Spirit Warrior - The Son of the North

Son of a Slave - II

Every day for the last few weeks she's been coming to give me food. It still amazes me how she tries to start a conversation every time; mostly without much luck. What irritates me most is the fact that I can't scare her away, no matter how hard I try, so over the last week or so I have accepted the fact that's she's there.

I spin around to see Eris walking though the forest, with a bundle of food in her arms. She walks over to place it under the elder where she normally sits and watches me. I shift my weight a bit from foot to foot, before walking over to her.

"Would you like to see when it falls?" I ask her, talking about the thick oak tree I've been working on cutting down for days. She nods her head so her black hair flies around at the movement. I lead the way though the tangle, holding back a few thorned branches for her. I walk closer to the mighty tree. She lets out a melodic laugh as she walks closer. "It's gigantic!" she says, placing her hands on the base of the tree.

"You know what, I don't think any of the other men in the village could have cut down this tree! You must be really strong" She lifts her hands off the base of the tree and lets two fingers follow outline of the muscles in my arm. I can't suppress a shiver at the foreign touch of someone else.

"Stand over there," I say, pointing to the right, at some trees far enough away that there's no way the tree will hit her. As she goes to the place I ask, I start swinging. It only takes about five swings before the oak is groaning under its weight. I place the axe on the ground and start using my back to push the tree the way I want it to fall. I put all my power into the last push as the tree falls down with a heavy thud. I smile proudly down at the tree, somehow the smile seems wrong on my face but, I smile anyway. I turn around to see Eris walking close.

"You're so strong!" she gasps, making me puff out my chest in pride. She grasps my hand in one quick motion. Surprised at the touch, I shy away, which makes her smile "There's no reason to be afraid," she says but doesn't try to take my hand again knowing she stepped too far.

"Now I think some food will do me good," I say, trying to change the subject. Not many moments later I sit under the elder, eating the dry bread and the goats' cheese she brought me not long ago. With my stomach full, I lie down on my back with my hands behind my head. I feel my eyes closing at the sound of Eris humming and the waves crashing to the shore not far away.