Purification

Leaf tries to heal herself and finds she is being watched.

10.

Purification

 

She was falling, her mind spinning as she reeled in the pain of the sword wound.    In the In-Between place, there was no direction, so she didn’t really fall, as slowly tumble end over end in the grey nothingness.    The weariness of moving through time and space mixed with the horror of the taking of life and her injuries, caused Llaiannileaf to black out.

She was unsure how long she had lost consciousness, but when she was aware again, her head was pounding and her cut leg was numb and covered in blood that was still flowing from the wound.   She needed to chant the mending spell, but to do that she had to go out of the In-Between space.

Closing her eyes, she thought of the safest place she knew of in the human world.     She stumbled onto the cobblestone pavement of the monastery courtyard and laid there for a few moments, absorbing the cool of the stone.

She needed water, she realized, to wash off the mud and blood, and knew that here she would not find that.     Remembering the call to water chant that her mother had taught her as a small child, she quickly chanted it, and the vision of a spring-fed pool came to her mind.   She willed herself to go there, before any of the monks heard her chant and investigated.

She was transported to a wooded pool, somewhere fairly near the monastery and the ‘Banshee Hill’.   It was summer here and mid-evening.    The smell of death that permeated this world was still there, but was weaker than she had first encountered.    She had moved forward in time.    The trees around the blue pool were lush and green and were the healthiest specimens she had seen since coming to this world.    It seemed almost like her home, which filled her with deep sadness as she looked around the scene.

The sun was nearly set in the west, but the warmth of the day had yet to be replaced by the coolness of night.     The soft babble of the spring was relaxing and though there was a definite path that indicated this place was frequented by humans, none were here this evening.

Leaf hobbled over to the edge of the water and stiffly sat down on a large rock.    Memories of playing in a similar pool with her mother, aunts and cousins filled her mind, bringing tears to her eyes.    

She wept pitifully, not a wrathful Banshee now, but just a lonely, wounded, scared girl.     Her broken nose throbbed as she cried and the loss of blood from the sword slash made her very light headed.

She had to sing the mending chant before she passed out, fell into the pool and drowned.     So tightly hugging herself as she thought of her family, she began the spell-song, her voice hoarse from over-use.

Slowly a white light covered her, causing her broken nose and leg gash and head to tingle as she was healed.     Leaf closed her eyes and basked in the healing energy.    For many minutes it continued and slowly she felt herself restored.    Finally the spell faded away, leaving her nose and head restored and not even a scar remaining on her leg.

The loneliness still haunted her, but, feeling better, she decided that she needed to bathe off the grime covering her.    So glancing around to make certain no human was in the vicinity, she stripped off her tattered, filthy dress, wondering how she would ever wash it well enough for it to look even partially clean.   Placing the dress in the shallowest part of the pool to hopefully wash some of the mud, sweat and blood away, she waded out into the pleasantly cool blue pool until she was submerged up to her chin.   

She then remembered the cloak that the humans had wound around her head like some sort of odd turban.   She unwound it and let her hair fall free, then tossed the blood stained thing toward the shallow end of the pool, where it floated next to the dress.

She longed for some soap to scrub her body and especially her hair, but she was thankful for just the water.     The sun seemed almost reluctant to set this evening, leaving a warm, peaceful glow in the air.

Although her heart was heavy, Leaf found she was humming a nursery rhyme that her mother had always sung while they washed.    How she longed to see her family again!    In their memory, she softly hummed the song and tried to enjoy the coolness of the pool, forcing herself not to think about anything else - for a short time, at least.

 

***

 

On top of Banshee Hill, Brother Christopher paused as he placed the ornate cross upon the branch of the old white Oak tree.   His keen hearing picked up a soft sound; a gentle humming, coming from somewhere in the forest to the west of the hill.

Somehow, the sound made the hair stand up on his neck.     Unconsciously, he crossed himself, and then quickly hung the necklace over the branch.     He knew he should return immediately to the monastery, for Brother Michael would expect him to return before sunset.    Yet the humming sound was hypnotic to him.    Could this be the source of the tales of the Great Lady of Banshee Hill, which he had heard whispered tales about for his entire life?

