Celtic Fantasy Novel- We Come Back: Vol. 1: Chapter 4.2-Farenton on Parade
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Farenton on Parade
As Joyce and Hoss made their way back to the blankets,
Joyce’s horse suddenly stopped moving and refused to budge.
“Something’s wrong, he won’t let me move him forward.”
“Here, let me look.”
As Hoss lifted his leg over his horse to climb down, her horse took off running. She screamed, “Stop! Halt! Please stop!”
Her horse ignored her and ran off the trail and down a side path leading her further into the woods. Hoss swung his leg back over and turned his horse into a speeding arrow following Joyce.
“Joyce!” he yelled.
Her horse was too far ahead to see, but he could hear her yelling.
“Where are you going?” she tried, and failed to direct her horse.
She had no idea where she was, but her horse had slowed down, as they approached a cluster of trees that lied ahead. Hoss caught up to her just as the horses made their way into the trees.
“Why did your horse lead us here? It’s…” he stopped midsentence as the clearing came into view.
There, standing in front of them, was a woman in a dark
cloak with her back facing them. Everything about this picture was mysterious and unusual to both Hoss and Joyce, but before he could say anything, I turned my head. Seeing the riders approaching, I grinned, pulling my hood off.
I had whistled to the horses upon arriving to the circle of trees. I had no idea which horses or which riders would appear, but I knew they would have to lead me to him.
Hoss jumped down off his horse, and holding the reigns said, “Pardon me, can we help you? Are you lost Miss…?”
“Astraea. My name is Astraea. Yes I could use your assistance. I am looking for… Mr. Staun.”
Joyce and Hoss exchanged glances and smiled.
They knew this was an odd scenario to be sure, but were relieved that they hadn’t encountered any danger. Hoss offered his horse to me, and together we three took the horses to the picnic.
They made small talk and introduced themselves to me. When we reached the picnic blankets, Fareus was there to meet us. Hoss helped the girls down, starting with me. He explained to Fareus, “This is Miss Astraea, Fareus. We were on our way to the blankets when we happened upon her.”
“Very good, sir. May I take your cloak Miss Astraea?”
“Yes, thank you Fareus.”
Hoss had walked around, and was helping Joyce off her horse, when she slipped and landed in his arms. He was so busy staring into Joyce’s eyes, which seemed to him to be gentle and sweet, that he didn’t hear the rest of the company on their horses approaching the picnic.
Mr. Staun was saying to Miss Mary, “I am very glad to hear you’ve enjoyed…” he stopped midsentence, not believing his eyes, knowing they must be deceiving him.
What he was seeing was Fareus taking a familiar cloak
off an even more familiar beautiful woman in a deep maroon dress. He could not yet see her face, but the butterflies in his stomach told him it was her.
As he climbed off his horse he heard Fareus say, “Ah here he is Miss, here rides in Mr. Staun now.”
I looked down, holding my breath. Now that I was here,
I was so nervous I had to use an extreme amount of restraint in order to keep my hands steady and not erupting with light and energy. Jack stood behind his horse for a minute, taking a deep breath before walking around Selene to face me. As he came around, I slowly looked up, as did he. When we locked eyes, it felt to us both as if everyone faded away and left just the two of us standing there, like two stars in an utterly vast universe, devoid of any other life forms. We were both equally surprised to be standing there in front of the other. I was the first to break eye contact, looking down briefly at my necklace, causing Jack to follow suit.
I smiled and said, “Mr. Staun, your noble friends rescued me from my directional ineptitude,” I was making it up as I went along, “I remembered you had said the other night that the picnic was today. I hope you remembered I had accepted your invitation?”
He could tell I was trying to make it less awkward
for the others. He thought it was really quite clever.
“Of course I remembered, Miss Astraea. I am glad Joyce and Hoss could be there to save the day.”
He noticed Joyce and Hoss were standing very near
each other, and saw them exchange blushing smiles. Their time together was improving their chances at love, as he had hoped. He was not the only one who noticed however. Miss Mary had seen the looks as well, and hadn’t decided yet if she wanted to fight for Hoss’ attention. She knew however, that he wasn’t the only eligible bachelor attending the picnic, and felt there was a great chance that Joyce had the upper hand in this particular circumstance, being that this was not her first time spent with him. She decided she would keep her ears and eyes open to possibilities.
Fareus lead everyone to different seats on blankets
laid out ahead of time, on the beautiful lawn near the pond. Mason and Miss Lilly were getting along famously and sat next to Hoss and Joyce. Beathan, Miss Delaine and Miss Mary all were seated on another blanket together. It was pretty apparent that Beathan was flustered, overwhelmed as it were by two women, two sisters, both paying him the highest of compliments, seeking out his attention.
Beathan, Jack thought, was much like himself.
He was an eligible Scottish bachelor with a large estate and an old family name to back him. His fiery red hair and charming smile caused many women to believe he was much more aggressive than he actually was. Jack had known him for the past ten years or so, and was quite close to him, though he felt he knew very little about Beathan’s past. Beathan had secretly been seeking a companion as of late, but as far as society was concerned, he could have anyone, which is why the Roulon’s’ knew of him though this was their first meeting. Jack could see the body language between Miss Mary and Miss Delaine, and it seemed to him quite apparent that they were competing with each other, though he doubted Miss Mary would so easily give up on Hoss. It seemed to him that she was used to getting what she wanted in life.
Now as he sat down on a blanket next to Astraea, he was able to completely let the others have their conversations, and focus all of his attention on the arrival of this mysterious companion of his.
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