Tree of Ages 1

by Sara C. Roethle

  They found the men sitting around a large, well built fire. Liaden seated herself near the soothing flames, feeling hollow and weak as Finn did the same.

  Finn and Àed huddled together for warmth, and while Liaden would have appreciated the warmth of another body, she did not think she could stand being touched, even by one of her human companions. Just as she began to shiver, Kai removed his cloak to wrap around her, not questioning the disappearance of the charcoal Ceàrdaman cloak.

  She wrapped his cloak tightly around herself, reveling in the lingering warmth from Kai's body. “Where do we go from here?” she asked to no one in particular as she gazed into the fire.

  “Badenmar is the closest hospitable burg,” Iseult volunteered. “We could resupply, and seek out any word on Anders and Branwen.”

  “I doubt we will find them again,” Kai commented, voicing a reality Liaden couldn't help but agree with.

  Liaden caught Finn's subtle nod at Iseult before he said, “If we cannot find word of them, then we will part ways.”

  “You would leave Finn and Àed to fend for themselves?” Kai asked, misunderstanding Iseult's meaning.

  “I will be going with them,” Iseult said plainly.

  Finn's eyes remained downcast throughout the exchange. If Liaden didn't know any better, she'd guess that the girl felt guilty about moving on. Liaden did not really care either way. With Anders and Branwen gone, the purpose for her entire journey was lost. If they could not find them, she would just as soon return to the comfort of a larger city far away from the remnants of the Blood Forest.

  A loud squeal pierced through the air, but was abruptly cut off. Kai was on his feet in an instant, running off in the direction of the river to check his snares. Everyone waited in anticipation with thoughts of roast rabbit on their minds. The sight of Kai returning with a mutjac, a small deer, instead of a rabbit in his arms was a welcome one. The animal's neck hung limply, broken by the snare. Liaden smiled at her long-time companion as he approached, feeling sickened by the sight of the dead deer, but at the same time very, very hungry. They would all sleep with full bellies for the first night since leaving Garenoch, what seemed like months ago.

  Part 2

  Chapter Fourteen

  Anders' nerves felt ready to snap as he rushed through the foliage on horseback in search of his sister. In her sleep-like state, he hadn't expected her to run off like that, thought it was obvious to him now that she'd simply been waiting for the right opportunity. The only explanation he could fathom was that some insidious Faie had possessed her, but that problem could not be dealt with until he found her.

  He slowed his horse and searched his surroundings wide-eyed, worried that the sky would grow dark before he picked up Branwen's trail. He replayed the scenes in his head, going back to when they'd first entered the Blood Forest, wondering if there was anything he could have done to save her. He'd been the one to convince their parents that he would keep his sister safe, but who was he kidding? He was a man of twenty-five who had hardly even left the safety of the archives.

  He and his sister had led highly sheltered lives focused on learning as opposed to actual experiences. It was the way of most archives. Knowledge was passed down through generations, and children were expected to eventually take on the running of the archives when their parents passed. If it were up to Anders' father, both he and Branwen would already have found other scholars to marry. Anders shook his head. He just had to see the world before he settled down to a life among books. Not that Branwen had argued when he proposed the idea of making a traveler's map. She had wanted to escape the archives just as badly.

  Now everything was lost: his books, his research, and most importantly, his sister. All because he didn't want to grow up and do what was expected of him. His parents would never forgive him if he returned without Branwen. He would never forgive himself.

  Though it wasn't entirely his fault, he reminded himself. Finn and the others had forsaken him. They left him alone with no way to fix his sister, all to go after two people who were probably already dead. Not to mention the fact that Finn was at fault for them having to venture into the Blood Forest to begin with.

  He tugged his horse to a sudden halt at the sight of his sister's horse drinking from a small stream, riderless. He dismounted the shaggy horse Finn had lent to him to investigate. His squishy footsteps as he crept across the soggy earth sounded deafeningly loud in his mind, as did the snuffling of his unhappy mount. There was no sight of his sister anywhere near the stream, and he had gathered both horses with the intent of moving on when he heard her.

