Chapter Three

It was June the eleventh. 

The sun was high in the sky, the air was warm and there were barely any clouds to be seen. Hazel has taken the day off from work in order to properly enjoy her birthday before the inevitable boring dinner party that her parents would throw against her wishes. 

It was a little sad, she thought, that her parents couldn't even pretend to care about what she wanted on her own birthday, the one day a year that should have been all about her and no one else.

Now more than ever, she felt an unbelievable pull towards the forest, like her heart knew even more than she did that today was the day that she would finally be leaving the city behind. She felt excitement spark to life within her and send tinging sensations all throughout her body, all the way down to her fingertips. She was buzzing, electrified by the knowledge of where she would be the following morning.

Hazel had gotten up early, had a quick breakfast and gone straight out to spend the day fulfilling some of her whims. She had chosen to switch up her style for the day, just until she had to go home. She had her hair pulled back in a half-up-half-down do and was wearing a cropped sepia camisole with a long, cream-coloured, pleated cotton skirt and some woven high-heeled wedge sandals. Her makeup was simple, but pretty with some light brown eye shadow, clear lip gloss and a subtle dusting of pale white-gold highlighter across her soft cheekbones. 

And, of course, she wouldn't forget her moonstone necklace. Whenever she put it on she felt closer to where she was meant to be and that shallow, sinking feeling in her heart lightened and faded away into the background.

She was feeling light and breezy and there was an obvious bounce in her step. She was approaching her favourite coffee place and planned to get a nice, large strawberry iced tea to-go, so that she could keep cool while walking around the hot high street. 

She waited patiently in line, ordered her drink and decided to sit down by the window for a while. She already had her necessities for her trip, she just needed some food supplies and to pack her towels, shampoo and toothbrush and other bathroom supplies before the evening. 

But, for then, she would enjoy the day, spend some time for herself just relaxing and letting herself be happy on her birthday. She was 27 years old now and she wasn't gong to waste any more time on things or people that didn't matter or didn't really care about her. 

Hazel sipped on her iced tea and watched the people outside as the passed the window. She wondered what they were thinking about, what they were doing and where they might be going. Were they in a hurry? Were they just having a casual day out, like her? Did they have lots of friends? 

Soon enough, she would have new friends of her own and she would have people around her who actually cared about her and wanted what was best for her. She could feel it, she knew somewhere deep inside her heart that this would be the best decision that she would ever make.

Hazel's day passed at a leisurely pace as she walked from place to place. She stopped in at that favourite restaurant of hers to get her lunch. It was delicious and she left feeling warm and completely satisfied with a big smile on her face. 

She made her way home when she received a call from her mother telling her that she needed to get home before her party started. Hazel knew that she would usually be put off by that, but she found that after the peaceful day that she had, she didn't really mind having to rub shoulders with her parent's friends in the evening. She knew that this would be the last time she would ever have to do it.

As she walked through the front door, she was immediately greeted by her mother, who wrapped her arms around her in a hug at the door.

"Welcome home, sweetie. We have everything set up in the kitchen and dining room. It'll just be a small get-together this time. Did you have a nice day out? You're practically glowing." She said, amused.

"Yeah, I had a really relaxed day out, mum, it was really nice. I feel good." Hazel replied honestly.

"That's great, dear. Now, go up to your room and get changed into something a bit more appropriate. Your father is already waiting in the dining room and the guests will be arriving soon." Her mother said.

"Sure, mum, of course. I'll be down in a moment." Hazel said with a tired smile. 

"Good girl." Her mother praised shortly and left to join her husband in the dining room.

Hazel sighed to herself and shook her head lightly as her mother disappeared into the other room. She made her way upstairs to her room, put her shopping bag down on her desk and threw herself down on her bed with a huff. 

Floss immediately bounded towards her wagging her tail and went to sniff around her legs and look up at her expectantly. Hazel sat up and leaned down to pet her big fluffy Samoyed on the head. Floss huffed excitedly and pushed her head further towards Hazel, bringing her paws up to rest on her owner's knees. 

