by Jenny Ealey
“Tarkyn, this is to say thank you to you for saving our forest,” said Tree Wind with a big smile. “You are a true Guardian of the Forest and we would all like to thank you for the enormous effort and courage you showed in fighting those ghastly parasites.”
All the surrounding woodfolk smiled and murmured agreement.
For once, Tarkyn’s court training completely deserted him. He stood there, stunned. Danton’s finger giving him a gentle prod in the ribs brought him to a realisation that some words were required from him.
He gave a dazed smile. “Thank you. Thank you very much. As you can probably tell, I am absolutely astonished. I thought you would be angry with me. I feel I have done much that is wrong and little that is right in the last few days.” He took a deep breath and made a better effort to rise to the occasion, “In return, I would like to thank all of you for saving me and helping me when I was infected and for helping me to destroy that terrible threat to the forest.”
The woodfolk parted and Golden Toad, Ibis Wings and Rushwind came to stand before him.
“Your Highness,” said Golden Toad, “We cannot begin to express the depths of our gratitude to you, especially when I saw the terrible suffering you went through as a result of your efforts to help us.”
Rushwind took a step forward, “My lord, would you mind bending down a little?”
Tarkyn looked slightly puzzled but complied nevertheless. Rushwind leant forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He promptly turned pink.
Rushwind laughed kindly. “That is to say thank you and to show you that I am no longer frightened of you. Although my memory is not too clear about that time, I believe I behaved very badly towards you when those parasites were still in me. I can only say I am sorry. Nothing you have done deserved that reaction.”
Tarkyn straightened up smiling and looked into her eyes. “Rushwind, you and I have been through a lot together over these last two days. Only you and I know what it feels like to have those virulent mutated parasites coursing through our veins. I hope you don’t remember too much of it.”
A shadow passed across the woodwoman’s face. “I remember enough. I am so sorry I infected you,” There was a hitch in her voice as she added, “and damaged the forest. From what Golden Toad tells me, you never once thought of leaving me to my fate even though I had betrayed my oath to you and tried to kill you.”
Tarkyn frowned at this. He glanced around the assembled woodfolk before returning his gaze to Rushwind. “I don’t know where the idea came from that I would pass judgement on you. I could hardly condemn you for causing damage unintentionally when I myself have done the same thing on a grander and, one might say, more reprehensible scale.” Once more he scanned the crowd. “I suppose there are one or two things I would like to apologise for while I have your attention. Firstly, I am so sorry about the forest. If my power hadn’t affected those parasites, none of this would have happened. And secondly, I apologise for interfering when the hunting party was coming. I realised afterwards, with a little help from Golden Toad,” he added with a wry smile in that woodman’s direction, “that of course you are all perfectly capable of dealing with a hunting party and, as I recall, we had an agreement to consult with each other in such situations that I completely forgot.” He smiled and waved his stone flask of wine in an arc around himself. “You have obviously forgiven me for which I thank you. I will try not to do it again.”
Tree Wind shook her head, smiling, “Tarkyn, there is nothing to forgive. Even if you were slightly overzealous, you strove tirelessly on our behalf. All of us saw what you were prepared to endure to protect the forest and us.”
To cover his embarrassment, he looked down at the large stone flask he was holding. “I suppose we had better drink this then. Is there enough to go around, do you think?”
“As it turns out,” replied Running Feet, laughing, “we have a few more of those flagons that we can draw upon, if the need arises.”
“Oh, good. Because after the last few days, I think we may need them.” So saying, Tarkyn headed for the firesite, found himself a comfortable tree to lean against and, assisted by equally enthusiastic woodfolk, began to work his way steadily through what was to be, by the end of the night, several flagons of wine.
Unusually, Tree Wind had followed close behind and sat down next to him. As the evening wore on and the wine made him more expansive, Tarkyn finally raised the issue that had puzzled him ever since he had arrived in the forest
“Tree Wind, even though you are still the person who often asks the hard questions, am I right in saying that you do not feel so antagonistic towards me as you used to?”