  “I don't know where she's gone,” Branwen said pleadingly.

  Anders hopped over the small stream, trailing the horses behind him, in the direction of his sister's voice.

  “I've never been North,” she argued. “You'll have to show me.”

  Anders approached a dense, thorny thicket, curious and at the same time terrified to see who his sister was talking to, but she was the only person who came into view.

  Branwen turned quickly at the sounds of her brother's approach, and clammed up at the sight of him. She looked from side to side as if she might run, but Anders was able to rush around the thicket to her side before she could act.

  She shook her head over and over as he grabbed her arm and guided her back toward her horse before helping her into the saddle. This time, he climbed into the saddle behind her, and tied the riderless mule-horse to the pommel. Branwen's snarled, red hair shook with movement as she began to sob. She grew increasingly upset as Anders guided their horse back in the direction of the Blood Forest, but he could see no other choice. He held on tightly to his sister, grateful that she was small-boned and not overly strong.

  As frightened as Anders was of the forest, and as displeased as he was at his other companions for abandoning him, Finn was his only possible source of answers. He had to go back to find her, if nothing else. With the tired horse traveling at a walk, and the mule-horse constantly pulling on its reins in search of a little grass, it took over an hour to get back to where they'd started. Branwen, who had settled into softly crying in defeat, grew clearly alarmed as they neared Faie lands once more. Yet, her alarm was unwarranted. The forest was no longer there.

  Where the boundary had stood, now were only a few sparse trees. Anders blinked furiously as he clung to his sister to keep her in the saddle, not believing the site before him. There was no sign of the excess trees being felled. They had simply disappeared. Further investigation revealed that the forest had been cleared out entirely. Just as there was no evidence of the Faie, there was no sign of Finn or the others. If he hadn't known for a fact that the forest was there only hours before, he would have passed right by the unremarkable area.

  He waited where the forest should have been until night fell and he finally had to give in to the fact that he desperately needed to sleep. He made camp a short ways off, still feeling uneasy about being in the area, even though the forest was gone. He reluctantly secured the now-silent Branwen with a length of rope before helping her into what was once Kai's bedroll, but still he slept very little. Each time he woke he checked the forest for signs of movement, yet his lost companions did not reveal themselves.

  The next morning he had to admit that if they stayed any longer they would starve. Since then, he had wandered with his sister in tow, intent on asking after Finn in each town they passed. If they managed to make it back to their family's archives, then he would resort to books to cure his sister.

  Finn's party departed the next morning in good spirits, even though most of them had slept wrapped in their cloaks for lack of extra bedrolls. With their hunger sated, and a good night's rest under their belts, hope was renewed. They passed by the small, more hostile hamlets along the road entirely, knowing they would not find much aid within them. With any luck, the twins had done the same and would wait for them in Badenmar. It was the only burgh in those parts, unless you traveled several more days southwest to Gareno
ch, or north to Felgram, and so would make sense as a meeting place. From what Finn had been told, Badenmar was only a small village, but qualified as a burgh as it was ruled over by a lesser Alderman. That same Alderman was also the sole innkeep.

  Iseult was the only member of their company that had been to Badenmar in recent times, but Finn trusted his judgment on the place. He deemed it their best choice to resupply, though they would likely find no horses to purchase there. Horses, Finn had been told, were mostly to be found in the larger cities, as most common villagers could not afford them.

  Since they were traveling on foot, it was nightfall once again before they finally reached Badenmar. The party was greeted by the gentle thrum of music, causing Finn to have a sickening flashback to the Travelers' camp. She repeated to herself that this current music was man-made, and they had no Faie to worry about in this new place, but the prickling sensation at the back of her neck remained.

