Willow sat behind the fountain, the lush garden engulfing her. She breathed in the cool Irish air, sighing softly as she opened the letter which rested in her palm.
My love -
The war is over, and I am free. I cannot describe how much I've longed to hold you. We will finally be able to be together. Meet me at our place tomorrow at dusk. I shall be waiting for your embrace.
Forever Yours,
Liam
She smiled beautifully, ashen hair glittering in the sunlight. Never had there been such a beautiful day. She folded the letter and tucked it into her cloak, just as she heard footsteps approach.
"I just don't know, Father. I hate decisions. The war hero is strong and beautiful, but poor. The merchant's son is rich and intelligent, but odd..."
"Rowan, they both have their merits, but you must choose. Do you love either one?" Their father's voice was thick with love and heavy with wisdom. How he prized his children.
"I don't know. I want you to be taken care of in your old age. The merchant's son is wealthy." Rowan replied. A man's voice rang out, cutting her sentence short. It was Ash, their older brother.
"So considerate, Rowan!"
Willow heard the three retreat again into the house. She stood, wondering curiously who her sister's suitors were. Her curiosity got the best of her and she went in after them to find out.
Rowan sat, dark eyes fixed on the hearth, onyx curls tumbling across her shoulders. Ash was beside her in his own overstuffed chair, powerful arms folded. The three looked nothing alike.
Languidly, Willow moved to join them. "Where is Father?" Willow asked gently.
"Ah, Willow, he's in the library." Ash responded, rising to greet her with a kiss. The sudden warmth of the room stung her skin. She could smell dinner being prepared somewhere in the Manor. Smiling, she sat to join them.
"Rowan, who are your suitors? I overheard you talking outside..."
"So nosy, Willow. I'm debating between Alan Eves, the merchant's son, or Liam Rourke, the war hero." Rowan leaned back, tossed her hair, and smiled viciously. Willow gasped, azure eyes widening. Liam? Her Liam? Did he know? "I think Alan will make a better husband. Yes, he is who I'll..." Rowan was cut off by Willow, who laughed and stood up.
"Wonderful! Then Liam and I can be together! My sweet Liam!" She breathed in, delighted.
Rowan stood as well. "Wait! I never decided. And now that I think about it, Liam will make a better protector. Yes, I'll marry Liam! I am the eldest, I choose first." Rowan ran to the library to tell her father.
Willow couldn't speak. She couldn't believe her sister would do such a thing. She choked on hot tears, consumed by utter desolation. Defeated, in love, she ran into her room despite Ash's attempted consolation. She sank into the bed and refused to take her dinner. Her door remained locked. Late the next afternoon, she climbed her window, destined to meet her love.
The sun had settled behind the horizon, a blanket of mist crept over the small pond. Trees were scarce here, creating a diminutive clearing in the midst of a small wood. The scent of the earth was a perfume to Willow, the soft stir of the water poetry to her heart. There, she saw her love, her life. He stood in the shadow of a lone tree. Emerging, he spoke gently, pained to his very soul. "My love, Willow. Our father's have arranged my marriage to Rowan." Willow fell into his arms, weeping. Beautiful, warm arms which promised eternal love.
"Oh, I love you, my sweet Liam. I can't live without you."
"And I cannot live without you. That is why we must go tonight. We must leave, runaway together." Liam kissed her lips softly, as if she might break at his very touch. Just as she felt assured, safe, a shadowy figure moved from the far edge of the pond.
"What treachery is this to make such a mockery of our father's promise?" He emerged from the shadows, into the twilight air. It was the face of her brother, her protector. The chiseled, stern face she grew up with and adored. Startled, the lovers broke away from one another's embrace. "Draw your sword, Liam Rourke."
"No, I will not fight you!"
"Draw your sword now, or I shall bury mine in your chest!" Ash demanded.
Willow pleaded softly, holding onto Liam's arm. "Defend yourself, my love, or we will be forever parted." Liam stepped away from Willow, glancing to her as he drew his blade. Both swords glinted wickedly in the lurid, fading light. Ash leaped forward with a lightning quick attack, barely parried by Liam's blade. Ash followed with another attack on the heels of the first, only to be stopped again. Liam refused to attack, but he was slowly being pushed to the edge of the water.
A series of heated blows rained down upon Liam's defense, the last of which was so forceful that Liam fell back into the water, and Ash followed him. As Liam stood, raising his blade, a stone turned beneath Ash's foot. He fell, head long towards Liam, whose blade sank deep into Ash's stomach. Ash sank down, with a look of wonder in his eyes, not believing what had just taken place. Stunned, Liam released his blade and turned to face his love with a look of horror. Willow gasped, moving to the water's edge, beckoning him to her. "We have to go. We must leave now!" She cried. Liam stumbled to her, as though he were the one defeated, opening his arms for her embrace. Before he could reach her, Willow saw crimson blossom across his chest like a budding rose. Liam stared up into her eyes for one last time, and then fell into the water, Ash's blade protruding from his back.
Ash loomed over his dying body and hissed his final words. "You shall never marry my sister!" He, too, sank into the scarlet water. Before Willow could realize what happened, a shrill cry broke the deafening silence. Rowan ran from the distant trees, onyx curls a billowing cascade behind her.
"What have you done, you stupid girl? You've killed my brother and the man I was to wed!" Willow sank to her knees, tears rolling from her cheeks, ashen hair gently caressing the water's surface. The darkness seemed surreal, the air scented with her lover's blood. Rowan's harsh words were filled with the power of her rage, crisp in Willow's ears. "I curse you to cry here for the deaths that you have caused, this night and for all eternity!"
The curse, given strength by the conviction of her words, transformed the fair Willow into a tree, which bears her name to this day. She, and her sisters, are still weeping for the loss of love so true.
