Darkspur

Chapter 17 - Unbroken

"It is amazing, isn't it?" he agreed.

Milly walked over to the carved trunk, all the while her head constantly moving as she found some new figure or vista to explore.

"I've never seen anything like it, it's wonderful," she enthused. "It's nothing like my tree."

"What?" Sam frowned. "What do you mean, 'your tree'?"

She looked at him. "The one back in Darkspur, it's beautiful to but nothing compared to this."

"Do you have a Story Tree to?" he asked. "I thought there was just one."

Milly laughed. "There are lots of Erwethwen's trees, no-one really knows just how many there are. Why do you call it the Story Tree anyway?"

"Because, this is where the Tellers come to tell their stories," Sam said, confused. "See, this is where they hang them." He had walked over to one of the frames and laid his hand on an inscribed animal hide.

"The frames are not for stories, Sam. No-one knows what they are for but it's certainly not for the Tellers," she was laughing again.

"You're a bit of a know-it-all, aren't you?" Sam retorted.

Milly seemed to mull this over before replying. "Yes, I suppose I am." She laughed again.

Sam shook his head, sitting on one of the long benches, but he to was smiling now. Even though Milly was a bit annoying, he still found her amusing.

"So, tell me about Darkspur," Sam said, "And just how are we related?"

Milly sat down next to him, slapping at a fly that had landed on her arm. "My father is your mother's brother, that makes us first cousins."

"So your father and mother are my uncle and aunt?"

"Yes, well done for working that out," Milly said.

Sam just scowled at her. "So where are your mother and father now, back in Darkspur?" Sam asked.

"My mother is, my father," she paused. "Well no-one knows where he is. Until a few days ago we all thought he had drowned at sea. It's strange, I'm kind of happy and sad at the same time."

"When did he disappear, do you remember him?" Sam asked.

"Not really, I was very young when he left," she replied.

"I don't remember my mother either," Sam said, lowering his head.

Milly was pulling at a small clump of wildflowers growing next to the bench, "Hasn't your father ever taken you to see her," she said.

"She's dead, Milly, she died just after I was born.".

She turned to Sam, face scrunched up. "No she's not, she's in Quellarin Keep with the Sleepers." Milly clasped both hands to her mouth, instantly grasping she had made a huge error. Mother Kell had sworn her to secrecy in the carriage on the way to the farm after the woman realised Milly was probably not the best person to be entrusting with such knowledge. Milly, though, had already worked out much of what Mother Kell had told her; it was impossible not to pick up things when you lived in Darkspur Keep.

"What?" Sam exclaimed.

"Oh dear, I wasn't meant to say anything," Milly continued.

"My mother's alive?" He was standing now, shouting at Milly.

All Milly could do was bow her head meekly, whispering, "Yes."

"Milly, you tell me everything you know, right now." He was still shouting, his face red with rage.