Let Slip The Princesses of War (8 page)

We stood on a gentle mountainside overlooking a valley. Where the Great Forest had been dark and a little scary, here there was abundant sunlight, colorful birds filed the air and a sparkling river winked at us from the valley floor.  Tom stretched his arms “Welcome to my home!” At the far end of the valley was a waterfall, and a farmhouse.  It looked like a long walk, but the clean air and the sunlight filled us with energy.  Just then four little mountain ponies equipped with colorful blankets and saddles came into view.

As Tom mounted his pony he looked at the sky and said, “Perfect, we should reach the house just about tea time.” And sure enough our early morning sun had somehow climbed into early afternoon. 

The ride down the mountain was peaceful.  The gentle swaying of the ponies, the idle chatter of the birds.  It felt more like a homecoming than a visit to someplace new.

We rode up to the farmhouse and dismounted.  Cindy took the acorn from her pocket “If it’s alright with you, Tom, I’d like to let the horses out to graze.  They always prefer natural grass to the magic hay.”

Tom nodded his assent and then led us inside.  I wish Cinderella had been there to see how Tom ushered Ben inside without hesitation, but she was off taking care of the horses.  Damn!

His farm house was, well, charming.  The floor was well-worn red brick, on a large hearth burnt a fire of logs, a couple of high-backed
settees
faced each other on either side of the fire.  In the middle of the room
stood a long table of plain boards placed on trestles, with benches down each side.  Rows of spotless plates gleamed from the shelves of the dresser at the far end of the room, and from the rafters overhead hung bundles of dried herbs, nets of onions, and baskets of eggs. It seemed a place where heroes could fitly feast after victory, where weary harvesters could line up in scores along the table and keep their Harvest Home, or where two or three friends of simple tastes could sit about as they pleased and eat and drink and talk in comfort and contentment.

The table was already laden with food and drink for our tea.  Tom served us cups of delicious tea (blackberry with a touch of ginger I think), and plates of charming sandwiches and cakes and pastries.  It was just like tea with the queen.  As always, Ben lay at my feet and I fed him snacks from my plate.

After tea, Tom took us on a tour of his home.  While the front part was simple and comfortable, the rest of the house was filled to bursting with gold and jewels and art.  Enough for 100 kingdoms. 

“Where did you get all this?” Pea asked the question that we all wanted to ask.

“Oh,” He shrugged, “people come here from time to time, seeking safety or rest or advice, and they leave things for safe keeping, and sometime they come back, but more often they just do what people do and die and this useless junk accumulates.  I feel bad throwing it away.  The old owners always seemed to think it was so important.  Would you care to see my gardens?”

And we did care to.

After the tours we gathered again at the table and Tom poured us small glasses of a wonderful and potent wine.  As we sipped our wine, Tom stood to address us.  “Your Highnesses, and just a girl, thank you all so much for visiting with me.  It has been my custom since time immemorial to offer my visitors some small gifts before they depart my home.  I have something for each of you.  If you will allow me.”

We all (well, except for Emily) protested that no gifts were needed, with many refrains of, ‘Oh, that’s not necessary.’ And ‘We should offer you a gift for your excellent hospitality.’ And things of that kind, but secretly we all wanted to see what kinds of gifts Old Tom would offer. So, we let him convince us.  Nobody was fooled. 

He pulled over a large chest from a corner of the room and began to rummage through it all the while muttering to himself.  “Brains, no.  Courage, hardly. A bow and arrows to be used in time of greatest need, I don’t think so.  Ah, this is perfect.” He pulled out a scroll of paper. 

“The first gift is for the smallest of your company.  Emily, you arrived as just a girl, which is a high and wonderful thing to be, but now you can also be a princess.  As king of this valley, I hereby confer upon you the title of Princess of the Valley!”

Emily shrieked with delight and solemnly took the scroll from Tom. He gave her a light kiss on the cheek and said, “But don’t forget to be just a girl sometimes.”

“I won’t.  Thank you King Tom.”

He rummaged some more in the chest, “Magic Cordial, no.  Genie in the lamp, no.  Ah!  Just the thing.”

“Princess Sweet Pea,” He held out a pure white feather.  “Simply place this under your back and you will always get a comfortable night’s sleep, in a bed or in the forest.”

Pea’s face lit up with, what I can only describe as, transcendent joy.  She ran to Tom and gave him a big hug. “Thank you!  It’s been years since I’ve had a good night’s sleep!”

He returned to his chest. “Seven League Boots, no. Magic Carpet, no.  Ah.”

“And for you Princess Cinderella, a single rose, which will never die or fade, that you may enjoy its beauty as much as the world enjoys yours.”

