“And why don't you make her?”
“I'm letting her choose to do so in faith before I force her.” I sighed and shook my head sadly. “I'll wait until Pecan arrives – Oh! He just joined the conversation.”
“Pecan?” Derek questioned.
“Where is he?” asked Megan.
I took my finger off of my Ankulen and jabbed my thumb over my shoulder. “He's in that tree there.”
“Oh,” said Megan. She waited a few seconds before she added, “So are you going to show yourself now?”
“I suppose so.” I took a deep breath, walked over to the tree Apple sat in, and knocked three times. Instantly, all three of the Wood Children fell silent. Slowly, two pairs of eyes turned to me, while Walnut grinned in triumph. In a twinkling, he was by my side and had claim of my hand again. “See Apple? See Pecan? Lady Jenifer has come back – and now she's going to fix things!”
“But …” Apple began.
“Jenny?” said Pecan, “is that you?”
I laughed. “Of course it's me. You two get down here and give me a hug. I haven't seen you in eight years!”
Instantly, they were on the ground, arms around my waist. Walnut, not to be outdone, joined the group hug.
Apple was the first to draw back and look up at me. “You're back, Jenny. It really is you.”
I rumpled her curls. “Of course it's me, sapling. Walnut did tell you I had returned, did he not?”
She hung her head, and Pecan drew back awkwardly. “Yes … yes he did,” she admitted.
“It has been so long since you were last here – we wanted to believe, we really did …” Pecan trailed off.
“But it seemed too impossible,” finished Apple.
I placed a hand on each of their shoulders, lowering myself so that I was at their eye level. “I understand why you refused to believe – but you had Walnut's word, he had seen me with his own eyes.” I bit my lip, then added, “You believe because you see, but blessed are those that believe who have not seen.”
I decided that we had had enough of that dismal topic, so I stood up and placed a hand on the Ankulen. “But enough talk – I didn't come here to rebuke, but to restore!”
Eyes closed, I spread the Rainbow across the sky once more, then started restoring the Home Trees. First Walnut's, then Apple's and Pecan's, and finally every Home Tree that had perished for reasons other than being eaten by the Polystoikhedron.
When I opened my eyes, colors danced around, Walnut's tree was healthy – laden with leaves and nuts – and the Wood Children belonging to the trees I had restored were, one by one, entering the clearing.
Words fail me here. So much happened next, and yet it was so little that, to describe it would seem redundant and boring. It's the sort of moment where movies like to put the people on mute and slow motion while highly emotional music plays in the background. The Wood Children hugged on each other and me. (And complained if they perceived that one or another was getting more than their fair share of Jenny hugs.) Once I introduced my siblings, Megan joined in the hugging, while Derek stood stubbornly apart.
It was Pear, an older Wood Child with long, blonde hair, who suggested the feast. Immediately the idea was taken up by the whole party. They were so earnest and eager, and I knew that it would please them so much, I couldn't refuse.
While the Wood Children melted into the trees, I turned to Derek and Megan. “We're going to take a quick lunch break. I happen to know that the two of you haven't eaten in eight years.”
“Why aren't I hungry, then?” asked Derek. His continual skepticism was beginning to get on my nerves.
“Incidentally,” I said, not preventing the irritation from bubbling into my voice, “the only thing I've had to eat in the past several weeks has been some dragon steak. Frankly, real people can't get hungry while in an imaginary world, no more than they can become tired. It's a good thing, though, since all of the food's imaginary, and not exactly satisfying.”
“Then why are we going to eat?” asked Derek. “What's the point?”
“You see,” I answered, “the Wood Children want to feed us. Besides, the fruit and nuts here are scrumptious. The flip side to not getting hungry is the fact that we can't get full either.”
“So we could eat all day if we wanted to?” asked Megan.
“If we wanted to, yes.” I glanced over at Walnut's tree. “But using one's Ankulen for endless gluttony is considered an abuse.”
“Glutton?” Derek frowned.
“What is it and why's it so bad?” asked Megan.
