Once upon a time, there was a Godly valley with mountains that could touch the sky and trees that cast long shadows. The people who live in the small mountain town are hardworking and happy, so long as they never stray into the forest where the wolves lurk in the darkness. Adults brave the trees in groups to hunt the vicious pack as they have for decades, the conflict is deep with no sign of victory for either side. But wolves are not the only threat, nor the village's only secret - and the link connecting them is a simple cloak of Red ...
Every night, from the highest peak of the uninhabited mountains, a single Wolf howls to the good folk of the valley – as a warning, as a message, and as a reminder of what they did:
"Beware, beware, the Path where the Witch once stood. Beware, beware, of the Wolf in the Wood."
(1) Direct continuation from chapter 4
When Aerith spotted the man peering through her kitchen window she gasped and pulled on Elmyra's arm to take her attention away from their supplies. "Elmyra!" she pointed.
Startled but outraged, the middle aged woman marched forwards with a large basket of market goods on her arm and sharply snapped "What do you think you're doing young man!"
The young man flinched and stood up straight to face the angry woman coming at him and the young lady trailing behind a little bemused but mostly nervous. He glanced between them then hesitantly bowed in greeting "Forgive me, no one was answering the door, I was just looking for the people who live here."
Elmyra crossed her arms "That would be us, you better not have been looking for something to steal, or so help me I'll tan your hide!"
Aerith blushed embarrassed for the man and for her maid who had jumped to conclusions. "E-Elmyra, I'm sure he has a reason. Besides, he's too well dressed for a thief, and what crook carries a basket with them?" she pointed out in a rush, both sets of eyes on her.
The man smiled slightly in relief, his face controlled and his hair slicked back and resting over his shoulders. Both hair and eyes were a deep brown and he had a strange little birthmark in the middle of his forehead that made his brow and jaw look sharp and his face oddly symmetrical. His expressions were controlled, his features barely moving between smiling and polite composure.
He took a step back so the wicker basket had centre stage and kept his eyes on Aerith "Only a foolish thief, I'm sure. But I wanted to welcome you and your family here, I thought some firewood would be a nice housewarming gift."
Aerith didn't try to hide her delight and clapped her hands "Just what we needed!"
Elmyra bore a suitably sheepish expression and gave a hurried apology before inviting the man inside to share a drink. "I'll get the Master from his study, if he didn't hear the door he must have fallen asleep again," she tutted, putting her basket on the table and only pausing a moment to see the young man start to stack the chopped wood by the fireplace. She sent him an impressed expression before disappearing to find her employer.
When she went upstairs Aerith pulled off her cloak and hung it over the back of a chair "That was very thoughtful of you."
The man sent her a small smile and spoke at a level pitch with a factual tone to his words "I saw your friend looking for wood earlier and thought it would be a good way to start a good relation with the new neighbours."
Aerith laughed shortly at the contradiction that had happened in the recent past. "Please forgive us, we were caught by surprise … you're our neighbour?"
The man stood and dusted his hands of splinters and sawdust "Yes, I live in the Dyke House, across the road and three to the right."
With a frown Aerith asked "Why is it called the Dyke?"
Chuckling briefly, he sighed "It's not very flattering is it?" he leaned against the hearth "To my understanding a dyke used to be on the land before the house and the name stuck, like most of the house names. Lilly House is far more pleasant a name, better story too."
"What is it?" Aerith inquired at once.
"Apparently, the first owner had the best garden in town but after many weather disasters, frosts, rains, storms, the only thing that survived time and again were the lilies." He crossed his arms and looked a bit gruff as the sentimental story left his mouth as if to restore some manliness to his image.
With a look of longing Aerith sighed "I wish the garden was still there …"
"Lots of land was given to property building when the town expanded," her guest offered as an explanation, looked mildly unsure as to how to answer her wish. When he began to roll his shoulders uncomfortably Aerith decided to speak again.
"Thank you for the wood, Elmyra will appreciate it."
He bowed "My pleasure, Miss?"
"Aerith," she held a hand out with the intention to shake but he took it and brought it to his lips she flushed uncontrollably red.
"Aerith. I'm Tseng Agent, pleasure to meet you."
