The Fae Prince

Chapter Five

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream. - Edgar Allen Poe 

The setting sun found its way in between the trees, landing directly on Beckett while he walked through the forest with an added boost of excitement in his step. It wasn't everyday he was able to show off his forest to a beautiful girl. In fact, meeting a girl at all in the forest was something he never dreamed would even happen.

He walked along the log of a fallen tree, balancing perfectly with the grace of an acrobat. Every few moments, he would smile down at Wren

If she was, she didn't show it, much to his disappointment. Instead she looked around her with awe and wonder shining in her eyes.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Beckett asked with a grin of pride, as if he were a painter and the forest was his own personal masterpiece.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen before," Wren gushed. "It makes me wonder why there are such terrible stories about this place? Have you really not heard anything?"

Beckett's grin faded and he looked down at his feet nervously.

"I... keep to myself, mostly." He said, eyes downcast at anywhere other than her eyes.

"But surely-" She started, but was interrupted by a sound that seemed to float towards from a distance.

It wasn't like the sound she heard when she entered the forest. Not exactly. Then, there had multiple, maybe hundreds of angelically sweet voices and they seemed to be right in her ear. But standing in the forest with Beckett by her side, the voice from the lake, while nearly as sweet, was definitely coming from a ways away.

In an instant, the agile boy leapt off the log in one graceful movement and stood behind Wren with a hand covering her mouth.

"Shhhh." He whispered, while her eyes widened in concern.

"Someone else is in here. We should go find them. They could be lost like I was." She said to him, confused.

"No. I'm certain they're not lost. But we should head back to the house, it's getting dark." He said, a sudden serious taking over like she'd never known in him before.

"Don't be daft. If it's getting dark, it's even more of a reason not to leave some poor, helpless girl alone in the woods." She said, breaking free of his hold on her and running towards the voice.

"Wren!" He called from behind her, instantly matching her pace.

His body tensed in anxiety, like he'd never experienced before. He knew what was in the woods. He knew the forest were able to lead the fae away, as they were the imminent threat. But still, there were other beings in the woods that roamed freely. Creatures he wouldn't be able to explain to Wren.

"Please. I'm certain that everything is fine. We should leave them alone." He begged, a raw desperation filled his voice.

Her green eyes looked curiously into his, questioning his hesitation. She didn't know what he was trying to protect her from. He didn't know how he could possibly explain to her why they had to leave.

Wren broke their gaze and stumbled downwards past tree roots and dirt mounds till she was standing aside the lake.

"Well, that's odd." She remarked curiously. "There doesn't seem to be anyone around."

But Beckett knew better. Nymphs were lovely. Enchanting even. With hair of silky dark green strands and skin just a shade lighter, they were easily able to blend in the nature around them.