Saturday Storytime
A Sorceress and her Knight
The smell of honeysuckle filled the air as Marianna wandered through the forest. Warm light filtered through trees as birds sang overhead. She twirled a daisy between her fingers, smiling as she entered a small glade. She sank to her knees and lifted her face up to the bath of sunlight pouring from above. Dampness pressed in upon her the longer she remained seated on the ground. Her golden hair fell in curls around her face, partially blocking her vision. She barely noticed as her mind wandered to thoughts of the knight she’d met at the dance.
He had been handsome, though not in the way most women of the court deemed acceptable. His overly bright green eyes had become even brighter when she’d asked him to dance. His hands were too big for his arms and she could have sworn he had two left feet, but he was funny when he told her stories of his regiment. He’d made her laugh in a way that had felt comfortable. At one point, she’d even snorted at his jokes and had blushed a brilliant scarlet color. He’d laughed with her. His smile had been...
A twig snapped from somewhere within the shadows of the forest, pulling Marianna from her thoughts. She dug her hand into the folds of her gown and grasped the hilt of her dagger. Its cold metal comforted her as she narrowed her eyes and peered into the forest. There was nothing but silence. Closing her eyes, Marianna breathed out in a long, steady breath. She focused on the air being exhaled from her lungs and sent it wafting through the wind. Whispering quietly to herself, she called upon her breath to find what had cracked the twig.
In her mind’s eye, her breath showed her the outline of a man holding a crossbow. It was just outlines, but she could see the man aiming the weapon. She heard the faint click of a trigger being released.
To be continued...
