Gardener

Chapter 10

The Hunt

 

                   

I came upon the tree her Highness hid within, taller than any tree I'd seen before it, its circumference perhaps tripled my height, its canopy too high to see with human eyes alone it could be nothing but a giant's spine, planted when the world was young and giants roamed as we do. I traced my fingers along its bark shivering in awe at his age. The spirit was undeniably male, not because he revealed himself to me, his slumber was too deep for that but because I could feel him and I just knew. I patted the tree gently before sliding down the slopping bank to a river that had no name.

The water raged, the river swollen with the new come spring, I drank deeply from my water skin before braiding my hair in one long plait. While the plants and trees of the forest would not offer hindrance I wasn't foolish enough to believe the water would do the same. That was not where my gift lay after all. I gazed at where the river rushed the trees base, swirling and lapping furiously creating a little alcove cloaked in darkness, I watched the water rush through the trees creating its own path across the land and I began to remove my boots deciding that I did not want to drown.

I pulled off my tunic and then the pouch of useful seeds and vials, followed by my sheathed blade I wrapped both in the fabric of my tunic which I tucked into the Water proof pack. I tossed my boots and my pack higher up the bank not wanting to take the chance that the water would drag it away and then I plunged into the river diving deep beneath the root that formed an arch just beneath the water before surfacing on the other side. Thankful that the water though chilled wasn't freezing I swam towards the dark little nook pausing in my paddling when the river surged not wanting to find myself bashed against the base of said tree before I reached my destination. Once close enough I clung to the tough bark of exposed roots pulling myself along until I could crawl into more shallow water.

 
"Highness?!" I called breathless shivering as a breeze passed over my wet skin. "Princess?!" I called when I gained no response crawling closer to the darkness.

"You promised not to be reckless and here you are diving into a raging river," strong hands pulled me further into the darkness.

"How else was I to get in here?" I questioned tossing my braid over my shoulder.

"There's a small tunnel in the back!" She cried furiously.

I rubbed my hand over my face gazing at the light leaking through the man sized tunnel, no doubt made in preparation for this moment. "Highness, I'm sorry." I shifted so that I could see her more clearly, she was completely dry. Goddess I wished I'd thought to look for another way in, I wished I'd thought to ask. "Not for diving into the river, I was in no real danger. I'm sorry for yesterday..."

"Gardener just ask your question..."

"So you can refuse me," I shook my head. "I don't think so. I did not dive into a raging river for nothing."

"Calm but reckless, powerful and yet afraid..." The Princess mocked, "How do you live?"

"You don't understand," I breathed goose flesh stealing over my skin as the air grew chill without the heat of the sun to warm it.

"I understand perfectly..."

"You understand nothing!" I snapped in my anger. "You have lived under the protection of your mother's wing for the whole of your life Highness. You can go anywhere you wish to go; you can study anything your heart desires. You can marry who you love all with your mother's blessing. I do not want any title she can think to give me; she has already taken so much." I breathed shaking my head.