The woodwoman nodded and gave a wry smile, “Yes. Despite every intention I had of hating you always, you have managed to creep in under my guard.”
Tarkyn studied her, frowning. “I know that no one wanted me to come here, but it has always struck me that your dislike of me was much stronger than other people’s. Is that true?” When she nodded again, he asked, “Why?”
She glanced at him then looked fixedly into the fire. “Because I was to marry Falling Rain. And when he gave away our existence and precipitated our subjugation to your father and you, I lost him.”
“Oh Tree Wind. I am so sorry. That must have been very hard for you.” He paused and asked gently, “Could you not have followed him into exile?”
Tree Wind shook her head. “It is very rare for anyone to be exiled. If they are, they may take nothing and no one with them.”
Tarkyn frowned, “That is very harsh.”
“It is to stop the possibility of a rival community being set up that could then lead to conflict within the woodfolk.”
“There is wisdom in that, I have to admit.” He held out his flagon, “More wine?”
“Thanks.” Once her cup was refilled, Tree Wind said, “I know you were not responsible for the loss of Falling Rain, but when you arrived, you were the personification of the injustice done to him and to all of us.”
Tarkyn grimaced, “So I gather. Unfortunately, I still am and always will be.” He glanced at her, “And this is not just a short term inconvenience. I’m afraid I’m a way of life everyone has to become used to.”
Surprisingly, Tree Wind smiled. “I think we have enough discrimination to be able to separate you from the actions of your father. At least we do now, even if we didn’t have, to start with.” She shrugged, “And as to having to put up with you; in some ways, you’re lucky we have had so long to get used to the idea. On the one hand, the fear that had built up in our minds of what it would be like to be subject to someone’s wishes meant you had a tough start. But now, the reality is so much less dire than the expectation.”
“So. I’m less dire than expectation.” Tarkyn took another hearty draught of wine. “Hmm. I don’t think I’ll actually take that as a compliment.”
Tree Wind laughed. “No. I wouldn’t if I were you. You’d have to be pretty desperate to think it was.”
“Hmm. Well, at least I’m not desperate.”
Tree Wind considered him over the rim of her goblet. After a moment, she lowered it and said seriously, “But I will pay you a compliment. It took someone very special to break through the wall of hatred I have nurtured over all these years. Danton is right. You do care about people and even though you say you can’t consider yourself as equal with us, you treat each person with respect.”
Tarkyn frowned. “Of course I do. Rank and personal value are not at all the same thing.”
“I see,” said Tree Wind thoughtfully. “I have trouble understanding rank. The whole concept is so alien to our culture. Do you think your father understood the difference between rank and each individual’s value?”
Tarkyn shifted his back against the tree while he thought about it. “I don’t know. I can’t really remember him in great detail. I know more of him from Waterstone’s and your memories than from my own. If I had only seen your memories, I would say no. But Waterstone worked with him as he visit
ed everyone who was sick and he did treat the sick people he visited with respect.” He shook his head. “I think he knew the difference but perhaps he gave more weight to rank than personal worth. He was, after all, the king.”
Tree Wind raised her eyebrows. “So, does that mean that if you ever became king, you would change your attitude to people?”
Tarkyn gave a short laugh. “Still asking the hard questions, I see. I don’t know. I would hope not. But a role like that forces a lot of behaviour onto you. That’s another reason I don’t want it. You have to havetime to be able to care for people. If your time is dictated by protocols and ceremonies and other people’s expectations, it is harder to find the time you need to understand each person. And when you see people only as a crowd, then your care for them is diminished.” He took another swig of his wine and waved his cup around. “You should ask Ancient Oak. He wasn’t too impressed with my attitude to crowds.”
Tree Wind’s eyes narrowed as she thought back to the occasion he might be referring to. She gave a slight smile as she figured it out. “Perhaps it was more that you weren’t too impressed with the crowd’s attitude to you.”
