On the walk back, you felt anxious. You were worried about going back to the village with Jameson there, but you also wanted to ask your father things that you’d never asked him before. Telling Albian about your birth father’s disappearance had dredged up old memories, and with it, more than a decade of questions that had been left unspoken. 

“Daddy,” You said, breaking the silence. He looked at you in surprise: you only called him that when you were sick or scared. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Sure, pumpkin, anything,” He replied without hesitation. 

“About… what happened with my birth father,” You said. 

He stopped in his tracks and gaped at you. You’d never once shown any interest in that subject in all the time since it happened, so it must have been shocking to him for you to ask this out of the blue.

“I can’t tell you where he is,” Your father said sternly. “And it’s best if you don’t ask.” 

“Not that,” You said. “I understand I can’t know about that. I just wanted to ask… how did you and Mama meet?” 

His face softened and he sighed, a slight smile creasing his face. “Ah… well…” He rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. “I was a traveling salesman back in the day, before I owned the store, and your mother was the daughter of an elder in town. She…” He paused and looked into the distance, seeing something you couldn’t see. “Beautiful is a word that feels insufficient to describe her. She was more than that. She was like moonlight, glowing and brilliant. Her eyes danced like stars when she laughed. She bounced around as if made of feathers. She was funny and vivacious, and she was shy when she was with me. She was a vision that I could only have dreamt of, but by some miracle, I earned her affection. I was elated that she loved me in return.”

You smiled at his fond recollection. “I never knew you felt that way about her.”  

He nodded, his smile wide. “I still feel that way, even now. It was love at first sight. I vowed to go out and make my fortune and when I did, I’d come back to woo her properly. When returned, though…” His smile faded and a frown creased his brow. “She had been wed to someone else. She was married against her will by her parents. They didn’t like me or our relationship and wanted her to marry someone from a good family in the town. They chose your birth father, and though your mother initially refused, she was coerced into the marriage by her parents, who told her that she was just a passing fancy to me and that I’d never return for her, and eventually she agreed.” He grimaced. “I had been gone for more than two years by then, so it’s no wonder she believed I had abandoned her. 

“When I returned for her…” His face hardened. “She wasn’t the same girl I had left behind. She was… it was as if that glowing light in her had been shadowed by clouds. She moved as if a heavy weight lay on her shoulders. I couldn’t see the starlight in her eyes because they were always downcast and sad. I felt hatred for her husband, who eclipsed and tethered her, and hatred for myself for not taking her with me. I set up the shop so I could watch her and wait for the moment when she would need me.” 

“Did Mama have an affair with you?” You asked. “I’d understand if so.” 

“No, not as such,” He said. “Though I made an attempt. I still loved her, and she loved me, but she felt low and heartsick, believing she had betrayed me. She didn’t listen when I insisted that it wasn’t her fault; she’d never have let herself be happy with me. I begged and begged her to run away with me and leave that man far behind, but by then, her parents had died and you had been born, and she was scared of what he would do to you both if she ran away with you. I told her I knew of so many hiding places and that we could find a place where he’d never reach us and I would raise you as my own flesh and blood, but she was terrified and told me not to help her. She was afraid that he would kill me if he found out and said to leave her be. So I kept my distance, as she asked. But… when I saved you on the cliff that day… when I saw you sick and scared and ready to die, I couldn’t wait anymore. I couldn’t sit back and let that terrible son of a bitch destroy what I loved. So I acted… and I don’t regret it.” 

You didn’t ask him what he meant. “Why did you adopt me? I was the daughter of the man you hated.” 

He shook his head. “No. You were the daughter of the woman I loved. I loved every part of her, and that included you. I knew the moment I saw you that I could never hate you. As far as I was concerned, you were always meant to be mine, so adopting you was a natural part of the process. It wasn’t even a question. You were my little girl from the moment you were born. Nothing changes that.” 

You felt a little teary-eyed and tried to smile. “Thank you, Daddy. For loving me.” 

He stepped forward and pulled you into a hug. 

“There’s nothing to thank me for, sweetheart,” He said. “That’s just what fathers do.” 

The two of you returned to the village arm in arm, and your mother was waiting for the two of you on the porch. You and your father made a silent agreement not to bring up the discussion you had in the forest. There was no reason to upset your mother with a past that she didn’t wish to revisit. Viewing it through the lens of your mother’s trauma, you suddenly had a clearer understanding of why Albian kept his past so tightly shielded and made the decision to stop pushing him about it. 

