Ingfled mounted her horse and road home the previous eve. The sun was just setting over the horizon and dusk had made it's mark. Upon arriving at her farm she led Walnut her favored steed over to the stables. Stroking his mane she looked to the lighted window near the front door. Unfortunately she could hear their heated voices even from outside. The last thing she wanted to do was enter that house again. The farmer had loved her parents with unconditional love no matter how many times they faltered. Such was her love with friends and family alike; once someone was in her life they were there forever. Slowly she moved away from Walnut and over to the apple tree beyond the fields of wheat. Here were the shadows that would stalk her. She felt both loved and unloved, standing under the apple tree she saw the face of her brother. Hearing his echoing laughter remembering the time he had been teasing her. When she was but six years old with pigtails. Unable to reach him in the tree above. Such was the silliness of youth and childhood, the silliness that she would greatly miss.
Her hand reached up to try and grasp an apple, but her short stature had not reached the bounds of the high tree. Who knew that a simple thing like this could bring tears down her face. Ackerely would have lifted her up to the tree for fruit, now there was no one to lift her up like he did. Why couldn't he have just stayed at the farm? Her parents grievances could still be heard through the rooftops. The tears ran down rapidly until exhaustion overtook her and she fell asleep beneath the apple tree. In which she could have sworn she felt a hand on her shoulder...
