Into the woods I P U B L I S H E D

„New place, a new beginning.

Is there something better than that?”

- Elizabeth

Elizabeth

I had never thought that I would be in love with another place except for Stockholm. Stockholm was a beautiful place, full of people and rich culture, but when I saw the Shadowrose village, I thought it was even more beautiful than my own hometown.

There was something about Shadowrose that made it special. Maybe the way he was placed on a hill, surrounded by vineyards, or the fact that it reminded of the different cities in Italy.

It looked like it just came out from a beautiful fairytale.

As we drove through an old road, I was thinking about my new life, all the adventures that I would experience. Maybe I will find someone with whom I will fall in love with, but that’s second on my to-do list. First things are the University and my education.

„What do you think about the village?” Lena turned to me, moving her sunglasses away.

„It’s beautiful. When was it build?” I turned my attention back to the village. The village was slowly getting swallowed by the trees and vineyards, making it more breathtaking then it was before.

„It was built in the late 18. St,” She leaned back to her seat. „You have to see it up close. It’s even more beautiful and the people are nice too.”

„Oh, I definitely will,” I leaned on my seat, enjoying the view next to me.

~ - ~

The drive was quite long. I didn’t think that it would take over an hour to my new house – my new beginning. As soon as Louis had parked the car on the driveway, I got out and stared at the house.

The house I remembered staying at when I always came to visit. The house didn’t change a single bit. It still looked like it came from a long forgotten fairytale where a princess waited for her prince charming.

Of course, I wasn’t a princess and I didn’t have my own prince charming who would come and save me from a dangerous dragon. The house itself looked like a castle, covered with ivy, a few lanterns that were hanging down from the front porch, and with the windows that are still the same, white color like they used to be.

I have always wanted a house far away from the city, just a little bit near a forest so that I could escape the outside world whenever I would need it.

„I know it’s nothing like the fancy house you used to live in Sweden,” Lena said.

I smiled at her. „It’s perfect.”

„Well thank you, but don’t tell me you won’t miss the rich life that you used to have. I mean, your father’s side owns half of Sweden.” I tried not to answer back.

Louis opened the trunk, and grabbing my couple of suitcases from it, he walked to the porch and dropped them down so he could unlock the door. He was always a quiet person. Sometimes I wondered why they were even together. Lena was always a talkative person, and well he, he was very quiet, almost mysterious.

„Are you okay?” Louis surprised me with a sudden question. I didn’t expect of him to ask me something, or even less to talk to me.

I nodded. „The jet lag is killing me.”

Opening the door, we all entered the house. Suddenly, I heard a bark coming from the deepest parts of the house. In a second, Ronny – Lena’s and Louis’s Belgian Shepeard – ran from downstairs through the hallway into me. Ronny jumped on me, wrestling me down on the floor and I screamed when he licked my face.

„Ronny, stop!” I tried to move him away, but he was too strong. He licked me all over my face, including my mouth.

„Ronny!” As soon as Lena yelled his name, he stopped licking my face and looked at Lena with puppy dog eyes.

„I missed you too buddy,” I said to him as he walked back to his place, on a small blanket at the end of the hall.

„Come. I will show you your room,” She took my hand and pulled me up off the floor. Ronny is still sitting, wiggling his tale.

„He is clearly happy to see me,” I said.

Lena smiled. „He didn’t see you over a year. Of course, he is.”

„Lena,” Louis showed her the phone. „I have something to take care of. I won’t be long.”

Lena nodded. „Be back at seven.”

Louis walked to her, placing a kiss on her forehead. „Always.”

I watched the way they said goodbye to each other, and it made me smile.

After Louis walked out of the house, Lena looked at me with a raised eyebrow. „What?”

I shrugged. „Nothing.”

Taking my suitcase and backpack, I followed Lena through the small hallway to the stairs. On the wall, next to the stairs, a portrait of a waterfall is hanging there. I had never seen a more beautiful portrait of a waterfall in my life.

