Walking down the dark path with the Huntsman, I felt something that I hadn't since my mother died.
I didn't worry for my safety. I didn't watch where I went, checking behind every rounded corner for someone with a knife or a sword. I didn't second-guess the loyalty of those who were supposed to protect me. I didn't wonder if the love of my family was true. I didn't feel fear daily.
I felt safe.
Yes, the Huntsman was supposed to kill me, but he didn't. He chose to keep me alive, for whatever reason. I didn't understand his choice, I didn't try too. But, I was thankful for it. He gave me a second chance at life. A life of happiness, of friendship.
A life of love.
It was undoubtedly clear to me now that I was, in fact, in love with the Huntsman. Everyone who knew us could see it. He saw it, even if he didn't voice it. And, it was clear that he felt the same way towards me as I did him.
I wanted to finish the Bond, but wasn't sure how. He had begun to explain it to me on many occasions before, but had always been interrupted by one thing or another. I had decided to get a book on the Bonding when I was out with Ina, and what I read caused me to worry. Hidden between the pages of love and ceremonies was a very detailed section about what happens if the Bond isn't supposed to happen.
You can't force the Bonding, which I had known. But, I hadn't known that sometimes the Fates are wrong. There is a force even greater than the Fates out there. A force that can change the Fates commands at its will. And, once this greater force has changed the course of the Fates, there's no changing it back.
To say I wasn't worried about this happening with the Huntsman and I was an understatement. But, just as I knew that I loved the Huntsman, I knew that there was the very real possibility of us not being meant to be together.
He nudged me, and I smiled at him. "You've been quiet," he said, wrapping an arm around me. "What's on your mind?"
I didn't want him to worry over something that was probably just my overthinking. "You've never called me by my name."
His eyebrows furrowed. "I haven't?"
I shook my head. "No, you haven't. It's always been Dear or Princess. Never Lara."
"Well then, we'll just have to change that," he smiled. "Lara."
I smiled as my name on his lips sent a strange sensation through me. I don't know why, but it sounded so different coming from his mouth than it did anyone else's. I curled myself into him, smiling softly as I laid my head on his chest as we walked.
"We're almost there," he murmured, kissing the top of my head.
I didn't usually like surprises. The unsurely of if I would like whatever the person gave me, and then the anxiety of having to come up with a pleasant but not untruthful response to their gift had always turned me away from the gestures. Coming from the Huntsman, though, I didn't mind them so much. So far, I had enjoyed all of the surprises that he had given me.
He seemed to know me better than I knew myself, seemingly knowing exactly what I was thinking, what I enjoyed, what I wanted. He knew me like he knew the woods we lived in. The thought of someone knowing me in such an intimate way should have scared me, but it didn't. I wanted the Huntsman to know me, both inside and out, my dark side and my light.
We stopped after we crossed a very familiar-looking stream. He turned to me, taking both of my hands and giving me a gentle kiss. I felt my toes curl inside of my shoes involuntarily as I tightened my grip on his hands. When he pulled back, I smiled.
"I have a friend at your father's castle," he started. "And he owed me a favor."
I nodded, not quite understanding what that had to do with anything. Without explaining, he let go of one hand and led me to a low-hanging branch. Pushing it to the side, he pulled me through the tree's lining into a large open space.
My mother's clearing was lined with twinkling lights and candles, much like the clearing that Huntsman had made me at our home. There was a thick quilted blanket laid out in the middle of the ground next to a short stump. I felt wetness on my cheeks, but made no move to wipe away my tears. Out of all of the surprises and gifts that the Huntsman had given me since he took me away from my father, this had to be the best.
"How?" I asked, unable to get out more than the single word.
"Like I said, I have a friend who owed me a favor. We have two hours here."
"Really?" I asked, turning to him. "What if we get caught?"
He shook his head. "We won't. Your father has had guards posted all the way around this place. He wanted to be sure you wouldn't come back."
"How can we be sure that none of the other guards will tell him we were here?"
"Lara," he took my hands in his. "You have more friends in your father's castle than you think. They're not going to tell your father."
I nodded, and followed him to the blanket. Sitting on the stump was a small box and a bowl full of assorted berries. I sat next to Huntsman, looking around as the memories flooded back to me.
"You know, this is the first place we met." I mused.
He laughed and shook his head. "Not for me, it wasn't."
"What do you mean?"
"Two years before the late Queen Adelaide's death, she took you on a tour of the kingdom. Everyone was talking about the King and Queen's youngest daughter and how beautiful she was, even at such a young age. I had heard of it, and decided to see what all of the fuss was about."
"So, you met me then?"
He shook his head again. "Not exactly. I didn't meet you, but I had met your mother. She thanked me for my work with the less fortunate. You were hiding behind her skirts."
"Why don't I remember this?" I asked, curious. I didn't think he was lying, but I wondered why out of all the memories I had of my mother, I didn't remember the one involving the man who would save me.
"You had your eye on a bauble in the window across the street. It was a small gold pocket watch on a matching chain. It would have looked beautiful on you, brought out your eyes." He paused, a faraway look in his eyes, before continuing. "You asked the Queen for it, but she had said no. She said you already had so many beautiful necklaces at home, you didn't need another."
"I remember that day. I was a little disappointed, but she had a point." I laid my head on his shoulder. "There were so many other children my age who had so much less than I did. I didn't need another necklace when they didn't even have enough food to eat."
He nodded. "That's true. But, I think the scores have been evened out some."
I watched as he reached for the small box on the stump. Handing it to me, an anxious look crossed his features. I simply held the box for some time, staring at it.
"Is this what I think it is?"
k�S9�ˌ@