“Very good, Tree Wind. You start from where I finished with Ancient Oak. I had to explain that to him.”
Tree Wind shrugged, “In fairness to Ancient Oak, you might have had to explain that to me at that stage too. Back then I, too, would have assumed the fault was yours, not the crowd’s.”
“Hmm, now you mention it, there wasn’t much I could do right in your eyes at that point in the proceedings.” He smiled, “Well, I’m glad you are not so determinedly against me anymore because wherever you are, you’re a power to be reckoned with and I’d rather we were on the same side, both for my sake and for the sake of woodfolk generally.”
“Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is.” He took another sip of his wine and looked at her over the rim of his goblet. “So, are you coming with us to find Falling Rain?”
“Yes.” She smiled ruefully, “Yes, I am. I would never have thought two weeks ago that I would be saying that. Even though I badly want to see Falling Rain again, I didn’t think I would be able to stand your company.”
Tarkyn winced. “Don’t feel you have to keep pointing out how much you disliked me. The memories you shared with me when I first arrived were more eloquent than any words could be.”
Impulsively, she placed a hand on his arm, “I’m sorry. There is still a small part of me that resents you.”
Tarkyn repressed a sigh and nodded, “I’m sure there is. If it’s only a small part, you’re doing better than most.”
“Hi, prince,” said Rainstorm, breaking breezily into the conversation as he plonked himself down cross-legged on front of them. “How’s your flagon going? Need a re-fill yet?”
Tarkyn waggled his flagon and listened. “Hmm. Not much left in there. I think I might need some more in the very near future. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll pour you a drink now if you find me another flagon when we run out.”
“Deal!” said Rainstorm, holding out his cup.
Just as he was about to pour, Tarkyn frowned and asked, “Just a minute. Aren’t you too young to be drinking?”
Rainstorm and Tree Wind both burst into laughter.
“What are you talking about?” asked Rainstorm, “Why don’t you ask your niece if she’s s too young?”
Tarkyn was shocked. “What? Sparrow? You’re not telling me that she is drinking wine? She’s only ten.”
Tree Wind shrugged, “Old enough to be included in a hunt. Old enough to drink wine.”
Tarkyn boggled. “You’re joking. She’s just a little girl.” He frowned, “Does Waterstone know?”
Tree Wind and Rainstorm smiled at each other.
“Waterstone know?” laughed Rainstorm. “Waterstone gives it to her. Now, are you going to give me some of your wine or will I have to go elsewhere?”
Tarkyn thrust the flagon at him. “Here! Far be it from me to impose my expectations.” He shook his head in bemusement. “I think we may have hit on aslight difference in our cultures here.” He held his hands up. “But I’m outnumbered. I retreat.” He looked from one to the other of them. “I may have to talk to Waterstone about this, though.”
“Oh good idea, prince,” said Rainstorm as he took a long draught of wine. “I’m sure Waterstone will be keen to hear a younger man’s views on how to bring up his daughter.”
The prince’s eyes narrowed.
“Ooh no,” said Rainstorm lugubriously, “Don’t tell me I’ve done it again.”
“Done what again?” asked Tree Wind.
“Been rude to Tarkyn.” He gave a delicate little hiccough. “I am not very good at behaving well around princes, you know.” He smiled rather crookedly, “I try but I haven’t had much practice.”
Tarkyn was watching him quizzically. “Rainstorm, I was merely thinking about what you said. As usual, you’ve said something worth listening to. So, stop carrying on. I’m not angry with you.”
Rainstorm rolled his eyes at Tree Wind. “Well, thank heavens for that. Tarkyn is really quite crushing when he’s angry, you know.” He added in an unintentionally loud undertone, “I think my parents could learn a thing or two from him…but I hope they don’t.” He peered into his cup. “Hmm. These don’t hold much, do they? I’d better find you another flagon so you can fill my cup up again.”
“Thanks,” said Tarkyn dryly as Rainstorm lifted himself unsteadily to his feet and wandered off.
When the next flagon arrived, it was borne by Waterstone, not Rainstorm.
