Gabrielle sat on her bed, dressed in her nightgown. She could have been
sleeping or writing in one of the scrolls she bought with her own money.
But she wasn't. Truth was, she was too nervous and jumpy to do either.
"No, Gabrielle, just forget about it!" She whispered to herself as her eyes strayed to the window. She knew it would be easy to sneak out. Her bedroom was on the ground floor with nothing but soft grass under her window. Heck, she had done it a few times before. But this time it was different. All the other escapes had been innocent in nature. Often she just went outside to be by herself and stargaze at the wonders in the night sky. Sometimes she even danced in the moonlight. But unlike some girls in the village, she had never snuck out to do improper things with a boy. She liked Perd, but had never been intimate with him and he had never pushed her on the subject. Come to think of it, she wasn't even sure now that she wanted to marry him. Just because they had been good friends as children didn't mean they loved each other as man and wife. And he did seem a bit slow in the head, like most of the village men. Mentally, he bored her. "I guess we aren't such a good match after all."
But would the man from her dream be the perfect match, as she thought he would be? Would he be intelligent or another muscle man with no brains? More important, was he worth sneaking out for?
Gabrielle weighed the options. "I could either sit here and let my parents decide my future or I could go out and claim it myself."
Rising from the bed, she walked to the window. She knew that everyone in the house was asleep now. No one would look for her until morning. "Surely be then I'll be back. It's not that far."
Or that's what she thought anyway.
Gabrielle opened the window and stuck her head out. It was very dark outside, but she was used to that from her stargazing. Walking through strange woods in the dark would be a different matter.
Still she hesitated. Gabrielle had never really disobeyed her parents before. Oh, small things, like the bread, she shrugged aside. But a big matter, like safety, was a whole different ballgame. Those she took seriously. And no way did she want to end up on the altar of the War God as a sacrifice.
"Oh, poo! Those warlords won't see me." She reassured herself as she quickly gathered a few items together inside a pillowcase. She wasn't stupid enough to go into the woods without food or drink. And she would stay on the path. She would be extra careful, listening for sounds. Warlords wore armor, so logic told her they must make lots of noise when they walk, clanking like the pots in the kitchen. She reasoned if she did all that, she would be OK. And once she got an answer from the Old Hag, she would hurry straight home. "Besides, with Greece so big what are the odds any of those soldiers would be near here?"
Little did Gabrielle know that the soldiers had a description of the girl they were seeking. Her father didn't tell her everything, for he didn't want to frighten her. Gabrielle presumed there would be many sacrifices to the War God when in truth there would be only one.
A very specific one.
After changing out of her nightgown into more suitable clothing, she tossed her pillowcase outside. Throwing her leg over the wooden sill, Gabrielle slid out. Landing on the soft grass, she picked up the case. Glancing around to be certain she was alone, she hurried through the field behind her house. Stopping for a moment, she looked back at her home. She was overcome with such a powerful feeling that she almost ran back. It was a crazy thought and she didn't know where it had come from, but she felt like she might never see her home again. She shook her head, her blonde hair flying around her shoulders. "Don't be silly! You'll be back in your warm bed in the morning. Its just guilt you're feeling, for disobeying Father and sneaking out."
Gabrielle knew where the woods started, out beyond the big orchard. She had once gone up to the very edge of the forest, peering into the thick mass of trees. But that had been years ago, when she had been a child. At the time, it had been mid-summer and the forest had been alive with vibrant green. She had wanted to go inside but her Father wouldn't hear of it. He had claimed it was too dangerous for a little girl. But in her imagination, the forest was where magical creatures lived: unicorns, faeries and other creatures of good. When she told her parents this, they had laughed and said she had a big imagination. But Gabrielle hadn't thought it was funny. If centaurs and satyrs were real, why not unicorns and faeries?
Gabrielle snapped out of her old memories. The forest stretched out in front of her now, a blacker shadow against the black sky. Slowly she approached it, pausing often to listen. She tried to walk silently, but no matter how carefully she placed her feet there was always something under her shoes making noise! She frowned, trying to see the ground in front of her for a clear path that would be more silent. But to her untrained eye, it all looked the same. Snapping and crunching, she reached the forest edge.
"Now where is that path?" She asked herself, forgetting the need for silence. She remembered, a hand flying to smack her on the mouth. She froze, one hand gripping the pillowcase and the other cupping the nose and mouth. Reprimanding herself for being so careless, she inched along the forest edge until a dark path appeared.
