Riggs found it odd that the transition from darkness to immediate brightness didn’t make him squint. His eyes didn’t even bother adjusting to the light. He reminded himself that it wasn’t his eyes with which he was seeing.
The surroundings had changed. The bugs must have deemed it unnecessary to follow the entire journey back to the farm. Riggs found himself standing near the westerly gate of the farm. The one that led to the stables, through the fields of the silvadena, and past that, the trail that eventually led to the forest of the R’leigh Bo.
A man was tethering a horse-drawn wagon to the front porch. He had the look of a man that had once been portly, the strain of recent years may have lessened his girth somewhat but could not remove its evidence entirely. He wore the dust-grey tunic and breaches common to the folk of Haverglenn. A wide-brimmed brown hat, his only protection from the sun on his hairless head.
“Cleric Donovan…I don’t remember him being here.”
One hand attempted unsuccessfully to brush the dust of the road off his long coat while the other gave a last tug on the reigns to ensure their security to the porch railing. Squinting and still hunched somewhat from the long ride he took the steps slowly one at a time. Riggs caught the last few words the elder muttered to himself, “…odd, they’ve usually bowled me over by now…hand in every pocket…”
His face readied a well-used smile while his weathered hand produced a few of Kyndra’s favorite berry confections and began to knock on the farm door. A muffled scream in the distance halted his upraised hand. It came again slightly louder and yet again before the cleric could judge its direction. He shuffled to the western side of the porch with a quickness belying his age. Hearing the scream again, Riggs saw Donovan’s eyes searching past the stables into the rolling hills beyond. He remembered those blue eyes. They were the type of blue that never seemed able to focus on anything and yet saw everything at once.
“…Donovan!” Auryn’s mother’s scream came one last time. Running as fast as she could laden with the naked and limp form of her child, she was desperately trying to get Donovan’s attention. He recognized the need at once.
“Quickly Lucia, get him inside!” he motioned her around the porch and readied the door.
Her voice shook, “I think he fell Donovan. He…He’s not waking up!” she gasped for air as they hurried inside. Donovan held the door for Kyndra then disappeared inside.
“He fell from the Bo Uncle!” Kyndra explained as the door swung closed, shutting Riggs outside.
Riggs could still hear their hurried voices within. Despite the chaos around him, Riggs couldn’t help but think something about all of this didn’t make sense. If he’d been unconscious, where had the bugs gotten this memory? He had had a similar thought in the forest as well. Could he really believe what they were showing him?
“Focus Riggs. Concentrate on restoring your mind first. There may be time for specific details later. You must trust us. For now, let’s just say that the human mind is capable of gathering a great deal of information regardless of its state of consciousness. In some situations, unconsciousness provides a state of heightened awareness of certain media.”
Riggs said nothing, it had become obvious the bugs were privy to his inner thoughts as well. Any form of explanation for his benefit was uncommon coming from the them. To receive one now unnerved him even more. Did they just ask me to trust them? They must really be hard pressed. Just what are they trying to hide?
They ignored his thoughts, their only response, “Let us continue.”
The scene changed again. His family and the old healer stood around the foot of Auryn’s bed. Some time had obviously passed. Donovan was methodically and carefully wiping away the dried blood that still caked on much of the boy’s body. His hand went gently back and forth from the wash basin to Auryn repeatedly. All the while attempting to gather information from young Kyndra and her mother. Patiently, he listened to all they told him, interjecting only when needed for clarification. Unfortunately, Lucia knew very little, and Kyndra was still in a state of shock and only kept repeating that Nanawas sick. She seemed to think that alone should offer enough of an explanation.
Their mother had rarely spoken of the R’leigh Bo to anyone outside the family. Old man Donovan was one of the few people who even knew of the tree’s existence. Even that knowledge was solely based on what he had gleaned from the Riggs family.
Many of her healing recipes incorporated ingredients from the Bo and surrounding flora, even the water that flowed under the great tree played a major role in the success of their family business. When he was younger, Auryn used to think his mother was just trying to protect the family secret. However, Lucia never exactly lied to traveling visitors. Stories and legends had been passed down all through the surrounding countryside of the healing and miraculous powers associated with the nearby forests. Of course, most considered them fanciful tales, or a gimmick used to entice travelers to spend their coin on oils and salves from local merchants. The latter actually was true, for a few well-rooted wives’ tales were good for business.
Every so often travelers could be found wandering the wagon trail to the Riggs farm inquiring about the western forests and Myrr mountains. Their family often offered them room and board in exchange for a few stories and news from other cities. Many of the stories had much in common and were often difficult to hear. Their reason for travel usually involved the search for healing, to find a cure-all either for themselves or someone dear to them. The stories surrounding the Myrr mountains had eventually led them here.
