The Angel

Chapter 3

She was sentenced to three long days inside the house; she was only allowed to leave when it was dinner and to go to the library inside the house. He did let her go to the garden to watch her nieces. Which she was entirely grateful for.

She spent the most of her time with her three nieces. They made her flower crowns, bracelets, and necklaces and brought them to her. They were such sweet little girls, she couldn't resist babysitting them. The rest of her time she spent reading.

She knew she got off lucky, her father wasn't the type to just let things go. More than likely her short punishment was due to his upcoming absence.

"I will be back within a fortnight." He informed Vi as he climbed onto his solid black horse.

"Goodbye father." She waved as he rode off. She let out a deep breath. She didn't hate him she just didn't necessarily enjoy his presence.

All the workers went back inside to continue their duties but Vi had other plans. Her father had forbidden her to venture out very far from the house, so she decided her spot on the river would do.

She glanced around and headed down the road. At the gate she walked by the guards and gave them a nod. One nodded back at her and smiled and the other gave her a wink. They understood her walks and even gave her a small whistle that would alert them in case she was in trouble.

She hummed to herself as she turned down the little dirt path. She had brought along with her a particular book she had started that had been hard to put down. She smiled at the sun shining through the gaps in the leaves above her.

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Three days. It had been three days since he started his painting of the angel.

He had gone back to the spot each day and she had not been back. He was beginning to lose hope.

Every night he would pace around the canvas and add on small, unnecessary touches.

His father had questioned him of his exhaustion, he only answered that he was restless at night. They had then talked about new trade routes to avoid thieves.

"Rian. How is your new project coming along?" His mother walked with him down the steep staircase, her hand laid upon his forearm to keep her steady.

"How did you know?" He asked.

He had asked her to refer to his painting as projects. He wasn't embarrassed by painting he just figured it would anger his father if he took up a hobby that didn't apply to memorizing everything about their land.

"Those bags." She poked the smooth skin underneath his eye, with a graceful finger.

"I see." He rubbed his face. "It's beautiful." He simply said.

"Getting a bit proud of yourself are you?" She asked him with a sly smile.

"No, I mean, the... person I am painting." He didn't want to give his mother hope that he had found a maiden. When in fact he had. She was just, forbidden.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and made their way towards his father's study.

"Hmmm. This person, do they have a name?"

"I suppose they do, but sadly I do not know it." He realized they hadn't actually had a real conversation only her excusing herself.

His father opened the door to the study and took his mother's arm.

"Son." He nodded at Rian.

Rian nodded back. "I shall be back soon." He turned and headed for the front door.

"Son have you given thought to the upcoming ceremony?" His father asked him before he could escape.

"No father I haven't." He replied honestly.

"You need to consider it." He was referring to Rian marrying a Scottish girl named, Martha. She was loud, outspoken, but not very smart. The only reason his father wanted them to marry was to expand his trade. He would not force Rian into the marriage but he would force him to go to her birthday celebration. Rian was praying he would get a cold on that day.

Rian nodded and left the house. There was no chance he would be marrying that woman.

He walked down the path and came to the meadow. The sweet smell filled his nose as he stepped carefully around bundles of flowers. He had painted this meadow several times. His mother had taken one and hung it in her room. He grabbed several wildflowers and then tied them with a long ribbon he had plucked from his mother's sewing room.

The flowers were a mix of purple, pink, green, yellow, light orange, and soft red. He held them gently in his hand.

Angel's like flowers, right?

He had chopped down a dying tree and made a makeshift bridge on the second day he came looking for the angel. He decided it was better than getting soaked every time he wanted to see her. Although he really didn't mind as long as he did get to see her.

He looked across the river for the angel but didn't see her. His heart sunk. He decided to place the wildflowers on her side in case she did come by.

He solemnly stepped on the bridge and slowly walked across careful not to tip the logs. He held the bouquet in his hand and walked to the tree stump her shoes had been on. He laid them on top of the stump.

----

She sat at the base of a tree a few feet away from the water's edge.

She sat reading, the book had her entire attention until she heard someone coming towards her. She searched for the person then saw at the water's shore, the red headed man kneel down and lay a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers down on a stump.

She watched as he stood back up and put his hands in his pockets.

Had he brought those for me? She thought.

She smiled at the thought of such a sweet gesture. She stood as he began walking away, and walked up to the stump. He slowly walked from where he had come from.

"Thank you." She said to his back. He stopped walking and spun around.

"I... I uh didn't see you." He smiled, "I thought you might like them." He replied. He took in her light yellow dress. Both of her small hands wrapped around the bouquet of flowers, where he had held them in only one of his hands.

"They're beautiful." She took a deep breath of their sweet fragrance. "Where did you get them?"

He smiled watching her inhale their scent. "Across the river." He pointed the direction the meadow was in, "There is a meadow just over there."

She followed where he was pointing and gazed across the river, hoping to catch a glimpse of the meadow.

She turned back to him, to find him watching her. He smiled and looked down at his shoes.

"What's your name?" He asked.

She raised one eyebrow at him. "What's yours?" She turned and faced the river, then sat on the stump.

"You won't tell me?" He sat at the base of a tree facing her.

"I don't know yet." She smiled and looked down at the flowers in her hands.

"Well I will just have to call you Angel until you decide to tell me."

She laughed, "I am no angel."

"I beg to differ." He tossed a rock into the river and it bounced across the surface.

She stood, "Thank you for the flowers, I must be going."

He stood also and dusted off his pants, "Goodbye Angel."

She shook her head, "Goodbye." She began walking back to her house. "Red."

She glanced back to see him shaking his head and subconsciously fixing his hair.

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So Red's name is Rian! Pronounced just like Ryan.
Adorable or no?
Like how they don't tell each other their real names?
My goal is that each chapter is at least 1000 words.
Sawyer! :)