Chapter 1

Dan stretched from where he was sleeping and looked over to where his friend Rye was. �How could he sleep with the sun shining in his face like that?� Dan looked and shaded his eyes away from the sunlight and got up to clean himself.

The man smiled at Dan and Rye, �I see you two are all set and ready to go?�

"Definitely ready, I wouldn�t really want to be lost here forever.� Rye said with a wide smile as girls walked by and winked at him.

Dan smiled back at the girls showing his two dimples next to his cheeks, �are you sure your men could get us back to our campsite?�

"They are experts, we�ve lived here long before Thailand was modernized. We people here along the borders of Thailand are raised to be trackers. Not people depending on compasses and water in a tin can.� The man said and nodded his head at his men to begin leading the way. He looked at Dan and Rye, �would you two like four legs or two legs?�

"I beg your pardon?� Dan asked as the man laughed.

"You could rent horses over there across the village. There�s a hunter who has a few spare horses. You would make better timing if on horseback rather than your own two feet.� The man suggested walking away.

"How much are horses?� Dan asked Rye.

"Do they trade with salt or are they modern enough to use money?� Rye asked Dan.

"We do use money, we go to the cities every now and then to buy things.� A man said with a laugh. �We are not that anti modernized.�

Dan waited at the stables as Rye and the two men went to go rent the horses. He looked up hearing a soft humming. �I�m definitely hearing things now.� He held in his breath to hear the humming a little clearer.

"This is no fun. No fun�� The voice became softer. �No fun at all, staring at the villagers.�

Dan frowns, �who in this world would sing something as lame as that?� he walked over to the side past the stables and past a small hut to where he heard a distinguished girl�s voice singing almost like a lullaby to herself. He stood where the hut was and looked around, �I am definitely hearing voices. I�m hear, yet I see no one hear at all.�

Rye came over to Dan leading a horse by it�s reign. �What are you doing here? I was looking for you.� He handed Dan the reign, �your horse. Mine is over there with those two guys.� Rye frowns seeing Dan look around, �what are you looking for? Did a girl here already take your heart away?�

"Don�t you hear it?� Dan asked Rye.

Looking left then right Rye listened closely, �I hear the wind, and I hear little kids playing.�

"No, don�t you hear someone singing or humming a lullaby but some nonsense instead of a lullaby.�

"No, are you still dreaming?� Rye asked as he tried to pull Dan away. �Come on. You were dreaming about some girl that wants out of here. It doesn�t mean that you�ll be taking a girl away from here. Looks like every girl here loves it where they are.� Rye pulled Dan again.

"Maybe you�re right.� Dan said as he let Rye lead him away.

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Matika waited until the noises of the horse�s hooves faded away then peered over the little porch the hut had and watched Dan and Rye leave. �You�re not leaving until I get to leave also.� She smiled and waited for her freedom and started to dangle her shackles around her wrist. �I�ll be out of here soon.�

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"All right that would be five hundred baht.� The man said scruffily. �Would you need any horse food on your way there?�

"Don�t try to trick them Jud. We brought some carrots with us. Those horses of yours could eat on them just as easily as they would with carrots. And maybe even better.� The man said as he patted Rye�s horse.

Jud scoffs, �why did you have to try and ruin my business for me huh? And who asked you anyway John?�

"Old man says Jang and I have to watch out for these two boys. And we are.� John replied and nodded for the boys to go.

"What about the horse food?� Jud yelled out trying to get more money out of the boys.

Jang frowns, �isn�t it bad enough you�re trying to sell that poor girl by your post?�

"She�s not no normal girl like you all think she is.�

John sighs, �she�s not some mythical creature like you say. She�s just some average girl lost in the forest. And now you�re trying to sell her as some pet.�

Dan looked Jud up and down and asked, �the hut by the stable is your place?�

"Yea, it is, why are you planning on buying my house too?� Jud asked impatiently.

"No reason at all.� Dan lied as he turned to lead his horse away from the stables. �Everyone is ready to go now?� he looked up at the sky, �noon is about to be high.� Jang and John nodded their heads and followed Dan, �aren�t you two getting a horse?�

"No, we prefer to walk.� John said smiling and petting the horses. �We�re born trackers not born rich boys.� John smiled again as Jang laughed his heads off.

Rye hopped onto his horse with the help of Jang. �Come on now. You�re ushering us to go but you�re stalling yourself.�

"I�m going, I�m going.� Dan said as John helped him onto his horse.

John and Jang whistled for the horses to follow them and started around the stable to the corner of Jud�s hut once more. Dan focused his ears on the voice singing softly, �freedom, freedom is coming.� Dan smiled hearing the voice, �I�ll soon be free. My freedom is near.� He heard silence again as he got closer to the edge of the hut. Matika waited for Dan to come around the corner. �And here he is.� Matika smiled widely on the inside as he saw her for the first time.

"Stop!� Dan ordered as Rye turned around to see what the hold up was.

"Did you forget something?� Rye asked.

Jang and John watched as Dan dismounted off the horse and walked over to the post and stared down at Matika. �The boy has a good heart.� Jang noted and John nodded his head.

"But would he be willing to pay for her.� John questioned. �Every visitors here sees her, they want her, but when it came time to bargaining, no one bought her.�

"He�s just a young boy. He won�t do anything like that.� Jang said as he helped Rye off his horse.

"What are you doing Dan?� Rye asked walking closer to Dan and over his shoulders he sees Matika sitting against a post and looking up at the two. �Why is she tied and chained like that?� Rye asked as he and Dan bent down in front of Matika. �Are you all right?�

Chapter 2

Matika said nothing but stuck her hands out at the two boys. Dan reached out for Matika�s hands, �and they�re red��

"No touching unless she�s purchased.� Jud yelled as he rounded the corner to them.

