Part of me wanted to wait, but the other was screaming to give this to you. I hope you enjoy! And maybe a while before updates as I'm trying to think of what other of my wips to work on. Or I might continue with this, since it's seeming to be short compared to my other works.

Jack was tired, carefully making his way back to the woods where he had hidden for so long. It was the best place for him to be, as humans did not often come by here so he was safe from prying eyes when he wasn't doing his usual rounds. Well—all humans but one—however she had not come anywhere near the forest since her fiancé had been with her. This made him worried and his thoughts wandered as he walked through the early night. Had she read his letter? He wondered what she thought of it, if she even deigned to respond. It had only been a day, after all, though part of him was hoping she had seen it. He laughed at his own thoughts; what was happening to him? So consumed by her were his thoughts lately, he hadn't even focused on the reason he had come here in the first place!

Admittedly the monarch did not truly want to return to the task at hand; his worsening depression, her plight slowly shifting his focus as the days went by. If only he could find a way to stem this displeasure; there had to be something he could do! Well, the thought of her smiling face and bright eyes certainly made him feel much better. But he could not be with her; it simply wasn't an option, as they were too different. Yet he yearned for her, wanting to caress her soft hair and hold her in his thin arms, and wanted her to be happy. But can you make her happy? He sighed, unsure of what to do, shuffling along the windy path and moving leaves in his wake. It was getting to be late; he would wager it was already October, and yet he had no real idea how to regain the passion he once held for his beloved Holiday. Or how to deal with his feelings for the human woman.

He had never really felt such apprehension before, possibly only when he was worried one of his Halloween tricks wouldn't go off as splendidly as he had hoped. But for the poor young woman he had begun to feel a gamut of things, one after the other, that worried him and concerned him. She really needed some help, and he was determined to fix her own horrible situation before settling on the task at hand! It was his duty as a king and gentleman, to see to it that a lady never be left in distress after all. Well, that was what he told himself, at least. To be honest, he was unsure about how to feel for the young woman, an odd mix of something erupting in his chest every time he thought of her pale face and spectacle wearing eyes. Burying his skull in his hands despondently, the skeleton made to sit on a stump he wandered across, tired and weary from thinking so much.

Feeling something poking at him from where he sat, he quickly stood up, examining the stump. Thanks to his excellent vision, he easily noticed the folded piece of paper as well as the scent coming from it. It was her; she had come by probably very recently to drop off this letter. But how had she known to put it here? She probably didn't, he mused, guessing she simply put it somewhere where it couldn't be blown away. He looked at the note with rapt curiosity, his hands trembling as he unfolded it, carefully pulling it out from where it was hidden inside the tree trunk. Again, he felt his rib cage nearly swell with something he could not name as it spread through his bones. Anxiety or apprehension, perhaps?

My dear Guardian,

When I received your letter, I was overcome with an emotion I cannot describe. No one, not even my fiancé, has spoken to me in such an adoring way before. Your kindness is refreshing to me, and I wish to know more about you. If it is possible, can we meet? I know you said that you cannot, but I would very much like to, just once! I do not need to see you; I wish to simply talk—tell you about my confusing and conflicting feelings. If you wish to do so, please meet me in the wheat field where a scarecrow looks out over the village. I shall wait for you. Please feel no pressure to respond to my desperate whims. I do hope you will appear; or show me some sign of your presence. Even if you do not, know that I still treasure the letter you sent me, a tiny light in this dark time of my life. Thank you for looking out for me as you have been.

Your Lonely Charge,

Emeline

He actually felt nervous, his phantom heart thudding against his ribs. She wished to meet him, and was probably waiting for him. This gave him a renewed burst of energy, imagining her smiling face as she finally beheld him, her dark eyes no longer plagued with despair, but something resembling happiness. She had also signed her name to the letter; and what a beautiful name it was! He found it certainly suited her, even saying it aloud a few times so far to get used to the sound of it on his tongue. It made him even more ashamed that he had missed her come by, busy watching over the general populace of the village as he had been that day.

