Just a lil story i'm starting... read it if u wanna... if u dont, then dont

Journey Of The Moon Rider

“…Joshua pulled his sword out of his opponent, wiping the blood off on the mans’ shirt and smiled warmly at his thoughts. He pictured it now, the parties and festivals that would be held in his favor when he returned home as the victor in the war that had raged on…that is until he’d ended it. He strolled up to the woman he had been showing off for the whole while he was fighting with Cohen and said, “All this commotion over you”
““Was I not worth it?””
““Indeed you were, are you prepared to go home?””
““Yes, I believe I am brave knight.”” “And with that, Joshua and the maiden boarded the waiting vessel and headed homeward with Joshua remembering past events the whole way back… WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH!” Elizabeth slammed the book shut and glared at the title, For the Love of a Maiden, “this book hardly talks about the woman. How come women are never really mentioned in books unless they are part if an intimate scene? We are better for more that just arousing old mens’ fantasies. I don’t even care; this book is poorly written anyway.” Elizabeth rose from her bed and went to her bay seat to glance out of the open window at her beautifully planted garden of white and red roses, fury drawn all across her face. “I refuse to read another book like this. The hero is always the male and the woman is always the “damsel in distress””. Elizabeth took one last look at the book and flung it out of the window with all her might, it flew into the trees of the forest that was part of her backyard and hit what Elizabeth thought was a tree until it said “ouch!” and crumbled into a heap.
“Oh!” Elizabeth realized it was actually a person she’d hit when it was too late, she grabbed hold of the window ledge and eased herself to the edge of it until she plummeted down to the soft earth below and landed smoothly on her feet as she had done so many times before when sneaking out of the palace-like mansion to go to the lake that was through the forest and past a plain to get a better look at the moon. (When it was full, it seemed to be calling to her. She did this so many times that when the moon wasn’t full she found herself sulking in shadows and only leaving her bed to tell the nurse maids what she wanted for dinner.) She dusted the little bit of dirt that had somehow found its way onto her dress and continued on her way to the person she had probably injured pretty badly, that book had had 864 pages and she had flung it really hard out of that window that was now towering four stories above her.
She reached the crumpled, groaning body and tapped it gently; the groaning stopped and the person loosened themselves up a little. “Um, excuse me… I accidentally hit you in the head with my book. I’m sorry… I don’t know what came over me.” The person suddenly stretched out and rolled over, facing her. That’s Elizabeth saw that it was a young man she had hit. The boy lay there with his eyes closed and his face screwed up with pain. Elizabeth noticed that there was a spot on the boys’ head that was bleeding and surveyed the surroundings. She noticed a rock that also had blood on it and felt bad to know that it had been her book that had caused him to fall and hit his head.
Though the young man was bleeding severely Elizabeth didn’t move, not even to check how deep the wound was. She kept her bright brown eyes focused on his eyelids. “I can’t move” she thought, “not until I see his eyes.” She felt that if she could just see his eyes she would know that he was okay. She whisked her long brown hair behind her and stared intently. He sat up with his eyes still closed and grumbled, “How many pages was that?”
“About 800 and 60 some thing or close to that” Elizabeth answered.
“Tough on the noggin eh?” he attempted to open his eyes; a feeling of excitement came over Elizabeth until he stopped trying and shut his eyes even tighter.
“Not really, it was easy, and quite aggravating, I must say. The story line was awful.”
“Well, they always say that the journey not traveled is the one you miss the most.”
“Who says that?”
“Other than me? No one I suppose.”
The boy put a hand up to his head and felt the blood. “Bludgeoned me good didn’t it?”
“Yes, I’m sorry. At least you’re in your right mind… please allow me to take you into my home. My nurse maids will gladly help you.”
“No, I’m fine on my own; I’ll just be going on my way then.”
“Please no, I feel as if this is all my fault. Let me help you.”
“I don’t like to be a burden, so I’ll just go on my way.”
“You wouldn’t be a burden at all, you must come in.”
Elizabeth grabbed hold of the boy and attempted to pull him to his feet. At that he opened his eyes and looked up at Elizabeth questioningly. She automatically let go of him and he crashed back to the ground, eyes still full of question. Elizabeth sat in front of the boy and stared at his incredibly handsome face. He sat up and stared back at her. Elizabeth smiled warmly and touched his cheek saying “you’re eyes… they’re big and grey. They look like a full moon…”
“Why did you try to pick me up and then just dro-A full moon?”
