Rise of the Scaled Ones

Chapter 3

The next morning, Anjaleen rushed to finish her chores. She cleaned the kitchen after her morning-meal, swept the floors, cleaned her horse, Nutmeg's stable, and bought the day's fruit from the market.

Dumping the basket of apples, oranges, melons, and berries on the kitchen table, she sorted them and laid them on a towel for her mother to do what she wished with them.

Feeling a new burst of energy, she stuffed an apple and a small bag of nuts and dried fruit into her pack. She casually stepped out her back door and shot into the woods. She ran up the trail faster than ever before, more excited than angry. A small part of her wished the strange man hadn't left the meadow and was still there. He made her heart flutter and her stomach clench at the same time. She was oddly obsessed with him, even though the only time they'd met, they were neck to neck, arguing about who the meadow belonged to.

As she thought back on their meeting, she felt guilt claw at her heart as she reflected on how she screamed and spat at him. He was probably some village-less outcast who'd lived in the forest his whole life. He didn't deserve her anger.

It was just the idea of another being claiming they owned her father's meadow was disturbing and plain wrong. It made her blood boil.

As she approached the stream, she suddenly felt nervous. What if he attacked her? What if he tried to kill her? It was too late to turn back now. If he was really there then he would have heard her crashing through the trees in no way trying to be quiet. Probably a mistake on her part.

Then, she in the meadow. When had she pushed through the trees? She didn't remember. Hesitantly, Anjaleen approached the rock mound, a tight knot forming in the pit of her stomach. Was he there? Was he even-

"Hello, pretty one."

Anjaleen shrieked, jumping nearly a foot off the ground. "Dear gods, you frightened me!" She cried.

The man let out an amused chuckle, "I see you've come to check up on me."

For some reason, she blushed at this, "W-well, you're still here! I told you to leave!" Her tone wasn't harsh and it wasn't angry, but it was almost scornful. He laughed again.

"I'm not leaving, so you can give up on your attempts to throw me out. It won't work, pretty one," The smirk on his face was charming and smug, "or should I call you Anjaleen."

She sputtered, "How do you know my name!"

He smiled at her again, "That is for me to know and you to find out."

Anjaleen growled, "I want you off this land. You should've never set foot here to begin with!"

"Nice to know."

"I want you gone!"

"Too bad, pretty one. I'm not going to leave. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

Anjaleen just seethed quietly and looked away, "Just leave," her voice broke at the end and the she could hear the man step forward.

"Why? What is so important about this land? Why must we fight over it?" He seemed genuinely confused and curious. "Why can we not share?"

Anjaleen snapped, "It's my father's land that's why! This meadow is all I have left of him! My only happiness and my only memories! I cannot and will not have some outcast come and take it all from me! I want you gone! Gone! Please..."

She felt her knees give and she collapsed onto the grass. She sobbed and gasped for air. She knew she looked pathetic and weak but she had to make her point clear. She would never give up this meadow! Never!

Suddenly she was pulled close to a warm chest. She slammed her fists up against the young man who'd attempted to pull her into a hug, "Leave me alone," she cried, "just leave me alone!" But her pleas fell upon deaf ears and she was pulled in tighter. She cried and cried for what seemed like hours before there were no more tears left for her to shed.

The man's large hand smoothed her hair back and she gave up, falling onto him. She was physically and emotionally exhausted. The sun beat heavily onto her back, lulling her to sleep. A sleep that she grudgingly accepted. Darkness pricked the corner of her eyes before it spread.

"Sleep, my pretty one," a soft voice soothed, "for no harm will come to you as you rest. You have my word." The darkness finally consumed her, and she fell asleep.

A/N: These chapters are getting shorter and shorter. Don't worry, that will change!

~ Alex