Sage hummed one of her cherished lullabies. Her humming turning more and more into actual singing. She wasn't particularly skilled at it, but decent enough to do it publicly. Although there wasn't much publicity, for she sat at the forest border, collecting and tending to some of her beloved herbs.As a witch does.

Oh how charming it was, to connect with nature and be one with the big realm. Not even the aching of twigs ripped her out of thoughts, for she assumed it was nothing but a sweet animal. Usually this part of the fields was unattended. For it was owned by her father and furthermore, rather unpopular without any proper paths leading through it.

“Charming lullaby” and suddenly her blood froze. No animal has ever spoken in such words with her- but men unfortunate did. 

She stopped in an instant as she looked up.

A hunter.

The kind of man she despised most. She could never understand how one could kill an innocent animal. She looked at the man with a neutral expression. “Why thank you” 

Both stared at each other, not sharing a word.

“Surely you don't kill on private lands?” Sage than exclaimed, only partially hiding her disgust. 

“Of course not ma'am, as it appears I am lost, surely you wouldn't mind pointing me the way to the Sherlies lands?” He clearly saw her disgust, altough he didn't feel like defending himself,  he liked her moral “also I don't kill, rather hard to hit if you don't aim”

Sage just raised a brow not believing him one bit. “Of course Sir, walk straight into the forest, before long you will stumble upon a river. Just follow it until you reach a big old willow. Then you follow left until you reach a slight mountain and you reached your destination.”

The man slightly tilted his head “thank you Ma'am and good day”

“While you at it drink some water from the river, you seemed dehydrated Sir” and with that Sage turned to her herbs again, not paying any more attention to the man.

He smiled lightly and with a last bow vanished into the woods again. 

Sage clicked with her tongue, she felt upset. Luckily most animals hide away from the Sherlies lands, yet she felt sorry for any poor fellow who wasn't lucky enough in the end.

With her thoughts and frustration spiraling, she eventually gave up and decided to head back home.

After all, her father, the Earl of Woodherl, awaited her most likely. Tomorrow was her debutante after all. Spring season unfortunately overlapped with the social season, thefore, in combination with her ripe age of 20, it was now required of her to be presented to her majesty. In other words she was thrown into high society and sold off to the highest bidder. For as much as she hoped her fathers good nature took the better of him, she also knew that ever since mother's passing he was very concerned with what was to happen to her if he too passed. So it wouldn't surprise her if he agreed to the first suited gentleman who proposed. 

She sighed, but eventually wasn't too worried. She knew how to make deadly poison after all.

“Ah there you are my sweet!” Anis, her aunt exclaimed. She was a cheeky and extrovert woman, with dark red curls decorating her head. Yet excitement ran short, for Sage anyway. “Are you not excited for tomorrow love? We'll get to dressed up all pretty and attend many fun balls!”

Sage just shook her head. “And get sold off like cattle, rather displeasing than exciting” Anis patted her head. “Oh don't worry, we will find you a loving husband when the time is right, no rushing whatsoever.” Altough Sage would love to believe her aunt, she knew just as well her words were nothing but empty promises.

“Now come, we need to go over everything one last time-” Anis claimed for the 20th last time. With a sigh Sage followed knowing fighting it was a lost cause. Her aunt was a very strong minded person.

About 3 hours later Sage finally dropped into her pretty bed. She loved her room. It was full of roses, dried herbs, pretty paintings, elaborated plaster work and hand painted tiles. Oh how she would miss it. She could only hope her new bedroom will be equally as pretty.

She turned onto her back, her arm covering her eyes. Numbness was slowly replaced by insanity. A feeling as if her very soul was ripped out of her body, a silent scream leaving her lips, numbed by whimpering. She hated all of it. Everything. Oh how she wished to turn into a pigeon, a cat or an owl. Hiding away in the forest, never to he seen or touched by men. She bit on her lip, hoping the pain would ease her running mind. But no earthly pain known to her would easy the agony she felt.

And all she could do was lay there, letting darkness swallow her.