CHAPTER TWO

It was a simply glorious day in the hidden grove that Hayley Marshall called home. The glades of perennials shot graciously out of the ground, the crystal clear water of the river cascaded elegantly down the rock face behind the old stone tower, and the brightness of the morning sun shone electrifying rays into the emerald grass.

If only she felt as beautiful and inviting as her homely surroundings. If only her life was as bright.

To her, life outside the secret grove was a mystery, and as she neared her nineteenth birthday, her wish to see what was beyond the confines of her haven grew ever more intense.

Though she loved the place she called home she found herself deeply wanting to escape it. To venture out and see what this world that she had never seen before had to offer. She felt this pull to the outside world that had only intensified from her ignoring this feeling.

She wanted to roam through the mysterious world she couldn't remember ever seeing even a glimpse of. But she knew, sadly, that would never happen.

She trusted her mother with everything she had but regardless this feeling had stuck. The urge to disobey her mothers reasonable orders quickly became unreasonable. She found herself fighting her mother more and more on it to the point she had to sit and thank if all of this fighting was even worth it. Certainly the feeling would vanish in her years to come, or so she had told herself.

At least, that thought made the idea that she would spend the rest of her days within the tower's walls somewhat bearable. But as for her thirst for freedom...? She had an explanation for that too. Perhaps, it was her true nature as a wolf finally being realized.

Perhaps it was the beginning of her story, the one that she'd read about in so many books. Out there, somewhere, was her soulmate, and their name was written in the stars.

Even the thought of it made a jolt of excitement run through her. That there was someone out there, someone who was destined to be with her. Someone who could relate to the darkness in her life.

This person, whomever they were, would surely be the brightest thing to ever enter her life, brighter even than the stars she spent her entire life mapping and watching. Brighter even, than her favorite stars of all. Oh boy, those beautiful stars that shone every year on her birthday. If only she could see them in person.

It was her lifelong dream.

The dream she had pleaded her mother to go along with for as long as she could remember. She knew that seeing these stars up close and not just from her window would somehow connect her to the one who was destined to be her soulmate. They were so beautiful. Like nothing she had ever seen before.

She tore her eyes away from the window to look around her room and sigh.

At least that way, when her mother inevitably disappointed her by saying she couldn't go to see them... well, it would certainly hurt less.

Like she said, she loved her mother fiercely. And she felt guilty when she saw the look on her mothers face when she asked to go see the stars. The answer and reaction was always the same though it seemed to get more dramatic each time she would ask. Her mother would get this look in her eyes, one that resembled hurt and then when she would continue her mother would tell her stories of how dangerous the outside world was. And how she was never able to leave here, ever. Because she wanted to keep her daughter safe. She would repeat the saying "mother knows best" until all hope was drained from her about seeing the stars.

That's why she so often asked her mother to pick up special supplies from the city for her. Whether it be paints, new clothes or her favorite kind of darts. Her mother's trips allowed her to get past her latest disappointments, and provide her with some much needed space.

That's why she longed for a friend.

Other than her pet chameleon, that is.

It was the little part of her life that she actually enjoyed. The things she did to keep busy as well as pull herself away from her other thoughts. Painting and archery. The two things her mother actually was okay with her doing. When she would be disappointed at her mothers plain out rejection of her want to venture beyond this land she would ask her to go to the city and get these things. She didn't hesitate to comply.

Her mother had even let her keep her chameleon who was her only and best friend.

It was sad really, that that was the extent of her life. It was just as well the thing Hayley enjoyed the most about life was the simple things. If she hadn't... well she probably would have been three times as miserable as she already was.

Harboring such a potent secret as she did though, it would've been enough to make anyone miserable, she was sure.

After all, it wasn't your average girl whose beautiful long, blonde hair had the ability to glow like liquid moonlight when they sang.

After all, it wasn't your average girl whose beautiful long, blonde hair had the ability to glow like liquid moonlight when they sang.

Her mother had told her repeatedly of how it was a gift. A lovely gift that and that she should be thanking the Gods for.

Hayley didn't always agree. It was, after all, the main reason that her mother refused to let her leave the tower.

Oh what she wouldn't give to be allowed to roam the glade and the river for even a single hour, just to get out into the glorifying sights and scents of nature.

I mean, surely there wouldn't be anybody dangerous out in the glade. Would there? She'd never even seen another living soul in her life. Not once.

Ever.

