Buried In Thorns

HER1

Absolutely gullible, the lot of them.

They were waiting at the edge of the meadow, squinting in the direction they knew I would come from. Glancing over the small group of men that shuffled about and tried to tidy up their haggard appearance, I sighed, but stepped out from the cover of the forest. A couple more steps and my lavender-colored dress would be easier to distinguish from the browns and greens of the forest.

As soon as I was easily spotted, they rushed over. I plastered a gentle smile and waved excitedly at them. They trampled and stomped over to me, sounding like the cattle they were. The strong scent of wind drifted underneath my nose from the left, slightly turning my face right I waited for the wind to blow a long scarlet strand of hair across my face. I halted mid-step and let out soft laughter as I trucked the strand back behind my ear again. With my sight no longer obstructed I was pleased by the awe-expressions and enamored looks on their faces.

"M-Miss Rose, please allow me to carry the basket, you've walked long enough with it." Stammered out a dark-haired boy with shaggy hair, wringing his hat in his hands he held out a hand to me. The faces of those around him grew dark as they glared.

"Oh," I gaped, lifting a hand to cover my mouth with. "How could I dare?"

"It's no problem." He reached out, a moments lingering touch, brushing his fingers over the skin of my wrist before taking the basket from me. There was a slight grunt from him and a frown that he was quick to hide when he took hold of the full basket.

"If you insisted." I gave him a thankful smile and turned away as he trailed beside me with a proud smile that seemed to annoy the others.

"Miss Rose," A broad-shouldered man with a thin blouse and shoulder-length hair called out to me, bushy brows furrowed as he looked down at me with a somewhat strained expression and worried eyes. "I do believe we had spoken of this. It makes me feel terribly ill to know that you come out here to pick flowers for the shop-"

"If you ever have to do that, please call upon me to escort you safely. Nothing is more important than your safety to me." A gruff voice spoke from behind me, glancing over my shoulder I caught eyes with a scruffy but well built man.

"And me." Someone else chimed in, trying not to be left out.

"I await your call, Miss."

"You all flatter me, but how could I take up the time of the men who help make this city run right?" Taking a few steps in front of them, I turned to face them all with my hands behind my back as I walked backward. "But I do promise to call upon someone for the next trip, to not worry you all."

"Miss Rose..."

Seeing the tips of their ears and cheeks turn a soft pink or darkening their complexion made the smile I had in place harder to hold. A few cleared their throats as they looked away momentarily.

"It was a truly wonderful walk today, I even managed to find some of the rare flowers Melissa has trouble finding." I gushed, before turning back around. For the brief moment where no one was in front or beside me, I let the smile drop before, tuning the corners of my lips up slightly.

"You are absolutely wonderful Miss Rose!"

"It's no wonder that you did, beauty finds beauty."

"I'm sure she will be pleased to have such a hard worker with her, you are the best in the shop at finding the prettiest flowers after."

The walk back to the flower shop was excruciating, as I smiled and laughed at the appropriate times, commented, and praised them for this or that. Making sure not to get too physically close or mention anything compromising that might steer the thin balance they all walked upon when it came to me. Every now and then one would try to get ahead of the others and would reach out in what I'm sure was to be an intimate touch, but the others would handle that before I had to do anything.