Poor, poor Theren

Leaves crackle beneath Theren’s feet as he walked through the forest. The largest forest in the world dwarfed him in it’s vastness. The morning sun cut thin shafts of light through the thick canopy above. With just enough light to see by, Theren made his way over roots and around trunks. There weren’t many trails in the Jald wood, so few in fact that it was also referred to as Jald’s maze. But more than a few stubborn people lived in the never ending world of leaves. The cool, damp sent of the wood filled his nose, and the breeze wafted the air surrounding him. 

Dew, Theren’s horse, tossed her head behind him. More than a dozen pelts hung from her saddle, and a long bow had been fastened under the saddle girth. Theren tried not to focus on the must that came with the pelts. But he was happy to have them. It taken him little over a few hours to retain so many furs. But the whole day still lay before him. Theren would drop off his pelts with Yask, the peddler, then maybe he would spend the day in Olklin to buy provisions. Theren was a good fifteen miles east from Yask’s home, but he could walk that before midday. And a walk in Jald wood was more than pleasant.

Theren silently continued his journey for about an hour, birds called and scores of deer left trails over the root braided floor, then Dew froze. Theren though he’d heard something, probably just a bird. He pulled Dew along, listing the things he would need to buy. Oil, salt, vegetables, oats . . . Do I need new boots? He wondered. Looking down he examined the tattered leather--

It sounded again, not a bird. A scream. What? Dew whickered as Theren swung himself into the saddle. The scream had come from the north. Theren heeled Dew, sending the horse racing through the dimly lit wood. The breeze that came from running filled his senses, twigs snapped under Dew's hoofs and one stream of light blurred into another. The sent of trees, of wet moss, of cool dirt added to his senses. 

Another scream broke out, it’s shrill cut through air and wood alike. It was very close now. In that instant Theren reigned Dew before flying off a small ledge. A woman and her horse were scrambling up out of the rocky steam at its basin. On the other side of the stream a snarling cougar crouched, all too ready. The woman slipped, and let out another scream as she landed in the water. Theren could have told you when he had jumped into the stream, just as much as he could have said when he had strung his bow and nocked an arrow. Meaning not at all.

Stone leafed branches.

All Theren knew was that a second later the cougar had vanished, an arrow lay where it had been standing, and the woman was scrambling to her feet, using him as a ladder. She was trembling, Theren’s shoulder was the only thing keeping her upright. 

“Is . . . is i-it g-gone?” she asked shakily. There goes my walk. He thought wryly. But before Theren could answer, things got even more eventful as a group of men on horseback burst through the forest. Never mind. There goes the entire day.

There were about fifteen in the party, all men with varied looks of shock on their faces. Hunters, he realized, from the dogs and crossbows, many even had swords.The befuddling thing was that every man there had on a fine silk coat, even the horse blankets were trimmed with silk. The horses! And what kind of man in his right mind would wear boots with gold buckles in the forest? Aw profit! Nobels! Theren complained. This is not my idea of a pleasant walk in the woods. One of the hunters, a graying haired man who was so thin his only weight consisted the clothes on his back. The older man climbed down from his mouth and started through the mud wearing more gold stitching than leather on each foot. 

“My darling!” he said, arms stretched before him. “I’m so happy to find you unharmed, we raced as quickly as was possible when we saw you had run off. And then the scream--!”

The old lord was cut off as the woman on his shoulder rushed forward.

“Father!” she cried running, or more accurately falling, into him. Theren then noticed that the woman wore even more silk than the men did. Even with the mud, it was the finest thing he’d ever seen, blue with yellow flowers at every seam, she wore jewelry too. What use do jewels have in a forest!? Where did any of the things these people were buttoned up in have any use at all?All in all, they were the finest, most elegant group of fools Theren had ever laid eyes on. 

Other members of the hunting party stumbled down the ledge, all focused and babbling about “Miss darling”. This could be his chance to get away. The girl hadn't been eaten, his work was done. Theren shouldn’t have even come, the nobles had only arrived a second after he had. Grabbing his arrow and stringing the bow on his back, Theren tried to climb up the mini cliff before anyone noticed. Enough had happened in the last two minutes to last him a week, a month even. But he got no more than three steps before,

“And who is our brave, hero?” was asked in the old man’s voice.

