The Lady of Waterleaf and Wire

Cadwell

"Rose! Come inside. It's freezing and it's getting dark!"

"Mother, I told you. He's coming home. He promised. He never breaks promises." Rose said, not sure if she was trying to convince herself or her mother. She sat upon the retaining wall outside her parent's more-than-modest dwelling.

"Rose, it's been over a week." Her mother took a seat beside her. "Listen, baby, I know you love him." She pulled the young woman into her arms and held her close. "He's a good man. A kind man. But missing men don't come home, not after two weeks, not after weather like that. Rose, I'm sorry, but I'll not have you freeze out here. Come inside, eat, distract yourself. I know it's hard but-"

"He's coming home!" she snapped. Her breath turned to steam before her and she smiled. "He'll pull through like he always has. He promised to come home. He promised he'd marry me. He won't break his word. I swear to God, he won't break his word."

"Rose. I told you to come inside," her mother demanded.
"And I told you no. I'll be home by dark. I'm going to check the edge of the woods."
"I don't like you putting yourself in danger for that boy. He's gone, Rose. He's gone."

She shook her head. "I'd know it if he was gone. He isn't." She stood, wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and started for the woods.

It only took her a few minutes to reach the trees.She took a few steps into the forest, lifting her dress to avoid being caught on brambles and took a seat upon a log.

As she sat, she noticed something had changed about her surroundings. She'd come here every day for a week and a half, ever since he'd been missing, and the little clearing had never been so... bright. Especially not this late in the day. The sun was setting, and yet the woods were aglow as if the sun was directly above them. Trillium and strawberry bloomed around her, painting the forest floor pink. Something was different about tonight, she could feel it. The air was stagnant and unmoving, as frozen in place as she was. Rose hardly dared to breathe. She heard a distant rustling of ferns as if some creature was making its way through the forest.

Closer and closer the sounds grew, until she could see branches moving less than a hundred feet away. Rose's heart was pounding. Surely it was a doe and her fawn or some raccoons trodding around like they owned the world. But she hoped it wasn't.

She couldn't stand not knowing any longer. Rose leapt to her feet and pushed branches out of her way as she moved towards the rustling. The leaves stopped moving. So did Rose.

"Hello?" A voice called. "Is someone there?"
"Johnathan?" She responded.

The evening fell silent again, just her breathing and then a single word. "Rose?"

A smile crossed her face from ear to ear and she ran, snagging her dress on every rosebush and thorn in sight. Finally, she saw him, shivering in a torn up jacket, leaning against a tree. Alive! He was alive. He grinned. Rose yanked her shawl off her back and wrapped it around his shoulders.

"What are you doing out here, Rose?" he asked.

"Waiting for you." She pulled her lover into her arms and hugged him as hard as she could. He sunk into her embrace and let her hold him.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"Hush, hush. You don't need to be sorry. Look at me." She let go of him and he looked up at her miserably.

"I'm sorry. I tried to get home. I tried so hard, Rose. But-"

"I'm not sorry. I don't care. You're home and nothing else matters, John. I love you. I love you so much." She pulled him into an embrace once more. He leaned his weight against her and it hit her how exhausted he must be. He could feel him trembling against her as she held him.