Eva Westerly was a young woman familiar with the word shouldn’t.

She said it to herself often. For example, she shouldn’t hide all of her shoes and insist that she had no choice but to go barefoot. Or, she shouldn’t steal pastries from the kitchen and blame the dog. Occasionally it was she shouldn’t slip out of the house to avoid her lessons.

Her mother favored the word mustn’t.

Eva didn’t like that one as much. It was far too rigid for her liking. Her mother always said it with the most insufferable tone of voice, too.

Shouldn’t, though, that was much easier for her to swallow.

Eva found herself in the company of the familiar word once again as she sat in the garden of the village chief. It was a chilly spring morning and the seventeen-year-old girl had been placed on a chair to keep her fine clothing from wrinkling.

I shouldn’t sneak away from this garden party…

Sometimes she could reason away those thoughts, but she struggled this time. The party had been called a flower viewing event, but it was too early in the year for many flowers to have bloomed. For the most part, it was just an excuse for the wealthy women of the village to gather together and show off to one another.

Mistress Green walked by wearing a dress made from some sort of fashionable fabric brought all the way from the Capital. She was arm-in-arm with Miss Brant, who was engaged to the village chief’s son.

They were both close to Eva’s age, just a couple of years older. They had all gone to school together, so they knew each other well. The two women glanced at Eva with smirks on their faces, whispering behind their hands.

In response, Eva rolled her eyes at them. It wasn’t difficult to guess what they were saying about her. It was probably something about how her dress wasn’t from the latest season or her hair wasn’t in style anymore.

Eva sighed. She knew her mother liked to show off just as much as the other women, but was it necessary for her to be there as well? Wasn’t it enough that her younger sister was there? (Millie was better at acting properly, anyway.)

A weathered walking stick cracked her across the knee, sending shooting pains up her leg. She winced but managed to bite back the cry that came to her lips.

“Sit up straight, Evangeline,” her grandmother quipped, “and stop sighing like a ghost.”

Eva did as she was told, but her nose wrinkled with distaste. Her grandmother was the matriarch of the Westerly clan, and she liked showing off more than anyone in the whole of Three Valleys. She was the one who had made Eva wear her ridiculous ruffled dress.

“I swear we’ll never get you married if you keep acting like a forest vagrant,” Grandmother Fiona muttered irritably.

It took a lot of effort for Eva to stop herself from sighing again. That was all her mother and grandmother talked about anymore. Were they so desperate to see her married off?

Eva twirled her chestnut curls between her fingers. Her mother had gone to a lot of effort that morning to make her hair look just so. She couldn’t understand why—the garden party hadn’t included any men. Wasn’t that why they wanted her to look nice?

“Is it time for refreshments?” she asked hopefully.

Her grandmother scowled. “Is that all you can think about?”

Eva pressed her lips together. She’d have to think of a different excuse to leave the chair she’d been placed in. “Where are Mother and Millie?”

Grandmother Fiona waved a bony hand dismissively. “Your mother took Humility over to speak with Mistress Shepherd. That girl, at least, knows how to mind her manners.”

Eva gave an exaggerated nod. “Yes, Grandmother, Millie is very polite.”

The old woman smacked Eva’s leg with her walking stick again. “She’s four years younger than you. You should be even more polite! Yet here you are, placed to the side like a spinster before your time. Heavens save us, will we ever find a husband for you?”

“You’re right, Grandmother,” she said, jumping at the opportunity. “I should go show Mother that I can behave properly.”

Eva stood before she could be told otherwise, hurrying away from her elderly relative. Her dress was pale blue with vivid yellow flowers sewn onto it. The skirt whipped around her legs as she jogged through the carefully manicured greenery of the village chief’s garden.

To her delight, refreshments were being served on a table near the house. She made a direct line to plates of small sandwiches and puffed cakes. Pulling out her handkerchief, Eva wrapped several up to take with her.

No one noticed. Or, if they did, they didn’t acknowledge it.

