Escape the Woods

by Gabriella Catherine

  Or not. Perhaps I imagined it. Perhaps it was because I was so close to tears myself.

  Father looked shocked. “I do not believe this.”

  “It’s true,” Jack said. “It’s over. Let us bring to you the men who have surrendered to us. They’ll be arriving soon.”

  Before leaving, Father looked at me. “You should get some rest, Liebling. Your maid will help you clean up, and we can discuss this all after you are rested.” He kissed my cheek, then said, “Sir Kolton, please escort her to her bedchamber.”

  Then he and my brothers left the solar.

  I walked down the corridor toward my room. Kolton walked beside me, but we said nothing. My vision became slightly shaky, perhaps from tiredness or from my head injury, but I didn’t comment on it.

  When we reached my chamber door, I turned to Kolton. In the dark, I could barely make out the lines of his face.

  “Thank you,” I whispered. “For everything. You’re a very loyal friend.”

  “I would do anything to protect you, my lady.”

  My heart melted. Was he only saying that because all my father’s men were, literally, supposed to do anything to protect me? Or did he see me differently than Malachi or Jeremiah saw me?

  “I’m sorry for the trouble I put you through by leaving. I’m also sorry my father placed your life in danger.”

  “Lady Scarlett.” He stepped closer. “Don’t say that. It is the greatest honor to work for your father. And especially, to be able to–”

  Dizziness overcame me, and I swayed forward. Kolton caught my arms, stabilizing me. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine, just lightheaded. I hit my head in the woods.”

  “Should I take you to the healer?”

  “I-I’m not sure I could walk all the way … there.” My voice trembled as I caught my breath.

  “Do I have your permission to carry you?”

  “No. I mean, that’s not necessary. I don’t need a healer.”

  He was silent. Had I hurt his feelings? I hadn’t meant to. I truly didn’t think it was necessary for me to go see the healer. I could take care of myself if I could just get to my bed.

  I straightened, letting go of Kolton.

  The door to my chamber opened, and Gabriele came and put her arm around my shoulders. “Oh, Lady Scarlett! Thank heavens you’re safe. Let’s get you cleaned up, dear.” She coaxed me into the chamber.

  I looked over my shoulder. “Goodbye, Sir Kolton.”

  “Goodbye, my lady. Send for me if you need anything.”

  His voice sounded softer and less confident than it had earlier. He was obviously tired.

  I closed my door and allowed Gabriele to help me undress.

  By the time I bathed and changed for bed, the sun was coming through the window. I managed to get a couple hours of sleep, and by the time I woke, it was midday. I dressed in a cranberry-colored dress and set off across the courtyard toward the church.

  Jack was inside, kneeling in his usual spot in the corner. I walked toward the altar and knelt beneath the large wooden cross. I prayed for a long time, thanking God for saving me. For keeping my brothers, Kolton, Malachi, and Jeremiah safe. For giving us victory over Endor and his tribe. And for the families of the men that died fighting in the battle.

  Last night had been traumatic, and I still trembled when I remembered the details. But I thought about the words Kolton spoke to me after Britta died. “I guess we need to trust that none of this would have happened unless God allowed it.”

  Pondering that gave me a sense of peace.

  ###

  As I walked back toward my chamber, Father called my name.

  “I would like to speak with you.”

  I followed him to the solar, wondering if this time he would ban me from exiting the courtyard walls as punishment for my transgressions.

  Once we were both seated, Father said quietly, “There is something I have kept from you for a long time. And I think it is time I tell you.”

  I brushed my hair away from my face and met his troubled gaze. “What are you talking about, Father?”

  He looked at the floor, a guilty look in his eyes. “Do you remember all the times you and your brothers went swimming, tree climbing, and riding, before your mother died?”

  Confused, I nodded.

  “Do you remember when all of a sudden I didn’t allow you to go anywhere without Sir Malachi?”

  “Yes.”

  “There was a reason for my actions. And I think you deserve to know what it was.”

  I bit my lip. Endor had already revealed the truth of my past, and now that moment played over again in my head. What more could Father have to tell me?

  “Before your mother died,” he said, “there was a tribe led by a man named Gordon Leopoldo. Gordon, jealous of my riches, planned an attack on Darrenberg. I was fortunate enough to have heard his evil plans before he acted, and so I went out with my own army and attacked them first. I killed Gordon, and my army knocked out most of his men. His son, Endor, was still only a young man, but when he saw me slaughter his father, he swore he would one day get revenge and kill my only daughter.”

  I swallowed hard, the thought sending a chill through me.

  “After I heard him say that, I couldn’t let you roam free through the woods with no one to protect and defend you. I knew you craved your freedom, but I had to keep you sheltered from the world. It was a difficult decision, but ultimately, it was better to deprive you of your freedom if it meant I kept you safe.

  “Soon after, your mother died. You became even more precious to me, and so I sent your brothers away to train to become warriors. Cordel proposed an army be formed so when the time came, we would be able to slaughter Endor’s tribe, who was only growing stronger and becoming a bigger threat. So Cordel went away again to recruit and train his men, and so he has been doing ever since. But when I heard about the two men in the woods that day when you were out with Sir Malachi, and then when you were attacked by that ferocious bear, I couldn’t allow you to exit the town walls anymore. That’s why I kept you inside, locked up, so there was no way Endor or anyone else could harm you.