I swear Cindy actually blushed!  She took the rose, which, somehow, was more beautiful than other roses, and gave Tom a quick kiss on one cheek, and then on the other cheek.

Tom turned back to his chest.  He rummaged and muttered a long time and then finally lifted his head.

“I’m sorry Queen Rapunzel.  I don’t have anything appropriate for you in here.” He held up a plain gold ring.  “Would you like this? It used to be a ring of power, but now that power has passed from the world.  I think it still does give the wearer some resistance to fire.  It used to turn you invisible, but no more.  Some funny little men, well not men exactly, more like proto-men,
Homo floresiensis
to be precise, left it here many years ago.” He tossed me the ring, which was surprisingly heavy for its size. I put it on my finger.  It didn’t feel like a ring of power, but it was pretty. “However,” He continued, “if your highnesses (and he winked at Emily and she beamed back at him) would consent to be my guests for the night, in the morning my gardens will provide a gift for you that I would very much like for you to have.”

“Oh,” I began, “Thank you but I don’t need any…”

But I never finished as Cinderella jumped in. “We would be delighted to be your guests for the night.”

“Absolutely” Added Pea.

“The Princess Emily agrees!” Said Emily in her most regal voice.

So, we agreed to stay the night. 

And it was a fun night.  Tom told us stories into the late hours and it was deep dark and the fire had burned low before he showed us to our room.  Mindful of the last time we slept in a house, we opted to share one room rather than split up.  Tom found us a room with four big beds and said goodnight.

“Just a final word.  This is a funny old house, just like its master. Pay no heed to any odd sounds you hear in the night.  All is safe in Tom’s house.”

We all called goodnight and he left.  Pea placed her feather beneath her back and was asleep in seconds.  As were we all. 

I woke in the night to strange sounds.  I pushed myself up on my elbows and saw Emily snuggled up with Pea, so it took me a moment to notice that there were two empty beds.  Where the fuck was Cindy?

I got out of bed and put on my boots, and quietly slipped out.  Pea really must be sleeping deep if she didn’t wake.  I hoped this feather wouldn’t make her a worse patrol partner.

Or maybe it was something in the air in Tom’s valley, because Ben didn’t stir either.

I followed the noise.  It was odd, but oddly familiar.  I wandered the halls of Tom’s house for some time, always thinking the source was just around the corner but never quite finding it.  Then suddenly it stopped.  I found myself in the main hall, and not feeling sleepy I helped myself to a glass of wine.  I was sitting on one of the settees in the fire-lit hall, when Cinderella snuck through, holding her glass boots in her hands.  I coughed and she nearly jumped to the roof!

“Fuck Rae!  You scared the piss out of me!”

“Whatcha doin’ Cindy?”

She stammered and sputtered, but then I got a good look at her.  The rumpled ball gown, the disheveled hair, the boots in her hand!  “Oh my fucking gad!  You?  And Tom?  Are you fucking kidding me!?”

Cindy plopped down on the settee beside me and took a sip from my wine and gave me a smile.  “He’s still spry!” and we both erupted into laughter. 

Cinderella eventually went back to Tom’s room and I returned to our room.  When Emily and Pea woke up and saw Cinderella’s empty bed, I explained that she had gotten up early to train and would see us at breakfast. 

“She’s training without me!?” Emily was indignant.

But Pea saw her opening.  “That’s OK.  We never did get a chance to teach you about shooting.  What’d you say, you and I head outside for a little gun safety and target practice?”

“Oh!  Yes!  I want to!” Emily grabbed Pea by the hand and practically dragged her out the door.  Pea came back a few moments later for the gun.

“Cindy got up early to train, eh?  Can’t say I remember her getting up early to train before.  Not even during, you know, training.”

“That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  You can ask her yourself, but not with Emily around.”

“Hell Rae, I know that.” And she took the gun and left.

Ben and I wandered down to the main hall.  The fire was still burning, but nobody was around, so I helped myself to some wine, and listened to the soothing sounds of small arms fire out front.

Tom came by before too long.

“Good morning, Queen Rapunzel.”

“Morning Tom.”

“I hope you slept well.”

“I imagine I got a bit more sleep than you.”

He smiled widely and his ears turned red.  I’ve never seen a god blush before. 

“Princess Cinderella will probably sleep another hour or so, and I can hear that my other guests are occupied, so we have time for a walk in the garden before breakfast, if you’d like. I’ve got something I’d like to show you.”

I really didn’t want any kind of gift, but I remembered what Pea had said about following the story where it leads, and well, Tom just looked so friendly and eager. 

“I’d love a little constitutional before breakfast.  Lead on.”  I got to my feet and followed him, I looked at Ben to see if he wanted to come, but he just stayed where he was in front of the fire.  Tom took me out a side door that led directly to a charming garden.  The plants in the garden were wild and it’s hard to say what exactly made it a garden, maybe just Tom calling it a garden.  But it was definitely a garden and not wilderness. 

