Jeffery had been living with the Petersons for a while now. At first he was completely and utterly shocked by their behaviour as young women, in particular Skye. Jeffery soon understood and agreed that these girls were not like other girls. They were intelligent and unique, questioning things he had never questioned. Rosalind had started to teach him Latin, Jane would read him stories from her latest novel, and Batty would show him all the animal's in the forest, running around in her little butterfly wings. He had come to love this side of the Petersons.

Skye had taken him completely by surprise. The other girls, he was sure by now, had tried to wear dresses and appear as people who pushed the social boundaries, so Jeffery could get used to their family slowly. Dipping his toes in the water and slowly getting in to swim. Skye had never liked slowly adjusting, you jump all in or you don't jump in at all. You adjust quicker this way, you get to move on to other things that are actually important. Sure it might be uncomfortable for a while, but it was better for the community. So instead of appearing as someone who pushed boundaries, she left the country.

On his first day staying with the Petersons, Skye showed up to breakfast in "shorts" as she called them.

"They're like pants but their short. Shorts." she explained casually. Jeffery didn't mean to be rude and stare, but he had never seen that much exposed leg before. These "shorts" showed all of her calf and half of her thigh.

"Why are you wearing those?" He had asked for the thousandth time.

"For when I train. So I don't get too hot and I can move easily. Skirts are much too big."

That was another new thing. Skye's training. She trained the sisters and him like soldiers. Mr. P thought nothing of it, but Jeffery knew little girls weren't supposed to play war games. They weren't supposed to use weapons and run around scraping their knees, climbing tress, building forts. Skye Peterson was a savage.

He had not meant these opinions to form, but those opinions stayed with him. Skye did not help her image in his eyes. She made a point of being rude and un-civalized when he was in the room. She would not hide herself for this un-welcomed stranger.

And things continued, between Jeffery and Skye, to be heated and un-comfortable.

Today was hunting day. Although their father made enough money to feed all of them Skye believed that they should provide more expensive things like meat for themselves. When she was younger her father used to make her go with at least one other sister, and everyone was pleased when he announced that she could go alone. They loved their sister very much but spending two or three days alone with her in the woods was hell. A torture beyond compare. Jane would complain. Skye liked going by herself. She didn't have to talk or interact with anyone, she didn't have to deal with loud voices, or complaints when she ran drills. Skye got a break from her sisters and they got a break from her.

Unfortunately for Skye this hunting trip would not be the same as her other ones. It started when Skye was packing up her clothes. She always brought tight long non-restricting pants with a warm shirt. She brought a water skin, jacket, Matches, a couple blankets, a change of and a little food. While placing these things carefully and calculatedly into her bag, Jane came wondering into the room followed by the stranger that had recently invaded their home. Skye scowled.

"Are you excited for your lonely excursion into the woods?" asked Jane happily.

"Yes. I have all I need and I should be back in a day or to with meat."

"Where are you going?" Asked Jeffery.

"She's going hunting."

"All by herself? Isn't that a little dangerous?"

"Probably." Answered Skye hotly swinging her bag over her shoulder

"Why doesn't one of you go with her?"

Jane gave him a weak laugh. "It's worth the risk, if we don't have to go with her. No one wants to spend 3 days in the woods with Skye."

"Hey!" Yelled Skye defensively. " It's not my fault you guys aren't tough enough to handle hunting trips."

Jeffery looked at Jane in confusion "It can't be that hard."

"Is that a challenge?" Asked Skye smirking.

"Please Skye, he doesn't know what he's talking about!" Begged Jane.

"No I do. I need to earn my keep here. I'll go hunting."

"Don't do it!"

Skye just smirked, Jeffery caught her eye smirking back. She looked at his green eyes, they shone with courage and determination. He packed his bag quickly with instructions from Skye. Soon they were leaving the little house promising they'd come back soon, and stay safe, and that Skye wouldn't kill him.

"This isn't so hard." Thought Jeffery. "I've been hunting many times, this should be no problem."

They walked in agonizing silence, only speaking when Skye had to warn him about poison Ivy, or roots, or when he tripped, or didn't walk fast enough. One Skye would just stop for a moment, clumsily he would ran into her, and started to say something. She turned to glare at him.

"I saw a deer Jeffery, we could have shot it."

