When No One Was Watching.

Chapter 3

As day breaks we reach a small meadow clearing. The sun glimmers on the water of a small pond and highlights the bunches of golden and red flowers. Aching from the long ride, I slide off of Marisol's back and lead him to the pond.

As he drinks I grab my compass from under my shirt and flip it open. The needle still lingering above the East.

"Thank you, friend." I coo as I run my fingers through his mane. "We need to find a place to hide and rest. Father will soon send the guard to find me."

Glancing around I spotted a quite large tree in the far-off distance, nearly tripling all the ones surrounding it. The sun shines through the leaves leaving individual rays of light down across the other tree tops.

"There- we will go to that tree and I will climb it. Then I will be able to see all of the lands around, but it will be at least a day's ride away." Birds begin to sing, each chirp like a soft piano note. The sound of a rushing stream, crickets, and frogs all come together in a beautiful song as the morning light warms the earth. As sweat beads across my face and neck, I tug off my cloak. Folding it neatly and setting it in one of the large saddle pockets. I become lost in the beauty of the deep woods as Marisol and I amble in the direction of the tree.

I can't help but notice that the trees around us are much larger than anyone I had ever seen. So large that most were bigger around than Marisol was long. I stop to admire an especially beautiful one peppered in moss, with something carved in the middle of an extraordinarily etched ring of flowers. I reach out and trace it with my fingers. Gently the w forms under my fingers. I brush away the soft green growth, revealing the rest of the word. Awake. The carving seemed to be quite old as if it grew with the tree for years.

"I'm not sure where we are Mari, but wherever it is has been here for a very long time." Marisol makes a sound of agreement as he nudges my side with his large snout. I turn to grin at my large friend and climb once more upon his back. "We probably shouldn't tarry too long, who knows how far behind the guard is," I glance up towards the sun. "They will discover I'm gone anytime now."

With a gentle push on the side, Mari and I take off, the wind whipping my loose hair around and carrying the sweet smell of spring.

For hours we continue at a gentle trot, stopping only a few times so Mari can rest. As the sun begins its descent, the tree comes into a clearer view. Something I was not expecting to find was everything in the meadow stretched out before it. 

A waterfall pouring onto a waterwheel, a river that rushes under the wooden frame, a bridge that crosses over it, a tended garden with a scarecrow, chickens, barrels, and sun catchers glimmering in the late daylight. A clothesline covered in clothes, shimmering glass nestled in the tree's bark, and a door at the base of the ginormous tree. Most surprising of all it appears a house has been built around the tree, with inset room-like structures that appear to climb its wide trunk. In awe, I slide off of Mari's back, gently leading him behind me with the reins. An overgrown stone path leads me to the opening of the sun-kissed wooden gate. I slide open the rusted metal latch and allow the gate to fall backward.

"Marisol, listen," I tell him, tearing my eyes off of the magnificent site. "You stay close and stay quiet." dropping the reins I pat his head one more time. I reach inside his saddlebag and grab the knife I stole from the kitchen, clutching it close to my side. I slip the compass off from around my neck, sliding it into one of the leather pockets. Concern shimmers in his eyes, as I fasten them shut and he snorts at me. "Oh hush, I will be fine. This is just in case. Go on now. Go on." He shuffles away, munching on some nearby grass as I look back towards the open gate.

Stepping inside I wander down the stone path; daisies and marigolds dance among my feet. A soft mew catches my attention from the garden. In a vine-covered archway, an orange and white cat lays on its back. Its big green eyes staring back at me.

"Well hello." I grin. Unbothered by my presence, the cat just stares and then stretches out, closing its eyes. I continue in, the shade of the leaves swallowing me up. I come upon the large door, carvings littering the front of it. What appears to be more windows along the base of the tree catches me by surprise. I squint my eyes still adjusting to the change in light when a word jumps out at me. Awake.

I can't help it as my jaw drops and I reach out to touch the beautiful carvings. What does this mean? And why does it match the tree in the woods?

I follow the illustrations off of the door and around the side of the ginormous tree. The rough bark scratches my palms, as I trace over what seems to be an unspoken story.

"What is this place?" I wonder aloud.

"It's my house." replies an unseen voice. My breath becomes stuck in my chest as I whip around, trying to place where it came from. No answers meet my eyes and panic rises in my chest. I lift the large butcher's knife with both hands, swiveling around once more.

"Oh, don't be scared!" it calls out again, but fear has already grabbed a hold of my heart. I take a step back off of the stones, but I lose my footing as the soft ground crumbles beneath me. Down I plunge, and all I can see are swirling lights. An indescribable noise expels from my mouth and I hit the ground with a sickening crunch.

My mind is blank as I lay staring up at the hole I seem to have fallen through. A sharp throb settles in my side as I blink and try to fill my lungs back up with air. I go to sit up only to be forced back to the ground out of pain. Glancing down I realize that the knife I was holding is now sticking out of my body, right above my hip.

"Gah-" With trembling fingers, I clutch at the sight of the wound. The sound of feet slapping against the floor makes me remember where I am. I scramble once again trying to move with a gush of blood reminding me not to. The quick footsteps draw closer and a shadow appears around the corner.

"Are you alright?" Frightened, I look up, only to be met with the small stature of a girl. She rushes to my side, her short but wild curls bouncing with every step she takes. Her little hands grab at my arm before I could even think to stop her. Too raddled to move I allow her to move my hand out of the way and gawk at the sharp object sticking out of me.

"Oh, oh no. That looks kinda bad." She gasps still not looking away from my wound.

"Who are you?" I rasp, barely breathing from the pain. Glancing up she begins to speak.

"Oh- I'm Esme. I'm sorry, I scared you, really! I was going to the garden and I saw you through my window. We never get visitors so I was watching to see who you were, I thought you knew I was there because you started talking." She rambles amber eyes glimmering with concern and curiosity. "Who are you?"

"Well, I'm-" I thought about it for a second, my head becoming fuzzy. "I am Princess Wren of Ethelia." Silence washed over us for a moment, as she looked between my face and my wound.

"You're a princess?" the puddle of warm blood beneath me grows and soaking the back of my shirt. I try to breathe deeply, but stars begin swimming behind my eyes.

"Yes. I also fear I may be dying." Darkness overtakes my field of vision and her voice grows frantic, but I am unable to fight it anymore. I slip into a vast dreamless sleep.