Chapter 3: A Mistake That Changed Everything
It had been weeks since she first saw the message bag. Well, that is what she thought it was anyway; a bag full of messages between she and Darwin, the boy from over the mountain.
Every few days, the bag would be found on the lowest branch. Sometimes there were small gifts for each other. Darwin had made her a hair pin to keep her hair back in a bun. He made sure to tell Shandra specifically that the bag belonged to her. She and Darwin were getting to know one another through the book.
Darwin came from a land far away from Avalon. His father was a sell-sword, a warrior for hire, but not a mercenary. His father grew tired of the dangerous living of a sell-sword and decided to settle down. He became a farmer. Not only was farming safer, it was more stable pay. Darwin was good with his hands, he built tools and furniture, and worked the land to prepare it for the growing season. He loves apples, sword play/training with his father, and tending to the sheep they had just bought. He often told her that apples do not grow on their side of the mountain.
Many times he would write her greeting as Her Highest Priestess Lady Shandra. This upset her, as she thought he was making fun of her. She frowned at the thought of him laughing at her.
They had yet to meet in person and Shandra was the one delaying their meeting. She knew that their meeting would change everything in her life. 'Why do I feel this way? He is a good person, we can meet and play in the field. But I cannot shake this bad feeling.' She had an ache within her, an ache that usually meant something big was coming and it was usually bad. She hoped she was wrong.
She had picked an apple from the her secret orchard behind the castle. She rubbed it on her dress and made it shine, she always loved how you can shine an apple and see yourself in it. With a smile starting to spread she placed the apple into the message bag. She gave it to him to eat but hoped he would figure out he could plant the seeds. 'Should I write that to him' she thought out loud. A twig snapped to the west of her. She regretted speaking out loud. The forest got so quiet, 'where did all the animals go?' She was in the tree as usual maybe the person could not see her. She did not dare move. She pressed her body close to the tree, the rough bark digging into her back, as she waited for another sound.
'Hello, Shandra are you up there?' That was a boy's voice, who could it be, was it Darwin? She had told him many times not to try to find her. She held her breath trying not to make any noise. 'I know you are up, there I can see the bag I made you hanging.' That snapped her out of her panic. She looked over the branch right at a shaggy haired boy but from this distance she could see his eyes. They were the color of honey and sparkles in the sun.
'I told you not to come looking for me.' 'Ha ha ha! Well I guess I don't follow rules that well.' He laughed again and sent a warm smile up to her. He had written about not always listening to his father. Shandra shook her head, putting the cap on the ink bottle making sure it will not leak then placed it in the bag. 'Do you need any help?' Darwin asked stepping closer to the trunk of the tree. 'No, I can get down. I climb everyday.' She swung the bag over her shoulder and started the descent, which took a few minutes. She wanted to make sure she did not rip her dress again. When her feet met with the soft, moist dirt she turned to see Darwin. He was almost as tall as she was. A smile spread across his face as he bowed, his arms swished in the air and said 'Greeting my Highest Priestess, Lady Shandra' he giggled. She frowned at him. 'He is going to love teasing her' Darwin thought to himself.
'Well I guess I won't give you this ripe, juicy, shiny apple,' as she pulled the apple from the message bag. Darwin eyes were the size of saucers and his mouth began to water. He had not had a good apple in months. She held it out to him, he took it gently. 'Where did you get this' it was barely a whisper but Shandra heard him. 'I have looked all around here and could never find an apple tree.' He was upset. "How could she find an apple so easily, while I've never found any in my time here?" 'Where did you get this?', he asked. 'In my garden' she replied. She was so happy he liked it.
He munched on the apple as they talked more. She learned that his mother had died and that was the true reason his dad chose to become a farmer. She had told him that she had never left the forest. The morning had turned to afternoon. 'I have to go. I have lessons that I have to finish. If I am late again then the High Priestess will not let me come out for a long time.' She stood up from the ground and brushed off the twigs and dirt. She picked up the message bag and handed it to Darwin. He took it and grabbed her wrist piling her close and kissed her on the cheek. 'Why did he do that?' She thought, she could feel her cheek heat up as her free hand touched the spot. Darwin let go of her hand feeling surprised he actually did that. Her eyes were wide, but she smiled she turned slowly and started walking back to the castle.
As he watched her walk away he thought 'Why did I just do that?'
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