“He tripped.” Tessa began. “He was being ridden in an unfamiliar part of the forest, and stumbled in a hole. The rider returned with him on-foot, the horse limping the whole way back on what I am certain is a broken leg. I just hope the long walk back did not do permanent damage. Even if it heals correctly, he could still become lame, unlikely to bear a rider or saddle due to the weight.”
“Hellfire,” I swore under my breath. My father would be devastated. Horses were unique animals. They formed a deep bond with their owner—both fulfilling a need for the other. Somewhere along the way, my father and Poke formed a friendship. My father would be as mournful as if he’d lost a human friend if he lost Poke.
Tessa moved to the side just a bit but stayed next to me. Now shoulder-to-shoulder, she placed her hands on the injured animal, appearing to anyone who might pass that she was tending to the horse.
“Dayna, grab that roll of gauze so we can wrap his leg.” I barked to my sister. When she had done so, I pulled Dayna closer so that she hovered over Poke, further obscuring the view of the horse from anyone who happened to be in the area. Once everyone was in position, I placed my hands on the injured leg, bowed my head, and closed my eyes, as I began chanting.
I spoke as softly as I could but still said the words out loud. “I come to help not to intrude. Let my spirit heal; let it soothe. Relax your defenses, I take not your will. I only want to mend. Now, peace, be still.”
I did not know where the words came from or if they were even needed, but when I attempted to heal, it was like I had to coax their spirit—their soul—open to let me in. Usually, at first, the spirit perceived me as a threat and would refuse my healing power until I made it known I was only trying to help. Most curious to me, however, was that the words were never the same. With every healing, I always said something different, and I had to say it audibly. I learned this when I’d attempted to heal a bird just outside my open window one day. I did not want to speak for fear someone in the castle courtyard below would overhear me. I thought the words, but nothing happened. I did this several times before I finally, in frustration, said the words in a whisper. Suddenly, I healed the bird.
After that incident, I began researching my abilities, trying to determine why speaking the words was necessary. I was surprised to find several books suggested that there was an innate power in the spoken word, touting many examples of great leaders shaping the destinies of their people through only speech. I read that Moses spoke with authority to free his people and caused incredible plagues. It was also noted that the decrees of great kings and pharaohs were always read aloud because the spoken word penetrated deeper in the minds of the people. It was as if the words were floating in the air and the crowds reached out and plucked them from the air, storing them away. Yet even after gathering all this information, I knew nothing of my gift. I only did what came naturally to me.
Once I felt my power flow into the injured horse, I opened my eyes and lifted my hands from his leg. Poke immediately tried to get up, as sign he no longer felt any pain, but we quickly soothed him so Tessa could wrap the leg as if it were still injured.
“I will take this off in a couple days. As far as everyone else is concerned, Poke has a mild sprain,” Tessa said as we all stood up, coaxing Poke to rise slowly with us.
“Thank you,” I told her.
She shook her head. “You are the one with the gift, Princess. We should be thanking you, but instead we must hide your incredible ability because they are so afraid.” She sounded disgusted.
I knew she was talking about my parents. They loved me, of that I had no doubt, but they could not accept what I was able to do. It scared them, so I kept it to myself. My father had ordered me only to use my gift in the direst of situations, but I could not just leave someone, human or animal, in need if I could heal them.
I patted Tessa’s shoulder. “They cannot stop me, and for now that is enough.”
She started to lead Poke back into the barn but then turned to us, her eyes tilted down and her forehead wrinkled in worry. “I am sorry that you will be leaving us, especially under these circumstances. You should not be forced into this position.”
I did not have a reply, so I bowed my head once to show her I appreciated her words. After Tessa was out of sight, I turned to look at my sister. “Are you all right?”
Dayna nodded. “But I am dreading telling Father about this.” She motioned toward the castle.
I did not know if it was necessary for us to tell him what really happened. Word would get back to him, of course—the castle staff could gossip with the best of them—but he would hear it was a sprain. He need not know I was involved. “Let us leave it to the gossiping hierarchy to deliver the information to him. Poke is fine, so there is no reason to trouble Father when there are already so many other things going on.”
She nodded. “So, where to now?”
I looked toward the forest. It called to me, whispering of the adventures I’d once had in its tall trees and hidden depths. My tree was just on the edge of the forest, and though I spent a lot of time there, I also spent days wandering through the shaded woods, enjoying all the mysteries nature held. It had been a while since I had visited, and now I wanted nothing more than to run through the forest—just me, my sister, and the huge trees around us.
I glanced at Dayna from the corner of my eye and raised an eyebrow at her. Captain Clay was still distracted with making sure Poke was taken care of, which meant we had a short window to make a break for it.
She took a step back. “That look always means trouble, Allete.”
I chuckled. “What is life without a little trouble? Race you to the woods.” I took off before the words were completely out of my mouth. Hiking up my dress and stretching out my stride, I smiled as the wind whipped through my hair and the sound of Dayna’s screech caught up with me.
“You cheat!” she yelled. She was gaining on me.
“Finding a creative way to win is not cheating,” I yelled back.
We finally reached the tree line and burst into the forest, the shade immediately collecting us in its arms. It was as though we’d entered another realm.
I was breathing hard, as was Dayna once she had caught up to me. I looked at her and grinned. “You, my dear sister, are getting faster.”
She nudged me with her shoulder. “Maybe you are just getting slower. One of these days, I will leave you in my dust.”
“Well, until that day, you can continue to be in awe of my abilities.”
This made her laugh. “You’ve always got to have the last word.”
I started walking, knowing that she would follow. “I wish we were in another world,” I told her. “I wish we were able to step out of our dimension and into another—a world full of fantastic beings and unimaginable adventures.”
“Lizzy would say books held other worlds,” Dayna said pointedly.
I laughed. “Then I want to be sucked right into the pages of those books, the cover shut so tightly that I cannot escape.”
Wake early if you want another man’s life or land. No lamb for the lazy wolf. No battles won in bed.
* * *
~ The Havamal, Book of Viking Wisdom