“Walkers here father? We haven’t seen Walkers here for what, twelve years?” Turning her head towards her father she looked at him quizzically. “Will they be here for trade or will they need help? Should I go and look?”
Georg shook his head and sighed theatrically. “They will be here for trade that is all. Still, go on, you might as well go. I know you will not be able to concentrate until you see them.” He looked at the young woman his daughter had become. It seemed like his wife’s death had been so long ago. Since that time she had grown into a young woman that he hoped Adana would be proud of.
Throwing her arms around her father Alice kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you father,” Throwing open the door to their cabin she ran out into the village. As she did she saw another of the village girls hurrying to the gate and she ran to join her.
“Walkers,” she heard the Ginny say. “What on earth could those evil people want here? We revere the Celestials, not their evil forest gods.”
“They are probably here to trade,” Alice said breathlessly as they hurried to the gate. “Father says they revere the Celestials just like us, only in a different way. We should not fear them just because their lifestyle is different from ours. They walk wherever they want, never staying in one place for too long. Imagine what sights they have seen, what things they have experienced. We should learn from them, not treat them as pariahs.”
Ginny shook her head, her face scowling. “You tread on dangerous ground Alice. The church has not forgotten that your father left the leave-taking of his own wife and you are never seen there. Such views will only push you further from those you live amongst.” The red-haired village girl shook her head, “No, better to find yourself a man and settle down, raise a family, manage his household. Those are proper duties for a proper woman.”
“Well, when I take over from my father and become the healer here I doubt I will have much time to raise children.” Thank the gods, she thought. I can think of no worse fate than living in a cabin here baring fat children for some farmer.
Ginny looked at her askance, her eyes narrow. “Do you not wish for a family then? Do you wish to live as a man? Alice, you need to come to church and ask for guidance. If you ask me your father let you spend entirely too much time alone in the forest. It is not a healthy place.”
“I go into the forest to gather herbs for my father as you well know.” It is not my fault you are so scared of the place! If you only opened your eyes you would see the peace the forest has.
“Are you not afraid of the green lady or the forest witch? Or the various beasts that live there?” Then she looked at her slyly, “Or do you go to try and find your wolf friend.” At that Alice felt a pang that she had not felt for years and bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself retorting.
The green lady is a story used to frighten children and the forest witch has not been seen for decades.” She answered calmly. “The forest by our side is my biggest resource. I can only grow so many herbs in the small patch of ground by our cabin. You know that.” Then she sniped back, “and you didn’t complain when I spent a day in the forest searching for herbs to help you with your little problem did you.”
They hurried along in silence for a moment more and then she muttered “Look, there they are,” and together the two young women walked up to the wooden gate joining a group of villagers. The two guards barred the way to a larger group of men, five in all she saw. They were dressed in the sort of dress that hunters would use. Good leather boots, stout and no doubt well made. Tunics of dark deer hide covered shirts that shimmered green and red. As she joined the group she saw some of the other villagers making the sign of the evil eye against them.
“We seek no trouble,” she heard the oldest of the Walkers say. “My daughter has been injured and I seek the aid of a healer.” The leader of the Walkers held up a leather satchel. “Your healer is known to us as his reputation has spread to other places and we are willing to trade for his help. I have good nuggets of gold and jewels the forest has given to us. Will you let us past?”
“Hold,” Alice held her breathe as the headsman of the village strode towards the strange group of people. “We want no dealings with your kind here. It is well known that the Walkers have dealings with the Undergods and do not show the Celestials the proper observance. Go on, leave and be damned.” The few guards the village maintained gripped the shafts of their spears tighter and took an unconscious step backward. The points of their weapons slowly dipped and the leader of the Walkers face turned slowly red.
“My daughter will suffer and may die if you do not allow us to see the healer,” The Walkers carried no weapons she saw, no means to defend themselves but there were five of them and they had the condition of those who traveled frequently on their feet. Muscles bunched under their shirts and their eyes narrowed against the hostile villagers. Turning slowly the oldest appealed to the crowd. “I beg you do not allow her to suffer.”
“Send them away,” was shouted from the crowd and one of the guards spat on the ground. “That she suffers is your own fault for consorting with the forest demons.” The guard nodded towards the forest, “Go now and be thankful we were merciful enough to let you go.”
Slowly the Walker scanned the crowd of villagers and Alice saw his eyes, leaf green and powerful. They nudged a memory within her, and then he was looking straight at her and she felt her skin prickle. Then the moment was gone as they turned and started to walk away back to the forest. “See Alice,” Ginny whispered to her, “Those are the people you would learn from, worshippers of forest demons all of them!”
“I just see someone asking for help,” she whispered back and heart beating fast she turned and ran back the way she came, desperate to get to her father before anyone else. “Papa, Papa!” Alice ran into their cabin and saw her father crushing the herbs as she should have been doing. He looked up with a frown and she breathlessly gasped, “The Walkers wanted your help. One of their daughters has been injured but Terrel would not let them in.” Then she took a step closer, “They said you were known to them through reputation.”
