His Flower

The Meeting

She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

Had he no knowledge of the gods, of their truth, she would have made him believe.  For how can such a being be anything but a creation of theirs?

"Is that her, then?"

He watched the woman frolicking in the river, her dark raven curls sticking to her milky skin.  Oh, how he wished to be those damned drops of water making their way down her full bosom.  Never had he desired a woman so.  He prided himself in being the image of restraint and curtesy, but this young beauty had him nearly on the verge of losing control. 

"It is," he replied.

"Go to her," the soft voice said.

"Who is she?"

"Does it matter?  Would you want her any less if you knew her name?"

"I suppose not," he reasoned.  Slowly, he moved towards the river and the woman that had ensnared his senses.  She was by the edge of the water, her clothing lay in the small clearing surrounded by trees.  It was perfectly isolated, which he assumed was why this woman dared to bare herself to nature.  She thought she was alone.  She thought no one would see.  How wrong she was.

The girl was enjoying the feel of the cool water on her warm, sweaty skin.  She enjoyed coming to her secluded spot by the river on stressful days.  She wished for nothing more than to escape, but a few miles away from the city was all she was allowed.  A few miles was all she dared.

Snap!

The girl quickly turned to the sound of snapping twigs to find a handsome young man walking towards her, his eyes devouring her inch by inch.  His hair was a golden brown and his eyes were an exact replica of the night sky.  Tall and lean, he towered over her.  She covered herself as much as she could with her hands, but it was not enough. 

Damned stupid girl! She thought to herself.  How could she be so reckless?  Of course someone would find her eventually, and in such a compromising situation! 

"I-I'm sorry to have startled you," the man said.  His voice was deep and warm, what she assumed a beautiful summer sunset would sound like if it had a voice.  For such a sound can only be described by a memory of such beauty.  His voice made her stop her crazed search for an escape route, a way to cover her bare skin, now cool from the water.

"I saw you from afar, and I just wanted to tell you that you are absolutely gorgeous."  He smiled at her, hoping his tone and friendly approach would calm her down a bit.  It didn't.  If anything, his words scared her even further.  Her eyes widened and she took a few steps back, her arms circled around her body as if holding on for dear life.

"You were watching me?" she asked.  "Pervert!  Go away now or I'll scream."

"What?" he asked, confused.  But he soon realized his error.  "N-no!  Please, miss.  It wasn't intentional!"  He tried to explain himself, taking a few steps toward her.  Again, his actions were a mistake, for the girl rushed backwards to get away from him, nearly falling twice.

"Get away from me!"

"Please!  Let me explain.  I mean you no harm.  May my soul be damned by all the gods, I wish you no harm."  When the girl remained still, no scream coming from her full pink lips, he took it as a sign to continue.  "I was resting up on the hill behind me when I happened to see you.  I didn't mean any offense, it's just..."  He paused to form his thoughts. 

What was he doing here?  How could he explain his strange behavior to this frightened beauty?

"It's just that you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.  I don't know why, but I wished to see you closer, to see if you were real."

Belatedly, he realized that she was shivering.  Her hair was drying, and there was a cool breeze passing that made her skin sprinkle with bumps.  He looked about him and saw that her dress was on the ground in front of him, so he picked it up and held it out.  Without hesitation, she walked forward and snatched the garment forcefully. 

She wasn't normally so rude, but she was scared.  She didn't know this man.  He could hurt her despite his words.

"Well, you've seen me.  I'm real.  Now, leave."

His face fell.  Taking a few steps back he said, "I honestly meant no harm.  I'm truly sorry for the fear that I have caused you.  I just wished to know you."

He turned and began to walk away, head down in shame.  How could he think that such a woman would want him?  How could he be so bold and classless?  A woman such as she deserved better.

"It is my body you wish to know, not me."

He stopped in his tracks.  Turning around, he gave her a sad smile as he shook his head.

"My darling, although your body is beyond compare, it is your soul that I wish to know.  I'm sure that a soul wrapped in such a beautiful package can be nothing less than a treasure."

She smiled at his compliments.  It was the nicest thing she's ever heard a man say of her, and yet it came from a complete stranger.  A handsome, kind stranger.  To be quite honest, he intrigued her.  She knew of her beauty, many a men had disgustingly brought it to her attention, but this man, this stranger.... He was different. 

"I don't know you," she stated daftly, questioning why she was still speaking with him.  She should let him go.  She should forget about him.  Most importantly, she should get dressed. 

"Well," the young man said, stepping close to her, "if we were to get to know each other, we wouldn't be strangers, now would we?"

"I suppose not," she responded.  Somehow, without thinking, she found herself just a few feet away from the man.  She could see the small freckles that peppered his slightly curved nose, the specks of yellow in his eyes.

It's strange, really.  All her life, she had been pursued by men, even before her bleeding, and yet it was only when this stranger approached her that she felt any sort of excitement.  Used to being mistreated, she had prayed to the gods for her salvation from her life.  Maybe, just maybe, this man was their answer. 

So, with this thought in mind, she dared to do what she was forbidden to do.  She dared to do what she wanted, and let her instincts take over. 

The man watched with wide eyes as the woman slowly dropped her garments and stood bare before him. 

"So," she said with a smile.  "Where should we start?"