sound of silence was disturbed by distant shouting. The boys jumped and began huddling close out of human instinct. The shouting seem to be coming from behind the bushes next to them. Someone must live here. They peaked through the small branches of the bush, there was a peasant who's face couldn't be seen and another. Francis and Arthur quietly began to watch the disturbance of peace.

"Lavender skin? That means you are Satan's minion! You're a witch!"

"Mademoiselle, I am no witch.. please hear me out!"

"I just saw you blow kisses to another woman, that's unholy and indecent!"

They rambled on and on. Soon then, it began to die down.. followed by the shrill shrieking coming from one of the two, once again disturbing the silence. Out from the bushes was an old peasant woman, she ran down the the dusty old road. The ran so quickly that the boys couldn't make out her face, then silence fell once more. They looked back, a gate door seemed to be open at left the side of the front yard. The two began to take a look inside beyond the bushes, there stood a young lady.. the peasant. Her body seemed to be fit, and her wavy strawberry blonde hair ran from her scalp down to waist. She was turned to her behind, so her face couldn't be seen, on her head was a white bonnet. Francis approached her as she began sweeping the floor, continuously examining the lady. Arthur followed behind him, watching his every movement. The two suddenly froze in place once she turned around, she soon began to grab attention towards the children. Her nose was perky and had a tint of pink at the very bottom, her eyes were as baby blue as the sky it'self, her shape was round and prominent. She seemed to have dark circles from lack of sleep, the poor thing must to have worked so hard her a while. The edge of her lips were as rich and were in a neat bow shape, pink as her cheeks.

"Sorry mademoiselle, we're just passing through! Honest!" Francis suddenly backed away.

The woman softly smiled, "No need to apologize, I really don't mind new company after what that woman had said to me.." She continued to sweep the floors. Francis smiled and began to explore the garden, Arthur stood by the woman and watched Francis. He looked up at the young lady and gently tugged her dirty gown, making her attention turn to Arthur as she put her broom aside. The two stared at each other for a few moments before Arthur lifted his arms, asking to be held in her arms. "Aww, aren't you a cute little one!" She exclaimed as she picked Arthur up. Francis came back over to Arthur and the young peasant lady, after some time exploring the garden. She then set Arthur down as he ran back to Francis, he seemed to be in a much better mood than he was before. Francis approached the young peasant lady, the two now looking up at her. Francis curtsied before introducing himself.

"I'm Francis, and this is Arthur. We are the abandoned children from Paris."

Arthur interrupted, "But Francis, we didn't came from Paris." Francis glared at Arthur before continuing with his "proper" introduction to the woman.

"Anyways, what might be your name, mademoiselle?" He asked. The young lady curtsied, "I'm Anais, a pleasure. Aren't your parents with you, mes petites?" The question had suddenly driven Francis and Arthur into some kind of gloomy state, I guess she didn't hear them the first time. Anais' smile faded to a more.. concerned expression the minute she saw the light in the children go out. Francis held himself back from being choked up, as the two of them tried to find the exact words and a way to respond. Arthur stood silent, the hurtful memory of yesterday was brought back. He couldn't cry, nor could he express his anger, all he could feel was emptiness and confusion. Francis rubbed Arthur's back as took a deep breath before explaining. Anais knelt down before them and began to listen to a short-story unfold in front of her. "They abandoned us, we have no where else to stay or go, the orphanage didn't do my friend here good either.. so we ran away." Francis began, pausing briefly to comfort Arthur; who was beginning to silently weep. "Please tell no one, all I wish for someone to take care of us.." He held Arthur close, Anais was taken aback by the sudden sorrowful vibe from the two. She hesitated to accept the offer, or leave them to rot. But no, she just couldn't, it would be immoral. After a few moments of thinking this over, Anais gave the children a big hug, in an attempt to bring back the cheerful atmosphere among them.

"Poor things, do not worry. I'll do my best to take care of you, as a mother, a sister, a best friend." She began, "I would give anything up for you two, I will keep my promises to stay with you.." They all hugged close, it appears that everything had happened so quickly by then. No longer abandoned, but now suddenly reunited with a stranger some may call a witch. But not Francis and Arthur, she was no witch after all. She was given a new title..

"We love you nana, we promise to treat you well."