He felt concerned, wondering if he should have maybe checked to see if she had made it to the spot safely. Well, there was still time—it was not that late out yet—if he ran he could probably make it despite how far out in the woods he was. He put the letter away, making sure to keep it somewhere it would not get damaged. He looked up at the night sky then, noticing the moon and how close it was to rising fully in the sky. A smile crossed his skull then; he was glad for that. He wanted to meet with her as soon as possible. And he dared hope she did as well.

With that thought in his mind, he ran as fast he could from the spot where he stood, praying he could make it. When he had finally reached the spot, he realized she was nowhere to be found. The skeleton was excited and partially worried he had gotten there before her; probably due to his superior sight and the fact that he was quickly becoming familiar with the terrain all round the village. He grinned in relief as he saw her figure soon emerge from the tree line, easily able to spot it from his perch.

At that moment, he realized maybe it was best for him to use the disguise he had donned while scouting out the village. Jack quickly set to work on stuffing himself inside the scarecrow, making sure all his otherworldly limbs and appendages were concealed with the cloth and straw that covered the scarecrow's exterior, though it was less well done than he would have liked. It would have to do however; he couldn't risk scaring the daylights out of the poor woman he so desperately wanted to meet! It wasn't long before she took her familiar place at the scarecrows side, and he felt his chest tighten at seeing her slightly despondent and worried face...

She was nervous as she slipped out of the shadows of the woods, being careful not to get any more of her clothes caught on branches or brambles that were in her way. Had the being possibly gotten her letter? She wasn't sure and part of her was calling herself foolish for even thinking up the idea in the first place. Doubts like these plagued her as she made her way to the assigned meeting place, ignoring the feeling of the cold night air as it nipped at her exposed skin. Oh, maybe I was a tad rash about this whole idea...Running off like that wasn't the best of plans, I admit. But to her at the time it had seemed to be the best option. Maybe she was just tired; her brain overworked and buzzing about with ideas that she really should have paid no mind. She shrugged, understanding that she was in too deep to simply turn back now. She might as well wait and see if the being would respond to her letter.

She simply stood there alone in the field, next to the scarecrow she had grown oddly comfortable with in the past few days, her heart pounding from anxiety and worry. What if she was simply delusional? There was no spirit, someone mean had simply written the letter and maybe a villager carried her back home, and she had gotten caught up in the villagers misinformed hysteria. She sighed, putting a hand to her face, muttering to herself forlornly.

"Oh, how insane I must seem, standing out here like this! Still, the spirit has to show up, it has to…! I will find it."

She felt a clawed hand touch her shoulder then, it's pointed fingers seeming to grab her and pull her closer towards the supposedly inanimate scarecrow. The sudden touch made her jump slightly, her knees starting to shake as a noise of fright escaped her lips. She swore she heard a soft chuckle then, from somewhere near her right ear, a breath tickling the back of her neck. Her heart nearly stopped as she understood what that meant; someone had followed her!

"You're not insane at all, my dear…"

The sound of a voice, deep and masculine like nothing she had heard before nearly made her jump again, so close to her ear that it was. She felt her body stiffen then, partially out of reflex. Attempting to take a few deep breaths to calm herself did little good, she found she was still startled by the being's sudden appearance. What if it was the spirit, waiting for her? No, it was probably one of the villagers tricking her into making a mistake. So they could see her gone from the village, locked up where she supposedly 'belonged' for not fitting in. Part of her wanted to believe it was the spirit, that it had been here all along, waiting for her to come back to this spot. The creature interrupted her thoughts before she could sort them out, it's voice sending a shiver down her spine as it talked. It was quite soothing, the way it calmly spoke, and she found its warm breath getting rid of the chill that was on her neck and part of her shoulder.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry! I just wanted to comfort you, and let you know where I was hiding without drawing too much attention...You've looked so forlorn every time I've seen you. It breaks my heart, knowing someone as kind and caring as yourself has been treated so horribly…"

She heard a deep sigh erupt from its mouth then, its hand slowly moving away from her shoulder to rest as its side once more. Despite herself she found she craved its touch, now cold from where it's warm appendage had been touching her body with utmost care. It was one of the first few times she had been touched in such an endearing way lately, and she wanted more of it. Yet it started to speak again before she could voice her thoughts, though she was still internally struggling whether to admit to such a thing or not in front of this strange being. If it was truly the spirit at all, though from what it had admitted she was inclined to believe it.