“Yes.”
“You sound as if you like the moon. I love the moon. What is your name?”
“Elizabeth.”
“Elizabeth… I’m Richard.”
“Richard… please come to house. I can help you.”
“Okay, if you’re going to beg” Richard said sarcastically.
“Who’s begging you?”
“No one, I was being playful,” he stood up and helped Elizabeth from the ground smiling. His eyes may have looked like the moon, but they were as soft and loving as the most beautiful flower.
“What are you smiling for?” Elizabeth asked, obviously entranced by Richards looks.
“You seem like a nice girl is all, I like nice girls.”
“And I like nice boys, but you don’t see me grinning about like some love-struck teenager.”
“May I remind you that you are indeed a teenager…”
“How do you know that?” Elizabeth cut in, “I could simply be a very pretty and unwrinkled woman.” She smiled.
“Oh ho! Now who’s grinning like a love-struck teenager?” Richards laugh was almost musical. But not like the bright and happy music Elizabeth was used to. No. Richards’ laughter was more sad and mournful, yet still, Elizabeth was entranced.

* * *
“So, Richard… where did you come from?” Elizabeth and Richard sat in the mansions library in separate chairs across the room from each other. Richards newly bandaged head had been paining him, so Elizabeth requested hot tea, candles and that the library doors be closed so she and Richard may have some privacy.
“Where? I don’t actually know where I came from…”
“No need to be shy Richard, you’ve been here for hours with me and you haven’t told me much about yourself.” Elizabeths’ face glowered in the candle light, making her sweet face look almost evil. She glared at him from across the room, as if daring him to keep a secret from her.
“I can’t really say where I’m from Elizabeth-”
“Call me Liz.”
“Okay then, Liz. I can’t really say where I’m from. But I can for a fact tell you where I’m going…” Elizabeths’ face brightened up and she sat more comfortably in the cushions of the seat that had belonged to her mother years before.
“So where are you going young brave boy, who wanders through unknown forests with out even knowing what could be out there?”
“Are you trying to put some sort of tag on me?”
“No, merely stating what I’ve seen so far. What were you doing in those woods anyway? There are not many houses around here… were you coming to my house?”
“No, Christopher Columbus. I was merely traveling the country side. Enough about me though, what about you? Who exactly are you? Where are your parents? Why are you so beauti-” Richard stopped questioning and looked up at Elizabeth. There were tears in her eyes. He had done something wrong.
“I’m sorry Elizabeth, I didn’t me-”
“My parents are dead. My mother and father died at sea; the result of the feuding between Britain and the group of rebels that fled to the Caribbean to escape being flung into the kings’ army. They were on a cruise when the boat was bombarded by a ship bearing the British flag. The cruise ship had been mistaken for a rebel ship. But by the time the British soldiers had had time to react it was too late, the ship was already in flames and sinking to the bottom of the ocean.”
“I’m sorry Elizabeth.” Richard looked at Elizabeth, the flames from the flickering candles made his eyes even more gorgeous. Elizabeth found that she couldn’t get mad at him and mumbled, “didn’t I tell you to call me Liz?” She looked up at Richard, tears streaking her face and smiled to assure him that she was alright.
Outside the wind began to howl and a bolt of lightning lit up the sky in a bright flash of turquoise. “Ahhhhh” Richard sighed looking out of the window. “Seems as if there is going to be a storm.”
“You’re going to have to stay the night if the storm doesn’t let up.” Elizabeth stated.
“Why can’t I just go?” Richard asked.
“You have no place to go.” Elizabeth answered slight anger in her voice. “And if you did, I wouldn’t know about it since you won’t tell me anything about yourself.”
“I hardly know you, Liz. Why would I tell you anything about me?”
“I would expect you to trust me; I did save your life you know.”
“Is that what you call it? Knocking me in the head with an 800 and 60 something paged book?” Richard fumed.
“What is wrong with you!? You’re acting … odd. You weren’t like this earlier.” Elizabeth stared at Richard for a second and suddenly an idea struck her. “You’re afraid of storms aren’t you?”
“I am not!”
“Then why are you so desperate to leave the place where the storm is?”
“It’s just… it’s night and the moon isn’t showing all that well through the clouds” then he murmured “I may have enough time to get away.”
“Huh? What was that you said Richard?”
