Come Love A Stranger

Five

“Where are you going, you can’t be going out to the forest again,” Lydia said to Mariah when she stood up after dinner.
“Your mother is right, Mariah, you gave us a scare yester-night when we didn’t see you and thought something had happen to you,” Josiah added, looking up at her from his food.
“I know, father and I am sorry, I did not know when it got so late. I just want to walk around, I have been inside all day and I think I will die of loneliness here,” Mariah answered with her head lowered. Something strange is going on, she needs to know what, why is she receiving her strange guests? Last night she had figured that the forest must have the answer, they all emerge from the forest and they return to it after she had seen them, it almost felt like the forest was calling to her and she knew she would never rest until she had figured out why.
“I stay at home all the time and I haven’t died of loneliness,” Roderick commented and their mother glared at him, making him focus on his food.
Josiah sighed, “I am sorry, this is my fault. If we were still in the kingdom, you would have a suitor by now, if not married, I am sorry my dear, I never wanted this to be your fate.”
Mariah was surprised when she heard his words; she realized that he had mistaken her word of loneliness that she was sad because she cannot be married again like a proper lady. The look in her mother’s eyes told her that she thought the same, she shook her head immediately, “no father, it’s not your fault, it’s the king’s fault for not trusting his old friend.” She walked up to him and hugged him from behind, “do not worry father, I do not care if I do not marry, I will do so in my next life,” she kissed his cheek.
“But a lady should marry and have her own family; you need to be under a man that would protect you when we are no more.”
“What mother, am I not a man? I shall protect my sister with all I have,” Roderick said and Mariah smiled, it was the nicest thing he had ever said to her.
“Do not worry, mother, father, if I am destined to marry, I shall find a man who I shall love and he shall love me as well, regardless if the king banished us or not,” she left her father to kiss her mother’s cheek, “I only go out at night because I love the forest and I love watching the animals sleep, that is all, mother.”
“But the forest is not safe, don’t forget about the strange beast that is said to live there and protects the forest animals,” Lydia voiced her worry.
“I know mother, but I am not hurting the animals, the beast would not harm me,” she smiled, “everything shall be okay, father,” she smiled to him, I shall be back soon, I promise,” she smiled to them before turning to leave the house. Her parents watched her leave and could only sigh and wish she would be fine as she claimed she would.
***
Mariah walked around in the forest, hoping she would find something or even meet the bird or the dragon, she doesn’t know if she wants to meet the panther but she also have the feeling that it would not harm her, it didn’t last night when it could, so would it do so now? She wondered. She came out to a clearing and was surprised, it was her first time being there, she never knew the forest had a meadow. Satisfied with her findings, even if it wasn’t what she was looking for, she was happy that she had found a place to spend her afternoon in.
The meadow was vast and surrounded by trees, the grasses growing on it were beautiful and she loved how the moonlight reflects on their blades, chuckling, she ran to the center of it and spun around, her hair flying up and the moonlight cascading on her body, making her skin glow in its light. Mariah knew that it would be hard to keep her from the forest now, not when she knew a place like this exists inside it. Her only worry was that it was deep into the forest but for some reason, she knew no harm shall befall her in the forest, she always felt protected and at home in it.
Tired of running around, she went close to a tree and sat under its shade, breathing heavily. She had not had so much fun in a long time, for as long as she could remember, she had only had such fun when she was a child and her father would carry her in his arms and swirl around in their garden. She breathes out in joy, that was good times and she would never forget it.
She opened her eyes at the sound of rustling leaves behind her, she turned and there was no panther but there was something, a shadow was leaning near to a tree. She stood up immediately, her eyes not leaving there, “who is there?” she asked but the shadow said nothing, “I can see you.”
Nothing happened, she almost believed that she must be seeing things and that could be a tree but that was not possible, she came through there and there was nothing like that before, she could feel her heart beat increasing, coupled with her running and the fear rising in her. That was the only way home and to escape whatever it was that is there, she has to go through that way or she would be lost in the forest. Taking a deep breath, she said again, “if you think you are hiding, then think not for I can see you and I know you are there.” When the shadow still didn’t reply to her, she changed tactics; she must get whatever it was out of the way.
Taking a step back, she was enveloped in the moonlight, “if you are scared, don’t be, I will not hurt you.” She took a few more steps back to prove her point.
This time, she got a reaction, more like a reply, the shadow chuckled and it was the most peaceful sound she had heard. Surprised and relieved at the same time at the sound, she continued, “I really won’t hurt you, you don’t need to be afraid.”
“I am not afraid,” a voice said, it was raspy, velvet and aligned with the beauty of the forest.
It took a while for Mariah to know that the shadow was what that spoke, she gulped, now really curious to know what it was, though the voice sounds like that of a man. “If you are not afraid then why hide behind a tree?”
“I am scared that you would be afraid.”
Mariah frowned, “why should I be afraid? I am out here in the open, you are the one hiding behind a tree, you are the one afraid. But you don’t need to be, I am but a girl, I cannot harm you.”
“I am not afraid,” he repeated.
“Then come into the light.”
“Then you will be afraid,” he replied.
“I won’t be,” Mariah said with an air of stubbornness.
“You already are.”
“And how could you be so sure?”
“I know when people are afraid.”
“How, because I’m not,” she replied.
“Yes you are, although you speak so clearly but there is still a tremble in your voice.”
Mariah cleared her throat, “I’m really not afraid.”
“You will run if you see me.”
“Why would I do that? I am the one that asked you to come out.”
“You really want me to?”
“Yes, come out.”
“You won’t be afraid?”
“Yes, I cross my heart, so come out, this instant.”
“Aye, aye, milady,” he chuckled and stepped away from the tree, Mariah gulped when she saw him taking steps towards the meadow, she was tempted to flee but she held her ground, she gave her word and it’s her duty to keep it, also, the path he is coming from is the only way she knows home.
He stopped when he got to the tree she was sitting close to earlier, she could see his body faintly and could make out that he was dressed in black but his face was still clouded in darkness that was provided by the tree branches and leaves, “are you really sure you want to see me?” He asked.
Mariah was so curious to know who he is, she had never heard of a man in the forest before and she was not leaving without seeing the face of the one before her, so she nodded. He chuckled and took few more steps into the meadow. The moonlight fell on him and the first thing Mariah noticed was the moonlight’s reflection on his slivery white hair. He wasn’t that far from her, four steps from her and she would be really close to him.
Her eyes left his hair that was glittering in the night and flying softly to the gentle breeze, she looked at his face, he had a long face, his brows were black and carved to suit him, his nose was perfectly pointed and his lips were thin and nude in color, like the color of his skin. She looked back at his dressing, the black tunic he was wearing, and she frowned, she had not seen a man dressed in that before. She looked up to his face again to ask the question but the next thing she saw, shocked her. His eyes were a mixture of black and gold, glowing faintly like a midnight sun.

Author's Note
I have written this story for a while now and so I decided that why you all wait for the update of The Demon King, why not pass your time with this one?
It's neither about werewolf nor vampire but it's fantasy none the less and I am sure that if you give the story time, you would come to love it.
Do let me know if you do and please, don't forget to vote on the chapters.
Thank you ❤