Come Little Children: Book I

'Tis a full moon

She stared out of the small window, the sun rising over the never ending woods. For a moment the colors of the rising sun looked like gushing blood. That sight was short lived. It was the sight the made Katerina lick her lips with newfound eagerness.

"Tis a full moon, tonight." Jacquetta, her mother remarked solemnly. Katerina jumped but turned to face her mother, her beautiful mother with her hair of copper and eyes the color almost so undescribable though it bore resemblance to the color of sun kissed wheat.

"Tis." Katerina replied with a short and rather curt nod.

"Shall you-" Almost wistfully, Jacquetta stopped mid sentence as she watched her daughter nod eagerly though it wasn't as if she had much choice.

"The question still remains, are you ready?" Jaquetta asked, brushing past her daughter to open the window of the small cottage, letting in the cool autumn air. As crisp and unforgiving as it would have felt to most, Katerina inhaled the sudden gust of wind and grinned.

"Aye." Katerina nodded again before casting her eyes to the window once more and gazing onto the horizon, humming what Jacquetta could only assume was her song.

Jacquetta, having quickly dressed and arranged her hair in a make-shift braid, made her way towards the door. Her parting words being,"I must tend to the garden".

Katerina slipped into a rose colored gown with a short train, fur at the cuffs and the neckline. She then fastened a blue belt to her waist, silently thanking her mother, who could do wonders with a needle and thread. Noblewomen from all over England claimed Jacquetta to be a magician with a needle and thread. This had earned the crafty Jacquetta a rather good income, though she counted the days until her eyes would fail her.

 This gown in particular had been meant for a lady in Canterbury but after an unfortunate carriage accident the dress had been given to Katerina who with a few slight adjustments had made the dress her own.

The young girl could almost hear her mother's words echoing in her head, 'Let them see your beautiful hair. No use hiding it over a head dress'.

Slowly, so unlike her mother, she began to braid her wispy blonde lock. Her hair was like luxurious brass coils which glisten in the sun like gold, a color most simlar to her mother's eyes.

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The morning had subdued both mother and daughter and midafternoon crept upon them. Katerina went about her chores, intent on baking a pie for the guests her mother had claimed would arrive. As Katerina began to beat the dough flat, Jaquetta sat at her perch in her rocking chair, eyes closed almost peacefully.

Jaquetta inhaled sharply, though not painfully. Katerina bolted towards her mother, getting down to her knees and grabbing her mother's hand. Apprehensively, in a mere whisper she proceeded to ask, "What have you seen?"

"A man.... he's just been to battle. He shall knock on the door." Jaquetta foretold.

"What colored rose does he have on his lapel?" Katerina pressed, squeezing her mother's hand tightly, as though that would get the answers from her mother any faster or clearer.

"White."

"York." She confirmed and made her way back into the kitchen, unsure what to make of her mother's statement. There wasn't much she could make of it. Men had come and gone to the cottage more times than either one could count but never had they made such an impact on her mother's Sight. This one must be important somehow.

"You shall offer him drink, food if he wishes." Jacquetta instructed. It was not uncommon to offer a weary travellor food and drink but never had Jacquetta ever been so firm of the matter. By the age of sixteen Katerina did not need to be told twice to attend to a travellor. This one must be rather important if Jacquetta need remind her how to attend to him.

Katerina kept vigil from her window, waiting for the knight as she resumed her work. As she began to chop the apples a man, a handsome man with hair like a raven's wing and chestnut like eyes emerged from the woods .

With time, Katerina had grown impatient and weary. When he approached the cottage, she immedietly wiped her hands off her apron before removing it and went over to unbolt the door.

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Alrighty, so this is my first story on Wattpad. I know, it isn't the best but I don't think it's the worst either.

 I was inspired to write this song by Hocus Pocus. Does anybody rememeber that movie? Remember when Sarah Jessica Parker sang 'Come Little Children'? That song inspired me to write this but I suppose you figured that out once you read the title.

I hope you enjoyed it!

xox Giuliana