Ahlva: Unbound

Chapter 8

Ahlva

Cathal still will not let me watch them train. It's been weeks and he still will not let me watch even from afar. I refuse to take the issue up to father because then Cathal might spin a tale about me being devious in some way. So instead of watching them this afternoon I decide to visit the pups in the kennels.

After I brought the idea to father at the midday meal one day, he was surprised I found pups on one of my walks to the nearby shops that were young enough to be trained but he was glad to have more dogs for hunting season. Father even let me help Ronit and the men that care for the dogs, take the pups from under the bridge. Sadly we found the mother dead, her sickness became fatal, so Ronit helped me bury her near the bridge.

Walking in to the kennels, I smile to myself as all the dogs bark and howl, some play with each other as I pass by their kennel. I manage to find the pups that are much bigger than they were when I first found them. I open the small gate and walk in before sitting on the hay, all the pups rush up to me and we begin playing. A large grin is plastered on my face for the next hour until the caretakers had come for their training.

Walking out the kennels and into the cool fresh air, I think back to when I used to sneak out to feed the pups and an idea to spend a bit more time alone today pops into my mind.

I rush to my chambers, grab a blank paper, ink and a feather before stuffing some fruit into a bag and rushing back out to the gardens. I carefully make my way through the winding paths, the gravel crushing beneath my feet, and even more careful not to let any one see me. I crouch to the ground and hide behind some bushes, my hair falling all around me as I hold my breath when a two guards pass by. I hear a man in the distance calling the guards so I use this chance to dash to the small exit behind the garden, my dress and cloak swaying all around me.

Once I'm through the door, I chuckle softly at my victory. Making my way down the now overgrown dirt path, mother and I used to take.

I think of those dreams again at the thought of mother. The dreams always jolt me awake, making it difficult to sleep again. I watch the nearby trees and overgrown bushes, taking in all the green around me, taking deep breaths of the crisp air. I walk a little more down the path, and down the hill from the gardens back exit until I see a little ways away the small pond and I smile.

Mother and I would come here often. She would tell me stories or eat delicious foods or draw little pictures of faeries or make little flower crowns. I giggle at the thought of making a flower crown now.

Taking off my cloak, I lay it on a rock and put my things near the rock before looking around to make sure no one is around, then begin to take off my dress. No one usually comes here, so I drop my dress near the rock and leave my leine on before walking into the cool water. I giggle once more as the coldness creeps up my legs. I dive into the water gently and the coldness washes over my whole body as I swim out a bit further. I come up for air and the air feels fresher when I breathe it in.

I brush my now soaking hair out my face and smile, looking around for flowers near the pond to make a flower crown. I spot a few yellow and white wild flowers before swimming to the edge of the pond and walking out. My leine is now transparent as the wet cloth sticks to my body. I pick enough flowers while my leine dries easily enough due to the breeze and the thinness of the fabric.

I sit on another nearby rock and begin the flower crown. When my leine is dry enough I put my dress back on before continuing my crown. A few hours later, I'm sitting on my cloak my back against the rock, my hair now only slightly damp and full of waves, the flower crown on my head and the once blank pages filled with drawings of flowers and faeries. I hum a familiar song I've forgotten the words to as I draw a faerie sitting on a bed of daisies.