I froze, then turned to them in surprise, mentally slapping myself for slipping into my habit of using big words. When it came to vocabulary – well they had been asleep for eight years. They were both child and teen at the same time.
“Gluttony means that you eat more than you ought to,” I explained. “Ankulens are not given for one's own enjoyment only. Endless eating only amuses oneself. It doesn't help anyone else.”
“And you're supposed to help other people?” Derek's eyebrow was up again.
“Of course! Our world is fallen. It's dark and dismal …” I placed a finger on my Ankulen, causing the gems to glow. “We Anka and Anku are called to be lights in this dark world. I've hidden my light for the last eight years though …” My hand jerked back, clenching into a fist as the light vanished. “I turned my back on my light and forgot about it.”
“Like the Sunday School song!” exclaimed Megan. She started to sing. “This little light of mine – I'm gonna let it shine!”
I laughed. “Exactly.”
She probably would have kept singing, and I might have joined in, had Apricot not arrived at that moment with a large woven basket filled with fruit.
“Ah,” I declared, taking the basket from her and placing a kiss in her orange-streaked blonde hair. “Our first dish! These look positively delicious!”
Apricot glowed under my compliment.
Looking up, I saw Walnut standing at the base of his tree, a similar basket filled with nuts in his hands. I laughed and set the apricots on the ground. “And here's our second!” I walked over to Walnut and took his basket. “I take it you want a kiss too?”
He nodded eagerly, so I laughingly placed one in his wild curls. “Well?” I declared, straightening and holding up the basket. “Shall we go ahead and start eating – or shall we wait for more to arrive?”
“I – I'd like to try one of those,” said Megan hesitantly, as she pointed to the basket of apricots.
“Well …” I set the walnuts down and plucked an apricot out of the basket. “Catch!” I tossed it to her. She caught it and gave it a wondering look. I pulled out two more, tossed one to Derek, and took a bite out of my own, letting the juice run down my chin. “This is delicious! Apricot – you outdid yourself!”
Derek had let his fall to the ground, so I shot him a one-eyebrow. “It's not poisoned, I can assure you that. Even if it were … oh! Hello Pecan! Course three! Just set it down with the others, and if you'll come over here, I'll give you a kiss.”
Pecan was quite pleased with that prospect, so he soon claimed the kiss. After that, there was a steady stream of Wood Children bearing baskets, and I was scarcely able to take bites of my apricot, let alone talk to Derek and Megan.
At last, however, all of the Wood Children were present and kissed, and Megan and I were seated cross-legged in the middle of the baskets, enjoying the contents. The Wood Children hovered around us, ready to fetch anything that was just out of reach. Derek still stood off to the side, refusing to take part, despite my assurances that it wouldn't hurt him.
“Megan and I can't possibly eat all of this food by ourselves!” I exclaimed. “Come help us!”
“I thought it was impossible for people to get full here.”
“Of course,” I agreed. “But there's just so much food … and so little time …”
“Then why did you order so much?”
I threw a hazelnut at him. “I didn't order it, the
y asked to bring it – this is their normal menu.” I sighed. “Well, it's a good thing that I've already arranged for another valiant knight to come and rescue us helpless maidens.”
Megan looked up from her banana in surprise. “Another knight? Who?”
“I do believe you've heard me mention him,” I replied, then bit into a fig.
“Let me guess,” said Derek. “That Sir Chris guy?”
I shook my head. “Chris is currently in hiding with Tisha, believing me dead. I'd love to have him here with us, but it would take too much conniving to do so. No, Sir Erran is joining us today.”
“Sir Erran?” questioned Megan.
“He should be here in a few minutes.” I pried open an almond and popped the kernel into my mouth. “There are a few things I'd like to talk with him about – such as calling his Lady fair when she's truly hideous. Flattery is not something that I tolerate.”
Megan giggled. Derek rolled his eyes. “So, who's his hideous lady?”
I threw a walnut at him. “There's only one person who bears the title 'Lady' here, and she doesn't take kindly to being called 'hideous' either.”
