When No One Was Watching.

Chapter 4

Snippets of weird visions and deep blue eyes linger in my head as I begin to wake. My bed is much warmer than I remember it being. It also seems much brighter, I could have sworn I closed the curtains last night. I sink down further into the soft embrace of fabric and fluff for just a moment longer, then a pang of realization hits me.

Opening my eyes I sit up or try to at least. A dull agony rips through my lower stomach, forcing me to settle back. Anxiously I glance around, taking in my unfamiliar surroundings. A window sits in front of me, the morning sun beating against the glass. Along the ledge are wooden blocks and some sort of stuffed animal. Green leaves climb up the walls and orangish flowers bloom around the window. A pile of little wooden animals is shoved in a corner and childish paintings are haphazardly stuck to the wooden walls. A tall shelf holds shells, jars full of rocks, sticks, what appears to be a broken teacup, and dried flowers. Shifting to my other side I sink further into the thick circular pad of fluff I'm lying across. For a moment I am frightened as I see a person beside me.Short strawberry blonde ringlets sprawl against the plush mattress. The body of the little girl lay half on a worn yellow chair, half across the make-shift bed. My heart quiets down as I see the familiar face, with closed eyes. Gently I reach over patting her arm.

"Little girl?" I murmur softly "Esme? Wake up please." Grumbling ruptures out of her small mouth until she sits up and her eyes widen in excitement.

"You're awake!" She exclaims her under eyes marked with exhaustion. "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever gonna wake up!"

"How long was I asleep?" I ask, ignoring the steady throb of pain in my side. "Who's clothes am I wearing?"

"It's an old one from storage and almost a week," she replies nonchalantly. "When you passed out you caught a fever." I lift my head, shock evident on my face.

"Almost a WEEK?!" My stomach becomes hollow. "I have stayed too long."

"Oh no, not at all. You are injured, leaving so soon is not a question." She shakes her head, standing and stretching out small, stiff limbs. "Besides, It's always boring here. At least with you here I have something to do."

"Where even is 'here'?"

"Most people call it the forbidden forest, but we just call it Silva." She glances down toward my hand, which cradles my side. "Does it hurt? The doctor left us with some medicine."

"Yes it does, most definitely." I slide my legs off the side of the plush and my feet hit the floor. "If it's the forbidden forest, why do you live here?"

"People think it's scary, and it's really not. They think witches live in the forest, but my brother and I are the only ones who live out here. We are not witches, Adoni is our lord." Her words bring a smile to my face.

"He is mine as well." For a moment we sit in comfortable silence until deep concern causes me to break it. "Wait, my horse. What happened to him?"

"Oh, Karl put him with the sheep." she grins and grabs my hands, helping me slowly to my feet. "Would you like to go see him after we get your medicine? Karl told me to keep you in here but I think It'll be fine."

"Whose Karl?" I question wrapping an arm around my midsection, fingers pressing against the thick bandage. As we walk slowly toward the door my body groans in disapproval of such a sudden change of pace. She laces her fingers through my free hand, patiently guiding me.

"Oh, he's my brother. You should have seen his face when he came in and you were laying on the floor." She giggles. "He was so confused. He thought you were a knight, or a kingsman, because of your horse. He wrapped you up and took you to his friend Jace's house, he's the doctor that stitched you up."