And dark it was. The black silhouettes of trees were on either side of the path, their naked branches scraping the cloud filled sky overhead. Her overactive imagination turned them into bony fingers reaching up from the grave. The wind howled, shaking the branches. A few scattered leaves drifted down to the cold earth. Gabrielle shivered, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. Not only was it a lot colder out here than she had thought, but the path looked so spooky!
Maybe if she had a friend with her it wouldn't be so bad. But no one she knew would do this sort of thing. And if she told them about the man she saw in her dreams, they would just laugh at her. She thanked Zeus that her sister hadn't told anyone, especially their parents.
Gabrielle began to realize that there was a big difference between reading about adventure and actually having one. It was good and fine to read about crawling through dark woods at night when you're snug in your warm bed, a plate of cookies resting on your legs and a fire roaring in the hearth. But to be actually out here...
"I have to remember all of these sensations, how things look. For how else can I write something I never experienced?" Bravely Gabrielle stepped onto the creepy path. Her nerves were screaming at her to go back home to the safety of her bed. Her mind was convinced that a threat, whether man or beast, hid behind every tree and in every shadow. Her heart thudded loudly in her ears, her palms growing damp. The trees creaked and groaned as the wind blew through the bare branches, quickening her step. A dark shape flew at her, seeming to spring from the air itself. Gabrielle caught a flash of luminous eyes and sharp talons, and then she was off down the path in a full blown panic.
She ran as quickly as she could, her heavy pillowcase thumping against her thigh with every jarring step. Her breath came in loud gasps, her hair billowing out behind her like a cloak. She paid little attention to where she was going; she just felt the need to flee from danger. Without warning, her feet slid out from underneath her as she stepped onto a slick patch of wet leaves. Falling heavily to the cold ground, she lay there a moment gasping for air. Her breath hung before her in the form of white smoke, which was just barely visible. Gingerly she sat up, stretching her legs. She knew one of her knees had been skinned because of the intense burning sensation. "Some bard you'll make! You can't even walk through a simple woods without getting frightened."
The moon choose that moment to break free of the heavy clouds blocking the sky. Silver light shone down onto the forest, blanketing it with gentle light. Carefully Gabrielle got to her feet, testing her legs out. Once she was sure everything was working as it should, she took the opportunity to glance around. She knew she had covered a lot of distance in her mad dash, so maybe she was near the witch's house.
Doubt once again flickered through her mind. She admitted she knew nothing about the woman except town rumors and gossip. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go see her. What if she really WAS a witch? The evil variety, that is? But Gabrielle couldn't bring herself to believe that. She was convinced there was good in everyone and that the woman would help her. The village just scorned the Old Hag just because she was different from them. Or maybe she really had a bit of true power and the villagers feared her because of it, not trusting what they didn't understand.
"Just like they don't understand me." Gabrielle spotted a small cottage made from stones hidden among the trees, smoke rising from its chimney. "And I better ask what her name is. I can't go calling her the Old Hag. That's hardly polite at all."
Stepping off the path, she slowly made her way through the thick tangle of trees. Several times she had to stop to free her hair from branches. The idea her hair could get tangled on things had never occurred to her. But instead of depressing her, it made her happy. Gabrielle considered it all part of her adventure, something to write in her scrolls.
Finally the house stood before her, nestled among the trees. The door, arched at the top, was made from boards with two strips of metal running across its width. The stones that made the house were of the round variety, ranging in size and color. Some white stuff was between the various stones and held it all together. Her green eyes moved upward, to the roof. Taking a few steps back for a better look, she was amazed at what she saw. It certainly wasn't a straw roof, but made from some flat gray material. Gabrielle wasn't sure what it was, but it certainly wasn't wood or stone or plant material. The stuff seemed to come in small square pieces, all overlapping. And when the moonlight shone on it, it sparkled!
Gabrielle was tempted to take a peek in the backyard, but knew it wouldn't be right. She had come to ask the woman for advice, so she better do it and stop gawking. Taking a final look at the magical roof, she walked up to the door and knocked.
A moment later the door opened and a blast of warmth hit her full in the face. The very next thing that got her attention was the warm yellow light that spilled from the doorway, so unlike dim candlelight or a hearth fire. Gabrielle also noted this light didn't flicker. First then her attention went to the woman herself.