"But she�s hurt!� Rye exclaimed pointing to Matika.

"She would heal in no time.� Jud laughed, �don�t you darlin�?�

Matika angrily looked away from the man. Dan let�s go of Matika�s hand. �How much?�

Rye bulged opened his eyes at Dan, �What?�

"She�s costly you know.� Jud said walking over to Matika and petting her head. Dan watched as Matika tried to avoid his groping hands. �She�s not any regular girl you see here. She�s different.�

"I asked how much.� Dan said irritated with Jud.

"Why are you buying her?� Rye asked, �it�s illegal to be doing that kind of stuff!�

"I know!� Dan hissed.

Jud smiled seeing the determination on Dan�s face, �since I�ve had her for a long while, I�ll be willing to give you a discount.�

"How much?!� Dan demanded again.

"Fifty thousand baht.� Jud said and smiled showing his decayed and yellow teeth.

Jang shook his head, �get the horse ready. Those kids aren�t going to be able to buy her.�

"But wasn�t the price for her last time only a few hundred baht?� John asked, �why did he raise the price up like that?�

"Because, they�re young and senseless boys.� Jang commented.

Dan turned to Rye, �let me borrow your money.�

"You�re not thinking of buying her are you?� Rye asked as he reached into his bags. �I thought you brought some money along with you?�

"I did, but my parents said not to bring so much. We�ll be in a forest we don�t need it to buy anything. But the money was for emergencies only.�

"And this is an emergency for you?� Rye asked as Dan grabbed his wallet from his hands. �How much are you taking?�

"I got half, you�re chipping in the other half.� Dan said and threw the money at Jud, �unchain her.� Dan turned to face Rye, �she�s the girl from my dreams last night.�

Rye looked down at Matika, �you�re kidding me right?� Dan shook his head.

Jud counted his money and smiled, �and now I am rich.� He waved the money at John and Jang, �see I told you guys didn�t I? I would be able to sell this animal and make a lot more than you trackers would.�

"You�re a hunter, you should be making more money than us in the first place.� Jang yelled out.

John sighed, �I can�t believe the boy bought her.�

Jang smiled, �like I said, the boy�s got a kind heart.�

"Maybe she�s going to have a better life now huh?� John thought, �and maybe she would be able to find her family that she claims she had lost.�

Rye watched the girl stood up and stretch herself out, �so now what? I own half of her?�

Dan laughed, �I�ll pay you back once our research is over.�

Rye nodded his head. �Whatever man.� he studied Matika, �her arms are badly bruised. And when was the last time she showered?�

"Maybe she showered yesterday. She smells of chrysanthemums.� Dan said with a smile.

Rye watched Matika walk towards Jang and John, �her shirt is all torn.�

Dan stared at the sheer cloth behind Matika�s shoulder blades. �but only the parts on her shoulders are torn.�

Matika petted Dan�s horse. Rye smiles, �she wants to ride with you.� Rye pretnded to do a lasso trick with his hands and nothing else but the air around them. �You got yourself a cattle.�

John helped Dan up onto the horse and he reached out for Matika�s hands. She withdrew herself from Dan and frowns. �Come on.� Matika shook her head she went and hide behind Jang and John.

John laughed, �go on Matika, the boy ain�t gonna hurt you. He�s already bought you.� Matika studied Dan a moment and got John to help her onto the horse without taking Dan�s hand and sat in front of him.

Jang led Rye on out of the village with John leading Dan�s horse. Jud ran out to them as they began their trip. �Would you like a manual for her?�

Rye sighed, �will you stop trying to sell things to us?� He nodded towards Matika, �we already bought a live bait from you.�

Jud crossed his arms at Rye, �you wouldn�t be able to control her without some knowledge of he kind.�

"And now the secret is out.� John muttered and covered his face with his hands.

Jang pointed at Jud, �you shut up!�

Jud laughed louder, �you can�t expect them to just buy a nymph and learn how to control her as they go along now do you?�

Dan looked at the back of Matika�s head as she kept her focus pin pointed straight ahead of them. Rye yelled out and pointed to Jud, �you expect us to believe in fairies and elves also? No thank you, I�m sure there�s a handbook for nymphs at the bookstore. If not, I�ll just look her up under mythical creatures.�

"Rye, come on. Let�s go. Just ignore him.� Dan urged feeling some heat coming from Matika�s body. �Let�s leave. I want to find our classmates as fast as we could. Just let the man keep selling whatever junk he thinks is valuable.�

Rye nodded for Jang and John to go, �yea, he will now since we bought a girl for how much again Dan?�

"Just think of it as saving someone�s life.� Dan said as he watched Matika looking around on the horse ride. �She seems to have life now.� Dan studied sat there and noticed she had honey colored streaks in her hair. Dan thought to himself, �earlier, did she have those streaks? Or where they just noticeable now?� Dan remembered her pretty brown eyes from his dreams. �John? What�s her name?�

John looked up at Matika and smiled, �her name is Matika, beautiful isn�t it?�

"Yea, it is.� Dan smiled. �Matika, turn around.� Matika arched an eyebrow but kept her focus in front of her. �Matika.� Dan said again. Matika twisted her lips then sighed and turned to face Dan. He stopped breathing for a moment and saw that her eyes were now the same color as the honey colored streaks in her eyes. �Her eyes�� Dan shook his head thinking maybe he was seeing things. Once he opened his eyes again, her eyes were still the same honey color rather than the brown eyes he had seen in his dreams. �Were her eyes also this honey color?�

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