WeatherMaker Hearts Desire Prologue
Chapter 59: Dreams of a Better Life

‘I never told you this before’ he began sheepishly, talking to Amaia as they sat in the clearing of the forest. ‘But what I said the other day….about wanting to go somewhere different…and being tired of work all the time…when he were walking on the open plains…well…’

‘What?’

‘I…what I really meant was….oh it’s just a silly fantasy….I couldn’t possibly have mentioned it back then. I would have frightened you off.’

‘Tell me’ Amaia scolded, slapping him lightly. ‘Don’t be shy. And don’t tease me either.’

‘I was just thinking’ Simon relented. ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could get away and start a new life together? Somewhere new. Just the two of us.’

‘That would be wonderful!’ Amaia beamed, holding her hands over her heart. ‘Do you really mean it?’

‘I do’ Simon nodded. ‘I’ve never felt this way about anyone before…not since…well…that didn’t work. But I feel confident about us now.’

‘You do?’

‘Yes’ Simon gave a firm nod. ‘I do.’

‘Enough to ask me for us to start a new life together?’

‘Yes’ he said gently taking her hand. ‘You’re like a shining light to me Amaia. You make me feel so happy when I’m sad…and all the time really…oh….I’m not that good at words.’

‘It’s alright’ Amaia giggled, leaning into him. ‘I understand what you’re trying to say.’

‘It’s just you make me feel so happy’ Simon went on. ‘Happier than I can ever remember feeling. When I’m not with you I think of you, when I’m with you….my heart is overflowing.’

‘Stop’ Amaia chuckled lightly, placing her fingertips over his lips. ‘I understand what you mean. You don’t have to…’

‘I know’ Simon interrupted. ‘I just can’t help myself. I’m so happy you feel the same way. I’m just….so excited now.’

‘Good’ Amaia smiled, poking his nose. ‘I’m excited too. But we had better leave here soon, or else the others will begin to worry about us.’

‘They won’t worry’ Simon shrugged her off. ‘They’ve got the picture by now I’m sure. They know we are…you know…’

‘Even so’ Amaia said rising to her feet. ‘If we’re gone for too long they might send out a search party.’

‘They won’t’ Simon fumbled, rising to join Amaia. ‘White Feather I’m sure would ease any worries they might have.’

‘Of that I do not doubt. But still…Roy and Anya might get concerned if we don’t return soon.’

‘Alright’ Simon sighed in exasperation. ‘We’ll go back.’

‘Good’ she said satisfied, leaning forwards and giving him a quick kiss. ‘I can’t be lounging around here all day, as tempting as that is. There’s lots to do today’ she sighed, throwing the dress over her head and straightening her clothes.

She mounted her horse, blowing Simon a kiss, before pulling the reins around and sending the beast into a canter. She travelled out of the forest, back across the plains and towards the village, leaving Simon to follow after her.

Some days later, when Amaia had finished her work, she went to replace Simon, waving at him as she approached.

He waved awkwardly back at her, stepping forwards onto a rake and causing it to smack him in the face. White Feather sitting on Amaia’s shoulder laughed hysterically at this, falling silently quickly as Amaia glared at him.

‘Did you put that there?’ she asked him seriously, speaking quietly so that only he could hear her.

‘No’ White Feather said in a tone that clearly indicated that he was lying.

Simon rubbed his face where the rake had hit him, grinning at Amaia sheepishly as White Feather, invisible to him, flew off Amaia’s shoulder and away.

‘Are you ok?’ Amaia asked him.

‘Y-yes’ Simon fumbled awkwardly. ‘I’m fine. Really. How clumsy of me.’

‘Listen, I wanted to just ask you something.’

‘Come over here.’ Simon led her away. ‘We can talk where it’s quieter.’

‘I was just wondering’ Amaia began when they were alone, ‘when did you want to….start these plans?’

‘What plans?’

‘Of getting away and starting a new life together, remember? Just the two of us.’

‘Oh’ Simon fumbled.

‘Honestly’ Amaia sighed dramatically rolling her eyes. ‘You can be so dippy sometimes.’

He smirked at her, grabbing Amaia suddenly and tickling her. She tried in vain to escape from him.

’No! Help! Let me go AHHHHHHH!

‘You make the most dreadful noises when I tickle you’ Simon spoke loudly over her screaming and cackling.

‘Please no more I can’t take it!’ Amaia sucked in a lungful of air, drawing as deep a breath as she could in order to express the fact that she could take no more.

’AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!’

This might have alarmed some people to hear a sudden scream and such commotion and noise come out of a young lady’s mouth. But by now the people of the village knew the couple, and had become familiar with their banter. They only watched in amusement as they passed by, feeling the happiness radiating from the couple, and catching some themselves. They would laugh and shake their head, remembering when they themselves acted in such a way when they were younger and their love new.

White Feather watched with a wide smile, sitting silently above them on the edge of one of the rooftops. He had made less of a presence now, the closer Amaia and Simon became. But he was always there watching over Amaia, but this time from a distance, feeling her happiness inside him.

From their home Roy and Anya would watch also, feeling the same. They would look to one another, grasping the others hand, squeezing tightly. And they would utter the words I love you to one another. Anya and Roy were childhood sweethearts, and they had lived and stuck together through thick and thin. Seeing Amaia and Simon so happy together, made them feel young again, their love rekindled stronger.

