When they parted the day before Alexander had once more kissed her hand and told her he would see her again very soon. As she set out with her basket in her hand the next day she silently hoped that he would be by the pond, sitting on her bench, waiting. When they had walked the previous day they talked about his dreams of travel and how he liked the countryside and the fresh scents of life , and she of books she had read how to distinguish between ripe, delicious berries and poisonous ones. She tried her best to hide herself from him, not let him see how he had effected her. In the course of a few hours he had stolen her heart. For so long she had closed it off. since her father's death she never allowed anyone in, she feared the pain would kill her if she did. She had no friends growing up although when she had accompanied her grandmother into the village other children would run up to her and ask her to play she just held tightly to her grandmothers hand and smiled. She was resolute in not letting anyone into her heart but this man had managed to do just that.
As she reached the bench she felt a sudden sadness, he wasn't there waiting for her like she had hoped. She sat on her bench and looked out over the water as the ripples glistened as the sun rose above the trees.
Her grandmother was not a fortune teller but when it came to Annia she seemed to know what was in her future. They had a connection, something unique that she had felt with her daughter. It was this connection that led her to make that promise seventeen years before. That sense of her fathers fate, why she pack her bag and moved into the house with her those years ago. and why she packed them up and moved to the edge of the forest. When Annia returned home, giddy and smiling grandmother was filled with Annia's joy. She had been waiting for her in an old rocker on the small front porch. She could hear singing that she had not heard since before that day.
Six months had gone by and Annia and Alexander spent every morning together. He would ride out before sunrise, His father believed he was tending to the workers, his mother, however, could see the look in his eye. He was in love. He would saddle up his horse himself, as not to draw the attention f his father, and he would ride out, stopping each time to pick one of the large pink flowers from the garden at the end of the path leading to the gate. She would always be waiting for him, on that bench which now embellished a new carving. "AA" centered in a heart was carved deep into the center of the seat, the letters flourished much as her name was on the old chest she kept in her room. They would sit and talk and laugh as the sun rose. The birds would appear as if they sang to them, for them, because of them. They would walk through the trees picking berries and herbs and laugh. This day however was special. The basket was filled with honey berries when he suddenly went quiet. Stopping she would turn and gaze lovingly into his eyes. Her green eyes glittering brighter as she was filled with such happiness each time she was near him but there was something more emanating from him this morning. He would gaze into her eyes as he lowered himself to his knee and took her hand. She could feel her face flush and would lower her eyes to meet his.
As she reached the bench she felt a sudden sadness, he wasn't there waiting for her like she had hoped. She sat on her bench and looked out over the water as the ripples glistened as the sun rose above the trees.
Her grandmother was not a fortune teller but when it came to Annia she seemed to know what was in her future. They had a connection, something unique that she had felt with her daughter. It was this connection that led her to make that promise seventeen years before. That sense of her fathers fate, why she pack her bag and moved into the house with her those years ago. and why she packed them up and moved to the edge of the forest. When Annia returned home, giddy and smiling grandmother was filled with Annia's joy. She had been waiting for her in an old rocker on the small front porch. She could hear singing that she had not heard since before that day.
"Grandmother.. " she would call out as she ran toward the house..."I am in love" twirling with her arms out "I have met him, Just as you told me I would"
Annia danced into and around the house singing as she rinsed and dried the berries and placed the fresh cut flowers in the vase on the small table. "He said I was beautiful, and kissed my hand." she would twirl herself back outside and kneel by her grandmother. "He is handsome and rode the most glorious white stallion."
Grandmother just smiled and kept rocking slowly in that chair that would make the old boards creak with each pass. "Then you tell him to come and speak with me". Annia's future was beginning to unfold and she only hoped she had prepared her for that future
Six months had gone by and Annia and Alexander spent every morning together. He would ride out before sunrise, His father believed he was tending to the workers, his mother, however, could see the look in his eye. He was in love. He would saddle up his horse himself, as not to draw the attention f his father, and he would ride out, stopping each time to pick one of the large pink flowers from the garden at the end of the path leading to the gate. She would always be waiting for him, on that bench which now embellished a new carving. "AA" centered in a heart was carved deep into the center of the seat, the letters flourished much as her name was on the old chest she kept in her room. They would sit and talk and laugh as the sun rose. The birds would appear as if they sang to them, for them, because of them. They would walk through the trees picking berries and herbs and laugh. This day however was special. The basket was filled with honey berries when he suddenly went quiet. Stopping she would turn and gaze lovingly into his eyes. Her green eyes glittering brighter as she was filled with such happiness each time she was near him but there was something more emanating from him this morning. He would gaze into her eyes as he lowered himself to his knee and took her hand. She could feel her face flush and would lower her eyes to meet his.
"My Annia, my love..." he would swallow and stutter slightly. "It was like yesterday that your beauty captured my heart, My heart drowning in your song, I carry your heart in my heart, your eyes in my eyes, your love in each breath I take. " Before he could utter another word she would fall to her knees
"Yes... Yes my love Yes" Tears of pure joy would caress down her cheek as she leaned in.She had known who his father was and what his father had done since that first day, but this didn't matter to her, she knew this man's heart from the moment placed that kiss on her hand. She knew he was different from The Family and for that reason, only a few days later that that she had brought him to meet her grandmother. The old woman saw what Annia had seen in the young man and gave them her blessing and insisted that they remain secretive for fear of their lives.