Hazel laughed and ruffled the fur on Floss' neck.

"You're such a good girl! Yes you are! You're such a good girl, Floss. Yes you are!" She cooed and Floss began wagging her tail even more vigorously than she had been before. "That's right, Floss. You're the best! I don't know what I would do without you."

"Woof!" Floss barked quietly in response and basked in the affection and attention that she was getting.

"I have to get changed into something fancy now to appease the masses." Hazel joked. "But tonight, tonight we will finally be free." She ended in an excited whisper, grinning at her canine companion.

Hazel got up and took a quick look through her wardrobe, picking out a simple rose gold, halter neck cocktail dress with a little bit of beading around the hem. It was comfortable and definitely fancy enough for her parents' approval. It was one of the pieces that she intended to take with her to Bleydh forest, so she would be throwing it in one of her suitcases after getting changed for her journey.

She pulled on some nude heels, straightened out her makeup and made sure her moonstone necklace was still sitting comfortably around her neck, and headed down the dining room to join her parents at the table. When she got there, she noticed that a few people had already turned up. She had thought that dinner would come first, but it seemed that it had been combined with the evening party arrangements. She supposed that in the grand scheme of things, it didn't really matter too much. 

Either way, she would still be getting cake.

She looked around and greeted the guests politely. Her aunt and uncle were there, as well as two of her parents' business partners and their adult children. She didn't know them, but she thanked them for coming anyway and introduced herself. 

The cook brought out the food, having prepared a lasagne (one of Hazel's favourites) and a delicious-looking side salad and some steamed vegetables. It was paired with a Carignan red wine that would compliment the main course. 

The meal went amiably, with polite conversation and chatting. Though, Hazel did notice both of her parents either glaring at her subtly or giving her the side-eye whenever she  made jokes or laughed too much at someone else's. It was easy to ignore, however, after the second glass of wine. 

The best part of the evening came when the cook brought out one of the cake. It was a red velvet with two tiers and twenty-seven candles. There were little fondant roses around the edges and Hazel knew that the cook must have baked it herself just from the massive smile that she had on her face.

The cook started singing happy birthday and while everyone joined in singing, Hazel could see her mother glaring at the cook. Hazel ignored it and the cook did as well. The cake was delicious, light and fluffy, and the cream cheese frosting was perfectly sweet without being too sugary. 

After dinner they all moved to the living room and they were brought some champagne. Hazel definitely preferred it over the wine, it felt much more celebratory. 

To Hazel's surprise, the guests had brought her some gifts. It seemed that it came to her parents' surprise as well, since it turned out that neither of them had bothered to get her anything. From her aunt and uncle, she received a pair of black stilettos that looked to be very expensive. Hazel thanked them profusely and then her parents' business partners had their turn. 

One of them had gotten her a moonstone bracelet, stating that she was known to wear moonstones as her signature jewellery. Hazel was definitely happy to be getting something that she would definitely be wearing in the future and probably quite frequently.

What came as the most surprise to her though, was the gift from the other associates. They were working in conjunction with their fashion department and they had gotten her a fancy leather bound A5 sketchbook and a small tin of artist's pencils. The thing that struck her the most though, was the crescent moon that was embossed on the front of the sketchbook and the small wolf's head that was embossed on the back, like a logo. It occurred to Hazel momentarily that these motifs seemed to follow her wherever she went.

"How did you know I liked to draw?" Hazel asked in amazement.

"Well, our son had the forethought to have a conversation with your secretary. He mentioned that you would often draw at your desk when you were on break during the day." The wife replied, smiling proudly at having chosen correctly.

"Thank you all so much. I really love everything. I will definitely be using every single page of this sketchbook. I'll put it to good use." Hazel said, trying not to get emotional.

"And what did you get her?" Her aunt asked her parents. 

"Oh, well..." Her mother trailed off awkwardly.

"We got her this party didn't we? She's an adult. She has surely outgrown the need for silly trinkets." Her father stated coldly.