  Torchlight glowed along the road into the burgh, accompanied by the scent of woodsmoke, giving a comforting air of welcome. As the first homes came into view, Finn could see that they differed a great deal from those she'd seen in Garenoch. The buildings were much lower to the ground, and spread out lengthwise rather than up. Their walls were painted in dark greens and browns, blending in with the trees surrounding the burgh. The village had been built around an open central location, which was where most of the townspeople were gathered. Finn's attention was drawn to the gathering as they approached, and she found herself pausing to watch the festivities, rather than following her companions.

  Kai walked up beside Finn, his attention on the crowd. “In all of this action, I'd forgotten about the Equinox. It looks like we're just in time for the Ceilidh.”

  Finn knew that a Ceilidh was a type of festival, though the customs varied. She did not know for sure if she had ever been to a Ceilidh in her former life, but she had vague memories that made her think that she probably had.

  The women of the town moved to the rhythm of the drumbeat in what was either a previously choreographed dance, or a longstanding tradition, as not one woman missed a step. The women in Badenmar had a unique style of dress that served to accentuate their movements as they swayed in an almost seductive manner. Heavy, layered skirts done in dark tones swirled around their legs in unison. The skirts were held in place by wide belts that covered the bottoms of rather revealing loose tops that hung off the women's shoulders artfully.

  The men stood around the circle of dancers, wearing more traditional outfits composed of cloth breeches and varying colors of tunics. The men clapped in time with the music, but left the dancing to the womenfolk. The musicians, a group of five, were at the very center of the circle, playing with great fervor. Finn hesitated on the boundary of the festivities, wanting to step forward, but not sure whether outsiders were welcome.

  Realizing that she had been observing the dancers for several minutes, she turned just in time to see Àed and Iseult leading the horse toward the back of what had to be the town inn.

  “Do you both see that?” Liaden asked, stepping up between Kai and Finn.

  “The dancers?” Finn questioned, not seeing anything else of interest.

  “In the trees,” Liaden said, gesturing to the distant foliage, partially obscured by the houses. “I see lights.”

  “I see nothing,” Kai replied.

  “You see what's in-between,” Finn replied softly. “That is what the Travelers said. You see what most cannot.”

  Liaden rubbed at her eyes. She still looked tired, despite the good night's rest they had managed. “I never saw these things before. Whatever the Travelers did changed that.”

  “I'm sorry we did not find you sooner,” Finn said, not sure what else to say.

  Liaden turned to her, squinting her eyes slightly. “Don't be sorry. Just stop shining so brightly. You're blinding me.” With that, Liaden walked away toward the inn with her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

  Finn turned a questioning gaze at Kai. “Shining?”

  Kai shrugged. “I haven't the slightest idea.” Suddenly he smiled as he turned his full attention toward Finn. “Let's dance.”

  Before Finn could argue, Kai grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the crowd. As they approached the center of the dancing, the women dispersed themselves amongst the men, and the dancing degenerated into ruckus stomping and spinning. The music grew louder, predominated by an intense drumbeat.

  Finn allowed herself to be pulled into the action as Kai put an arm around her waist and spun her in dizzying circles. The steps of this new dance were not difficult to pick up, and Finn soon found herself stomping along with the crowd. She felt a buzz of energy in her head from being surrounded by the twirling throng, making her heartbeat pick up speed until she felt slightly queasy.

  As they spun, the townspeople began switching partners. A tall woman with jet black hair pulled Kai away, and Finn suddenly found herself in the arms of an older man with steel gray hair and icy eyes. The man was fit and muscled for his age, obviously either a long-time fighter or laborer. From the way he held himself, Finn guessed fighter. She did not like the way his calculating, icy eyes lingered on her face as they began to dance.

  “You are not from this place,” the man commented over the din of sound, holding Finn delicately in his arms.

  The pace of the music had slowed, and she found herself increasingly uncomfortable with the man's attention. “No, I am not,” she answered quietly.

