Aria remained stunned by the lake.
The baby cried again and something deep within her again.
Something primal called out to her.
Her breasts suddenly ached painfully again and warmth spread beneath the front bodice of her dress.
Milk.
Aria's breathing became uneven.
She pressed a trembling hand against herself as though she could force her body to stop reacting.
The crying continued.
A sharp frustrated sound escaped her throat.
"Stop it…" she muttered to herself. "It's not your child."
Maybe this was just her neighbors playing tricks on her.
Making fun of her, taunting her because at the young age of twenty one she had lost her own baby whilst they had a huge family.
The crying only grew louder.
Then suddenly, a branch snapped somewhere deeper in the forest.
Aria's head jerked up.
At first she saw nothing except shadows moving between trees.
Then a figure stumbled through the darkness.
A man.
He wore dark clothes stained heavily with blood and mud.