“Oh, nothing Eliz- Liz.”
“Are you okay?”
“…Yeah…”
Looking out of the window at the cloudy sky then back at Richard, Elizabeth sighed and said “are you sure?”
“If I wasn’t sure I’d be on the ground crying. I hate being confused.”
“Ha!” Elizabeth giggled. “It’s hard to imagine you crying over something so small.”
“You’d be surprised at how sensitive I am, don’t let these cold grey eyes fool you.”
“I don’t think your eyes are cold at all, in fact they are rather nice to look into.”
“It’s nearly time to go to bed, come on. I’ll show you to your room.” Elizabeth rose from the comfortable chair and strolled over to Richard with an outstretched hand. Richard grabbed hold and hoisted himself up from the chair. “You go to bed early don’t you?” he asked.
“I don’t think it’s early. It has to be near midnight by now; we’ve been here talking for hours now.” Elizabeth responded as she unlocked and flung open the library doors. Nurse maids immediately flooded Richard and Elizabeth asking all sorts of questions.
“Is he staying the night ma’am?”
“Should I prepare supper for two?”
“How is your head sir?” The maids bombarded the two with questions until Elizabeth thrust out the hand that was not still clasped in Richards and replied; “There is no need to prepare supper Alexandria, his head is fine Susan, and yes Martha, he is staying the night. Right, Richard?” In response, Richard merely nodded and smiled slightly. The maids all looked at Elizabeth questioningly and slumped away muttering to each other, “could she have fallen in love with the boy?” Susan asked her friends.
“Impossible, she’s only just met him” answered Alexandria.
“That is what happened to her parents you know, love at first look” Susan said.
“In their case, love at first book” Martha added.
“Ha ha, good one Martha” Alexandria and Susan laughed.
“Those three; always gossiping about something. I guess they need something to talk about, seeing as they never leave this mansion” Elizabeth laughed. She and Richard climbed the winding staircase coated with a shiny waxy substance; it seemed that the maids had recently done some house cleaning. Elizabeth had to let go of Richard to hold her dress up so that she wouldn’t fall on the way up. Richard looked at her dress and than at his own clothes and frowned while straightening his tunic and inconspicuously trying to unwrinkled his slacks.
“How can I ever compare to her?” he thought. “Such beauty and grace, while I am nothing but a commoner… she is of noble birth. She could be the one, but… I just don’t see a connection. She obviously sees something in me that I don’t; the way she talks about my eyes… the way she talks to me overall is just stunning. She’s only just met me and she is showing such hospitality… I don’t believe I’ve met a girl quite like her in all of my 17 years. She is truly a gem… and maybe… just maybe… that may be the reason that I’m falling for her…”
“Here we are, you can sleep here for the night. This is the old guest room; it’s only a few doors down from my room if you need anything. Goodnight Richard.” Elizabeth pushed open a pair of giant oak wood doors, revealing a giant room with a large bed, a few dressers and what looked like a personal bathroom. Richard had been so lost in thought that he hadn’t even realized that they had reached their destination and that Elizabeth was now leaving to go to her own room.
“Uh, yeah… sure. Goodnight Liz.” He slowly trudged into the room and closed the doors after watching Elizabeth walk away and turn into another room just 4 doors down to the right by the stairs.
Richard glanced around the room and walked to one of the dressers. He opened it and coughed when a little dust rose from the handle. Looking inside he was surprised to see a pair of mens pajamas and underwear. They looked like they had been bought a few years ago, put in this drawer and not been disturbed since. “Hmmm” Richard thought as he stripped from his clothes and put on the pajamas, “her or her parents must have been expecting a guest a while back. Guess he didn’t come by the looks of things.” He folded his clothes and placed them on top of the dresser. Looking into the mirror he ran his fingers through his jet black hair and stared into his own grey eyes, a shiver went down his spine as the lightning flashed; sending a momentary silver glow over everything in the room and making his eyes look even greyer than usual. “As long as the moon doesn’t show too soon, I’ll be fine” he said dusting off, then climbing into the bed and pulling the blankets up to his chin. He rolled over on his side and soon had fallen into a deep sleep.
