by Linda McNabb
Chapter Two
To Aunt Tilly’s surprise, no medicine was needed the next morning and the boys headed out to work with their father.
Zaine finished his daily chores in the kitchen and hovered around waiting for his aunt to take him back to the forest. He was the one with an upset stomach today as he waited nervously.
“Well, if you’ve finished you can go to the herbmaster,” Aunt Tilly said, tasting the soup she was making.
“Go?” Zaine queried. “On my own?”
“You don’t think I’m wasting half my day taking you there do you?”
Aunt Tilly didn’t even look up from the soup. He had been dismissed and he turned to go. He briefly considered asking his uncle to take him, but he didn’t want Treno and Waren to think he was scared.
He walked slowly towards town then veered off into the forest. Nobody else was on the track today as it wouldn’t be used again until the next full moon. He slowed his pace even more as his mind searched for some excuse or reason he could have for turning back. Even Aunt Tilly seemed a better option than a strange old man who lived in the forest.
But no matter how slow his step, he did eventually reach the clearing where the herbmaster’s cottage stood. He paused at the edge of the trees and looked around. The door to the cottage stood open and a few seconds later the herbmaster came out and shut the door.
“Ah, there you are. Just in time,” he said with a nod at Zaine.
Zaine walked forward reluctantly, wondering what he would be expected to do. Sweep the cottage? Repair the roof? There didn’t appear to be much a young boy could help with.
“Here, take this bag. We’ve got a long way to go. I hope you’ve got good shoes on,” the herbmaster said, holding out a canvas satchel with a long strap.
“We’re going somewhere?” Zaine queried, glancing down at his bare feet.
“I need more herbs, roots and flowers to replace those I used yesterday,” the old man replied, waiting patiently for Zaine to reach him.
Zaine took the offered satchel and slung it over one shoulder.
“I don’t know how to collect herbs,” he said with a shrug. Perhaps he would be sent back to the farm if he was of no use, although the idea of gathering plants sounded appealing.
“I can show you,” the herbmaster said with a nod. “Follow me.”
Zaine followed and the old man set quite a pace through the forest, weaving along animal tracks and up steep hills then down valleys. Zaine hadn’t known the forest was so big! They stopped dozens of times as the herbmaster dug for the roots of small plants, or showed Zaine the shapes of leaves that were good to collect. He also pointed out many plants to avoid.
By the time they returned to the cottage the sun was peaking above the top of the clearing. Zaine couldn’t believe that it was only half way through the day. It felt like they had been walking for much longer. Even chasing sheep all day was nothing to the constant pace the old man had kept up.
“And now we sort them,” Davyn said, pushing open the door and going in.
Zaine followed and saw the inside of the cottage as his eyes adjusted to the dimness. Davyn had just lit a row of candles on a workbench and they cast a soft yellow light. It was a small single room with just a bed, a table and chairs, a fireplace and a long workbench. The latter was currently being piled high with the co’ntents of Davyn’s bag.
He listened carefully as Davyn explained what to do then set to the task. The rest of the day went so quickly that Zaine was sorry when the bench was almost clear. He had enjoyed the quiet task and Davyn had whistled happy tunes off and on during the afternoon.
Davyn looked up, and his whistling stopped as he stared through one of the small windows that looked out onto the clearing.
A shadow passed in front of the window and Davyn hurried over and opened the door. Had one of the townspeople mistaken which day to come to seek help?
Davyn went outside and pulled the door almost shut. Small snippets of conversation drifted through the gap in the door.
“Not here...”
“It’s just a young girl from the village doing some cleaning for me...”
Zaine’s eyebrows rose. Why had the herbmaster lied about who was inside the cottage?
Davyn muttered quietly at the door for several more seconds then opened the door and looked over at Zaine.
“I just need to go out for a few minutes. Will you be okay here on your own?” He looked nervous and worried as his glance flicked back to the door.
Zaine nodded. He had no desire to get back to the farm. If he could, he would help here every day.
As the door opened again he caught a glimpse of the visitor. Whoever it was had a cloak of deep red velvet that was trimmed with white fur. They were definitely not from the local town.
The old herbmaster slipped out the door and closed it softly. Zaine saw two figures move off across the clearing and then he lost sight of them.
He turned back to his sorting. There wasn’t much left to do, and he slowed down so it would last longer. He reached out for an empty jar and frowned as a candle fell from the workbench. He didn’t think he had knocked it over, but he put the jar down and bent to pick up the candle.
It had rolled right under a low shelf on the base of the workbench and Zaine quickly pushed his arm under to retrieve it. It wouldn’t do for him to burn the cottage down as soon as the herbmaster had left him alone there!
He felt the candle and was about to pull it out when his knuckle brushed against something else. He stretched out one finger to grab the other item and pulled them both out. The candle was still burning and Zaine stood it upright on the floor while he looked at the second object.
It was a book. A dark-green, leather-bound book several hand spans tall and it looked ancient. A single gold design was embossed on the cover and Zaine stared at it.
He guessed that it was part of the craft of being a herbmaster and he reached over to pick it up.
As he touched the book he thought he heard someone let out a long-held sigh. He looked around the room guiltily. He wasn’t supposed to be touching the herbmaster’s belongings.
There was nobody in the cottage and Zaine stood up and hurried to the window. No, Davyn and his red-cloaked friend were nowhere to be seen. He returned to the worktable and put the errant candle back in place then looked at the book again.
Its pages were yellowed on the edges and when Zaine went to open it the cover remained stuck. No matter how hard he pulled, the cover did not budge.
He looked at the gold design again, then touched it with one finger and felt a small tingle run up into his hand.
He desperately wanted to see what was inside but he had no idea how to open it. He doubted he could ask the herbmaster as he wasn’t supposed to even be looking at it.
His desire to return and help the old man grew, as for the first time in his life he could see a way off the farm. If he could learn enough about herbs and healing he could help the herbmaster. Surely it would eventually earn him a jar of silver to pay back Aunt Tilly, then he would be free!
Footsteps outside made him jump and he knelt down to return the book to its hiding place.
He ran his hand over the cover one more time then slipped it back under the shelf, just far enough so that he could still reach it.
He stood up with only a second to spare as the door opened and Davyn came in. The old man looked unsettled and his eyes were distant as if he was thinking about something unpleasant.
“You can go now,” the herbmaster said, looking back at the still open door to check the level of the sun. It had already set beyond the tops of the trees.
Zaine hesitated. He didn’t usually speak directly to adults, and certainly didn’t argue with their orders.
“What’s the problem?” Davyn asked, noticing his hesitation.
“I just wondered... well... the thing is... would I be able to come back? On my day off that is. You wouldn’t have to pay me or anything. I’d like to se
e how the herbs and plants become the potions and lotions that you gave out...”
He paused, realising he was rambling and backed off a few steps towards the door. The old man hadn’t spoken or interrupted and he stared at Zaine as if the suggestion had surprised him.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll go,” Zaine said, wishing he hadn’t said anything.
“Come back whenever you wish,” Davyn said quietly and nodded, then smiled gently. “I could do with the help.”
Zaine couldn’t prevent the smile that lit his face as he retreated out into the clearing. “I have two days off each moon cycle. The last quarter moon is the next one.”
Zaine’s step along the forest path was much lighter as a he saw a possible new future. He was sure that the green book held the key and he was going to find out how to open it.
The last quarter moon could not come soon enough.
This was a brief look into Zaine’s world. I hope you will join me where his story continues in Runeweaver: Circle of Dreams (Book 1)
Sneak preview of Chapter One… Circle of Dreams: Runeweaver