A Promise and Revelation

The next morning, he found Sen snooping around, and he tried not to chuckle.

“Looking for something?” he asked, and she stiffened.

“Good morning,” she said with a sheepish grin.

“Morning. Ready to do a trial pack?” he asked as he brought his shoes out from their hiding spot. He watched her eyes as they lit, and she realized he anticipated her trying to take them again.

“Sure,” she said, hardly missing a beat. “How can I help?”

Bard put on his shoes and tucked in the pants like always. “See those bags over there? We’re going to lay them out as if they were on Kai’s back.”

“How does that go?” she asked, and Bard chuckled.

“I’ll show you.” He got up and grabbed a bite to eat from one of the packs before pulling them around and laying them out. One row being the lower left side and then another based on how he would stack them going up the sides. He then situated the things he wanted on top and explained why things were in certain places. Kai needed mobility and comfort, while his things needed to not be smashed should the wolf tumble or stumble, or not pay attention to where he was in relation to a tree.

“Sounds like that has happened before,” Sen commented, and Bard sighed. He remembered the smashed instrument that had slipped to the side. Kai hadn’t noticed, and that was a costly accident.

“A few too many times,” he said, and Kai whimpered apologetically.

“So if you’ve got it figured out, why do we need to test it?” she asked.

“Because I’ve not traveled with anyone else before,” Bard pointed out, and she looked at him confused.

“Why would that make a difference?” she asked, and Bard sighed as he pointed his gaze skyward. She probably hadn’t traveled out of the forest in her entire life.

“You’ll understand after a few days of experience,” he said with finality.

“Fine. But…” she seemed to be concentrating, so Bard began to rearrange some of his things. Some of his more precious instruments he had stored near where he liked to sit, but that spot would be taken up by Sen.

“Let me be useful,” she said, and Bard paused what he was doing and looked back at her.

“You want to be useful?” he asked. “Useful how?”

“I can sing to the trees and help. We can figure that out over time. But I want this to also be my journey to get the tokens.”

Bard smiled and set what he was working on down. He knelt in front of her, coming eye level with her.

“You’ve been plenty helpful, but I will keep that in mind as we travel,” he said calmly, and Sen blushed before nodding mutely. He started back to the pile and then paused in step.

“By the way, Sen, on this journey, I’d like to propose a few things.”

“Like what?” she asked.

“First. We don’t touch each other unless necessary. And second. I want us to share a story about ourselves each night.”

“Oh. I get the first one, but why the second?”

“If I’m to be marrying you in the future, I want to get to know you better,” Bard answered simply as he shifted some things around. “Conversely, you know some things about me, but I think it would be better if we really understand one another. This is how I think we can do that. We’ve got a whole year of stories to share, and that is something else to look forward to. Besides. When we are on the open road, it might be easy to stop talking to one another, so I’m trying to prevent that.”

“And how would you know that? You haven’t traveled with others,” She asked, and he chuckled.

“That will be a story I can share later. But for now, I didn’t always travel alone.”

“Hmmmm,” Sen pouted. “Fine. I get your point.”

“Now come over here and help me move these around,” Bard chuckled. Sen eagerly assisted him and at the end they called Kai over.

“What do you think, Kai?” Bard asked as the wolf paced around the layout. He looked this way and that for a while before laying down.

“I appreciate the vote of confidence, but we really should get you suited up just to make sure.” Bard said, and Kai’s head perked up. The wolf then quickly dashed away.

“Kai!”

“Looks like he’s been spoiled not having to carry all that around,” Sen chuckled and Bard groaned. This would take some convincing.

Bard and Sen managed to coax the wolf into letting them just set things on and sit on his back before unloading him and letting him run around the woods.

As they finished and while Sen was laughing at something Bard had said, Elwood appeared and bowed to Bard.

“Our Elder Tree wishes to speak with you. Sen, you are welcome to come as well,” he said and Bard felt a sudden seriousness come on them. They quietly followed, and Bard felt the forest humming with a new life.

“Welcome, Bard,” War Tree said as they came to the place where he was attacked.

“I greet the Elder War Tree,” Bard said respectfully. War Tree seemed to laugh at his remarks.

“It seems Father Tree taught you well. And this is part of the discussion I wish to have with you before you leave tomorrow.”

