Lost Lighte

Chapter 5 (part 1)

Tilya didn't say a word to Lukas or Reese after returning to home. She dropped the wagon off by the side of the cabin and stormed inside, walking to her family's dresser and pulling out one of her father's fleece-lined trousers, slipping them on and tucking the length of her dress inside. She didn't care that the trousers were three sizes too big.

Wrapping a leather belt around her waist to keep the trousers up, she exchanged her simple flats for her leather boots and stormed back outside, brushing past Lukas as she headed into the thick of the forest.

She was too consumed with the multiple emotions running rampant in her mind and was worried she might lash out on the boys. She just needed some time alone. It had been a while since Tilya visited this particular spot in the forest, which she reserved for moments where she needed to be alone amid nature. Although it was bone-chilling outside, she knew she needed it.

Tilya stared straight ahead, knowing exactly where she was going despite the hundreds of identical ash trees around. The snow that clung to their limbs and blanketed the ground around them made the darkness of their wood stand out like black ghostly figures in a world of white. The strong gusts of wind that blew through the forest sent their branches dancing in the air, and Tilya could swear some of them were trying to reach out and grab her.

After some time, she stepped out into a small circular clearing, the trees surrounding the area like a bird's cage, and one large ash tree, much taller than all of the others, was situated in the center.

When Tilya had discovered this section of the ash forest, she was awestruck by this tree in particular, as she had never seen another like it. It was at least eighty feet tall, with lumps that jutted out from its trunk trailing up a good forty feet before the beginning of the tree's thick branches began to sprout.

The first time Tilya had found the tree was in the fall of last year, and there had been dots of red berries among its green foliage that Tilya had eaten after climbing up to its first branch and sitting on it. Now, amid the harsh winter, there were no berries or leaves, it's dark thick and thin branches swayed in the wind as if saying hello.

It took Tilya nearly ten minutes before she had climbed high enough to take her seat on top of her usual branch, and it was always an effort not to look down during her trek. Situated comfortably against the large trunk of the tree, she looked out into the landscape of the world around her, her long black hair flailing wildly in the wind.

The view from this height revealed the expanse of the forest, and from the south she could see the tall stone clock tower that was adjoined to her village's courthouse. To the north Tilya could spot the homes of wealthy families among the rolling snow-covered hills, and beyond that, hundreds of miles away, were the grand mountains that separated the mortal realm from the fae realm.

Tilya tucked her hands into her lap and stared out into those mountains, resting her head against the tree trunk.

As far as she knew, mortals were prohibited from entering the fae realms, save for the king and a few politicians that conducted business with the immortals. Not that Tilya would be interested in crossing over into their territory. It made her wonder how these humans were smuggling fae across the border.

However, sometimes, when Tilya's mind was swimming with thoughts and her heart was aching, she would sit up on the ash tree and look out into the mountains and imagine a life completely different from her own; A life of peace and comfort and stability; where she could spend her days doing things that she loved; meet a handsome young man who would court her, they would get married, have a family, and spend their lives in a beautiful two-story manor that they would pass down to their children along with whatever wealth they had amassed over their years.