The Riggs family never discouraged their search and offered them as much information they could afford to give. When the visitors left, it was often with several gifted bottles of Nana’s Blessing or similar concoction. Some were simply happy for a few handfuls of silvadena thorns. Most returned the way they came, satisfied where their journey had finally led them. A few did venture deeper into the forests and mountains, but for the most part many avoided the mountains themselves. Legends had a way of both enticing and repelling would-be-adventurers.
“Aren’t you afraid someone else will find out about Bo?” Auryn had once asked his mother during dinner.
“Hmm, and why do you think I should be afraid of that?”
“Well I don’t know,” he paused, “It’s just that so much of what we do here depends on her. What if someone hurt her?”
“Auryn, it is true that much of what we have here relies on the R’leigh Bo, but I think you’re forgetting the reason why we grow the silvadena at all.”
Auryn was silent. He knew the reason, or at least the reason his mother was looking for. He just hadn’t decided it was his reason.
“There is so much hurt in the world Auryn, much of the glory that was before The Fall has disappeared. And what little remains diminishes every day. What we do here helps thousands. From the tiniest baby’s fever to saving a soldier’s leg from rot. What we do here matters Auryn. Few can claim that about their lives.”
“I know that, it’s just…,” he thought a moment, “If that’s the case, then why don’t you ever tell people about Bo? Why not take them there ourselves and see if it can help them too?”
Lucia put down her fork gently, her gaze downcast momentarily. When she looked up she seemed to have found the resolve she was looking for. Before she spoke, Kyndra, who had been silent the whole conversation spoke up over a mouthful of giggles and potatoes.
“Nana doesn’t like to talk to just anybody!”
Auryn didn’t laugh however, “I’m being serious! Why hide it?”
Their mother, ever patient, continued, “Kyndra, please don’t talk with your mouth full.” Once again, she focused on her son. “First, let me answer your previous question. You say you are concerned for the Bo’s well-being. Perhaps you see yourself as its protector?” She smiled softly, “Well that is an honorable notion Auryn, but the truth is that there is nothing about that great tree that needs our protection.” She paused letting her words sink in. “She has been around for quite possibly thousands of years and most definitely knows how to take care of herself.”
Her words made sense, but Auryn was unwilling to relinquish the argument yet.
“But how do you know that for sure? What if…what if more people new about her and could help us grow more dena? We could help more people that way.” He was now staring into his meal, his words losing much of their initial vigor.
“You just wanna do less work!” Kyndra interjected while brandishing a potato laden fork at her brother. However, a firm look from her mother conveyed just how she felt about that. Kyndra’s focus returned to her meal after that.
Lucia sighed, not from a loss of patience for her son but from her inability to explain more adequately. A few moments passed.
“Auryn, it may surprise you to know that I once thought exactly like you do now.” Auryn looked up at his mother, his fork still half in his mouth. He waited for her to go on.
“I know…I know the two of you love the Bo like a part of the family, and for whatever reason, the tree also seems to tolerate and perhaps, in the case of you two, enjoys our existence here, but that is most assuredly not the case for everyone. Both of you would do well to remember that the R’leigh Bo is a remnant of the old world, and although she may seem tame to you, I assure you she is a product of her past and still very, very much wild.”
No one spoke for the rest of dinner. Auryn thought on his mother’s words. There had been a deep undertone of respect in them, but also a bit of fear. His childhood view of the Bo had altered a bit that day. Later that night, when he had his mother all to himself he apologized.
“Sweet boy,” she combed her fingers through his hair, “you needn’t be sorry. You’re growing up and beginning to see the world differently. Your sister still sees the Bo as a playmate, but you now see a bit of the bigger picture. The tree is an amazing resource, a relic from an age long gone, but one we have little control over.”
“But shouldn’t we at least give people the option? Let them see for themselves?”
A moment passed before she nodded, “I’ve never told either of you this, for worry you might be needlessly afraid, especially since the Bo took to you both so readily.” Again, she stopped as if considering but went on.
“Your sister is closer to the truth than she realizes. You see, the R’leigh Bo is the one who decides who she lets close to her or not. People often seek our help Auryn and its our duty to offer it when we are able. Some people, though, are not completely satisfied with what we alone can offer. Every now and then, someone continues on into the forest and returns.
Over the years, our own journeys into the forest have worn a very recognizable trail; it’s certainly not difficult to find the Bo Auryn. But nevertheless, no one who returns ever speaks of seeing an enormous intertwining grove of white trees with purple blossoms. That is not something people readily forget. Yet, most merely return confused, saying that they must’ve gotten turned around and were glad to have found their way out again.”
Auryn listened fascinated by what his mother was telling him. He had never heard any of this before. Lucia continued.
