Chapter 4- Soot on Snow.
The honey colored eyes were intelligent and quick, taking in everything. The hair above the eyes was long and tawny, pulled back into small ribbon. The skin of the hand that was holding hers was tan and slightly callused, but not like a workers, and he wore a white billowed shirt that danced in the breeze. Liana realized she was staring, as did the boy, and he dropped her hand as if it were a snake.
"I am sorry Miss, I hope I did not hurt you." he said, quickly bowing.
"You, hurt me? I doubt it." she glared at him
"I am Aiden. What is your name?" he asked politely.
"What's it to you?" she snapped and started off to the house.
"I just wanted to know who was watching me." he replied. At this Liana spun around and looked him full in the face.
"I wasn't watching you! I was merely wondering who was making all that racket, and scaring the horses. Actually, I was just about to go up there and tell you and those ridiculous rag dolls to sew your mouths shut"
"Ah." said Aiden, amused. "Then you should finish your task and go tell them just that."
"Oh. They've quieted down now, so I suppose I don't need to." Liana quickly said.
"No, no. I believe they have possibly gotten louder. I think you should definitely go and tell them off. That is, if you aren't too scared."
"Are you kidding? I'll even go and tell the captain!" Liana pushed past him and strutted across the yard. Her steps became smaller as she got closer to the party, and practically became tiptoes by the time she reached the captain, who was yelling directions to his men. "I do not back down from a challenge." she whispered to herself.
"Sir, could you please quiet down?" she squeaked, terrified.
Elias didn't even her over the loud cheering of the men who had just learned they could go home early, leaving himself and Aiden there to wait for the horse to finish getting shoed.
"Oye!" he heard a high voice yell, from somewhere around his knees. "Shut your bloody trap!" Elias looked down and saw a small girl with the face of an angel staring back at him, jaw set, hands on hips. Her face was like a patch of new snow, with a small streak of black soot running from her nose to her cheek. Her hair was like a fountain of gold, cascading down her back. She was like a picture. A picture he had seen before. She looked just like her mother.
