Fae

Chapter 10

The day was late as Kaden wandered through the city, lost. She was told that the amulet would guide her to her quarters, but following the gentle tugging of the oak leaf led her in circles three times. Frustrated, she took the amulet off and held it in her hand. She stared at it for a second, then it flew off, leaving Kaden to chase after it.
     She ran along behind it as it flew just beyond her reach. Kaden had to sprint to keep up as the amulet flew across the city. It flew all the way across and out of the city, into a small meadow that mirrored the training meadow. Also, like the training meadow, there was a river running beside it, only this river pooled up at the far side of the meadow. In the center of the pool was a cottage.
     The cottage was a faint shade of green, almost a 'mint' but slightly more blue, though not enough to be called 'teal'. The surface of the water stood still, a perfectly polished mirror, reflecting that pale color all the way to the edge where Kaden stood.
     There was a large deck that had steps which led down until they were even with the water, and a hand rail which encompassed the deck and patio. The cottage had two stories, as shown by a vast bay window which stretched from the peak of the roof all the way down to the glass doors which led to the deck.
    Kaden stared at the cottage in awe for a moment, then she heard a buzzing noise circle her head. Once, twice, three times she heard the buzzing sound and swatted at it before she made contact. Her hand stung and she realized that she had just swatted at a metal oak leaf amulet.
    "There you are, you dumb thing!" She remarked as she picked it up from the edge of the pool.
     "Well, it's not the first time I've been called that, but definitely the first time by such a beautiful stranger." A voice jokingly replied. Kaden jolted as the realization set in that she was not alone, and watched as the owner of that voice approached from the nearby woods. When she could see the owner of that soft, joking voice clearly, it became blindingly obvious that 'beautiful' was a vast understatement on this stranger's part.