The window was blown open by the breathing of little stars

She is dreaming. She knows it because her night gown is different, just plain and a bit small. Her hands rest on moss, marveling in its softness. A familiar earthy smell is surrounding her, although she can’t place it.
Her eyes open and meet darkness, a soft moonlight coming from a very small window. Slowly she distinguishes the ferns covering the walls, gorgeous flowers embedded on them. Her fingers thread through leaves.

She is back home, she thinks with a smile. This the home of her childhood dreams. Many times she had visited in dreams. Usually she would simply sleep here, lulled by the quiet sounds of the forest. They were good dreams, ones that offered her comfort.
She decides to make the most of it, and take a beautiful sleep. She rolls on her side, her preferred side, but bumps against something. Well, that something was quite bothersome, she tried to push it away, but damn, was it strong. Annoyed to no end, Wendy opened her eyes, once more.

Definitely not something. A someone is laying next to her. A broad someone, no wonder her little shove had underperformed. She attempted to stir up and get rid of the intruder, but the mysterious someone appeared to have a will of his own. A strong arm reached her waist and pulled her in. Nose buried in that someone’s chest, she breathed in his scent. Strong and sweet.

Let it be said, that Wendy tried to disentangle herself. She, almost, had a mind to remind him of how improper this was. But he was drowning her in his body heat, and he was a good enough cushion. He rested his chin on her head, snuggling closer with a soft sight.
He seemed pretty comfortable and totally unaware of the impropriety of his actions.

« I missed you so much » his deep voice broke the sleepy silence of the tiny house.

Feeling every vibration of that voice against his chest, she shuddered a little. His hand played lazily in her tangled hair.

« So soft… I never knew how soft… »

Was her mystery man asleep too ? This voice was familiar, perhaps because he had already appeared in that shameful dream… She couldn’t move to get a glimpse of his face. His hands were keeping busy, tracing circles up and down her back. She released a small whimper. It was deliciously scandalous to let those clever hands be. And yet she didn’t find it in her to put a stop to this, small, indulgence.

After all, this was her dream, she could tolerate some light caressing once in a while. He gave an appreciative mumble as she softened in his arms, fingers grazing her neck and giving her goosebumps all over. And then he lowered his head, nose deep in her hair, breathing it in.

Her body’s burning with a need she shouldn’t experience. Should she speak ? If she did, the spell would break, taking her away from those beautiful sensations. Instead she remained silent. Emboldened by it, his mouth came to rest on her neck. A small cry escaped her throat as he kissed her, there… She had to ground herself somehow, so with hesitation she brought her hands to his face, her palms resting on his cheeks. Maybe, he would let her get a look this time, instead of assaulting her so. He left her neck and raised his head. Under night’s cover, a set of emerald eyes locked in hers.

« It’s you ! »

Wendy woke up, brutally. She knew those eyes, why did she know them ? She had the strangest suspicion that her dream man was indeed, her stalker. This was not something she should entertain. Her plan was to get married for God’s sake ! Not frolicking in the moss with her, albeit very handsome, stranger. He wasn’t even her stranger, just a stranger. There that was better.

She got up to her mirror, as she did every morning. As she started brushing her hair she noticed it. On her neck was displayed an angry red bruise. Just where… Blushing furiously, she ran to the window.
As she suspected it, it was plain open. She raised herself up on the railing, something she had done a very long time ago. The sun was setting, slowly, on the top of houses. Trembling, she looked around for signs of struggles on her window. But the it hadn’t been broken, the glass untouched.

She’s swarmed by terrible conclusions. One, her dream is not just a dream. If a stranger kissed her neck in a dream, her neck should not wear signs of kissing the next morning. Two, the man form her dream, is the stalker from the ballroom. Three, he had broken into her room precisely without breaking in. And now, how is she going to hide it from the world ? Worst of all, he could come back.
Nothing was preventing him from entering, and kissing her senseless. The thought brought a wave of shame, and to her dismay, hope ? At this point she couldn’t have been more embarrassed. She was transformed into a blushing mess.

She got dressed quickly, splashing water on her face and neck, scrubbing her conflicting feelings away. She strategically placed her hair in a low hairdo. Masking the incriminating patch of skin. One thing was certain. A man was invading her thoughts, her dreams, and her room. And she didn’t even know his name. It was time to learn it. In her hurry, she did not close the window. 

Micheal had a feeling, things would start going astray with Peter’s comeback. He just didn’t expect them to go south this fast. Wendy came rushing in his room, breathless, hair a little askew.