„It’s beautiful. Who painted it?” I almost lost out of my breath as we climbed up the stairs.

„Louis painted it for our anniversary. It’s the place we met,” She said, helping me with the suitcase.

I laughed. „I didn’t know he is such a romantic, or even less than he knows how to paint.”

„Trust me, I don’t believe it either. I still think that he paid someone to paint it.” We walked down the second hallway to a white door. Lena opened the door for me to enter and I smiled at the sight in front of me.

The room was pretty big and basic, with white walls and some bookshelves on them. In the corner, a closet with a large mirror was placed, while next to them, a desk and a chair were placed. I approached the desk, eyeing the small wooden box on top.

„What’s this?” I asked. I took the box, and opening it, I smiled.

„Do you like it?” Lena stood beside me. I looked at the necklace. It was beautiful – perfect. It was in new moon shape, a few lines drawn on it.

„It’s beautiful.”

„Consider this as a welcome gift,” She placed her hand on my shoulder. „Let me help you put it on.” Giving her the necklace, she pushed my hair to the side so she could place the necklace on. Her delicate fingers moved around my head to the backside of my neck where she clasped the necklace on. I slowly moved my fingers over it, touching it, feeling it against my very pale skin.

„Thank you so much,” I hugged her and she hugged me back.

I missed her. She was definitely the best aunt that I had.

„You are welcome,” Letting me go, she walked to the door. „You are probably exhausted so sleep for a few hours. There is a bathroom at the end, you can use it when you wake up.”

„Thank you,” I said.

She nodded and left me alone in my new room.

~ - ~

It was around 19:30 when I woke up from my small nap. I was more tired than I thought I would be. I guess the jet lag got the worst of me. Maybe a shower will help me.

Grabbing a towel, some fresh clothes, I walked to the bathroom that Lena told me to use.

I turned the shower on and let the water get warmer as I stripped my clothes down and threw them into the laundry bag. Turning to the mirror, I looked at the necklace that was placed on my naked skin. It looked even more beautiful under the light.

I stepped into the shower and let the water fall over me. The water was warm, almost hot, and it slid down my body in the most comforting way. It helped my body – my mind – to relax. I washed the sweat down my body, and taking a hair shampoo, I washed my hair just like the rest of my body.

After I was done, I stepped out of the shower and quickly wrapped a towel around my body just at the time when a man walked in, seeing me half naked.

„Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that someone was using it,” The man said.

I held the towel tight around my body, scared that it would fall down, and expose my naked body to the green-eyed stranger that was now smirking at me.

„You should at least knock before you decide to enter someone’s bathroom, you know. I could have been naked right now,” I raised my eyebrow when he didn’t move. „Could you please go out? I need to dress.”

He nodded. „Of course, I apologize. I’m Nicklaus, but you can call me Nick.” He stretched his hand to shake, but I don’t take his hand. I couldn’t without exposing my body.

„Elizabeth,” I said.

He smiled a little, clearly uncomfortable. „Nice to meet you, Elizabeth.” Even If I didn’t shake his hand, he took my right hand and raised to his lips, and kissed it.

Oh, God. This was so wrong. I’m half naked, for God’s sake.

„Nice to meet you too, but I would love to get dressed now.” Before he left, he smiled at me softly and pointed his finger at my necklace. „You have a beautiful necklace. It suits you.”

~ - ~

Lena, Louis, and Nicklaus – the guy I just had met in the bathroom – were already eating when I walked into the kitchen. The smell of Lena’s chicken soup smells so delicious that I could have smelled it as soon as I stepped out of the bathroom.

„Oh, you are finally up,” Lena smiled. „I hope you don’t mind that we have a guest tonight.”

I looked over to the guy from before. „It’s okay.”

„This is Nicklaus,” Louis said.

„I know. We met a moment before,” I said shyly, taking a seat at the table.