  “As the months passed, I became increasingly apprehensive. I couldn’t continue to wait for Endor to come to us. That is why I sent your brothers, Sir Malachi, Sir Jeremiah, and all of my other men out to find him and eliminate him first. They weren’t going to the camp to train this time — they were going out to find Endor.”

  It was as I thought. This one secret that had led to all this grief. “But, Father, why didn’t you just tell me? I would have understood.”

  He shook his head. “A young girl doesn’t need to live her life knowing she has been targeted by a man mad with rage and bent on revenge. It didn’t seem fair to put so much pressure on you. I kept it a secret because I cared about you and wanted you to be happy. But now I see I not only made you miserable, locking you up like this, but I also endangered you.”

  “I see now why you did it. You sheltered me out of love, and now I regret being so stubborn and defiant with you. It wasn’t your silence that put me in jeopardy but my insolence.”

  I blinked back tears as I stood and peered out the window. Jack and Cordel left church together and walked across the courtyard. “Father.” I turned back to him. “Do you know why Cordel neglects me?” It was a bold question, but I had to ask it.

  Father thought for a moment. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

  “All right.”

  Jack always told me it wasn’t my job to fix Cordel. It was Cordel’s. Nothing I did could truly change him.

  But after almost dying, seeing Cordel almost die, it caused me to feel uneasy about our broken relationship. It made me want to fix it, but of course, I didn’t know how. I wasn’t smooth with words like Jack, and Merida said I was too blunt and outspoken.

  As I sat in front of my mirror that afternoon while my maid brushed my hair, someone knocked on my chamber door.

  Gabri
ele opened it.

  I rose, surprised to see Cordel standing in the doorway. What could he be doing here? He never came to my chamber.

  “Good morning.” He smiled.

  “Good morning.” My furrowed brow must have given away my confusion, but he didn’t remark on it.

  Instead, he invited himself in and sat in my large chair.

  I nodded to Gabriele. “You may leave.”

  She curtsied and exited the room.

  I stared at Cordel. Feeling awkward by the silence, I raised my eyebrows and tried to sound flippant. “You were late to morning prayers today.”

  “I had to make a quick trip to the market before I came up here to see you.”

  Still confused, I walked to my window and drew back the curtains. Light streamed into the room, landing on the large sack Cordel had set beside his chair. “Oh.”

  He reached into it and pulled out a thin, smooth bow, one slightly bigger and obviously more expensive than my old one. “The reason I was late to church this morning was because I was down in the village, purchasing this for you.”

  Mystified, I slid the stool from in front of my vanity across from Cordel and sat. “For me?”

  He nodded, a sheepish smile on his face. Then he held the bow out to me.

  I took it and examined it. It was the most beautiful bow I’d ever held. But why did Cordel get it for me?

  Realizing I’d just been sitting there staring at it, I looked up. “Cordel, I love it. But you don’t have to buy things for me. I’ll pay you back.”

  His eyebrows came together. “Scarlett, please don’t think about it like that. I wanted to get it for you, after you lost your other one to Endor last night. I understand if you don’t like it, or if you want a different one. I’ll exchange it for you today if you wish.”

  “Oh, Cordel, that isn’t what I meant. I just don’t understand why you would buy this for me.” I was almost startled. He never bought things for me.

  Cordel hesitated for a moment. He twisted the ring on his right hand - a ring that had been passed down through generations. “Because I wanted you to realize how much I appreciate you.”

  I stared at him, dumbfounded. “What are you talking about?”

  “I learned something last night,” he said.

  I leaned forward and studied his serious expression.

  “I learned something I think I’ve been missing for a long time.” Was this the same Cordel that yelled, punched walls, and swore when he was angry?

  “I have been taking a lot of things for granted. Especially you.”

  My stomach twisted into a knot.

  Cordel continued. “Do you know how often times certain experiences and situations teach us things?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I believe the reason you were kidnapped last night is because God was trying to show me how awful I would feel if I ever lost you.” He stared down at the floor. “I am ashamed to confess I have been neglecting you these past few years because I have been so focused on myself and my own future. I’m arrogant and selfish. I don’t treat you with respect.”

  “Cordel—”

  “There’s more.” He blew out air, rubbing the back of his neck. “After Mother left us, I was angry with God. Enraged. And I took that anger out on you and Jack. I was violent and reckless.”

  I nodded slowly. “I understand. But what was it that I did to make you neglect me? Did I do something wrong? If I did, please tell me.”

  Bowing his head, Cordel covered his face with his hands. “Nothing. You did nothing. This isn’t about you, Scarlett. It’s about me. Don’t ever think you did something wrong to make me be this way toward you, because you didn’t. Sometimes you’re stubborn and rebellious, and you do stupid things like leave the castle on your own and get attacked by bears, and that makes me upset with you. But none of that justifies my violence toward you.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what is wrong with me.”

  Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I wiped them away. “I know I’m defiant and stupid, and I get myself into trouble. Is that the reason you dislike me?”

