by Mary Akers
“She’s cared for you for a long time Trig,” she said. “Don’t worry so much.”
Just then, the door to Alysa’s house flew open. Trig jumped behind Elora, ducking his head.
Seeing her friend, Alysa started running.
“Elora! Elora! He proposed!” she nearly screamed, waving the letter in the air as she flew down the steps.
Trig lifted his head, stepping out from behind Elora his eyes wide. Alysa stopped dead in her tracks, startled. They stared at one another for a moment as they struggled through their shyness and fear. Elora held her breath as she looked back and forth between her friends. Alysa’s face slowly stretched into a jubilant smile and Trig letting out a chuckle of relief. She took off running again towards him.
“I accept! I accept!” she shouted.
Trig closed the space between them and she launched herself into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck, his proposal letter still fluttering in her hand. After a moment, he released her, gently lowering her until her feet touched the ground. They stared into each other’s eyes, basking in the joy of love requited. He reached up to brush a strand of hair from her face. She closed her eyes and released a shuddering breath.
“I accept,” she whispered.
“Thank God,” he sighed.
With a gentle thumb beneath her chin, he lifted her face to his and placed a tender kiss on her lips. She opened her eyes, smiling joyfully up at him as she tightened her arms around his neck and kissed him again in earnest.
Elora slowly turned and walked away, giving her friends the privacy they needed. Not that they were aware of her presence anyway. She smiled as she looked back, overjoyed that they had at long last found their way to one another, and a bit smug that she’d played a part in it.
As she walked through the town square, she wandered toward the market, curious to see if the man who had been following her was actually the one she’d seen that morning with the Highlander. She wasn’t entirely sure what she would do with that information, but she felt compelled to know, nonetheless. She made her way past the rows of merchants packing up their goods for the day until she came to the place where she’d bought her necklace. The spot was empty.
“I suppose he’s already packed up for the day,” Elora said dejectedly to Sam Tegan, a merchant she recognized in a booth nearby.
“He left a while ago actually. Right after he sold you that chain,” he nodded to her necklace. “Packed up and rode out of town quick as that,” he said, snapping his fingers. “Craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“He’s gone?” Elora asked in surprise. “But he’d only just arrived! He surely didn’t make enough off of me to make the journey out here worthwhile!”
Sam shook his head and clucked his tongue, clearly baffled.
“Did you happen to see a young man with him? Blond hair?” Elora inquired.
“I know who you’re asking about,” he nodded. “I saw him helping out this morning too. But he wasn’t on the wagon when that Highlander drove off,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.
Elora bit her lip, uneasy with all this puzzling information. She smiled at the merchant. “Thanks Sam,” she said, turning to go.
Sam reached out to touch her arm, stopping her.
“If you don’t mind my asking, what’s so special about that chain that you paid $7 for it?” he asked, his brows furrowed.
Elora blushed. Apparently not much went unnoticed in the market.
“I mean, it’s nice enough, but Angus Port would have sold you something much finer for half that,” he stated, referring to the town silversmith a few rows down.
“I didn’t really buy it for the chain. I bought it for the charm” Elora said, fingering the seed that dangled above the neckline of her dress.
“What charm, dear girl?” he asked, leaning in for a closer look.
Elora looked him in the eyes, confused. She lifted the seed to show him better.
“It’s a seed,” she explained. “From the Woodlands.”
He stared closely at her hands and then looked her in the face, squinting his eyes in a doubtful expression.
“Are you playing with me?” he asked.
“No!” Elora replied, startled.
“There’s no charm there, Elora Kerrick!” he said, exasperated. “What are you getting on about?”
Elora looked down at the seed grasped firmly in her fingers. What was going on?
“You don’t see it?” she asked, her brow wrinkled in confusion.
“Well of course not! There’s nothing there, you daft girl!” he answered, throwing his hands in the air, clearly finished with whatever game they were playing.
He shook his head and turned his back on her, returning to his booth to finish packing for the night.
Elora stood still a moment staring after him, her mouth open but nothing to say. He couldn’t see it. Obviously he was telling the truth because he was very clearly annoyed with her. How was that possible?
Elora left the market, wandering aimlessly as she digested everything that had just happened. There was something so strange going on and it all seemed tied to the beautiful seed she wore around her neck.
The sun finally began its descent and Elora turned her feet towards home. She smiled as she walked, thinking of Alysa and Trig and the excitement they must be feeling tonight. It was the beginning of a whole new world for them. She wondered how long they would wait until they had their Binding Ceremony. Surely not long, based on what she’d seen between them earlier.
What does it feel like, she wondered, knowing you’ve found your match? And how amazing when that person chooses you too. Would that ever happen for her? She felt a brief pang of jealousy that she hadn’t found even a glimmer of that kind of happiness yet. But she shook her head, trying to dislodge the sadness that was threatening to steal the joy of seeing her friends united. It would happen for her. Surely it would. If only waiting weren’t so hard.
Chapter 3
Alysa was sitting on the short stone wall around the Kerrick yard, a smile stretched across her beaming face when Elora opened the door the next morning. Elora laughed at the sight of her, amused and delighted at the unabashed joy of her dearest friend.