Albian made the trek to the village the next day. He was by himself, which surprised you, seeing as he was still distrustful of humans. He made his way to town hall and spoke to the elders about taking up a teaching position. Afterward, he came to find you.

“It took some convincing,” He said as the two of you took a walk around the boundary of the village. “But eventually they agreed that I could start teaching basic reading and writing and maths to the children starting next week. They’ll even pay me a wage. I’ll need to stay in town, since it takes the better part of two hours to make it to town from the farm and two hours back, so it would be counterproductive to commute four hours each day.”

“Are you going to stay in town, then?” You asked, surprised. 

“Yes,” He replied, tilting his head. “Why?” 

“Oh… I just… I’m happy I’ll get to see you so much,” You said, looking away and smiling. 

He chuckled. “I am, too.”

“Will you be alright? Living among strangers, I mean?” 

“I will admit, I am nervous to stay in a new place with new people. The farm took getting used to, but it was easy to acclimate since it’s so comfortable there and I was among creatures like me. I can’t imagine the schoolhouse will be comfortable with these,” He motioned at his four legs. “But I’ll manage. It may not be all that bad. I’ve always dreamed of a job like this, so I can put up with quite a lot for it.” 

“Let’s go look and see,” You suggested. “Maybe we can make it homey for you.” 

You went to the, at this point, abandoned schoolhouse and took a look around. It had been in use forty years ago, but saw little use beyond storage these days. Inside, you saw a relatively big, empty room with a chalkboard at one end, a small desk in front, and nothing else. There was a loft upstairs, but it was clear Albian wouldn’t be able to make it up there. You climbed the ladder and looked, finding some bedding and blankets that had gathered dust over time. Gathering them up, you hefted them down and gave them to Albian to set aside for washing, hoping to set up a sleeping space for him near the chalkboard. 

“No chalk,” He said as he looked about. 

“Oh, we’ve got some at the store,” You said. “I’ll get it for you. Consider it a pay advance.” 

He laughed. “How kind. Thank you.” 

“When I get back, we should go door to door to introduce you and notify the families that the school will be taking in students soon.”

He gulped apprehensively, but nodded. “Alright.”

“Be right back,” You said, and dashed out of the door.

You began the walk to the store, and halfway there, you felt someone walking behind you. Thinking Albian had followed, you turned with a smile, only to be met with Jameson.

“Jameson,” You said, your smile fading. “What are you doing here?” 

He spread his arms. “I live here?” He said. “Am I supposed to leave town because you turned me down?” 

“That’s not what I meant,” You said in exasperation. “Why are you following me?” 

“I’m not following you,” He replied. “I’m walking. You just happened to be going the same way as me and you just happened to be in front of me. You’re paranoid.” 

“Ugh, whatever,” You said, spinning and starting to walk again, only more quickly this time. 

The two of you walked for some time in silence, with him keeping behind you. His legs were longer and he could outpace you, so you couldn’t fathom why he had chosen to stay behind you, other than to annoy you.

“Why did you say no?” He asked. 

You were dreading this. “Because I don’t see you that way, Jameson, I never did. I told you that.” 

“That’s bullshit. You never told me anything like that.” 

“Yes, I did!” You said, stopping to spin around again. “I told you that constantly! I told you you’re a friend and nothing more! I told you I didn’t want to marry you! I told you so many times right to your face!” 

“No, you didn’t,” He insisted. “I don’t remember anything of the sort. Besides, if you didn’t want to marry me, why were you so nice to me? Why did you let me give you hugs and flowers and presents, huh? You didn’t seem all that bothered when I was giving you things, so what’s the problem with me wanting to marry you now? Why would you waste my time like that? Explain that!” 

“I was being nice because I thought of you as a friend! Aren’t you nice to your friends?” 

“I don’t flirt with my friends,” He said blackly.  

“I never flirted with you!” You yelled in exasperation. “I was never anything more than nice! It’s not my fault you misunderstood!” 

His face hardened and his jaw worked. His fists balled up at his side, but he didn’t raise them this time. 