With a humph she'd kept walking, telling him to hurry up.

He let out a sigh of relief when she said they had reached their usual camping spot. Happily he dropped his bag on the ground and flung himself after it.

They set up camp by a river, it was fairly deep and wide but it's currents weren't strong and close by there was a small waterfall one could bathe under. It was a warm night as they layed out their blankets lying opposite of each other.

"I'm going swimming." She said bitterly

Jeffery looked at the water and shivered.

Skye picked up a change of clothes and walked towards the water. If Jeffery wasn't coming it she didn't have to get her clothes wet so carefully she put them be the bank and jumped in. The water was always a little cold but it was easier to just get it dive in and get it over with. Swimming calmly on her back she let the current carry her for a moment before heading up stream. She would dive and re-surface, feeling the cold water on her skin, her arms cutting through it, parting it. She swam silently towards a waterfall. The water pounded from further upstream, spray hitting her in the face. The river was shallow here and the water formed a little pool at the foot of the waterfall. Skye wadded under the roaring water, letting it fill her ears with sound. She was alone now. This was the way she liked it, no people no worries no fears.

...

It had been only 5 minutes since Skye left and Jeffery was already bored. He had been nothing but a burden so far and he wanted to do something! I'll make a fire he thought. I can manage that.

And within a couple minute he managed to make a fare sized fire. Skye still hadn't returned yet and he was starting to get a little hungry, he had been walking all day with very little to eat.

As he looked through the bags he realized they hadn't brought a lot of food with them. He could try to rummage through the bushes for fruits and nuts, but he didn't know his way around like Skye did, he could end up eating something dangerous.

"I have to go find Skye." He admitted.

Walking along a rocky path her soon heard a soft voice. Jeffery followed the music carefully. It was a quiet tune that floated on the wind, he could just barely hear it over the rushing of water. He must be getting closer to the waterfall. He peered over the rocks that hid him and saw a beautiful girl standing under the waterfall. She was singing while she bathed. Jeffery blushed and ducked down again, for the beautiful girl was Skye Peterson, and she wasn't wearing any clothes.

He was going to leave but the song she was singing was so sweet and mournful, that it kept drawing him back. He listened hidden under the cold rocks.

"There once was a mighty kingdom,

that lived through the tales of the old.

The kingdom was governed by wisdom,

I was glad to have called it my home."

Jeffery listened as she hummed softly to herself. He never knew Skye could sing. He liked her singing, it wasn't stunning, but it was soft, and emotional.

"In the kingdom there were two inventors,

both working by the king's side.

And as soon as they meet each other,

the man said she'll be my bride."

She started to hum again. Jeffery had never heard this song before, it was intriguing. In every town he had stopped in, he had met with the singers, asked them to share their songs, their legends, but even the tune was different from anything he had heard. It haunted him. Skye's voice was filled with such sadness when she sang the song, even though it just sounded like a normal love song. It was dark and creepy, yet melodic.

"They gave birth to their first daughter,

who was strong loving and kind.

She loved the people around her,

and they loved her back in kind."

Jeffery smiled at the love in her voice, he could just picture her smiling as she sang.

"Then there was the second daughter,

who became an inventor in time.

Though smart she had quite the temper,

But a strong sense of pride!"

He couldn't help think of Skye, with her wicked temper and overwhelming pride, she fit the second daughter quite nicely. He could hear Skye laugh after she finished the verse.

"Then came the third daughter,

born with her head in the clouds,

creating words out of nothing,

her stories that spread town to town."

He rolled his eyes. He was fairly sure that was Jane. Which meant the first one was Rosalind, Jeffery held in a chuckle,trying to keep his position hidden.

"but when the kingdom fell,

the inventors did flee.

But they soon found out there home,

was not the only thing they must leave."

Skype paused, and all Jefferey could hear was the sound of the waterfall. He held his breathe. Could it be the end of the story? In half a whisper she started again.

"There mother had fallen ill,

she might have survived but alas,

She gave her life for a new life,

the fourth daughter who was also the last.

Have you heard the tale from the old kingdom,

of the inventors and there daughters four,

I know the tale of by heart,

for the kingdom was once my home."

