Sorry for the wait. The weather has been great so I have been outdoors a lot.
Also, Thanks for my first review :)
Three months later
"Wendy!"
Wendy looked up from the laundry.
Ethan was running toward her. He stopped right in front of her and huffed exhausted. "He is back … the lord…!"
Wendy stared at her brother and stood up from the washing basin without taking her eyes off Ethan.
"Tell him that I went for a walk." She said and dried her hands in her apron.
"A walk?" Ethan echoed.
She walked toward the forest. "Yes, I am going on a walk."
Wendy let out a breath and looked back at the inn that was partly hidden by the trees.
She understood why Ethan was confused.
It wasn't she did not like the young baron or his visit. She actually found him charming and handsome.
It was how the villagers acted when he came. Most of them gathered at the inn.
The other young girls in the villagers always came dressed in their best clothes and sighed and giggled every time the young baron opened his mouth. The men of the village wanted to talk to him about the village and funds, while the older women – including Wendy's own mother – looked at him skeptically.
Though all of them watch the two of them like hawks every time he came. Once the girls saw him jokingly kiss her hand and they gasped.
Wendy did not know what to make of it, but it made her uncomfortable.
Is there something the matter ... my little hunter...?
She looked up to see the elven queen looming over her.
Wendy shook her head and walked past the beautiful woman, who followed her with elegant steps.
"There is a … young man that has been visiting me, and it is causing me some problems…" She finally said as they continued to walk.
Do you like him … the young man…?
The elven queen asked distantly as she watched a leaf dancing in the wind.
Wendy did not know how to explain.
"Well, he is handsome and charming…"
Charming … chival … good…?
Wendy could not help but smile, it sounded like her majesty did not know the meaning of the word "Charming" and was trying to define it.
"He is kind and good, I suppose…" Wendy admitted.
Is there a problem to be seen then…? The elven asked.
Wendy sighed. "There are people in the village and my parents … they … I do not know what they think …"
The pale woman reached her hand up and a butterfly landed in her palm.
I cannot remember the feeling … you have at the moment… Her Majesty smiled at her mischievously. Though if you are far too troubled … you can come with me…
Wendy smiled.
"As much as I want to dance and play all day. I am still needed here."
The elven slowly turned around and looked back the way they came.
Does he need you too…?
Wendy was about to ask who, when she heard Eric's voice calling for her.
"Eric?" She said a little too loud.
"Wendy!"
She could hear the smile in his voice before she could see him.
He seemed a little nervous as he smiled at her.
"Your brother said, you were taking a walk."
Wendy did not know where to look.
She fidgeted with a lock of her hair.
He stepped closer and gently took her hand.
Wendy thought he would kiss it, but instead, he gently ran his thumb over it.
"Do you not want me to come to visit you?" He asked in a low voice.
Wendy stared at his beautiful blue eyes. "Yes … no … I … I do want you to keep visiting me."
"Then what is it?" He asked and leaned in slightly.
Wendy remembered and looked to where the elven queen had stood.
She was gone.
Wendy sighed and looked at the handsome man in front of her.
"There has been a lot of talk in the village about you … and me…"
The young baron looked confused.
"There is?" He touched his chin in thought. "Oh, you mean all those girls at the inn and people wanting to talk about the future of the village."
Wendy wasn't sure about the last part but nodded.
He smiled and patted her hand reassuringly.
"Wendy … am I your first admirer?"
She could help but laugh at his choice of words.
"No," She looked away shyly. "There were others."
"I can imagine. You are far too otherworldly beautiful and graceful for there not to have been." He smiled and kissed her hand.
She giggled and felt her cheeks grow warm.
"Though I am sure I am the most handsome and rich of them all." He continued.
She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"
Eric did not skip a beat and leaned in as if he was going to tell her a secret.
"My dearest, they are jealous of what I have and want my help and attention. And they are jealous of you for getting it."
Wendy scoffed. "It is more like they are watching a tragic play."
She wanted to bite her tongue. Her father had told her that she should be careful what she said around the baron's son.