Christopher had fancied the tales, always eager to hear another, and there seemed to be no end to them.    Tales of terrible and wonderful deeds by the Great Lady.    Some said she was a blood covered hag, others a fair lady.    When he’d asked Brother Michael about her, he had, rather angrily, told him that they were all rubbish.

But wasn’t it Brother Michael that had him come here four times each year, on the longest and shortest days of the year and both equinoxes, to hang an offering on the tree?   Hadn’t Brother Michael taught him the art of jewelry craft and commanded him to continue making all the traditional offerings?  Yet never had he explained his reasons for making the young monk to do this seemingly sacrilegious act.  

It seemed quite mysterious to Christopher, and now he wondered if perhaps the senior Monk wanted him to encounter the Great Lady.

The thought chilled and thrilled him as well.    The distant humming now seemed to have changed into soft singing.    It was a lovely voice, and the words did not come to him as clear (or perhaps they were in an alien tongue).   Looking around, and then up at the old Faerie tree where the villagers had once placed offerings, he decided that he would have to find out.

“Probably just a farm girl washing her clothes in the forest pond.”   He mumbled to himself as he began the winding descent off of the hill.

 

***

 

The pool was not far away, for it was the favorite spot of young people to swim, bathe and even wash clothing.     Everyone knew the spring-fed pool as ‘The Forest Pond’ though it was certainly not just a simple pond.  

Christopher felt both dread and excitement as he hurried up the narrow path toward the pool.    He had not been here often, as the monks at St. Edward’s did not often socialize with the villagers.

The singing grew louder as he neared and he was very thankful that he had enough light to see clearly.

The monk cautiously peered around the last corner into the slight clearing where the pool was located.   What he saw took his breath away.

Standing up to her waist in the blue water was a lovely pale-skinned woman.    She seemed young, and was busy cupping water in her hands and then pouring it over her long, flowing blonde hair with a rather frustrated expression on her face.      She seemed oblivious to his presence and he could only stare at her in stunned fascination at her graceful form.

As if in a trance, he staggered forward toward the edge of the pool.    She had her eyes closed as the water flowed over her hair and as he neared he could see that her ears were sharply pointed.

She was no human woman.

Christopher felt his knees wobble at that realization and this caused him to step on a stick in the path, which snapped loudly.

The girl jumped at the sound, flinging her hair back over her head and then giving off a surprised little scream upon seeing him standing there.   Her arms crossed in front of her naked chest and she stepped backwards, toward the deeper end of the pool.

“I’m sorry, lady, I’m really sorry!”   He called to her, turning his head and closing his eyes.     Why had he stared at her?   He had known she was naked, but it was as if he hadn’t been able to respond to that knowledge.   Now he was guilty of a sin and he’d have to confess it to Brother Michael.    That is, if the Faerie didn’t kill him for his voyeurism.

“Stay back there!”   She ordered him, “You stay where you are!”

“I’m sorry, lady!    I heard your singing and I came to see who would be here so late.    I didn’t know you were bathing!   I didn’t mean to look upon you.    Please forgive me.”

“Who are you?”   She demanded, now out deep enough so that only her head was exposed.    Christopher hazarded a glance, and seeing that she was covered, did not divert his gaze.

“I’m Brother Christopher, a monk from St. Edward’s, m’lady.”

“Then what are you doing wandering about at twilight?”

“I was leaving an offering for… uh… for the Faerie of the Hill.”

“What sort of offering?”

“A silver cross.     We leave one each year… Brother Michael has me do it.   He used to make them, but now I craft them myself.”

“Do you believe in Faeries?”  She asked with a slightly amused smile.

“Yes, ma’am, I do now.   You’re her, aren’t you?   I mean the Faerie of Banshee Hill.”

“Yes.”  Leaf replied, “I’m her.   How old are you, Christopher?”

“Sixteen years old, m’lady… I’ll be seventeen in a few months.”   He replied nervously.    He tried to appear calm, but his hands were trembling.

“Don’t be afraid; as long as you are standing there, I’m staying in here.”

“Lady, I am so sorry.   What I did was not proper.   I sinned against you.”   He repeated.

“My name is Leaf, Christopher.    Do you know what your name means?   It is an old name - it means ‘Carrier of Christ’.”

