Chapter 03

The following dawn, Merinarie was walking through the meadows spreaded all over her homeland. The village in the North wasn't really an example of scenic beauty, but she always adored it's beautiful valleys, somewhere fast flowing rivers, unpredictable rains and even scarecrows set apart in fields.

She stopped in front of the small hut, very familiar to her, in which she had never entered, but always dreamt of.

Just outside was a muscular man chopping off the last woods and was ready to take logs to the market for exchange.

With the only footsteps approaching to him, he looked right into the eyes of Merinarie.

"I thought you were leaving." He growled.

"I am, Steve."

For a moment or two, both of them just stared.

"I can't let you do this." Steve gripped both shoulders of her as to wake her from a bad dream, but little did he know Merinarie was fully awake and wasn't going to come back ever.

"I am sorry, but I have to. I've been thinking about this for a long time, it's not immaturity which you are probably assuming. I've it all planned."

She, ofcourse hasn't told him about the marriage thing, as she knew she just couldn't. It would shatter both of their hearts speciallly after Steve was about to propose her in the cottage of Analia.

Back there, every chorus was done. Sewing and packing, the only thing which was left was the delivery and the man who would carry the packages was visible to Merinarie beside an oak tree.

It was a face she would recognize even in wildest of her dreams or may be it was a face which itself was a dream to her. She'd first met that delivery boy on the Ration Soiree which was a day held in village every month and the person holding some what like monarchy position would provide wheat and barley in exchange of the embroidery carpets and clothes which were then traded out in various towns.

The man stood grimly aside his two cruelly beautiful sisters. Merniarie was already struck by the masculinity of him when he was climbed the truck loading with packages.

She was late as usual because of her mother yelling at even smallest parts of the matters and her clothes were still gripped in her hands and she had no idea why she hasn't gave them to Analia yet, because you were too busy irrelevantly staring at the man, she thought.

"Are you planning to keep those to yourself?"

The man opened the window screen of the giant truck which was ten times the size of Merinarie.

"I couldn't manage to the line."

She was feeling silly to mention that she was too short that her legs couldn't bear to jump up and hand the package, instead he himself came out and towards Merinarie. And she was utterly impressed by the gentleness.

She handed him the package in the exchange of each other's names.

"Steve."

"Merinarie."

And now, it was the time to bid farewell to that man who was the first to listen her unspoken words, the man with whom she dreamt her with almost everytime.

She secretly cursed her real mother. Only if she would be there for her, she wouldn't let go of her dreams so easily. She would be having a support, but with no blood relation around she was helpess and already accepted to her defeat.

"Just tell me you'll be back."

She snapped back to the bitter world of reality only to hear even more bitter of words.

"I can't."

She wishpered more to herself.

"Then don't leave me, you know I lov...."

"Good-bye, Steve"

He was interrupted by Merinarie even before saying the words he meant the most. But, this wasn't the time, Merinarie thought. It would be more difficult to leave then. He would despise her when every person would hate her for running to the town only because of marrying a man.

But she knew she was doing this for her family, for Fyesra to marry someday a guy of her choice, may be she would come to love Steve. For Daphnie and Elena who were still completing their last year at school so they could keep continuing it. For Politia who had enough courage to make them proud someday. And for her other sisters who utterly despised her, but she had to pay the debt. They have shared their table of food with Merinarie since back long, way before she could remember. It was time to repay, as her step mother said.

She rubbed her hands over the oak tree for the last time where she had first seen those vulnerable eyes and strongly attractive face and gentle attire, the delivery man who called himself Steve.

"Good-bye, Steve."

She whispered for the last time to herself leaving the part which once belonged to him behind.