A Trilogy's Fourth Book

Chapter 7 - Under the Ash Tree Who Loves to Lie with Me and Turn His Merry Note

Prince Vander, Claire, Mary, Thomas, and most of the castle staff stood in the main courtyard surrounding the ash tree. The three skyclad witches, Hazel, Sage, and Juniper – my naming scheme is so childish, Claire thought – stood at the north, southwest and southeast points, an array of witchy paraphernalia at their feet. Everyone waited uncomfortably for high noon, a time of power for life, according to Sage. Claire just hoped that the ritual, boosted by her short story, would be enough to raise Ashley from her tree.

When the sun reached its zenith, the witches began to chant in a wordless language, eyes closed, bodies swaying. The same glow that had been emanating from Claire during her revival attempts bathed the witches and shot out toward the tree. The glow this time, rather than changing to red, shifted to blue and grew brighter. The tree began to lose all its leaves, and its bark began flying off. Vander yelled and launched himself forward, terrified for his half-sister. Thomas grabbed him and hauled him back.

"Sire, if you interrupt their magic, many more people could be killed in the backlash. You know this. Also, it's working." The tree disintegrated to reveal a waifish young woman, skin so pale it was tinted blue. Straggly blond hair stuck to her flesh which was sticky with sap. She collapsed to the ground, and Thomas released Prince Vander to rush forward – the witches had finished their chant and the blue light had dissipated. Claire sighed in relief – her story had gone according to what she had written.

A few of the citizens crossed themselves, eying the naked witches with fear mixed with a touch of hate, and Claire decided to stick by the witches until they had left city limits. Even tolerance here was precarious; Claire felt a pang of guilt for that. Will I ever stop feeling bad about what I wrote?

Claire walked over to the witches who were packing up their spell gear. Juniper squinted her eyes, then widened them in surprise.

"Welcome to our world, my lady. I'm afraid I don't have the proper respects for one such as you." Juniper murmured, keeping her voice out of ear shot of her companions.

"You know what I am?"

"A god, I think. Your aura is missing. I've never seen anything like it. I can at least tell you aren't of this world."

"Can anyone else tell?"

"Not many. My sisters will know something is different about you, but I have the best aura sight. They're almost a specialty of mine." Juniper stated proudly, slipping back into her loose dress.

"Thank you for your help. I'll escort you guys out of the city limits – I'm sorry your kind aren't more tolerated."

"Eh, Prince Vander and his contingent have brought more business to us than we had before, so we tolerate them too. Neither are fond of the other." Sage and Hazel drew up to the group at the same time Mary did.

"I heard you are going to escort them out of the city. I'll accompany you as well – His Highness would not take kindly if you left without escort yourself, my lady," Mary interjected. She seemed a bit more at ease around the witches than Claire had expected. She seems to be getting used to weird.

The five women headed out of the city towards the tree line. They were watched carefully by those within the grounds and the handful outside the walls tilling the tough land.

"My Lady, I'm no Cassandra, but I feel inclined to give you this," Juniper held out a large roughly hewn black stone knife. Claire took it, feeling a bit uneasy.

"This knife can cut through anything once but will then shatter. Use it wisely."

The three were absorbed into the perpetual dusk of the forest. Mary shook herself and turned to Claire. "We're actually near the bathing pool – would you like to go? I think Prince Vander will be attending his newly freed sister for a while. I grabbed our bathing satchels before joining with you."

"I'd love to!" Claire tucked the primitive-looking knife into a belt loop and the two headed west toward the bathing pool at the edge of the Wilds.

***

The two relaxed in the pool fed by the mountain waterfall. Claire felt the cleanest she had in days – Mary had had the foresight to pack her array of bath products too. Nothing beats a shower and a shave.

"JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" Prince Vander shouted at Mary and Claire. He had ridden up while the two had been bathing. The two women screamed and dove for their towels.

"Bathing for godsakes! What is your problem?" Claire scrambled out furious. Bathing with another person, while unusual for her, was the most normal she had felt since Vander had shown up to bring her here.

"You disappear with a bunch of witches to who-knows-where during a time when you knew I would be occupied!"

Claire seethed, finally sick of being barked at by this entitled jerk. She had MADE this world, how dare he!

"I left behind EVERYTHING I knew to free your sister! With incredible pain, and a smile on my face!"

"Who you trapped!"

"SHE WASN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO EXIST! NONE OF THIS WAS! GET OFF MY BACK!" Claire screamed, red in the face. To her embarrassment, tears formed in her eyes. She was so TIRED.

"My lady, what are you talking about?" Mary asked, eyes wide. Claire suddenly remembered they had an audience and deflated. "Nothing to worry about Mary. I'm just exhausted. Prince Vander, I guess you can take me home now, your sister is free." Claire had wanted to see the capital, but not if Vander was going to be this insufferable.

Prince Vander sighed, suddenly exhausted as well. The sleepless nights and hectic days caught up with him all at once. "She has awakened, but barely. She was freed, but she does not seem very...sturdy." Claire nodded; she had suspected it wasn't going to be this easy. Ashley had originally appeared in all three books – it had been tricky editing her out.

"Alright, Mary and I will go back with you. But you'll need to let us get dressed first," as she said this, Mary returned from behind a tree fully dressed. Claire became acutely aware of the fact that the only thing she had on a was a loosely tied towel. Flushing red, she snatched the clothes proffered from Mary with a mumbled thanks and slipped behind a rock to dress. "But stop barking commands at me – I'm not one of your serfs."