She was beautiful.

The stories were real. Her long, Auburn locks of hair flailed in the wind. Her sweet laughter echoed through the woods like it was music for the ear that heard her and the trees that seemed to have been dancing to her voice.

Every step that she placed on the ground was as light as a feather. She looked one with the nature. The trees, the birds, the grass, leaves and the flowers.

Her skin glistened like gold in the sunlight. So dark that she looked like she was the precious bark of the tree itself. Her eyes reflected the pureness that shone through her. The abundance of the innocence and the little knowledge of the hardship of the world outside the woods. Must be so nice.

Her delicate body ran around the trees, playfully, mocking the little animals. Her lips were like rose buds before bloom. Her tender breasts free of shame and cowardice. She looked as if the earth herself had given birth to this being. Every where she stepped, flowers bloomed.

I was mesmerised by her, hypnotised, even. I slowly proceeded forward when I accidentally stepped on a twig and snapped it. The maiden stopped immediately. Alerted. She held the flower in her hand close to her bosom, scared, as she scanned her surroundings.

"Whose there?" she asked.

Defeated, I slowly revealed myself from behind the bushels. Hands raised to the air, meaning no harm to her.

"I come in peace." I said.

She swiftly shrank back, hiding behind the tree.

"Peace or not. You should not be here." She whispered and the wind carried her words to me and I heard her sweet voice clearly.

"Are you the maiden of the woods that people talk about?" I asked. Her brows furrowed as she looked at me calculating my every move.

"Are you the people of the outside that the animals talk about?"

I chuckled. "You are a talker."

"So are you."

"I was lost in the woods when I found my way here." I bent down to sit on the ground. The grass was fresh and damp. Inhaling the smell of the damp soil mixed into the air, I realized how much I missed these things back in the village. "Then I found you."

The maiden came out from her hiding and slowly walked toward me. Her walk was graceful too. She leaped over the little pond and landed right next to me, making me jump a little. I placed my hand on my chest to calm myself down as I smiled.

The maiden leaned over me, her face was inches away from mine. I leant away. She seemed to be...sniffing me? Yes. She was sniffing me. Her curious wide, clear eyes, the colour of the pond itself studied me. She then touched and played with my hair and I let her. I was no threat to her.

"Your hair is like the sun and smells like flowers." I couldn't help but smile at that comment. No one's ever said that to me before.

"Really?"

"Yes. I've never seen anyone with golden hair before. I've never seen anyone before." She touched my skin and tugged at my clothes.

"Your skin is so bright and your eyes like the sky." Blood ran to my face and I immediately turned aside hoping she hadn't seen me blush.

"Why do you wear these?" she asked, gesturing to my gown.

"To cover my body."

"Why would you want to cover your body?"

"To protect it from the cold and heat and the fact that you would be frowned upon if you don't cover it."

At that, her lips pouted into an "o". Her lips. Did I mention her lips? Her lips were small and round and smelled of Raspberries. She turned around on her heel and her thigh-long hair bounced around effortlessly. She skipped her footing back to the tree.

"I don't need coverings, I sleep with my little friends, Their fur keeps me warm." She petted a little rabbit and tapped a fox on it's nose.

Her smile was perfect. That little crooked tooth that stuck a little higher up than the others, added the innocence even in her smile and it was beautiful.

I sat a while longer. Watching her talk random things and swimming in the little pond was like I was watching a forest spirit itself. I felt comfortable with her and I hoped she would feel the same with me. She braided my hair with flowers and compelled me to swim with her.

The time passed and it was getting late.

"Its getting late. My family would me looking for me." I looked around, cancelling out ways I didn't want to go and choose one which would hopefully lead me back home. "Will you be here tomorrow?" I asked.

"I have nowhere else to go." She pointed a certain way. "This path will lead you out of the woods. And I'd love to have you here again." She played with a strand of her hair as she swayed from side to side.

"Then you shall see me again, my lady." I curtsied

"So shall I, you."