"Oh nonsense. Does that ,make any sense to you? She's your daughter. Of course you have to get her something." He uncle piped up.

"It's okay, really, I'm used to it. Thank you all for getting me gifts. It was really, truly thoughtful and kind of you. Especially with the thought put into them. Thank you for coming to celebrate with me on my birthday, too." Hazel said with a smile.

There was a little bit of an awkward silence that passed between everyone in the room, questioning glances being thrown to each other. Hazel took solace in the fact that how her parents treated her on her birthday wasn't normal to these people either. It was obvious that they wee trying their hardest to hide their disapproval through their tight smiles.

After everyone had left for the night, Hazel made her way upstairs. She changed from her dress into some black skinny jeans, tucked in a grey tank top and put on a dark green plaid shirt. She threw the tan heels into her wardrobe and grabbed out a pair of socks and her new trainers. She tied the laces and got up to look in the mirror.

What she saw was a reflection of who she really was. She unclipped her hair and pulled it into a simple ponytail. It was perfect, it was real and it was true. She smiled as her eyes caught the moonstone necklace that was still hanging around her neck. She felt comforted by its presence in a way that she didn't really know how to describe.

She quickly gathered her things, stacking them by the door so that they were all ready to go once the taxi cab arrived. She had already packed all of Floss' things into one of the plastic boxes and shoved her towels and bathroom products into one of the two larger suitcases. 

She heard her parents make their way down the hall and to their shared bedroom and waited for her text to come for the taxi cab.

Soon enough, eleven o'clock arrived and her phone vibrated with the text notification. She immediately texted back saying that she was on her way, quietly opened her bedroom door and grabbed the two larger suitcases first, to take them downstairs. 

The dog crate was already by the door, since her dog walker sometimes used it when they went to the dog park, which was a few minutes drive away. She opened the front door and brought the dog crate outside. 

Upon seeing Hazel, the driver exited the taxi and went to help her carry her things to the back of the van. She thanked the woman and headed back inside to gather the rest of her things. When she got through the door, she was met by the cook, who had not yet left for the day.

"Need a hand?" She asked with a knowing look.

"Yes please." Hazel replied quietly.

With a nod, the cook went and grabbed two of the evening maids and they went up to help her carry the rest of her bags and boxes down from her room. They got everything loaded up in the van in record time. Her suitcases were lined up on the right hand side, while the boxes were on the left with the dog crate sitting in the middle.

Hazel grabbed her handbag, with her necessities and her new sketchbook inside. She brought Floss down last and got her to the back of the taxi cab. The night staff who had helped her and the taxi van driver were waiting for her, smiling. Floss jumped obediently into the crate without a problem and started chewing on the bone that Hazel had placed in there for her earlier. 

The driver closed up and locked the doors, making sure all of the luggage was properly secured. When Hazel turned to bid the night staff a final goodbye, she noticed the cook was holding something out to her. 

"Here. It's the last slices of that red velvet cake." Said the cook, handing her a medium sized cold bag. "They're in a tupperware. I also made you some sandwiches for the trip and packed you a flask of strawberry iced tea. I know it's your favourite." 

"You didn't have to... thank you so much, all of you. You've been there for me, taken care of me and the house for so long. I really owe you a lot... thank you so much for helping me tonight." Hazel said with all of her heart, looking each of them in the eyes sorrowfully. She would miss them.

"We're just happy for you, Hazel. You deserve happiness. Go now, and find it." The cook said, smiling warmly.

Hazel simply nodded, unable to find the words to thank them any further for their kindness. With tears in her eyes, she turned and got into the passenger seat of the taxi, the driver already waiting in place behind the steering wheel.

Hazel wiped her eyes with her sleeve as the driver pulled away from the curb and she finally bid her old life goodbye. She struggled to hold back her tears as the people standing on the curb, watching her go faded into the distance and disappeared. So, she allowed herself to cry, to let go of everything that she had been holding within herself, all the pain that had been sitting heavily in her heart. 