And she hated it. She hated that she wasn't aloud to do these things. To meet people or to even just be around them. And if there was danger, it wasn't bothering her. Be it because of the desire to go see these fabled things was just to strong or because she just didnt believe it in the slightest.

She could take care of herself. Truly, she could.

"Hayley dear, I'm back! Let down your hair!"

The sound of her mother's voice snapped Hayley out of her thoughts. Her mother had returned from her latest trip, and since her birthday was in three days time, what a better chance would she have to ask one more time to see the stars?

The thrill of excitement ran through her at the thought. Surely her mother would agree to take her this year? She was turning 20 after all.

Hayley could hardly wait to ask her.

There was no way she could say no. Or at least that was what she had fully convinced herself. She would be 20. A grown woman. Her mother could see that now. She would finally get her dream. To see the stars. She let herself have hope in this even though a small part of her knew this would destroy her.

She didn't know why, but for some reason, the pull she felt towards them was stronger now than it had ever been. It was almost as though he true destiny was calling, and if she didn't answer... that tiny little void of blackness that was in her heart... she knew it would stay nothing more than an empty shell of what could have been, forever.

Without the stars, without discovering her true destiny, Hayley knew that a part of her soul would always feel as though it was missing justification as it did now. She wondered if her soulmate had felt the same pull that she had. Or even just the same darkness and void inside of them. A part of her hoped they did, desperate to find someone like her who could understand her. And another part wished they didn't, not wanting to wish what she felt most of the time on anyone.

"HAYLEY!" The sound of her mother's highly irritated voice floated in through the open window, reaching the ears of the girl who had once again become lost in her thoughts. Man, that woman didn't like being ignored. "Hayley, did you not hear me? I asked you to let me up! Let down your hair at once, or we will have words when I get up there, young lady!"

She didn't hesitate, running over to the window as she looked down to see a very angry looking Mary staring right up at her. "Coming mother!" She screamed down as she rushed to do what she had become so used to doing. She hooked the hair close to her head around the rusted hook before slowly beginning to lower her long blonde hair..

She felt a gentle tug on her scalp as her mother looped a section of her hair into an almost rope-like foothold and stepped into it, grasping the long, thick tendrils of Hayley's hair firmly between her hands to ensure that she didn't slip.

Hayley complied immediately, pulling the lengths of her hair back through the rusty old hook that she used as an anchor for the makeshift pulley system that allowed her to haul her mother up to the window.

She had to use all of her strength to pull her mother up, even though she was used to doing this almost every single day it still made her breathless and light headed.

Once she was done and her mother was up to the window Mary smiled at her and unhooked her hair from around her foot with the help of Hayley. "It never fails to amaze me how you manage to that every day Hayley." Mary said, proudness and shock to her tone as she smiled and moved past her daughter.

"Just as your abundant refusal to get a new front door never fails to amaze me, mother," Hayley sassed, ignoring the unimpressed look on the elder woman's face as she continued rather quickly. "What's in the basket? How was your trip? Did you see anything exciting? How was the city? Are they preparing for the festival?"

"Dreadful." Her mother replied with an over dramatic swipe of her hand across her forehead. *Utterly vile... and as for what's in the bag my lovely daughter.." She paused, handing the slightly hefty basket to Hayley.

The younger of the two women graciously accepted the basket of goodies and pulled the cover back, a pang of excitement rushing through her at the thought of what it could be. "It's..." she began, carefully perusing the contented of the basket. There were fresh ingredients, and plenty of them, too. Hayley knew where this was going, and though she didn't mean to, she deflated at the sight. "Soup ingredients! Yay!" She exclaimed half-heartedly.

Mary suddenly frowned, both confusion and annoyance going to her face. "Not what you were expecting?" She asked roughly. Hayley looked up with wide eyes almost immediately, nodding her head. "Yes, well I mea no.. but um-" The older woman laughed, tossing her head back. "I am only kidding you my child, no need to be so serious all the time.." She said as she took the basket from Hayley a little rougher then necessary.

"MumIreallywanttoaskyousomething," mumble mumble. "Iwaswonderingif," mumble, "So yeah," Hayley rushed out, so quickly in fact, that the words all ran together. Well, the ones that were even audible, that is.

Hayley grinned back at her mother tightly, and cursed herself inwardly for being so weak. She knew how much Mary hated it when she mumbled.

Mary was staring at her with wide confused eyes. "Now come on darlin', you know I hate it when you mumble me to death.."

Hayley gave another little nervous laugh. "I know, but I just thought that. Well maybe... Because..."

