"What in the worlds is that for?" she asked the old woman.

Maggie just smiled  before explaining . Gwen just stared at it, unsure as to what good an old wood box was going to do for her  love life.

"Inside this box is my dagger I've had for years, I need it sharpened by your young blacksmith. Here are a few coins of silver for payment." Maggie told her, showing her a wicked little grin.

"How will I show him I'm interested with this?" Gwen asked, confused at first.

"The dagger is nothing more than an excuse to go see him then a day or so after he sharpens it for you, bring him fresh baked bread to show your appreciation for his quality work." Maggie explained to Gwen.

The girl was new to the affairs of the heart. She was barely sixteen years old.

"Oh, that is really good. Thank you." Gwen replied to Maggie.

Gwen headed back through the forest, wondering if the plan would work. She hoped so, she was not in love with him, but she could be happy with the fellow. He had talked to her more than a few times. They had never been alone together on a picnic or anything, but she was confident that things would work out. She could picture him in her mind now. He was built like a steel horse. His dark hair, thick and wavy. His chestnut brown eyes a girl could get lost in.

 She often thought of him when she went for her nature walks, or passed by his father's store. So  lost in her own thoughts she didn't realize she had made it all the way through the woods. In fact she was almost home by the time she had stopped day dreaming about the blacksmith's son. Gwen  had a great day, enjoyed seeing Maggie as well as a potion to calm her mother down a little. She had a plan to see Edwyn. She hoped he returned these feelings for her.  The day after next she would find out.  She just hoped he would not reject her.  Then she heard her father yelling for her on the edge of their family's land. She ran to meet him. He hugged her.

"Did you have a good day?" He asked his only daughter.

"Yes I would say I did father." Gwen replied politely.

 Angus Mc Heady smiled as he walked with his daughter. He knew she was starting to grow up a little too fast for him. Soon she would find a man for her and be married off starting her own family. He knew if he were lucky he would have her under his roof another summer maybe two. He often met her outside before supper it was their thing. He had done so ever since she could go out and play on her own as a small child. The two of them walked into the cozy cottage on top of the hill. Her mother Sofia was in the kitchen

 The only two places she could be the kitchen or the garden. Sofia was busy tending to that evening supper when her husband and daughter came in for the night. Gwen quickly headed down the hall to her bedroom. She wanted to hide the wooden box under her bed. Then she quickly put the potion to work before hiding it in her dresser. It was a rather nice quiet dinner with her parents. Gwen was preoccupied with thoughts of Edwyn. She wanted to get to her room get some light reading in before bed. 

Gwen woke early the next morning and got a jump on the daily chores. She was the first one out of bed. She was awake for a good hour before she heard her mother getting up. Sofia saw her daughter dusting and organizing things. Sofia was glad to see her helping out with the housework.

"Why are you up at this hour of the day?" Sofia asked her curiously.

"I woke up early and I wanted to help that is all." Replied Gwen hoping it would please her mother.

"Does this have anything to do with the old bat out in the woods?" Sofia asked staring at her daughter. Gwen immediately froze in place. She did not know what to say to that.

"If this is what the old woman is teaching you then I do not mind that you see her so long as you don't ignore your chores." Sofia reminded her.

"Thank you mother, I do enjoy seeing her." Gwen answered grateful that she did not mind the visits.

"Now that is all settled is there anything else going on with you dear?" Sofia asked unable to tell for sure but something seemed different with her, but she did not know what.

"Not really mother." Gwen replied.

  Sofia nodded. She then headed to the kitchen to get her day started.

 Gwen noticed that her mother was not leaping for joy but she was in a much better mood than the last few mornings. It was an improvement. Later on that morning Gwen had helped with breakfast and did all of her chores she was in her bedroom. It was only Friday morning but she was trying to decide what to wear on Saturday when she would take the dagger in for him to sharpen. She was more than just excited to go see him tomorrow. She was also nervous and anxious at the same time. She did not want to wear anything that would scare him off, yet she wanted to look nice when she went to see him.

Then suddenly there was a knock at the door. She heard her mother answer it. She listened to see if she could tell who it was. Once it registered to her who was visiting, Gwen leaped from her bed where she was sitting to run to the door. She had almost landed into her dresser on her way to the front door. It was indeed her long time best friend. Gwen smiled brightly with wide eyes. She was surprised to see her closest friend at the door.

"Emily, good to see you." Gwen exclaimed with excitement.

"Gwen, good I was really hoping you would be home today." Emily replied to her friend.

"Is anything wrong?" Gwen asked worried that perhaps the visit was to bring about unpleasant news.

"No, it's nothing like that, I have some good news. I can hardly believe it." Emily admitted to her.

"Well come on with it, what is it?" Gwen asked her close friend.