“Just a tracker,” Theren replied, “My Lord,” he added hastily, not turning around. Standing where he was Theren was only five feet from Dew, if he could just . . .

“May I ask your name, young tracker?” The man asked, sounding the smallest bit annoyed.

Theren turned around to find everyone staring at him, the woman with the most intent gaze of all. Like a bag of rocks falling on his head, Theren realized the woman was beautiful. Yellow, no golden, curled hair, bright green eyes, and round lips that were currently frowning were set into an oval face with rosy cheeks. Theren got a great deal more nervous than he already was. He had never been very observant, or at least when it counted. But there was no skill needed to see how that silk drew your eyes in improper ways. 

Mumbling slightly he said. “Theren Walren, my Lord. I was just riding by when I heard the Lady. Um, I’ll be on my way now. . . My Lord.” Turning about, Theren made it to Dew, he was safe, he wouldn’t have to deal with gold buckles or other noble poppycock. Or with that gold haired woman. Lady. He corrected.

“Why, we can’t let you leave without thanks master Walren! We’ll have a banquet, tomorrow night, any penance you wish for shall be granted. I can’t let you leave without you knowing my gratitude, that would be most dishonorable of me.” Theren tried not to yelp.

The Lord suddenly had an abashed look on his face.

“Why, I’m being rude. I am Lord Elpoad, and this is my daughter Junida.” He said with a flourished hand. Turning to the other hunters he announced. “Remount! We are going directly to the manor!” It was more like an order the was the other men scrambled up the ridge. Lord Elpoad casually helped his daughter up the rise, while servants dashed about trying to figure out how to get Lady Junida’s horse over the incline. The golden haired Lady, Junida?, turned her head back and narrowed her sparkling green eyes at him. Then turned back to her father and asked. 

“You’re going to have a banquet arranged for that badger?” In a voice that he was most certainly meant to hear. I’m never getting out of this.

* * *

Theren road at the back of the hunting party, fiery midday sun streaking through the trees. He and the hunting party had been riding for four hours. Four hours! How far did nobles travel for good game? Once again Theren had the horrifying thought that these people lived outside the wood. Then he remembered they were traveling northeast. Nothing lay east of Jald wood. It was just more forest, so dense you got lost just looking at it.

At the start of the trip Theren was forced to travel alongside Lord Elpoad and his daughter. The Lord was polite and grateful for Theren’s help in protecting his Junida. Junida herself was another story. She would say thing like, “Do you always stutter so Badger? Or did you clip your tongue while chewing rocks this morning?” or “I’ve always been fascinated by the lifestyle of a hermit. Tell me Badger, do you live in a cave, or is a fallen log the trend these days?” or his personal favorite “Just wait until you see a bathtub Badger! You’ll be so amazed!” Were the things that woman said as thanks.

The most infuriating thing about her was the obsession of calling him Badger. Yes, a pelt of the animal was part of his coat, but there was also gofer, rabbit, and some fox. The garment was a bit shambelled but it had come at a discount because he had caught and skinned all its materials. Why not simply call him Theren? Over the four hour ride Theren had slowly but surely sneaked his way behind the pair. And was relieved to escape them. Or her at least.

Suddenly a road appeared before the travelers. A road! You could count the number of paths in Jald wood on one hand. There weren’t roads in it. But soon Dew’s hooves started clopping down the paving stones. Paving stones. In Jald wood. Theren was shaking his head in awe when a voice called out. 

“What is wrong Badger? Have you ever seen one of these before? If not it is called a road, R-O-A-D.” Junida threw back her head and laughed. It would have been a beautiful sound, had it not been so mocking.

Grumbling to himself, Theren kept Dew at a slow walk and showed as little outward emotion as possible. Lady Junida soon forgot about Theren and was laughing with the dozen or so lords who surrounded her. The stones beneath Theren looked relatively new, yet roots had already started cracking through the mortar. Jald wood was efficient. If only that efficientcy could help him.