Alysa leapt off the fence and threw her arms around Elora’s neck.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “You are truly my best friend.”
Elora smiled and hugged her back.
“Well someone had to do something!” she said, taking her friend by the hands. “I couldn’t handle the longing glances anymore!” she teased. “Besides, I was afraid you were starting to consider accepting that proposal from Phillip Rawlings.”
She shook her head and scrunched her nose in disgust.
‘Hey! Phillip isn’t so bad,” Alysa gently scolded.
“You’re right. He’s not bad at all,” Elora conceded. “But he’s no Trig. And I wasn’t about to watch you settle for someone you didn’t want. Especially when it was so obvious that Trig is desperately in love with you too.”
“I had no idea! How could you tell?” Alysa exclaimed, smiling and shaking her head, bemused.
“Oh my gosh, Alysa! How could you not?” laughed Elora, holding her head in her hands and looking up at the sky in bewilderment. “Thank God I was here to save you two lovely idiots from yourselves.”
“Yes. Thank God for that,” Alysa said, laughing joyfully.
Elora’s heart swelled to see her friend so radiantly happy.
Putting her arm around Alysa, she said, “I have to get going. Will you walk with me a bit? You are a delight to be around today and I want to soak up as much of that joy as I can. Maybe it will help me forget what a lonely old maid I am.”
They turned and headed out the gate, arm in arm.
“Well, Phillip Rawlings is available, you know,” Alysa said, giggling.
> Elora nudged her with an elbow and Alysa jumped aside, laughing merrily.
“So did you two actually do any talking last night?” Elora teased her shy friend, shamelessly enjoying the instantaneous blush that appeared.
“Yes!” Alysa exclaimed. “Lots of talking,” she said defensively.
“Well I don’t know why,” Elora said bluntly. “You waited a long time to kiss that boy! Oh please, don’t be embarrassed around me!” she pleaded. “I’m living vicariously here and I want to know everything!”
Alysa laughed, raising her hands to cover her pink cheeks.
“Alright. Alright. There was a healthy mix of talking and … not talking,” she admitted.
Elora threw back her head and laughed. “Good for you! Was it everything you’d imagined?”
Alysa smiled, staring at the ground clearly lost in memory.
“It was so much better than I imagined. All butterflies and tingles. I don’t know what you saw when you were twelve Elora, but that Trig Davenport can kiss,” she gushed.
“Well thank goodness for that!” Elora cried, laughing. “So I guess you won’t want to wait too long for the Binding then.”
“Two weeks.”
“Wow! That’s soon! I half expected you to say ‘tomorrow’ though, to be honest,” Elora said, chuckling.
“Trig did float that idea,” Alysa giggled. “But everyone is busy with the harvest right now and probably will be for a few more weeks. So we figured two weeks sounded more reasonable.”
“I’m not sure ‘reasonable’ is the word Preacher Woodward will use when you tell him,” Elora said, raising an eyebrow sarcastically.
“Probably not,” Alysa agreed with a laugh and Elora couldn’t help but join in.
Alysa’s happiness was infectious and Elora was enjoying every moment of it.
“We really don’t want a big ceremony, but even then there is still so much to do!” Alysa said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “You should have seen my mother last night when we talked about our plans. I’ve never seen her more excited and more panicked. I hadn’t realize how much she’d been looking forward to this and I guess two weeks is a little less time than she anticipated.”
“Maybe a little,” Elora teased. “What did your dad say?”
“He was too busy staring at Trig to say much of anything,” she said, laughing.
“Poor Trig. I think your dad nearly scared him out of leaving you that letter in the first place. He must be truly besotted to face Michael Scott, Head Guardsman. I’d actually forgotten that your dad is his boss. That’s pretty brave,” Elora said, nodding in admiration.
“I know!” Alysa beamed with pride.
“Of course, he was hiding behind my skirt when he saw you come out the door yesterday … so clearly his bravery has its limits,” Elora joked.
“Oh hush! I can’t wait to see how you handle falling in love. It’s almost as terrifying as it is thrilling!” Alysa cried.
Her words called up the memory of the man in the forest and Alysa’s hand tingled as she recalled his touch. Terrifying and thrilling was exactly how it had felt. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, surprised once again at how real the sensations seemed when it was all just a silly fantasy. She really needed to meet someone soon if a mystery dream man was the closest she could get to imagining love.
“He’s been brave when it counted. I’m actually pretty pleased if I’m his one weakness,” Alysa grinned. “That’s to my advantage!”
“That is true!” Elora laughed.
They were nearing the edge of the developed section of the settlement, where cobbled streets gave way to the dirt roads leading out to the gardens. While Elora was dressed in boots and pants for another day of weeding and harvesting, Alysa had on a soft blue frock and slippers better suited to her job in the dress-maker’s shop. This was as far as she could venture.
“Before we go, I have something I’d like to ask,” Alysa said earnestly, turning to look Elora in the eyes. “I’d like for you to stand beside me for the Binding, as my Witness.”
