The Rose Necklace

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, there was a boy in love with a Lilly. Not a flower, but a girl. It all started one beautiful autumn day. The leaves were vivid oranges, reds, and yellows, with not a hint of green. Many were beginning to fall off the branches, making it seem as if it were raining leaves in the forest. Walking under this canopy were a little boy and his mother. They were on a mission, you see, one that would take most of the day.

The boy, Adam, wasn't very excited about this mission; he was certain it would be boring. They were on their way to see the medicine woman, Ivy. She was known throughout the kingdom as a wise and practiced healer, with a cure for almost anything. She had salves for joint pain, tonics to cure a cold, and even a potion that could heal and protect crops. Villagers were constantly in need of her services, and she was happy to oblige. The problem lay in the fact that she lived far away from the village, deep in the forest. Few knew how to find her, which is how she preferred it, and those who did rarely had the time to make the journey. This is where Adam and his mother enter our story.

Adam's mother, Aster, was a kind and gentle woman, who had been widowed nearly five years before, when Adam was only three. Though a single mother, she often had free time and would volunteer to make the arduous journey to the medicine woman. Aster would compile a list of potions and medicines needed, then set out on a day-long trip to fill the orders. Often, Adam would stay behind with a family friend, Potter.

Adam loved Potter very much, for he told the best fairytales of anyone in the village. He never ran out of stories either; Adam loved hearing about dragons and dashing princes and damsels in distress. Though some young boys might make fun of him for it, Adam secretly loved the endings the best. True love's kiss was something he never tired of hearing about.

Today, however, Potter was one of the villagers in need of medicine, having caught a cold a few days before. Aster had insisted that Potter rest, and that Adam not disturb him. Which is why, on this chilly, yet sunny day, Adam walked beside his mother, helping her pull the small wagon she used to carry the medicine. The reason Adam was positive that this would be a boring day was simple: Ivy was a widow as well, but a very old one with no family to speak of. She and his mother would sit and talk all day whilst Ivy prepared the needed remedies. This would leave Adam to sit like a good young boy and listen to their boring talk with absolutely nothing to do. The mere thought of it had him stomping along grumpily beside his mother. Aster chuckled at his antics, guessing what he was thinking, but said nothing. If Adam had known then how the day would go, he would have been running ahead with anticipation instead of lagging behind.

When they finally arrived after walking most of the morning, Adam had worked himself into a thoroughly sullen mood. He was rapidly snapped out of it when they came into the small clearing surrounding the cottage. Standing in front of a flower bed was Ivy, and next to her was a little girl. A year or two younger than he, she was petite. Her dark brown hair was tied back with a blue ribbon, and hung nearly to her waist. As he watched, she knelt down in the flower bed, unafraid of the rich dirt, and patted the soil around the flowers. She looked up at Ivy, smiling so brightly that Adam was sure she was an angel. As Adam's mother continued toward them, the girl looked at Adam with her chocolate brown eyes. Forgetting about the flowers, she bounded toward Adam happily, talking before she even reached him.

"Hello, my name is Lilly. What's yours? Is that your mother? I only just came to live here with Ivy, and I don't know many people that come to visit her yet. Do you come often? If you do, we could be friends! Would you like that? To be friends? Why, don't you speak at all? And you should really close your mouth; it is impolite to stare like that."

Ivy called out to her from the doorway of the cottage. "Lilly, if you want him to speak, you must first cease speaking." Both of the women were laughing at the children, and Lilly blushed at the comment.