Speechless for a moment Aerith was never more relieved to hear footsteps on the stairs, his intense eyes were making her blush harder and he had not released her hand either. She noted the strong and reassuring grip his careful hold had on her palm and the hesitation he had before he let her go, they both took a small step back to disguise their private moment and Aerith rubbed her fingers with uneasy agitation – she hadn't expected the potent look and the weight of his eyes on her, it made her heart beat faster.
With another shy smile she stepped to the stairs to greet her Father who had indeed fallen asleep at his desk because there were backwards words scrawled across his cheek in ink, she pulled out her handkerchief and rubbed insistently at them. "I hope you managed to work a bit before you took a nap, Father!"
Patting her shoulder as she worked he let out a gruff laugh "I'm afraid not as much as I should have done, my Darling. Elmyra told me that we had a guest- ah, there you are!" he greeted, stepping forwards to exchange a firm handshake with Tseng "I am professor Gast Faremis, pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Tseng nodded, his face cool and schooled and not a sign of his inner thoughts breaching the surface. "And you, sir. I am Tseng Agent. I live across from you and to the right, I had hoped to introduce myself soon. Your move has been a popular topic."
Gast chuckled again and adjusted his glasses "My, small towns do talk. This will have to be something we get used to, right Aerith?"
"Right!"
Elmyra stepped past and set in motion the stages for a new fire "Mr Agent kindly gave us some wood as a gift," she patted the newly stacked wood piles happily.
Gast's eyebrows rose and a smile so large all his laugh lines stood out on his face. "Indeed!" he clapped his hands together "Very helpful of you, young man, I only wish we had something to give you in return. Any ideas, Darling?"
Aerith barely put a hand to her cheek in thought when Tseng made a politely dismissive gesture "There is no need, I was happy to help. I got what I wanted in doing so," he met Aerith's eyes for a brief second "Meeting you all officially, and being one of the first to do so was my intention behind the gift."
The maid stood up "Nonsense! I know a good deed when I see one, and this was as selfless as they come, right Aerith?" she smiled a little too cheerily at her and Aerith let out a small undignified squeak at being put on the spot so suddenly.
"M-maybe one of my herb pouches will be payment enough?" she offered at last, unable to bring herself to answer that question with Elmyra looking at her so strangely and Tseng bringing an entirely different mood to the normally airy and fun conversations that had always occurred until this afternoon. A stern and strong presence that instructed conversation like a marching parade of soldiers all smart and heroic.
Tseng looked a little interested "A herb pouch?"
Aerith nodded "They're only little," she measured with her fingers about an inch apart "Scraps of linin and lavender, wheat and mint- I find they help me concentrate if I inhale after drifting into boredom," she indulged her guest in a little information, unable to completely hide her passion for the properties of flowers and leaves.
After a thoughtful pause he requested one, much to Aerith's surprise. She produced one from a pot in the small stone bathroom and handed it to him still a little stunned that he would find such a thing appealing. He inhaled it as he left the house, another small smile passing his lips before he bid them good day and left to resume his wood cutting.
Elmyra and Aerith watched him leave and Aerith quickly sat down, feeling peculiar and a little anxious with her recent emotional avalanche. Elmyra sent her another smug smile and put a kettle over the newly burning fire "He was handsome, wasn't he?" she spoke when the Master had gone back to his notes.
Aerith blinked "Oh? I didn't notice," she said surprised. I suppose he was quite handsome … he certainly wasn't ugly, and his manners were sound. He definitely looked strong and hardworking. She pondered her thoughts quietly before saying, "I'm glad he was forgiving of our mistaken assumption."
Elmyra nodded, her pleased expression breaking form for an instant to wince at her rash scolding "Ah, it was a mistake. But thankfully it must have meant nothing to him, he didn't comment or withdraw his gift."
"I'm glad, it's nice to be in a warm kitchen. I wonder if he sells wood or … do you think he'd let us chop some?"
The older woman snorted "You? Or me? Or you Father even?" she laughed with a hint of scorn at her suggestion "Don't be silly, girl, that's man's work."
Aerith looked confused "Father is a man-"
"He's an educated man, Miss Aerith, they're a different breed. Never had to swing and axe until their hands were raw or beat a hide until furless in their life." She watched the flames "It would be nice to have a strong man in the house. Maybe if you continue to be nice to him he will keep gifting us with wood."
Her strange smile was back and Aerith leaned away, slightly scandalised, squeaking "Why does it depend on me?"
