"Father," said the little girl, looking up at her father who stood next to her, holding her hand. "Who is coming to our house?"
The man smiled at the little girl whose eyes held curiosity. He went down to her level, crouching down as he continued to smiled at her. "It is one of our relatives. They are very important and have been very excited to see you." Explained her father.
"Me?" Asked the girl curiously.
Her father nodded. "Because you are our special daughter."
The girl flashed a bright smile on her face on hearing that. She giggled and wrapped her hands around her father's neck. The man gave her a peck on the cheek before carrying her on his arm. Mosley was indeed special daughter of her beloved parents, Jonathan and Ellen. She had been nothing but spoilt, especially by her father.
Both father and daughter were heading towards the town hall where carriages from different town halted. It was noon at Fairfield. Although it was the time of Winter, the sun shone so bright, turning the weather warm. Some people even left their coat home and took this opportunity to showcased their dresses and suits. That includes Mosley, who wore a beautiful red dress that had black ribbon around her small hips. The ribbon was tied and sat nicely on her lower back. Even though Mosley was only ten years old, she looked so attractive that turned the other girls her age envy.
One carriage approached the town hall of Fairfield. It halted right at the front of it. One passenger after another descended from the carriage. It was the last passenger who caught Jonathan's attention as he rushed towards the person and called, "Elliot!"
The man named Elliot turned to where the voice came from. A joyful laughed escaped from his mouth and he held both his arms open, ready to embrace Jonathan — his only cousin — whom he had not seen for years.
"Jonathan!" Both of the man embraced each other brotherly. They both expressed their joy in seeing each other openly. When Elliot's eyes fell onto the little girl on Jonathan's arm, he exclaimed, "You must be the little princess Jonathan has been telling me about! Look how wonderful you look!"
Mosley blushed and waved shyly at the man. "Hello, Sir."
Jonathan chuckled upon hearing Mosley calling his cousin 'Sir'. "You can call him uncle, Mosley. He is uncle Elliot."
"That's right. I'm your uncle. I still can't believe I have a niece." Remarked Elliot joyfully.
Jonathan who was happy to see Elliot, frowned upon realising that the man had no company. His eyes sought for another persons who might be still in the carriage. "Where is your family? Did they not come with you?"
"Oh," Elliot turned around to look at the other carriage who slowly approached them and then came to a halt. When the carriage's door opened, Elliot said, "They must be here."
He was right. A lady whose dress was dark blue stepped out of the carriage elegantly. Right behind her was a young boy who seemed to be a few years older than Mosley, followed her. When her blue eyes caught sight of Elliot and Jonathan, she smiled warmly at them and walked towards them.
"My dear wife." Announced Elliot. "And beloved son!" He was nothing but proud of his family.
Seeing Mosley clutching on Jonathan's neck, Elliot's wife reached out her hands to the little girl with warm smile on her face. "You must be Mosley. I have been very excited to meet you."
Mosley did not shy away from the woman. She leaned forward and fell onto the woman's arms, embracing the beautiful woman in front of her. "Thank you, Aunty." Mosley giggled. "What's your name?"
"I'm Louise." Answered the woman. She then put Mosley down on the ground and bent over as she gently grabbed her son on his shoulder. "And this is Bartholomew, my son."
The boy looked at the little girl in front of him. His brown eyes and extended his hand to her to shake like the way his father did when they met new people. Mosley looked at Bartholomew's hand and instead of shaking it, she surprised the boy by giving him a warm hug.
"Hello cousin." Mosley's mumbled.
Bartholomew was too surprised which made him react slowly to Mosley's gesture. So when he was about to return her hug, Mosley already pulled herself away from him. He felt guilty for it but when he saw Mosley grinned at him, the boy smiled back.
"Hello, Mosley."
The three adults who watched them let out a chuckle. Elliot patted Jonathan's shoulder lightly. "Looks like the children bonded already." He remarked.
Jonathan agreed to it. He then glanced at Louise. When their eyes met, he offered her his polite smile. "It's lovely to see you again, Louise. Ellen is ecstatic to meet you. She is preparing something delicious for all of us."
"I'm sure we will love whatever she prepares." Louise's eyes beamed with joy. "I have been feeling the same. It is always great to see our family. I treasure our kinship."
"Shall we start heading to the house then?" Jonathan waved his hand at two boys that stood in front of town hall. Upon his signal, the boys quickly grabbed the trunks that Elliot and his family had, carrying them with their hands. When the family began to walk, the boys following them closely behind.
Mosley and Bartholomew walked at the front with Louise between them, holding their hand; whereas the gentlemen walked behind them.
"So Mosley, tell me about your town." Louise was showing her excitement through her voice and her eyes, beaming with joy as she waited for the little girl to speak.
"Mother said that there used to be fairies living in this town." Started Mosley enthusiastically. "But I haven't seen one. But then Father said that they turned into butterfly during day time. But I don't know."
Hearing the girl's chattering, Bartholomew pulled up his lips to the side. He watched the girl, observing her face whose full of expression. He somehow found the girl to be funny.
"That's interesting." Commented Louise. "Have you seen the fairy butterfly so far?"
Mosley shook her head. "I was going to keep one butterfly. I caught them, Aunty. Father allowed me to keep it but Mother said to let it go." Mosley pursed her lips, remembering how her mother just dismissed her effort catching the butterfly. "Mother said they need to be freed."
"Well, Mosley. She is correct. Some things are meant to live free. We have to let them be free."
"But I could have been friends with the butterfly." Mosley mumbled.
"I can be your friend, instead." Exclaimed Bartholomew who caught Mosley by surprised.
"Really?" Asked Mosley, her eyes lit up with excitement.
The boy nodded, smiling at her before looking away.
Who knew that they both would not only become just friends, but something more.