The Farmer's Daughter

An afternoon to remember

The day was pleasant and warm when I met him. I was alone at the farm so I decided to eat lunch in the fields an enjoy the day. It was just after midday, just after my father left for market to sell our harvest. We had a good season, actually. Our wheat was plentiful and vegetables were ripe for harvest. The wind was blowing a nice, comfortable breeze while I walked through our small fields. Most of our vegetation has been cleared by Papa and his farmhand. The warmth of the sun beats on my back as I find my favorite shadowed spot that is fairly hidden away from my home.

I unpacked my lunch, which consisted of cheese and bread and nice fruits. Just a few of my favorites. The quiet is comforting to me. Especially today. In just a few weeks, the fete des coeurs will be hosted in Pierre-mont by the nobles there for the first time in decades. Since my papa's farm was the nearest to Pierre-mont, we had the good fortune of being able to provide produce for their catering. Papa now is presenting our hard worked harvest. As I thought about the chaos that will no doubt ensue in the coming days, I heard a twig snap not far from where I am. I swallow the bite of bread and cheese that I was meticulously chewing on.

The faint, subtle sound of the rustling of grass almost made me shrug off the innate feeling of not being alone. In a farm, there's always noise and movement. Nothing has startled me since I was young. I shook off the uneasiness, but just then I heard steps coming my way. I froze at the foreign sounds. Those aren't Papa's footsteps or our farmhand's, I thought as my fear spikes. A blur of movement caught the corner of my eye where I was sitting in my common dress with my bread and cheese on my common skirt. I slowly swallow the piece of my bread and carefully look around the tall grass. "Hello?" I called out, scared out of my wits. "Who's there?"

The rustle of grass is heard not far from me. Stupid of me to call out like that, I thought. If I had kept my words to myself, I would've been safely hidden away, I thought. Stupid stupid, Annette. The panic quickly became about about getting to safety.

I quickly gathered my skirt, along with my lunch, and waited. "Reveal yourself, intruder," I yelled out once again. But nobody responded to me. I heard the rustle of movement again so I wait. The rustle quickly became footfalls of running feet coming in my direction. Without a second thought, I took off running. The rest of my ratty dress billowed behind me while the front is gathered up in my hands. The small pouch that I created to carry my lunch in. Stupid stupid Annette, I scolded myself. Look what you've brought onto yourself!

I practically ran like my life depended on it-which it seemed like it did at this time. Something almost caught my dress and it made me scream. My intruder was right behind me. I pumped my legs faster and I let go of my skirt, dropping my plain cheese and bread to the ground. "Stop!" My intruder finally whisper-yelled from behind me. "Stop, please," they begged me. "No!" I responded over my shoulder. I saw a whisper of dark hair from the corner of my eye, distracting me enough for me to trip on my worn skirts. The tearing of fabric was loud on my ears as I fell over.

I felt the intruder's body fall above me, knocking the breath off my lungs. But I regained it quick enough to start screaming for my life. The intruder gripped my arms, flipping me over. "Ah," I exclaimed in surprise and then I saw him, clear as day. He covered my mouth his palm; which was unnecessary since I was left speechless by this strange boy on top of me. His crystal green eyes pleading into mine. They're so beautiful, I heard myself in my mind. "Please, keep quiet," he whispered to me. "You needn't be afraid. I don't mean you harm, miss. I just need to hide here for a while." I calmed even further at his words. He wasn't plain to look at, not at all. He did wear plain clothes like mine, dirt stained and moth-eaten. He's common but...handsome.

"You won't scream?" I shook my head, no. "You swear?" I nod my head and swore, never taking my eyes from his. He lifted his hand slowly from my mouth. The boy was understandably cautious. I acted on pure instinct and believed him to be dangerous intruder.I clear my throat "Whyever must you hide for?" His lips quirked up at my question and responded with his own. "My, how does a country missus like yourself come to be sound educated?" I said nothing. Amused at my refusal, he lifted himself off of me. "The guard is after me," he held a hand for me to take of which I accepted graciously, "I think I lost them over at the bridge but I'm not entirely sure."

My gaze roamed beyond my small farm. Pierre-mont's bridge is little over two miles away from here. Soon rather than later the guard will here looking for him, I'd gathered. "C'mon," i beckoned him, "I have a place where you can stay for a while." He began to walk alongside me when he seemed to remember something. "Wait." He turned around and ran back to where I dropped my lunch a few moments before. "'Tis a shame to waste it, is it not?"

"Please," I giggled, "help yourself."