Origins Unkown

chapter 3

That night I had the most vivid and unusual dreams. Very inappropriate dreams. I woke up with my heart racing, drenched in sweat. Before the sun had risen the next morning, I was up and dressed. I gathered all the necessary equipment for the days travel to the market to sell the sheep's wool. The ride to the village was long and slow. It gave me the chance to think about the mysterious man called Drake. I thought it strange that I didn't hear rumors of him before the day I met him at the market. Not even a whisper. Then, again, I wasn't exactly miss popularity. I began thinking about his eyes and how they transfixed me. Then, about how his arms didn't seem to quite fit in his shirt right. 'What would he look like with it off?'

"What is wrong with me? I don't even know this man and I'm imagining him nude?" I said out loud to myself.

I arrived at the market and pulled up to my hut. As I unloaded the wool, I tried not to look around. I didn't want people to think I was crazier than they already did.

"Good morning, Twilight." Came a quiet voice. I nearly jumped out of my skin! "I'm so sorry! I thought you saw me."

"It's okay, Shelly. I must have been daydreaming. How's your morning?"

"Okay, I guess. Papa's here with his fish. I had to get away from the smell." She said crinkling her nose.

"I bet. Would you like to help me for a while? I get bored just sitting here alone all day." I asked smiling.

"Really? Yes!" She walked to my cart and helped me unload the rest of the wool. We separated the wool into two piles; the larger, darker ones in one pile and the smaller, whiter ones in another.

"I could stay with you, Twilight. Papa treats me like a child." Shelly said sadly.

"Well, you are only sixteen, Shelly."

"You don't treat me like a child." She said softly

"That's because you're mature. You don't act like a child when you're with me."

"I know. Papa says I shouldn't spend so much time with you. He thinks you're tarnishing my chances of finding a husband." She finished wringing her hands, still not looking me in the eye.

"Oh honey. Don't be ashamed. I know what people say about me. I know that I'm strange to them, but I just don't believe you should get married unless you're in love. Most people just don't understand that." I explained.

"I wish I was brave like you. I have two young men asking papa for my hand." She said taking a deep breath.

"Aren't you lucky?" I said tartly.

"But I don't know anything about either of them. What should I do?" She asked with big scared eyes.

"Why don't you just tell your father that before he makes his decision that you want to court each guy to see which one is more compatible?" I said smiling.

"Wow. He might actually go for that. Thank you so much! I better head back before papa sends someone after me." Shelly said giving me a big hug.

"Okay just remember to be strong." I said hugging her back.

"I will. See you next time." Shelly disappeared into the crowd. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Are you bored, my lady, or just not getting enough sleep?" Asked the deep voice I immediately recognized. I blushed deep red color thinking about my dream from the night before as I looked up at the man in front of me.

"Both actually." I responded in a whisper.

"I see. I do apologize if it was I who kept you awake." He said with a small twinkle in his eye and a beautiful smile.