Start writing your story
By
Carrie Whitethorne.
Copyright 2017
One.
Admiring the basket, I'd carefully woven that morning, I gently pulled the berries from the hedgerow. My fingers had become sticky with the juices from the ones I'd gripped too hard. Sucking the juices from my fingers, I frowned at the purple stains left behind and wiped my hand down my skirts. I glanced up at the sky, the air was cooling as the sun began to set but the sky was still bright and blue. I would have to return home soon.
A bird watched me from the top of the hedge, impatient, waiting for me to leave and give it safe access to its nest. I checked my basket, I had plenty for today. Elder for wine and medicinal tea, rosehip for tincture, bramble for eating. Id found some garlic and herbs to flavour the fish we would eat later.
Aedric was away, checking the river traps, and wouldn't return until after dark. I would dread the time's he was away, bears and wolves weren't uncommon there, by the forest edge. He would be safe; the men were seasoned hunters and they hadn't returned without their full party for months. I pushed the thoughts away.
Wandering along the hedgerow, I looked back to see the bird dart into the safety of the dense bush. I wondered if she would still have young with her, given the lateness of the season.
My hand unconsciously cradled the small bulge of my stomach. Four moons since I'd last bled, I could now hope for a healthy babe. A blessing from the mother. I smiled as I made my way back to the narrow trail that cut through the uneven ground, listening to the songs of birds and rustle of the breeze in the long grass. The elder tree was visible again now, it's boughs heavy with berries. Almost home.
As I drew closer, I saw a figure beneath the tree, I called and waved but they made no reply, they mustn't have heard me. The longer I looked at the figure, the closer I came, the more uneasy I began to feel. They wore something too dark to have come from any local animal. A traveller? I fought the apprehension and quickened my pace.
Then I heard it. A girl, sobbing. Pleading. Apprehension turned to fear making my stomach heavy with dread. I dropped my basket and ran. Why, I have no idea. Why would I run toward danger? Toward a child in need of help, of protection. Instinctively I ran, I shouted, drawing the attention of the figure. It turned and I almost lost the contents of my stomach, the feeling of horror filling me completely.
I recognised the girl now, Ada. Probably twelve years old, she lived close to us, I knew her mother. I yelled at her to run home as my legs ceased to move. The figure approached me, slowly stalking me as a hunter would its prey. Stopping mere feet away, it pushed back its odd cloak and revealed itself. Not an it. A he. Beautiful and terrifying at once, his dark hair hung loose around his face. His full lips, pale skin and dimpled cheeks formed a beautiful, welcoming smile. Unable to move my body, I moved my eyes, up his face to meet his. I couldn't feel, my senses numbed by his black, soulless eyes They held me, they told me not to move, they told me that I now belonged to him and I would willingly go to him, would give myself to him. My head moved slowly up and down in mindless agreement.
Ada screamed my name, breaking his spell and I bolted for her. A guttural laugh followed me as I rushed to protect the girl, to get her away. On my knees, I grasped a fallen branch and spoke quickly, "Go home. Take this branch, it will keep you safe, protect yourself. Run." And she did, she ran and ran as I remained on my knees in the shade of the berry laden boughs of the tree. A twig snapped behind me and I froze, closing my eyes.
