The Forest (Complete Unedited)

The Forest chapter 33

AIDEN

I don't know Mary very well yet, I can see her doubts written on her face. I will learn everything and prove that I will be the best husband to Alice. She went to work, I wonder what she does? I don't really remember but most wives worked with their husbands or as maids where I grew up. I wonder what she does? Her hands don't seem damaged with hard work. But I can see that look in her eye, that she knows how to work hard. Maybe she's the head maid?

I think Tracy should be the next person we tell but I'll need to check on her first. I'll ask Alice to take me to any local woods. I hadn't told Alice that I was starting to notice certain things when I was with her. Soon I wouldn't need to touch the roots. I seem to be getting stronger. This is what I needed to protect Alice but this is not what the oaks told me. I hope Alice doesn't get scared of me.

When her friend left we made lunch together, she opened a *¹metal container and food was inside. It was beans in some kind of soup made with something called a *²tomato, we had it with *3 twice baked bread. She even put cheese on top. It was the tastiest thing ever, a bit tricky to eat. She kept apologising for the food. She needed to go to the supermarket but wanted to go tomorrow. Is it called a supermarket because it's a Sunday market? Why are people selling on a Sunday anyway?

The bread is strange too, I didn't really notice before. It's not made here, it's wrapped in some see through material called plastic. It's a bit like greased paper but when you tear it something strange happens. It stretches like toffee! The shape of the bread is like a brick instead of a round stone and it's already cut up too. How come it doesn't go dry?

All these things I will need to learn. When I tried to speak to the doctor about it at the hospital, my speech still wasn't good. Alice had read out the referral letters to me and I would be having an assessment on Friday at my new hospital. It was called Kings Hospital so I wasn't sure if I was allowed to go there, I'm not even a lord! But she said it's just the name of the hospital and anyone can go in and get treatment for no coin! I wonder if it was run by the church? Would the nurses be nuns?

I was getting a headache from all these things, but Alice knew how to distract me. She started to kiss me, so I carried her upstairs! For some reason this place feels like our own home so it's like we've just got married again! It's not until we hear the key in the lock downstairs that we quickly get dressed again so Alice can talk to her mum. I'm still a bit flustered so I stay upstairs to practice writing while Alice has some time with her mother.

I feel like I've done wrong to Alice by not asking permission from her family to wed her. Now I can talk quite well. I shall speak to her mother myself. I have been practicing letters for a while so I go and wash my face at the water spout and look in the glass mirror. I do have an impressive beard. I haven't seen many men wearing beards so far. As Alice's friend had said previously, I was out of fashion. I might get it trimmed, I should try to fit in.

It's been a few hours and it's gone quieter downstairs. I gather my papers and carry them down. I hope they will be proud of my efforts. I feel as if I had suddenly matured now. I can prove I am a man not a boy. It was funny how I thought that after living so long.

The two women were sitting in the kitchen silently like they had just had an argument. By the looks I got it was about me. I smile tentatively and place my papers in front of Alice. She smiles at me and points to a chair so I can join them.

"Aiden, I've been talking to mum about money and stuff, or coin as you would call it. So I thought maybe you could talk to her about your plans."

This woman knows me so well already. It seems that her mother feels I'm a burden. That must be what the argument was about. I will show her I'm a responsible man. Should I bow to her mother? I'm not sure I feel like I should only bow to a king. Bowing to a woman seems strange but I think I need to do it. She has a skeptical look on her face.