« Micheal ! Good you’re up… » She glanced around the corridor before closing his door.

« Now we have some explaining to do. » she said with her not-in-the-mood face. « I know you saw that strange man stalk me yesterday, you said you recognized him or knew him. It’s time to come clean, out with it now ! »
An angry Wendy was always a bad omen and Micheal never angered his sister.

« You look distressed, did something happen ? » He dared to ask, his older sister never acted out.She huffed, an hysterical laugh escaped her.

« Distressed ?! I look distressed to you ? Tell me this, dear brother, would you be distressed if a strange man was ruining your every plan ? » She almost screamed, eyes huge. Alright he was in big trouble, his allegiance was to her, sorry Peter.

« Please Wendy, calm yourself, I’ll tell you everything I know » He helped her to one of the chairs, sitting her down.

« Alright, I did recognize that man. I’m curious as to why you didn't. » He took a small pause considering how to explain himself.

« Do you remember what happened the winter of your thirteenth birthday ? »
He had to help her search her memory. She drop her gaze to the carpet, as her eyes scrutinized the threads her mind was swarmed with bright color images. Wide starry nights, wind howling in her ears. Yes, she did remember something.

« I… I remember Aunt Millicent deciding I had to leave the nursery. » she mumbled, her memories where foggy, frozen in a blurry hue.

« Yes, she turned our world upside down, because you were almost grown. I remember how sad you were. » he added.

« Micheal, I feel like something is missing… I know something happened but I just can’t reach it. » she looked even more distraught.

Micheal sighed, how could he help her without frightening her with the weirdest notions, like fairies and crocodiles…

« We met that man as children like I told you. You were close to him, more so than me or John. We left with him for a time»

« I do remember that we had an adventure, we went away… But where did we go ? » She was torturing her gown in her hands.

« It will come to you, of this I am sure, I just want you to be careful, if that man is bothering you I could tell him to leave you alone. You know I am here, right ? »
Micheal would beat him to a pulp, she just had to ask. She smiled softly at that, giving his cheek a gentle squeeze.

« I know my dear. I trust you have reason for keeping some things from your sister… I’ll deal with this myself. » She got up, straightening her gowns and regaining some composure.

« At any rate, what matters is that I secure a proposal before the end of the week » she concluded, and then she left.

Aunt Millicent was calling for her, to give her a lengthy sermon about what was expected of a young lady, a future baroness none the less. How could she appear so disheveled, surely she didn’t intend putting a foot outside wearing this ? Huffing interiorly, Wendy patiently waited for the hurricane to pass. She had learned that if you left Millicent vent, at some point she would stop. And stop she did, after a well rounded argument about propriety. Wendy knew she only needed to stand still, and not attract attention to her neck. A free lock of her hair rested on her nape.

Anna, one of the maids, entered and announced a visitor was calling on Miss Wendy, a certain Sir Lucas Clifford the third. Sir Lucas Clifford had called upon her this early ! It could only mean one thing…
Millicent hurried her to the sitting room, pinching her cheeks to bring a bit of color to them. She pushed her on one of the divans and drop her own embroidery in her lap. To paint the best picture of virtue and ingenuity.
Anxiety dawned on her, as Sir Clifford set foot in the room. He had a very weird look on his face.

« Miss Wendy, I came to see you… that is I wanted to see you as soon as I woke up » The sour expression worsened like he had taken a mouthful of ripe lemons.

« Sir Clifford, it’s always a pleasure » She got out, she gripped tighter on her embroidery. Aunt Millicent standing behind the door was, no doubt, eating up their every word. He almost tripped on the carpet, caught himself and dropped to one knee. Oh God, it was happening, dread filled her gut.

« Miss Wendy, I know we have been acquainted for a short period of time. I’m sure you understood my intentions by now. I have found every quality a baroness needs in you. I know our match would be seen as incongruous to society… But I am quite sure you will accommodate easily to a change in station. »

The more he spoke the more Wendy was torn. She never expected a romantic proposal, but that was closer to a business agreement than anything else.

« Will you marry me, Miss Wendy ? » He finally asked without detours.

Detours, Wendy would have been glad for. She got what she worked so hard for, so why was the answer hard to give ? She cleared her throat. Was she really considering saying no ? Of course not ! Aunt Millicent would be so disappointed… The image of her father, worried sick, working himself to the bone chilled her. And everything was clear once more. It was easy. A small word.

« Yes » it fell from her lips, through the tight knot that ensnared her throat.