Chapter 3 - Pastoral
"Mom! Dad!" A girl yelled across the meadow. She ran towards them but her parents didn't seem to notice her. They were not alone. Another man was standing in front of them and she noticed that her parents didn't seem to like his company very well.
She ran quietly over towards some bushes, just outside the forest, hiding only five feet away without being noticed
The man had completely black hair and matching black eyes.
"Please!" her mother cried, "Take anything else than our daughter!" the girl's mother began crying hysterically while her husbands arms were wrapped around her.
The girl was standing in shock with her brown eyes wide open.
"We made an agreement. When your daughter turns 17 she will marry my son," the voice was annoyed by how her parents seemed unwilling to give her up, even though they had promised.
"But she's only eight years old now. Why do you want her now?" the woman cried.
"I think that's my decision to make!" the man yelled with rage.
"We won't give her up!" The girl's father yelled out towards the hostile man. But the man just smiled evilly. "You know the consequences!" he said.
Haru heard an unbelievably loud sound as the man lifted his left hand and a lightning struck the ground. The crows from above flew away in horror. And the girl wished to do that as well. Her eyes were filling quickly with tears. Her mother screamed, her arms wrapped around her husband but the girl couldn't as she seemed to have lost her voice.
"Please!" the woman cried again. "Don't…"
Another lightning struck and the last thing the girl heard from her mother was an ear piercing scream. The girl stood frozen not able to move at all.
"To think they could get out of the agreement." The man smirked, "Stupid people, thinking to break a deal with the most powerful sorcerer, I didn't want the girl to be raised by parents who are willing to sell their own daughter," he laughed to himself.
He made a portal but just before he was about to take a step into the red light he heard a branch crack and turned around.
The girl gasped and started to run. She heard the man yell and ran as fast as she could. She ran in between the trees in the forest to outrun him and make sure she wouldn't get hit from the same lightning her parent had…
Big tears fell down her cheeks while she ran deeper into the forest. She ran through it and ended by a little waterfall. She couldn't hear the man but she could clearly hear her heart beating and how she gasped for air. It was autumn and the cold air pierced her lungs but she didn't care. She ran even more as much as her legs could take her until she fell down under a spruce where she would be unseen. When she had checked that none were following her she began to cry her heart out. She didn't stop crying and kept going until the sun was setting.
*****
Haru woke with a gasp. How long had she been here? The sun was rising. "Shit! I've slept here the entire night." She brushed her clothes from the petals and fixed her hair. "I can't imagine what my teacher would say," she thought out loud. Suddenly she heard something… a soothing melody… a violin…
She looked towards the lake which was now bathed in orange light and saw a figure playing the divine lullaby. The violin too was bathed in the light of the sun and Haru only saw the silhouette of the one playing the violin.
She walked over quietly to the silhouette which appeared to be a man. Haru assumed he might have been around the same age as her. He didn't look at her when she came over and she watched how he played the instrument in smooth movements.
When the melody was finished he looked up with a smile, "So, you're awake."
Haru's cheeks turned magenta and she bowed, "I'm sorry if I'm not allowed here… I was getting firewood for a bonfire when I found this place. I don't know what happened… before I knew I fell asleep." She kept her head down but when the boy gave out a chuckle she looked up confused.
"I really am sorry," she said.
"I know but you shouldn't be" his voice was soothing and gentle; "This place is for those who seek guidance and help." He put down his violin and took a step towards the girl. Then he took her hand, bowed and kissed it, "I am Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, but I would appreciate if you would just call me Baron."
"I'm just Haru," she smiled.
"There is no "just" to say," the man said kindly and Haru blushed once more.
"What melody was the melody you just played?" Haru asked in a daze.
"You inspired me," he blushed just a little, "It's called Pastoral"
"You looked so peaceful in your sleep and it just came to me."
Haru blushed once again.
But when he looked into her eyes Haru caught her breath. His eyes were a mesmerizing green, emerald coloured around the pupil and lighter in the irises. And his smile… his gentle, kind smile…
Haru!! Put yourself together… you need to ask him for direction, Haru thought.
"Um… I'm sorry but… do you know in which direction you would find a small cottage?" she asked him.
He pointed to the south, smiling, "that way."
"Thank you," Haru said with a smile. "You are welcomed any other time Miss Haru," he answered.
She turned around and headed for that direction while feeling a little regretful to have left the man. When she had reached the edge of the meadow she heard his voice, "If you ever find yourself troubled just follow the star to the left of the northern star!" he yelled and when Haru turned around to look at him it was gone. And not only him but the entire scenery.
It was dark again and she was standing in the same forest and the lake, Sakura tress, wild flowers and sunrise was nowhere to be seen. Haru sighed and picked up the branches she had dropped earlier and went south to where Baron had said she would find the cottage.
While walking through the forest she thought of Baron but then her mind suddenly wandered off to the nightmare she had had on the meadow. She had promised herself not to ever think about it. It was simply too painful. She wondered if the agreement the counted even though she was in an entirely different country. Would the hostile man find her in a year when she turned 17 or had he given up? Haru sighed but was in complete daze when she thought of Baron. She remembered him well; his mesmerizing green eyes, his cream-coloured suit, his slightly orange-coloured hair, his manners, his kindness, and the melody he played; Pastoral.
A/N: Sorry to change the previous chapter but as said before I wasn't entirely happy about it.... Look forward to the next chapter XD