"No, Gabrielle, just forget about it!" She whispered to herself as her eyes strayed to the window. She knew it would be easy to sneak out. Her bedroom was on the ground floor with nothing but soft grass under her window. Heck, she had done it a few times before. But this time it was different. All the other escapes had been innocent in nature. Often she just went outside to be by herself and stargaze at the wonders in the night sky. Sometimes she even danced in the moonlight. But unlike some girls in the village, she had never snuck out to do improper things with a boy. She liked Perd, but had never been intimate with him and he had never pushed her on the subject. Come to think of it, she wasn't even sure now that she wanted to marry him. Just because they had been good friends as children didn't mean they loved each other as man and wife. And he did seem a bit slow in the head, like most of the village men. Mentally, he bored her. "I guess we aren't such a good match after all."
But would the man from her dream be the perfect match, as she thought he would be? Would he be intelligent or another muscle man with no brains? More important, was he worth sneaking out for?
Gabrielle weighed the options. "I could either sit here and let my parents decide my future or I could go out and claim it myself."
Rising from the bed, she walked to the window. She knew that everyone in the house was asleep now. No one would look for her until morning. "Surely be then I'll be back. It's not that far."
Or that's what she thought anyway.
Gabrielle opened the window and stuck her head out. It was very dark outside, but she was used to that from her stargazing. Walking through strange woods in the dark would be a different matter.
Still she hesitated. Gabrielle had never really disobeyed her parents before. Oh, small things, like the bread, she shrugged aside. But a big matter, like safety, was a whole different ballgame. Those she took seriously. And no way did she want to end up on the altar of the War God as a sacrifice.
"Oh, poo! Those warlords won't see me." She reassured herself as she quickly gathered a few items together inside a pillowcase. She wasn't stupid enough to go into the woods without food or drink. And she would stay on the path. She would be extra careful, listening for sounds. Warlords wore armor, so logic told her they must make lots of noise when they walk, clanking like the pots in the kitchen. She reasoned if she did all that, she would be OK. And once she got an answer from the Old Hag, she would hurry straight home. "Besides, with Greece so big what are the odds any of those soldiers would be near here?"
Little did Gabrielle know that the soldiers had a description of the girl they were seeking. Her father didn't tell her everything, for he didn't want to frighten her. Gabrielle presumed there would be many sacrifices to the War God when in truth there would be only one.
A very specific one.
After changing out of her nightgown into more suitable clothing, she tossed her pillowcase outside. Throwing her leg over the wooden sill, Gabrielle slid out. Landing on the soft grass, she picked up the case. Glancing around to be certain she was alone, she hurried through the field behind her house. Stopping for a moment, she looked back at her home. She was overcome with such a powerful feeling that she almost ran back. It was a crazy thought and she didn't know where it had come from, but she felt like she might never see her home again. She shook her head, her blonde hair flying around her shoulders. "Don't be silly! You'll be back in your warm bed in the morning. Its just guilt you're feeling, for disobeying Father and sneaking out."
Gabrielle knew where the woods started, out beyond the big orchard. She had once gone up to the very edge of the forest, peering into the thick mass of trees. But that had been years ago, when she had been a child. At the time, it had been mid-summer and the forest had been alive with vibrant green. She had wanted to go inside but her Father wouldn't hear of it. He had claimed it was too dangerous for a little girl. But in her imagination, the forest was where magical creatures lived: unicorns, faeries and other creatures of good. When she told her parents this, they had laughed and said she had a big imagination. But Gabrielle hadn't thought it was funny. If centaurs and satyrs were real, why not unicorns and faeries?
Gabrielle snapped out of her old memories. The forest stretched out in front of her now, a blacker shadow against the black sky. Slowly she approached it, pausing often to listen. She tried to walk silently, but no matter how carefully she placed her feet there was always something under her shoes making noise! She frowned, trying to see the ground in front of her for a clear path that would be more silent. But to her untrained eye, it all looked the same. Snapping and crunching, she reached the forest edge.
"Now where is that path?" She asked herself, forgetting the need for silence. She remembered, a hand flying to smack her on the mouth. She froze, one hand gripping the pillowcase and the other cupping the nose and mouth. Reprimanding herself for being so careless, she inched along the forest edge until a dark path appeared.
