But to Love...

Chapter 2

A tickling sensation runs across my head before I feel the creak of my bed. Weight presses down beside me, the wafting smell of wood-smoke reaching my nose.

"Oriya, you okay dear?" my father asks. I open my eyes, realizing that I had slept longer than anticipated. It was completely dark now, the house having cooled off after the heat of the day. I look up at my father. His face had been washed of the soot, but his clothes still carry it's remnants. His long, dark hair is still bound with string, and a five-a-clock shadow encases his face. Grey eyes we share look at me with concern. I nod, and give him a small smile.

"I'm okay, pop, just was a bit tired. I'm sorry I slept a little late." I say as I sit up, rubbing my eyes.

"It's no issue, just wanted to make sure you're okay. You had been crying in your sleep." he says. I look down at my hands. I hadn't remembered my dream, but it must have been terrible enough if I had been crying.

"I'll admit, I don't remember the dream I had, but rest assured father, I'm okay."

He gives me a sad smile, before getting up and walking towards the door. "It's suppertime. I saved ya a bowl." he says, before walking out toward the kitchen.

I stand up, gathering my bearings before making my way out to the table. My father sits, a nice wooden bowl of steaming soup placed in front of him. The food smells delightful, the rich accents of roasted meat wafting into the air. As promised, a bowl awaits me opposite my father.

I sit down, taking in the earthy smells, feeling a pang in my stomach from the minimal amount I had eaten today.

"It's great, you did good, kiddo," my dad says, shoveling a wooden spoon full of carrots, herbs and meat into his mouth.

"I'm glad you enjoy it," I return, before doing the same. The food is heavenly. The meat almost melts on contact, finishing up with the savory flavoring of the salt that enhances it. I almost sink into it's warm embrace, when my dad clears his throat.

"So, as you might know, tomorrow is a special day." He starts. "I've sold enough to close up shop for tomorrow. I intend to make sure that we can have a glorious day, as it will be your eighteenth year around our sun. What say you?"

I smile. Usually, I suggest we go shopping in the markets to pick out a sweet treat, but this year, I want to learn the forest. It calls to me.

"How about," I start, my hand resting on my chin in dramatic thought. "We go hunting in the forest?"

My dad shoots me a questioning look. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Of course, father. I'd love nothing more."

At that, he smiles, almost like a boy receiving the greatest gift of all. My father has always been fond of hunting, but I take joy in knowing he'll appreciate the adventure with his only daughter by his side.

"Well, with that, I'll ensure our bags are packed for the day tomorrow. Try to wear something that you won't mind getting dirty. We'll need to leave before day-break." he says. Hearing his uplifted voice makes me smile. We finish up our meals, before I take our bowls to the basin. Once cleaned, dried, and put away, I give my father a kiss on the head, before bounding to my room to pack for a fun adventure.

... ... ...

The morning is heavy with dew as our horse leads us through the growth-thick paths of the forest. It did not take long for us to be on our way, albeit it was a bit hard waking up as early with little sleep.

The break of dawn approaches carefully, painting the sky in brilliant colors of orange, gold, pink, and blue. Birds chirp and sing melodies of welcome. Though the air is heavy due to high humidity, I feel at ease. My father, truly enchanted, whistles a tune along with the birds.

As we near our hunting spot, I find my heart aching, in a familiar sort of way. Something about today, despite it being my birthday, feels different. I've traversed the woods close to town before, but something about the thicket of it is something my heart misses. Like having lost a best friend.

"We're almost there, my dear. We'll need to ensure that we are as silent as can be as not to scare the animals away." he says. I nod in response.

Once we make it to the location, I jump out of our carriage with ease. Though dresses are more a woman's custom, I decided on a green tunic with black trousers and dark hunting boots. My golden hair, tied up in a bandana, helps block the moisture setting in as not the be a distraction.

Once we have the horse watered and settled, I quickly grab my bow, along with a quiver of arrows. I nock one immediately, but leave it at rest. It's best to be prepared. My father looks at me with pride, seeing as his teachings have done me well...for the most part.

