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Berenger is on his weekly hunting session, this time alone, when he decides to take a different path in his search for wild animals. Hunting isn't his favourite activity, it's an excuse to take a walk in the forest so he doesn't care if he catches anything.
The path he chose can barely be seen, meaning that not many people pass through here. He forest is wide and dark is some parts, so this observation doesn't disturb Berenger. The trail passes through tall and thick trees, but the young man could see a glade at the end of the road. In the middle of the glade, there were a towering willow and a river with clear water, like a crystal. The place looked so peaceful, Berenger wished he could stay there forever. While admiring the scenery, the man caught a glimpse of movement around the tree. He slowly approached the willow. In the tree, Berenger observed that a young man, with long hair that had the colour of fire and and eyes as green as the leaves and grass. He wore a short green dress, with vines that were entwined around his arms and legs. He was watching Berenger with curiousity from one of the willow branches.
'Hello, traveler!' said the young man. That snapped Berenger back to reality. He didn't realise he was staring.
'Hello, sir! I apologise for my sudden visit.' replied the hunter. He realised that the young man in front of him was one of the nymphs that roam around this forest. Most of them didn't like being disturbed, so he slowly turned to leave.
'You're leaving so fast? I thought I'd get to know a human better this time and such a handsome one.' the nymph made a sad face that was replaced fast by a smirk.
'I thought I was disturbing. I didn't know a nymph was living so close to humans'
'I find humans fascinating and sometimes more likable than other nymphs. Why don't just sit by my tree and rest a little? Hunting can be exhausting.'
Berenger forgot about the bow and sword he was carrying. And the nymph was right, he felt tired, so he accepted his offer and sat by the willow, in its cool shadow.
'So tell me your name, human. I must know who comes into my land'
'My name Berenger, sir'
'Your name suits you. And you don't need to use any formalities. Are you afraid of angering the nature spirits?'
'No. I just respect them'
'You are one of the few that does. Oh, but how ride of me to not present myself. My name is Ancel and I'm the nymph of this sacred willow'
'It is a pleasure to meet you. You do have a beautiful place here'
'Why thank you! I made it like this, although, sometimes I wish I could see other parts of the world. I cannot leave far from this tree even if I wanted to'
'That's unfortunate. But how come some nymphs can travel and others can't?'
'That is how they are born. Some can travel, some cannot. The soul of those are stuck in one place take form of a plant. A willow, in my case. If this tree dies, I die too'
'This is such a cruel fate.'
'It is, but there's nothing we can change about it. That is why I'm grateful for every animal or human that travels through here, but there aren't a lot that do. There's nothing but forest beyond this point so no one needs to come here'
'I can come here every week. I don't actually hunt, I just walk around the forest. This would be a great place to stay, along a very handsom nymph' Berenger said, but regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. He admitted out loud what he has been thinking the whole time and he didn't know how Ancel would react. Spirits have changing personalities. He feared the nymph might throw him away using one of the willow's branches. Instead, Ancel smiled.
'Oh, so this is how you feel about me? Hahaha! I'm glad to know this'
His laugh is just as beautiful as him, thought Berenger, as he admired the nymph.
Behind the forest, the man observed the sun that was slowly descending. He had to leave or he will soon get lost in the darkness of the forest.
'I'm sorry, but I must leave now. I promise I will return next week. I will be here earlier then'
'Oh... Goodbye then!' Ancel said with a sad smile.
*
The following week barely passed. Berenger felt that he had more work than the last week, but fortunately, he managed to finish it all and leave for the forest.
While following the path he took last week, the man suddenly stopped and wondered why did he wanted to see Ancel so much. Of course, it was rare to see and even be able to talk to one for so long, but he felt that this was not the reason. He did not intended to study or observe the nymph like a researcher would do, but he wanted to admire him like a beautiful creation of nature. Berenger shook off these thoughts and continued walking.
At his destination, the man saw Ancel climbed in the willow like he was last week, singing a song in the language of the nymphs. His voice was not like anything he ever heard before. It could hardly be described as beautiful, for it was more than that, it was mesmerising.
At first, the nymph didn't see him because he didn't move from his place, but he stopped when he did. Ancel looked like he didn't expected to be heard singing, but still, he smiled at new friend.
'Did you like?' the nymph asked
It took Berenger a few moments to respond.
'Yes. I love it'
'I'm happy to hear that. No one has ever actually heard me singing before'
'Everyone should hear you. Your singing is hypnotising!'
'That is the reason I never sing around people. Nymph's singing voice is similar to the one's of a siren, except we don't drown people'
'Oh, that makes sense. What were you singing about?'
'Just an old song I learned from my mother, nothing important' Ancel said, as he looked away, smiling
Little did Berenger know, it was a love song and this was the first time Ancel sang it while having a person in mind to which he dedicated the song and that person was his new human friend. The nymph surprised himself with this. He never thought he would think of someone, especially a human, while thinking about love.
'Tell me about your week' Ancel said after a while
'It was full of work. There was nothing worth telling' replied Berenger with an annoyed face.
'And when I thought that I could see how the life of a human is, you came and crushed my dreams' said the nymph, faking a sad face. Both him and the human laugh at his acting.
'I'm sorry. I must pay attention to what happens around me so I got something worth saying next week'
'Well, if you don't have anything to say about this week, you can tell me stories from your whole life. Those should be interesting'
'You overestimate my life, but I suppose I could tell you some stories'