Forging the Forest
an excerpt

Aislinn

“I will not!” My words echoed in the sudden silence. The King, my father, stared at me, mouth gaping, most unbecoming. Then his shock turned to anger.

“You will take this betrothal, Aislinn. It is my will and what our kingdom needs.” His words were quiet, but all the more menacing for that.

I did not drop my eyes. “You have other heirs, Lord Father. Let them take this road.” For all my bravado, a cold trail of sweat wound its way down my back. But on this I would not give in.

Mercurial as always, my father's face turned to puzzlement. “Why would you refuse the Prince in his offer?”

“'The Prince' is twenty years my senior, only able to offer because he bought his title. I would not give my youth to him, no matter other of my parts.”

The king's eyes narrowed. “He has a right to his name, bought or no. And you would want for nothing. Who else could give you that?”

I pulled the amulet from my bodice, laying it on top of the frivolous lace. I heard my father's gasp and those of his courtiers, but I forged ahead. “I am for the forest, Lord Father, and neither King nor peasant may take me thence. Command me as you will, Nature trumps all.”

I curtsied, a full bow of obeisance, and walked out of the hall, keeping my back as straight as I could.

***

Lady Tamar met me outside, her face full of worry. “You should not have done that, not yet. Now is not the time.”

I shook my head. “Did I wait, it would be forced on me, promised amulet or no. I am not willing to sacrifice myself to that old man, to either of them, in point of fact.”

My mentor looked down her rather considerable nose at me. “It will not do to alienate your family. You will need their help someday.”

Crossing my arms over that ridiculous lace, I huffed a stray piece of hair out of my eyes. “If you would simply take me to the Caldera I would not need to worry about them.”

“I do not make the laws, Lady Aislinn. Novices must be of age.”

“Yes, and that age is the one at which my father says I should be married. And it's just weeks away. Best take me now, or you shan't have me.”

Tamar sighed. “I will see what I can do. No promises, understand. But there are few of us now, and we can ill afford to lose a future priestess.”

She ducked a curtsey, and I nodded her dismissal. It was better than nothing.

***

My mother the Queen came to my room that night, shooing out my maid, taking the brush into her own hand. I knew better than to ask questions, but I could not help raising an eyebrow.

She motioned me to sit, and I took my place at the vanity chair. The small hand mirror stayed on the little table by my bed, the silvered glass too expensive for anything larger. My mother took a handful of my hair and pulled the boar bristle brush through it. We continued like that for a while, the swish of the brush through hair the only sound.

Finally, she said, “Why do you resist the marriage to Prince Agustin?”

I sighed. “Because he is old and too forgetful to realize that he looks nothing like he did when he is my age. Because his fingers smell like the small beer he drinks, no matter how much rose water he splashes them in. Because Lussian is far from here, far from the forests to which I would give myself, and Agustin will not allow me the freedom of his woods.”

The brush stopped in its motion. “What is it about the forest that attracts you so?” my mother said, exasperated.

I looked out the window where darkness had fallen, hiding all but the silhouettes of the tallest trees. “It sings to me, Mother, it's the calling in my blood. I can't explain it. I've always loved it. Why can't any of you understand that?”

“There's nothing to understand, Aislinn-dove. You are the daughter of the King, and you must set an example. The people look up to us to provide a model of duty.”

Tugging my hair out of my mother's hands, I walked to the window. Autumn was near come, and the night wind chilled my bare arms. “It is a duty I do not want. And I have a brother, a brother who will be King when the time comes. I have two sisters, who will no doubt do their utmost to wrangle an impressive match for themselves. Let them have it.”

“Would that Eira was the eldest. She would take this in a moment. Desire is nothing to duty. You must perform it, or be called outcast.” I knew my mother's arms were crossed over her chest. She always did that when her voice sounded that way.

Turning to glare ar her, I said, “I know you chose duty over love. But I am not you. I refuse to do this thing that would take me away from that what calls me. And the forest is a duty. Force this on me, and I will fight it, be sure of that.”

My mother held a hand in negation. “I will not argue the Prince's suit. Goddess knows I would have you follow your heart when I could not. But you place your father in an untenable position. Prince Agustin's men guard our northern border, and we cannot afford to antagonize him.”

I dropped my head. “I remember my geography, Mother.”

She sighed. “No doubt better than your father, at that. I will talk to him. Perhaps there is a barony somewhere that we could give him instead of you.”

“Your will, Mother,” I said, inclining my head.

Laying the brush on the table, she returned the nod. “Good night, my daughter. Goddess watch you and send you the sweetest of dreams.”

“Sabra,” I said in thanks, reflecting the blessing back to her.

***

My maid told me that Prince Agustin would reach the castle before the midday meal when she came with food to break my fast. At the wild look in my eyes, she set down the tray immediately and hurried to the clothes press, pulling out the first riding cloak she could find. I would be away from the castle when Agustin arrived, one way or another.

I barely paused to shove a slice of the still-warm bread and an apple into a leather pouch before running off to the stables to saddle my hunter. A fine bay mare, I would have to give her up when I left for the priesthood, one of the only reasons I would hesitate to join.

The stable boy Bastian was already awake, and had known, with his uncanny ability, that I would be riding today. He led my horse from the stable gate the moment I set foot in the corral. The early sun struck sparks from the horse's mane, and Bast flung up a hand to protect his eyes.

Perhaps I should explain about Bast. The youngest of seven children, he looked nothing like his parents and everything like a faerie tale. His black hair made the pallor of his skin shocking, and his green eyes were like chips of flint. For all the time he spent outside with the horses, his complexion never darkened.

“Your horse, my lady,” Bast said, handing me the reins.

I sighed. “Bast, how many times must I ask you to call me Aislinn?”

“At least once more, my lady,” he said, backing away. He tugged his forelock and turned back to the barn.

Clucking gently to the horse, I shook my head and threaded my way through the postern gate , escaping to the forest.