The night passed slowly. Alanna was packing up her things, which she had
taken out shortly after the woman left, as the sun began to rise. Suddenly,
the woman was directly in front of her, looking disheveled.
"Old mother, what happened?" Alanna asked worriedly.
"Nothing that couldn't be taken care of, with help from the elves of course, Mother bless them."
"You should have taken me with you."
"Nonsense! You would have only gotten into trouble. These aren't the monsters you are used to."
"That's ridiculous! I would have been more help than you think."
"You better get down off that high horse of yours, Lioness. Ignorance can be deadly!" Alanna looked shockingly at the old woman.
"So what now?"
"We move on, of course. C'mon! Through the wood with you," she started to walk towards the woods. She moved quickly for an old woman.
Alanna secured her bundle to her horse's saddle, mounted, and rode up along side the woman. "Tell me, mother, about the elves." Alanna was curious as to how much the old woman would tell her.
"Ah, yes, the elves. Wonderful archers, even more wonderful than your Dine. Excellent runners; they see well in the dark; and their lives, which can go on for all of time, are dedicated to keeping the evil in the Dark Wood actually in the wood. I'm afraid their numbers are dwindling, though. That gives the Evil a chance at escape, and it knows it."
"You refer to an Evil. What is it?"
"Mmm. I cannot say for I do not know. I, myself, have never seen it."
"Then how do you know it is there?"
"What else would there be causing the blessed creatures of this world and the world of the immortals harm?"
"What sort of harm?"
"Are you daft, girl? Any harm you can imagine, and some you can't, eventually leading up to death. Poor creatures," the old woman shook her head.
"Old Mother, do you have a name?"
"I have many, but you may call me Tenya." As the woman said her name, they entered the shadows of the forest. "We must move swiftly, child. We cannot be caught here when darkness falls.
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was a little after noon when Alanna spoke again to Tenya.
"Should we stop for lunch?"
"Stop, no. Eat, yes." Tenya tossed something at Alanna, which she caught. Alanna turned it over and over, just being able to make it out in the dim forest light. Alanna bit into the bread.
"Tenya, this is very good."
"It should be! The elves made it! They make the best food. Excellent cooks they are! Among other things."
"Tenya, what will others do if they come to the wood?"
"They will take the long way around. None are foolish enough to rush in as you were about to do." Alanna took offence.
"Old Mother, I do not rush into things!"
"I know just as well as others how you are, Lioness. I'm very knowledgeable in the games life plays. I know much about many and many secrets of life."
"Then you are a servant of the gods."
"Aren't we all servants? Do we not all live our lives to please one god or another?"
"Tenya, you are confusing to me."
"Ah, a mystery am I? Well, just give it time and there will be much you wish you never would have discovered."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What it says. Not everything in life is pleasant, my girl. Come. More haste must be made. We will not be leaving the forest tonight, and if we are to remain alive, we must make it to the home of the elves."
"I'm going to meet them?"
"And shouldn't you? They are very interested in what goes on outside this forest. You will help with that." Tenya stepped to her right. "Follow me. We'll be there by supper time." Alanna could just barely make out a faint path Tenya was following. She turned her horse down the light path and closely followed Tenya.
"Old mother, what happened?" Alanna asked worriedly.
"Nothing that couldn't be taken care of, with help from the elves of course, Mother bless them."
"You should have taken me with you."
"Nonsense! You would have only gotten into trouble. These aren't the monsters you are used to."
"That's ridiculous! I would have been more help than you think."
"You better get down off that high horse of yours, Lioness. Ignorance can be deadly!" Alanna looked shockingly at the old woman.
"So what now?"
"We move on, of course. C'mon! Through the wood with you," she started to walk towards the woods. She moved quickly for an old woman.
Alanna secured her bundle to her horse's saddle, mounted, and rode up along side the woman. "Tell me, mother, about the elves." Alanna was curious as to how much the old woman would tell her.
"Ah, yes, the elves. Wonderful archers, even more wonderful than your Dine. Excellent runners; they see well in the dark; and their lives, which can go on for all of time, are dedicated to keeping the evil in the Dark Wood actually in the wood. I'm afraid their numbers are dwindling, though. That gives the Evil a chance at escape, and it knows it."
"You refer to an Evil. What is it?"
"Mmm. I cannot say for I do not know. I, myself, have never seen it."
"Then how do you know it is there?"
"What else would there be causing the blessed creatures of this world and the world of the immortals harm?"
"What sort of harm?"
"Are you daft, girl? Any harm you can imagine, and some you can't, eventually leading up to death. Poor creatures," the old woman shook her head.
"Old Mother, do you have a name?"
"I have many, but you may call me Tenya." As the woman said her name, they entered the shadows of the forest. "We must move swiftly, child. We cannot be caught here when darkness falls.
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was a little after noon when Alanna spoke again to Tenya.
"Should we stop for lunch?"
"Stop, no. Eat, yes." Tenya tossed something at Alanna, which she caught. Alanna turned it over and over, just being able to make it out in the dim forest light. Alanna bit into the bread.
"Tenya, this is very good."
"It should be! The elves made it! They make the best food. Excellent cooks they are! Among other things."
"Tenya, what will others do if they come to the wood?"
"They will take the long way around. None are foolish enough to rush in as you were about to do." Alanna took offence.
"Old Mother, I do not rush into things!"
"I know just as well as others how you are, Lioness. I'm very knowledgeable in the games life plays. I know much about many and many secrets of life."
"Then you are a servant of the gods."
"Aren't we all servants? Do we not all live our lives to please one god or another?"
"Tenya, you are confusing to me."
"Ah, a mystery am I? Well, just give it time and there will be much you wish you never would have discovered."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What it says. Not everything in life is pleasant, my girl. Come. More haste must be made. We will not be leaving the forest tonight, and if we are to remain alive, we must make it to the home of the elves."
"I'm going to meet them?"
"And shouldn't you? They are very interested in what goes on outside this forest. You will help with that." Tenya stepped to her right. "Follow me. We'll be there by supper time." Alanna could just barely make out a faint path Tenya was following. She turned her horse down the light path and closely followed Tenya.