Crown of Faeries

11 | Deceit

The woman sat on the edge of the winding tree branch. Her feet dangled just inches from the ground, her toes just kissing the bittersweet tip of the blades of the grass. Her fingers knotted inside her lap, mixing feverishly with the soft cloth of her dress.

The warm sun milked the air slowly as the summer breeze wafted through the leaves above her. It's breath tickling her skin.

Her soft eyes rose to the horizon, searching. He'd said he'd be here by noon, she'd tell herself every passing second as anxiety, and something much more core wrenching, hit her.

Thinking herself as to be silly and childish at her wishful thinking, she tucked thick strands of blonde hair behind her ears. Her fingers trembled as they realized they wouldn't be able to touch his skin that afternoon.

"I'll break away," his words and his breath against her neck still stroke her skin in a tantalizing way.

He'd been everything a girl could want during her twenties. Tall, handsome, and had money. He always talked about his parents and how when they married, they would take up the family business of farming.

The thought of having a little farm girl with him caused the whisper of a smile to caress her lush lips.

But those dreams and hopes faded quickly as the cry of a raven in the distance fluttered through the air. Reapers were rising these days due to their need in searching for the unwanted. The villagers whispered secrets of Faeries and of little people who dressed like the devil.

The woman snorted to herself as she placed her hands firmly at her side, her nails digging into the bark of the tree.

"Faeries!" She cried out suddenly, swinging backwards as the thought of little creatures with wings amused her. She giggled as she closed her eyes and let her hair drop back as she arched her back further towards the other side of the branch.

Then out of no where, a smooth and rich voice startled her. "You don't believe?" His teasing tone shocked her so that she split her eyes opened and let out a small cry as her hands slipped and her feet flew over her head.

Tumbling down from the branch, the intruder caught her with ease in his arms. The women shook in her skin as she felt his warmth seep into her. It's effect intoxicating and caused her head to spin.

"Put me down." She spoke as firmly as she could muster as she looked into his silver eyes.

He obeyed her without question and dropped her lightly on her feet. She huffed a breath of air as she scrambled to make herself presentable. She patted her dress and combed her knotted hair with her fingers and all the while, the dashing man smiled at her.

"What?" She asked accusingly and he took a step forward. "Don't!" She shouted at him as he tried to take another step forward.

"I was just going to get rid of the leaf stuck in your hair." His voice rumbled from his chest honestly.

The women ducked her eyes from him for only a moment and he moved with the brush of the wind and plucked the leaf from her hair. She stared up at him with awe as he pushed back a strand of her hair to show her face. "Are you the Reaper that cried a moment ago?" She whispered lightly against the air.

The man took a steady step back. His eyes squinted at her question as he tilted his head to the side. "Reaper?" He inquired. "You believe in Reapers but not in Faeries?"

The women saw where he was going with the question and almost felt juvenile for asking the question. Even if he was a Reaper, she should have known not the ask.