In Elizabeths room, she was dressed in her pajamas and pacing the floor. “What is it about him that has me so spellbound?” she asked herself glancing into the mirror. “Ever since I hit him with that book, I’ve felt a certain attachment to him. It’s odd that I should be falling for someone I hardly know, but that’s what seems to be happening now. Why should it be a problem anyway? My mother and father aren’t here to judge me and the maids don’t really have a say in with who I fall in love with, even though they have been looking after me since the accident, bless their souls. No, no. There is no need to stress about this, I’m just going to go to bed and see what happens tomorrow. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do… it’s a plan then.”
She took one last look at herself in the mirror and tied her hair up into a pony tail. “I’ll see what my heart says tomorrow, and then I’ll decide what to do.” She looked out of the window and seen lightning flash across the sky, creating a grey silhouette of everything in her room and making her wonder what Richard was doing as she climbed into bed and snuggled up against the pillow. The last thing she heard was thunder that sounded millions of miles away before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
* * *
Richard awoke with a sharp pain in the side of his head where Elizabeth had hit him with the book; cold sweat was pouring down his face and making his skin slippery. He looked out of the window that was on the side of the bed; the moon was shining brightly and causing Richard to have to shield his eyes while looking at it.
“What do you want?” Richard frowned looking at the moon.
“Riiiicharrrrd…” the moons “voice” whispered as a cool breeze opened the window and caressed Richards face. Richard turned his face away and pulled the blanket up to his chin.
“Leave me alone” Richard turned back and glared at the moon with such hatred that it scared him.
The wind blew again, “don’t defy me, Richard. You have a job to do.”
“She’s not the one, she’s not the one.” Richard hung his head, trying to avoid the moons icy “stare”.
“I’ve been watching, Richard, she seems like a nice warm person. She treats you nicely… Does she not?” The wind blew slightly harder and the blanket shivered off of the bed.
“Yes, she does but… she’s not the one…” Richard got up from the bed and slowly walked over to the window.
“I told you the kind of one I need, Richard. You know the deal, Richard. You agreed. In turn for your immortality, you must make me happy. I need the soul of a warm hearted girl.” The wind reminded Richard in a sweet and phony voice.
“And I will find you one. But don’t put Liz into this…” Richards voice trailed off.
“Oh ho! Liz is it? She’s fallen for you hasn’t she, Richard?”
“How would I know? I didn’t bother to ask her about her feelings for me. We just met you know.”
“But you’ve fallen for her”
“How do you…”
“I know everything about your’ feelings, Richard. When I gave you the gift of immortality, in order to do so I had to give you a piece of my soul. We are connected, but only during the night. During the day, you have your own soul and your feelings are private. But now, now everything you think of, everything you feel during the night, I know about it.” The wind seemed to be laughing at the fact that Richard was trapped.
“Well what if I decided I don’t want to do this any more?” Richard questioned.
“It’s too late, Richard. You’ve already killed 7 girls that weren’t worthy of me. You are trapped until you accomplish what I’ve instructed you to do.”
“It was all a mistake.”
“You ARE falling for this girl aren’t you? Well, well, well, Richard. I never thought you would let love get in the way of your job.” The wind blew softly.
“I’m not...”
“You are, and the only reason I drew you into the woods surrounding this girls house is because I wanted you to do your job. She is a moon- lover is she not? Your job is to see if she is worthy, and if not… you’ll just kill her and go on your way.”
“You control me when I kill those girls! So technically speaking, I don’t kill girls, you do!”
“Ahhhh yes. But I use your hands to do so Richard. So you are indeed the murderer even if you aren’t the one who wanted to kill those unworthy of me.” The moons glow seemed to brighten up while on the subject of killing young women.
“No!” Richard covered his ears. “I’m not a murderer!”
“You are, Richard. You cannot block me out. I’m in your head.”
“Leave me alone!” Richard almost fell out of the open window trying to scramble away from the moons light. “I’ll do what you say.”
“Oh I know you will, Richard… be ready. She comes to now…”
Richard slammed the window and the shutters closed, trying to block out the moons evil glow. He slid down the wall and into a heap sobbing. He didn’t want to do this anymore. He didn’t want to kill girls because the moon thought they weren’t worthy to be the moons love. He was really falling for Elizabeth and he didn’t want to hurt her. He realized that he had to get out of the moons gaze before he could even tell Elizabeth what was going on. He then wondered if she would even believe him. He imagined what would happen if she thought he was joking:
“Gee Elizabeth, what can I say? The moon controls me at night and I sometimes kill the girls who fall in love with me or who I fall in love with. The moon needs a soul mate or rather, he wants a soul mate… and as of right now, he wants you. He’s going to take your soul if you fall in love with me Elizabeth.”