“Blast it. This village has always been difficult but ever since he became village headman Terrel has been against anyone with even the slightest difference in belief. No doubt he will be coming to see me to see if I have been having secret meetings or something.” He shook his head. “These are bad times Alice, bad times indeed.”
“Do you know them, father?” She watched his face as he struggled with a decision and then he nodded. Walking towards him she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are they what the headsman says? Have you put your eternal soul in jeopardy by speaking with them? Ginny seems adamant they are evil.”
“Of course not daughter, and I hoped I had raised you better to listen to that Ginny. The Walkers are just like you and me. They love and hate, need to eat and sleep. They are simply different and different is nothing to be feared. When your mother was sick I went to them for they know the forests well to see if they knew a cure. They did not but they were willing to trade, knowledge for knowledge.” She watched as his old but earnest eyes stared at her. “In all my time with them, I saw them do no evil thing.”
“So why are they so disliked father?” She shook her head. “You taught me that every tale of lore has a kernel of truth, every opinion a reason for being. They must have done something to be so reviled.”
“For some being different is enough of a reason Alice. They have ways that are different from ours. We have been banned from the forest by the church but they walk it with impunity. Some see that as enough to allow a daughter to suffer.” He shook his head. “They only allow us to go in because we are useful.”
His eyes glinted. “They will never allow me out to see them. Not now Terrel has sent them away. That would be tantamount to seeing them as human. No,” He stared at her and she felt the pit of her stomach open. “I have a better idea.”
She shook her head sending her blond locks flowing but he nodded, “Oh y
es Alice. Your mother wanted you to learn, to have a trade if you ever wanted to leave this village and so I have taught you all I know. Now it is time to put that to use. You are just as good a healer as I am even if you do come to me to double check what you are doing. No, it is time Alice for you to forge your own path. Sneak out of the village and go to them.”
Alice’s face went white and her father shook his head. “There is no longer any need for that. Do you think me feeble minded? I know you sneak out of the village and into the forest at night. I have known for a long time. There is something about it that calls to you and I will not try and stop that. So, go to their camp and see the girl. Heal her best you know how. Take my satchel with you.”
She looked shocked as he started to move around the healing hut pulling jars and bandages and pacing them into his leather satchel for her. “Father, I am not allowed to be the healer. That is your job.”
“Alice,” He put down the satchel and shook his head, “That is Ginny and the rest talking. You are just a good a healer as I am. Do not allow their narrow ways of thinking to color your idea of what you can and cannot do.” He smiled and bent to pick up the satchel. “There is so much you don’t know about the world around you. It is bigger than the federation you live in with islands and lands far away and I want you to see it if you can.” Then he stopped and sighed, “I taught you to think, so do you know why I have not asked you to marry?”
She shook her head and he turned to her holding out the satchel. “It is because I know you have not fallen in love with anyone here. I traveled the world when I was younger and I knew when I saw your mother this would be the place I settled down in. And I know that according to church law it is your duty to get married and I could arrange it. You are a good daughter. You would follow my wishes but what father would do that to his daughter? No, I could not do that. Not after seeing just how much more you could be. You are not meant for this village Alice.”
They heard a knock on the door and he turned to her handing her the satchel that he had packed. “Go out the back way. Quickly now, do not let them see you and when you are done come straight back.” Pushing her towards the back he turned to the door and shouted, “Hold on. I’m coming.” Alice saw him shooing her away and she nodded, full of questions that she wanted answers to but could not get. Quietly she left the cabin and moved towards the boundary wall of the village.
Chapter 5
Alice pushed the backdoor of the cabin closed and stood by the wooden wall, heart racing. She could hear muffled voices in the cabin but could not make out their words. Ok, I can do this, she thought as she started walking towards the wooden wall that kept the dangers of the forest at bay. The village had grown much during her life, but it had kept the boundary of grass, a barrier that kept the forest away from them.
Her mind leaped back to her talk with Ginny. The green lady is a myth told by priests to frighten children she told herself. I have walked under these trees all my life and not once seen her. Yet she could not argue, the priest taught that the forest was off limits, that not one tree would be felled from it.
Once before her mother got sick, she had asked her father why they did not fell the trees in the forest rather than planting and felling ones on the other side of the village. The tale he had told her was the same one told by the priest. Sitting on his knee, her mother smiling at her she listened as he related the tale.
“Once, long ago,” he had started in a sing-song voice that she rarely heard “There was a small village called Westerholt. It was small and it lay by the side of the forest of Holt, a large and dark place that lived its own life. Each day the woodcutters would leave and chop down the trees of the forest, clearing the ground so that the village could become big and sending the wood they chopped back to the capital so that it too, might grow big. This they did for many years.”
She had listened intently as his voice went lower and he whispered, “Then, one night, much like this one when the moon was full and the wind was still there came a lady to the village. Green-skinned and with hair like ivy she walked from the forest and entered the village as if nothing could harm her. She wore a dress of shimmering flower petals and her eyes shone like water in a forest lake.”
