IV

The faun’s cottage could not have been cozier in the morning.  Anna peeked out over the covers, looking at the many candles that forever flickered away.  The fireplace crackled with fresh wood, warming the small house in the cool, forest morning.  The faun was hunched over the large wooden table at the center of the room, completely absorbed in doing something.  He was using some very odd instruments, some which resembled compasses and sextants and some which Anna had never seen before.  The faun kept going back and forth between scrolls and the carvings on the table, mumbling things inaudible as he went.  Anna did not want to disturb him but was very curious as to what he was doing.  She tip-toed as quiet as she could up to the table and looked down at what he was doing.

 

“Good-morning Anna.”  The faun looked up from his work at Anna.

 

“Good-morning faun.”

 

“I trust that you slept well.”

 

“Yes.  Thank you very much.”

 

“Good.  You need all the rest that you can get.  A long journey lies ahead of you.”  The faun stood up from the table.  “You must be famished.  Let me get you something to eat.”

 

“Thank you.”  Anna walked around to the other side of the table and scanned over the many open scrolls.  She ran her hands over the carvings in the table.  “What are you working on?”

 

The faun looked over his shoulder at Anna.  “It is nothing, child.  Just work to keep an old faun busy.  Come, sit with me by the fire and eat.”  Anna took the plate from the faun and sat down in her chair.  The food was warm and calming.  “Do you like it?”

 

“Yes, very much so.  Aren’t you going to eat?”

 

“No, I’ve already eaten.”  They sat in silence for a moment while Anna ate.  The faun sat across from her, gazing into the fire, puffing away at his pipe.  When Anna spoke again, the faun did not break his eyes from the fire.

 

“When am I to begin?”

 

“Only when you are ready, my dear.”

 

“I think I will go back to my house before I leave.”

 

The faun looked at Anna sternly.  “I do not think that would be wise.  Your home will not be the way that you left it.”

 

“I must go.  My mother…”  Anna turned away from the faun for a moment.  “I need to get something that belonged to my mother.”

 

“If that is what you need to do, then that is what you need to do.  I will come with you.”

 

“That won’t be necessary, faun.”

 

“It is my job to look after you while I still can.  You must be kept safe.”

 

“Well, I can not make you stay.  I would like to go as early in the morning as I can.”

 

“It is already past mid-morning.  When you are ready, then so am I.”

 

Anna and the faun walked back through the woods toward her house.  As they were walking, they passed by the black cloak left behind by The People of the Dark.  Anna stopped and stood over it and fear began to creep into her eyes.  Quickly, the faun grabbed the cloak and stuffed it into his bag.  “Come, let us press on.”

 

Finally, they stepped out from the trees and into the garden.  When they reached the front door, Anna turned and put her hand on the faun’s arm.  “Stay here, please.  I need to go in alone.”

 

“As you wish, my dear.”

 

Anna left the faun on the front porch and walked into her home.  It was quiet.  She had never heard such silence in her home before.  She stood for a moment and the foot of the stairs before ascending up to her mother’s room.  The door was closed.  It was never closed.  Anna turned the knob and slowly opened the door to an empty room.  Her mother’s bed was not made.  Her mother always made her bed.  The whole room was in disarray.  Anna walked over to her mother’s vanity and looked down at the old wooden jewelry box which oddly seemed to be untouched.  She reached down to open it but something creaked behind her.  Whipping around, she looked around the room but saw nothing.  Again, something creaked.  It seemed to be coming from her mother’s closet.  Slowly, Anna walked across the room toward the closet.  She stood in front of the door, too scared to do anything.  The creaking continued.  She opened her mouth to call for the faun, but nothing came out.  Without thinking, she reached out her hand toward the knob.  Turning it slowly, Anna gulped in anticipation of the unknown.  She whipped open the door to find nothing inside.

 

Sighing with relief, Anna returned to her mother’s wooden jewelry box.  Gently, she opened the lid.  Right on top was what Anna was looking for:  her mother’s locket.  She put it around her neck and left the room.  After grabbing a few belongings from her room, Anna returned to the porch.

 

“Did you get everything you needed?”

 

“Yes, thank you.”

 

Anna and the faun walked slowly back across the yard toward the woods.  At the edge of the garden, Anna stopped.  She pulled her sweater tight around herself as her hair blew in the cold wind.  A single tear ran down her soft pale cheek.  The faun reached out and put his arm around Anna’s shoulder.  She turned and looked up into his old, weathered face.  He looked down at her, his head slightly tilted to the side, a comforting, almost fatherly look in his eyes.  She fell into his arms and he pulled her close to himself, hugging her.  They stood for a moment in perfect silence.

 

“Come, child.”

 

“Is she gone…forever?”

 

“No one can know for sure.”

 

“I miss her so much already.”

 

“I’m sure you do.  I will never be able to replace your mother, but I will do my best to look after you.”

 

Anna again looked up into his eyes.  “Thank you, faun, thank you.”

 

“I will love you…always.”

 

They both walked through the woods back to the faun’s cottage without saying a word.  Anna held the faun’s hand like she had always wanted to hold her father’s hand.

Reviews

[WhoaitSarah]

I'm hooked! This is soo good! (: