The Trial

Dawn rose and Bard was already alert and awake. He fingered the Fiddle, grateful the Dryads had let him practice overnight.

As he made sure his instrument was tuned, he heard footsteps and looked back to see Sen as she slipped through the bars.

“I wanted to see you before you go. Also, I wanted to bring these back to you.” She said softly as she crept around the slumbering Kai. Bard rose and held out his hand as she placed a string of tokens in his hands. He nearly cried as he held them again. The remaining tokens gifted to him by the other elder trees. He brought them to his chest and could smell their familiar scents. The honey-wood, pine, and fresh earthen tones filled him with a sense of ease that he had been missing.

“Thank you,” he said as he looked at Sen. She smiled and then reached behind her back and undid a clasp.

“And. I want you to have this,” she said as she pulled the choker necklace off her neck. She stepped next to him and tied it onto his belt, where it hung ornamentally.

“Are you sure?” he asked as he fingered the pendant. Sen nodded with a slight hum.

“My mother gave it to me. She said it would keep me safe. And it has, so now I gift it to you.”

Bard was touched by her sincerity. She was worried about his safety, but also seemed to have this unwavering faith and trust in him.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Thank you.” He said as he sat back. Sen put her hand to her cheek as she first stared, then smiled.

“Sen.” A voice said from outside and Bard looked over to see Amir standing there. Sen grabbed his hand and gave it a simple squeeze before leaving. Bard put the tokens around his neck and under his shirt before grabbing his fiddle. Kai was stirring, and Bard headed to the entrance as Sen slipped back out. He noted that Amir shook his head before sighing. It was a look of ‘what am I going to do with you’ as the Dryad looked at his daughter who was grinning before she looked back and winked at Bard before leaving. The two men stood there watching her leave before Amir then commanded the tree to open the bars. Bard held onto his fiddle as he watched the wood part.

“Come.” Amir said and Bard froze. He was speaking human, or teka, however he wanted to describe it. “War Tree waits.” It was simple, basic commands. Though, Bard noted the lack of hostility in the tone. As the two began to walk deeper into the woods, Bard noted the many Dryads who barred the way for Kai to follow, as well as their silent guard.

Bard was guided to a ledge where he could look out at a large, magnificent tree. The winds blew and made the silvered leaves shimmer in the morning mists. Bard took in a deep breath that chilled his lungs.

Amir said something in rapid Asternum, and Bard pondered on the sounds. Something sounded like awake and arise, but he wasn’t sure.

At first the forest was silent, and then the sounds of creaking began to grate on his ears. The tree before him began to shift and roots emerged from the ground. Amir turned to him and smiled.

“Your trial begins.” He said, and then a branch from a different tree came and grabbed him, leaving Bard alone. He looked up at the now looming silvery tree and felt a sensation of awe and fear. He kept his spot and placed his fiddle to his shoulder as branches charged at him. He closed his eyes and listened to the chaos as the ground around him was struck. Small bits of debris stung his cheeks, and he peeked open his eyes to see a branch at his chest.

Its sharp twist meant it was going in for the kill, but its sudden halt was what confused him. Not waiting, he began to pull the bow across the string. A long mournful sound ushered out and the tree recoiled back as if to attack again. Bard played the next series of notes, and the tree before him froze as if listening.

As Bard played, more sounds came around them. He briefly let his eyes wander to the sources of the sounds and noticed the animals, and trees around them, joining in their natural sounds. Then his eyes fell on an older face. Elwood. He was swaying with the tune.

Bard pressed on and then felt a deep reverb under his feet. He continued playing and closed his eyes as the ground around him erupted. He looked out at spiraling roots that caged him in. He could see some roots poised to strike him, and he faltered on the song. He then closed his eyes and focused on the music.

The attacks stopped, and then he heard the echoing cry of a voice hardly used. He looked out as the branches and roots left, and the silvery tree shifted to the side. Behind it was a larger tree that had been obscured by the mists. It’s white and silver perfectly blended in until this tree moved away.

Bard repeated the song and began to harmonize with the voice and sounds he heard, adding in the notes he had been practicing. He noted the Dryads that came out from their hiding spots and observed with keen interest. Then a flurry of birds flew off the larger tree and came over and circled him. They hovered and joined in the song before flying away.

Bard played one final note and held it out before letting it fade into silence. The large tree shifted and quaked the ground as it began to move. Bard looked at it till his balance was so far off that his eyes were cast downward as he knelt on the mossy ground. A whistling sound drew his gaze back up, and he saw a twisted branch aiming for him from the large tree, and he once again closed his eyes. He felt a prick at his chest and felt time slow.

“This is it,” he thought as he figured his life would be over. One moment and then the next passed. He gradually opened his eyes and saw the branch had broken his clothes but stopped at the tokens. The wood gently approached and paused several times before retracting.

“What is your name?” he heard in a deep and strong voice. He looked to the elder tree and then bowed.

“Bard.”

“My siblings have given you many gifts,” the voice said softly. “And you too also brought a gift.”

Bard waited as he looked at the old tree.

“Yes. I hoped to bring back the song and soul that is whispered on the wind, but not sung in the heart of this forest.” Bard answered after a comfortable amount of silence. “War Tree…” he gazed between his fiddle and the tree before him.

“Long has it been since I heard it so completely.” The voice continued before extending branches towards Bard in a calm and slow manner. “And you didn’t fear the attacks around you.”

“Your song to the other tree said to scare me, not harm me initially,” Bard said calmly.

“And for that, I thank you.”

“I could have lied.” The voice said.

“As have all Elders warned me, but the one who raised me promised that an Elder Tree will not lie nor will it seek to harm an individual who is unarmed.”

“Then they are wise. Who raised you?”

“Father Tree.” Bard answered, and the silence stretched.

“You are a child of his woods? Why would he take in a human?”

Bard sighed. Here lay his mission.

“He sent me here to find out how you were doing. Something sinister roams the land.” Bard said firmly. “They wiped out all my village and killed my mother as she fled into Father Tree’s woods.”

“How old were you then?”

“Only six years old.” Bard answered.

“Still tender aged.”

“I’ve roamed the land at his direction. Met many elders and explored the abandoned cities at his behest.”

“And now you are pledged to a child of my woods,” the voice said with some amusement in his tone.

“A happy and unexpected occurrence,” Bard answered back. “Do we have your permission?” Bard asked.

“Gladly. Though it will be a struggle to have her gain all those tokens.”

Bard smiled. His life was preserved, but that would be the next challenge ahead of him. Then he recalled a question he had concerning the song and gazed at the tops of the tree before him.

“Elder?” he said calmly. “This wasn’t your song. It is not your soul that I played. So why is it missing from your forest?” The tree shivered and Bard noticed the surprise on Amir and Elwood. They knew. Of course the old Dryad would know, but Amir, that had been a surprise.

“How do you know?”

Bard smiled and recalled the words of many Elder Trees he had grown to love.

“It is the missing melody of your forest, but is not to be sung by you. And I do not know its source.” Bard shook his head. “Or rather, it may be that it can’t be sung by you.”

Elwood and Amir were talking while War Tree sighed.

“That is an answer that will be given to you at a later time. Ask me a different question.”

Bard stared a bit surprised and then looked back at the growing crowd of Dryads. Was it an answer that they were not to learn of? He bowed and then barreled into his other question. The one that Father Tree would want him to ask.

“Why are you called War Tree? Aren’t the elders against all this fighting?” he asked. The forest stilled and Bard felt he had asked too much.

“I have not felt the presence of that old tree for so long…” War Tree chuckled. “You do resemble your Father very much.” Bard smiled and took that as a compliment.

“I do love him very much,” Bard said respectfully, the image of Father Tree played in his mind for a moment as he clutched the one token on its own string.

“As for the answer to that, I will have one of the Dryads answer that.” The voice answered and Bard bowed his head.

Amir came forward and the voice and him conversed rapidly. Bard watched the Dryad’s face contort with many emotions. Some seemed directed at him, and others were at the tree.

Bard just felt relief. Never had it felt so wonderful to be alive. As he thought back on the brief ‘battle’ he shivered and was grateful to be on the ground. He then heard a happy howl and looked back to see Sen riding Kai as the two traversed the wood. Kai abruptly stopped and came at him.

Sen jumped down from the wolf’s back and Bard was assaulted with a large tongue before Sen came over and hugged him. She then griped at the slobber, but then hugged his tightly.

It was shortly afterwords that he noticed Elwood approaching them with a gentle and happy smile.

Bard smiled and then laid down on the grass. He was worn out. He had put on a brave and confident front during the exchange, but now he was worn out. It didn’t help that he hardly slept. His nerves and fears were tough to tackle into submission last night and now that the event was done, he was ready for some rest.

His hand rested at his side and he felt the necklace pendant as Sen’s face came into view. He focused his eyes as he sat back up and reached to his side, undoing the clasp and holding the necklace in between them. He then reached his hand towards her, and she smiled before turning her back to him and holding her hair into submission. Bard reached around her and returned the necklace to her. She touched the pendant as she looked back at him and grinned.

“Enough, Bard. Lest you incite my son’s rage,” Elwood said as he sat next to him. Bard looked over at Amir, who didn’t seem all that happy and looked at the group with dissatisfaction.

He bowed his head and then heard the Elder Tree’s voice speak out in dryadic. In essence, he proclaimed him a son of the forest. Bard looked at Sen and Elwood.

“So what happens next?” he asked.

“You will see tomorrow,” Elwood said before Sen could speak up. Bard cocked his head at the surprising answer.

“Grandpa!” Sen shouted and Elwood chuckled.

“It’s not that big of a secret. But… it might be a fun surprise,” Sen said thoughtfully. Bard frowned. After just securing his life for the moment, he wasn’t too keen on anymore of her surprises. But this was the suggestion of her grandfather, perhaps he could handle one or two more.

Elwood and Sen accompanied him back to the cell, where Sen insisted he rest.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Grandpa, can you make sure he isn’t disturbed?” Sen asked.

“So you noticed his fatigue too.” Elwood said with a slight smile. She was paying more attention to those around her. An improvement. Perhaps this boy was what she had needed to start stepping up and into her role as guardian. He hoped so.

“Just for today then,” Elwood said kindly before speaking to the trees and asking them to keep the others away from the spot.

“Thanks,” Sen said softly as they headed back to where Amir and War Tree were at.

She approached the ledge and bowed on the ground before War Tree and her father.

“Sen, you realize you must now go and win approval with all the elders that the Teka has received tokens from,” Her father said as he knelt in front of her.

“Yes Father. I look forward to the journey,” she said gracefully.

“A wise child. You did well in raising her, Amir,” War Tree spoke up and Sen looked up in surprise.

“What?”

“Not only is her discernment impressive for spotting a well respected individual, but she shielded and protected him from the aggressiveness of my forest children,” War Tree said as he shifted, and a silver bird flew off. “If she can get all the tokens, she will be granted the silver horns when she comes of elder hood.”

Sen’s eyes lit up. The silver horns hadn’t been granted to anyone in ages. Only renowned Elders had ever grown those, and she had a chance at achieving it. Her father looked back at her in shock, and her grandpa smiled with delight.

“Thank you for this honor,” Sen said as she bowed her head. “I will attain all the tokens,” she said firmly, before turning and leaving with an air of grace.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Elwood looked at Amir, who seemed shocked. He smiled and patted his son on the back.

“She is turning into a fine lady. Fit to be a guardian,” he said, and Amir groaned. The two paid their respects to War Tree before heading to the place where the Dryads awaited their orders. Elwood was relieved that War Tree had calmed. Perhaps he would take back his old name. Amir, however, seemed troubled by the calm war tree. Perhaps he still hadn’t forgiven them yet.

As they began organizing their people for the celebration, Elwood took Amir to the side to talk.

“I sensed a change in you. What happened?” Elwood asked, and Amir closed his eyes as he shrunk down a bit.

“War Tree asked that I take them to that place,” Amir said, and Elwood stilled.

“I see. Then, I assume it will be before they begin their journey?” Elwood said and Amir nodded as they watched the dryads begin to sing and prepare everything.

“On another note,” Amir said, and Elwood inclined his head, curious what his son wanted to know. “What was it like getting those tokens?”

Elwood smiled and between giving out orders and making sure everything was set, he explained his own journey to get the eight tokens in his possession.

“Thinking of getting your own?” Elwood asked.

“No…” Amir said before barking out another order. Elwood paused and then smiled.

“Sen will be fine.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Amir said flatly. Elwood half chuckled. What wouldn’t a father learn if they were concerned for their child.