But Eric just laughed under his breath and shrugged. "Perhaps. Thought the lot would rather be a part of it than watch." He placed a gentle hand on her cheek and was suddenly incredibly close to her. "Though pay them no mind. They are not worth it."
She smiled. "Thank you."
He smiled back and pulled away.
Wendy was thankful. Her face was far too hot.
"Now, we should head back to the inn. I would rather not get my clothes dirty again." He said.
As they walked through the trees, their hands touched. Their fingers tangled together.
Eric's hand felt warm.
Later that day.
"We hope everything was to your liking." Her father said as Eric put on his coat.
"There have been few places where I have felt so welcome." He smiled back at the crippled man.
As he did a slight bow and closed the door to the inn behind him, it seemed like everyone relaxed.
"Oh," one of the farmers mumbled from a stool, as the innkeeper hobbled back behind the bar. "You must not be too worried about winter, or your daughter, Edgar."
Wendy's father smiled tiredly and served him more beer.
"Let's not pretend." Another one said and greeted Wendy with his mug. "The girl is pretty, but not for a baron's son. He will forget about her once, he had his fun."
"Wendy?" Her mother called from the kitchen. "Can you help me with the dishes?"
Wendy was glad to be out of the dining hall for once.
"Do not take their words to heart." Her mother said as they washed the dished.
"I will not." Wendy smiled and whipped the foam off a mug.
There was quiet for a while when Arthur silently entered.
"Have you done all your chores?" Their mother asked.
"Yes," he said and looked at his sister. "Wendy, are you going to marry the son of the baron?"
Wendy dropped the bowl she was holding. Luckily it just fell back into the water.
She turned to the blond boy. "What did you say?"
"Arthur!" Their mother scolded.
The young boy rubbed his hands together and looked away.
"I heard some of the older girls in the village talking about it … they said that Wendy would be lucky if she married the baron's son."
Wendy did not know what to say. Her mother did though.
"We will talk about this later. You should not listen to other people's conversations. Now, go clean the bathhouse."
Arthur protested that it had been cleaned earlier, but their mother sent him out, and she and Wendy continued their work in silence.
"Do you want to marry him?" Her mother said as they dried off the last of the plates.
Wendy laughed. "No, well…"
Her mother put a gentle hand on her arm.
"It is all fine, my sweet." She smiled. "There is not a woman in the village that would not be charmed by a young, handsome nobleman."
"But marriage…" Wendy sighed and made a dramatic gesture.
"Why not?" Her mother asked as she put the plates away. "You are nineteen. I was twenty-one when I married your father – and we were together for a time before then."
"But Eric…" Wendy stuttered.
She liked him. She liked his caring, careful touch and his charm, but she had never even considered marriage. That was something adults did.
Her mother seemed to want to say something but closed her mouth and then tried again.
"My little one … the baron's son coming here … it is good for the inn and the village … with him other nobility come…" She put her arm on her daughter's arm again. "And I am happy you are experiencing your first romance … but … nobility is very different from us – or what the young sir is telling you."
"What do you mean?" Wendy pulled back a little.
Her mother looked at her with sad eyes.
"It is important that you are friendly with him, but do not cross a line with him. It will only become problematic when you need to find the man you want to marry."
One month later
Wendy hummed as Temper strutted into the forest.
They had not met any animals, which was strange, and it was almost noon.
Are you bored…?
Eva stood next to Temper, smiling in a shiny green dress.
"Hello little sister, it has been a while," Wendy said and slid down from the horse.
I have had so much fun … so many adventures … would you like to hear them…?
Wendy smiled and patted the beautiful little girl on the head.
She smiled back up at her sister and took her hands and swung their linked hands from side to side.
It feels like decades … since I last heard you play…
Wendy chuckled. "It was just a few days ago."
Sometimes … the elven life feels so very long… Eva echoed hauntingly and dramatically putting the back of her hand to her forehead.
As the little girl was caught up in her own theatrics, Wendy reached down and tickled her stomach.
Her laughter sounded like a thousand little bells and almost drown out all other sounds.
Almost.
