Falling for Forever Read online

  Bryn nodded and watched her go. A few of the men near her began staring hungrily at her. Bryn rolled her eyes and quickly escaped into the shop. The attention was flattering but also deeply terrifying, especially without Mariah by her side. The shop wiped away her fears with bright dresses and the smell of chamomile.

  It was only one room, but in that one room hung more dresses than Bryn had ever seen. A plump middle-aged woman sat behind the counter reading a book. Bryn walked up to her and cleared her throat softly. The woman didn't respond. "Angie?" Bryn tried again.

  "Look around. If you find something you like, let me know," the woman replied impatiently without looking up.

  "May I have some help?"

  Angie raised her eyes and her mouth instantly fell open. "I… I… I…" she stuttered. The woman gulped nervously. "Are you a real Strytas?"

  Bryn chuckled and nodded. "Would you like to touch them?"

  Angie nodded and Bryn flexed a wing into Angie's open hand. She touched the feather in awe.

  "Well, I'll be damned. A real live Strytas right here in my little shop. So what can I do for you dear?"

  Angie quickly stood and went to the door. She locked it quickly.

  "So no one will come in and interrupt us dear," she explained in response to the girl's puzzled expression.

  Bryn nodded and smiled. "Thank you."

  "So what are you looking for today?" Angie poured them both a cup of hot tea and led Bryn over to an oversized chair. Bryn curled up on the chair and brought her feet under her. The warm liquid was a welcome treat, and she gave in to the simple pleasure.

  "My friend told me to buy some clothes," she said as she blew ripples over the steaming tea to cool it.

  Angie began rifling through a row of dresses. "And who might your friend be, darlin'?"

  "Mariah Sawyer," Bryn replied as she stirred the tea with the tip of her longest feather.

  Angie laughed loudly. "Well, that's mighty sweet of Mariah. Oh deary, what should I call you? Or haven't you got a name?"

  Bryn smiled. "I do. It's Bryn. Do you have anything like the dress I have on right now?"

  Angie gave her a knowing smile. "Did Mariah give you that dress?"

  Bryn blushed and looked away modestly.

  "And now you want to impress her. Well, I can't say I blame you. That woman alone in that forest with only the creatures there to keep her company is just sad. Mariah needs a more feminine touch, she does. Most of the women in town have been trying to bag her for years, but she will have none of that."

  "Really?"

  "Yes. But perhaps Mariah was just waiting for the right sort of woman to come along," Angie added with a wink and a smile. "I'm afraid that you might have made a few enemies of the women here. Many will be absolutely astounded and outraged that Mariah finally chose to have some female company. Jealousy won't even begin to describe their reactions. But then again, who can compete with a Strytas as pretty as you?"

  Bryn blushed and chuckled. Angie's words flattered her, and she allowed herself to fantasize about a life with Mariah. It was ridiculous, of course, but the dream made her heart flutter.

  Angie held up a short white dress with small blue flowers on it. It wasn't as modest as the one Bryn had on, but it was still very nice. "Do you like this one, dear?"

  Bryn nodded happily. "Will Mariah like it?"

  "Anyone would love you in this, darling. Would you like more dresses like this?"

  Bryn nodded happily, and soon her arms were filled with white dresses of all different types.

  "Do you need any new undergarments?" Angie asked quietly.

  Bryn raised an eyebrow. "What?"

  Angie frowned. "You know, your under-things. You wear them under your dress." Bryn looked at her blankly. "Oh dear," Angie sighed and lifted up her skirt a bit so that Bryn could see her petticoats.

  Bryn chuckled. "Oh, I don't wear anything like that."

  "No undergarments?" Bryn shook her head and smiled at the woman. "You're joshing me," Angie said as her mouth hung open.

  Bryn pulled her own skirt up to expose her thigh. "See? No undergarments. I've actually never worn them."

  "Land sakes."

  The two women laughed, and Bryn put her skirt back down.

  "Do you need any shoes?" Angie asked.

  "One white pair, please."

  "Only one?"

