5 Deidre The Wise

Hashna dipped her head down, blocking the wind that whipped around her. It gusted up ferociously, trying to force it's way into her lungs to steal her breath. She pushed her chin into her chest harder, trying to guard her face as a thousand tiny needles bombarded her face as a fresh gale blew. She didn't have to look around to know that the village was nearly deserted as the inhabitants had retreated into their round stone homes to wait out the coming storm. I should have forced Elathan to come back with me. At this rate I don't know how he's not going to freeze out here. She thought. He refused to come back with me. So stubborn. He thinks that it will make people restless. I don't agree though. Her mind pondered. I think if the villagers get to know him, they will see what I do. Even as this thought played in her head she had to wonder… What is it that I see exactly? The image of his innocent and uninhibited smile flashed in her mind's eye.

I should have stayed inside today. She thought. She pushed the thought out as she clutched the basket of herbs to her chest, trying to keep the wind from destroying her bounty by blocking it with her cloak. She quickened her pace as she wove through stone huts, her steps quick and capable. As she neared a small cottage at the outskirts of the village, her pace slowed. She took a deep breath as she came to the door and lifted her hand meekly, laying a soft knock on the wooden planks that fashioned a thick timber entry to the small dwelling. The fall flowers that had been in the window boxes outside of the windows had been changed out for winter pansies that showed bright purple in the gray day, swaying viciously as the wind threatened to rip them out. Silently Hashna willed the flowers to hold on. They were the only thing about the humble dwelling that was remotely inviting.

Hashna's eyes took in the crumbling stones and weathered wood of the door and ran a hand over the splintering wood before it was whipped open unceremoniously. The person who had opened the door had retreated from the doorway with as much briskness as they'd opened the door. The heat from the hearth fire drifted out and wrapped itself around Hashna's face grabbing it in a nearly suffocating heat. Hashna took a last breath of cool winter air before entering the small home.

"Well," a crackly woman's voice called, "Get in and shut the door before you let all the heat out."

Hashna smiled. As sweet as ever aren't we Deidre? Letting some of this heat out might do you some good you old bag of bones. Hashna thought but instead of speaking, she walked through the door and closed it with a finite click and dropped the wood block down home to keep the door closed. Just as soon as Hashna turned back around to face Deidre her nose crinkled at the sour smell. She sighed and walked in further, her eyes darting about trying to locate the offensive smell.

"Oh stop," Deidre hissed, "I'm just drying out a few skunk cabbage for some of the old farts. The cold snap is making their breathing difficult and the skunk cabbage can at least offer some reprieve."

"It stinks," Hashna said, stating the obvious and placing a hand over her nose when she could no longer take the smell.

"Well if it was a pleasant smelling plant it wouldn't be called skunk cabbage now would it child," the old woman shot back.

Hashna laughed at this, "I suppose not."

"Did you get me the herbs I asked for," Deidre asked in a short tone.

The woman was as old as dirt, squat and round. Her face so wrinkled that the skin above her eyes had begun to encroach on her face, making her eyes barely visible slits. Her wrinkles were deep crevices etched in the leathery skin like a treasure map and her gnarled hands, puffy with arthritis made her seem almost incapable of grasping anything as intricate as the herbs she tenderly sifted through. Her quick and efficient movements defying the swelling in her hands.

Deidre was one of the most capable healers their people had ever known and even though logic would say she shouldn't be able to do much more than sit in a rocking chair at her age she was one of the village's most independent members. I hope she'll be able to persuade the council. Hashna said with a deep breath. She was preparing to launch into her persuasive argument when the old woman lifted a gnarled hand demanding silence.

"I know why you're here. I don't have many good years left so don't waste my time," the old woman said in a curt tone, "I am only one on the council girl. There's little I can do if those old geezers decide against the treaty."

Hashna's jaw dropped. How did she know? Her mind barked. How does she always know? She's a recluse, always locked away in this stuffy cabin. How could she possibly know?

"Did you know, the plants tell the most fascinating tales?" Deidre asked absently, "I don't care for the winter crop's banter but the trees… They can always be counted on for their wisdom. It must be something about how long they've been around." There was an almost comical tone to Deidre's voice as she eyed Hashna with a grin.

"They listen to you elder," Hashna said reverently.

"Those dusty old men? They don't listen to much of anything these days. Except for the sound of their own voices…" The old woman's voice trailed off as she began to mutter to herself.

"Why are you so hell bent on this treaty girl," Deidre asked, the visible part of her eyes sharp as she watched Hashna.

"I don't know… I don't know much of anything at all really. I just have this feeling that if there is a path for peace we need to consider it. We hardly made the harvest this year, and that's even with the extra crop cycles from the farmers. We can't keep going like this," Hashna said with a raw whisper.

"So it wouldn't have to do with a certain princes' tender blue eyes and strong arms then?" The old woman asked pointedly. She chuckled when Hashna blushed. "Youth is such a funny thing. So much time to be impulsive and reckless."

"I don't think this is a reckless move," Hashna said defensively.

"You wouldn't, would you?" Deidre sighed. "Truthfully it's not the young prince I am as worried about as much as his father. He is their king and that boy's allegiance will likely always be swayed that way wont it? Just like you will always be inclined to support your people's interests. What do you think the young prince would do if his father demanded something of him that was not in your people's best interest? Is the Fomoire King not threatening to attack if we don't agree? If peace were truly his aim, why such extreme terms?"

Deidre wobbled to the opposite side of the hut and sat herself down in the chair seated right neck to the bright flames heating the small space. She placed her cold fingers next to the flames and let the heat lap over them like warm tongues. She tilted her head to the side and looked over at Hashna, noting the crestfallen look on the girls face.

"I didn't say I had all the answers Deidre," Hashna said, watching the flames rise up and dance evocatively. "All I know for sure is that if we don't do something different we won't survive another winter."

The aging woman watched Hashna very closely as she said her next words, "What if I were to tell you that we might create instead an alliance with the other fairy clans to fortify against the Fomoire?"

Hashna's head snapped up as she watched the other woman. Her eyes demanding that Deidre explain.

"The extension of a marriage treaty was extended as a formality. All of the young men were extended the same offer. Truthfully your Da is hoping it will be either the prince from the water clan or a particularly surly prince of the fire clan. In all honestly I think all of the suitors chosen are sniveling infants," Deidre said twining her arthritic fingers together as she looked pensively at the fire for a moment, "I myself must admit that the Fomoire prince is more suitable in my mind, but whether it's personal preference or the fact that though naive he seems… capable."

She fished out a wet herb from a jar near her chair and stuck it in her mouth rolling it around her cheeks while she thought. Hashna could see the old woman sigh as relief spread through her body. The woman looked back at Hashna still not speaking. She sucked her loose cheeks in as she sucked the pain relief properties out of the leaf.

"I am reserving my vote until I hear what the lad has to say. Then if we can agree to allow him to be a contender he will participate in a tournament just like all the other men," her gravelly voice murmured, "I will do what I can child but I make no promises."

"That's all I ask," Hashna said.

"Now leave me, I'm tired and you have to go warn the young prince so that he knows the den of viapers he's about to encounter," Deidre said, waving Hashna away.

She didn't pause once the door shut behind her. The wind whipped her hair about her face and tore relentlessly at her face, trying to steal away her breathe. She turned and ran to Elathan as quickly as her feet would carry her.