[CRP] Deep in the Woods

[Aida]

The sun glittered through the leaves, casting diamonds of morning sunlight onto the forest floor. There were hardly any sounds, the occasional chirping of birds, the wind rustling through the leaves. And the sound of digging, of a shovel digging into the earth and the earth hitting the ground. Aida stopped to wipe her forehead, beads of sweat glistening on her face as they mingled with the dirt streaked across it. She looked around at the rectangular hole she had dug, six foot long and six foot deep. Grabbing some creepers hanging off an adjacent tree, she hauled herself out, digging the shovel into the ground to give her a little more leverage. It was going to be a warm day.

She sniffed and looked at what was laid on the ground, wrapped from head to toe in a white shroud. It was a waste of good linen, to be sure, but it was more respectful than sacking. Whatever had happened, a decent burial was something everyone deserved. Taking a deep breath, she dragged the corpse to the side of the pit. Heavy, as expected. She caught her breath, stood up and shoved it into the pit with her foot. It rolled in, making a thump in the dry eath below. Almost done. Taking another deep breath, Aida pried her shovel out of the ground and began filling in the dirt.

----

Aida was right about it getting hot. The shack was sweltering, even the wooden planks seemed to sweat. She filled a basin with the last of the water from the barrel and began scrubbing herself from head to toe. Off with the dirt, off with the filth. Once pink and raw, she slid on her only good set of clothes. Petticoats and a plain blue-grey dress, a leather bodice to go around her middle. She left off the brown and black jacket, shoving it unfolded into her sack. In there contained the only few things she could salvage from this place, a wooden bowl and spoon, an itchy woolen coverlet, a horn beaker. A small battered cooking pot. A couple of waterskins filled with rapidly warming water, a couple of loaves of bread and some bruised fruit. Was this really all there was? She took a bone handled eating knife and shoved it into her petticoat. It would be better protection than nothing. The basin, too, that could be strapped on. A length of string would serve for an animal trap, too. Time to leave. As an afterthough, she grabbed a pile of sacking on her way out. If she was caught out in the wilderness all night it would be better than nothing.

The little donkey brayed as Aida loaded her with the sack and sacking. "It's not heavy, don't start," she cooed, rubbing the animal's nose with affection. Aida turned, looking at the dilapidated building behind her. If you saw it from the distance, in this setting, it could almost be fairytale. Surrounded by wildflowers and a tiny vegetable patch. It could be. But it wasn't. She knelt, wrapping a bit of sacking around a stick, and struck her flint and tinder until it began to smoke. As she nurtured the flames, they grew, until they began to consume the torch. Aida paused, then tossed it into the dark hole of the shack's entrance. She tugged on the donkey's reigns gently and they began to walk into the woods, as the flames consumed the hut behind her.

[Aida]

Days and days of travelling had left Aida thin and exhausted. She had always lived without quite enough food, but pushing herself to cover land she had never before travelled as well as poaching and foraging for whatever she could find along the way was something else. Even Oona the little grey donkey was showing more rib than usual. Aida perched herself on a boulder, letting the donkey graze for whatever she could find. She almost wished she could eat grass, too. Perhaps that wasn't such a bad idea.

If she had made her plans correctly, if she had followed the right trails, Fenia town was practically right in front of them. Yet more woods and an expanse of grassland was as far as the eye could see. She stood up. It was more than possible, more than probable that without any kind of map or knowledge of the landscape, Aida could have headed in the complete opposite direction. She crouched and put her head in her hands.

"Don't worry, miss."

She started and stumbled back onto her hands. A peculiar old man stood in front of her, dressed head to toe in various strange garnments made of what could only be desribed as bits of animals. A peice of fur here, some brown leather there. Some feathers in a patchwork cap.

"You're not lost, just wandering a little in the wildnerness, eh?"

"Where did you come from?" She stuttered, reaching in her pockets for the bone handled eating knife.

"I came with the wind.. Follow the the trail at the edge of the woods and you'll be at your destination in no time."

She looked at his pack. "You're a peddlar."

"I prefer... travelling merchant. Can I interest you in my wares?"

"I don't have any money."

"Doesn't matter. I'll trade you a nice juicy apple."

"For what?"

"Let's see." He pulled a red apple out of his backpack and brandished it at her. "This one's a smile."

Well, Aida couldn't help it. She laughed and held out her hand.

"You've over paid!" He scolded, throwing her the fruit. Tell you what, I'll throw in this curious little key." He patted his shirt and brought out a small brass key, handing it to her.

"What does it open?"

"Who knows? Take care, now."

Aida gave him a wave as he set off down a trail she hadn't noticed before. The key was useless, but still. A nice gesture. Biting into the apple, with spirits anewed, she collected Oona and pulled her away from her grazing.

"Time to go."

[Aida]

There it was. Buildings she had only seen in storybooks, towering over her as she headed down into the town with a new spurt of energy. She wrinkled her nose at the fish market and tiptoed around all the waste on the floor. It was hard to mind the smell, though, as a sense of relief washed over her. She sunk onto a nearby half wall, holding Oona's tether in her hand and looked around, exhausted. It occured to Aida that all of her planning had gone into just arriving here, and now upon arrival she had no idea what to do. Find somewhere to stay, find work. But where? She suddenly felt a pang of fear deep in the pit of her stomach. It was already mid-afternoon, and Aida knew that spending the night on the street was not a option she wanted to take. Sighing, the young woman forced herself to stand, heading for the town hall. If anyone knew anything, she hoped it would be there, and that they wouldn't turn her away. She was aware she must look terrible. Brambles had had the best of her petticoats, mud her dress. Crawling around trying to trap something to eat had ruined her sleeves, too, and she self consciously folded them in to hide the dirt. Tying the donkey to a nearby fence post and hoping her steed would be there when she returned, Aida headed into the town hall. A well fed young steward gave her a disdainful look as she approached.

"Sir, I'm a citizen of Fenia. I've come to claim my rights."

"You have to put your name down. Over there." He jerked his head towards a row of doors on the right. Aida took a deep breath and headed into one.

After a good while, she emerged, her chest fit to burst with a feeling she had never felt before. Was this it? Everything she had hoped for? She found Oona nibbling on a market holder's carrots and quietly pulled her away before they noticed, smiling to herself. She pulled out a fresh loaf from the bag the town officials had given her and tore off a chunk, chewing contentedly. Her thoughts calmed, and for the first time in weeks she felt as though the thin line she was walking on had finally disappeared. The sun shone down warmly, and Aida stood up, refreshed. Taking Oona's reigns, she gave the little donkey and tug and moved off down the street. Time to make a home.


------End.