The weight that she had always carried with her was gone. Her tears were of so many mixed feelings, they were for all the people she had left behind, but they were also for relief and the happiness of finally being free. This wasn't just an end to the life she once lived, but the beginning of a new one. 

"Oh dear, there are some tissues in the glove compartment. It's okay, dear." The driver said.

"Thank you, ma'am." Hazel replied as she reached into the compartment and grabbed the tissues, pressing one to her eyes.

"Ah, just call me Margaret, dear. No need for formalities with me. We have a long journey ahead of us, so we may as well get on a first name basis." She said jovially, eyes fixed on the road.

"Thank you, Margaret. You can call me Hazel." she answered.

"What's got you going all the way out to Fernwood then? All the way to Bleydh forest, no less?" Margaret asked after a moment of silence that was broken only by Hazel's quiet sniffling.

"My grandmother left me her house. It was my ticket to freedom, to a new life not dictated by my parents. I just... want to be free." Hazel explained, her voice quiet and a little scratchy from crying.

"It seems like it's well-deserved. Those maids of yours seemed sad to see you go, but it was also obvious how happy they were for you, grinning away as they helped me load all that luggage." Margaret turned to her with a quick smile before immediately putting her eyes back on the road.

"Thank you, I... I think I'll miss them a lot. They took care of me... more so than my parents ever did anyway. They are good people. I just hope they don't end up getting in any trouble for helping me tonight." Hazel said.

"I'm sure they'll be alright. They've made it this far under your parents' employment after all." Margaret said in an attempt to comfort Hazel.

"Yeah... do you mind if we listen to some music?" She asked.

"Of course not. I hope you like classical." Margaret agreed, turning on the radio.

The van filled with a quiet, melancholic piano melody, a cello humming deeply in the background. The notes echoed throughout the vehicle, draping it over with a soft and peaceful blanket.

As Hazel listened to the delicate noted being played, she leaned her chin in her hand that was propped up on the arm rest and gazed out of the window, watching the houses and the clouds above pass by. Soon, the houses became smaller and the neighbourhoods changed styles and before she knew it, her head was leaning fully against the window, her eyes drooping shut as the van merged onto the highway.

Hazel's eyes snapped open to what seemed to be a meadow, all tall grass and wildflowers... no... not a meadow... a clearing, in a forest. There were tall trees towering over her head, casing shadows across the opening where she stood. A breeze blew past her shoulders, causing the grass to sway gently and her hair to move lightly with the gentleness of it.

It didn't take her long, with the hazy rays of the sun casting over her, for her to realise that she was dreaming, dreaming of somewhere far away but somehow closer than she had ever been to anything.

Suddenly, a voice called out to her and it called her by name.

"Sparrow." It whispered. "Sparrows are here, Sparrows at last." the voice drifted around her as though it were murmured by the trees.

Hazel felt a weight in her chest, as though there were gentle hands coming to hold her heart within them, careful and delicate, as though clasping something precious. She held her breath for a moment and sighed in utter content.

Hazel walked away from the trees and into the heart of the clearing. She gazed up at the sky, a light but oversaturated blue as thin, white clouds moved slowly across it. It didn't occur to her, the oddness of a sunny day where there was no sun to be seen, but instead a large crescent moon sitting in the centre of the sky. She twirled herself around. skirt catching in the breeze and flowing around her legs, gracefully swishing as she came to stand still once more.

As she took in her surroundings, she hummed to herself and soon it picked up into singing. The melody that passed by her lips was like nothing she had ever heard before, she could feel it coming straight from her soul as the notes picked up and carried through the air, the song creating itself with each new note that came.

She felt warmth spreading through every inch of her body as she swayed and continued her song, dancing and stepping through the grass, the vibrant green blades, brushing lightly against her shins as she went, tickling her skin. 

As the song reached its crux and the last few notes of it became elongated and held steady, like a moment frozen in time, a noise, a howl bellowed from the depths of the forest. It was louder and clearer and rang out as clear as a bell through the trees, shaking birds from their perches and sending a most delightful shiver down Hazel's spine. 

A duet, then, it was, of a Sparrow and a Wolf.