"I honestly didn't mean to scare you; are you quite alright?"

She heard the voice say again, still too absorbed in her own thoughts to respond, this time realizing it was coming from the large carved pumpkin that served as its head. It was a rich, deep sound, like velvet, comforting in its words, and she felt she could trust it, though a voice in the back of her mind was warning her against just that. What if the spirit was simply there to trick her, it warned? She didn't care, paying her doubts little mind, as she turned her head to try and face the spirit, wanting to see exactly who it was she was speaking with. It was indeed the pumpkin headed scarecrow, it's face carved into its usual grin as the large holes it had for eyes regarded her curiously. So it wasn't going to show itself to her. That was fine she supposed; most spirits did resort to trickery for their own safety. Humans could be crafty after all, and greedy, and so very cruel...It was simply protecting itself after all; and compared to the humans she had come across thus far in her life, this spirit was downright gentlemanly.

"Oh, no...I'm quite alright. I simply wasn't expecting you to be s-so nice or...caring…"

She hesitantly answered it, hinting at her true thoughts toward the being while trying to stay as polite as she was able. The figure titled its head at that, its other free hand seeming to point at its own straw like body.

"Haha, I see. Well, considering what horrible things have befallen you thus far, I do understand your skepticism…If you do not trust me, I take no real offense to it. I will gain your goodwill in time, if you would let me."

The scarecrow almost seemed to bow on the pole, it's midsection dropping down slightly as it's pumpkin head reached her shoulder level from where she was sitting. It stared at her, and she felt an impulse to stare back, locking into the carved holes it had for eyes.

"But please, miss, you have nothing to fear from me. Unlike your...suitor…I have no ulterior motives. I wish to simply talk and get to know you better, as we discussed in our letters."

"I can be quite frightening and—as silly as it sounds, I didn't want to scare you. My true form...seems to unsettle most humans I come across. So I used this disguise."

She nodded, understanding why it had to be cautious. She took a deep breath then, kneading her hands on her dress. The figure was patient with her, waiting for her to get her composure back in order before she spoke to it again.

"Well, since we are both here, I don't mind talking. You certainly seem cordial enough...What exactly did you have in mind?"

"Ah, well...Introductions are certainly important! In my haste I admit I had forgotten to give you my name. I am called Jack. Pleased to meet you properly!"

She nodded at it—well, his introduction, still truly not too sure of what to think. Part of her was wary of giving out her name; if this truly was a spirit or fae, then names held much power for them. Or at least that was what she understood. Well, it—maybe it was a he, going by the name he gave—had been honest with her this far, and he seemed quite kind, so she decided to be cordial and also comply. She stood up then, patting dirt off of her dress before bowing to the scarecrow—despite the odd lurch her stomach did as she felt her face flush slightly. Probably from the cold wind, she mused.

"N-nice to meet you as well, sir Jack! My name is...Emeline. I do hope that we might get along."

She noticed him shift a bit when she used the title, almost looking pensive or confused at her word choice. She simply blinked at the scarecrow, who gently took one of her hands in his talons, wrapping his long fingers around her skin. He was warm to the touch—possibly from being filled with straw— and she found that he was gentle despite having claw like hands, as they did not nick or poke the skin as they ran across her hand to stop at her wrist. The expression the pumpkin head gave her was almost pleading in nature as he locked eyes with her, and she swore she could see something inside the gourd that might have been his real head move.

"I'd like you to be comfortable when you're talking to me. Please, simply Jack will do. I would very much like to know you better as well—you seem quite interesting!"