“What did she want papa?” Alice’s small child’s voice has whispered as quietly as Georg’s and he saw his wife smiling as he replied. “The village guards rushed to get the leader of the village and when he came the lady faced him. Stern of face and standing proud the lady spoke. The forest has born me, she proclaimed, committing an evil to stop a greater one. It forbids you from felling any more trees from the forest, for if you do you risk unleashing darkness upon the whole world.”
“Well,” her father said his voice rising once again, “The villagers laughed at her and the headman took hold of an ax and faced her down. Be you gone demon, he shouted at her, lest I take this ax and chop you down like I will the forest.” Georg sighed and shook his head, “The green lady was driven from the village and her instructions ignored. The very next day the headman sent a team of woodcutters to the forest as usual.”
“What happened then papa?” she had asked, “did the green lady return?” He had shaken his head at that and smiled sadly.
“No. As soon as the woodcutters approached the trees a great rustling went through their limbs as if a wind had shaken them. Then they started to move. Branches bent and grabbed for the woodcutters, taking them high into the air. It is said that their screams could be heard for miles around.”
“Georg!” her mother had slapped his shoulder then as he grinned at her and Alice felt her heart race. “You will scare her.”
“What my little sapling?” he frowned and nodded as he looked at her. “Maybe I had better stop. She does look a little scared,”
“No papa, tell me, please.” She had begged him to continue the story “I’m not scared mama, I promise,”
“Well then,” her father had continued, “thinking it was foul sorcery the headman sent a letter begging for help to the church and they sent help back. A witch hunter along with soldiers and a retinue of priests came and after talking to the village they entered the forest determined to put an end to the green lady and the forests demands.”
“In they went and for a day and a night and another day they were gone. Then on the second night, one lone priest stumbled from the forest. His clothes were torn and his face was scratched. The villagers took him in and gave him warm wine and tended his wounds and all he would say, was the forest was off limits. That is why,” he suddenly tweaked her nose, “the villagers say the forest is an evil place and only a few of us are allowed to enter and why we plant and cut trees on the other side of the village, away from the crops.”
The priest told the same tale she thought as she walked. The village allows hunters to enter to hunt for game but none do. Only my father and I enter and that is only because we cannot grow some of the herbs we need. No one has seen the green lady as far as I know, so why do they cling to this silly superstition? It certainly does not worry the traders that come through occasionally.
The wooden wall that surrounded the village rose in the air in front of her and looking around she quickly moved towards the small hole that she knew was there. I wonder how long father has known I sneak out to spend the night under the trees? It’s so peaceful there, serene. Yet I know there is a mystery to the place. It’s almost like it calls to me.
Pushing through a small hole she stumbled onto the rough grass boundary. I wonder if it calls to me because I am bad? She looked at the ever-present forest, one hundred feet away. It never grew closer and never went away as its trees grew high into the air. It’s leaves blotted out the sun apart from small gaps that allowed sunbeams inward and with a quick hurried run she entered the forest and disappeared from the village.
The Walkers spend their time here and in other places, she thought as she walked slowly under the canopy of the forest. They do not fear the forest. What do they know that we do not? “Now w
here am I going?” she said out loud as she walked. She had no idea and whispering “They had better find me otherwise this will be a waste.”
Walking the trails she knew at random Alice hoped the Walkers would find her soon. Moving from the well-traveled wide trails to lesser known smaller ones she walked slowly enjoying the forest sounds. An hour passed by, then a second and she was becoming tired. Finally, and in a temper, she dropped the satchel and shouted: “Ok, where are you!”
“We are here and have been for a while if you had the eyes to see us.” She squeaked and turned around quickly to see two men, Walkers by the look, move out of the undergrowth to stand in front of her. “Why are you in this forest? You have not foraged for anything, nor do you carry a tool of any kind.”
She held up the leather satchel and stared at them. “A group of you came to my village requesting a healer. I have come to answer that call. Can you take me to the Walker camp so I may treat her?”
They looked at each other. “Who sent you?” neither carried weapons nor did they make any aggressive gesture but they stood with an animal strength. It was almost animal like and she sensed if they wished her ill she would not survive the encounter. Yet strangely, she felt no fear.
“Does it matter?” They kept staring at her and then one nodded and she sighed. “I was sent by my father who is the healer of the village. He sent me because he does not think you are what the villagers say and because he has taught me well. Do I return to him with a different tale or do you take me to this person who is ill?”
They looked at each other and she could see something pass between them. It passed between their eyes and one nodded before turning back to her. “We will take you to Pyter, the patriarch of our family. He can decide what to do. Please, follow us.” Quickly they moved off the path and into the foliage and she followed.
Following them, Alice studied them as they moved. As they walked through the forest the forest moved with them. They would pass a branch that would seem to move slightly, just enough to ease their passing before returning to its natural position. The stinging leaves and biting insects ignored their passing and the wet ground seemed to solidify beneath their feet. This strange magic was passed onto her for Alice found her passage through the undergrowth to be easier than walking upon the paths.
Wolf Heart: Moon Born book 1 Page 3