Moonhold

My name is Aurora and I live in a quaint little town of Lost Wood. It's such a beautiful little town with its shops around the square. My mom, Elizabeth, runs a bakery shop. She makes the best wild berry biscuits around. Even though I love my little town I long to live in the palace.

"Aurora, be a dear and go pick some more berries for me, I have all of these orders to fill or I would go myself, " Mom asks as I walk into her bakery one morning. " Of course," I say as I grab my basket and head out to the woods on the edge of town. I don't mind picking berries. It is better than being in the hot bakery.

As I am picking some blueberries from the blueberry bush a handsome man with dark brown flowing hair, dark green eyes, and sun-kissed face rides up. "Excuse me, my lady, could you tell me where the town of Lost Wood is," He asks politely as I am awestruck by the stranger's good looks. His deep dark green eyes sparkle as he dismounts from his horse. "Yes, sir, it is straight down the trail and through the trees," I answer sweetly as I continue to stare into his eyes. He smiles at her as he kisses her hand "Thank You, my lady." Prince Aradan smiles brightly. "Might I be so bold to inquire your name?" He asks.

I blush deeply, I hope that this handsome man doesn't see. "It is Aurora Carra, good sir."

"Aurora, what a beautiful name for a beautiful lady."

"And your name, good sir?"

"It is Bra`dan, my lady." He continues. "So you say it's down this trail and through the trees?"

"Yes," I say then pause a second. "You know my basket is full, why don't I just take you." He nods and takes my hand as we walk towards my quaint little town of Lost Wood. " What brings you to Lost Wood," I inquire as we make our way through the tree line. Bra`dan stops suddenly in his tracks with a worried look upon his face. "I am a messenger from the King." He lied. Even though I knew he had lied, I didn't want to call him out on it. He didn't need to know that I was an Empath. I couldn't help but think how safe I felt with my hands in his. "There's nothing wrong with that," I say. "It's good honest work"

"And you my lady, what do you do when you're not gathering berries," Bra`dan asked. "I work with my mother in her bakery shop," I answered, suddenly proud of my mother's bakery shop. "That one right there," I said, pointing to the little shop with the different flowers out front.

Bra`dan stops in front of Isabel Adams's cottage. He noticed me cringe when he stopped. "I take it you don't like the family who lives here," He says with a warm, comforting smile on his face that almost knocked me off my feet. "Um, yes I do. It's the Adams's cottage, I went to school with their daughter Isabel," I scoffed trying not to show her hatred for Isabel.

"Well Mrs. Aurora I must deliver this message and head back to the castle, but I would like to see you again.

"Me too, good sir," I smile happily.

I turn to head back towards my cottage on the far side of town. I didn't care that people were staring at me as I half dance half skip down the street. Off in my own little world, oblivious to everything around me.

Mom is sitting at the table when I come dancing through the door. "Hi, mom, I've had the most beautiful day," I say in a singsong voice as I twirled around. Mom smiles in her all-knowing smile, "I see, he must have been really handsome to put you in this wonderful mood,"

"Oh mom," I blush as I put the basket of berries down on the table. "There might have been a cute guy that I saw while I was picking berries."

"I knew it," Mom laughed. "So what is his name? Where is he from," She started her million and one mom questions. I broke down and told her everything about how he wanted directions to town, how I decided to show him. However, not his name, that I would keep to myself.

A few days later I was helping in mom's bakery when Isabel shows up with her mother "Aurora I didn't know you worked here,"

"Yes, I do," I mumble, as I glance back and forth between them calming myself while waiting for some more snotty comments from the pair.

"My mother owns the shop, so I help out," I add. Isabel just rolls her eyes like she's bored. "I have an order for a batch of your mother's wild berry biscuits," Isabel's mother sneered at me. "And NONE of those day-old ones that you try and pass off as fresh," I looked at Isabel then back at her mother "Fine come back in about an hour," I seethed angrily through my teeth.

Isabel looks over at me "So I got invited to the Prince's ball can you believe it, I got the invite yesterday," She exclaimed. So that was the news Bra`dan had to deliver to them. Thankfully, my mother comes in from the back before I could pop off that it was probably a pity invite. "What do you want Iris," My mother glared at Isabel's mother. "Did you come to try to put another pathetic spell on my shop or my daughter and me."

"Neither, I just came for some FRESH blueberry biscuits and be mindful they are a treat for the prince tonight," Iris bragged as she gave a little laugh.

She grinned. "Oh, were you not invited to the Prince's ball, it's to celebrate his birthday also he is supposed to choose his bride," "No, but then again, I don't try to seduce men," I say smugly, trying to hide my disappointment, but it was no surprise her father was also in the King's favor so of course she would be invited. "We will be back in an hour for the order," Iris quipped as she hotly sauntered out of the bakery with Isabel by her side.

Mom got all upset and yelled as she left through the back door of the bakery " I'll be back." I stand there dumbfounded by what just happened. My mom always told me money was money. We have to treat customers the same she didn't care what coven they were with. So this reaction from her took me for a loop. I had to find out what was going on.

Promptly an hour later Isabel showed up for her order of blueberry biscuits. "What's wrong with your mother? She is usually half-way polite," She asked.

"I don't rightfully know that's my mother's business anyway," I answered smugly. "Well," She started, but then decided against it, paid for her order and walked out.

With no more orders to fill, I decided to close up shop early and try to find out what is going on with my mother.