Feray bit her lip and chewed it open in deep thought. Her blood tasted tangy and sharp as it trickled across her tongue but she paid scant attention to it. She was sitting outside her home in the small town of Leck, letting the sunlight caress her aching muscles and relax them with warmth. Grass softly tickled her bared legs and made her want to move from her spot. Instead she just continued to chew furiously on her wounded lip. The object of her concentration was several houses across from her, standing on a beaten up old horse trough and gesturing wildly. There were various children scattered about on the ground before the trough and the air was filled with laughter as the story being told unfolded. I find the storyteller much more interesting. She thought wryly and released her aching lip from her teeth's hold as she smiled in a dreamy manner.

His name was Emmitt Woden and he was simply the most distracting thing she had ever laid eyes on. His hazel eyes sparkled jovially as he spoke to the children of a fantastic tale and his strong arms flexed under his tunic every time he moved his hands to accent a point. His long ebony hair was tied back from his face to reveal the hard cut of his cheekbones. Feray sighed wistfully and stood as her eyes began to ache from memorizing every detail of the storyteller's body. It was time for her to go back to tending the season's crops.

She reached behind her to grab the crop scythe that was leaning against a water barrel and turned to head out to the field. She was stopped as a hand touched her shoulder. "Excuse me, miss?"

Feray turned and her throat dried up immediately. Laughing hazel eyes bored into her own peculiar silver ones and she struggled to reply. "Uh, yes?"

"I couldn't help but notice how beautiful you are. Would you like to join me for a drink later?"

Breathe, Feray. She scolded herself inwardly and adopted a nonchalant pose, smiling slightly. Emmitt's travels through Leck and beyond were legendary among the gossiping people that inhabited her village and she knew he had a soft spot for women. She hadn't expected that he would take notice of her and the fact he had in fact singled her out thrilled her to her very bones. "Sure. As long as you promise not to ruin my maidenly honor and run off with me to some distant city, Mr. Woden."

"Please, call me Emmitt..." He trailed off, his grin widening slightly at her sassy reply. "And you are?"

I am hopefully the future Mrs. Woden, handsome.

"Feray. Feray Lupris."

He leaned down slightly to grasp her free hand; ignoring the fact it was slightly smudged with dirt from working for most of the morning, and brushed his lips over her knuckles softly. "I'll see you at the tavern later, then, beautiful Feray."

Feray blushed all the way to the tips of her beastial ears. "You can count on it."

She leaned into his body and caught the faint smell of wood smoke wafting from his tunic. It melted into her mind, a mind fogged by many tankards of ale. Emmitt grinned down at her and slid a hand down under her chin to cup it, winking. "Are you alright? Is my sheer manliness too much for you to handle?"

Feray uttered a low bark of laughter and drew away from the hand to regain her composure. "No, I just didn't expect the tavern to be so crowded at this time of the day."

"Maybe they're here to stare at your beauty."

The words sent a thrill of pride down her spine and she grinned, crossing her arms over her chest. The tavern was packed with drunken men and sleazy women. There was word that the sudden flow of people had come from a caravan of performers that was camped shortly outside of Leck for the night. The performers had obviously decided to take part of Leck's fine ale and women for the night. Feray brushed some of her cobalt hair from her eyes and rested her chin in her hand, gazing at Emmitt. "You sure have a sweet tongue, Woden!"

She was surprised when he leaned forward quickly to cup her chin once more and kissed her quickly. His lips tasted faintly of the ale and of something else she could not pin down. Heat flushed her face and she stuttered as he replied calmly. "Apparently so. Want to take a walk?"

He kissed me! And now he wants to take a walk? Gods, I wish I hadn't gone through that much ale. My head is spinning...

"Uhh, s-sure."

He tugged her from the chair and they quickly headed outside, ignoring the brash and somewhat obscene hoots that followed them out the door. The cold air slowed the spinning of her thoughts and Feray leaned into Emmitt's side once more as they walked slowly but inevitably to her front door. She smiled and unwrapped herself from his side, heading for the door to make sure it was open, but found herself quickly tugged against his body once more. He gazed down into her eyes solemnly. "I want to see you again."

