Unwanted Love

The Meeting

Liam Hawthorne's POV

Watering the garden, I could hear the panicked yells of the villagers in preparation for the Lycan's arrival. Choosing to ignore the chaos I turn my attention to the bed of Wolfsbane hidden in the center of the garden; it does not seem to be doing well compared to the last batch that I have grown. Sighing I give them extra water and plant vitamins in hopes they will survive. I have to collect the vegetables, fruits, and herbs ready to eat with everything watered.

"Good morning, how is everything looking in the garden Liam, have the beetles been staying away from the grapes?" Merida Ashvale, my aunt, greeted me from the stove. Worry and fear covered her face with the upcoming visit.

"The garden is fine and there are still a few beetles hovering over the grapes, but not as many as before. Have you spoken with the chieftess?" I watch as her face shifts a bit before she lets out a sigh going over to the squealing kettle.

"Melisa contacted me about Sarah staying with us until the Lycan finishes their inspection" she explains.

Nodding with a reassuring smile, I head out to tend to the animals before Sarah arrives. It is strange for the chief to be so fearful to the point of willingly sending his daughter here; I mean it is obvious that as he may be fine with my aunt, he does not approve of my friendship with his daughter. Shaking the thought out of my head I make my way over to check on the chickens. The sight of the new chicks playing outside the coop near their mother brings a smile to my face. Throwing out flock crumbles both for the chicks and the rest of the flock I turn startled at a sudden voice behind me.

"You didn't tell me you had more chicks hatching." Sarah pouts before smiling and hugging me. " Your aunt said you were out here finishing up your chores before breakfast, so I came to see if you needed any help." She explained letting me go to watch the chicks as they ate and played.

"I just have to clean the barn and stables, it's a little bit messy for someone like yourself" I joked as she playfully slapped my arm heading to sit on a bale of hay.

"Just because I am the chief's daughter doesn't mean I can't clean the stables." She says with a playful glare before letting out an exhausted sigh.

"Privileged life getting to you again huh?" I grab the pitchfork watching her face fall in defeat.

"That obvious huh?" she trails off debating her next words.

"You can talk about it if you want, you know I am always here to listen." I give her an encouraging smile before loading another scoop of used straw into the wheel barrel.

Sighing she begins her rant, "My father has been looking for someone who will marry me and has been pushing me to study more than I already am. Not to mention that being the daughter of the chief, it is hard for me to find someone who will love me for me and not for my title." She lays back against the hay speaking faster and more agitatedly as she continued.

Glancing over as I continue cleaning the stables listening closely. I feel bad for her to have so much stress on her shoulders all the time while her only escape is with an outcast like me. "Not to interrupt but have you tried talking to him about this? As a future leader, you should be confident in speaking your mind to those around you. It will do us no good to have a leader with confidence issues." I tried to joke there a bit at the end, but it did not seem to get through the way I wanted.

She glares at my last comment before letting out another defeated sigh, "And what would I say, Liam Hawthorne? Hey Father, I am not ready for a husband and am getting way stressed with my upcoming duties." She throws out sarcastically, "as if that would end well. He is especially hard to talk to with the Lycan coming to inspect the village. Who knows how they will react to the wolfsbane you have been growing and supplying to the village."