“Hello,” said Tarkyn. “Where’s Rainstorm? We haven’t frightened him off, have we?”
Waterstone grinned. “Oh, I don’t think so. He’s subsided into a happy heap against a tree over there. I expect we’ll have to carry him to bed in a while.”
“And how’s Sparrow?” asked Tarkyn in what he hoped was a casual manner.
“She’s fine. She’s been in bed for a couple of hours now. Can’t have her staying up too late. She gets crabby. And if we’re heading off tomorrow, she’ll need plenty of sleep tonight.”
“I see. Oh good.”Tarkyn shot a suspicious glance at Tree Wind but she didn’t look as though she had been teasing him. “Well, I hope she’s not as legless as Rainstorm. That really would make her crabby tomorrow.”
Waterstone frowned. “What are you talking about? Why would she be legless?”
Tarkyn began to feel uncomfortable. “From drinking wine?” he ventured.
The woodman snorted. “I don’t think she’s going to have a problem with one little cup of wine. Helps her to sleep well. And if you think that a young girl like Sparrow should be allowed to drink as much as a strapping lad like Rainstorm then I’m afraid I’ll be very careful about leaving her in your care.”
Now Tree Wind was grinning. “I think you’ll find Tarkyn has very different views from you about young people drinking,” she said mischievously.
“Hmph.”Waterstone frowned at Tarkyn. “Well, I hope you will respect my right to decide what is best for Sparrow. I wouldn’t want her tainted by any of your undisciplined sorcerer’s ways.”
“Help!” said Tarkyn in a small voice, rolling his eyes beseechingly at Tree Wind.
Tree Wind laughed. She placed one hand firmly on Waterstone’s shoulder and pushed him around so he was looking at her. “Waterstone, I suspect sorcerers may not be as undisciplined as you think. Tarkyn doesn’t think children should drink at all. In fact, he nearly refused to give Rainstorm a glass of wine.”
Waterstone raised his eyebrows and turned his gaze to stare at Tarkyn. “Did you? How very odd.”
“I can’t win with you, can I? You are not impressed when you think I would allow children to drink whatever they want. Then you are equally unimpressed when you discover that I think they shouldn’t drink at all.”
“Tarkyn, it’s a matter of degree. A lot or none are extremes. A little bit won’t hurt Sparrow. And
Rainstorm? Rainstorm is not even relevant to this conversation. He’s sixteen, for heaven’s sake.” Waterstone glanced over to where Rainstorm was snoozing and smiled. “He’s busy learning about his tolerance levels as we speak.”
Tarkyn considered the sleeping young woodman for a minute then looked back at Waterstone. “I didn’t have my first drink away from my tutors until I was eighteen. I learnt what to drink and when and how much but only under very close supervision. Once I started to drink alcohol, I was very closely monitored.”
“What? Even when you were away from the palace?”
Tarkyn smiled. “Oh yes. Young Danton over there was one of the people charged with making sure I maintained my sense of decorum.”
Waterstone frowned. “How could he do that? If you decided to get drunk, what could he do about it?”
“Ah well, you see, that’s where caring for people has its drawbacks.” Tarkyn took another sip of wine. “If I had disgraced myself, it wouldn’t have been me who was disciplined. It would have been Danton.”
“I see. What sort of disciplining are we talking about here?”
Tarkyn considered, “It would depend on the level of public notice I had attracted, I suppose. It could vary from a public dressing down to having his pay docked. In an extreme case, it could even lead to a public flogging or dismissal from the service.”
“And the consequence to you?”
“That would be the consequence to me. Enduring those things happening to Danton.”
Waterstone looked thoughtful. “Did it work?”
Tarkyn looked across at Danton, “Yes, it worked. There was only one time following a drinking sesson that I had to watch Danton being publicly berated for something I had done. I couldn’t allow someone else to be punished for things I was doing.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, Tarkyn,” said Tree Wind, re-entering the conversation, “did it work with your brothers?”