Her skin tingled where he touched it, like an electric current running through her body. She felt him tug on her wrist softly, helping guide her down to the ground once more as he slipped off of the pole standing him upright so the pair could both sit comfortably, another one of his lanky arms wrapping around her shoulder. His touch was delicate—so unlike Rowland's—as if he feared he might break her for holding her too tightly, his claws barely ghosting along her shoulder blade. He was being considerate of her, she understood, not wanting to overstep his boundaries and it made something start to blossom in her chest; a feeling she was slowly growing more accustomed to as time went on. His hand left her as soon as she righted her dress on the ground, his head turned away while she smoothed out her hem, as if he was embarrassed. She took this time to speak, though she found her gaze never left the odd pumpkin wearing scarecrow.

"Well, you know I draw and enjoy taking small walks through the forest. Do you have anything of the sort that you enjoy doing?"

A clawed finger tapped against the pumpkin then, as if he was deep in thought. It took him a few moments before he replied.

"Hobbies, hmm? Well, I like to—how to put it—conduct scientific experiments in my free time. I love understanding how things work!"

She felt her heart skip a beat, noticing the change in his tone and uplift in his voice. Though she wasn't very scientifically minded herself—those things had always eluded her no matter how hard she tried to study them—she thought herself a logical person despite her artistic vision. So she could understand his excitement at finding out the ways the world worked. It was interesting to see what lay behind all the mundane things in life, what made them look or feel the way they did.

"Is that so? I would very much like to hear about them, if you would be inclined to tell me!"

"O-oh...are you certain!? Well...Sure! I was busy working on some particularly interesting ideas before I left to come here…"

She listened intently to him talk for a while about some experiments he had done recently; something about using pumpkins for materials, and another about the properties of...frogs? She wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly. The finer details were difficult for her to grasp, and some of the words unfamiliar to her, but the enthusiasm in Jack's voice and form were infectious, as she found herself nodding along with him as he spoke. She found herself drawn to the carved out holes that served as his eyes, gazing at them intently as he finished his explanation. It seemed as if he had not noticed the hard stare she was giving him until his words began to falter, locked her onto her own glasses wearing eyes as he did so.

"...It turned out quite well, all things considering! The frogs—they...erm...w-weren't harmed—oh, dear. I s-seem to have...lost my t-train of thought…"

She heard herself chuckle then, which only seemed to focus his attention her way. Despite her earlier hesitations, she found the scarecrow to be quite endearing—she understood now that Jack certainly wasn't a threat to her. No, though she understood he was probably still hiding things from her, for either her own protection or because of some rules she had yet to learn. Wanting to keep the conversation going, she put a finger to her chin, lost in thought before she turned back to her companion, who patiently waited for her to speak.

"So, how do you like our little village?"

"It is a quaint little place. Much like my own town! The people are certainly very lively, haha...I've become quite familiar with it over the last week or so!"

"I see...That's good. It is a nice place, if—well, recently things have…"

She stopped speaking then, her words becoming lost in her throat. She didn't want to burden him with her woes; she had just met him after all. Yet, Jack seemed to be the only, well 'person' she could confide in. Who would listen to her and take her opinions at face value. He seemed to sense her unease, a clawed hand stretching out to offer itself to her, which she gladly took, laying her palm gently in his. He spoke again, and she could sense his hesitation.

"...May I confess something to you? Please don't think me strange, but ever since I came across you and your...despicable fiancé in the forest having that fight, I have watched things unfold! And to say I am concerned about the direction they are taking is an understatement! I…—I've been concerned about your well being this whole time. The things you've gone through...I don't wish to see them repeated."

She was partially shocked at his revelation. Of course she knew he had been watching her; he had admitted to so much in his letter. But for him to openly admit this was a bit of a surprise to the young woman. Yet, she wasn't angry about it; possibly because he was simply worried for her well being. If she had come across what had occurred in the forest with her fiancé with another, she certainly would have tried to figure out what the issue was if she had the means to!

It was a matter of personal morality for her to not leave things alone, more so if people were being hurt by them. Even if she didn't know them that well, she simply couldn't sit and watch as malice befell them! She assumed it was the same with Jack, which made a small smile flit upon her lips then. Her free hand flew to her chest, and she could feel her heart beating rapidly, telling her something she was not ready to admit.

