Freedom

[Vixen Crowsfoot]

His name was Undun, and he was a hermit. He followed no particular god, but had rather left the demonic lifestyle behind of war and punishment and fire, to begin his own peaceful existence. Without asking my name or where I had come from he invited me to come to his home and join him for dinner. His 'home' as it was, was no more than a small hollowed out tree about twenty minutes walk from the tree he had found Unicorn. The trees in this forest were all dead or dying, and it went with the name that he told me of it - the Perishing Coppice. Apparently he could remember a time when it had flourished, and he told me about the greenery and the various plants that used to grow there as we walked. I allowed him to keep talking, as I did not want to. Perhaps I would tell him the truth of my situation if he asked.

If he had been here since it had died, then I concluded he was old. Perhaps close to my age, which I knew to be over three thousand years of this world and a few hundred of my home planet. I found some comfort in that fact that there were perhaps others here who knew a similar lifespan, but people who had lived it in freedom. It was a comforting, yet despairing fact.

“So, Great One,” he said, using a hand to gesture into the tree. It was a relatively sized one and had a fire into the centre that used the old trunk as a chimney. I saw him pointing towards a cushion and I paused before making my way over and sitting down slowly on it. I kept my eyes on him, my arms wrapped over my body and my weapons.

He gave me a warm smile. “So. Why don't you tell me now what your troubles are, and I may be able to help.”

The sentence stunned me. I blinked, still uncertain, but this was the best comfort I was getting so far. I bit my lip, eyes darting to the fire and the bright, crisp light it gave us. “I …” I began.

“I don't mean you any harm at all, child,” he said gently, “Only-”

“I'm definitely not a child,” I responded quickly. “Please don't call me that.” I felt cold, despite the fire, and that word made me feel like a knife made of ice had stabbed me in the head. Even though I might be naïve, I was not a child.

He seemed taken aback. He blinked at me, stunned for a moment, before he inclined his head. Taking a seat opposite me, and deliberately one so that I could get out of the tree if I needed or wanted, he nodded.

“Alright. Not child then. How about you tell me your troubles anyway. And whilst that … food? Drink?”

I blinked slowly. “It's not … poisoned?” I said quietly. “Are you going to take me prisoner?”

He paused a moment, and his lips parted. “... What? No! Why would you-” He stopped a moment, stunned. Then he pulled in a gasp. “You're the one they are looking for.”

I sat up, alarmed, eyes wide. ‘They’ had to be the crew. Close by enough. Searching for the murderer of their captain. My heart began to thud heavily as I suddenly felt very exposed and threatened. My hand went to the hilt of the rusty iron rapier I had stolen.

Quickly he raised his hands. I saw his staff was lying away from him, near the entrance. That was a weapon than that he could not use. He looked at me with wide, pleading eyes as I began to draw the blade.

“No - wait!” he said quickly, desperately. “I mean you no harm! Honest.”

I paused, the rapier an inch out of its scabbard. And I was still tense, ready to use this thing even if I was entirely out of practice.

“Just please, hear me out!”

My heart was beating hectically, but he was the unarmed one. And so far he had been kind to me. So I gave a slow, tense nod. He let out a sigh, and looked at me sadly. He paused, before letting his hands drop, and cupping them on his lap. I still looked at him with great uncertainty.