Lileas ©

She sat in the dark contemplating her next move. Things didn’t seem to be going well, but she knew if she persevered it would eventually work itself out. She felt alone and trapped in her current situation. She had always felt alone around people. They were unpredictable and often cruel. She didn’t understand the cruel part, it had never made sense to her. Weren’t you supposed to treat others as you would like to be treated? That is how she had always lived. She couldn’t remember when someone had told her that or even if they ever had. There were a lot of things that she ‘just knew’, no one had ever taught her about them. She knew she was different. She lived in her head most of the time, it was safer that way. Less interaction with people, less confusion as to why they reacted the way they did.

She rose, trying to adjust her vision in the darkness. The woods were eerily quiet. She crept silently down the path, ever aware of the noises around her. The air was cool and the smell of the woods sweet. Off in the distance she heard the whinny of a horse. The moon tried it’s best to punch though the dense trees, making small streams of soft white light and dancing shadows. Off in the distance she heard a howl. Too far for her to discern whether it was a wolf or a dog. She gathered up her skirts so that they wouldn’t catch on fallen branches or other debris. Squinting in the dark she could see the end of the woods and the pasture beyond. She quickened her step. Hopefully no one at the manor house had missed her. It was bad enough they had taken her in, these distant relatives, but they were trying to make a lady of her and she was having none of that. They imposed silly rules on her like no breeches. She had to bath daily, ok that wasn’t so bad, the warm soapy water, the scented oils, a maid to wash her unruly curls, but the dresses with all of their layers and under garments and corsets were just too much.

Her mother had died when she was five giving birth to a stillborn brother. Her father had doted on her, allowing her to run wild and do as she pleased. Her father was a wealthy land owner in his own right, but realized the error of his ways when she had reached sixteen. Now he sent her to some distant relative who could take her under her wing and make a “lady” out of her. They were trying to undo sixteen years of running wild and make her ready for the Season in the spring. She didn’t understand the obsession, the clothes, the hair, the boys. She had always played with boys. She could out ride, out fight and out last any of the boys on her fathers estate. There was no need to ‘introduce’ to society so that she could meet a boy.

She broke through the woods and into the open pasture bathed with light from a full moon. She could see the manor house in the distance, faint light coming from the parlor and one bedroom upstairs. She heard a noise behind her. Startled she spun around to face a large imposing man, but what was equally odd was the animal beside him, a large wolf. The wolf sniffed the air and gave a guttural growl. ‘Sèitheach’ the man said sternly, the wolf sat next to his master. “It’s dangerous out here this time of night, especially for a girl-child”, he stated coldly. She was a little afraid, but more angry at his treatment of her. Defiantly she stood her ground, glaring at him she said, “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself” at which time he reached down, flung her over his shoulder and strode towards the manor house, Sèitheach obediently trotting behind.