"Hayley if you don't tell me what you are on about I swear-"

"I wanna go see the stars!" Hayley broke, yelling out these words loudly as an excited smile came to her lips at just the thought.

Silence.

Dead, deafening silence.

"WHAT?!"

The shout made Hayley flinch back violently.

Mary blinked several times in shock and regarded her daughter with wide eyes. "Hayley, I asked you a question," she bit gruffly. "What did you say?"

"I want..." Hayley paused, clearing her throat as her eyes met the ground and all confidence left her. "I want to go see the stars.." She repeated, her voice quieter now.

"The... the stars?" Her mother scoffed irritably and turned her back to Hayley. "We've already talked about this! You cannot, and you will not, leave this house! It's too dangerous out there!"

"But mother, please I just-"

"ENOUGH!" Mary screeched, her tone cold and final. "You are not going to see these stars, just as you are not going to leave this tower. EVER!"

Hayley's mouth snapped shut and her now tear filled eyes widened as she stared at her mother in utter fear and shock. Those feelings quickly became anger and confusion. "Why?!"

"You know why!" Honestly, Mary was sick of explaining herself. Why did Hayley refuse to listen to her, and so often? She sighed deeply and flounced over to her daughter in that dramatic way that only she could walk. "Listen, dear," she said, her tone softer now, as she rested her hands on Hayley's shoulders. "I will get you anything you want for your birthday, anything. But going out there... leaving this place..."

"It is not an option." Her soft and sympathetic tone changed briefly to a cold and authority like one.

Hayley opened her mouth, prepared to fight for this when she just stopped and sighed..

"Okay," she agreed, knowing that she had well and truly lost her fight against her mother, and for the final time, too. Hayley felt something die inside her in that very moment. Maybe it was her final shred of hope. Maybe it was her final hold on restraint. "But, since you said I could have anything... well, maybe you could get me something from the city instead? Some of those paints that I love so much... or some new darts and arrows!"

Mary smiled and let out a deep sigh of relief. "That's a long way dear.. will be more than a couple days.." She let it play out for a bit, pretending to think. "But of course, anything for you."

Hayley sighed with relief and plastered on a smile. "Thank you, mother!" She said as brightly as possible. Se was certainly going to need a few days to get over this, that's for sure, and she didn't think it would work if Mary was going to be hovering over her, constantly saying, 'It's for the best, dear!' And 'Mother knows best!'

She was a on the verge of both tears an an explosion of a list she made of why her mother should allow her this one wish.

She knew it wouldn't help. Nothing would.

Mary considered her daughter, one eyebrow raised in suspicion. Hayley seemed awfully glad to be rid of her, so soon after returning. She hoped that the blonde beauty was not planning something behind her back.

"Very well then," she declared at long last. "I will make the trip, and I will bring you back a whole harvest of goods. But unfortunately, that means I am going to have to miss your birthday. I won't be back until the day after, at least."

Hayley opened and closed her mouth at least twice. She would have been sad that her mother wasn't going to be here for her birthday but between her sadness and disappointment at her mothers reaction to her one gift she truly wanted nothing was able to make her feel worse then she already was. "Thank you mother.." She whispered.

"You're welcome," she said, throwing her traveling cloak back around herself and fastening the cord tightly. "Be good, won't you. Don't go too far!"

That's funny. Hayley thought sarcastically.

"Of course not, mother." Hayley said, successfully hiding the bitterness from her tone that so desperately wanted to come out.

"That's my girl!" Mary planted a kiss on her daughter's head and stared into her forest-like orbs. "I love you," she stated.

"I love you more!" Hayley chirped out with a fake smile and faux enthusiasm that her mother hadn't noticed.

Mary smiled at their parting tradition and patted Hayley's cheek lightly. "I love you most."

And with that, she reclaimed her basket on her way over to the still open window, where she waited for Hayley to lower her back to the ground.

Once lowering her mother Hayley watched her leave. Her mum turning around once to wave at her and Hayley eagerly did the same with a bright smile.

A smile that left her lips once her mom was out of site.

She didn't know how she was going to manage it, but she decided then and there. She was going to see those stars, if it was the last thing she ever did.

Consequences be damned.

Mary walked to the very edge of the grove, and ducked behind a tree so that she could watch her daughter's reaction from where she was still plastered broodingly in the window.

Mary sighed and shook her head. She would never let her daughter leave to see the stars. Even if it killed her. She was never leaving.