Eva skirted the edge of the garden until she reached the exit. The simple wooden gate was open, inviting her to step outside.

I shouldn’t sneak away…

A smile stole across her face. This time she wasn’t able to reason away the impulse.

She ran out of the garden, heading for the southern border of the village. She moved as quickly as her bulky dress would allow, fearful that someone might stop her. Part of her wanted to make a detour to change her clothes, but she knew that she’d risk being detained by her father. Better to simply suffer the unreasonable attire.

South of the little village was a small mountain covered in untamed wilderness. The forest went on far past the mountain, but Eva only cared about the section nearest to the village. She loved to escape to its shade whenever she could manage and run among the trees.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Most of the villagers stayed away from the forest (except for the woodcutter and the occasional foragers), so it was like Eva’s private wonderland.

She couldn’t count the number of times she’d been scolded by her mother for going there. Perhaps that was why there was so much concern with finding Eva an acceptable husband.

The young woman tossed aside her worries and enjoyed the walk to the small mountain. The sun was high enough in the sky that it finally warmed the spring air. Eva could see all of the grass in the field was waking up from its winter sleep, peeping in little green patches from beneath the previous year’s yellowed remains.

It was a long walk for her to reach the forest, but Eva didn’t mind. She opened the handkerchief full of food with a grin on her face. The sandwiches were meant to be elegant, but that somehow translated to scanty. The butter had been spread thin and the preserves were a mere dab.

They were tossed into her mouth without ceremony. In Eva’s opinion, manners were only useful when trying to impress strangers. Even then, it seemed of dubious importance. After all, why spend thirty minutes eating tiny bites of a single sandwich when she could finish several of them in less than five?

The puffed cakes were next. They were more air than substance, but the honey and butter used to make them were still worth savoring. Eva loved sweets. She took her time eating the pastries, enjoying every bite.

Her fingers were sticky by the time she finished. She leaned down to wipe them on the grass, unbothered by the residue left behind.

She approached the tree line of the forest with a feeling of elation. The long walk had been well worth the effort. She lifted her skirts and started to run as soon as she was in the shade of the branches.

Much of the forest was still reviving from its winter season, but the air was filled with birdsong. There were still patches of snow where the sun hadn’t had the chance to do its work. Eva kicked up the mud as she skipped along, smiling happily to herself.

She didn’t pay any attention to which direction she was going. It didn’t matter to her at that moment. She’d never been lost in those woods before, so she had no fear about being able to find her way.

Eventually, the sound of rushing water reached her ears. Eva followed it, coming to the banks of a swollen river. The contained chaos of the rapids made beautiful patterns in the dappled sunlight.

In a moment of impulse, Eva decided to try and cross the river. She reached down to remove her shoes and stockings, giggling to herself as she stepped onto the cold ground. She tied up her skirts the best she could, exposing her ankles and calves.

Stepping into the water caused her to gasp. The water was frigid as if it had been solid only moments before. However, instead of giving up, the discomfort caused her to move faster.

Eva hopped onto a nearby stone, wobbling uncertainly as she gained her footing. She stepped onto the next one she could see, finding it more slippery than expected.

The water rushed around her ankles, pushing with surprising force. For the first time, Eva experienced a moment of misgiving.

Perhaps I shouldn’t…

She took another step forward anyway.

The icy water was starting to pain her feet. She hurried to hop to a larger stone that rose above the river.

Eva was nearing the middle of the river, so her confidence recovered. Standing up straight, she readied herself to make another jump.

As she started to launch herself forward, her foot slipped. Her arms swung wildly, but she couldn’t catch herself. Eva landed head-first in the water.

The current was much faster than it appeared on the surface. The motion was dizzying as it swept her downstream. Eva struggled to get her head above water, but she couldn’t get a sense of direction. She flailed uselessly, scraping her limbs against rocks no matter which way she turned.

