Julies POV

"I have to leave again, Julie," Peter said and he grabbed his coat and kissed my forehead. "But don't worry, I'll be back before... I'll be back."

I smiled. "I know, I know. Just be careful," I teased, giving him a hug. "Oh, and say hi to your friend for me."

I looked at his shocked face and smiled. "How did you know?" He grunted.

I rolled my eyes. "You always get so serious whenever you go with him, and you don't have many other places to go... Unless you're with him."

He grumbled. "I won't tell him," he said as he walked out the door.

"Yes you will," I called back impishly. 

I heard him mutter something before the door closed behind him. I let out a deep breath as I slumped down on our worn-down couch.

This isn't comfy at all! How does Peter sleep on it?  But I knew the answer. It's because he loves us too much. I sighed. I'm lucky to have him as a brother. 

Even if he lost us our possessions. I laughed but it soon turned into a cough.

"I can't just sit here all day while the rest of my family is out doing who knows what," I said to myself, suddenly getting a wave of motivation to do something. "I've been trapped in this house for too long."

I stood up, put my boots on, grabbed my cloak and gloves and looked out the window before deciding that I could do this. I was ready. I stepped out of the house and closed my eyes; feeling a light breeze and the morning sun for the first time in months.

Then I opened my eyes and skipped down the dirt path to the main dirt road that leads to town. We need some flour anyway. I speculated.

It was a beautiful day. I was smiling the whole way to town, trying to fix in my memory every flower and animal that crossed my sight. Then I saw a beautiful white flower growing on the side of the path, a lily, I remembered. I bent down to look at it closer. I bet mother would love to see this in the kitchen, I thought and tried to determine how long I wanted it. Then I felt the ground vibrate under me, but I pushed the feeling aside and started pulling on the flower. I unrooted it when all a sudden a big force pushed me out of the road and landed on top of me.

"What-" I started to say when a carriage passed by too close for comfort; right over the spot I had been just seconds before.

"Oh."

I looked up at the man who had just saved my life and I felt the corners of my mouth turn up as I saw bright green eyes staring back at me. I couldn't help but stare as I realized his scarf was around his neck and not covering his very handsome face. He had a strong jaw covered in whiskers, with messy, dark black hair that complemented his tan features.

"Sorry 'bout that... Ah, if it be the fair maiden, herself," he said grinning as he got off me and helped me up. "What you be doin' out of yer house?"

I brushed off my dress, not wanting him to see me blushing. "I was going to the market."

"Well, as it so happens, I'm suppose to meet yer brother there, I-"

"No!" I cried grabbing his arm. "I mean... I can make it by myself."

He smiled. "Yer brother don't know ye be here, do he?"

I looked down, wanting to disappear.

"It's okay," he said in a kind, smooth voice; different than his harsh, rough one. "He won't know if I don't tell him."

I looked up at him and saw he meant what he said. "If you want to walk me there, I'd appreciate it... I don't want to get ran over by any carriages."

He grinned and held out his arm awkwardly. "I'd be happy to."

We stepped out of the bushes and I realized I was still holding the white lily. If it wasn't smashed from the fall, it was from my tight grip.

"Tis a shame. That there's a beautiful flower."

I let the crumpled petals fall to the earth. "It's unfortunate how fragile the most beautiful things are."

"And how easily they can be crushed." I felt the man's green eyes looking at me and then felt my face burning as I realized what he meant.

I looked down and decided to change the subject. "What were you doing here?"

He looked at me skeptically, and away went the smooth, comforting voice. "What do ye mean?"
"It just seems a bit coincidental that you were right here when I needed you."

He rubbed his neck.

"Don't lie to me. I'll know if you do." I kept a straight face because I actually couldn't tell if people lied. I just hoped that it would convince him to be honest.

He looked me over and nodded. "Ye want the truth?" He asked and I nodded. "Well... I was followin' ya to make sure nothin' dun happen to a pretty lady like you. 'Course, I didn't know ye was the pretty lady."

"What do you mean? I'm the pretty lady?"

He laughed. "Yer the most beautiful lady I'd ever dun seen."

I smiled and looked him in the eyes. "Tell me that in your real voice, and maybe I'll believe you."