As we walked, Tom pointed out various plant to me.  He knew them all by name and often shared a story related to each.

We walked down to the river’s edge. 

“This is the Goldenberry bush.” 

It was a slender bush, covered with varicolored leaves and with shimmering emerald bark.  On a branch in the center of the bush was a single golden berry.  It’s hard to put into words, but it was beautiful.  I felt calm and peaceful and like I wanted to spend the rest of my life just sitting on the riverbank in the company of the Goldenberry.

Tom approached the Goldenberry and stroked it lovingly.  “The Goldenberry is my greatest joy and my greatest sorrow.  It’s a lesson to me about the pleasures and pains of loving those who must one day die.  Even this Goldenberry is not the original, but a daughter many many generations removed from my one true love.” He touched the Goldenberry lightly with a finger and it seemed to make a soft keening sound. 

“It grows only here,” he continued, “beside this river which gave it life. Each Goldenberry, bears but a single fruit, and when that fruit is plucked or falls, the bush dies.  Later it’s reborn, not the same, never the same, but still good.  Still beautiful.”

He plucked the berry and I gasped in horror at the idea that he had just killed this beautiful bush.

He held the berry in his palm.  “This is my gift to you.  Her gift to you.  She wanted you to have it.  She paid the price willingly.”

“It’s beautiful.” I breathed.  Afraid to touch it, unable to take my eyes off it.

“The gift of the Goldenberry is the gift of clarity of vision.  Not of the world without, but of the world within.  Eat this fruit and you will see yourself, understand yourself, as you truly are.  Stripped of pretense and illusion.”

“I’m not sure I want to.  I’m almost certain I don’t.”

Tom smiled.  “Eating this berry has killed many. Those who could not withstand themselves, understand themselves, but I think, for you, it could offer a release.  Relief from guilt and pain.”

I shook my head.  “No.  Guilt and pain are all I have.  They’re what keep me going, keep me fighting.  Without them, who would avenge my children?” I was almost shouting now.  “You keep it.  Maybe I’ll come back for it.  After the war.  After she is dead.” I said the last part almost as a whisper.

Tom took a pretty silk handkerchief from one of his pockets and carefully wrapped it up.  “Many people plan on returning to my valley, most do not.  Most die, as people do.  It would be better if you took it with you.  Still,” With a wink, he tossed the wrapped berry into the air. It was silhouetted for a moment against the morning sun and then vanished. “I can’t force it on you.”

He stroked the bush lovingly.  It was a little less bright, less lively, less alive.  I was filled with sadness. I wished I hadn’t come.  I felt a tear break out.  Tom brushed it away and took my hand and we walked back to the house.  As we walked, I felt the heat of his hand in mine, the warmth of the sun and the cool of the breeze.  By the time we reached the house, the sadness had left me and I remembered only the beauty of the little bush and its golden fruit.

The others were waiting for us at the table.  Cinderella looking tired and happy, Sweet Pea looking rested and happy and Emily smelling of smoke and powder and happy.  So, it was a happy breakfast and we all ate our fill. 

We were a sadder group a few hours later as we loaded our horses and prepared to leave.  Our time in Tom’s valley had felt like a respite from everything.  But, now we were heading back.  I knew Tom was right, we would all like to return one day but we would probably just do what people do and die. 

He led us up the mountain, looking a bit ridiculous, tall thin Tom, on his short fat little pony.  He stopped after a while and dismounted.  We all dismounted too, this would be our goodbye.  I took one last look at the valley, I knew in my heart that I would never see it again.  Or Tom. 

Tom lifted Emily and kissed her on her cheek.  “Princess, your kingdom awaits your return and it will be a sadder place while you are away.  I also have a last parting gift for one of your company.  Ben, come talk with me.” He treated Ben just like a person and Ben walked over to Tom and Tom bent down and whispered something in his ear.  I wished I could know what he was saying, but even if Ben understood, he couldn’t tell me.

He gave me and Pea a couple of cheek pecks and Cinderella a longer kiss.  Then grabbing a piece of the world, he lifted a flap.

“I’ve taken you to the edge of the Great Forest, the edge of my lands.  Mallory’s territory is just a few yards ahead.”

We passed through the flap between worlds, between peace and war.  As the flap of the world closed and Tom disappeared I felt a sudden sharp pain on my right thigh.  Reflexively, I slapped my hand down on the pain and I felt something in my pocket.  I reached in and pulled out the Goldenberry, still wrapped in its silk covering. Sneaky bastard!  Well, he can make me take it with me, but he can’t make me eat it!