Chapter 9 – Beware of Strangers Bearing Apples

I sat sketching on the edge of the stream with charcoal and bark. FraechramM's warning was this morning was on the edge of my mind. Beware of strangers bearing apples, she had said. I already learned my lesson with taking things from strangers, whether they had apples or something else.

My feet were falling asleep, so I decided to walk a bit. I tucked the bark and charcoal in my waist bag, grabbed my archery tools – I always brought them with me for protection – and stood up. I walked around aimlessly, realizing how boring this life was. The leaves crunched underneath my boots. It had been two months since I left the castle in late summer. Now the leaves were turning into brilliant colours of gold and red and drifted gently to the forest floor.

What purpose did I have here, I mused, at first the forest was a sanctuary, a place to hide from Vivia and her thirst for power, but I couldn't stay here forever, I needed to face up to what she took from me. Why did she want to kill me, was it solely because she wanted my crown? Could she, a person who used to be quite nice to me, wanted power so bad that she would do anything, even if it meant getting rid of me. Or maybe Robin was right, she was a cruel person by nature, or she could've changed. I was so occupied with my thoughts that I nearly jumped when someone spoke to me.

"Hello dearie, what are you doing here?" asked the trembling voice. I looked up and saw an old lady with short snowy white hair and wrinkles from smiling. She was wearing a long dark coat and was stooped over a basket.

"I was just wondering around." Although she looked friendly enough, I didn't trust her, looks can be deceiving. "Why, may I ask, are you in the forest when it's this cold out?"

"Why I'm picking apples of course." She showed me the basket she was holding. I looked behind her, surely enough, there was an apple tree. I didn't know there were any apple trees in a forest this dense.

"Oh, okay." I replied and started to leave.

"Would you mind helping an old lady like me? "I didn't really want to, after my last experience, I didn't trust strangers. I probably looked reluctant because she added: "Please? My old bones can't quite get to the higher branches, and that's where the best apples are. So I was hoping you could help me." She looked pleadingly at me.

I didn't want to be rude, and couldn't think of an excuse, so I grudgingly agreed.

I picked apples for what seemed like an hour, I couldn't quite tell since the sun was obscured by the remaining leaves. When I was done, the old lady thanked me and took a big red apple from her basket.

"Here, sweet one." She handed me the apple, "Take this as a gift for helping me."

Beware of strangers bearing apples. FraechramM's warning echoed in my mind.

"No thanks." I gently pushed the apple back to her.

But she wouldn't have it. She pushed the fruit into my hands, "If you don't like eating apples raw, you can take it home and make an apple pie. It's almost time to celebrate the harvest." She reasoned. I was not convinced and put it back into her basket.

When I left her, the red apple was in my hands. I didn't know what happened, I guess I didn't want to hurt her feelings. I could just throw it away when she was out of sight.

I tried to drop the apple, but it kept on leaping back into my hands. I knew then it was enchanted and that I had to get rid of it, but how. I could go home and ask fraechramM about it, she knew a lot about magic. But I didn't want to trouble her, so I decided to solve it myself.

I took an arrow and used its head to dig into the ground with some difficulty, as the ground was hard to begin with and harder because of the cold. Then I used the arrow to cut the apple to take its seeds out. I didn't want them to grow into enchanted apple trees. I crushed the seeds and carried the remains to dispose of later in the stream. When the hole was deep enough, I put the apple inside the hole and quickly buried it. I stepped on it with my foot to make the ground firm.

~*~

I spend the next morning in the cabin because it was raining. Henry came in the door in the afternoon from the market, carrying a small jug of something. He sat it down on the kitchen counter.

"What's that?" I looked up from my wood carving of Robin and me together.

"Oh, it's just some fruit punch from Robin." He replied while hanging his coat. "Sure is chilly out, I can tell winter is on its way."

Fruit punch? Why would Robin give us fruit punch? I shrugged it away and didn't think about it until that one day…

~*~

It was the first snow of the year; it was only flurries and melted as soon as it hit the ground. The gnome had gone to their relatives for the gnomic holiday of raerchR, the celebration of winter by the first snowfall. They invited me too, but I declined, so I was the only one in the cabin that night.

I sat at the kitchen table in my white nightdress carving a scene of Robin and me competing in our archery skills. When I was almost done, I paused, sighed and stared into space. I hadn't talked to him since our argument, and I really missed his company. I was afraid to go to the village. FraechramM was right; somebody was after me, though I didn't know why.

I suddenly felt thirsty. So I got up and walked to the cabinets and rummaged through the shelves to get a cup. I was about to get some water from the tap when I spotted the jug of fruit punch Robin gave us. I'd always loved fruit punch, so I poured some into my cup and took a swig.

All of a sudden I felt dizzy, I struggled to stand by holding onto the counter. I dropped the cup, the sound of glass shattering pounded into my head. The taste of apples was strong and bitter in my mouth. The world swirled around me and I slipped into a world of nothingness…

~*~

Thank you for all the reviews. Was that good? I like it, especially the title.
Kaio and Shards of EvenSong: I read about the other gifts in the original story too. But I didn't do them 'cause 1) I was too lazy, I might go back and do it (might) and 2) I figured that Aireia would learn her lesson with the ribbon so she wouldn't try on other stuff.
Yeah I used Robin as part of the plan, but he doesn't know it yet. The reason Aireia drank the punch is that it's from Robin. And just so you are not confused, apple juice is used in fruit punches (I heard somewhere that all, or most, fruit drinks contain apple juice. Don't know if it's true or not.)