  He looked at me, pain evident in his eyes. “No, that isn’t it at all! You think I don’t like you?”

  I nodded.

  “No. That’s not it, Scarlett.”

  I drew in a breath, praying for the strength to finish this conversation. After years of hardening my heart against him, talking about it in so vulnerable a way felt like ripping open an old gash. “Then what is it? Why do you treat me like you hate me?”

  Cordel hesitated for a long time, biting his lip and shaking his head slightly. Finally, he said, “It has been hard for me to see you grow up and become a young woman. I guess I wanted you to always be my little Scarlett. But instead of spending time with you and enjoying the time you were young, I pushed you away because I thought you were better off without me. And now, now that you are no longer a young girl, I am finally realizing all I missed. I wasn’t a good brother. I should have been there for you. And I’m sorry.”

  I drew in a deep breath. “You don’t have to be sorry.”

  “But I am sorry. Scarlett, if something had happened to you last night, and the brother you know me as now was the only thing you ever knew me to be, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself. I’ve been acting like such a jerk. I need to make things right with you. And with Jack. I shouldn’t have treated you with so much anger. I care about you, even if I didn’t show it.”

  I couldn’t believe my ears. Memories of me crying to Jack about the way Cordel treated me in the past flashed through my mind. I never thought I’d hear Cordel say these things to me. It was almost impossible to breathe.

  “The way you treat me now isn’t the only thing I know you to be. When we were young, before Mother died, you used to play with me, and you loved me, and you were the best brother I could hope for. I looked up to you, and I loved you so much. I wanted to feel like I would always have you by my side. But when I needed you the most — when Mother died — you left me to face the hardest time of my life without my older brother, and I couldn’t understand what I had done to turn you away. I felt so alone.”

  I had never seen my brother look so meek, so self-doubting, so unsure of himself. Cordel was always self-asserting and confident. He didn’t dare show weakness, except in the form of anger. But in the wake of his confession, his shoulders slumped and he looked miserable.

  It reminded me of the way he looked when I went to see him after our mother’s funeral. I had gone to his chamber, seeking comfort, but I was turned harshly away. Cordel didn’t speak to anyone for a whole week after she died. He ignored Jack and me, and we were left alone to cry ourselves to sleep every night. Sometimes I would hear Cordel yelling in the middle of the night in his chamber down the hall from mine. He’d wake after a nightmare, screaming for our mother. He didn’t eat, he didn’t sleep, and he didn’t speak. For weeks. It broke me to see my brother like that. That was when his heart hardened.

  Looking at me, Cordel said, “All I can say is that I’m working on it. I don’t have the ability to become everything you expect and deserve of me overnight. But I am going to strive to be the best brother I can be from now on. I have already prayed and asked God to forgive me for staying bitter and angry, and now I am asking your forgiveness … for taking you for granted, for neglecting you because I had bitterness in my heart, and for not realizing you are an amazing sister, and that I need you as much as you need me.”

  A tear slid down my cheek. “Of course I forgive you.”

  “I’m going to be here for you from now on, whenever you need me.”

  “Thank you.”

  He nodded.

  “Just promise me one thing.”

  “Anything.”

  “Promise me you won’t go off to the warrior’s camp again.”

  Cordel shook his head, looking relieved. “Never again.”

  “Good.” I stood, walked to him, and wrapped him in a hug.

  For t
he first time in a long time, he hugged me back.

  CHAPTER 28

  Later that day, I walked down to Malachi’s station and was surprised to find it empty. So I crossed the courtyard and approached the gate.

  Sir Jeremiah bowed. “My lady Scarlett.”

  I smiled, astonished when he let me go through the gateway without my bodyguard.

  I walked toward the village, the summer breeze blowing my hair and the sun warming my face. Finally, I caught sight of Malachi, and for the very first time, he didn’t look paranoid. “Sir Malachi, may I speak to you?”

  He nodded. “Of course, my lady.”

  “I want to apologize for the way I’ve treated you the past few years. I was frustrated with the restrictions put on me when I felt I could watch out for myself just fine — which we discovered last night is not true. Regardless, I took my anger for my father out on you, when in reality, you had nothing to do with my restrictions. You were simply following orders. Nothing justifies my behavior. I was stubborn and didn’t realize you were trying to protect me from something terrible. But now that I know everything you went through to protect me, both from the danger and the fear of it, I want to thank you. I know now why my father has placed his trust in you.”

  Malachi looked startled, like he didn’t know what to say. Finally, he managed a reply. “You don’t have to apologize, my lady. But I appreciate your kind words. Your father has made it my responsibility to protect you, and I will always do that.”

  “Thank you. I am glad my father appointed you to be my bodyguard. He was wise in doing so.”

  Malachi smiled, and for the first time ever, I hugged him.

  ###

  After the evening meal, Sir Jeremiah came to my chamber. He held out a black garment. “I believe this belongs to you, Lady Scarlett.”

  “Oh, Jeremiah!” I took the long black fabric and held it up so I could admire it. My breath hitched in my throat. I couldn’t believe it. It was Kolton’s cloak. I thought I’d never see it again. “How did you find this?”