The Pure Ones

Chapter Eleven

"No!" Greenwood said loudly as he started tapping his feet against the ground rapidly to control his anger.

Matias got up slowly and walked to him."Trust me, I understand that you might want to close this chapter on both your lives. But if Penelope is involved in something suspicious she might be in a lot of danger"

"No! I can't have you take my daughter away from me!" Lord Greenwood got up quickly and started to pace around the room.

"I promise you, your daughter is in no trouble. I am trying to protect her, all she needs to do is cooperate with me"

"You don't understand, she's all I have" Greenwood said as he rested his forehead on the wall, taking deep breaths.

Matias sighed. "I give you my word, Penelope is not in any kind of trouble, she is the victim here. I just need to have a little chat with her alright?"

There was a long moment of silence, Greenwood ran his hands through his hair and sighed deeply. He placed his hands on his hips and finally spoke.

"Fine, can you come around tomorrow morning?"

"I'm sure I can manage that"

PENELOPE'S POV

I could hear birds singing above me, leaves falling from trees and unto my head occasionally. A large tree provided shade for me as I sat on the warm grass, reading a book.

Yesenia was not too far from me, she had handed me a cup of tea earlier that I was now sipping slowly. I was so consumed by my book that I did not hear the footsteps approach me until someone was right next to me.

Air left my lungs for a brief moment, Sheriff Matias was standing right above me. I instantly closed my book and looked to the grass.

"Good morning Penelope" he said making me look back at him.

"G-good morning" I managed to get out from my quivering lips.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all" I lied.

He scanned his surroundings briefly. "Is there a chair around here?" He asked. Yesenia quickly responded saying "No Sir, but I could get one from inside"

The Sheriff sighed and said "Oh never mind, don't let me trouble you with that" as he reluctantly sat beside me on the grass, putting some space between us.

There was a little silence between us.
For the first time his face had some tenderness to it, vastly different from his usual stoic expression, he seemed to be enjoying the environment.

"It's a lot peaceful this morning after that storm last night"

"It is" I said, nervously tapping on my book.

To my surprise, he laughed, don't think I had ever seen him laugh before.

"Oh come on, loosen up a bit will you? I promise I'm only here for a friendly chat" he said as he smiled lightly, it seemed to be a genuine smile.

I cocked my eyebrows, I had never seen this side of him.

"A little friendly chat before I arrest you of course"

My blood ran cold the second he said that.

"That was a joke!" He said laughing, he added "A terrible one at that, it sounded a lot better in my head I swear"

I found myself laughing at his little joke, I was slightly relaxed now.

"Oh, I see you enjoy Vivian's work as well" he said as he took a peak at my book.