He wants to see me again? He wants to see me again! Oh wow, oh man, what do I say? What do I do? Think, Feray! He's going to think you're a-ohhh...

Her thinking was crumbled as he again kissed her soundly, this time deeper and more personal than before. She drew away from him slowly, blushing, and nodded. "You know where I am. Thank you for showing me such a good time tonight, Emmitt."

Emmitt nodded and reached up to touch his lips as Feray quickly turned to go inside. His voice was full of amusement and made her pause in midstep. "Feray? Your lip is bleeding."

A few months of romance rushed past and Feray found herself sitting outside her house once more, the grass tickling her legs in an annoying fashion. She tilted her face up to the sky with a soft sigh, an arm wrapped around her waist as if she was afraid her own body would betray her. Sunlight warmed her face pleasantly and she wished she could sit amidst the grass for a while longer. It's so awkward. I had never thought it would be so different now. It's as if I don't even exist to Emmitt anymore.

A few nights prior, the moon had found them wrestling playfully in the Alistair's barn a few houses away. Things had quickly escalated from there to something more serious. Feray had thought it wonderful. Her heart belonged to Emmitt Woden and she had thought he felt the same. Yet she was alone, not three nights after, and she had not seen the man she felt she had found true love in since that encounter.

What did I do wrong?

A loud laugh sounded to her right and Feray lowered her face, sleepily opening her eyes. Amazement painted her features as she saw Emmitt chatting with the daughter of a farmer she knew from the fields. I'm right here. Why doesn't he even look towards me? Maybe he doesn't see me...

She stood quickly and brushed herself off, hurrying towards Emmitt and the girl she dimly remembered as being named Susanna. "Hey! Emmitt!"

He turned and his eyes darkened for a moment before they regained their playful nature. Feray slowed as Susanna slipped an arm around Emmitt's waist possessively. The woman smirked boldly. "Hello, Feray. Can't you see we're having a conversation?"

I'll show you a conversation you big hussy!

She counted to ten backwards before taking another step closer to Emmitt, resting her hand on his forearm. "Where have you been? Why are you avoiding me?"

"Why would I hang around with you in the first place?"

The words stung and she quickly dropped her hand away, taking a step back. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest and she struggled to remain calm. Susanna smirked wider and looked pleased. "Yeah, Feray, why would he hang around with you when he's got me?"

Something tore inside of her and Feray looked quickly from Emmitt to Susanna in shock. "I thought you loved me...you said...you said...we..."

"We rolled around in the hay and had ourselves a good time. Honestly, Feray, you had to know that you were just some entertainment. I thought that was obvious."

Feray struggled to control herself, feeling tears burn her cheeks despite her battle. She wiped her face harshly with the back of her hand and jabbed a finger at Emmitt accusingly. "You know that it wasn't! You said you loved me! That you had never felt this way before! Damnit, I love you!! How can you just say that it was nothing? It was something!"

Her voice began to rise emotionally and some passing villagers stopped, staring at the scene beginning to unfold. Emmitt blanched at the strong words briefly before adopting the same crass grin, not bothering to comfort her. He turned to Susanna. "Come on, love, let's go for a walk away from this crazy woman."

Susanna purred happily and began to tug Emmitt away. Feray stood rooted to the spot, choking down air as the world span around her crazily. She reached out helplessly towards the man that she had come to adore and realized with abrupt suddenness that he had never loved her and never would. He had gotten what he wanted from her and now he was gone. She shook with the force of her crying and felt her legs begin to collapse beneath her as Emmitt paused and turned towards her for a moment, his voice cool and distant. "I was telling you a story, Feray, and this is your happy ending. Goodbye."

She choked out Emmitt's name once more and buried her face in her hands as the harsh words severed the final ties between them. He raked her with his gaze once more before turning and disappearing around a corner, leaving her sitting alone in the dust to cry. It was an hour still before she felt the hands of her mother guiding her towards the comfort and safety of home.