The Girl from the Valley

Chapter Three - Serena

“Do you not have any manners?” I crossed my arms, “Did you drink all the wine in the other pitchers too?”

The man slammed the empty pitcher down on the table, licking his lips for any rogue drop of the red liquid.

“I couldn’t help myself.” He shrugged with a smile, sitting on the edge of the table, “Penin is known for how delicious their wine is and when I arrived, I knew that I had to have some. I guess some rumors are true.”

“But you drank almost 4 pitchers of wine.” I pointed and hissed, “They were meant for everyone, not just you.”

He shrugged again and smirked. “Too late.”

I scoffed, placing my empty glass on the table.

“You look familiar,” the man c****d his brow, making a semi-circle around me as he took me up and down. “Do you have family in The Capital?”

“No, I don’t.” I replied.

He took his hand to his chin as if he was thinking about something that confused him.

“Are you human?” He asked, surprising me.

Penin, like all of Archaesia, did have magical creatures like werewolves, fairies, ogres, and other beings, but primarily consisted of humans. Being orphaned as an infant, I didn’t know who my parents were and I looked human. I hadn’t seen or felt any magic within me, so I knew I had to be human.

“Yes, I am. Why do you ask?” I questioned.

He shook his head with his hand still cupping his chin, “I’m just … curious.”

Not knowing what the stranger was thinking, I decided to leave him alone in exchange for some air, walking to the door that led to the manor garden.

The cool air hit me right as I opened the door. I could smell the flowers and the newly cut grass, enveloping me as I walked deeper into the grounds. The garden at night was lit with many torches as the stars stared down at the world. The moon was full and nearly at its maximum height.

There were trees of different fruit lined at the back of the garden with a plot of vegetable and fruit bushes sectioned out the closer you got to the manor. In the middle of the garden was a fountain of a beautiful stone mermaid holding a single rose, weeping as water rose from the fountain and gushed beneath her, making her appear as though she was sitting on the water itself. After the water fountain, there were many assortments of flowers and bushes. Walking around a few bushes, I picked a backless stone bench to sit in between two blossoming rose bushes.

The garden was quiet except for the muffled sound of laughter and string instruments behind the door to the foyer. It seemed like no one thought of coming out here to enjoy the night breeze, but that’s fine. I liked to enjoy this night alone, to be able to listen to the insects sing their songs, see the stars above wink at each other without interruption. No one to bother me in this bliss.

“Aren’t you cold?” A husky voice ruined my quiet bliss.

I turned to see the strange man sitting next to me on the stone bench. His arms crossed as he gazed up at the moon. A breeze brushed past us and I caught a scent of oak and honey. The scent was so pleasant that I couldn’t help but close my eyes and inhale it deeper, trying my best to not move too close to the source.

“No, I’m fine.” I whispered, not daring to look at him.

He chuckled,” What’s your name?”

Oh my goodness, his chuckle was like music to my ears. What’s happening to me?!

I scooted myself a little further from him, grasping the skirt of my dress to get my nervous shaking hands under control. Why am I nervous?

“You first,” I replied.

He chuckled again. This time I felt my face heating up. This is not good.

“Adrian, now you.” I could see him turn his face to look at me but I couldn't look back at him. Not when his voice, radiating body heat, and obvious amusement was the cause of this rise in temperature in my face and body.

“Serena.”

“Serena…” He rolled my name on his tongue a few more times and it felt so good to hear my name through his voice. “It’s nice to meet you, Serena.”

I nodded as a response to Adrian, not saying anything else. Nor did he. We didn’t speak at all for the next few minutes, which I was painfully aware of. I didn’t know what to say and the time of our silence only made the uneasy and tingling sensation in my body tremble more.

“Where are you from?” I asked, breaking the awkward silence.

“I’m from The Capital.” He uncrossed his arms and instead used them to prop himself up as he leaned back on the backless stone bench. “Have you always lived in Penin?”

“Hmm-Hmmm.” I nodded, biting my lip.

I knew he couldn’t have been from around here. I had never seen him before. What was he doing here in Penin? Adrian was wearing leather armor and his skin looked like he had been spending one too many days out in the sun. His muscles were evident under his tunic and his hands looked rough, as though he used them often for labor.

He must have come from one of The Capital’s Army Camps not too far from here. I guessed. I wondered what Adrian knew about the world outside Penin that I had yet to know myself.

The people living here rarely ever heard news about The Capital or anything else outside of the valley since very few people would leave or come back. Whatever news we did hear was from the occasional traders or merchants that made the dangerous travels through the mountains. Last we heard, which was almost a year ago, The King and Queen opened up the new Army Camp nearby to train soldiers living in Penin, since the only 2 other training camps were east toward Silverview or southwest in the deserts of Brimworth.

We sat in silence again when the door to the foyer burst open with a frantic-looking Roan coming through it. He looked around quickly and locked eyes with me and then noticed Adrian. He quickly made his way around the rose bushes to where we sat.

“Serena, are you okay?” Roan leaned down, placing his hands on my arms as he searched to find anything out of place.

“I’m fine, Roan.” I sighed at his over-protectiveness. He had always been this way and it had gotten to the point where he basically made me a social outcast for any and all single, available men in Penin.

“Where have you been? I have looked everywhere for you.” He pulled me up to stand next to him, “Who is this?” He nodded toward Adrian.

“My name is Adrian,” Adrian responded before I could. “And you are?”

“That’s none of your business,” Roan grunted.

“He’s my brother.”

Adrian looked between Roan and I with a raised brow. “Are you sure?”

Roan moved to block Adrian from my sight. Roan was just a few inches shorter than Adrian and less built, but I could see the muscles in Roan’s back tensed as he stood next to this unknown person.

I moved to stand between the two of them, “Yes, Roan is my brother.” I turned to look at Roan, who seemed to be in a staring contest with Adrian. Adrian, on the other hand, seemed not to care much. “He’s just over protective.”

Adrian looked confused, staring at Roan and then back at me. His hazel scanned Roan’s and then a little twinkle of amusement sparkled in his eyes and he smirked .

Roan suddenly grabbed my hand and yanked me toward the foyer door, “Come on, Serena.” Roan grunted , “We’re going home.”

“What? No.” I tugged. “I have to tell Hannah first.”

Roan didn’t respond and I was pulled into the foyer and out through the main doors of the manor. I looked back to see if I could find Hannah but she was nowhere in sight. Instead, I lock eyes with Adrian standing in the doorway of the manor with his arms crossed, his head tilted, and the smirk that has now turned into a frown..