Week 1. explore forest
word count: 904
Lucius didn't know why the forest was off limits. It always had been ever since he was little. As a teenager he'd go near the border, across the hill and stare at the threes and at leaves. They were beautiful. He'd tried once to go round around it, but it had proven a tedious task. It was big and large, he couldn't possibly walk around it. He'd been nice and listened to everyone in the village warning him off, but the forest had always called to him, ever since he'd first seen it.
He was a mere boy of five years and he'd kicked his ball too hard and it'd gone ahead of the hill. He'd kicked it on purpose, for he'd never been allowed over the hill. Only adults were allowed to go past it. It had been beautiful, the most beautiful thing he'd seen.
That was why today, today he'd been going into the forest. He was a man now, not a little boy any longer. He would explore the foresta and come back home to show everyone how foolish they were from staying away from the forest.
He grasped his backpack and took a step forward. It was the time. And when he finally did it, it felt like magic. He was perfectly united in harmony with nature.
Lucius wished he'd entered it sooner. There was no better way to describe it. The smells and aromas were divine. Little birds could be heard all around, coming and going above the trees. The bushes were bursting with life.
He would need some cunning, but he knew for sure that he could convince his family to follow his path into the forest. He briefly thought about going back to them and show them that nothing had happened, but decided against it.
Lucius went near a tree. It was a chestnut and it was tall and proud. He lightly touched it. It felt rough against his hand, but not unpleasant. He'd never touched a tree before. They didn't have trees in the village. Not even one. Just grass. A pretty boring and disgraceful grass. The trees had something special, he could feel it.
He walked aimlessly, just enjoying the sounds the forest made. It felt such an adventure. When he heard the bubbling of a river, Lucius turned his feet almost automatically towards that direction. It would feel good to take a swim under the shadows of light coming from the sun through the dense tree leaves. And he also felt so thirsty.
However, when he got there, Lucius found that he wasn't the only one down by the river. In front of him there was the most beautiful….woman, no woman seemed far too little, a goddess he'd ever seen. She had long white blondish hair and grey eyes that stared into his soul. She was gorgeous.
"Hello, stranger," she spoke and Lucius found her voice the most beautiful sound he'd heard. "What brings you to the forest? You look from the village. I've never seen anyone here from the village."
Lucius frowned. Of course not. They were all idiotic fools who thought they knew better. But he was the one who knew better.
"I am, I have come here to explore and return to them, proving that they were wrong." He turned his head up and gestured with his hands around him. "It's beautiful."
"Yes, it is," he heard her say and when he brought his head back he found her watching him with an expression he couldn't quite place. "It's also lonely. Just my sisters and I. Would you like to stay for a while?"
Her voice carried around like a song to his ears. He found himself nodding, even if he knew that if he stayed more, the people would notice his absence. But then, some more hours in the company of the girl in front of him couldn't hurt. She could show him the forest some more.
"What is your name?"
She smiled at him. "Narcissa. What about you handsome?"
"Lucius," he replied blushing. "Lucius Malfoy. I do indeed live in the village, but I can definitely stay for a bit longer in the company of a such beautiful lady."
She grinned at him and he felt his cheeks go redder.
"A smooth talker, you are. Come, I will show you the forest while we head for my house."
He blinked in surprise. "You really live in the forest?"
Without turning back at him, she nodded. "Not only I live in the forest, Lucius. You will soon see."
He frowned. She said it so mysterious, he wondered why, was the forest full of beautiful women like her?
"Don't worry, Lucius," her voice called to him, "you'll like it where I take you."
Lucius could only nod and follow her, moving further and further away from the village and its people.
They walked for a long time and Lucius didn't know if he was supposed to pay attention to her beauty or the wonders of the forest. He wondered again if he was going to meet other beautiful women such as her.
He'd been destined to enter the forest today, of that he was certain. All the reasons that had stopped him until then had been so today would be possible. For Lucius could see his life reflected in her beautiful grey eyes. They held the promise of the future.