Simon grabbed Amaia around the legs, lifting her up so that she sat on his shoulder. She threw her arms into the air, squealing in delight.

‘I can see the whole world from up here!’

‘Stay still’ Simon huffed. ‘Or else I’ll drop you.’

‘You wouldn’t dare.’

Amaia screamed as Simon tossed her from his shoulder, catching him in his arms before she fell.

‘Oh you’ she scowled.

‘Do that again’ he grinned slyly. ‘You look so cute when you’re angry.’

She kissed him passionately, allowing herself to be placed back on the floor.

‘It’s hard to part’ Amaia said. ‘But you must let me go. I’ve got work to do. I have to milk the cows and feed the goats…’

‘Alright’ he relented, letting go of her. ‘We’ll meet up later won’t we?’

‘Of course we will’ she smiled, holding him by the front of his shirt and standing on her tip toes to reach him for a kiss.

The next day, Amaia was tending to one of the horses. Brushing him and cleaning his shoes after many hours of work.

‘Amaia!’ came a loud voice all of a sudden. ‘Amaia!’

She tensed suddenly, straightening up. ‘What is it?’ she said to the elderly man scurrying up to her. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘My daughter’s fallen from her horse!’ he explained hastily. ‘She’s hurt real bad. Injured her head…maybe broken bones…please come quick.’

Amaia threw the brushes down, rushing to meet the old man.

‘Where is she?’ Amaia demanded.

‘By the well’ the old man puffed, unable to keep up with Amaia’s long-legged pace. ‘I told her to wait there while I replace you.’ He clutched the stitch at his side as he spoke. ‘The horse is lost. Ran off somewhere. Something must have spooked it. When I found her I went to get you right away…’

‘I’ll go on ahead’ Amaia said hurriedly to the old man, before jogging onwards and out of his view.

She ran for several seconds, through the narrow roads between the homes, weaving by the quickest route to the well. By now, she knew this village like the back of her hand, and knew this was the quickest way. She passed a home that was near the field where Roy and Anya were working that day. But she paid no heed to anything else, thinking only of reaching the well as quickly as possible. The poor girl could be seriously hurt.

And then she heard a scream of terror.

Her heart froze. She wheeled around, eyes wide, recognising the voice.

‘Anya…?’

In her mind she completely forgot her task in reaching the well, instead without a second thought she ran to the field where the sound had come from. The field where Anya and Roy were working.

Amaia rounded the corner of one of the houses, seeing a strange sight indeed. Soldiers of all things were here, armed and armoured; one of them had grabbed Anya and was shaking her roughly, demanding something of her. There was a red mark on her cheek where she had been struck. Now she was screaming and shaking her head, hysterical. Roy nearby was trying to get to her, but was held back by another soldier who was interrogating him also. Roy was shaking his head angrily at the soldier that pushed him back, baring teeth and pointing furiously, though Amaia couldn’t hear clearly what they were saying over the commotion.

She ran forwards. ‘Stop’ she cried, coming to a halt steps away from them. ‘Leave them alone!’

All of them instantly froze, staring at her in shock. And then one of the soldiers spoke to another, one of several that were present.

‘This is her?’ he said in a flat tone.

‘A green haired young woman? Lucky for us she’s easy to spot. Yes it’s her.’

The soldier nearest made a lunge for her.

‘No!’ Amaia jumped back, but was quickly caught. Despite the armour, the soldier was surprisingly quick on his feet. ‘Let me go!’ she snarled.

‘Leave her alone!’ Anya screeched, starting forwards towards Amaia and the soldier to intervene.

Another soldier blocked her path, backhanding her hard and sending her sprawling. Roy was by her side in an instant, shielding his wife from further blows from the soldier who towered over them both. He did not try to fight back, fearing to anger the soldier further, but cast his body over his wife’s, staring helplessly up at him and showing his hands in submission, begging. The soldier quickly backed down, turning away from him to face Amaia, who was struggling in vain against the soldier who held her firmly.

‘White Feather!’ she screamed. ‘Help me!’

Amaia felt herself being dragged backwards, thrashing furiously against the hands that held her. She screamed, throwing her head back. Frost began to cover the ground, growing from her feet outwards. The man who held her winced in shock at the spectacle, but still did not release his vice-like grip, not even when the frost began to creep up his arms.

A distance away, White Feather landed on the roof of one of the houses, he watched silently with wide eyes as Amaia was dragged towards a carriage that waited nearby.

On the ground, the wind began to pick up, growing stronger as it blew violently in circles around Amaia. The earth began to crack at her feet. Amaia grimaced, squeezing her eyes tight shut as she concentrated on using her magic in any way she could. She forced herself to think clearer, forced herself to channel her magic, instead of flailing it around. She turned it on the man behind her, aiming for his heart, and beginning to freeze it. The man swiftly let her go, but before she could complete her task, she was struck hard over the back of the head, and knocked out cold.

She came around just as she was being lifted into the carriage. Her arms were tied behind her back, and the last thing she saw before the door to the carriage closed on her, sealing her in, was Simon, staring at her in shock a short distance away, pale as a ghost.

And then the door was slammed shut.