Bledlow Valley

~Welcome to Bledlow Valley~

If you've been around for a long time, or even if you're still just a child, then you'd know that mothers have a tendency to scare their children into keeping them safe or doing things that they'd usually wouldn't want to do.

For example, a story most commonly told by mothers to their children in Refrain's country, was the legend of Bledlow Valley. The lesson of the story was basically: don't wander off too far into the forest, for you'll never know what you'll end up finding, and you may not find the other side ever again.

Refrain Blackwater has always loved the forest. She loved the green of the trees, the secrets the wind would whisper into your ears, and so she was always deemed as the one who was "most likely to wander off to Bledlow Valley." However, in her defense, she didn't wander too far. There was a path for a reason, and so Refrain followed it.

Refrain stood in front of the town, staring at the sign that so warmly said the words, "Welcome to Bledlow Valley!" It seemed like a normal town: moderately sized houses and shops in a cluster made to fit the large clearing of the woods, trees all around the town. As Refrain's head swiveled around, she felt...strange. She got the same feeling you get when someone breaks into your house at night and stares at you while you sleep. She remembered someone had told her an odd saying, "Sometimes, if you look into the forest, the forest stares back." So as Refrain's timid footfalls crunched against the small twigs and dead leaves on to the path, she continued to stare at the trees in hopes of finding whatever was staring back at her.

Also, here's a tip for walking somewhere: always look in front of you. Refrain wasn't looking in front of her. She was looking off to the side and hadn't realized watching the trees when she walked into something and nearly got the wind knocked out of her. She stumbled backwards and almost fell to the ground, only for an arm to wrap around her waist, a hand on the small of her back. "Ah, it seems we have a new face. Quite a rarity around Bledlow...what brings you to our little neck of the woods?..." said a low, monotone, and almost husky voice. Her eyes trailed upwards only to meet the red eyes of the man who held her. "Are you a fool looking for adventure or simply a little woman who knows not where or how to start her life?" He asked, his voice could almost be considered mocking, loosening his arm and allowing her to steady herself and stand properly. "I perhaps could say I am a "little woman" who knows not how to start her life." Refrain replied, shifting uncomfortably. The man seemed to notice this, and his hand returned to his side, seeming content with just looming over Refrain. "How did you come across Bledlow Valley, doll? Did you deliberately travel or perhaps...wander?" He asked, tilting his head. He had a smile plastered on his face, though not a warm one. The smile was obviously fake, like the man was trying too hard to make her feel "comfortable". It was full of nothing but malicious intention, not truly meant to make her comfortable. If anything, it made her uncomfortable. Very much so.

She cleared her throat and said, " and anyways I followed the path. I did not wander." The man laughed softly at her almost childish view of wandering. The way the woman put it: she didn't mean to come across Bledlow Valley (which one could only find by wandering), but she'd followed a path, meaning she did not wander, meaning she did not break the rules that mothers had set for their children. Was this woman truly stupid? 'Good. If she's stupid, that means she'll be easy to manipulate, which means that the Watcher will be fed soon...' was what the man thought as he smiled down at Refrain.

He was around six and a half feet tall, which towered over Refrain's short height of nearly 5 '4, he was lanky and had a small waist. Hell, if he had a prominent curve to his chest, anyone could look at him and say he was a woman. One of his white gloved hands wrapped around Refrain's wrist subconsciously, his touch gentle yet rough and threatening, sending shivers down her spine. "Sir...?" She asked, trying to pull her wrist from his grip. "Hm?" He asked, quickly letting go of her. "I apologize, little lamb." He said, his smile growing slightly. She tilted her head, asking, "little lamb?" The name should've served to make her feel more comfortable and safe, but she felt in fact the exact opposite. "Anyhow, you're new here, little lamb. And so I'd assume that you have nowhere to currently stay, hm?" He said, leaning closer to her, his black ashy hair falling over his shoulder and blocking out the dim sunlight from the gray sky that flooded in from the right.

She felt as if almost a shadow had been cast over both their faces, making this man seem more strange and evil than he already was. She could only muster up the courage to slowly nod. "Ah, wonderful! You may stay with me," he said almost too quickly, grabbing her wrist again and dragging her along the cobblestone path of Bledlow Valley, moss and dead leaves and insects in every single crevice between the stones. On one hand, Refrain was grateful she didn't have to go through the trouble of finding a vacant place to live, but on the other hand, did she really want to live with a creepy man she just met? I mean, she didn't fully intend to assume, but what if he does something very terrible to her.

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~984 words