Under The Land Of Wonder

Chapter 1 - Dream of Hearts

                  

Among the still forest stands a lone figure. No one was there to see her emerge from the very air itself. Her piercing blue eyes scan the lush trees, taking on their colors with each glance. Satisfied with her observations, her full pearl lips part slightly as they form into a soft smile.  With a graceful stride the woman begins to roam, filling her senses with the ways of the forest. After a time a smooth hand slides into the back pocket of her denim capris, retrieving a white rectangular device. Fingers gliding upon the device, music begins to play. Singing softly to the tune the figure travels towards a shallow stream.

Sunlight shifts upon the surface of the clear water, creating rainbows in its wake. Enchanted by the colors the maiden removes her shoes; her long, straight, brunette hair almost brushes the ground. Flipping it over her shoulder, she rises and slips her feet into the cool stream. Singing along to the music in the air, she begins to dance in the shallow water. Waves of rainbows fill the air as delicate feet flow with the rhythmic sounds.

After some time the female feels eyes on her. Pausing, as the music ends, her pale eyes shift over the land stopping on a tall slim figure in the shadow of a tree. Seeing her gaze, the man emerges dressed in black armor with blood red accents. A sly smirk plays on his features as his good eye moves over the maiden in front of him.

"You're coming with me," demands the smooth voice of the male. The woman's eyes widen as she turns her head, her body following shortly.

 "There's no point in trying to run," he coos, "We have you surrounded." With a wave of his hand soldiers with blood-red, black accented, armor emerge from behind the trees.

Her head slowly glances at the closing cards. "Wait," she calls calmly gazing up at the male's angular face, staring at his dark brown eye and the black heart-shaped eye patch, "Allow me to place on my shoes first." With a slight nod from her captor, she gingerly shakes her feet attempting to clear the water which clings to them. With a sigh, the young woman slips her black sneakers on and heads towards the dark figure.

When she is a foot away the man lifts her chin and gazes into her cautious eyes. "What is your name?" he questions softly, slightly regretting his decision to allow her soul piercing eyes to meet his.

With a silky voice the woman says, "Where I come from it is rude to ask a person's name before giving theirs."

The dark armor shakes as the man lets out a laugh. "But we are not in your land," he replies with a smirk, "We are in the Queen's."

"Then you better not be expecting an answer," she retorts softly showing no emotion to his comment.

His eye narrows and he removes his hand. "Whether you give me your name or not, you are coming with me," he utters stalking off towards the trees. The soldiers begin to lower their spears, but stop to the wave of the girl's hand as she silently glides towards the retreating dark figure.

Walking along the man forces himself to glance back, reassuring himself that she was still following him. 'How odd,' he thinks seeing the woman almost float over the grassy-dirt path making no sound.

 'Then again, she was completely odd, maybe that wasn't the right word,' he thinks putting his hand to his chin. 'Beautiful? Nope, didn't describer her enough. Exotic? Close... Enchanting,' he laughs to himself at the word, gazing at her emotionless expression. Seeing her captivating eyes hooded with long lashes, full pearl lips, her long brown hair that framed her thin face, the patterned black and white scarf, and the mint green short-sleeved shirt that bunched in the torso. 

'Yes, enchanting suited her,as well as, stubborn.' He smiled to himself, thinking how lucky it was for him to come across this creature. What drew him in was the soft sound of music and a heavenly voice. At first, he thought that it must have been a trick when he first laid his eye on her. Much to his delight she is, in fact, real.