  Bryn paused in thought. She had never had shoes before, and she really wasn't sure how long one pair would last. "Two pairs, please. Both white."

  Angie nodded, and soon Bryn had her first pair of shoes. The woman slipped one pair onto the girl's feet and Bryn laughed. They felt strange, but comfortable. In human clothes, in a human shop, she no longer felt so much like an outsider. She looked outside at the women walking by the store. She looked just like them except for one small thing.

  "Is there something wrong, dear?" Angie asked as she followed Bryn's gaze.

  Bryn shrugged and looked away. "The people whisper and stare at me. I feel like an animal on display," she softly said.

  "I have just the thing for that," Angie said with a wide smile. Bryn looked at her hopefully and watched as the woman went to an old black trunk behind the counter. She returned with a bundle tightly wrapped in brown paper with twine. "This should be just what you need," said Angie as she handed the package to Bryn.

  "What is it?" she asked as her fingers quickly untied the knot.

  "You'll see." The women smiled at each other. The twine came off easily and Bryn pulled back the paper gently. Her breath caught in her throat and tears welled in her eyes. "Oh Angie, it's beautiful," she softly said as her fingers touched the soft lining of the cloak.

  "Come try it on. Let's have a look at you."

  Bryn smiled at her and stood up. She pulled out the bright white cloak and wrapped it around herself. It went to her ankles and wrapped her in a warm blanket of snow and clouds. Angie led her to a mirror, and Bryn laughed at her reflection. The cloak fit her perfectly.

  "Try your wings," Angie suggested. Bryn did and smiled broadly. Even though her wings were lifted slightly, the cloak barely rippled. She looked almost human.

  "Thank you, Angie," she exclaimed as she threw her arms around the woman. Angie hugged Bryn tightly and kissed her forehead. She pulled Bryn's hair free from the cloak and helped her put her purchases in bags.

  Both women looked up as a white dove flew into the shop through an open window. It landed on a perch and began preening itself.

  "What a beautiful bird," Bryn said as she crept closer to it.

  Angie laughed. "You can pet her. She won't bite. Her name's Lily."

  Bryn smiled at Angie and walked toward the bird. Lily flexed her wings and smiled at Bryn. Her wings were a beautiful white.

  "Why don't you clip her wings?"

  "Hmm?"

  "Aren't you afraid of her flying away?" Bryn asked as her fingertips gently caressed the bird's head.

  "Oh deary no, she isn't a pet. Sometimes she leaves for weeks at a time. But she always returns to wherever she feels most welcome. Lucky for me, she feels that it's here," Angie said with a smile.

  Bryn looked away sadly. "I wish I could have. Mariah is great, of course. But the place I was before here didn't want me to leave."

  Angie rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Is that why your wings are so short?"

  Bryn nodded, and the woman went behind the counter and produced a small bottle of white cream. "This is what I use on birds' wings when they choose people to live with that don't understand a bird's true nature. Use some of this and those feathers of yours will be back in no time. All winged creatures, whether they be doves, hawks, or even angels are free. That's what wings are, dear. They aren't feathers and bone and skin. They are freedom, the ability to go wherever you want, whenever you want. Remember that."

  Bryn nodded and hugged Angie. She paid for her clothes and kissed both Angie and Lily on the cheek. After promising to come back very soon, she left the store. Although the
bags were awkward, she loved walking with them. She had never had new things before, and being able to go outside in the streets with them and with the people looking at her purchases and not her wings was a great relief. Bryn walked through the streets of the small town. People were still talking about the Strytas, but it was no longer focused around her. Her bags quickly became too heavy for her, and she stumbled wearily into the closest shop. She set her bags in a corner and looked around at the shelves filled with books. A man was at her side in an instant, and he smiled at her. "Hello miss, can I help you with anything?"

  Bryn looked around at all the books. "I would like a book for a friend, but I'm not sure what to get her."

  The man nodded. "What sort of books does she like? We have everything from travel to cooking to lore and history."

  Bryn shrugged helplessly and frowned.

  "Maybe it would help if I knew who your friend was?"

  "Mariah Sawyer," Bryn replied.