Jeffery sat behinds the rocks and felt colder than he had ever felt before. Shivering he hid behind the rocks. He didn't want to move. He just wanted to sit for a while, but he had to get back. If Skye found him there, spying on her, she would kill him. As quietly as he could he stood up and walked towards the forest. He tried to creep through but he must have stepped on a branch. The was a loud crack. Skye definitely would have hear that, he had to make a break for it.

He ran through the tree's getting cuts across his arms. He made it back to the camp quickly, sitting down by the stuff trying to catch his breathe.

She arrived moments after looking very worried.

"Jeffery we should leave. I heard someone while I was swimming."

Jeffery gulped a little. "I'm sure it was nothing! Just someone passing by."

She sighed and started to pack up. "You don't understand Jeffery. We can't stay here, people might find us."

Jeffery was about to respond when he heard the crack of a twig from across the river. Everything was silent. Skye motioned for him to start packing up his things. He moved quickly and once everything was put away he stood beside her.

"Maybe it was a squirrel..." Suggested Jeffery.

Skye didn't answer but she reached for his hand and gripped it tightly, telling him they would move when she gave the command.

They stood for what seemed like hours, waiting, holding their breathe. Skye heard it first. The sound of an arrow. She pulled Jeffery down the arrow missing their heads and landing in a tree. Without a second thought she ran into the forest dragging Jeffery behind her. Together they ran. Skye knew many places they could hide and eventually make it back home. All they had to do was lose who ever was chasing them. Skye tried to block out the sound of her and Jeffery's feet, focusing on the noises around them. She could hear their pursuer's feet in the distance a little ways behind, but much too close to slow down. She pulled Jeffery and herself along even faster, listening again to the stranger's feet. Not only were they faster then him, but they were nimble. Skye chanted over and over for him to trip or get lost.

"I remember!" She breathed quietly.

She turned harshly running as quickly as she could to the sound of gurgling water.

"You're going to have to jump." She told Jeffery. He looked at her confused.

Then suddenly the approached a river beside a tall cliff. The river's currents were strong and they could not cross it without falling of the cliff. Skye did not slow down however. She ran even faster as they approached the river and as soon as they were about to step foot in the water she pushed Jeffery and herself across the obstacle. They landed flat on their faces but they did not have time to rest. Skye picked herself up and started to run into the woods again, Jeffery followed her, and they kept running for a half an hour.

Finally they stopped and rested. Skye could no longer hear any footsteps behind them and allowed herself a moment to breathe. They had been lucky the queen had not sent her top men.

"Where are we going to go?" Asked Jeffery between pants.

"We'll head up to a cave I know, it's the most sheltered spot but it's the farthest."

In silence they started to walk again, and as they walked Jeffery noticed Skye stopping every know and then to pick leaves or fruits.

"What are those?"

"Jewel weed," she held up the leaves. "Natural cure for poison ivy. Oh and this tree, it's a evergreen, but you can actually eat it's needles and make tea out of them."

Jeffery nodded like an idiot. Whenever she'd pick something up she'd tell him what it was, and what it did, sometimes letting him try some of them.

"Okay, how about this one?"

"Oh, this isn't too bad, HOLY SPICY!"

Skye was killing herself laughing.

"You did that on purpose?"

"What do you think?"

Jeffery growled and tackled her, She kept laughing even as they rolled around in the leaves. He held her down and stated to throw leaves at her face.

With a smile she rolled over and started to stuff leaves down his shirt.

"I will stuff you like a scarecrow!"

Now Jeffery was laughing. He quickly shoved her off and stood up, grabbing the leaves from his shirt and running toward her, with a laugh she ran away full speed. He ran after her but got lost in the trees. Silently she grabbed her own handful and walked silently towards him. He was standing in a little clearing looking around for her. She couldn't stop the grin from forming on her face as she tackled him.

"You've got a lot to learn before you challenge me to a leaf fight."

"Fine I surrender!"

After he looked like a scarecrow Skye helped him up.

They continued there walk happily Skye felt her hatred disappearing. Jeffery wasn't so bad. A pain in the ass yes, but not a real threat. And that was good enough for her.

Hello all. I will keep this short.

I hoped you liked the chapter! I usually like to respond to reviews in PMs but that's not fair to people who are guests and still review.

SO I'm going to thank everyone!

Thank you to Readwriteedit

and Sailheart

For your reviews.

Thank you for reading!

-K.M.