This is a small part from series I am writing. It's in the beginning stages. 

Eden  walked quietly along the river bank. The summer breeze rustled her hair and she felt the tingle of the breeze on her scalp. She loved the feeling of the wind blowing her hair into madness, but hated tying it back into a bun after the wind had increased the curls volume tenfold.  She swung her arms back and forth humming no song in particular. Her book was held in one hand and her black and white saddle shoes, with the socks stuffed in the toes, were held in her other hand. The grass tickled her feet and ankles. She walked past the last part of the fence marking town limits, and continued the short walk to Pine Lake. The green needles started to prickle her feet; she tip-toe-hopped until she reached the smooth grass once again. Eden came to her favorite spot, a broken tree bough fallen over the rivers bank. The bank across the river was filled with summer foliage and bright pops of color scattered across the forest floor: wild daisies, Queen Anne’s Lace, violets, and buttercups. She heard the croaking of frogs, and saw a fish jump in and out of the river. She dangled her feet in the water. All chores of the day left her mind reading. Eden’s only movements were turning the pages and brushing stray pieces of blowing hair back behind her ears. A twig cracked a few feet away, and she felt myself twitch. Her head spun around. Ciaran’s eyebrows were up and cringed smile. 

“Your startled me. I was so engrossed in my book.”

“I was trying to be so quiet.” His face scrunched slightly as he talked slow, teasing tone in his response.  
“What are you reading today?” Ciaran asked as he came to join her on the log, tossing his shoes onto the grass before he dipped in his feet into the clear water.

Eden kept her finger in the page until she found her bookmark, shoved in her skirt pocket. 

“The Travels of Raleigh Jacobs, Explorer of the Seas.”

“So not the book your mother recommended?”

Eden scoffed a laugh. “I barely skimmed it.” Rolling her eyes

“What was it again?” He asked grabbing her hand and weaving their fingers together. 

“Financial and Business Principles.” 

Ciaran raised his eyebrows, his head tilted down. “Really? Why would she make you read that?”
 
“I wondered the same thing. She knows I often help dad with managing the inn.”

Eden looked at her watch and let out a big groan. Half past four. It was her night to help cook and serve dinner. The inn had been abnormally busy lately. It was becoming increasingly unsafe to travel at night. Rumors grew of strange figures lurking in the woods. The gates were reinforced with metal, wood, and spells. The local mages created powerful charms to ward off spells and compositions. The gates closed sooner and opened later each day.  

“Walk back to the inn with me? I need to get back to town before the gate closes.”

“Yes.” They both lifted their feet out of the water. Eden wiggled her feet to get a little bit of water off, and shoved her feet into her shoes. She grunted after only getting them on until the tip of the toe. She grabbed the socks out of the toes and shoved them into her skirt pocket. Ciaran waited patiently for her. “Let me escort you m’lady,” he joked, bowing slightly and held out his hand.  Eden mock curtsied and took his hand. Walking back to the inn, Ciaran confessed he had asked the most powerful mage in the province to write a collection of protection compositions he could use to protect the town and especially his estate. 

Ciaran’s  family had been the first settlers of the area, many generations ago. The town grew and his family had stayed the leading rulers of the county. The Donahue Clan had sacrificed much to keep the people settled in their lands with enough protection and food. His generation had seen more  heartache that most before them. His father was having more nervous fits, waking up chanting for retreat. Lady Donahue had dark circles under her eyes each morning; more and more nights she tried calming him from his nightmares. 

”Will you sing with me tonight at the inn? Your parents asked me.”

“Can you get me out of serving duty?” Eden replied. Singing with Ciaran was always a highlight to the monotonous chores of the inn. Guests loved an acoustic duo and my parents even let me keep the tips guest gave for our songs. 

“I will beg and plead for your accompaniment.”
Eden  walked quietly along the river bank. The summer breeze rustled her hair and she felt the tingle of the breeze on her scalp. She loved the feeling of the wind blowing her hair into madness, but hated tying it back into a bun after the wind had increased the curls volume tenfold.  She swung her arms back and forth humming no song in particular. Her book was held in one hand and her black and white saddle shoes, with the socks stuffed in the toes, were held in her other hand. The grass tickled her feet and ankles. She walked past the last part of the fence marking town limits, and continued the short walk to Pine Lake. The green needles started to prickle her feet; she tip-toe-hopped until she reached the smooth grass once again. Eden came to her favorite spot, a broken tree bough fallen over the rivers bank. The bank across the river was filled with summer foliage and bright pops of color scattered across the forest floor: wild daisies, Lady Anne’s Lace, violets, and buttercups. She heard the croaking of frogs, and saw a fish jump in and out of the river. She dangled her feet in the water. All chores of the day left her mind reading. Eden’s only movements were turning the pages and brushing stray pieces of hair of hair blowing back behind her ears. A twig cracked a few feet away, and she felt myself twitch. Her head spun around. Ciaran’s eyebrows were up and cringed smile. 

“Your startled me. I was so engrossed in my book.”

“I was trying to be so quiet.” His face scrunched slightly as he talked slow, teasing tone in his response.  
“What are you reading today?” Ciaran asked as he came to join her on the log, tossing his shoes onto the grass before he dipped in his feet into the clear water.

Eden kept her finger in the page until she found her bookmark, shoved in her skirt pocket. 

“The Travels of Raleigh Jacobs, Explorer of the Seas.”

“So not the book your mother recommended?”

Eden scoffed a laugh. “I barely skimmed it.” Rolling her eyes

“What was it again?” He asked grabbing her hand and weaving their fingers together. 

“Financial and Business Principles.” 

Ciaran raised his eyebrows, his head tilted down. “Really? Why would she make you read that?”
 
“I wondered the same thing. She knows I often help dad with managing the inn.”

Eden looked at her watch and let out a big groan. Half past four. It was her night to help cook and serve dinner. The inn had been abnormally busy lately. It was becoming increasingly unsafe to travel at night. Rumors grew of strange figures lurking in the woods. The town Mayor had the gates reinforced and the local mages created powerful charms to ward off spells and compositions. The gates closed sooner and opened later each day.  
“Walk back to the inn with me? I need to get back to town before the gate closes.”

“Yes.” They both lifted their feet out of the water. Eden wiggled her feet to get a little bit of water off, and shoved her feet into her shoes. She grunted after only getting them on until the tip of the toe. She grabbed the socks out of the toes and shoved them into her skirt pocket. Ciaran waited patiently for her. “Let me escort you m’lady,” he joked, bowing slightly and held out his hand.  Eden mock curtsied and took his hand. Walking back to the inn, Ciaran confessed he had asked the most powerful mage in the province to write a collection of protection compositions he could use to protect the town and especially his estate. 

Ciaran’s  family had been the first settlers of the area, many generations ago. As the town grew, his family stayed the leading rulers of the county. The Donahue Clan had sacrificed much to keep the people settled in their lands with enough protection and food. His generation had seen more  heartache that most before them. His father was having more nervous fits, waking up chanting for retreat. Lady Donahue had dark circles under her eyes each morning; almost every night, she tried calming him from his nightmares. 

”Will you sing with me tonight at the inn? Your parents asked me.”

“Can you get me out of serving duty?” Eden replied. Singing with Ciaran was always a highlight to the monotonous chores of the inn. Guests loved an acoustic duo and Eden's parents even let me keep the tips guest gave for our songs. 

“I will beg and plead for your accompaniment.”