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Dryad
Chapter 1
Meadow Deeproot did not expect the time with her daughter to end so quickly.
“You’ve stayed too long.” The voice was barely a whisper and was the first time anyone from the hamlet had addressed her directly.
Apparently it took being hidden in her tree for the Dryad to be brave enough to speak to a Tree Protector. Had they always been so timid of their kin or had the war outside the protected forest finally had an impact?
The world outside grew more dangerous with each passing season. The danger was the only reason she and her mate had agreed to bring their daughter to the Dryads’ forest.
Doubt twisted her gut and tightened the skin on her forehead. She could still change her mind and take her daughter back home with her. But back to what? The constant fear? The battles? The uncertainty?
The safe haven for the army’s children had fallen and only by blind luck had Rennen not been there. Meadow took a deep breath and loosened her hands which had fisted at the thought of losing her child. This was the last safe haven, a place that would allow Rennen to discover the beauty in the world. A chance to see something stable and good. A chance for her to develop her powers without the constant fear.
“I know.” Meadow nodded. Resisting the call of her mate and her duty was growing more difficult with each day. She could feel the evil upon the land and she needed to do her part to aid the good. The good needed all the help it could get. Otherwise her mate, would’ve come with her. But instead he’d said his farewells from his commander’s tent. The huskiness of his voice and the slight tremor of his hands had given away his feelings. The memory of him in pain closed her throat and reminded her of what was to come. She too would need to give her good byes. “I need to say good bye.”
Her stomach twisted. She was not ready to let go, but she must. Rennen must stay at the Hamlet because of the cursed boy born on the same day. Her gaze swept to the edge of the play area where the pale, dark-haired boy stood. Gant shuffled his feet like he wanted to run and hide, but his gaze was fixed on Rennen. She filled a bucket from the stream, oblivious to the unease around her.
“She must stay.” The invisible speaker reminded Meadow.
A wisp of anger trickled into Meadow’s body leaving her very aware of how different she was from the rest of the hamlet’s docile citizens. In order to maintain balance, the Earth Mother had made Tree Protectors more passionate and more motivated to action because their main purpose was to rid the world of cursed Dryads. What better tool could the Earth Mother have chosen than a ‘good’ Dryad to fight a ‘bad’ Dryad? But, nothing was ever that simple. Good and bad were just a series of choices and actions. And this moment was a pivotal choice for her daughter’s future.
A squeal drew Meadow’s attention back to her daughter. Rennen still held the bucket but now she stood behind a sopping wet little girl who darted into her tree. The other green haired children slipped away, leaving Rennen alone. She would get used to being alone. Deep conflicted feelings twisted in Meadow’s chest at the thought of Rennen experiencing the same loneliness Meadow had here. Loneliness was better than fear. Better than learning so young how fragile life was.
“B-but she said she needed to be watered.” Rennen's words came out a wail.
Meadow covered her mouth to keep from laughing and leaned closer to her old tree. No tree behind the veil that protected the hamlet would house a Dryad that embraced her fate and transformed fully into a Tree Protector. Still, she placed her head against the tree and hoped the tree might remember her. The tree was silent.
A tree outside the veil might allow her to stay for a night or more, but the tree would never be her home. She’d given up so much for what she believed in. And she would give up more. The sorrow ached with each breath, adding to the feeling of finality. She would have to leave her daughter today and go back to her mate.
“She is just like you were.” The voice sounded faintly exasperated.
“Yes, she is.” That loosened something in Meadow’s chest. Growing up in the Hamlet would not be easy on Rennen, but she would survive. They would not understand her extra energy nor her drive to help nor how deeply she would feel. It wouldn’t be long before they started to avoid Rennen. At least she would have a friend. Even if he was cursed, he should ease some of her loneliness.
“You were only trying to help.” Gant was at her side and laid a hand on her shoulder.
“I was trying to save her.” Rennen sounded so confused and mournful. Meadow could not see her face, but could imagine her lower lip sticking out and the pouty frown.
Gant wrapped Rennen in a hug. She wriggled out a moment later and scampered away into the underbrush. He followed after her.
“Could she be the one to lift the curse and merge the lines?” The voice sounded so hopeful.
But Meadow knew already, Rennen was not the chosen one. That spark between Rennen and Gant had gone only one direction. If the fates had been kind, the two would have had an instant bonding and given the good its first victory. If they’d had that victory, it might have been all the world needed to push back the invaders. If they could have defied the invaders, she might have been able to raise her daughter in peace with her mate.
But none of that was to be. She rubbed at the ache in her chest. If she told the truth, she could keep her daughter and bring her back to the front-lines of a losing war. If she hedged, Rennen would stay here and be far safer, but she would be without her family and would be barely understood or tolerated. Meadow’s head ached at the no win choice before her.
“Maybe.” Meadow’s chest felt as if it was cracking open. Hopefully she’d made the right choice for her daughter and her future safety and happiness.
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