“Years ago, before the two of you were born, your father and I met a woman in town. This was before Uncle Donovan had offered to make his periodic supply runs you see. You know Donald Fletcher’s shop, right?” Auryn nodded but his mother had already continued, “Well, his sister Bonnie had taken care of things then before her passing and had told the woman (her name was Thasa) that we would most likely be stopping by to restock her inventory that day. Later, I found out that she had been traveling for weeks to find us. Nana’s Blessing wasn’t as well-known back then as it is now otherwise she probably would have found us sooner.”
“Regardless, she found us. Thasa was young then, and pretty. She had been traveling alone from a smaller village a good distance east of the Three Cities. A sickness had supposedly broken out in her village and most had perished from fever. The local healers had been ineffective in quelling the outbreak. She herself had been apprenticing under such a healer in a neighboring village and thus had been spared from the outbreak. Guilt had crept into her heart and she felt responsible for not being able to save her village.”
Auryn was listening raptly to his mother’s tale, “But why? It wasn’t her fault.”
“Fault and guilt are not always willing partners Auryn. Anyway, all her coin had been spent just in finding us. Her master was aging and his health was failing and so unable to finish her apprenticeship. He had often spoken of the potency of the Myrr silvadena and told her if she wanted to further her trade she should attempt to seek apprenticeship west of the Three Cities. Once she learned of our farm she begged us to take her on as an apprentice. She was desperate and it was impossible for us to turn her away. That was the first time anyone had ever requested to be our student. True, we have had help on the farm in the past, but only temporarily.”
“We made the arrangements and she was thrilled at the opportunity. Everything went very well. She was an apt student; it was obvious she had already learned a great deal from her earlier teacher. I even found myself learning a few things from her as well. I must say it was nice to have the extra help around the farm and it felt good to share knowledge with each other. Some time passed and eventually your father and I decided to take her into the forest. We couldn’t hide the Bo form herforever and Thasa had become quite curious about the purple blossoms we often worked with.”
“You see Auryn? I do mean it when I say I understand your desire to share the R’leigh Bo with others.”
He nodded, “What happened to her, did she finish her study?” He thought it would nice to think that someone out there was plying the skills that his family had helped fashion.
Lucia took a deep breath and continued, “Well, it’s hard to explain exactly. Looking back, it was like the forest didn’t want her there. It was simple things at first, Thasa tripping over roots that I couldn’t remember being there the day before, squirrels dropping acorns on her head, bee stings. Small things that, at the time, meant little more than inconvenience to us, but as we got closer to Bo we started noticing a change in Thasa. At first, she was only afraid and wanted to return to the farm. We ensured her that she was perfectly safe and encouraged her to keep going. This seemed to work for a while but her irrational fear eventually returned.
“At this point, we decided to just take her back but when we approached her she shrieked and dropped to the ground, with her head in her knees. She just sat there, rocking, and muttering to herself about how it wasn’t her fault over and over. We tried to get her up but she fell into hysterics when we touched her.
“Thasa sat that way for so long that we thought we would need to stay there for the night. Suddenly, though, she just stopped, stood, and began walking. Walking directly towards the Bo. Back then, the trail to Bo’s clearingwasn’t as defined as it is today, but she navigated through the forest as if she’d grown up in them like you two. The forest no longer seemed to be discouraging her, in fact, we had difficulty keeping up with her. Eventually she ran, we couldn’t get her to stop, all the while she was still mumbling under her breath the whole way to the clearing.”
This was the first time Auryn had ever heard of anyone seeing the Bo besides his family. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the end of his mother’s story but he couldn’t bring himself to stop her now.
“Do you think Bo was calling her? Kyndra often says she can hear Nana but I always thought she was joking.”
“We both know her love for the tree Auryn, I think we would be wise to not underestimate her connection with it. But I don’t know, Thasa was experiencing something we were not. She ran straight through the clearing’s edge, unfalteringly all the way up to one of the great trunks of the R’leigh Bo. Neither was she surprised by what she found there. She merely stopped, slowly turned around, locking her gaze with ours she spoke, ‘I killed them all. Every one of them, I’m sorry…’. With that she thrust her palm onto the trunk of the Bo. Upon its touch, her whole body began to shake violently. Your father tried to grab her but something told me to hold him back.”
Lucia inhaled slowly and deeply, “It was…it was horrible to watch Auryn, her mouth was open to scream but no sound came from her. Eventually her eyes rolled back and the tree released its unseen grip on her; she just crumpled to the ground.”
Wide eyed, Auryn stared at his mother, he didn’t realize how tightly he had been holding her hand till she gathered both of his together.
“I know I am scaring you Auryn, and I’m sorry for that, but you must know that no matter how wondrous the things of the old world may be, they can also be very, very deadly.”
Copyright © 2017 by David Kottas. All rights reserved
*****