And dark it was. The black silhouettes of trees were on either side of the path, their naked branches scraping the cloud filled sky overhead. Her overactive imagination turned them into bony fingers reaching up from the grave. The wind howled, shaking the branches. A few scattered leaves drifted down to the cold earth. Gabrielle shivered, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. Not only was it a lot colder out here than she had thought, but the path looked so spooky!
Maybe if she had a friend with her it wouldn't be so bad. But no one she knew would do this sort of thing. And if she told them about the man she saw in her dreams, they would just laugh at her. She thanked Zeus that her sister hadn't told anyone, especially their parents.
Gabrielle began to realize that there was a big difference between reading about adventure and actually having one. It was good and fine to read about crawling through dark woods at night when you're snug in your warm bed, a plate of cookies resting on your legs and a fire roaring in the hearth. But to be actually out here...
"I have to remember all of these sensations, how things look. For how else can I write something I never experienced?" Bravely Gabrielle stepped onto the creepy path. Her nerves were screaming at her to go back home to the safety of her bed. Her mind was convinced that a threat, whether man or beast, hid behind every tree and in every shadow. Her heart thudded loudly in her ears, her palms growing damp. The trees creaked and groaned as the wind blew through the bare branches, quickening her step. A dark shape flew at her, seeming to spring from the air itself. Gabrielle caught a flash of luminous eyes and sharp talons, and then she was off down the path in a full blown panic.
She ran as quickly as she could, her heavy pillowcase thumping against her thigh with every jarring step. Her breath came in loud gasps, her hair billowing out behind her like a cloak. She paid little attention to where she was going; she just felt the need to flee from danger. Without warning, her feet slid out from underneath her as she stepped onto a slick patch of wet leaves. Falling heavily to the cold ground, she lay there a moment gasping for air. Her breath hung before her in the form of white smoke, which was just barely visible. Gingerly she sat up, stretching her legs. She knew one of her knees had been skinned because of the intense burning sensation. "Some bard you'll make! You can't even walk through a simple woods without getting frightened."
The moon choose that moment to break free of the heavy clouds blocking the sky. Silver light shone down onto the forest, blanketing it with gentle light. Carefully Gabrielle got to her feet, testing her legs out. Once she was sure everything was working as it should, she took the opportunity to glance around. She knew she had covered a lot of distance in her mad dash, so maybe she was near the witch's house.
Doubt once again flickered through her mind. She admitted she knew nothing about the woman except town rumors and gossip. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go see her. What if she really WAS a witch? The evil variety, that is? But Gabrielle couldn't bring herself to believe that. She was convinced there was good in everyone and that the woman would help her. The village just scorned the Old Hag just because she was different from them. Or maybe she really had a bit of true power and the villagers feared her because of it, not trusting what they didn't understand.
"Just like they don't understand me." Gabrielle spotted a small cottage made from stones hidden among the trees, smoke rising from its chimney. "And I better ask what her name is. I can't go calling her the Old Hag. That's hardly polite at all."
Stepping off the path, she slowly made her way through the thick tangle of trees. Several times she had to stop to free her hair from branches. The idea her hair could get tangled on things had never occurred to her. But instead of depressing her, it made her happy. Gabrielle considered it all part of her adventure, something to write in her scrolls.
Finally the house stood before her, nestled among the trees. The door, arched at the top, was made from boards with two strips of metal running across its width. The stones that made the house were of the round variety, ranging in size and color. Some white stuff was between the various stones and held it all together. Her green eyes moved upward, to the roof. Taking a few steps back for a better look, she was amazed at what she saw. It certainly wasn't a straw roof, but made from some flat gray material. Gabrielle wasn't sure what it was, but it certainly wasn't wood or stone or plant material. The stuff seemed to come in small square pieces, all overlapping. And when the moonlight shone on it, it sparkled!
Gabrielle was tempted to take a peek in the backyard, but knew it wouldn't be right. She had come to ask the woman for advice, so she better do it and stop gawking. Taking a final look at the magical roof, she walked up to the door and knocked.
A moment later the door opened and a blast of warmth hit her full in the face. The very next thing that got her attention was the warm yellow light that spilled from the doorway, so unlike dim candlelight or a hearth fire. Gabrielle also noted this light didn't flicker. First then her attention went to the woman herself.