Not His [on hold]

Chapter 1

Alessio Pozzi as Benjamin

Chapter 1

"Dear, Benjamin will be here soon!"

Granny called, as she rocked in her chair. It was just after five, and granny had already promised a young boy to a date with me.

Sighing, I comb my long dark hair staring at my reflection in the water. I applied red paint on my lips, and pinched my cheeks to give them a red hue. Standing promptly as I hear the light taps on the front door.

Stepping into the light, I see my grandmother's eyes fall onto mine. "My dear Ellia," She gasped, "You look so much like your mother, so beautiful."

The small flies buzzed around my head, and I swatted them away. They flew off and into a crack, the smell of wet wood and mold wafted in the air.

I couldn't believe my grandmother and I managed to live like this for the past couple years.

I rush to the door, opening it as a loud creaking noise sounded. A young boy, in his early teens stood in the place where I had expected an older man to stand. My eyebrows raised, and I glance down at him.

"I assume you are Benjamin?" I asked, unsure.

He shook his head, "Sorry doll, I'm off the market." He said, with a smirk.

I gave him a dead stare.

His smirk shrank, and a polite smile replaced it. "I mean to say, I am promised to a girl in the neighboring village. We are to wed when we reach of age."

"Then who is Benjamin?" I asked, looking behind the boy.

"I'm Dyn, Benjamin is my older brother, he asked me to come fetch you. He got caught up at work. I am to bring you to the pond." He said with a wide toothy grin.

Raising my eyebrows, I nodded. "Gran, I'll be off now. I'll be back around eight, be safe." I called back, looking at my grandmother who smiled in return.

Stepping out, I closed the creaky door and followed Dyn. We must've walked half a mile before we reached a glorious pond I oddly was never familiar with. It was deep in the wild forest, and seemed to radiate life.

Dyn turned around and raised both his hands in a wide stance, "This is Benjamin's relaxing place."

Smiling, I look over the surrounding area of the pond.

"It's breathtaking." I said as I watched gease flock the pond, and frogs hopping from lily pad to lily pad.

"Like you."

A deep and gentle voice surprised me. I jumped spooked as I whirled around. A fairly good looking man stood there, a picnic basket in one hand and a clump of wild flowers in the other.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He said nervously, setting down the picnic basket.

Shaking my head I responded, "No, it's okay."

"Dyn, go back and tell pops the chair is fixed." The man I assumed to be Benjamin said, Dyn nodded running off.

"So..." I began, edging closer, "You're a carpenter?" I ask, referencing his previous statement to Dyn.

Benjamin smiled, "Yeah, but I'm not very good at it. Carpentry is supposed to run in our family, and my father and Dyn are amazing at it, but I guessed the gene skipped me." He said, nervously laughing.

"I see," I respond, awkwardly.

Benjamin rummaged through the weaved basket and fished out a large blanket. He attempted to set the cloth on the ground but the wind made the simple task much harder.

Reaching out, I caught the corner of the cloth. "Here, I'll help." I mumbled, plucking a large rock and pinning the edge of the cloth down.

Benjamin's face turns a bit a pink, "I'm sorry, I'm not very good at this either."

Grinning I set down the other corner with a rock, "Nobody's perfect."

We spent the next few hours just laying down on the cloth, nibbling on few pieces of bread and fruits watching the gease scavenge for food and the sun set.

"My family's in carpentry, but I'm planning on leaving soon." He said, offering me another piece of bread.

Taking it, I stare confused at him. "Leaving?"

"Yeah, apparently the King's General ordered a new wave of recruits. They have openings for warriors."

"King's General?" I asked.

"Yeah, you know. Vohn Dulvin." Benjamin said, tossing a few crumbs into the ground.

Vohn Dulvin.

The name sent shivers up my spine, "Wasn't he the one that massacred an army at the battle of Siverna?" I ask, my stomach tumbling around.

Ben nodded, "Yeah, he's my role model. I don't know if it's true but he apparently used to be a measly peasant from a carpenter family, like me. He abandoned his family's business and pursued his talents, fighting. He joined the King's militia and fought his way up the ranks to become General, the King's right hand man."

"I-I see." I said, forcing a smile.

Vohn, the man that killed thousands. I swallowed the bile that arose from the thought of even killing another person.

"If you're leaving soon, why bother agreeing to this date?" I asked, blushing as I realized it was out of hand to ask this.

He sees my discomfort and regret, and chuckled. "I've been meaning to marry, I just thought maybe you may have been my mate or someone I'm compatible with."

My smile disappeared, and I began wondering if I'd done something wrong.

Ben notices and began shaking his head and hands, "No, it isn't your fault, Ellia. You're a great person, but I can't see us becoming more than friends. And to be completely honest, even though the chances are slim, I want to search for my soul mate."

Biting my lip, in the inside I wanted the same. "Me too, Ben." Ben grins at me, standing up.

"Let's go, it's getting dark." He offers his hand, and I take it. We clean the cloth up back into the basket, and he began walking me back to my house.

"You know you don't have to walk me back." I said, raising my eyebrows.

"You're right, I don't have to." Ben sighed, "But I want to." His defeated face morphed into one a joking manner.

The house peaked over the hill we climbed, we rushed closer.

"You can go, my house is just a few steps away." I said, "Thanks for the picnic, I had a great time. Your mate is a lucky one." I said, grinning.

"So is yours, Ellia." He hugs me, and waves me off as he starts walking into the opposite direction.

I opened the door, and noticed that there were few candles lit. I see my grandmother in her usual rocking chair unmoving.

"Granny." I whispered, stepping closer.

"Granny?" I repeated, reaching her and shaking her lifeless body.

Sobs racked my body, as I held her close to me.

A couple days ago I lied.

I told myself I knew what loneliness felt like, that I experienced it everyday.

I lied.

I never knew loneliness until today.

And granny was right, loneliness is scary.

Because it makes you feel like a shell living in a world not worth living in.

* * * * *
Uh oh! Did Gran die?! :O

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~Marge