  “A traveler then,” the man observed, “but from where?” He raised one gray eyebrow at her, and Finn looked down quickly, feeling like the man saw far too much.

  “Garenoch,” she lied, as it was the only other burgh she knew.

  The man shook his head. “You do not speak like a country person. Try again.”

  Finn raised her gaze and an eyebrow in turn. “Would you call me a liar?” she asked coyly, trying her best to feign confidence.

  “I would never dream of it, but you do travel with interesting companions, especially as a young lady from Garenoch.” His tone was mocking, but not outright rude. “And look at that,” he said with mock surprise as he glanced down at her arm, “you appear to have dried blood on your sleeve.”

  Finn could feel a nervous blush creeping up her face. She'd done her best to scrub her sleeve where Iseult had grabbed her when he found her in the Traveler's lair, but the stain had dried on the gray fabric to an ugly dark brown. Where had Kai gone off to? Ignoring the question of the stain, she asked, “And what is so interesting about my companions?”

  The man let out a sudden laugh, letting the issue of her sleeve slip. “None of them can be said to possess much moral fiber. You seem quite sweet yourself. It just seems an odd combination.”

  “You seem quite sure of yourself for a man who knows nothing about me,” she snapped.

  The man's eyes widened slightly at her tone. “I meant no offense. Forgive me if my curiosity has caused you discomfort. It is simply my nature.”

  “Well you should try to not let your nature get the better of you,” Finn chided as she sought Kai out in her peripheral vision.

  “You're as venomous as a snake,” he laughed as he spun Finn out of reach of one of the village men who had hoped to steal her away. “Perhaps I misjudged you.”

  He opened his mouth to say more, but Kai mercifully approached and reclaimed Finn with an uncomfortable smile and a nod to the silver-haired man.

  Finn switched partners willingly, and was led away into the crowd. “That,” Kai remarked as he stopped and pulled Finn close to him, “was a very dangerous man.”

  “You know each other?” Finn questioned, confused.

  Kai shook his head. “I only know him by reputation. I doubt he knows me.”

  “Who was he?” Finn asked, now more curious than before.

  Kai maneuvered Finn into the rhythm of another slower dance. “Óengus. He is a hunter of some renown.”

  “Hunter?” Finn questioned, not sure why a
simple hunter would be infamous. “A hunter of what?”

  Kai glanced back to where Óengus stood, now on the perimeter of the dancers. “People,” he answered softly.

  Finn turned her full attention to Kai, though she had the overwhelming urge to keep an eye on Óengus. “He had quite a few questions about my amoral companions,” Finn explained. “Could it be possible that he is hunting one of you?”

  Kai smirked. “That's doubtful,” he assured, “and he is in no position to throw stones. I, for one, am the picture of pure goodness.”

  Finn cocked her head to the side. “Now why do I doubt that?”

  “Because you are a naïve country girl who knows little of the world,” he said tauntingly.

  Finn huffed in indignation. “Would you call me a liar now as well?”

  Kai lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. “No one would fault you for it. You could tell us the real reason you're traveling around with a notorious conjurer.”

  “I lived in a glen near Greenswallow for as long as I can remember,” she stated plainly, daring Kai to prod her further. It was the truth, as far as she was concerned. If she had lived in other places, well, she did not truly remember them. “And I knew nothing of Àed's history until Branwen told me,” she added.

  Kai smiled in amusement. “Calm down. I was not aware this was such a sore subject for you.”

  Finn was glaring up at Kai as Liaden and Iseult returned to watch the celebrators, a good distance from where Óengus stood. Noticing them, Kai and Finn left the dancers to join them on the outskirts.

  “They had no rooms at the inn,” Liaden explained as their companions approached, “but the innkeep was kind enough to provide bedding for us in a storage room,” she finished in a tone that let Finn know Liaden hadn't thought the act kind at all.

  Feeling out of breath, Finn glanced around in search of their final companion, but saw no sign of him. “Where is Àed?”