Chapter 1
CRACK! An explosion of lightning and thunder echoed against the night sky. Thick, dark smoke filled the air, burning the villagers' lungs with every breath they took.
The village of Willow's Peak was in absolute crisis. Ear-splitting screams and cries erupted across the village, and there was no one who could save them from this catastrophe.
Nearby was a young mother whose small wooden house was on fire. She protectively pressed her six-month-old against her chest, shielding her baby from the heat and smoke, as she tried to escape her burning home.
Her lungs stung with every breath she took, and her eyes burned as salty tears streamed down her cheeks, but she was determined to escape death.
CRACK! Another lightning bolted against the sky, sending terror through her and the baby in her arms.
"Hush now, Oceania, everything will be okay," the mother's shakey voice whispered, her throat burning with every word.
She tried to calm her baby as she burst through her front door, but Oceania only cried louder, making her mother more anxious.
Lilian's eyes desperately scanned her now burning village.What once was a happy, vibrant place filled with laughter was now a burning hell. Lilian's ears filled with the screams and pleads of the villagers, but there was nothing she could do; she was powerless.
The beautiful willow trees that her village was named after, once beautiful and lush, were now ablaze. The village that once smelled of fresh willow blossoms now stank of smoke and burning flesh, flesh that she hoped weren't people.
Lilian gazed at the crops in her back yard, charred and wilted. She could feel the rush of bitter bile in her throat; with a cough she vomited on the ground.
Her chest rose and fell in a panic; her heart raced against her rib cage, and her ears rang, drowning out the terrified screams of the villagers.
Her arms that held her crying daughter started shaking, and her knees felt weak as she desperately tried to flee from the village. There was no use calling for help; it was every man for themselves. She needed to save her daughter and herself.
The thick smoke wrapped around the village like a winter's coat; except this one provided no protection, only death. It blurred Lilian's vision, stinging her teary eyes, but she tightened her grip on her wailing daughter as she used all her strength to flee from the village.
Lilian didn't dare to look back. All she could do was silently pray that all the villagers made it out alive.
The first breath of fresh air was intoxicating as clean air rushed to her lungs. The screams faded into the night breeze, and her heart felt heavy; she hadn't been able to help anyone. She couldn't stop the hot tears that stream down her face. She couldn't stop the heavy sobs that escaped her lips. She couldn't stop anything.
Lilian lost her parents to malaria when she was only thirteen years old, and since her parents weren't originally from Willow's Peak, she didn't have any relatives to look after her. The adults who had been friends with her parents tried to take her in, but Lilian, who didn't want to be a burden to anyone, tried to make a living for herself.
At first, she convinced the villagers to let her clean their homes for a fee, a very demanding job for a child her age. By fourteen, her hands were covered with blisters and calluses, but her pride made her determined to make something of herself. Even when her muscles ached, she refused to give up.
With the earnings she got from cleaning, she bought seeds to plant so she could provide for herself. She transformed her late parents' backyard into a lush orchard, filled with juicy strawberries, grapes, watermelons, and different types of fruits.
She sold her products at the village market, which provided a steady income. The muscles in her body would ache each time she pushed her cart to and from the market, but the pain never stopped her. She worked under the blazing sun, sweat covering her skin. Even heavy thunderstorms, which she feared, couldn't stop her from tending to her orchard.
The adults in the village tried to tell her to stop and just accept their help, to live the life of a normal child, but she just ignored them. Even when insects attacked her crops and natural disasters struck, her determination never faded, and her hard work paid off.
Five years passed, and Lilian lived a peaceful but lonely and tiring life. Her orchard became more bountiful, and she made enough money to live comfortably. The villagers no longer saw her as a weak orphan that needed to be looked after. Lilian had become a strong, determined, and ambitious young lady who flourished.
In the bright, early morning, when the sun peaked from the horizon, she tended to her orchard, then packed her cart with crops to sell at the market. Her body, being overworked, would feel weak, but her ambitions and determination were stronger than Zeus himself.
In pain she would push her cart to the market, which was ten minutes from her home, and within hours, all her crops would be sold off, which made all the struggle worth it in the end.
One day at the market, when the sun was shining brightly, someone whom Lilian had never seen before approached her. Willow's Peak wasn't a large place, so she knew everyone, but not him. 'He must be a traveler,' she thought tiredly but forced a smile.
"Good day, sir. Are you interested in purchasing anything?" she asked in an upbeat voice, her hand fidgeting nervously with her dirt-covered apron.
She wasn't much of a people person. Most of her days were spent either at her orchard or at the market, and in her free time, she'd snuggle in bed to read her favorite fantasy books. She wasn't very social, but her job required her to be.
Staring at the stranger, Lilian couldn't help but notice how his clothes were made from the finest fabrics. His purple long-sleeve shirt was made out of smooth silk, while his dark trousers screamed velvet. Standing before him, she couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed of her dirt-covered cotton clothes.
The stranger ran his hand through his straight chestnut brown hair that fell in place above his eyebrows. His calm emerald eyes scanned her from head to toe, then the crops on her cart.
"Did you grow these?" he asked calmly, his voice deep and rich like honey. Lilian smiled and nodded proudly.
"Intresting.That's really impressive. Where I come from, women don't do these types of jobs," he continued. Lilian couldn't help but feel offended by his statement.
'Is he trying to belittle me?' she asked herself, as she tried hard to hide her frown, but it was too late; he had already noticed how the edge of her plump lips darted down for a split second and how her face darkened for a moment.