"Now, I know you have the training, but I'll leave it up to you, do you want to hunt beside me or try to track prey on your own?" My father asks. I think for a moment. Hunting with him could draw our scent too close, making it harder to catch suitable prey. Part of me wants to stay with him though, as he had been kind enough to take us on this journey. With a little more thought, I shake my head.

"I think on account of our scent, I'd like to try to traverse this alone, if you don't mind." I respond. He nods in agreement. "Good girl. I won't be too far away though, so if you need me, it'll take more than hell's fury to prevent getting to you. Okay?"

"Okay." I say with a smile, before turning on my heel, and making my way away from the carriage.

... ... ...

By now, the sun is higher in the sky, bringing with it the scorching heat. The humidity causes my skin to bathe in sweat. A small, empty flask of water rests at my side, having been depleted on the adventure.

I've stood here for the longest, silently eyeing a rabbit den. Having found a patch of mud earlier, I put some over my skin to help quench the smell of my own skin.

And then, I hear it. Rustling. The grass in front of the den shifts, and I quickly retract the bow string. I even out my breathing, timing my movements, anticipating the trajectory.

'As quiet as a mouse,' I think to myself.

Then suddenly, a large brown Jackrabbit the size of a hunting dog hops idly out of its den. As I aim, I get the nagging feeling once more than I'm being watched. It starts silently, like a whisper in my mind. It's bearable, until it grows louder, demanding more of me. As much as I try to ignore, to try and focus on the rabbit, I can't. Whoever it is, is close, and they call to me. They want me.

They want me dead.

Don't look. Don't look. Don't look, my head screams at me, until the anticipation makes my arrow fly. A shrill scream from the Jackrabbit ignites within the forest. I quickly nock another arrow and twist around to find the most disgusting creature I've ever seen.

"Oriyaaa..." It whispers to me, it's slimy, eel-like body slithering towards me. It's face-less head, save for a rows of razor-sharp teeth, bobs back and forth. It's body is jet black, but it meshes with the tree's shadows. I gulp, my heart racing. A whimper escapes me and I try to keep my arrow steady, overwhelmed with the sense of doom the creature brings me, along with the slowly easing sounds of the rabbit I shot.

"It's okayyyyy, it won't take long for me to eeeeeat youuuu."

I don't give it another chance. I quickly breathe, trying to aim, before firing at the thing. An arrow sinks into its abdomen, before a loud shriek fills the air. I try to cover my ears as it writhes back and forth, howling incessantly.

Then, out of nowhere, a blur comes down from the tree, landing almost silently against the grasses of the forest floor in front of me. A man with long, red hair, and a green uniform sporting an emblem of a leaf, stands with his back to me. A long, silvery sword is prepped in his left hand.

"Stay behind me!" He shouts, before he moves forward toward the creature. Despite the screeching, the man seems unphased as he lifts his sword, and sinks it into the being's head. Within an instant, it folds in on itself, turning into black mush, before sinking into the earth it had once trekked through.

When the creature is gone, the man turns to me. I back away slowly, trying to keep the space between us. He quickly sheaths his sword and shows me his hands, palms out, as if to show me he is not a threat.

"Listen, I know this may seem strange..."

"STRANGE? No...no, that wasn't strange at all. It's not like a creature out of my NIGHTMARES didn't just want to eat me!" I scream at him in hysterics.

"I know Oriya, but at this moment, you need to trust me."

Oriya...he KNOWS my name!

I quickly grab another arrow and nock, not wasting time in retracting the string. "You're going to tell me how you know me, and also, what THAT was!"

"Okay," he says, letting out a breath before continuing. "It's going to sound crazy, but we've been waiting for your existence for eons. You don't know this, but you're Fey, and that THING, is a demon."

I shake my head. "You're a lunatic... You're mad! Please, stay away," I say. I back up once more and lose my footing on the now-lifeless rabbit.

Without meaning to, the arrow flies toward the man, and I find myself falling. It only takes but one second for my head to find the rock, another second for the light-flashing, seering pain, and once more for the world to blurry into darkness.