  The man chuckled. "So you're the girl everyone's talking about. I could barely tell through the cloak." Her eyes widened, and she backed away from him slowly. "Oh no, it's okay. Your secret is safe with me. May I see them?"

  She nodded hesitantly and untied her cloak. It fell from her shoulders, and she held it in her arms as she allowed her wings to spread.

  The man smiled at her. "They are very beautiful, thank you."

  She blushed and quickly scrambled to put her cloak back on. "So do you know what Mariah likes?" she said quietly.

  The man nodded and went to the counter. He quickly returned with a small green book and handed it to her. "Mariah has wanted this book for weeks. It just came in yesterday. You can take it to her today and save me the trouble of getting a rider out there."

  She smiled at him and ran her fingers over the soft, engraved cover. "Do you have any more books like this?" she asked.

  "On Elven lore? Sure, we have a lot of them on account of Mariah buying so many." He led her to a large case full of books. "Mariah's really the only one that reads these."

  "Is there any way that you would know which ones Mariah doesn't already have?"

  The man nodded. "All the ones on the first four rows, she doesn't have. You can bet that Mariah would like any of them if you bought her one."

  She smiled at the man and quickly chose one of the books. "Thank you."

  The man hurried back to the counter. "Do you have any children, miss?"

  Bryn was stunned, and her hand instantly went to her stomach.

  "On account of our sale on all children's books that teach how to read and write. Will you be needing any, miss?" he asked.

  She nodded slowly and relaxed her racing heart. "One on reading and another on writing, please," she said quietly. He nodded and went to a nearby shelf. The man returned with two books and she followed him to the counter. She paid for them and then loaded her bags back up onto her arms. The four books lay nestled between her dresses. "Thank you," she called over her shoulder to the man as she left the store.

  "What's your name? I'm Carl," the man called after her.

  "Bryn," she replied before shutting the door.

  She walked briskly through the streets. Mariah stood up ahead of her, and Bryn quickly went to her.

  "Have fun?" Mariah asked as she peaked into her bags.

  Bryn nodded happily.

  "Would you like any help carrying them?"

  Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

  Mariah nodded. "Of course." Mariah took all but two of the bags and began walking back to the cabin. Women softly whispered and pointed at Bryn, but now instead of her wings, they were focused on Mariah. Bryn walked closer to her and looked over her shoulder at a woman in her thirties who had been watching Mariah closely. The woman was elegantly dressed, and she was pretty, but she wasn't the one walking home with the most beautiful woman in town. Bryn stuck her tongue out at the woman who in turn gasped and turned her nose up at the girl. Bryn laughed and turned her attention back to Mariah.

  "Bryn?" Mariah asked as they walked through the fields.

  "Yes?"

  "If it's not too much trouble, would you mind showing me what you bought when we get back? I'm interested in seeing what you found at Angie's," she said shyly.

  Bryn blushed and smiled up at Mariah. "Of course, I will. Thank you again for letting me go shopping."

  Mariah nodded and smiled down at her. "I wasn't about to let you run around with only one dress."

  Bryn paused for a moment and then decided to do something she never thought she would. She watched Mariah's face carefully as she gently eased her hand into Mariah's. She appeared surprised, but she didn't pull away like Bryn had thought she would.

  They walked through the forest slowly, both lost in their own thoughts. Bryn again felt the strange sensation all around her, but this time it was more prominent.

  The air was thick with it, and she felt it pressing against her skin. She pulled the cloak tightly around her and walked closer to Mariah.

  Mariah looked down at Bryn and smiled softly. "The cloak was a good idea."

  Bryn nodded. "It hides my wings well. Angie thought of it."

  "It looks good on you."

  "Thank you." She blushed and looked away from Mariah.

