starter: @miss-janesheffield
thirteen-year-old harry aldwyn – his heart, fervent, beating fiercely in his chest – was in love. he had realised it this very morning. suddenly the writings of lovestruck poets from aeons before him made sense, and it was as if nothing in the world mattered but this. he had to tell her. but this was no ordinary revelation… no, this was his and jane’s first encounter with the l-word, and so he wanted his proclamation of emotion to be just as special as she was to him. he had spent the early hours of morning planning it – what he would do, how he would say it – and, at six-o’clock in the morning, just as the sun began its ascent in the sky, snuck out of home on horseback.
july air like a blanket enveloped him in its warm embrace as he and butterscotch galloped through field and forest underneath the florid orange sky, to where the sheffields were residing some miles away. somehow, the journey seemed simultaneously too short and too long, and soon, harry, with his windswept hair and giddy, sweet smile, arrived at his destination. out of fear of her father or brothers finding him, he trotted to the side of the house, underneath what he knew to be jane’s window. “shh,” he told butterscotch as he hopped off her.
now, the boy had forgotten to think this part exactly through. how was he to get her attention? he looked around for inspiration. he could shout for her? no, that was stupid; his calls would surely be heard by unwanted ears, and her father hated him enough without knowing that he was trying to meet his daughter unchaperoned at daybreak. there was a woven basket some feet away – he could turn that upside down and use it to climb to her balcony? no, that wouldn’t work. it was far too high up. was there anything else he could stand on? butterscotch’s back, perhaps? he turned to look at her. she, too, looked at him, as if she could sense what he was thinking, and narrowed her eyes. he guessed that was out of the picture. and then harry’s eyes landed upon a tree, some feet away. it was near enough to her window that he may be able to elicit her attention by throwing a pebble, or some such small object, without accidentally smashing the glass and ruining the whole dastardly plan. so he climbed, years spent outdoors messing around, playing amongst the treetops finally advantageous. his mother would be so pleased to know that it had not been simply a waste of time. once he reached a branch parallel to her window, harry reached into his pocket for some small, smooth stones he had collected, and chucked one gently at her window. and another one for good measure. and another. clink, clink, clink. surely she must’ve awoken by now.
when jane came to her window, his heart sped up further (if that was possible), and he grinned, motioning for her to meet him outside, climbing back down to wait beside butterscotch. “you look radiant,” he said by ways of greeting, blood pounding in his ears. “i thought perhaps you might like to go for a ride?”
a young jane sheffield awoke in her slumber, to the annoyance sound of tapping at her window. now surely it was far too early for church services and her studies. maybe it was a sudden rain shower. she turned in her bed too look out the window and the shadow figure of a man on her tree. she startly stood up from her bed, and covered herself with a blanket. she grabbed a newby fire stick from her fireplace, rose it and walked slowly toward the window. only to see the shadow of the man was of henry aldwyn. she made a big sigh as she put the stick down, shaking her head and laughing. harry had motioned her to meet him outside, just before going back down the tree like some type of prince. the smile grew wide as she ran to her wardrobe to choose something more appropriate to meet him, rather than her nightgown. after changing she grabbed a coat as well, before running down the stairs, quietly of course so she wouldn’t make anyone else arise.
eventually jane made her way outside, where harry was standing next to his horse, causing her to laugh. “you look quite mad.” she laughed, before walking up to butterscotch, petting the steed like she always did. “i would love that.” she smiled up at the boy who always made her smile. “but you musn’t give me a fright in the early hours anymore. i could poke your eye out.” and soon henry was back on the horse. “we must hurry, before the gardener sees us.” she shushed as she was pulled up on the horse as well. her legs hung from either sides as her arms were wrapped around harry’s waiste for security. jane’s heart was beating so hard, so fast, she was afraid he might hear it. the warmth from his back soaked into her, and her cheeks turned bright red. as this was all she ever wanted. all the fears of her father and brothers completely left her mind. she felt all the more safe in his presence. she leaned her lips to his ear and whispered, “take me to the stars, henry aldwyn.”