“But you …”
“What I call myself is my own business,” I explained. “It's forbidden for anyone else to mention my appearance. Direct your compliments to Fair Maiden Letitia, and your insults to the Ugly Lump.”
“The Ugly …”
“Oh, look! Here comes Sir Erran now!” I was on my feet in a moment, and the moment after that, Sir Erran rode into the clearing. A grin curled my lips. “Well, Sir Erran, my good knight, do you see any proof of Lady Jenifer's return now?”
Sir Erran instantly dismounted bowed deeply. “Forgive me, Lady Jenifer. Fair Maiden Jen spoke the truth.”
“Perhaps, had you spoken better of me and my favored knight, she would have entrusted with further proof. She knew full well that my return was no rumor, but the truth.”
“Forgive me, my Lady,” said Sir Erran, bowing even lower. “I allowed my tongue too much freedom.”
“I was Fair Maiden Jen,” I explained, sitting back down and accepting the apple that Apple was offering me. “The reason I had not yet begun my restoration project was that I had forgotten how to do so. My memories were what I sought.”
“If I may, one question.”
“Speak freely.”
“Where are Sir Christofer and Fair Maiden Letitia? You never travel without them.”
“I will meet with them tonight. For now, I am enjoying the company of Sir Derek and Fair Maiden Megan, my brother and sister who I have brought from the real world.”
Sir Erran bowed first to Megan and then to Derek. “It is an honor to meet you. I am at your service.”
“Oh … um … hello …” Megan was blushing.
“I see,” said Derek, staring at Sir Erran with narrowed eyes.
“Well, if you would, please come and join us. The Wood Children have, as is their wont, provided far too much, and Derek doesn't appear to be hungry.” I patted an empty section of ground.
He accepted the invitation, and was soon entertaining us with tales of daring-do. Megan seemed to particularly enjoy the stories that involved dragons. Derek eventually joined us, but refused to meet my questioning looks.
At last I stood. “We must continue our journeys Thank-you for the food, Wood Children. It was delicious. Now, you have much to do to restore the Orchard to its former glory, so I suggest that you begin at once.”
I waited until they had all melted into the trees before I turned to Sir Erran. “You and I will split the leftovers, since the Wood Children have no need of them. I will take my share to Tisha and Chris, since I think they're beginning to run out of food.” A tap of the Ankulen produced a bottomless satchel like what every valiant knight carried, into which I dumped half of what remained of the cherries. “I have a special task for you, Sir Erran. The color of this fruit will not fade. I want you to tell everyone of my return, tell them that you have seen me with your own eyes, traveled with me behind you on your horse, eaten with me. Given them taste of the fruit as proof that this is no mere rumor.”
He nodded. “As you wish. I am honored by your trust.”
I smiled. “You're special to me, Sir Erran. You're one of my imaginary friends. I made you up. It doesn't matter that you aren't Sir Christofer. You're Sir Erran of Tree. My only Sir Erran of Tree.”
Sir Erran bowed his head. “It brings me joy to hear those words.”
“But, remember, I don't want you speaking mean about Chris anymore,” I continued. “He was my first knight, my finest knight. You will never replace him. Your attitude towards him is unchivalrous.”
He hesitated, refusing to meet my eye. At last he said, “To hear is to obey.”
Chapter 16
In Which Questions are Asked and Answered
OUR journey to the cave where Chris and Tisha were hiding continued without event. As I had wanted, we arrived in the middle of the night – when they were asleep.
“I hope the two of you don't mind,” I said, placing a hand on the side of the cave's mouth, “but I'm going to leave the two of you out here while I go talk to Chris and Tisha. I have some sensitive issues I'd like to talk to them about, and your presence would only complicate things.”
“Maybe we wouldn't mind if it weren't for the lousy view,” said Derek.
I sighed. “Fine. Would a playground be to your liking?”
“With swings?” suggested Megan, clapping her hands eagerly.
“Highest you ever saw. I'll even toss in monkey bars, jungle gyms, sand boxes, see-saws – it'll be the best playground y'all ever saw. Sound good to you, Derek?”