She then felt one of his hands grasp her own again, entwining his much larger fingers in hers. She didn't shy away from his touch, though she was a tad startled, and noticed he had moved closer to her in that time. She could reach out and touch the wiry fabric of his shirt if she wanted; and part of her considered it, wanting to feel his warmth again, even if it was simply because of the straw covering his body.

"I see...I am not mad, per say. Just confused. You don't know me, why do you care so much for me?"

He seemed to falter then, hand trembling underneath her own as it's grip loosened. If she knew any better, she'd probably say he was embarrassed! For that is what it seemed like to her, Jack's gangly limbs shuffling as he tried to position himself on the ground comfortably. One question stood out in her mind in particular. She asked it, chancing on the idea that he would be more receptive to answering now that he had revealed himself and his intent to her.

"So...the other day, when the scarecrow toppled over...That was you?"

She heard the figure inhale sharply then, making her own pulse quicken in her veins. It took him while to respond, Jack's form moving away from hers and out of her reach before his head twitched slightly. His voice wavered a bit, still deep and melodic but a twinge embarrassed. It was kind of adorable, she thought, if she wasn't so mortified herself. He seemed shy, despite his oddly extroverted personality.

"Ah, well…Yes. Yes, that was me. I was doing my cursory overlook of the village when I saw you...You were so sad, and lonely...I—simply didn't want to leave you be. But I knew I could not comfort you, for fear of scaring you again."

She thought back to that time, and felt her face flush horribly at the memory. Her hands had been all over the scarecrow's body, smoothing out its clothes and fixing the straw keeping it filled. The thought of her accidentally touching him in such a manner made her heart quicken in her chest, an odd feeling starting to form in the pit of her stomach that made her slightly queasy. She prayed he hadn't thought anything of it; the last she needed was for him to see her as some sort of pervert or deviant! Not to say that those types of thoughts weren't ever on her mind, but now was not the time or place for them. Especially considering Jack was a complete stranger to her, kind as he was.

"I—I'm sorry!"

She nearly yelled out the apology, hands grabbing onto one of his spindly limbs with a grip she did not know she possessed. He stared at her, pumpkin titled curiously before he seemed to realize just what she was referring to. A small chortle escaped the pumpkin then, making her feel slightly more ashamed of her earlier actions toward the scarecrow.

"Oh, don't be! Please, I understand you meant nothing untoward by it!"

Jack leaned against her then, though he was careful not to touch her too much as he stood, his gangly limbs slipping out of her touch and patting her shoulders in an almost reassuring manner. She blinked up at the figure, so much taller than she was he had to bend down to even get close to her head. His odd pumpkin head nearly pressed up against her face then, small opening nearly engulfing her tiny triangle shaped nose. She swore she could see something moving in those eye holes, a circular shape of sorts. Part of her wondered if this was the creature's true body underneath, and apprehension struck her as she pondered asking Jack. Feeling a swell of determination, as she had learned that the spirit wasn't even close to dangerous—far from it, she asked her invasive question carefully, averting her gaze from the odd orb inside the pumpkin.

"I'd very much like to see you, if it's possible. You don't need to hide yourself for my sake. The humans I've been around lately are far more terrifying than anything you could be."

"...If you're quite sure of it, then I shall do so. Please do let me know if it is too much for you. I'd hate to startle you further…"

The pumpkin nodded before she heard it start to make various creaking noises, quickly shuffling away from her with an outstretched claw, carefully extricating itself from the scarecrow body with the utmost care. She watched as his features were slowly illuminated by the moonlight, mouth open in a mix of awe and wonder at what was to emerge. He was a skeleton of some sort, worth long gangly limbs and bones for hands—and a very well dressed one at that!

If she hadn't been enraptured by his voice and mannerisms before then, despite the warning in her head to be careful, she was completely smitten now. He was surreal, leaning toward her in the darkness with the gentlest expression, hauntingly beautiful and she found herself muttering the word before her brain could stop her...