When the leaves fall

Chapter 2

 I could not stay in bed long after dawn! I jumped out of bed and did not even wait for the maid to help me change. I wanted to say goodbye to Lord Albert and get to know the place where my mother spent her life until she met my father.

I put on a dark skirt, knee-high boots, and a light, light blouse with long, fluffy sleeves. I went down to the kitchen and found the cook with an assortment of cookies and cakes fresh out of the oven, enough to feed a battalion. Her name was Clara, when she saw me, she freaked out! She let the plate in her hand shatter on the floor. It felt like she was seeing a ghost!

When she managed to compose herself, she apologized and said that I had reminded her of my mother, who always came into the kitchen like a hurricane in the morning, and then ran out into the woods, her favorite place.

Clara had worked since her youth in the house of my grandparents Mighell and Lucy, she had moved there right when they were married and she was now sixty years old, she saw my mother and aunt grow up.

She poured me some hot milk with burnt sugar and made me try a piece of each of the three cakes she had made. When it was time for the cookies, there was no more space, I couldn't take it anymore. I think if Lord Albert hadn't come into the kitchen at that moment, he would have made me eat one of every sweet biscuit.

Lord Albert said goodbye to me affectionately and gave me a huge list of advice for me to be well, safe, and happy. Then he went on his way back to his home, which was once mine too and which I might never see again.

I followed him to the wagon, where he hugged me with tears in his eyes. I followed the wagon's path until it disappeared around a bend behind a hill. my vision became blurred and soon my cheek felt wet, everything that had connected me to Liver was gone...

My mother always told me about this place and how amazing it was, but seeing it now, it felt like I was being transported to paradise, such was the perfection of nature! I wondered if I should invade my mother's dream place, but I could not resist...

The distance from the forest to the house was about ten minutes walking, the sun was already hot, I could not wait to get into the shadows of the trees. A soft but intense aroma of trees mingled with the sweet scent of white jasmine that was splattered throughout.

When I entered the forest, I felt an immense peace, everything was so calm, so clear! Underneath the trees there were no bushes, only clumps of jasmine that covered the trees' feet. The smell was intoxicating! I walked slowly, appreciating every detail, losing track of the time I was there. I came to a clearing where the sun radiated all its beauty. In the very center was a tree that must have been dead, for it had no leaf; at her feet, instead of jasmine, there were blue tulips, "my mother's favorite flower", which made the scene more splendid. I approached the tree and touched it. It was smooth and very thick. Its branches were very wide and one of them was half concave, which formed a perfect place to stretch the body.

I climbed on it and lay down on that branch, stretching my legs to the other in front. As it had no leaves, it could perfectly see the sky. It was clean and with few clouds! I lay there for a while, admiring the sky and everything around me. In the other trees, nests, birds, squirrels... A symphony of noises from nature invaded my ears.

Suddenly, silence reigned...

I heard someone running in the woods, heading towards the tree. It seemed to be happy, as it was laughing aloud! Another person came behind it but did not run.

When she got close to the tree, I realized she was about fifteen years old; I could not see her face from where I was, but it looked familiar. She got closer and stopped running, but not laughing, she waited until the person who was behind her caught up with her, then I saw an older man carrying a basket that looked like a picnic basket; With him came another girl, about twelve years old, she looked tired...

They all approached the tree together, it seemed kind of ceremonial, they looked at it with a distant look, as if they were remembering something. The older girl came closer and touched the tree, I could finally see her face and I was scared, it was my mother! She was still smiling, but now she seemed to be reverent, meditating inside her, I tried to get down from the tree to hug her, but I could not, something was holding me in that branch.

I wanted to move, and I could not, everything went dark, I started screaming. From a distance I heard the unknown voice of a man, I did not understand what he was saying. I felt his hands on my arms, shaking me. Then everything became clear again...

When I opened my eyes, I saw a man in his early twenties, brown hair, of mesmerizing caramel-colored eyes, shaking me! I looked around and saw that I was no longer in the tree, I was lying under it. My head hurts, I think I must have hit it when I fell!

— Are you well?  — the stranger asked me.

— Yes, I think so — I replied trying to get up, but my head turned, and I fell forward. He supported me with his arm so I would not fall.

—  What happened? — I asked, still leaning on his shoulder.

He did not answer, he took my face in his hands and examined my eyes, he opened my eyelids with his fingers, he felt my head to see if there was any wound, he asked where it hurt, I pointed with my finger on the right side, just behind mine ear and he confirmed that I had a bruisedhooster.

He laid me carefully on the ground and went to his horse, which I only now realized was there. He took water from a metal canteen and a blanket attached to his saddle.

He came back to my side, helped me drink a little water, and tucked the folded blanket under my head. He sat next to me and said:

— Is there any other place that hurts?  — I said no, that everything was fine. - What's your name?

— Aurora —  I said without much enthusiasm...

— May I know what happened? 

— I do not know, I was on top of the tree looking at the sky and suddenly everything was calm, I slept... — I said embarrassed!

He smiled! Perhaps because of my embarrassment!

— Well, I do not think you are going to die, but next time, look for a safer place to take a nap!

— I did not go up to tak... — At that moment he got up and did not let me finish my speech, he went to the tree and watched it.

— You were lucky to be on a low branch, may I know what you were dreaming about? You writhed a lot on the branch before falling, I could not make it in time...

I remained silent, everything I saw was just a dream... (I believe I left sadness stamped on my face, because at that moment he approached me and asked if the pain had increased).

I tried to get up, I do not know how long I was out of my mind, I had to go, my aunt must have been worried!

My head hurt a little, but I no longer felt dizzy. The stranger helped me up, with concern! But he saw from my flushed appearance that I was better.

— Are you okay? — he asked, still worried.

— Yes, I am!  — I replied embarrassed because his proximity at that moment bothered me.

He touched my face gently and said:

— Your face is familiar to me!

The touch of his hand on my face made me feel a chill that raised the hairs on the back of my neck, my stomach felt like it was full of flying butterflies, his eyes were locked on mine, it felt like he could see my soul through my eyes, at that moment I was scared and ran away... 

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