The Song of Gaál - Twelve

*** Warning ***

Sensitive situations

Violence; Nudity;

Hard R Rating

Please do not read if you are easily disturbed.

(All characters, places and events reside solely in my imagination.)

The Song of Gaál

…....... Twelve ….......

His future. Cassava snorted, his mouth a rosebud of dissatisfaction. What future was this, carrying a three year old baby through the wilderness for delivery to a known enemy? He glanced over to the sleeping toddler and let out an exasperated breath. At eleven years old, why was he suddenly a courier of small children? Cassava slammed the leftovers of their shared meal into the pack and pushed it aside. He sat with his arms over his knees watching the small campfire burn out, too angry to sleep.

He recalled Kisertet explaining the reason behind his actions. Some three months prior to the start of Cassava's journey, he received confirmation that the child born to Ursula at Castle Sotete was not fair haired. This information substantiated Kisertet's thought that the child was his own, and as such, he had plans. “You see, Cassava, the Gaál and the Andronios families have been in discord for over two hundred years. The story is that a Gaál son was promised to marry an Andronios daughter and the match was never realised. Andronios was quite peeved about that and held the grudge much longer than my household did. My Father was purportedly in negotiations with the house of Andronios to end the ridiculous skirmishes, but,” Kisertet chuckled softly, “Father was never a grand negotiant, and, as you know, our castle fell.”

Kisertet prepared Cassava to retrieve the child. As Cassava dodged memory and shadows in Castle Sotete to complete the task, Kisertet waited in the forest below the castle to take Cassava and the girl back to his estate. When the weather improved, Kisertet bade Cassava escort Eszerbet to a rendezvous point he arranged with a friend. His friend and the wife would take charge of Eszerbet from there and deliver her to Ejszaka. “What better way to heal the rift between our families than to offer my own child as bride to the Andronios house?” Kisertet had explained. Cassava thought of the rationale behind Kisertet's actions all through the night. He could not find logic in the plan, or a reason. Since Andronios already held Kisertet's family's castle and lands, how and why would a bride promise appease the Andronios family?

Cassava exhaled harshly, his mind replaying Kisertet's words. His fingertips unconsciously reached for the handle of the knife he kept secured to a leather belt under his shirt. The many times he considered why he was journeying with a girl no older than a babe, his mind came blank with no plausible reason that fit. Kisertet had no army. Cassava would have seen soldiers. Kisertet never mentioned or hinted of a desire to return to his family home. Cassava knew through Kisertet that Kisertet's family held two lands, one simply wilderness, south and east of Castle Sotete, his estate sat nestled close to that wilderness, the other south, across a small bay that held their family castle.

Cassava closed his thoughts to Kisertet and his family and turned his head. He listened intently to the sounds of the forest around him, and feeling that all was as it should be, he unraveled his bedding next to the girl's. After snuffing the remaining embers of the fire, he lay back, looking up through the trees to the sky. Insects and frogs chirped in the distance and a cool dampness on the air promised a foggy morning. He glanced over at the bundled girl. The questions he tossed through his mind resurfaced. Why would Kisertet willingly take an innocent to an enemy? After some time, Cassava slept. He dreamed of dark rabbits being torn apart by angry beasts with blue eyes and pale fur.

*****          *****          *****

“No!” Eszerbet screeched at Cassava. She sat down hard on her bottom and pouted. She refused to continue to walk. Cassava puffed a force of air and looked at the dark haired girl.

“Eszerbet, we are nearly where we need to be.” Cassava bit his lower lip to keep his anger in check. “Eszerbet, come, we cannot stay here.” He watched the girl pluck grass and toss it at him. 

“Are you tired?” He asked her, to which she shook her head, her hair whipping about. “Are you hungry?” He asked her, to which she stood, crossed her arms and looked away from him. Cassava sat down near the girl, his eyes scanning the area quickly before returning his sight to her.

A cool breeze swept down the path and swirled around them, kicking up skeletal leaves and tumbling them across the ground. Cassava looked up to the trees and the pale blue sky beyond. “Do you know what that was?” He asked the small girl. She continued to ignore him. “That was the fairy king, coming to clear his path. If we are not gone from here by sunset, he will come and take us away.” Eszerbet turned her head only slightly toward Cassava, but her eyes continued their turn until they met his. Cassava quirked an eyebrow. “I do not want to go with the fairies,” he told her. "Come,” he stood, wiped his pant down and held a hand to her. “Come, I will carry you.” Kneeling down, he looked at her and extended his hand again. Once she was settled upon his back, he continued their journey.

Cassava walked in silence through the dappled sunlight, Eszerbet sleeping on his back. Judging the map that Kisertet had drawn for him, they would reach the wayfarer's hut in two days' walk. Cassava shifted Eszerbet's weight on his back. He wondered what life the little girl would have once she was secured in the lands of Andronios. She would be a princess, this little dark haired girl. A very spoiled princess he was certain. For the few months from winter until spring she stayed at Kisertet's estate. She displayed her temper and selfishness time and time again. Cassava needed to intervene frequently when Eszerbet hit at Mirriam, pulled Mirriam's hair or threw her wooden blocks at Mirriam. Mirriam tolerated Eszerbet's tantrums and bad behaviour, telling Cassava that Eszerbet was just a baby and did not know. Cassava squinted in anger recalling the bruise on Mirriam's cheek from Baby Eszerbet's well aimed rock. He leaned slightly forward, stretching his back and shoulders, feeling the wetness of Eszerbet's drool on his back.

“Cassa...” Eszerbet's hand gripped Cassava's shoulder and he felt her head shift as she woke.  “Yes?” He replied.  “Cassa is the fairy king?” Eszerbet asked. Cassava emitted a short laugh. “No.” He stated.  “Cassa,” Eszerbet began... “Cassa, have to potty.”

 *****          *****          *****

Eszerbet walked beside Cassava as the two continued on. They walked until the sun began to cast lengthy shadows through the trees. Cassava began to look for a place to spend the night and found a small area backed by trees off of the main path. He decided they would stay the night there since it was near the path but out of sight if someone should pass by, not that they had met anyone on their journey. The path from Kisertet's estate, on the border of the Ejszaka wilds, to the traveler's hut he was directed to rendezvous with Kisertet's friends, was about two weeks' walk.  He estimated two more days before they reached the place.  

He settled Eszerbet on a blanket and opened their food pack. After placing a portion of the cold food before her, he sat back to eat his own. He bit off a piece of apple, feeling Eszerbet's eyes on him. He took a second bite, his eyes locked with Eszerbet's. She continued to look at him while he slowly ate the apple, her eyes roaming his face. Cassava began to feel unnerved by Kisertet's blue eyes watching him from the face of a little girl. 

He stood and turned away, throwing the apple core into the trees behind them. When he turned around, Eszerbet was still watching him. He pulled a quilt from the pack and set it beside Eszerbet. “Sleep now,” he told her, breaking the spell with his words. He started to clean the meal away. “Sleep now,” Eszerbet repeated. She curled up on the blanket, pulling the quilt close. Cassava waited until her breaths were slow and even before settling himself down to sleep.