Chapter 6

I wonder through the trees, making sure to be quiet as I follow the men of Denmark and the Geats in the dark. The trees loom high over me and the smell of nature filling my lungs with every breath. The men's longer legs carry them farther ahead and I must run to keep up. I stagger trying to avoid my skirt and the roots and sticks on the ground. We must have traveled two miles before we reach wherever we were going.

The air became humid and muggy. I had to take deeper breathes and dare to raise my skirt above my ankles… to my shins. Although my warm skin welcomes the air brisking over my legs. Finally we stop and the heat seems to double in magnitude. I look through the trees and see a boiling lake surrounded my sharp rocks, and stem rises into the dark sky.

I watch as the men question Beowulf's sureness before he gave a speech about how brave he is. Then he jumps into the lake head first and I feel myself fall; the world suddenly went black. When I open my eyes again I feel fine, even hollow, but then the mighty pain strikes and fills my body. I take a sharp breath then release it as a airy whimper of pain. I sit up slowly, straightening my spine as my head throb faintly but as much power as an earthquake all at the same time. I gather myself up to my feet and lean on a tree for support. I stare at the boiling lake with tears gathering in my eyes before they spilled over.

For hours I stayed on the tree, crying and praying for Beowulf to come up. Finally my silent tears became audible, and I let out a small wail and all the men turn towards me. "Who be there? Another monstrosity of hell?" a man comes forward, the sharp end of his sword ready to jab.

"Come out!" the man yells before I walk out from behind the trees.

"Halt! Let her be! I recognize this girl." King Hrothgar says. He monitions me forward "Come here child." He says. I hesitant before walking up to him and bowing to my knees, lowering my head.

"I deeply apologize your highness." I say.

"For?" he asks.

"For leaving the great herot, majesty." I say staring into the ground. "To be graced with refreshing air is expectable. But alas to come this far for it is not. This be here the dwelling of monsters. Very dangerous for a lady." Hrothgar says. I nod still glaring into the patch of earth. "Stand child, all is forgiven." He says.

King Hrothgar speeches of how Beowulf plunged into the boiling lake to fight Grendal's mother and how they all have been waiting here ever since. "Do yee think he be dead? A floating corpse that hovers over the sand floor?" one man asks. The Geats defended their prince but the Danes soon lost their patience and returned to Herot.

What a dishonorable bunch.

I stayed and waited with the Geats and the dark sky began to lightens from the kiss of the sun. Will Beowulf ever be coming back?

"Behold! A stir within the water!" a man shouts and we all run to the shore of the lake to see Beowulf, his mail shirt destroyed, with the head of Grendal and a giant hilt of a sword. I hold out a cry of his glorious site. When his beautiful brown orbs meet mine I want to weep and thank heaven. He smiles and rushes up to me and throws his arms around me, I blush the public display of affection almost shameful.

"Men, I have returned. With a prideful victory. And with a princess.

The next morning

Here be morning, another start after another joyous celebration. But atlas my last one. In all my years of servitude nor did I believe my days of hard work were to be limited. If so I would have made them count so much more. I would have aim to make myself humbler and a greater person. I would have savored the days with mother and Gretla and the other girls.

But now I leave to embark on a new life.

"Arietta, thus be set to adjourn, my love?" I take Beowulf's hand and nod as we both walk to the ship that we will sail us to home.