BLOOD AND BETROTHAL

Intoduction

A young girl walks through the forest blissfully unaware of the lurking figure just behind the trees. She picks at the throning black berry bush as the creature grows closer. An uncomfortable feeling over takes the little girl. She feels the eyes that stare at her. The sky seems to dim and the wind turns to ice. The fear is suddenly to much for her. She runs far and fast into to forest but he is faster. With every step the girl runs he grows so much closer.

She looks behind her but doesn't see him. Just as she looks forward again she falls off the cliff side. Her screaming fills the air as she clutches the hardened earth. The unforgiving ground lets lose every second. Small pieces of dirt fall past her face. She can feel it braking. Terrified the girl calls out for help.

Suddenly a hand reaches over the cliff. "Give me your hand!" The young man screams. The girl tries but it's just to far. "I can't reach it!" She cried out just and the earth gave way. Her heart sank as she fell surely to her demise. This was it, her death was mer seconds away she thought. The young man knew he couldn't let this happen.

She looked up and watched horrified as the man jumped over the cliff side. With incredible speed he reached her. His arms wrapped around her. A gust of wind suddenly hits and somehow they are going up. She opens her eye to see him. He was no man but must have been an angel she thought as she stared at his wings in all there glory. They were strangely black but still feathered. They reached the top of the cliff where he set her down. Her legs wouldn't stand and she fell. "Are you ok?" He asked trying to help her stand. "Are you my guardian angel?" She asked. The question made him step back. "I-I'm not an angel" he paused, "you should go home." She got closer. "Than what are you? Are you a fairy?" He backed up " No!" He said defensively. She giggled, "it's ok fairy I won't tell." He crossed his arms " I'm not a fairy."

She smiled at him. "What's your name?" He looked around for any idea. "I can't tell you." She looked confused. For a moment she thought. "You're not supposed to be here are you." Stunned he just shakes his head. "It's ok. Sometimes my mom sneaks out when my daddy is asleep. Are you sneaking out too?" He nods "kind of. I'm not supposed to leave the house." She laughed a little. "Aren't you a grownup. You look to old to be grounded." That made him smile. In his head he thought about how nice it was to talk to someone. "What's your name, girl?" She gave him a smile "Nesrin Kinsly" he smiled "that's a pretty name. How old are you?" She Gabe no hesitation "I'm eight. How old are you?" He paused. "How old do you think I am? You look like a good guesser." She thought putting her hand to her chin. "You look twenty two. Am I right?" He nodded "exactly, I knew you were a good guesser." She smiled proudly. "Can I please know your name?" He paused once more. "Promises out wont tell on me?" She nodded vigorously. "I pinky swear." He chuckled. "My name is Jasper"

As if just to break the interaction Nesrins father called out for her. "I have to go. He's going to be mad I left." Jasper nodded. He went into the forest as she ran back home. He watched her from the tree line to make sure she was home safely. "So who's she?" A voice says from behind him. He turns knowing it's his father. "Father I can explain-" but he was cut off. "I don't wish to hear it. You snuck out and you talked to a human girl." "She was only a child. Did you want me to let her die over the cliff?" Another voice boomed "don't speck to you father like that." His mother shouted. "Go home your father and I will discuss this with you when we get back." He obeyed and marched home. Once he's far out of site his mother turned to his father. "Joesph I haven't seen him smile like that in years. I think this girl could marry him." He shakes his head. "Stella she's only a child." "I know but she will age. In a decade or so she could marry our son." "What about her choice? What if in that time she doesn't like Jasper?" She snickered, "Joesph we have five sons. She's bound to like one of them. Perhaps she could help Xavier." He thought momentarily. "Have you forgotten how the humans fear us." She stoke her head "times have changed. She can learn to love one of our sons. Here" she took a necklace from her pocket. It was a simple chain of metal with a red gem at the end. "Put it on her window. This will mark her. When she's of age we will return and you will offer her family money for her to marry our son." "Why would they take the money over her?" "Don't be a fool. You see them. How poor they are. Besides her parents don't seem the type to care for her. We will likely be doing her a favor."

And so as night fell Joesph flew to the home and placed the necklace on her window as instructed. He knocked very gently to get her attention and then flew away. As Nesrin approached she saw the silhouette of who she assumed was Jasper. She found the necklace and decided to keep it and hidden from her parents. "It's so pretty" she thought. Her parents would likely sell it if they found it. This was going to be the secret she kept forever. She laid down on her mat on the floor and dreamed of the day she would see Jasper again.