"Alright here it is. James has asked for me to marry him. He is right now talking to father about it." Emily spoke as if she had been holding her breath.

 Gwen shrieked and then instantly hugged her friend to wish her congratulations on the wonderful happy news. She was glad for Emily James was a very nice fellow; Gwen had never heard a harsh word about him. She was very glad for her friend. She could tell that Emily was happy, she was glowing from it. Sofia was glad to hear it as well. She went into the pantry and got out a bottle of homemade wine to celebrate. Sofia quickly ran back into the kitchen with the two girls.

"Mom," Gwen groaned, a little shocked by her mother. Sofia simply smiled at her daughter and Emily. She then grabbed three cups and began to pour the liquid. Emily looked very surprised by this turn of events. Gwen was still a little shocked. Sofia looked at the two of them and sighed.

"The girls going to be married, it is a cause for celebration." Sofia explained to the young girls. Sofia then made a toast. "To Emily and James!" The three of them sat in the small kitchen drinking wine and laughing.

 They were having a lot of fun talking about all of the upcoming wedding plans. Emily had told Gwen she wanted her to be the maid of honor, Gwen of course accepted over the second cup of wine. Sofia left for a moment to get another bottle of wine. Sofia was enjoying this little get together with her daughter and her daughter's friend.

She was very happy for Emily. She was a good girl and deserved a good man, like James. She had met the boy a few times he really seemed sweet, and you could tell that he loved her. Sofia smiled and then returned with the wine bottle. She enjoyed this. Sofia did not have a lot of company, usually her daughter's friends or occasionally someone who'd gotten lost in the backwoods, a few miles behind their small cottage on the hill.Emily and Gwen met years ago when they were very little. The two had been friends ever since then. Sofia was fond of Emily, who was a good friend to her daughter.

Not one of them was paying attention after Sofia returned and as they were having another cup of the wine, the front door swung open and Angus burst through the door and glared at the three of them. Even Sofia felt as if she were going to be in trouble with this one. She took a deep breath and calmly waited for him to say something. Gwen was flat out scared to death. She froze instantly. She looked over at Emily who pretty much had the same reaction.

"Sofia why are you getting these children drunk?" Emily and Gwen began to laugh hysterically. Sofia took a deep breath, and she then explained herself . Just before she began to speak Gwen jumped out of her seat and then spoke to her father calmly.

"It is to celebrate father, honestly.

"What are we celebrating, then?" Angus asked his daughter.

"Mr. MC.Heady sir it is my celebration." Emily stood up to help defend her friend.

"Sir you see , James has asked to marry me." Emily then showed him her engagement ring. She hoped it would help.

"If that be the case then pour me a drink too." Angus replied and sat down with them. He smiled  and then told Emily congratulations.

After he toasted his daughter's best friend who was more like an adopted child , he looked at Emily for just a moment.

Angus then turned to her. "Emily we are truly happy for you dear. Does your family know of it yet?"

"Yes sir I came here when James went to talk to father." Emily responded to his logical question.

                  Angus nodded to her and drank from his cup. H e did notice that his wife seemed to be in a much better mood than normal. He immediately stopped questioning it. When a good thing happened to him, Angus knew to never ever question it. She wasn't snarling at him like a wild animal so that set over just fine. He then stood up thinking about the best thing he could say to Emily. She was a good girl, never got into any real trouble, neither did Gwen...

"Well then, "Angus began "To love happiness and all of the fun you could have together." He spoke and all three women smiled at Angus. He poured more wine for each of them and as soon as Emily had a bit too much she began talking and giggling. Then she turned to Gwen and smiled at her best friend.

"So have you told Edwin you like him yet?" Emily asked her. Gwen turned beet red when she heard Emily ask her in front of her mother and father. Sofia took a large gulp of her wine then gently set the cup down, before looking square in the face.

"Do you like this boy Edwin?" her mother calmly asked her, trying to be sensitive to her feelings.

Gwen for a moment was struck dumbfounded. She knew she had to say something, but for the life of her did not know what to say to her mother. She thought a moment longer before coming up with a response. "Well mother, I do think of him more often than anyone else, and he is nice." She paused a moment.

"Do you mean to tell me that you have a thing for the blacksmith's son?" Angus Mc Heady asked his daughter. He then calmly waited for her to say something. Gwen slowly took deep breath, Emily just stared in disbelief. She didn't mean to cause Gwen an issue with her parents. She felt just awful for it. 

"He is a little shy, but he talks to me. I would have to say yes I like him." Gwen replied.

"I know his father I could arrange something" Angus offered to her.

"Thank you pa but  I think he is  too shy for that." Gwen replied in a seen as not to offend her father's generosity.

"Have you told the lad how you feel about him?" 

"No papa I haven't I am afraid to." Gwen admitted .

/Brx