The Green Witch

CHAPTER 5 - The Realization

One day, as Flora was working in the cottage, Reed showed up with some wine, fresh baked bread, soup, turkey legs, and little cakes for dessert.

As he came in with all his food, Flora, laughing, exclaimed “What’s all this?”

Reed set down the food, kissed her quickly, and went back outside to bring in the rest. He also had some bones for Raul, a couple of bags of nuts for Tick, and some vegetables for Gertrude and Gunther, which he took out back to her. Tick swung out of his bed, jumped on Reed’s shoulder, as Reed fed him a nut or two from the bag, and then swung and jumped back into his area. Raul ran off with one of his bones to lie by the fire and chew happily.

“I’m just happy! And I want to celebrate with you” Reed said.

Flora smiled, but was very weary of all this. She looked at him, warily… “What are you so happy about?” She laid down a tablecloth and helped him as he unpacked their feast.

He gave her a piece of rosemary bread, “You make me happy,” he said. Continuing to unpack, he looked at her, “I’ve come to a conclusion, that I’m happy here in the forest, with you, Raul, Tick, Gunther and even with Gertrude, that grouchy old goat.”

They sat and ate, laughed, and talked. After they were done, they went off to sit by the fire, as he listened to her sing, he was extremely content. They went off to bed where they lay wrapped in eachothers arms, in between kisses, she listened to his adventures that he’s had in and out of the village. She listened to his life in the castle, helping the townspeople, and they both drifted off to sleep content, and happy.

Reed knew that he was going to have to do a lot of convincing to get Flora out of the comfort of her forest, but he also knew in his heart that she could do her work, and live with him in the castle. There had to be a way for their two worlds to exist within each other. There had to be a way for their two worlds to collide. Life is not black and white, he wanted to exist in that gray area where everyone could live the life that they wanted and be happy. Reed thought that if only Flora could see the world as he saw it, with all the good people, full of kindness, compassion, and love, that she would be happy living in the castle, and they could be happy together.

Just the opposite, Flora was haunted with the thought that she will have her heart broken by Reed. She knew that she would not leave her forest, or her work. She knew that Reed would need to marry, a lady, and his destiny was to inherit the castle and take care of town and all the villagers that inhabit it. She was not that lady. She could not be in that life. How would she be able to tell Reed that he will have to go on with his life without her? How would she be able to hurt him this way? How would she be able to hurt herself this way? For this time only, she will relish in all that she had of him. She will embrace the present, and spend time loving him, so that in the dark, cold, lonely nights ahead, she will have these memories to keep her company.

Once Reed realized that he needed Flora by his side, he knew that it would be impossible to convince her to leave her home, the forest, and her work. He knew her work was very important to her. Her work was important to all things, all life in the forest….and he knew this. But he was still going to try. So what could he do to convince her to leave her home and continue her work from his castle? he thought. And would that even be fair….is he being selfish for wanting her with him in the midst of the village that she feared and resented so much for taking her mother? He took a walk around the village outside of the castle to gather his thoughts and make some much needed decisions. He passed merchants, blacksmiths, a tavern, bakeries, dry goods, and more.

Dilston Castle was thriving more than ever, the market was a success each month, and the village was growing by leaps and bounds. The farmers were lucrative, and everyone was content and happy. It was weighing on him to have to take that over and keep an entire village in the same state of peace and happiness. His father was doing an excellent job at running things…. Could he continue? he thought. Does he want to…..? he asked himself. He felt such an undying sense of loyalty to his family and the village, the town, it’s people. But Flora has become someone extremely special to him, and he was determined to find a way to have both a life running the lands and the village, and be with Flora.

He knew that she cared for him, he needed to speak to her, but could he handle it if the answer were….no? Would he throw his responsibilities away as the heir to the castle, to be with Flora? To help in her work, to tarry around with Raul all day, to be pestered by Tick, and to dodge and bait Gertrude? It all sounded wonderful to him...but he knew he had responsibilities to his family, the villagers, the town. He was, once again, determined to have both. He was also determined to find out who was responsible for her mother’s death.