Elora beamed.
“I would be honored,” she said breathlessly.
“Perfect!” Alysa cried, clapping her hands excitedly before throwing her arms around Elora’s neck for a quick hug. “Can you come to the shop on Saturday? I need to measure you. I have such an amazing dress in mind for you!”
“Will you have time to make me a dress? Don’t you need to work on yours?” Elora asked.
“My mother has been working on a dress for me since the minute I turned 18,” Alysa said shaking her head in amusement.
“Be grateful,” Elora laughed. “I’ll probably be wearing my field clothes and mud boots for my Binding if it’s left up to my mother,” she joked.
“But the flowers will be amazing!” Alysa asserted, pointing her finger in the air.
“True,” Elora smiled.
“Alright! I’ve got to run!” Alysa said, turning to head towards her mother’s dress shop.
“Congratulations Alysa! I’m so happy for you!” Elora said in parting.
Alysa turned back with a radiant smile and waved once more before rounding a corner and slipping out of view. Elora stood looking at the spot where she’d last seen her friend feeling both elated and envious, wondering if perhaps it would soon be her turn to find love too.
A movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention and Elora turned just in time to see a young blonde-headed man disappearing down an alley. A chill went up her spine and she gasped. Could that have been the same boy from yesterday? Suddenly the prospect of walking out to the gardens by herself made her acutely uncomfortable. She looked around nervously, wondering what to do. Was she being paranoid?
“Elora! You left ages ago! I figured you’d already be knee deep in dirt by now.”
Elora breathed a huge sigh of relief at the sound of her mother’s voice. Turning, she smiled and fell into step beside her as they made their way to the agricultural area within the settlement.
“I’m happy you came along, Mom,” she said earnestly.
“Oh really? Everything alright?” she asked.
Elora considered telling her about the blonde haired young man, but seeing him only twice, no matter how strange it seemed, was hardly convincing evidence that she was being followed. Her uneasy feelings were probably just another result of an overactive imagination. She shook her head, mentally chastising herself for tending to jump to such wild conclusions.
“Everything’s fine mom. It’s just nice to have company,” she said, slinging her arm up onto her mother’s shoulder affectionately.
Winifred wrapped her arm around Elora’s waist, enjoying the camaraderie of her daughter.
“It really is nice,” she agreed, smiling.
But as they ventured down the road, Elora couldn’t help sneaking a quick backward glance. Just in case.
It was so hot. The growing season was nearly over and soon the wind would be bitterly cold and ruthless as it rushed over the wide-open plains. But today, it was still miserably hot.
It was barely past noon and already Elora was so exhausted she could hardly summon enough energy to trudge the short distance to the supply barn for a drink of water. Pumping the well handle, Elora filled her canteen beneath the spout and took a long swig. She walked back to the barn and slid down the wall to rest a while in the shade. Taking off her hat, she looped it over her knee and raised the hem of her tunic to mop her brow. She dropped it in disgust when she realized it was soaked through already.
“Why did I choose this job?” she quietly asked herself.
Leaning her head back against the rough stone sides of the barn, Elora closed her eyes, attempting to relax despite being so uncomfortable. She tried to take a deep breath but a hot gust of wind tried to smother her instead and she sighed, utterly resigned to h
er misery.
She was nearly asleep when she felt the tingle of a cool breeze brush across her skin. She was no longer surrounded by the sounds of trowels shifting dirt and the chatter of familiar voices. The soothing rustle of leaves and the soft call of birds filled her ears. Elora sighed as she realized she had escaped the prairie and was once again lost in the refuge of her forest.
She breathed deeply, taking in the fragrance of decaying leaves and moist earth. She felt through the fabric of her shirt that she no longer leaned against the hard round stones of the barn, but the rough bark of a tree. She was so relieved to be free of the oppressive heat, she didn’t even care if her mystery man made an appearance this time.
“This is heaven,” she thought.
But the air was brisk and she was soon shivering in her damp shirt. She was just about to open her eyes when she heard her name shouted in the distance. Her heart lurched with excitement and she sat up. She heard it again.
“Elora!”
But then she heard it again in a different voice. And then again. And again. This wasn’t her mystery man. This was a group of people and their voices weren’t rich and deep and lovely. These men sounded furious.
“Open your eyes! Open your eyes!” she shouted in her mind.
But the voices were getting louder and she was paralyzed in fear. Her heart pounded in her ears and she struggled to catch her breath.
“Elora!”
Over and over they shouted her name. She could hear the crunching and crackling of the forest floor beneath their feet as they came ever closer.
Suddenly she heard a familiar voice among the chorus.
“Elora!”
She felt a hand jostling her shoulder, startling her eyes open. She gasped as the heat and brightness of the day crashed down upon her. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked up into the worried gaze of Danny Jenkins, a fellow gardener.
“That must have been some bad dream,” he remarked.
Elora nodded in reply, still trying to get her bearings.
“How long were you sleeping girl! It looks like the grass has grown up around your lazy self while you sat there in the shade,” he teased.
