Chapter 17

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The minute Fable noticed the footpath disappearing as they approached the opening to the meadow, she swiftly soared out of sight, and vanished behind the oak tree. Her heart was beating like a drum. Crouching behind the thick trunk, Fable made her transformation back into a beautiful, young girl. She needed to appear as natural as possible; posing under the tree as if she had some other purpose for being there. Fable checked her phone, and the time read eight thirty. The darkness had already closed in on them, and it looked much later than it actually was. It could easily be midnight. The moon was well risen in the sky, and was gleaming down at the two figures in the field.

Fable had settled herself under the tree. She was now positioned in front of the trunk, her back leaning against its sturdy bark with her legs extended out in front of her - one crossed over the other to expose the elegant artwork on her outer thigh. She needed to look preoccupied, so Mr Hudson would feel like he was interrupting some sort of activity. It was a clear sky - so perhaps she could pretend to be star gazing. Yes, that would do, she thought, as she lifted a hand to her forehead as if observing something far in the distance.

Mr Hudson had finally caught up to where he last spotted her bird form, which was somewhere out in the middle of the meadow. From down in the long grass, Fable could see Mr Hudson from his waist up, searching hopelessly for the nightingale.

"Aria!" he cried out into the night. "Aria! Where did you go?"

Mr Hudson was calling loudly, and frantically looking about as if he had lost a beloved pet. He suddenly stopped still in front of Fable, not really noticing anything on the ground. He figured the bird would be higher up somewhere in the trees. When he looked down, he almost jumped backwards with the shock of seeing someone else in this otherwise deserted field.

"Good god!" he exclaimed, clearly startled by her presence. "I am so sorry, I had no idea anybody else was in this field. I lost my... pet bird out here. I hope I didn't frighten you with all this noise."

Mr Hudson took a moment to realise this face looked familiar; the silvery moonlight illuminating the pale blue of Fable's eyes. She smiled at him calmly. He quickly glanced at her legs, and then back at her face. Fable was feeling smug he was probably noticing how incredible she looked. Like a Bohemian goddess.

"Wait, Fable, is that you?" he questioned, looking slightly bewildered and concerned." What on earth are you doing outside alone at this hour? It could be dangerous."

"Oh, hello to you to." laughed Fable, letting the wine erode away her naturally shy demeanour.

"So what are you doing out here then? Should I be worried, Fable?" he asked again, still flummoxed by this situation.

"Why are people these days so quick to worry about every little thing." replied Fable. "I come here almost every night. I like to listen to nature and watch out for shooting stars. It inspires me to live freely, like a bird, even if it is just for an hour, or so."

Mr Hudson looked confounded. He wasn't sure how to respond. Fable glared up at him from below, wide eyed and mysterious. She thought she must resemble an elven princess.

"But aren't you...cold?" he asked, slowly, not wanting to draw attention to the fact he had seen how scantly dressed she was.

"Nope." she said, adamantly. "I assume when you said you were out here for your 'pet bird', you actually meant the little nightingale, didn't you?"

Mr Hudson raised an eyebrow in surprise. "But... how do you know?" he asked her, completely astounded.

"Because she comes to me too." replied Fable, smirking at this sudden stroke of genius. "I wait for her almost every night to see me. She loves this meadow. I've always thought of her as a lucky charm, or a sign of good fortune. Strange that she favours you now."

"Wow. I am speechless." muttered Mr Hudson. "I can't believe she knows you too! It's almost like... she brought me here... to you."

"It is strange, isn't it?" smiled Fable, wanting to see if Mr Hudson would say anything more.

But he remained silent for a minute, and was just staring at the sky.

"Do you want to sit down?" asked Fable, politely, wanting to bring him closer to her.

"I don't know, Fable" he said, uncertainly. "It's just weird."

"What's weird?"

"I don't know. Just everything. I've had a weird day... In fact, the past few days have been strange. Ever since the little nightingale. What if it's a bad omen?" he said, giving Fable a worried look.

"So you're superstitious now?" joked Fable.

"And you're not?" he laughed. "You were just saying how a bird is your lucky charm."

"She is, though." said Fable, earnestly. "My life has only gotten better since I met her. Look, I have her tattooed on my body! That way, even when she's not here, I feel like she's with me, casting her spells of good luck."

"Oh really?" he asked, with an air of scepticism. "Go on then, tell me. How has she helped you lately?"

"Okay," said Fable, hesitating for a second, "Well, I won the position as solo singer for the school concert, and you know that is a BIG deal. It's like she blessed me with her angelic voice."

"Fable, you know its down to your individual talent. You work hard at everything you do, and its very admirable, but it doesn't mean to say its because of the nightingale."

"If you don't believe it, then why is Ode To A Nightingale your favourite poem?" she asked, the words simply slipping out of her now.

"Yes. The Nightingale is a deceiving elf. She lets you think everything is wonderful while she's there, giving you her attention, but the moment she's gone...Your world falls to pieces. You realise how unhappy you are without that little fantasy playing in your mind."

"You take things too seriously. I say we should live in the moment, like nature intended the rest of animal kind. Humanity is a strange blip in my opinion." grinned Fable.

Mr Hudson's eyes flickered, but then he looked a little doubtful.

"No. Society dictates, it always does." he said, sadly. Fable had no idea if they were even discussing the same thing any more. But she decided it was time to change the subject.

"Are you drunk, or something?" she asked, jokingly.

Mr Hudson laughed, as he realised he was probably sounding senseless and absurd. "Is it that obvious?" he said.

"I drank some wine tonight too." she said.

"Aren't you a bit young for that?"

"Seriously? Unlike most people in this childish world, I'm wise enough to practice everything in moderation." she smirked.

"Sounds about right." replied Mr Hudson, respectfully.

"Will you lend me a hand?" asked Fable, with an impish smile. Mr Hudson appraised her from above, and shyly extended an arm towards her. Fable suddenly gripped his wrist with surprising strength, and used it to raise herself up. "Well, I don't want to 'weird' you out any longer, Sir." she giggled, and started to walk away.

"Wait, Fable!" he called after her. "Do you need me to walk you home?"

Fable waved an arm dismissively. "Oh, no thank-you. I'm only five minutes away."

"You know, you have a very unusual name. 'Fable'. It suits you." he said, before the pair departed and went off in their separate directions.

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