Darach's smile is a bit sad as she waves goodbye to Rowan, her light skin tinted with palest green. She doesn't want Rowan to go, but she knows that she can't make Rowan stay with her, or at least she isn't going to. Rowan smiles back at her, looking over her shoulder as she steps through the trees. As Rowan passes beneath the leafy branches, they almost seem to wave at her. But it's just the wind, isn't it? When Rowan steps out from the forest altogether, she stumbles.
It feels like something was ripped out of her, something important, something she desperately needs. While she is walking through the tall grasses, there is a shout from her house. She can see the door fly open as her mother comes barreling through, shooting across the yard towards Rowan. She swings the gate open and darts through, bursting towards Rowan. Rowan stops in her tracks, confused. Arwen doesn't stop running until she has reached Rowan, pulling her into a hug.
"Where have you been? You've been gone for hours!"
Rowan struggles to get the words out. "Mum, I can't breath."
Her mother releases Rowan at once, her hands flying up to Rowan's cheeks to cup them. "Where were you? Do you know how scared I was?"
"I was just in the forest. I left a note, didn't I? I think I did."
Arwen scowls. "You left a note, but you said you were going for a walk! A walk doesn't take three hours."
Rowan winces. "I'm sorry, I must have lost track of time."
"Do I have to forbid you from going into the forest alone? Or going into it at all?"
Rowan's eyes widen and a burst of sound flies out of her. "No!"
Her mother pulls back, frowning. "Rowan?"
The words come out in a rush. "Please don't stop me from going to the forest. Please. I need to be in the forest."
Arwen clasps Rowan's shoulders. "Alright, alright. Come on, let's go inside. You have lessons."
Rowan nods and follows her mother inside, taking one last glance back at the forest. One of the trees is shadowed, a portion of its leaves darker than the rest. Aisling is waiting inside, her gaze on the forest. Her eyes snap to Rowan's as Rowan steps across the threshold.
"Are you alright?"
There is another question there, in her eyes. A hint of fear lies there, and worry. But defiance shines beside those emotions, brighter than the darkness. Rowan nods.
"Yes." Then she mouths 'later.'
Her grandmother nods.
~~~
Rowan is curled up on her bed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. There is a knock on the door before her grandmother steps through. Aisling frowns when she sees Rowan.
"You're not okay, are you?"
Rowan shakes her head, her voice quiet. "No, I'm not." She shivers.
Aisling steps over to the bed and sits beside Rowan. After a moment, Rowan leans into her side. Her grandmother wraps her arms around Rowan. They sit in silence for a while before she finally speaks.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
Rowan nods. There is a moment of hesitation before she finally speaks. "I was on my way to the river when I passed the bramble patch. The Seelie Lord was there. He didn't see me, so I tried to back away from him, from where he was. He had set a trap, Gran."
Rowan's words start to come out in a wail and Aisling tightens her hold, whispering into Rowan's red hair. "He doesn't have you, Rowan. You're safe."
Rowan takes a shaky breath and continues. "When I stepped backward, I stepped onto a rune. It froze me in place. I couldn't move, Gran. He wanted to take me with him and I couldn't stop him."
A tear slips down her cheek Aisling starts stroking her hair. "Shhh. You're safe, Rowan. You're safe. You got away."
"But I wouldn't have, if someone hadn't helped me."
Aisling pulls away slightly, startled. "Who?"
Rowan shakes her head. "I don't know. I didn't see his face." She glances up to see her grandmother frowning thoughtfully, as if she knows something but can't quite remember what it is. "Gran?"
Her grandmother glances down and shakes her head. "It's nothing. Were you gone so long because of him?"
Rowan shakes her head, but then she pauses. "A little bit, but I think most of it was because I was healing the forest."
"What?"
"He was angry, and he hurt the forest. When I touched the trees, they healed." She bolts upright. "The dryad!" Her grandmother frowns at her, but Rowan shakes her head. "I have to go, Gran. I promised the dryad."
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Sorry this chapter is late, we had a bit of a . . . cooking incident, to say the least. Panic ensued for a while and my kitchen now smells kind of like s'mores and burnt caramel.
What do you think is going to happen with Darach? In Rowan's lessons? What do you think of her breakdown? Tell me your thoughts!
Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!
~Goddess of Fate, signing out.