He grinned. "How do ye know that ain't me real voice?"

"Because you're lying," I stated sweetly, at least that lie was obvious. No one actually sounded like this man pretended to.

"Am I?" I turned to see him scratch his chin. "How about now?" He turned me so that I faced him.

 "You are the most beautiful angel that any man would be lucky to meet," he said and I looked down, blushing fiercely, but he gently grabbed my jaw and tilted my chin so I looked straight into his brilliant green eyes. "And I'm glad I caught sight of you first."

I bit my lip trying to contain the overwhelming feeling of joy that wanted to escape.

Then he let go of my chin and looked at me questionably. "Was I telling the truth, fair maiden?"

"You would know better than I." I looked down, not able to suppress my grin.

"Ah, I would. But, do you think I was telling the truth?"

I nodded, still not able to look at him.

"What?" He whispered leaning closer. "I couldn't hear you."

I bit back a smile and looked at him. "Yes, I believe so."

He grinned. "Good, now let us continue on our journey. And, if you don't mind, I'm going to revert back to how I spoke before."

"That's fine," I said taking his arm as we continued down the path. "Your turn."

"Fer what, me lady?"

"To ask me a question, kind sir."

"I ain't no sir, and not many would be callin' me kind," he said. "But, the question be this: Was that flower that almost got ye killed yer favorite?"

I smiled. "Yes, I think it is."

"Ye thinks it is? That be an odd way to respond."

"I like lots of flowers," I said.

"That wasn't the question. The question were what's yer favorite flower?"

"Then yes, it's this one."

Then he grabbed another lily from the side of the road and placed it in my hair, behind my ear. "Now it's mine too," he said in his real voice.

I smiled and wondered if he could make my face turn any redder. Then I realized, with a pang of sadness, that we were almost to the market.

"Yer turn," he said.

I thought a moment. "What's your name?"

He stopped and I looked at him, only to see a mix of pain and guilt in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," I said. "You don't have-"

"It ain't yer fault," he said and we started walking again. "But I'll leave the answer fer another day."

I smiled. He wanted to meet with me again!  "Alright, when will that be?"

He grinned. "I'll be lettin' ya know, but fer now, I bid you farewell, fair maiden." He said and kissed the back of my hand.

I smiled. "Farewell, my knight."

He grinned, pulled up his scarf and vanished into the trees.

I looked around, making sure my brother was nowhere in sight, and walked into the busy street. I stopped in the middle and looked around, trying to find the store that sold flour. Then I felt the same rumbling I had earlier, but this time I didn't ignore it.

"Watch where you're going!" The driver shouted as I got out of his way.

I mumbled an apology as someone else pushed me out of there way and into someone else's. Then I almost stepped on someone's dog, and when I finally got out of everyone's way, I found myself standing in front of the market. I quickly spotted a lady sweeping dust off its deck and I walked up to her.

"Excuse me, madam," I said. "But I need some flour and I was hoping-"

She looked up at me and her eyes narrowed. "Aren't you that Fairborne lady?"

I swallowed hard before speaking. "Yes, I am-"

"And you dare come here? To my store? After what that brother of yours did!" She began prodding me with her broom. "Get out of my sight! Get out!"

I scurried away before her beating gave me welts, and hoped that Peter wouldn't notice when he got home. 

When would he get home? I wondered. 

I should probably hurry. 

I walked down to the next store and was rejected once they recognized me. It appears everyone knew my face and wasn't about to let me in their store. I didn't get attacked by any more brooms, but being rejected so many times was weighing on me. I didn't know how much more of it I could take.

I didn't realize I was looking at my shoes until I ran straight into someone else. Trying to avoid any more scorn, I apologized and tried to move around them, especially seeing how nice her clothes were.

"You don't have to apologize, the fault is all mine," she said in a kind voice.

I decided to get the pain over with and looked up at her, expecting to see a horrified expression, but instead got a surprised one.

"Julie?" She asked, and it took a moment to recognize her because of the hood covering part of her face, but then it hit me.

Oooh who do you think Julie just ran into??

Another chapter down for the books📓 (haha I love good puns)

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