She was woken by the soft, warm rays of the sun as they struck the soft contours of her cheeks. Her mind shifted from vivid dreams to the vibrating blackness of her eyelids. Though awake, Ashlyn kept her eyes shut, enjoying the moment. It was completely silent. No birds chirping out the window, no voices from the guards in the courtyard, no rustling from the closet, no steady sounds of breathing beside her...
Ashlyn peaked open her dark eyes slowly, letting them get adjusted to the light. The space beside her was silent and empty, lacking it's usual warmth and occupancy. Normally, when she woke, Jackson was still beside her sleeping or watching for her to wake though today he wasn't near to be seen. Faster now, Ashlyn pulled herself up and sat straight, keeping the blankets wrapped around her shoulders. Though the sun was out, the room was still cold. Curious as to where Jackson was and not wanting to waste time during the day, Ashlyn soundlessly leaped from her bed and straight to clean up herself. She showered nicely, thankful for warm water, then made her way to her dresser, looking for something to wear.
Her hand stopped on the wooden handle mid-pull as her eyes settled on a piece of parchment paper decorated with slanted handwriting. That of which she instantly recognized to be Jackson's. Her dark eyes quickly scanned over the letter as the right corner of her mouth unconsciously picked up in a smile. Following the directions in his letter, Ashlyn pulled on a dark green dress that stopped just below her knees and with thick straps that fell comfortably over her shoulders. Excited now, she trotted out of her room, stepping into a light pair of flats along the way.
Ashlyn got to the forrest in no time and easily followed the trail of light, picking up her dress and jogging in her excitement. All the while, she kept her eyes down on the trail, careful to keep from falling over the trees roots. When the trail ended, Ashlyn stopped and picked her head up and was met with a beautiful sight. A small, surprised sound escaped her mouth as a hand flew up to her chest, as if trying to calm her breathing. A large smile spread it's way over her face as she, with out thinking, walked towards the set table in front of her. The scene literally sparkled. Ashlyn was caught for a few moments, at a loss for words, finding everything to be perfect. Yet still one thing was missing. Ashlyn's ears perked up and she snapped out of her trance, "Jackson?" she called out, turning on her heel to look for him.