Author's Notes: This is an idea that I've had for many years. This is not the official first chapter that is already complete and ready to publish. However, I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in this story. I hope you all enjoy it!
{One: Dreams}
The faint breath of a new Spring morning whispered in her ear. Her long, copper curls danced around her porcelain skin. She took a deep breath in, enjoying the smell of honey suckle and of rain on the horizon.
"Asteria!"
Her mother's voice brought her out of her day dream and back to reality.
"Sorry, mother!" she chuckled. Her mother was still knelt beside her, a basket half filled with vegetables on her arm.
"That's plenty of daydreaming, darling," she laughed.
"We need to finish gathering the tomatoes before the rain comes."
Asteria grabbed the last few ripe tomatoes from the garden and gently placed them in the basket. Her mother stood up and offered her hand to Asteria. Happily taking it, they linked arms and walked back into their little cottage, preparing to wash everything they had picked from the garden. Without realizing, Asteria had pushed the door a little too hard, and with a slam she woke.
For a moment, her sleepy mind didn't realize where she was. After adjusting her eyes to the darkness of a room only lit by moonlight did she remember that her dream was only a far away memory. The reality hit her, and her heart sunk once again, as she looked around the large room. The wooden, hand carved vanity, the pillows covered in lace and lined with golden fringe, nor the long, purple velvet curtains were hers. No, these things belonged to her Aunt Mary-Beth. This place never was familiar to Asteria. She'd only visited a few times as a young girl, and most of them were spent talking with the gardener.
She looked to the bedside table and glanced at her father's old, silver pocket watch. It was scuffed and scratched in places, and no longer told the time, but she liked to carry it with her as a lucky charm. She walked to the open window and looked up at the moon. Her window only overlooked a small portion of Aunt Mary-Beth's land. There were only flowers close to the mansion. Aunt Mary-Beth didn't care for large gardens. Asteria remembered always wanting a special garden that she could hide and play in as a child. The only other thing she liked to do was read beneath the old willow that grew far down in the plain, grassy field. Lucky for her that Aunt Mary-Beth had an extensive library not far from her room.
She let out a sigh and got back into bed. She laid there for a while before dozing off, thinking about how amazing her special garden would be, had it been real. She dreamt of a garden so elegant and peaceful that only she could find. A garden hidden amongst a forest. She dreamt of the most beautiful tulips, roses, daisies and lilies all along the treeline where the forest open. The trees above created a canopy that made it feel like a secret garden room. In the middle would be a single willow tree, and beneath it, a stone bench to sit and read her favorite books. There would be a creek that flowed through to a small pond the base of the willow and a cobblestone pathway to the bench. She could hear the delicate splashes of the water over the stones, and smell the beautiful flowers that surrounded her. Lastly, for some reason, she always dreamt of a grand piano in the garden. She didn't know how to play, but she always wanted to learn. She thought the flowers would enjoy the music, too. She often imagined herself with her bare feet in the water, in the company of butterflies and birds. She loved that place. That place that felt like home as equally as home felt. She never felt more at peace...
But she had to
Wake
up.