Chapter one

Introduction :

Hello dear reader!

This story is a work of fiction, non of what's happening in it is real. I do not own any of the artwork used either. Also, i would like to thank you for taking a bit of time and reading this poor work of mine! I hope you'll find it enjoyable. Good reading session !

Firstly I'll need you to understand when and where the story takes place. Althea lives in a village with her mother. Her father is currently out in the big town to do business.

This is not the same timeline as us it's not 2022 more like centuries in the past. I'm not giving a specific date because this is a work of fiction and i don't want to upset out friends that are familiar with history :').

Althea is a young woman with beautiful, curly red hair that look like a sunset. Her eyes have a deep green color that matches her hair perfectly. Her freckles only makes her face prettier even if she doesn't like them. She's refused every offer of any boy of the village when it came to weddings. However, as you may understand. In the past, women did not have the choice in who they decided to marry. And if she didn't accept any offer soon, her mother would have to take care of it and marry her to someone.

Althea however, did not seem to worry about that at all, in fact she didn't even realize what could happen if her mother decided that she had enough fun and needed to grow up.

Now, now. Let's start this story shall we?

Althea let out a sigh. It had been hours since she arrived at the edge of the forest but her friend did not seem to be arriving. She decided to get up and walk around to make it easier to wait. After all, Clea was always late.

She looked at the forest behind her. She always asked herself why it was forbidden to enter it. It did not seem this bad. Even if the unusual silence would make anyone scared of it. You see, normally forests are full of noises here and there. A mouse running around making the dead leaves crack under their small feet, a dove deciding to go fly around making little noise with her majestic wings, the wind howling, or even the sound of birds communicating.

This forest, had none of this noises. It was dead silent. Only could be heard, the unsettlingly noisy steps of any intruder deciding to go past the edge of the woods and explore the forest. No one ever came back from it, well at least untouched. A man did come back once, but his mind was broken. He spoke about a young boy again and again. He was terrified whenever he saw any of the villager that were the same sex as him. As a result, only his wife could be by his side.

Sadly, our little Althea was a curious little girl. -Even if little and girl wouldn't be the best word to describe her. - She was curious enough to step in the forbidden woods and explore for herself. She was, in fact, about to do so when Clea arrived panting and apologizing.

-I'm sorry Thea. My mother held me back to do the laundry with her.

-Eh, again? Does she ever leave you alone?

-You know, not everyone can enjoy a life as free as yours. Well, free isn't the exact term but at least your mom lets you do what you want as long as it's not too dangerous.

-I guess you're right.

Thea thought for a second and looked around, wondering what she could talk about.

-Thea I-...Well, um. We won't be able to see each other anymore.

-Huh?! What do you mean?

-My, my mother decided that I was old enough to get married. I'm supposed to have a wedding in four days with Todd.

-Todd?! That ugly frog? How could she do that to you?! You're not gonna say anything about it Clea ?

-I knew it was bound to happen. It'll happen to you as well. Soon enough your mother will decide you're of age and marry you. Hopefully your husband will be better than mine.

-This is incredibly unfair. Why don't we just run off somewhere ?

-To go where? We're women Althea. No one will give us a job or give us a place to stay. This world is cruel get over it and accept reality.

But Althea was not ready to accept reality. She was not ready to let her friend get married to some kind of ugly weirdo she only talked to once or twice. She was not ready to accept this was her fate as well. Why didn't she get a say in this?

With a shake of her head she ran off toward the village only to lock herself in her house waiting for her mom to come back from the river where she was helping wash the clothes. She let herself drift of in the gentle embrace of sleep. While she dreamt of a forest holding a mysterious boy.

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