“If you don’t like me Richard that’s all you need to say. Don’t tell crazy stories about psychotic moons.”
“Elizabeth I’m serious; And its not that I don’t like you. I don’t want you to get your soul sucked out.”
“So you do like me?”
“Well, yeah but... we’re way off subject, Liz”
“So let’s hush then, and leave it at that.”
Richard wiped his eyes and groaned. “That’s just great! She’s going to think I’m crazy and that I don’t like her. Beaver dam!”
There was a knock at the door, soft and quiet; as if the person on the other side was curious if Richard was awake but did not want to wake him if he wasn’t. The moons voice flooded into his head, “I’ll leave you be for now Richard. I won’t even listen to you two. In fact I will cut the connection between us for a few hours, just because I like you. But I’ll still be expecting a soul, Richard. Don’t forget.”
Richard grinned in the dark, not because of the moons courtesy, but because he was finally going to be alone for the first time in a year without worrying about the moon interrupting him as it had done so many times before. He rose from the floor and staggered towards the door just as the person on the other side knocked again and he heard a whisper. “Richard? Richard, are you awake?” It was Elizabeth, Richard sighed happily. “Richard, it’s me, its Elizabeth.”
“I’m here.” Richard said as he flung open the doors to see Elizabeth with her hair tied up into a neat little ponytail and wearing her cute little nightgown.
“Hi.” Elizabeth wiggled her fingers at him.
“Hey, what’s up?” Richard sniffled.
“Are you okay?” she arched one eyebrow and frowned.
“Yeah, I’m okay… I was just… um… looking at the moon. Yeah, I was just looking at the moon.” Then he thought, “It’s not really a lie. I was looking at the moon.”
Elizabeth smiled and said, “I know a place where you can get a better look at the moon, I’m going there now. You care to join me?”
“Well, I um…” Richard remembered what the moon had said: “I’ll leave you be for now Richard. I won’t even listen to you two. In fact I will cut the connection between us for a few hours…”
“Yes, I would” he smiled; “I would very much like to come with you.”
“Well come on, the moons not going to wait while we sit here chatting.” Elizabeth grabbed Richards hand and raced out of the room towards her own.
“Where are we going Elizabeth?” Richard asked.
“We can’t go down the stairs, the maids are down there no doubt and they wouldn’t let me just go wandering through he forest at night; especially with you.” She explained.
Richard felt a little offended, “well why not?” he questioned.
“Well” Elizabeth began, “I DID only just meet you and everything. But even if they don’t trust you I do. I don’t know what it is about you but I feel safe around you.”
“Oh, is that all?” Richard asked relieved that Elizabeth hadn’t said anything about him popping up out of nowhere and relieved that she hadn’t started asking questions about his past again.
“Yes, I do believe that’s all. Well come on then Richard, we want to get there before the sun rises, you know? Otherwise there will be no moon to look at.”
“Yes” Richard mumbled as he followed Elizabeth, only able to see her because of her white night gown and how it clashed against the darkness; like a shield to all evil.
“You aren’t afraid of heights are you?” Elizabeth asked once they had reached her room and she was already sitting on the window sill.
“Of course not, I dare say that I am very brave and not at all afraid of heights.” Richard replied standing up straight and tall in the darkness and sticking his nose in the air.
“Okay then “Prince” Richard.” Elizabeth smiled then turned her face away from Richard and towards the night sky.
“You aren’t really going to jump now are you? You should let me go first so I can catch you when you jump.” Richard looked at the back of Elizabeths head and watched as the wind whipped her hair from side to side.
“Is this the sort of “Damsel in Distress” kind of thing?” Elizabeth questioned, “Because if it is, I am NOT the girl.”
“Well I-”. Richard couldn’t finish. Elizabeth had snorted and leapt from the window just as he was going to say that it wasn’t so much of “Damsel in Distress” thing. He just wanted to have a reason to touch her. Instead he ended up crying out her name and racing to the window to see if she was still in one piece. “Elizabeth!”
“Richard calm down, I’m fine!” Elizabeth whispered back up to him loud enough for him to only hear “I’m fine.” His heart felt a sudden pang of happiness at the fact that Elizabeth was okay.
“Oh thank goodness.” Richard now climbed onto the window sill and looked down. “This is kind of high up Liz” he gulped.
