The farmer was working in his field of corn. Harvest would come soon and he needed to prepare. He aimlessly checked the ears for their fullness. His thoughts wandered through the past summers he had spent alone. Before Lily; before Bayla. He grew up in the village with his parents. He would spend his summers exploring this land and the forest. This land belonged to his father, though he never worked it. His father and him would graze cattle up here in the spring and summer and then corral them in town for the winter. He inherited this land upon their death some twenty years ago. They too had their son in their old age and so their deaths were not untimely. He was in his forties when they passed on and he had never been married. He had spent so much time working that he found no time to properly court a bride. He had considered taking Amri, the medicine man's daughter for a bride at one time. She would have been a fair choice for the lifestyle he had chosen, though he had no real feelings for her. She was much younger than he and had never married. She was strong and willing, yet determined in a way that bordered stubbornness. Her father was a good man; well respected in the village so to win his daughter would win him favor throughout the valley.
He had gone to the forest to gather some fruits to present the old medicine man, Philip. He had decided to ask his permission to court Amri and thought a gift may allow him the chance. That's where he met her. He was gathering some berries when she entered the patch. He was stunned to silence by her presence, enamored by her beauty and grace.
"Have you no tongue, human?" she asked in a quiet yet forceful voice.
He opened his mouth yet failed to make a sound.
"You cannot speak? Very well; then I shall." She said moving closer to him. "My name is Bayla. I am the queen of this forest. I bid you to accompany me for a meal." She gestured her hand toward a path in the forest he had never taken.
Queen? Never in his life had he imagined there were people living in the forest let alone one so beautiful. He felt small in her presence as she was well over six feet and he was barely above five feet. Her delicate features were framed by long ebony hair and accented by deep blue irises. He felt his heart melt for her, all he had known paled compared to her. No longer could he even consider courting Amri, or anyone else for he had lost his heart to this mysterious woman who claimed to be a queen. He followed her along the path though it had proved to be a difficult task for his short legs. She moved as quickly and as gracefully as a gazelle. "Pardon me, my lady," he choked out through labored breaths.
She stopped suddenly and turned to face him. "Ah, you do speak, after all. I am glad of that."
"Yes, ma'am. I am sorry for before, I feel a bit overwhelmed. To what honor do I find myself in your good graces?"
"I will reveal all during the meal. Come now, it awaits us." She led him through the forest for nearly a full day's journey to the palace hidden in the trees. It stood in unison with nature in a way that could make it almost unnoticeable. It was grand and elegant as a palace should be, but also quaint and comfortable. She led him through the master hallways by huge portraits of elves. "These are our past rulers," she explained. She stopped at a portrait of a young male elf. His features bore a striking resemblance to her own. "This was my father. He died when I was but a child. I never really knew him though he left a great legacy. The crown was passed on to me at his death and I have been ruling this kingdom since. Come. There is much to see." She led him further down the hall to the east drawing room. There upon a small table lay fruits and vegetables of all colors, shapes and sizes. "Please be seated. We shall enjoy our meal here."
"Thank you, your majesty." He bowed respectfully to her and seated himself near the table.
She served him a little of everything and then served herself. As she nibbled on her food she seemed intrigued by his demeanor. He ate with consideration without ever taking his eyes off her. He could hardly believe she was real. He had never met anyone so fair in his life. His astonishment must have been rather plain upon his face as she took notice of it.
"You seem to fear me. Have a frightened you?" she queried.
"No, my lady. I am simply stunned. I have had no knowledge of your people before this day and I fear my heart may have been captured in your enchantment." She was truly a vision he had fallen in love with.
"I fear you have reached my heart as well." She gazed into his eyes and he could feel her presence within him. He had never experienced these feelings before, not even for Amri. Amri; he could scarcely recall what she looked like in view of Bayla.
They sat in the drawing room talking for hours as if they had known each other their entire lives. He felt completely at ease with her in spite of her royal standing and unusual beauty. She gave him a tour of the castle room by room, explaining each decoration, each trinket, each painting. She missed no detail in her descriptions. It was a bit more than the farmer had ever dreamed possible. He had fallen so deeply in love with her so quickly though he did not fear. She led him to library to meet her oldest and most trusted friend, the tutor. He had been her tutor most of her life. He had been her father's best friend and had promised him to take care of her.
"Dear friend," she began. "I wish you to meet someone." She took the farmer's hand and presented him to the old elf.
"It's an honor to meet you," said the farmer as bowed respectfully to him.
"Aye, human. I have heard much about you from our dear queen. She seems to be quite smitten with you." The old elf walked around the farmer as if to inspect him. He was far shorter than either elf, and rather plain looking in comparison. The old elf himself was strikingly handsome though he seemed older than even the farmer who was at least ten years older than Bayla. They were both over six feet in height and had long ebony hair, though unlike Bayla, the older elf had the most deep ebony eyes.
The words of the old elf had confused him. "I'm afraid, I do not understand. I only met your queen this day. How is it that you know of me?"
"I can answer that riddle," interrupted the queen. "I have known you for some time now. I have seen you in the forest and watched you in my dreams. I have been intrigued by you for many a year. I was afraid to make your acquaintance as you are human and I am elf. Such unions are rare among our people. You were about to court another, so I had to bring you here. I couldn't let you love another without at least meeting you."
"How did you know of her?"
"I am gifted in certain abilities that allow me knowledge that would be unknown to most. I apologize for my intrusion."
"No need to apologize. I am glad I have met you."
"I should lead you home, so that you may continue in your plans."
"I have no wish to leave. I only planned to court that woman simply because I needed a wife. I have no love for her in my heart."
"How can you wed a woman you do not love?"
"Until I met you, my lady, I did not believe I could love anyone. I only needed an heir. But I know now that I can love and shall spend the rest of my life in love with you." He took her hand in his and kissed it gently. "For that I shall be eternally grateful."
"Then the two you should wed," stated the old elf. He gathered the appropriate law book to perform the ceremony. There were no witnesses and the wedding remained a secret at the old one's insistence.
Humans and elves rarely intermarried at best and a royal had never married outside of the elfin race. He stayed in the castle with her for several days before the old elf had warned them of rumors beginning to spread. He strongly suggested the farmer return to the village where Bayla could visit.
Upon his return, he began building the cabin on the edge of forest near the berry patch where he had met his bride. He farmed the land to earn a living and provide what he could for her. She visited often the first few weeks and then moved in with him upon the cabin's completion. Their daughter, Lily arrived that first year. Things couldn't have gotten better for him.
He found himself staring down at a cornstalk, tears lining his cheeks. He missed Bayla so much. He could hardly bear the grief. He never forgave his attackers for robbing him of his precious young bride. The pain of her loss choked him every time he thought of her. Now his daughter had taken on her beauty and he feared losing her as well. "Oh, dear Bayla. What am I to do?" He could hold the tears no longer. He dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands and wept.