“It’s that centaur, isn’t it?” He said venomously. “You got one look at that pretty boy and now suddenly I’m not good enough, isn’t that right?” 

“Albian’s got nothing to do with this–” 

“Don’t lie to me!” Jameson shouted, advancing. “And don’t you say that bastard’s name! He stole you from me! He’s nothing but a a common fucking thief!”

“I’m not an object, Jameson!” You retorted. “I’m not something that can be stolen! That’s why I said no, because you don’t see me as a person! You see me as a prize. I don’t want to live as your prize, I want to live like a person, and you won’t allow that. That’s why.”

“You’re a fucking liar,” He said, spitting at your feet and turning around, stalking off. “Don’t go thinking I’ll take this lying down. You don’t get to humiliate me like this and not get paid back. That prissy centaur and your fake father aren’t going to stop me either.” And then he disappeared into the brush.

So much for that apology. Shaken, you ran to the shop and hurried inside. 

“Whoa, what’s wrong?” Your mother said as you crashed through the door. 

“It’s Jameson,” You said, looking out of the window. “He just threatened me.” 

“What?” Your father said, standing from his stool. “Where is he?” 

“I don’t know, he walked off,” You said, taking his place on the stool and shaking. 

“Should she go back to the farm?” Your mother asked your father anxiously. 

“I can’t live there out of fear of Jameson,” You replied stubbornly. “I won’t let him chase me out of town. Besides, Albian is moving here to teach and he’s nervous around so many strangers. I need to be here to help him adjust.” 

“Then I don’t want you going anywhere alone,” Your father said. “Worry about Albian another time. Let me and your mother walk with you, no matter where you go. If not us, Meeka and Molly can accompany you. Or even Albian. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” 

You sighed in frustration. “I hate this.”

“I know,” Your father said, pulling you into a one-armed hug. “But I don’t trust that boy not to cause you harm.” He dropped his voice to whisper in your ear. “Remember what we talked about yesterday?” 

You nodded. 

“I’ll take care of it if it goes too far,” He told you in an undertone. “And I’ll deal with the aftermath however is necessary. But I need you to stay as safe as you can be. Promise?” 

You weren’t happy with the offer to “take care of it” or to agree to the compromise, but said, “Yes, Papa, I promise.” 

Your father escorted you to the schoolhouse and explained the situation to Albian. Albian was concerned and angry about the threat, and swore to never let you walk on your own. You despised the need to be escorted like a child, but begrudgingly understood the necessity. Satisfied that you were with someone trustworthy, your father left you to help Albian fix up the schoolhouse. 

“Are you alright?” Albian asked once your father left.

“No,” You said bluntly. “He threatened me. He told me he’d pay me back, and who knows what that means. Who is this person? I really don’t know him like I thought I did. Do I really know anyone?” 

“You shouldn’t beat yourself up,” He said. “It’s easy to see him as the little boy you knew growing up, but he’s not that kid from your childhood anymore. He grew up into something else that, like your father said, wore a mask to deceive you. You couldn’t possibly have known what kind of person he became until he showed you.”

“That’s true for anyone, though, isn’t it?” You said, feeling lost. “I’ve known everyone in this town since I was born. Are they all wearing masks? Are they all different people underneath? Will I ever know for sure?” 

“I’m afraid not,” He said in commiseration. “Bad people are often good at pretending to be decent people, and it’s only when you’re vulnerable that they show you their real selves.”

“I suppose I’m not good at seeing a person’s true character. My birth father was so outwardly terrible that he never needed to wear a mask, so I never learned what to look for.” 

“I learned the hard way,” He said, looking at you furtively before glancing away. “When… Before…” He cleared his throat and started again. “When I was on my own for the first time, I trusted the wrong people because I didn’t know any better. Several times. It took nearly dying and being sold off for me to start distrusting people from the outset, especially ones who offered to help me.” 

“Explains why you were so aloof when we first met,” You mused. “I’m sorry that was even a lesson you needed to learn, and I’m sorry for pushing you to talk about your past so much. I hope… that you feel some trust for me, even though we’ve only known each other for a short time.” 

“I do,” He said, smiling slightly. “You’ve had plenty of chances to betray me and you’ve yet to do so. Moreover, I’m a pretty good judge of character now, and I’ve always seen you as a genuine person. I hope that you also have some degree of trust for me, despite my being so reluctant to share myself with you.” 