  As the forest gave way to the gently swaying field, Bryn felt the silence lifted from her. She watched Mariah closely. Mariah was unlike any woman she had ever seen. She was beautiful beyond doubt, but there was a certain mixture of sadness and anger in Mariah that told her to keep her distance. She could sense evil in her as well, and although she cared for Mariah, this evil terrified her. It was small and buried deep within her somewhere, but she could still feel it inside of her. It seemed to be waiting there, just below the surface, like a bear waiting for a fawn to walk past. Bryn brushed it off and squeezed her hand gently. Nothing as wonderful as Mariah was could ever be evil, she told herself. It had taken less convincing than she would have thought.

  Chapter Three

  Mariah walked alongside Bryn through the peaceful forest. She caught herself glancing at Bryn's beautiful form from the corner of her eye. Bryn strode gracefully beside her, curious about all the new things she had seen within her garden. Mariah abruptly locked her eyes forward and hastened her walk so that she would not have to endure the silence between them for so long.

  Thoughts of Jasmine invaded her mind as she thought about that fateful day so long ago when the only woman she loved was ripped away from her. Mariah could still remember feeling a cold presence as she entered her home and the fear that whirled through her mind. The black dagger poised above her warm heart, the monster that held it hollow and emotionless. Mariah's thoughts went back to the present as she again stole a glance at the beautiful woman walking beside her. Bryn was not only physically attractive, but her innocence and compassion intoxicated her heart. How could Mariah let himself become close to her? What if she came to meet the same fate Jasmine had? Mariah lowered her eyes to conceal the small tear that ran down her cheek and continued to walk in silence through the forest.

  They walked over the gently rolling hills within the field and approached the cabin. Mariah politely held the door for her and followed Bryn inside. Mariah took the bags and walked into the bedroom where she placed them atop the large bed. Mariah smiled to herself as she glanced at the neatly folded dresses within them and stepped out to rejoin Bryn in the living room. "It is getting late, and you must be famished. I shall prepare a meal for us."

  Mariah did not wait to hear her answer before scurrying into the kitchen where she could quench her churning mind while she prepared the food. She quickly diced a few onions and set them in a pan to cook while slicing up a few vegetables. Mariah added water to the onions and let the broth simmer slowly while periodically adding various spices to the mix. She retrieved another pot and set some water to boil while she finished preparing the carrots, celery, onions and broccoli.

  When the water had come to a boil, Mariah added some pasta noodles to the pot a
nd let them cook until soft enough to eat. The onion soup had finished simmering, so the fragrant broth was divided amongst two simply decorated bowls. The noodles were finished, so Mariah tossed them with the veggies and placed the food upon stone plates and brought the finished meal to the table. Mariah set the dishes between sets of heavy silverware and poured some fresh spring water into the crystal glasses set at the table. Small portions of bread were set aside by each place and Mariah beckoned Bryn to sit with her at the table.

  She was not in the living room, but rather emerged from the bedroom wearing one of her new dresses. Her cloak had been hung up, and her long blonde curls lay in a haphazard pile atop her head. The dress was simple, but elegant. The silk clung to her body as she walked toward Mariah.

  Mariah looked up from the table setting as she heard her approaching. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized Bryn had replaced the gown she had given her with a very light and clingy summer dress. The delicate fabric hugged her gentle curves gracefully, and Mariah had to force herself not to gawk at her beautiful form. She approached the table and gently lowered herself into one of the oaken chairs while inhaling the various aromas emanating from the dishes in front of her. Mariah could tell she was somewhat apprehensive about eating the food before her, but she simply chalked it up to her not getting anything more than table scraps from Franklin. "I hope the food is to your liking. I am not sure exactly what Strytas like to eat, so if there is anything else I could make for you, I'd be happy to."

  Bryn paused for a moment and smiled up at Mariah. "All this is for me? I've never had this much food before."

  *~*~*

  Bryn sipped the soup and suddenly became overly conscious of her manners. Memories of Franklin's punishments flashed through her mind as she struggled over how to sit and how to hold the spoon in her fingers. She forced herself to take a deep breath and relaxed as she took another sip.

  "It's delicious, Mariah," she said warmly. Bryn paused and looked up at her seriously. "I actually don't know what Strytas eat either. I was taken from my mother before she could tell me." She shuddered at the memory but quickly eased it away with another spoonful of soup.