Beautiful Serena

This book is dedicated with affection to the memories of my father.

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"Serena! " Madeline Serena's mother yelled through their wooden cottage door." get the nanny-goat! she's in labor!"

" yes, mama!" Serena screamed back from their backyard. grabbing the hem of her skirt and abandoning the wood she was arranging, she ran towards the goat trying to catch her.

"mheeeee" The white nanny-goat cried trying to break free from the long rope tied around her neck.

" little fella" She cooed and smiled trying to calm the nannygoat. Her red hair reeked of goat poop. she lifted her skirt and tied the hem with small stones." you're in labor.." she said while adjusting herself.

"just try to calm down...wait.!" The nanny-goat took off again and this time, it went straight to the marketplace.

" uhhh!" She groaned in tiredness thinking of what she had to do to retrieve her. she had been at the storehouse since daybreak trying to feed the chickens and care for her.

Her father had specially told her to handle the work because she had no brothers nor sisters only Matilda, a freckled face young friend of hers in her early twenties who lives near the marketplace. Serena's father works as a farmer, while her mother sews different gowns and sells them to an aged woman who comes around to buy them.

" Ewwww" the nanny-goat cried and she stopped walking trying to find out which direction she ran to.

"Ewwww"

with a determined sigh, she went towards the river near the woods.

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Prince Philip wiped out the sweat off his face as his horse galloped to the woods on that May morning in 1786. Trying to find out where the animal they caught sight of escaped to, he halted his horse.

" Your highness, I think it went this way."

Sir Theo his guard said gazing towards the east.

" Where are the others?" Prince Philip asked angrily. " this is hunting for God's sake not going for a stroll!"

" mewwwwww" a goat-like sound interrupted his next statement.

" What's that sound?" he frowned glancing around and corking a brow.

" I have no idea your highness, but. I think that sounds like the beast we seek" Theo said.

"A goat!...what will my father say? he wanted me to hunt something to prove how eligible I am, and a goat is what we could find!" he roared.

" My Lord!"

One of the knights came through the woods holding a rope tied around a goat's neck.

the young animal has white skin Philip observed.

" And where did you find this?" he asked with irritation.

"near the river sire"

" I say we kill and eat it. we can't be deflected with this little animal who meews around".

" but my lord.." Sir Theo disputed.

" right now"

" No!" Philip flinched when he heard the voice. he turned to know where that delightful voice came from, but when he saw her, he became enchanted. she was so beautiful and bewitching. Her hair was red like fire despite the brown stains on it. he never in his life caught a glimpse of that kind of hair before. her oval-shaped face was straightened out and made her red full lips obvious. he was suddenly wondering how that lips would feel against his own.

" I said no!!" Serena yelled again. why would they plan to slaughter an animal preparing for birth?

" and who might you be young lady?" Philip asked.

" it's no concern of yours sire..that's my goat as you can see," she said placing her hands on her hips.

" I see..but unfortunately, we're about to feast on it." He replied.

"That's impossible sir." She said with determination. although she couldn't fight these tall men, she wouldn't stop without a fight.

Philip grinned." if you want your goat, you'll have to offer me something in return."

Serena knew that sign." And what do you want?" she asked holding her head high." you aren't a goblin who requests favors, are you?

Philip studied her. her gown was tattered. she was looking needy but beautiful.

" anything valuable"

" like this gold bracelet?" She said removing the gold bracelet her father gave to her.

" please please let her go. she needs me".

He chuckled.

This woman is amusing. The thought of killing the animal was what he couldn't bear.

She was ready to give all to preserve the life of the animal. What a kind heart.

He stared at her again. he couldn't ignore the tug in his heart telling him to grab her and kiss her red lips. the thought made him hot.

Strange indeed because he wasn't fond of ladies recently.

"I'll let you and your goat go".

" you're kind sir. I won't forget it." she curtsied, grabbed her cloak and goat, and took off feeling the strange man's gaze on her skull.

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