“Yes,” You said. “I can’t imagine you ever hurting or mistreating me… though… that was true for Jameson, too. I really thought we were friends, if nothing else. If he had given up on courting me, we still would be.” You frowned. “I don’t want this business with Jameson to rob me of my ability to trust, so I’m making the decision to trust you. I’m choosing to trust my loved ones and I refuse to think the worst of them. Mother and Father, Yew, Meeka and Molly… you… you’re the people I care for the most and I will not let him change that.”

His smile widened. “You are far braver than I. Would that I had the same shine as you. Like moonlight.”

Your father’s words about your mother came back to you, and you blushed. “I can’t think of anyone more like moonlight than you,” You replied shyly. 

He smiled softly, touched your hair, and bent forward to kiss you. As he did, you heard a rustling and you pulled away, looking at one of the windows. The bushes were moving slightly, as if someone had just been standing there. 

After cleaning up the schoolhouse a bit, you accompanied Albian to greet the families within the town, offering both children and adults the opportunity to learn to read. While there were a few households that didn’t see the point, many of them took you up on the offer to send their children for lessons once or twice a week. Most understood that a free education was a golden opportunity rarely afforded to them. Afterward, the two of you went to the tanner and purchased some parchment. It was expensive, but you decided it was an investment in the future of the townspeople and were happy to donate the parchment to the school. You also donated some ink and quills from your family’s general store for good measure. Your purse would be lean for a little while, but it made you happy to think that Albian would be prepared for his first class. He thanked you profusely with a promise to pay you back for it all, but you were simply pleased he was so delighted.

Thankfully the desk in the schoolhouse was made up of drawers, so it was easy to store the supplies. Afterward, Albian walked you home. 

That night, you were awoken by a familiar tapping on the window. Careful not to wake your parents, you opened the window and saw Albian down on the ground, stepping anxiously. 

“What’s wrong?” You asked him.

“Someone trashed the schoolhouse,” He said. “Everything’s destroyed.” 

“What?!” You said, a little too loudly, and spun to check to make sure your parents were still sleeping in their room down the hall. “Who?” 

“I don’t know,” He said. “I was out foraging. I have a guess, however.” 

“I’ll be right down,” You told him. He looked conflicted about you leaving the safety of your home after dark, but he didn’t tell you not to come. You dressed quickly, and went down to meet him at the steps, and the two of you hurried to the schoolhouse. 

He was right. The parchment was ripped to shreds and strewn about the room. The ink pots had been smashed and the ink was splattered on the floor and the walls. The quills were snapped and scattered across the floor. The desk was even broken up and destroyed. Your heart broke and you were speechless. You felt tears prick your eyes.

Albian took your hand and pulled you into a hug, holding you as you cried. 

“It’s alright,” He said gently. “We still have the chalkboard, we can make do with that.” 

“It’s not fair!” You wailed. “How could he do this?!” 

“We don’t know for certain it was him.” 

“Who else could it have been? That miserable prick.” You sniffled, pressing your face into his chest. “I’ll never forgive him. I hate him, I just hate him!” 

“Don’t say that,” He said, his voice still soft. “Hating him won’t do you any good. It’ll just make you feel bad.”

“How am I meant to feel, then?” You asked him. 

“Well… that I don’t know,” He admitted. “We can’t do anything about it tonight. Let me take you home and we can worry about it in the morning.” 

“What if he comes back?” You asked, worried, pulling away to look up at him. “What if he tries to do something to you? He already thinks you stole me away from him. I’m scared of what he’ll do if he catches you alone.” 

“I’ll bar the doors and windows,” He assured you, pulling you back into his embrace, his hand in your hair. “I’ll be alright.” 

“I’m scared, Albian,” You told him. “I don’t want to go through this again.” 

“I know, dearest,” He said. He rubbed your back soothingly. 

You let him hold you for a few moments longer before you pushed yourself away from him, and he released you.

“I’m sorry for blubbering like this,” You said, sniffling. “You must be even more gutted than me.” 

“I’m not happy, certainly,” He said, running a hand through his hair. “But I can’t say this is entirely unexpected. He’s retaliating. That’s natural for someone like him.” 

“What do we do?” You asked plaintively. 

