better than you realize with her staff and bow.”
“Adela,” Louis echoed, his voice becoming dreamy. “Yes, she’s quite a girl, isn’t she?”
“No better than her sister,” Geoff argued. “Alison is taller, and prettier besides.”
Louis laughed outright. “And mouthier, and more difficult. No, I’d never agree to be saddled to that one. When I marry, I want a girl who is clever and wise. Someone who watches closely, and chooses her direction with care.”
Geoff glanced ahead of them into the quickly darkening forest and wondered suddenly how much longer it would take them to get home. This was generally a fairly quick walk—doubly so with the Louis’s long legs and Geoffrey’s jog—but they were taking the path, rather than the more direct route, to stay out of the woods themselves. And it was taking them longer than he liked. Looking up, he saw that the sky above them was nearly purple already. The sun had long since set, and they were meant to be at home—with fires burning—already.
“Neither of us will do any marrying if we don’t get home safely,” he observed, worried. “How much farther do you think we have to go?”
“You’ll be home soon,” Louis scoffed. “Is that all you can think about, safety? Cutting wood and being safe for the rest of your life?”
Geoff scowled. He wanted to get home to his father and the fireplace and have a roof over his head. Angeline’s words had made him nervous, and he found himself jumping at every stray sound in the forest. Why would Louis ask such a ridiculous question?
“Safety is everything,” he answered quickly. “Safety and security. Where would you be without it? Where would you be if there wasn’t wood to cut, or people who needed it? This is what my father does, and his father before him. This is what I know, and what puts food on my table. Why should I seek to change it? Why would you?”
“I’m simply earning money for my family. But this doesn’t have to be my destiny. Don’t you see?” Louis turned to Geoffrey, passion shining in his eyes. “Don’t you see that there must be more out there? That we could have adventure, heroics … even love? If we just left the forest, there’s a big, wide world out there—a world full of strange creatures and different people! Don’t you ever wish for that, Geoff?”
Geoff laughed, despite himself. “You’re a dreamer, Louis. What would you do, travel the world as an adventurer? Sail the seas? Rescue maidens in distress, as they did in the old stories?”
“All that and more,” Louis answered firmly. “I would live my life as it was meant to be lived. I wouldn’t stay here, spending my time with the trees rather than the people of the world.”
“And that attitude will get you in trouble one day, mark my words. Big dreams lead to big regrets. Give me a nice, pretty girl like Alison and a quiet life with my axe, and I will be quite satisfied. Now hurry, or we may find ourselves in an adventure we’re not seeking.”
“You believe what Madam Angeline said?” Louis asked, chuckling. “That we’re actually in danger out here? She’s merely treating us as if we are her children. You are a fool, and if that’s so, then you deserve Alison. Adela is the better of the two. The braver. The smarter.”
“She’s too serious.”
“Nothing but a mask, my friend, and if you looked closely enough you’d see it. I’d rather have her as my partner than Alison, any day of the week. Don’t worry— ” He elbowed Geoff gently, grinning. “—If we run into any monsters, I’ll protect you.”
Geoff shrugged and saw his turn ahead—this was where they would part ways, and head to their own homes. Secretly, he felt glad to get away from Louis, for this sort of talk made him uncomfortable. His was not the soul of a dreamer, and Louis’s big plans made him feel … dissatisfied.
“This is my turn,” he said. “I will follow Angeline’s advice, even if she is treating us like
“Adela,” Louis echoed, his voice becoming dreamy. “Yes, she’s quite a girl, isn’t she?”
“No better than her sister,” Geoff argued. “Alison is taller, and prettier besides.”
Louis laughed outright. “And mouthier, and more difficult. No, I’d never agree to be saddled to that one. When I marry, I want a girl who is clever and wise. Someone who watches closely, and chooses her direction with care.”
Geoff glanced ahead of them into the quickly darkening forest and wondered suddenly how much longer it would take them to get home. This was generally a fairly quick walk—doubly so with the Louis’s long legs and Geoffrey’s jog—but they were taking the path, rather than the more direct route, to stay out of the woods themselves. And it was taking them longer than he liked. Looking up, he saw that the sky above them was nearly purple already. The sun had long since set, and they were meant to be at home—with fires burning—already.
“Neither of us will do any marrying if we don’t get home safely,” he observed, worried. “How much farther do you think we have to go?”
“You’ll be home soon,” Louis scoffed. “Is that all you can think about, safety? Cutting wood and being safe for the rest of your life?”
Geoff scowled. He wanted to get home to his father and the fireplace and have a roof over his head. Angeline’s words had made him nervous, and he found himself jumping at every stray sound in the forest. Why would Louis ask such a ridiculous question?
“Safety is everything,” he answered quickly. “Safety and security. Where would you be without it? Where would you be if there wasn’t wood to cut, or people who needed it? This is what my father does, and his father before him. This is what I know, and what puts food on my table. Why should I seek to change it? Why would you?”
“I’m simply earning money for my family. But this doesn’t have to be my destiny. Don’t you see?” Louis turned to Geoffrey, passion shining in his eyes. “Don’t you see that there must be more out there? That we could have adventure, heroics … even love? If we just left the forest, there’s a big, wide world out there—a world full of strange creatures and different people! Don’t you ever wish for that, Geoff?”
Geoff laughed, despite himself. “You’re a dreamer, Louis. What would you do, travel the world as an adventurer? Sail the seas? Rescue maidens in distress, as they did in the old stories?”
“All that and more,” Louis answered firmly. “I would live my life as it was meant to be lived. I wouldn’t stay here, spending my time with the trees rather than the people of the world.”
“And that attitude will get you in trouble one day, mark my words. Big dreams lead to big regrets. Give me a nice, pretty girl like Alison and a quiet life with my axe, and I will be quite satisfied. Now hurry, or we may find ourselves in an adventure we’re not seeking.”
“You believe what Madam Angeline said?” Louis asked, chuckling. “That we’re actually in danger out here? She’s merely treating us as if we are her children. You are a fool, and if that’s so, then you deserve Alison. Adela is the better of the two. The braver. The smarter.”
“She’s too serious.”
“Nothing but a mask, my friend, and if you looked closely enough you’d see it. I’d rather have her as my partner than Alison, any day of the week. Don’t worry— ” He elbowed Geoff gently, grinning. “—If we run into any monsters, I’ll protect you.”
Geoff shrugged and saw his turn ahead—this was where they would part ways, and head to their own homes. Secretly, he felt glad to get away from Louis, for this sort of talk made him uncomfortable. His was not the soul of a dreamer, and Louis’s big plans made him feel … dissatisfied.
“This is my turn,” he said. “I will follow Angeline’s advice, even if she is treating us like
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