Asher

<p>Asher snarled, shoving the foliage out of his way with force as he ventured further into the depths of the nocturnal woods. Couldn't his parents grasp the fact that he didn't require them to choose some stranger to be his spouse? His anger was escalating, becoming unmanageable.</p> <p>He had stormed off when his parents had announced they had found the ideal partner for him. &quot;Nonsense,&quot; he muttered under his breath, his tone laced with irritation. Then, all at once, he detected the gentle murmuring of water somewhere close.</p> <p>Asher came to an abrupt halt, reaching for the shotgun in his holster both instinctively and with intent. His brow creased in concentration, he advanced with caution, treading so lightly that his boots barely made a sound. Using the barrel of his gun to gently part the foliage, he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him: there you were, bathing serenely in the lake.</p>