“Oh come on. With all that yelling you did a minute ago, you probably woke up the maids and they’re probably on their way up here right now” Elizabeth complained. “Now COME ON!” The sound in Elizabeths’ voice was calm yet sounded hasty. It some what frightened Richard and he jumped without even a second thought. He went crashing to the ground in a heap; dust rose all around him and he groaned loudly.
“Oh!” Elizabeth cried out, she dashed to Richards side and kneeled down next to him. “Are you okay Richard?” Richard looked up at Elizabeth, rolling his eyes around in his head.
“Think I might have hit my head or something”
“Are you okay other than that?” Elizabeth grabbed his hand and helped him rise from the soft ground.
“Yes, I think so.”
“Good, let’s just hope you don’t go mentally ill, you’ve been hitting your head a lot since you’ve been here. Now come on, the maids would have heard that and are probably rushing up to our rooms now.” She released his hand and darted through the straight path between her roses and into the moonlit trees, disappearing from Richards sight.
“Elizabeth?” Richard bustled after her, trying hard not to look up at the moon, it would have ruined the time he was having with Elizabeth. Chasing her through the woods was rather exhilarating to him. He heard her voice, laughingly taunting him and seducing him farther into the woods from which he’d come. “Elizabeth, don’t go to far from me! I can’t really see through the trees.”
“Don’t be so bleating about it Richard, I’m here.” Suddenly, as if out of no where, a small hand became visible through the tree that he was standing by. Richard blissfully grabbed her hand and allowed her to lead the rest of the way through the woods. Watching the moonlight illuminating Elizabeths hair made Richard start to wonder.
“Elizabeth, why do you like the moon so much?”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Elizabeth stopped in her tracks, let go of Richards hand and spun around to face him.
“Why do you like the moon so much?” Richard had such an intense look in his eyes that if almost frightened her. It most certainly would have had she not trusted him.
“I… I don’t know? Why do you ask?” Elizabeth questioned flipping her hair behind her shoulders and gazing into those grey eyes.
“Because…it’s important to me...” Richard looked down at his feet, realizing they were bare.
“Well, if it’s important to you…” Elizabeth walked up to Richard and made him look at her. Then, pressing her lips against his she smiled and said “it’s important to me.” Richard smiled childishly at her and grabbed her hand. “No, but really… the moon is important to me because when I was younger, my parents were never home during the day. They would come home late and I’d be waiting in the library for them in the cushiony chair; When I managed to stay awake. We’d always sit up at all hours of the night reading different stories. We wouldn’t read using candlelight though… we’d use the moonlight instead. The day my parents died, I stayed up all night crying; the moon seemed to be comforting me even when no one else could. Ever since then, I’ve been crazy about the moon…longing to be around it all the time, especially when I’m hurting inside.” Looking at Richard she felt a tear roll down her face but didn’t get a chance to wipe it this time. Richard was already at it. He cradled her in his arms and spoke softly to her as he wiped away the tears streaking her beautiful face. He brushed away a piece of hair that had plastered itself to her face and gazed into those beautiful brown eyes of hers and lowered his face down level to hers.
“Don’t worry about it any more, Liz. I promise that from now on, I’ll be here… I’m not going anywhere.” Elizabeth smiled weakly at him, her red eyes seeming to get whiter and happier than they were. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. Richard stepped forward and Elizabeth fell backwards into the tree that was directly behind him. They smiled at each others clumsiness and kissed briefly once more. “Good Lord” Richard thought “I think I’m in love.”
Not surprisingly, the trip didn’t take long after that, and Richard began to loathe the clearing they had finally reached. The moons light shined on Elizabeth in an odd way through the hierarchies, hitting certain spots on her and making her look even more beautiful. “Come on, Richard; the lake is just over that hill there” Elizabeth pointed to a mound about 5 yards in front of them. Close as it was, it was so massive that the lake couldn’t be seen from the position the two were in. Elizabeth let go of Richards hand and loped to the hill in ten bounding leaps, her gown flitted behind her giving her the look of an angel slipping down from the heavens to mingle with the commoners. Richard chuckled to himself and followed her slowly over the hill, kicking small pebbles and crushing a few flowers. Reaching the top of the hill, Richard saw that Elizabeth was already sitting down by the very edge of the lake; and what a lake it was. It was vast and clean and… beautiful. Richard saw what made Elizabeth want to come to the lake