Everyone was scared to go into these woods. I hesitantly followed. Staring up at the towering trees anxiously. Noticing it progressively got darker.

Quieter.

But Magistrate Mathis' step was smooth and sure as he headed into the center of the woods.

No one comes out here. I thought fearfully. Realizing that if I lost him now, I might never make my way back out of these dense trees.

He didn't appear to be following any trail I could see. Just walking here as though he was born here.

I heard slight gurgling and knew there had to be water close. It made my parched mouth seem even dryer. Wishing for a drink.

He knelt next to the pond and swept several mouthfuls up to his lips. His white wig teetering but remaining in place. I was surprised he wasn't worried about staining those fine black breeches.

Straightening he never looked back as he began unpinning that wig and hung it over a branch above him. He unlaced his flowing white shirt and pulled it over his head. Hanging that from another branch so it dangled smoothly. Nearly glowing in the darkness of this enclosure.

I cowered behind a tree wondering what he was doing.

This didn't seem like the prudish man the village knew as Mathis.

He stretched onto his toes and extended his arms, and I was stunned at the smooth muscled lines of his back.

Not an old man's back. More like his hands...

My lips parted as I watched with interest.

He stuck his thumbs in the waist of his breeches and slid them down.

I reared back slightly. His buttocks were well honed like the young men of the village who'd spent all their years cutting down trees or tanning hides.

Not like the lazy body of a wealthy magistrate, who's only job is to sit in a high chair and judge the rest of us.

His narrow hips curved into thighs which bulged with muscle. His calves the same. Without hesitating he stepped into the gurgling water of the wake. Letting the waters which seemed to be boiling, swallow him. Bubbling up around his chest and then his neck as he ducked into it. Sweeping long black hair back from his face. He grabbed a fistful of weeds along the edge of the pond and began scrubbing his body with the soapy grass. Lifting his arms to wash along and under them.

The sinewed arms of a warrior.

I crept tree to tree until I was close enough to see the merest sliver of sunlight creeping through the trees to slant along the pond just next to him. If he turns just right...

I'd be able to see his face.

Though I was certain I already knew what it'd look like...As youthful as the rest of him.

***

I picked up a rock and hurled it.

It landed a short distance from him.

Closer to me.

As I'd hoped he reared up and took a tentative step forward to see what had landed in the water. Allowing that bit of light to brighten his features.

As I thought, his face was flawless. Jaw square and tan and skin smooth along high cheekbones around a mobile mouth which was hard right now.

Alert green eyes snapping through the trees and landing on where I hid.

Oh, no. I crouched deeper behind a shrub. Certain he couldn't see me peering through it. Surely not.