Bard looked up at the silvery tree and then bowed.

“Whatever it is you wish to share, there will be no judgments. As is the wish of Father Tree who sent me,” Bard said with deep reverence. He heard War Tree chuckle and its leaves shook without wind.

“My name is not War Tree. That was but a title that I gave myself when I sought to protect this forest during the war. This is something not even the younger generation are aware of,” War Tree said as Bard looked back at Sen. He briefly glanced at Elwood and noticed the Dryad was smiling a sad, relieved smile.

“Is it your wish to share your name with me?” Bard asked.

“It is. Particularly since you are the one who revived this forest with that song.” War Tree shifted closer and seemed to settle into the soil as an old man who is sitting down on the floor. “My name originally was Defender. When you leave tomorrow, you will learn the reasons why these changed. For now, I wish to convey my blessing to you and will give Sen’s when you both return.”

Bard sat down and watched as the tree shivered before branches came towards him.

“Take this token of approval from me. May it be a help to you in your journeys. Use it if you are in need of extra protection,” Defender said.

“Thank you Defender. It is well received,” Bard said as he held out his hand to take the token hanging from the branch.

Sen came over and looked at it in his hands. The silver piece of wood was beautiful to behold, and the ever present markings and shape of these tokens was like always. Bard brought it close to his heart and then pulled out the others. He undid the knot and added the token to the bunch before putting it around his neck. Then he bowed to the tree.

“You may be on your way now. There is still much to prepare,” Defender said. Bard turned to leave before he tapped the tip of his foot a few times. Defender chuckled and Bard smiled. He figured the old tree would understand that simple gesture.

They returned to the cell and Bard was surprised by the Dryads that were finishing up a song to change the place into something… less cell like and more… homey. Kai greeted them and Bard made sure his things were all still there before eating a hearty meal that had been left for him.

“Teka don’t say pledged…” Sen said as she chewed on some food. Bard’s ears perked up at this.

“No, they don’t.”

“So, what is the word they say?” she asked. Bard paused. There wasn’t a word that came close to the meaning the Dryads gave to ‘Pledged’. There were words that were used for the time when couples were intended to marry.

He sighed. “The closest word would be engaged.” He bit into some food and watched her attempt to say it a few times. He corrected her till she said it right, and tried not to laugh at how the dryadic sense still seemed to be present.

“Why is encaged the closest word?” Sen asked, and Bard swallowed before speaking.

“It’s en-g-aged. And humans look more at survival of the fittest, so they don’t have a year journey before that point, and pledged seemed to be more life and death, and serious than being engaged.”

“But couples are supposed to support one another like that.”

“Human lives are short and very fragile. We die pretty easily. It’s not uncommon for someone to marry another one after the first spouse dies.”

Sen looked confused.

“I’m going to guess your father never remarried,” he said, and Sen shook her head.

“Though, grandpa did ask him to more recently. But dad said no, otherwise what was his pledge for.”

“That’s a noble sentiment, but what would happen if you died? He would be without a descendant. Unless you have a sibling hiding somewhere…” Bard playfully teased. Sen laughed.

“No. I would likely have found them if they existed, or I could have gotten grandpa to tell me.”

“As for your question. Pledged is more serious and more respected than the word engaged.”

Sen looked out as if contemplating what he had said.

“That’s sad.” She said, and then quietly returned to eating the remaining food with him. “Well, if we are around other humans, I won’t use the word pledged. It will be en… engaged, but I will mean it as if it was pledged.”

Bard smiled. He understood that sentiment. He still found it weird that he was pledged to a Dryad, but if it was her… perhaps it wouldn’t be all that bad. She then proceeded to try to feed him since he had stopped, and he laughed before he shooed Sen away.

It was getting late while he prepared for bed.

He set out the tokens on his bed and looked them over, recalling each of the elders he had received them from. Then his hand grazed over the necklace that held Father’s token, and he paused. He would be excited to see the old tree again. It had been many years, and he missed his wise words and council. He also would have so much to share. Best to leave that near the end so he could spend as much time as he could in those woods before returning with Sen.

The wedding seemed so far away, but he knew better. Time would fly if he didn’t pay attention, and that was the last thing he needed.

He stretched and gently tucked the tokens into his shoes before laying down and drifting to sleep.