"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that. I'm actually quite intrigued. You must have a green thumb to grow crops that look this appealing," he quickly corrected himself, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
Lilian couldn't help but chuckle. The stranger, now relieved that the beautiful young lady in front of him was at ease, couldn't help but gaze upon her. He took in every drop of her, from her curly dark brown hair, tied in a messy bun. To her bright amber eyes, that were like pools of honey. He noticed the way her sunkissed, cinnamon skin glistened in the sunlight and how her fingernails were stained with soil.
She wore a cream apron that was tied tightly around her cherry-red day dress. He also noticed that she seemed to be the same age as him, yet she was so independent, and that amazed him.
Lilian couldn't help but feel a little nervous under his gaze, but she pushed that feeling to the back of her mind, and picked up one of her bright rosey apples and held it out to him.
"You can try this; it's very refreshing," she said, her lips twisting in a proud smile.
The stranger nodded and took the apple from her hand, for a split second, their fingers brushed, and Lilian couldn't help but notice how soft and callus-free his hands were; they were the complete opposite of hers, which were rough from the calluses.
The stranger, not noticing the rough texture of her hand, took a bite of the apple, and his eyes widened at the fresh, sweet taste.
"This is the sweetest apple I've ever tasted!" he said and took another bite. Sweet, clear juice ran down his chiseled jaw.
Lilian smiled proudly at his comment but thought, 'Is he gonna pay me or what? After all, compliments can't provide my daily needs.'
"Is it okay if I buy your whole cart?" he asked after he took the last bite of the apple, then threw the core in a nearby garbage container.
Lilian's eyes widen like dinner plates. She was so shocked that she choked on her own saliva. The stranger, now alarmed, rushed to her side and patted her back gently. Lilian, not used to being touched, stiffened momentarily before taking a step back.
"I'm sorry for my intrusion," he whispered. Taking a step back, he tucked his hand into his pocket and took out a transparent pouch filled with sliver coins and held it out to her. Lilian eyed him, then the pouch made of fine, smooth silk.
"A-are you sure? That's more than enough; it would take me weeks to make that," Lilian whispered, her voice laced with uncertainty. 'How wealthy is this damn man?' she questioned herself.
He gave her an assuring nod. 'Today must be my lucky day. Thank you, God!' she thought happily as she held out her hand.
Looking down at her palm, he then noticed how it was covered in calluses. 'She's definitely works hard,' he thought as he gladly dropped the coin pouch in her hand.
Lilian looked down at the pouch and couldn't help but notice how the silk felt like clouds on her palm and how the sliver coins glistened in the sun. She smiled as tears of happiness filled her eyes. She was so thankful, but she didn't dare make a tear fall. She tried to hide her face as she blinked the tears away, but the stranger had already noticed, and he truly felt happy for her.
"Thank you so much," she whispered, clutching the pouch to her chest. She stared into his emerald eyes, and he gave her a charming smile, one that made her stomach feel fluttery.
"No need to thank me. Your crops are definitely worth everything single coin," his voice was gentle. "My name is Finn, by the way, may I have yours?"
"Oh, where are my manners," Lilian said as she tucked the pouch in her apron's pocket and zipped it shut. "My name is Lilian; it's a pleasure to meet you. And if you don't mind me asking, how are you going to carry all these fruit?" she continued, her gaze now on the wooden cart filled with fresh apples, oranges, and other fruit.
Finn chuckled, "Mano!" he called out into the market crowd.
Seconds later, another man she had never seen before walked up to Finn. He was about three inches taller than Finn. Mano was six feet, two inches, and looked like he worked out every single day, his muscles thick and broad.
"This is my friend Mano...as you can see, he's got enough muscles to carry everything," Finn said proudly as he playfully patted Mano's shoulder, who rolled his eyes in amusement.
Lilian was still in shock as she gazed upon the man made of muscles in front of her. She was only five feet, six inches, so she felt small compared to him.Then he did something that made Lilian's jaw drop; he picked up her wooden cart with ease. A loud, frightening gasp escaped her lips.
"W-what are you doing?" she yelled in surprise as her body jerked back.
"Mano and I are staying at an inn only five minute away from here, so is it okay if he carries the cart to the inn, just to unload the fruit into my room, since we don't have any bags to carry them all?" he asked sweetly with a grin. "We'll bring it back after we're finished."
If Lilian's jaw could have hit the ground, it would have been there as she took in the scene before her. For years, she had struggled to push that cart back and forth, and here came this stranger, picking it up like it was a piece of cake.
Finn stood there waiting for an answer while Lilian and other villagers stared in shock. Lilian blinked, regaining her composure. "It's the only cart I have, so I'll follow you to the inn," she said, her voice still lingering with shock. Finn chuckled and nodded.
They began walking towards the inn, but she lingered behind the two men and could feel the eyes of the villagers following them as they whispered about the new strangers. Soon, they arrived at the inn, and Lilian patiently waited outside as Mano unloaded everything into Finn's room.
"I just really want to say thank you again for doing business with me," Lilian said to Finn, as Mano brought the empty cart outside.
"No need to thank me. You've earned it, trust me," Finn replied reassuringly. Lilian gave him a bright smile, one that made his heart skip a beat.
Lilian, now having her cart in front her, felt happier than she had been in months. Her hard work was definitely paying off."Would you like Mano to bring the cart home for you?" Finn asked. "It must be heavy."
Lilian shook her head. "No need for that. I can manage on my own. I hope you two have a good evening and thanks again." With that said, she waved them goodbye and began pushing the cart back home, not giving Finn a chance to respond. Now that the cart was empty, it wasn't as heavy as before, but it still weighed a lot; her arms grew tired, but she kept pushing.
When she arrived home, she took a long, relaxing bath, then snuggled in bed with her favorite book.