The young woman slammed into a boulder, bouncing off it as pain shot up her arm. By mere chance, she was able to snatch a few mouthfuls of air before being forced down again.

Her waterlogged dress was heavy, dragging her lower.

Eva couldn’t remember the river being so deep. It seemed like an endless abyss.

She ran into another rock, hitting her head. Lights burst across her vision, which was disoriented anyway. Everything seemed to be flashing colors and sporadic darkness.

I’m going to die.

Eva had never had that thought before. It was easy to feel invincible at seventeen, especially when one had been as pampered and protected as she had. Somehow, she’d always believed that nothing could ever go wrong.

The river was showing her the foolishness of her thoughts.

Eva was out of air and she didn’t know which way would take her to the surface. She grasped frantically for something—anything—but there was nothing to help her. The young woman continued to tumble in every direction, completely at the mercy of the water’s current.

Suddenly, her arm caught on something.

Her body jerked to a stop, forcing her to rise to the surface. She sputtered and coughed, gasping for every breath she could manage. Her vision cleared enough to see that her arm was wedged in an exposed tree root.

She hadn’t realized she was so close to the bank.

As Eva struggled to keep her head above water, two hands grabbed under her arms and lifted her as if she weighed nothing. The transition from river to land happened so quickly that it took her several seconds to comprehend what had transpired.

Eva doubled over, vomiting all the water that had filled her belly. She huddled in a ball on the ground as she tried to catch her breath. Tiny streams flowed down her face, but she paid them no mind. She was too exhausted to lift a hand to wipe them.

“It was foolish of you to challenge the river,” a deep voice said above her. “The river cannot be defeated.”

Eva looked up, confused that someone would rescue her and immediately reprimand her. Her eyes landed on the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

He had a sharp jaw and defined cheekbones, but his facial features were soft. His brown eyes were crescent shaped and his black hair brushed his shoulders. He was dressed in the common brown clothing of a traveler, with a green cloak around his broad shoulders.

Eva’s voice evaporated at the sight of him.

The man knelt, removing his cloak and wrapping it around her. He examined her carefully with a frown on his face.

“You are injured,” he noted.

His strong, slender hands gently touched each of her wounds as if he were making a list of them.

Under normal circumstances, Eva knew that it was highly improper to allow a man (especially a stranger) to have any physical contact with her. However, his proximity and light touch felt like the most natural thing in the world.

More than that, his woodsy scent and probing eyes left her feeling rather lightheaded.

“What’s your name?” she asked breathlessly.

His gaze locked on hers. “I do not have a name you would understand.”

Eva felt her cheeks grow warm under his stare. She could’ve sworn that he was able to read her thoughts with his eyes. She forced herself to laugh carelessly. “Everyone has a name,” she insisted.

He studied her for several moments before his lips curled into a smile. Eva’s heart began pounding so hard that she almost didn’t hear his response.

“My name is the same as those trees,” he answered, pointing to a stand along the river bank.

Eva looked where he gestured, a slight frown creasing her brow. She wasn’t entirely certain what he meant. It was easiest to assume that he was referring to the type of tree.

“Linden?” she asked.

His smile widened, causing her heart to skip a beat.

“You may call me that, if you wish,” he allowed.

Linden lifted her in his arms, carrying her to a patch of sunlight where she could begin warming. He set her down on a fallen log and then proceeded to squeeze the water from her skirt. Eva sat still, letting him care for her in whatever way he chose.

Her injured arm was tucked against her abdomen, holding as still as possible. The other hand shot to her hair, making a useless attempt to smooth the watery strands.

She cringed when she imagined how she must look.

Eva took a slow breath, trying to steady her emotions. To say that the morning had been eventful would’ve been an understatement, but nothing could’ve prepared her for what she was feeling.

Linden’s every movement was filled with grace. He moved to help her without any hesitation at all. Eva found it difficult to believe that such a person could exist in the world.

The young woman experienced a rare moment of clarity as if she had glimpsed into the future.

She had just met the man she would marry.