I Am Where You Are | Mystical Flowers#1 (Ongoing)

Chapter Seven

We ran deeper into the forest, the wind and rain lashing at our faces. Archer never let go of my hand and I was grateful for that. The forest soil had become moist and slippery with the heavy rain and as I ran, I heard the squelch of the soil and the crackle of the leaves beneath my feet. My hair had come undone from its topknot, and now whipped against my face, making it hard to see where I was going. The trees shook violently in perfect harmony with the boom of the thunder and lighting, their thunderous roar echoing across the forest. I looked at Archer as we ran. He had a fierce look on his face, and his white hair was covered with tiny rain droplets. I looked away and into the distance. I had to keep from distracting myself. The path ahead was pitch black. You couldn't see a thing even if you tried to. A few seconds later, I thought I saw a blue shimmer pass through the trees to reveal a pair of bright red eyes. I squinted, peering at it more closely, but as soon as it had come it was gone.

Must have been my imagination. I was sure I hadn't imagined it, but I didn't have time to think about that while we were on the run. I gripped his hand tightly and he looked at me for a second, his expression unreadable. He looked away but I saw his jaw clench.
I must annoy him a lot. I am an adult, but I need him to hold my hand when it rains. Just great.
My clothes were completely wet and so were his. He didn't seem to notice. We kept running till I finally saw a little cottage in the distance. I gasped. Did someone actually live here? With such unpredictable weather and a harsh climate, it must be hard.

The cottage became more visible as we got closer to it, and it looked as wild as a cottage in the woods would look like. It's front door was covered in ivy that creeped along it into the windows that were on either side of it. The roof was damaged and a hole in it. However, there was a beautiful garden surrounding the cottage with the most beautiful flowers one would ever find. The petals were as shapely and intricate as any sculpture, but that wasn't what made me look again. They were the exact same flowers that I'd seen on Archers hair that day. Strange.

We neared the cottage and Archer broke into a sprint, pulling me hard behind him. He stopped at the door and dropped a hand into one of his cloak pockets and brought out a large silver key. It shone in the moonlight, and I saw that there was something engraved on it. I took a step closer and tried to read what it said.
"Forest spirit that holds this key, may you be free"
Archer noticed my confusion but didn't say anything. He inserted the key into the keyhole. It fit perfectly. The door opened with a soft click, and he motioned for me to follow him inside. I stepped inside carefully, relieved to have escaped the violent thunderstorm that was becoming louder by the second.

* * *
"What is this place?",I asked, walking around. The ivies had somehow magically disappeared, revealing carvings on each and every part of the cottage.The carvings were like stories, each one different from the other. There were engravings on the doors, the window sill, tables, chairs, whatever you could see. The cottage was made of wood, so it wouldn't have been hard to carve stuff onto the walls. The room was also filled with sculptures carved from stone. They were sculptures of creatures that looked unusual and otherworldly. I touched one next to me, that was of a fairy, with her wings spread out behind her and her hands outstretched. I placed my hand on her head, and I felt an instant connection to her, like never before. I jumped back, and I could swear that she was smiling at me.

"Don't touch anything", he said, walking into the kitchen. He seemed so cold and distant. I looked down at myself and realized that I was soaked to the bone. My white blouse stuck to my skin and my cheeks grew warm. I needed something to cover up. I wrapped my arms around myself and started to back away. I was too embarrassed to call him. I just kept looking down, wishing I hadn't ever come to this place.
"What happened?" I looked up to see him looking at me with a perplexed look on his face. I shook my head and looked away. He looked at me for another second and suddenly started walking towards me. I backed away in surprise, not sure about what he was going to do. There were only two people in this cottage. Just the both of us.
He started to remove his cloak, and I stared at him wide-eyed. "What are you doing?", I whispered, my voice shaking from the cold and a tiny bit of fear. He rolled his eyes and continued to come closer. "Hold still.. im just trying to help you", he said calmly.

I swallowed, taken aback. He took off his long dark cloak and wrapped it around my shoulders, averting his eyes as I pulled it around myself. My cheeks were burning and I didn't know what to say. He walked away without a word. I looked on, that strange emotion stirring within me again. I followed him inside, taking one last look at the fairy. I thought I saw a twinkle in her eye.

* * *
We were sitting by the fireplace, with a cup of some special brew that tasted like nothing I'd ever drank before, but it was good. The fire was warm and soon the room was filled with the sound of its frizzles and pops. I still wasn't over the little episode that had taken place a few minutes ago and didn't know what to say to him. He remained quiet. The silence wasn't awkward but it was making me crazy. I was used to the busy chatter and bustle of cafes and the laughter and loud noises that filled our cottage. Finally, I cleared my throat.

"So, um, why have you brought me here?", I asked, trying to sound calm and collected. He didn't reply at first. I watched him in the firelight, his white hair glowing. His eyes were darker than usual and there was a sort of difference about him that I couldn't quite figure out. He looked at me, his face fierce.
"I brought you here, because I have to protect you. There's a lot of things you don't know about your existence, Lisa. There are people who have been after you ever since you were born, and you never knew." He said all this in a serious tone and I listened intently. "You're in grave danger, so be alert. I will be there to look out for you, of course, but you need to be careful anyway."
I was still confused about so many things. What did Archer have to do with any of this? Why was I in danger? Who was so desperately hunting for me?
Archer looked at me, and I realized that I'd asked the last question out loud.
His expression turned into pure hatred. "Rumelda."
The forest and the trees shook more violently than ever before, and I thought I heard a shrill laughter echoing across the room. Everything around me was changing.