Derek conceded that it did sound like fun, so I shut my eyes, tapped the gems, and started building. I drew heavily on the on the playground at our church, as well as all of the local parks that are funded by the city. Traditional wooden and sleek and shiny metal, I threw in every cool feature that I had ever experienced, or at least seen.
At last I opened my eyes and smiled in satisfaction at what I had just made – my first construction project in eight years.
“Well,” I said, turning to Derek and Megan. “Does that look like it'll keep you occupied while I'm talking with my friends?”
Megan was already on the swings, while Derek was giving me an almost-frighted look. “It … just kinda grew up out of the ground … you …”
“It's perfectly safe,” I assured him. “Everything's top of the line, and it's impossible for real people to get hurt in imaginary worlds. So have fun.” I turned and as I entered the caves, tossed the words, “Oh, and please don't try to follow me There's a reason this cave is called the Labyrinth,” over my shoulder.
And there was. If it weren't for the fact that I knew exactly where Tisha and Chris were hiding, I probably would have never found them. There are several entrances to the Labyrinth, which allowed me to choose the one closest to my friends. Even so, my journey was long and twisted.
I wove in and out of passages and corridors, half-amused, half-saddened by how well they had hid themselves. Few people every ventured into the Labyrinth's depths, and I usually had to go find them afterwards.
The fact that Tisha and Chris had hidden there when they were sure of my death meant that they had no intentions of ever coming out.
At last I arrived in the chamber where they slept. Tisha was curled up on a pile of blankets as far away from the entrance as possible, while Chris stretched out on the bare ground, barring the door with his body, sword in hand. He took no chances when it came to Tisha's safety.
A smile touched my lips as I knelt down and brushed a stray curl out of his eyes. I had a wonderful surprise for them. Touching the gems of my Ankulen, I whispered, “He's supposed to be sixteen. Can you fix that for me?”
It flashed in response, then the purplish-pink glow spread over him. He began to age rapidly. Within seconds, he had gone from a charming young boy of eight to a handsome young man of sixteen. Removing my finge
r from the gems, I stood up. “He's perfect,” I whispered. “Just wait 'til they wake up!”
Since I was too impatient to wait that long, I had time speed up, much as I had done while in the mermaid castle. Soon, it was morning outside and I heard Tisha stirring, so I retreated out of sight. I wasn't ready for them to know of my survival just yet.
With my mental eye, I watched Tisha crawl out of the “bed” and walk to their stores, sighing at what little remained. Then she glanced over at Chris.
And screamed.
Chris's eyes popped open, and he was on his feet in a moment. Glancing around, he saw nothing out of place, so he took a step in Tisha's direction. When she took a step backwards, he realized that she was scared of him!
“Tisha? What is it? What is …” Chris began, but trailed off as he noticed that his voice was deeper than he was used to it being. Not only that, but he was taller, too. He had not been able to look down on Tisha the night before.
“Who – who are you?” Tisha stammered out, as bravely as she could muster. “Where's Sir Christofer! What did you do with him?”
Chris carefully slid his sword into its sheath. “Fair Maiden Letitia, it's me … I'm Chris.”
Tisha's eyes flicked upwards to meet his, wanting to hope, but not daring to. “How?” she whispered.
“I … I don't know.”
Tisha took a step forward, and then another. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill onto her cheeks. She could stand it no longer. Rushing forward, she threw her arms around him. “It is you …” she whispered. “You are Sir Christofer … but …”
“But how?” Chris finished for her, folding her protectively to his heart.
I decided that now was about as good a time as any for me to announce my presence. Stepping into the chamber, I cleared my throat. “Hey,” I said, “I know this is a perfectly romantic scene and all that, and I hate to interrupt, but I'd like to talk with the two of you for a minute.”
The looks on their faces were priceless. Tisha had pushed away from Chris, though his arms were still firmly hooked around her waist. The both stared at me with expressions of denied hope. They both wanted so badly for it to be me, but they were convinced that I was dead.
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