"I think he found you charming, Aerith."
Aerith turned pink and her hands flew to her face in an emotion torn between horror and shock "Are you asking me to charm him for firewood!"
Elmyra shook her head alarmed "No, no!" she sighed "Dear me, this would be easier if you were a Catholic girl and thinking about marriage-"
"Marriage!" Aerith's voice cracked and she leapt from her seat and moved across the kitchen as if Elmyra had threatened to tie her hand right this second. Mortified and alarmed she began to babble "I don't want to be married! Not now, I'm not ready to be with child-"
The older woman caught Aerith tightly in her grip and shook her shoulders gently to shift away some of the panic she was working up for herself. "Aerith please! Let me explain, I forgot you haven't been converted yet. No, I meant a Catholic marriage. It isn't consummation that seals a couple, it's a ceremony of promises before witnesses and a celebration or feast afterwards, the … intimate stuff occurs later, in private."
Aerith blinked "Oh …"
Elmyra sighed and patted her on her head "Forgive me for startling you. I forgot that your Mother's way of marriage was a bit more primal." She spoke as if the word left a sour taste in her mouth.
Aerith relaxed "Oh, I see … so, what did you mean before I panicked?" she asked timidly, unsure if she wanted to know.
Elmyra chuckled "Don't look so anxious, child, I was jesting about the marriage part. But I was serious about you considering potential suitors for your future, Tseng likes you and we can tell already that he's a strong worker, and those are good qualities in a husband." She ran a hand over Aerith's hair "I just want you to find the best husband, who will love you and care for you as if you were a Prince's daughter."
"That's a lovely thought," Aerith admitted, wondering if she should start to consider such things – she had always been too interested in plants to notice passing young men, first too young and ignorant, and then mature but disinterested. To be treated like a Prince's daughter sounded like the stories her Mother used to tell her about beautiful women who men begged not to raise a hand in work to spoil their lovely skin, or Goddesses who were striking and strong and commanded many men with merely a look. Could she ever be like that? Was it practical? Did she want that in her future?
Maybe Elmyra's right, I'm too caught up in books and plants like Father and Mother, I don't think about the future.
She hesitantly met her maid's eyes "Do you want me to marry Tseng?"
Elmyra shook her head "No, not at the moment, he has made a good first impression but he is still a stranger to us on the whole, perhaps once we know him better our attitudes will change. But a little romance and a few pleasant conversations with a man who thinks you are beautiful would be a wonderful thing."
She picked out several cups to make tea and stood by the kettle that was starting to glow with heat "If you find yourself another young man who is more agreeable then I would like to see you forming a connection with him instead, but Tseng is the first we have met and I can already tell he is quite taken with you. I thought I would jest with you, but it seems I went too far, forgive me?"
Aerith sat beside her and nodded "It was a misunderstanding," she agreed, letting Elmyra take her hands and waiting for her thankful, relieved sigh to pass before continuing, "And I don't think I will be thinking much about marriage, or about making connections with men who want to court me in the near future, I'm happy with our family being just us three. Our move is all the change I can handle at the moment," she admitted.
Elmyra put an arm around her "You are wise beyond your years." They sat in companionable silence until the kettle brewed. Aerith watched the flames and nudged her feet towards their warmth, what a strange day it had been. Each person she met as unique as each flame and yet so similar too – mountain born and raised, they each fit into their surroundings like flowers in the grass and fish in the sea. She felt her tiredness catch up with her and wondered what tomorrow would bring.
Privately, she hoped to explore the town some more, even though she would likely be teased for it, she could ask Tseng if he could give her a tour. There was still so much to see of the new town, and new names to learn and even the warren of alleyways and paths to memorise. If he was too busy maybe the Vicar or even the butcher's wife whose name they never caught could show her a few places. In any case, she was sure a lot more was to be discovered tomorrow than there was today.
(2) "Prince's Daughter" not King's as a clue to the location of the town - The German states before they united into Modern Day Germany, each state was ruled by a Lord, Bishop or Prince, and each swore an oath of alliance to the Emperor. - though my story is not set in a specific time in History, it does have a place and the location is important for historical accuracy.
(3) No hating on Elmyra please, she's a character with flaws and that's why she's so good to write about and so easy to form an opinion on, but she still loves Aerith dearly and her rough attitude with Aerith's Paganism is not out of spite.
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