Brief Hours

Prologue

Many years ago, a time before the rule of King David V; on a beach surrounded by icy waters lay a small girl with beautiful glossy blonde hair that curled delicately and eyes the shade of a sea storm. Her gown was a powder pink with white flowers, the only jewellery she bore was a necklace that resembled a small daisy and while her beauty for a girl so young was remarkable, she was sad and seemingly lonely.

Next to her stood a stern looking woman, she didn't roll around in the sand like her daughter and her dress was certainly not dusted with the grains; it was a yellow satin with gold detailing around the bodice and she waved a matching fan in the evening sun. The girl, who could be no older then six was staring out at the ocean with a look of longing but instead of smiling she turned and tugged at the hem of her mothers dress.

"Mother?" She asked quietly, dusting the sand of her skirts in an attempt to look a little cleaner, she pulled herself to her feet and repeated herself a little louder.

"Oh what is it child?" The woman didn't even spare a glance for her daughter who looked slightly scared at her mothers harsh tone.

"I'd like to go further up the beach Mother, I won't be long" She stated clearly, standing a bit straighter to make her look older.

"Fine. Go. At least then you won't interrupt my view" the woman replied with a wave of her hand and the girl grinned brightly and took off in the other direction towards the sand dunes that lined the beach.

She was a curious little girl, her mind often wandered to places where she wasn't needed and her tutor would rap her knuckles for not paying attention; sadly her curiosity out weighed her attention span.

The trees became denser and the sun continued to go down, slowly but surely the area became darker and the girl realised she had lost her way, alone with only her thoughts she wandered blindly until she could see nothing.

"Hello?" She whispered, "is anyone out there please i think i'm lost" but as one could expect, no one answered and she moved further into the darkness. The more she walked the darker it got and she found herself getting more and more scared. The twigs and leaves crunched beneath her flimsy shoes which were rubbing her feet raw and leaving nasty blisters but despite the agonising pain, she continued on.

Just when she thought she may be getting somewhere she slid on a bit of wet mud and flew down a steep slope into what felt like a stream, she landed with splash and perhaps a scream.

She waded helplessly through the water, her parents never bothered to teach her to swim, they always said "a lady has no business swimming anywhere but her bath tub" but unfortunately the girl had proven her parents wrong. Finally she let the tears come and she cried out for help into the darkness. No one came but she cried louder and begged for her mother or father or anyone who could save her.

Suddenly there was a glint in the distance and the girl felt a glimmer of hope bloom inside her, someone with a lantern was coming towards her.

"Oh Hello!! Hello!! Please help me!" She yelled out to the person and the figure moved closer and she dragged her sodden self towards it. "Oh thank goodness I thought I was lost forever" she gasped and the figure came into view. She quickly noticed it was a boy, no older then herself with a grubby face and dirty brown hair but she glanced up into his deep green eyes and felt an overwhelming sense of safety. He brought the lantern closer and frowned.

"Are you alright Miss?" He asked and reached down to offer her a hand and she took it gratefully, he pulled her out of the stream and onto the now slightly lit up ground. "How did you get in there?"

"I slipped and fell" She answered, trying to squeeze the water from her ruined dress, "it's very dark"

"I can see that" he laughed, "why did you wander so far out?" the boy pulled a leaf out her hair then another.

"I was exploring and I got lost so I continued going and I found myself stuck in here" The girl shook out her long hair and looked around. "How did you find me out here?"

"I was collecting wood with my father and heard a scream, he is partially deaf so heard nothing but I was interested so I found you" He picked up the lantern and asked "Which way did you come from?"

"I'm not sure. I was at the beach with my mother." The girl reached to her neck to check the necklace remained and sighed when her fingers found the cold silver.

"Well" The boy took a small compass out his pocket and held it close to the lantern. "The beach is south so I say you go that way" he pointed somewhere into the darkness and I shivered.

"Are you quite sure?" the girl asked nervously and the boy shrugged.

"I may be incorrect but how about I join you and make sure you make it back?"

"That would be most kind" She replied and he took off and she followed closely. They didn't really talk for the start of it but eventually they got talking about their lives. The boy lived with his father and brother in a small cottage in the village while the girl lived in a manor house not to far from the village but they both shared the same level of curiosity for the world outside their village. They soon discovered the clear similarities they shared and talked almost incessantly about this that and the other on their way back to the beach. When the emerged it was entirely dark but outside of the deep foliage the girl could see herself and her outfit, she felt instantly worried about her mothers reaction but she turned to the boy and smiled.

"Thank you. I hope you find your father alright" She stuck out her hand and he shook it.

"I hope you find your mother." He turned to the woods then stopped. "My name is William Caswell"

"Pleased to meet you William Caswell" the girl smiled in the moonlight, "My name is Emma"

"I'll see you soon Emma"

"I hope so William"