Wendy turned her head toward the faint noise. "What is that?"
Eva followed her line of sight.
That is the man in the lake … there are finally people wandering into his water…
Wendy felt every hair on her body stood on end.
"I have to go," she said and swung herself on Temper and kicked the horse into a gallop.
Why…? Eva's voice followed her, as Temper passed through the trees.
A few years ago, a little girl had nearly drowned in the lake, when she had wandered into the forest to pick berries.
As she came closer, she heard the huffing of horses.
Her eyes grew big as she entered the clearing along with the calming sound of the lake creature's fiddle.
Eric and Alexander were standing waist-deep in the water with their horses neighing at the edge of the water.
The man in the lake was sitting on his usual rock in the middle of the lake, his fiddle held confidently in his boney hands, and his yellow eyes transfixed on the two young men, who moved further into the water.
"Stop it!" She said loudly and angrily, as she got down from the horse.
The yellow eyes turned to her, but then to the hypnotized young men.
Wendy let out an angry cry and waded into the water.
She grabbed the boys' hands and tried to pull them backward, but they were stiff and only moved further into the lake.
She slipped on something and fell backward into the water.
She huffed and splashed as she tried to think of a way to save them.
She remembered the bow strapped to her back and pulled it off and aimed an arrow at the man in the lake.
"I told you to stop!"
The man in the lake did not stop playing, but his voice flowed over the water.
This is nature…
She breathed heavily and let the arrow fly.
It hit the rock just between the creature's legs and fell into the water.
"Please…" She begged as the water reached the upper part of the boys' chest.
The creature did not say or move, but his yellowed eyes twinkled with hunger.
She looked from one to the other and made a decision.
Wendy took hold of Alexander's shoulders and kicked at his knees.
Both of them fell backward and her hands slipped off him. When she grabbed hold of him again, she did not realize that it was the lower part of his neck.
As Wendy splashed to get up to the surface for air, she felt Alexander moving franticly.
She quickly let go of him and broke the surface.
"You…" The young man sputtered.
He recognized her but could not remember her name.
Wendy just took a deep breath and half-swarm to where Eric's head was just above the water, as the other boy flailed around in the water.
She hocked her elbow around his neck and pulled as hard as she could.
It took a couple of pulls, but he started sputtering and his head got pulled under the water.
Wendy let go of his neck and took hold of his arm and tried to pull him toward the water's edge.
"Wendy…" He breathed confused when he managed to turn around to look at her.
"We need to get out of the water." She said urgently and continued to pull at him.
When they reached Alexander, she found her footing and took hold of both of their hands, and pulled them both toward the lakeside.
The three of them laid down on the grass huffing and coughing up water.
Wendy sat up. She saw the man in the lake sink back into the water. He did not look happy.
"What happened?" The young baron huffed and looked out at the lake. "Why … were we in the water…?"
Wendy could barely control her breathing.
She shrugged weakly. "I do not know … you were very far into the water when I saw you."
"What are you doing out here?" Alexander asked in-between coughs.
As soon as he asked, Wendy's bow and the arrow, she had shot at the man in the lake, rolled onto the edge of the lake with the waves in the water.
"You saved us…" Eric mumbled confused.
Wendy felt her cheeks burn and she looked away. "I got you out of water."
Alexander sighed beside them and stood up and made an attempt to squeeze water out of his clothes.
"We should call off the hunt for now and get back to get some dry clothes." He said breathlessly.
The young baron sat up light-headed and looked at the beautiful girl looking back at him with big green eyes.
Alexander sighed. "I better go get the horses, whatever happened frightened them."
Wendy watched him wander into the tree line then looked at at the handsome man with hazy eyes.
"Are you feeling all right?" She asked.
He smiled and leaned in. Their foreheads lightly touched.
"Thank you…" he whispered.
She smiled shyly.
He was so close to her, their noses almost touched.
"You really are amazing." He mumbled with a smile.
She was about to say something when his lips pressed against hers.
There were no words to explain it.
Thank you for reading. Please tell me what you think.
Thanks again for the review.