My love -
The war is over, and I am free. I cannot describe how much I've longed to hold you. We will finally be able to be together. Meet me at our place tomorrow at dusk. I shall be waiting for your embrace.
Forever Yours,
Liam
She smiled beautifully, ashen hair glittering in the sunlight. Never had there been such a beautiful day. She folded the letter and tucked it into her cloak, just as she heard footsteps approach.
"I just don't know, Father. I hate decisions. The war hero is strong and beautiful, but poor. The merchant's son is rich and intelligent, but odd..."
"Rowan, they both have their merits, but you must choose. Do you love either one?" Their father's voice was thick with love and heavy with wisdom. How he prized his children.
"I don't know. I want you to be taken care of in your old age. The merchant's son is wealthy." Rowan replied. A man's voice rang out, cutting her sentence short. It was Ash, their older brother.
"So considerate, Rowan!"
Willow heard the three retreat again into the house. She stood, wondering curiously who her sister's suitors were. Her curiosity got the best of her and she went in after them to find out.
Rowan sat, dark eyes fixed on the hearth, onyx curls tumbling across her shoulders. Ash was beside her in his own overstuffed chair, powerful arms folded. The three looked nothing alike.
Languidly, Willow moved to join them. "Where is Father?" Willow asked gently.
"Ah, Willow, he's in the library." Ash responded, rising to greet her with a kiss. The sudden warmth of the room stung her skin. She could smell dinner being prepared somewhere in the Manor. Smiling, she sat to join them.
"Rowan, who are your suitors? I overheard you talking outside..."
"So nosy, Willow. I'm debating between Alan Eves, the merchant's son, or Liam Rourke, the war hero." Rowan leaned back, tossed her hair, and smiled viciously. Willow gasped, azure eyes widening. Liam? Her Liam? Did he know? "I think Alan will make a better husband. Yes, he is who I'll..." Rowan was cut off by Willow, who laughed and stood up.
"Wonderful! Then Liam and I can be together! My sweet Liam!" She breathed in, delighted.
Rowan stood as well. "Wait! I never decided. And now that I think about it, Liam will make a better protector. Yes, I'll marry Liam! I am the eldest, I choose first." Rowan ran to the library to tell her father.
Willow couldn't speak. She couldn't believe her sister would do such a thing. She choked on hot tears, consumed by utter desolation. Defeated, in love, she ran into her room despite Ash's attempted consolation. She sank into the bed and refused to take her dinner. Her door remained locked. Late the next afternoon, she climbed her window, destined to meet her love.
The sun had settled behind the horizon, a blanket of mist crept over the small pond. Trees were scarce here, creating a diminutive clearing in the midst of a small wood. The scent of the earth was a perfume to Willow, the soft stir of the water poetry to her heart. There, she saw her love, her life. He stood in the shadow of a lone tree. Emerging, he spoke gently, pained to his very soul. "My love, Willow. Our father's have arranged my marriage to Rowan." Willow fell into his arms, weeping. Beautiful, warm arms which promised eternal love.
"Oh, I love you, my sweet Liam. I can't live without you."
"And I cannot live without you. That is why we must go tonight. We must leave, runaway together." Liam kissed her lips softly, as if she might break at his very touch. Just as she felt assured, safe, a shadowy figure moved from the far edge of the pond.
"What treachery is this to make such a mockery of our father's promise?" He emerged from the shadows, into the twilight air. It was the face of her brother, her protector. The chiseled, stern face she grew up with and adored. Startled, the lovers broke away from one another's embrace. "Draw your sword, Liam Rourke."
"No, I will not fight you!"
"Draw your sword now, or I shall bury mine in your chest!" Ash demanded.
Willow pleaded softly, holding onto Liam's arm. "Defend yourself, my love, or we will be forever parted." Liam stepped away from Willow, glancing to her as he drew his blade. Both swords glinted wickedly in the lurid, fading light. Ash leaped forward with a lightning quick attack, barely parried by Liam's blade. Ash followed with another attack on the heels of the first, only to be stopped again. Liam refused to attack, but he was slowly being pushed to the edge of the water.
A series of heated blows rained down upon Liam's defense, the last of which was so forceful that Liam fell back into the water, and Ash followed him. As Liam stood, raising his blade, a stone turned beneath Ash's foot. He fell, head long towards Liam, whose blade sank deep into Ash's stomach. Ash sank down, with a look of wonder in his eyes, not believing what had just taken place. Stunned, Liam released his blade and turned to face his love with a look of horror. Willow gasped, moving to the water's edge, beckoning him to her. "We have to go. We must leave now!" She cried. Liam stumbled to her, as though he were the one defeated, opening his arms for her embrace. Before he could reach her, Willow saw crimson blossom across his chest like a budding rose. Liam stared up into her eyes for one last time, and then fell into the water, Ash's blade protruding from his back.
Ash loomed over his dying body and hissed his final words. "You shall never marry my sister!" He, too, sank into the scarlet water. Before Willow could realize what happened, a shrill cry broke the deafening silence. Rowan ran from the distant trees, onyx curls a billowing cascade behind her.
"What have you done, you stupid girl? You've killed my brother and the man I was to wed!" Willow sank to her knees, tears rolling from her cheeks, ashen hair gently caressing the water's surface. The darkness seemed surreal, the air scented with her lover's blood. Rowan's harsh words were filled with the power of her rage, crisp in Willow's ears. "I curse you to cry here for the deaths that you have caused, this night and for all eternity!"
The curse, given strength by the conviction of her words, transformed the fair Willow into a tree, which bears her name to this day. She, and her sisters, are still weeping for the loss of love so true.