Nicklaus looked at me and smiled like an idiot. I had dealt with guys like him back in Sweden. I knew how much they were like because I used to date one of those types of guys.

“Your uncle told me that you come from Sweden,” Nicklaus said.

“Yes, from Stockholm more preciously,” I smiled back.

“I’ve been there before and I really liked it,” He frowned for a second. “What did you say your last name was?”

I turned pale, eying Lena and Louis for help. “It’s Zemerlöw.”

Nicklaus placed his spoon in his mouth. “It sounds familiar.”

I tried to stay as calm as possible. “It’s a typical Sweden last name. That’s why you probably know about it.”

“Maybe that’s it,” He said.

Lena looked at me, seeing me struggle with keeping my secret safe. “So, what do you guys think about the soup?” She asked.

„The soup is delicious Lena,” Nicklaus said, making Lena smile.

Louis eyed him, but he didn’t say a thing. I smiled a little before taking a sip of the soup. Nicklaus was right. It was delicious.

~ - ~

„Do you have something planned for tomorrow?” I heard her before I even saw her. Lena stood next to me, almost giving me a heart attack. Placing my right arm over my heart, I took a deep breath. She really did scare me. I almost thought it was Nicklaus, but luckily it was her.

Lena laughed, clearly thinking that this was funny. But not me. Not a little bit.

„I almost got a heart attack because of you,” I took my gloves off and slapped her with them on her right shoulder.

„You didn’t change a bit. You still jump for stupid reasons,” She placed the rest of the plates in the sink for me to wash them. I shook my head as I threw myself back to work.

„What can I say, I’m a paranoid person.”

„You must definitely are,” She joked. I wished I laughed at that, but I couldn’t. It was the truth. I’m paranoid as long as I could remember and I can’t change that.

„I can wash the dishes, you know,” Moving the chair away, she sat on it, taking a sip of water. I could have let her wash the dishes, but I couldn’t do that, not after everything that she and Louis did for me. They had let me stay here for free.

„You could, but I want to wash them. It’s not a problem for me,” I took the plate and placed it in the water.

„It’s strange seeing you washing the dishes,” She took another sip. „I thought that Mrs. Petra always did the dishes for you.”

Wells, she was wrong. I always did the dishes with Mrs. Petra. It reminded me that no matter what your social class was, you always need to stay humble and respectful to everyone.

„I helped her though,” I answered back.

“Of course you did,” she said.

I heard some noises coming from the top of the stairs. I turned around, seeing Louis and Nicklaus walking down the stairs, still talking about something. Judging by their expressions, I could tell that something was wrong.

„We have to talk about that with him. There is a chance that he might not be dead,” Nicklaus said.

Dead? What are they talking about?

„He came back today. I will come to your place tomorrow,” Louis said.

Both of them stopped in their tracks when they saw Lena and me in the kitchen. Louis’s eyes ran to Lena who was killing him with her stare.

„Don’t tell me that you forgot about our doctor’s appointment,” she said.

He sighed. „I forgot. Can we go some other day? This is really important.”

Lena stood up. „More important than my pregnancy? This is the second time you’ve done that,” She bumped into him while she passed him. „Just so you know, you are sleeping on the couch tonight.”

She was definitely angry. It really mattered to her that he goes with her. I don’t understand how could he forget something like that.

„I will drive her, Louis. I have to go to the library for the job that Lena found me,” I said quietly, feeling Nicklaus’s eyes on me. He was staring at me. His eyes were traveling down my body.

I hated myself at this moment for not putting a longer shirt on, and not a tank top so he could see every inch of my skin. I felt naked – exposed in front of him.

„Remind me to thank you somehow,” Louis said.

„It’s nothing. You allowed me to stay here when I had a choice to get an apartment,” I smiled back.

Before opening the door, Nicklaus turned towards me and smiled. „Goodbye, Elizabeth. It was nice meeting you. I hope that we will see each other more.” Well, I hope that we won’t.