Briar Woods (Re-working)

Chapter 17: The Cottage

I found myself sitting in a large chair by a warm fire, as the old woman attended to the cut on my forehead. The moment she saw my injury, she ushered me into the old cottage. I watched as she bustled about.

She pulled a few vials from a cupboard. I sat in silence, but my mind was racing. I had so many questions I didn't know where to start. I continued to watch as she combined several ingredients to a small wooden bowl. It smelled strange and had the appearance of swampy marsh water. As she continued to stir, the goo thickened. When she seemed satisfied with the consistency she came toward me.

"Now my dear, if you don't mind pulling your hair back from your face we will take care of that angry looking cut on your forehead." She smiled and waited patiently for me to comply.

"Um I think I will be fine. It is a small cut nothing to fuss over." I managed squeak out. The smell of the goo was not pleasant.

"Nonsense my dear, while the poultice may smell terrible I promise it will relieve the pain and help heal the wound. You wouldn't want to end up with a nasty scar on you pretty face, now would you?"

I hesitated another moment and finally I pulled my mess of auburn hair back from my face. She applied the poultice liberally to my cut. When she finished she said. "There, that should heal in no time. Are you ready for some supper?"

She didn't wait for my answer and went about setting a round wooden table for supper. A few minutes later I was sitting before a bowl of hearty soup and fresh warm bread. My stomach rumbled and I realized how hungry I was. Before I dared take a bite I needed some questions answered.

I finally found my voice and asked. "Am I dreaming?"

The old woman looked up from the loaf of bread she was slicing and starred at me for a moment.

"I mean..." I continued. "You are the woman that I've seen in my dreams are you not? What is it you want with me?" I looked around her tiny cottage, suddenly nervous. Was she some crazy old woman who meant me harm? She did not seem menacing; rather she seemed genuinely concerned for my well fare.

"Who are you?" I asked. She set down the knife she was using to slice the bread and gave me her full attention.

"I'm just an old woman, no one of particular consequence. You may call me Fern." Her vagueness bothered me.

"Were you the one I saw in the glade? Are you sending me dreams?" I couldn't believe the words coming from my lips." To admit out loud I believed the dreams were real made me sound mad.

"Is there something you want me to know? You said you had answers I'm searching for. Is that true?" I knew I sounded almost desperate and yet I could not hold back my need for answers. She watched me for a moment as if considering what she would say.

Finally she said. "Thea, what is it you believe? What do your instincts tell you the truth is?"

I wanted to scream. I wished someone would tell me what was going on without all the secrecy.

Not completely able to disguise my frustration I said. "I believe you have been watching me for some time. You have been trying to tell me something and now you have managed to get me here."

"Did you cause the rockslide that forced us to change course? Did you spook my horse and thus sending her running into the woods where I somehow found myself lost. Now I find myself here and you say that you have been waiting for me."

Her piercing blue eyes widened at my accusations. "Oh my, who do you think I am, that I could command rocks to move, horses to flee and for you to become hopelessly lost at my biding?" She exclaimed.