Waiting for Spring - Part I

Chapter Two

One little deer and mother dear,

Open fields the eye can see,

Forest ahead, icy and clear.

From the wolves they flee

-Old nursery rhyme.

The following weeks went on as regular for April and for the rest of the people in the village. The autumn signs grew stronger each day, yet the trees remained adorned by a palette of colours. The fishing season drew near. Dylan, lamenting about an aching back, asked April if she would like to join in his stead this year. She was, after all, an adult now.

It wasn't all that long to the coast, though they had to carry a boat all the way with them, which complicated the journey. The way back would be worse. Then they would barrels of fish with them as well.

"I'll think about it," April said with her mouth full of bread. She rinsed it down with blackcurrant juice.

"Good, they could use some fresh legs. I don't know what it is with my back. Oh how it hurts."

"Maybe you should go see old Lissa?" April hated that shack on the outskirts. It always reeked of dead animals. The dried herbs hanging in small bundles beneath the thatching did not help all. She had always kept away, and the children did as well. Last time April could recall being there was when she had caught a fever. She would lie if she said that the brew she had been given didn't help, even if it had tasted something horrible.

She knew the women went there sometimes, those with husbands. The sleeping sickness was rare in these parts, but one could not be too careful. April was glad she did not have to bother.

"Yes, yes," Dylan groaned reluctantly, stretching his back best he could. "I'm sure it'll pass, just give it a day or two."

A knock on the door interrupted the two. April gave her father, who was just about to seat himself, a smile.

"I'll get it."

Carwyn was standing outside the door.

"Come," he said. "I want to show you something, near the ruins."

"I'll head out with Carwyn for a moment," April yelled inside.

"You to youngsters take your time!"

April was curious, something about how he had invited her. Rather excited, the two of them travelled deep into the woods only to return to the old ruins. Colourful leaves covered the porcelain pebbles, a rare sight to behold.

"It's beautiful," April blurted out.

"And with every year its beauty grows, is that not so April?" Carwyn said with a gentle tone.

"I... I don't know," she responded, still astonished by the sight.

"Sit," Carwyn instructed her and pointed towards the white block April always used to sit on. She seated herself. How could I have missed this?

"We are blind, aren't we?" Carwyn asked as he took seat beside his friend. When he received no response he continued. "Many things tend to deceive us from our sight, April. Many things make us blind, unable to notice true beauty in this world."

"You are such a poet, Carwyn," April mocked him and grinned.

"Yes, I truly am, I believe," the man beside her answered and laughed a hearty laugh, before he carried on with his poem-like speech.

"April, I've known you for so many years, and like I said, many things steal our eyes and the sight in front of us, make us blind of the prettiness there. But you, April, are the true beauty of my eyes. It's you, who I see every day, that makes me smile in the morning, makes me smile when I go to bed. You are even more beautiful than this place in front us. I know you'll be leaving on the morrow, but I also know you'll be back. And as you travel away from here, you also carry away a piece of my heart. Therefore, April, I ask you to stay with me here, forever, and never leave this forest." As the enchanted words flew through the air Carwyn took something out of his pocket. April had frozen a long time ago. This is not happening.