He was silent for a moment before answering: “We’ll figure this out. It’ll be alright.”

“Should I stay?” You asked him, reaching for his hand. He took it and squeezed, but shook his head. 

“No, you should go back home tonight. I’ll be alright. I don’t want him coming back and finding you here. Heaven only knows what he would do.” 

He had a point, though you hated the thought.  

Albian escorted you back home, kissed you softly, and watched you go inside before taking off, trotting back to the schoolhouse. You watched him through your window until he was out of sight and then, for the first time in a long while, you prayed for his safety. 

The next day, you took your best cleaning supplies and carted them to the schoolhouse with your father in tow. He was disgusted with the state of the place and told you to leave things as they were for the moment while he went to fetch the town elders. Michellina and the three other elders came and surveyed the damage with shrewd eyes. 

“Are you certain it was Jameson?” She asked. 

“I don’t know, Elder,” Albian said truthfully. “I didn’t see the culprit.” 

“It has to be Jameson,” You insisted. “No one else would have any reason to do this. He’s jealous because he thinks I’m choosing Albian over him. He’s decided to punish the entire town because of it.” 

“Be that as it may,” She said, not unsympathetically. “We can’t do anything if there were no witnesses. The best we can offer is to watch Jameson, but the sheriff can’t spare a man to serveil him.”

“So nothing can be done?” You asked, indignant. 

“I’m afraid not, child,” She said. “Unless he is caught, we have no reason to act against him.” 

You exhaled explosively in irritation. “Great. So he’s free to do this again. What if he hurts Albian next time?” 

“If that’s the case, then we can arrest him then.” 

“But not before. He has to actually hurt someone before you’ll act.” 

“I’m afraid so,” Michellina said. “I’m sorry, my dear, but our hands are tied.” 

You shook your head in disbelief. What if Jameson really did hurt Albian? You’d never have thought him capable just a few days ago, but you knew better now. He was capable of anything.

The elders left. You, your father, and Albian all looked at each other for a silent moment before picking up brooms and mops and scrubbing tools and set about cleaning the schoolhouse. It took the better part of the day, and some of the ink refused to come out, so a coat of paint would be necessary, but you managed to get it mostly presentable. 

The chalkboard was thankfully untouched, so Albian was right to say that he could make do with it. Even so, the loss of the supplies had demoralized Albian. You hoped he wasn’t reconsidering his decision to teach. 

You were also worried that Jameson would succeed in driving a wedge between you and Albian. He was only now opening up to you, and now Jameson had stepped in between you. Albian had been reassuring and sweet, but that could change. He could grow tired of being the object of Jameson’s wrath. He could decide that being with you wasn’t worth the hassle. The idea gnawed at your chest and made you anxious. 

But… what could you do if he did? Would you be like Jameson and refuse to accept it? Would you vow to get payback for turning you away? Would you be jealous and aggressive? You couldn’t imagine doing that, but everything had been turned on its head and you weren’t sure of anything anymore. You didn’t want to be like Jameson, but you also didn’t want to lose Albian. You were at a complete loss for what to do. 

“Alright, kids,” Your father said, wiping his brow as the three of you finished the last of the cleanup. “Let’s go back to the house and get some food. I think we’ve earned it.” 

You were starving by then, so you were happy to oblige. Picking up the supplies, the three of you trekked back home, only to find your mother on the porch, surrounded by a large stack of tanned hides, her hand to her mouth in confusion. You knew this wasn’t from the town’s tanner; the bearskin was pretty distinctive and you hadn’t noticed it yesterday when you were there. There was only one other family that tanned hides in town, and that was Jameson’s family. 

“What the hell is this?” You asked in annoyance. 

“It’s his way of trying to get back in your good graces, I’d imagine,” Albian replied sagely. “These skins would fetch a nice price. He must think this will make up for the money you spent on the supplies.” He chuckled darkly. “But then again, who am I to know the musings of a jerk like him?” 

“I don’t want them,” You said, scowling. “I don’t care what we do with them, but I don’t want them.” 

“I’ll dump them on his doorstep,” Your father said, gathering them up. “I’ll talk to his father while I’m there. Maybe he can talk some sense into him.”

You doubted it, but you watched your father load the skins onto his handcart and wheeled them away, grimacing and unhappy. Albian took your hand discreetly and watched with you.

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