Christopher nodded, “I am a monk of the order of St. Edwards, and a follower of Christ.”

Leaf smiled, “May I call you simply ‘Chris’?    You can call me ‘Leaf’.”

“Yes ma’am… uh… I mean, yes, Leaf… er… Lady Leaf.”

“Good… tell me, Chris, when was the last time that you heard of me appearing in this world?”

“Well, there have been rumors of people seeing you from time to time… you know, sort-of ghost stories.”

“Have you heard of a story about the day King Cedric died?”

“Oh yes!    That was a terrible story… I-I-I mean-“

Leaf nodded gravely, “It was a terrible story, Chris.    How long ago did that occur?”

“But… don’t you know?   I thought… I thought that…you were there?”

“Time passes very quickly for me.    I fade in and out of your world, Chris, and only a few moments passed for me, while many years pass here.    Those terrible events of that day are still fresh in my mind, for you see - to me- they occurred just this day.”

“It was sixteen years ago last autumn.”   The young man told her, trying to understand how the distortion of time could be possible.

 

Leaf sighed deeply, and then splashed around a bit in the pool, “Sixteen years… and I just now washed off the blood and grime from that day.”

“Lady Leaf, how can that be?   Doesn’t time flow the same everywhere?”

“No, not where I am from, Chris.   I feel rather uncomfortable speaking to you while up to my chin in water.   Yet my clothing is dirty and wet.”

“I could get you clothing - well, it would be a robe from the monastery… like the one I’m wearing.    I’ll be right back.”

The young man turned and was about to take off on foot, but Leaf called to him, “Wait!   There is a quicker way.”

“There is?”

“Close your eyes and just stand there.”

“Close my eyes?”

“Yes, and stand very still.”   She waited until he did what she ordered and then she cautiously left the water.    Christopher stood there respectfully, with his eyes tightly shut and his head lowered for good measure.   She was amused at his obedience.

“Do you know where there are some of your order’s robes, where there will be no-one around?”   She asked him from his side.

He started to open his eyes, but she stopped him, “No, keep them closed, please.    Do you know of such a place?”

“Lady Leaf, they keep our robes in the laundry, where they are mended and washed.”

“Will anyone be there now?”

“No, not in the evening.”

“Alright then, here is what I want you to do, Christopher.   Keep your eyes closed and take my hand.”

“Uh…what-“

“Just do as I’ve asked, please.”

“Yes ma’am.”   He held his hand out and she grasped it.   Christopher unconsciously smiled.  

“Now think of the laundry in your monastery.”   She softly spoke into his ear.

He pictured the place and a moment later it was as if the ground beneath him had simply disappeared.    He jumped in alarm, but upon opening his eyes, he was stunned to find both of them standing in the darkness of St. Edward’s laundry.  

“That’s amazing!   How’d you do that?”  He asked her, turning to speak to her without thinking.

“It’s part of my people’s natural abilities.   Will there be soap here too; and maybe towels?”  

“Yes, I think so.”

“Well, find them for me, and stop staring at me or you’ll betray some of your vows.”    He blushed, but she didn’t seem too offended at him, and in fact he thought he heard a hint of laughter in her voice as he hurried through the dark room, searching for the items she required.

When he had found them, he brought them to her while looking at his feet, “Here, Lady Leaf.   There is a robe, belt, sandals, undergarments, a towel and a bar of soap.”

“Very good, Christopher.    Now take my hand again.”

“Are we going back to the pool?”  He asked her, “You have everything you’ve asked for.”

“Yes, but I still need to speak to you.    So you are coming back with me, to talk to me while I bathe properly - with soap.”

“Lady Leaf, they will wonder why I haven’t returned.   I will miss evening prayers.”

“I think they will understand.    Just tell them you were at the pool, talking to a naked lady as she bathed.”  

Leaf laughed for the first time in a long, long time.     The young man just glanced at her; confused and embarrassed, blushing again, for her voice was so lovely that he thrilled to hear it, even though he knew that was wrong.

Before he could think of anything to say, she simply reached out and grabbed his hand and in a blink of an eye they were back at the Forest Pool. 

Reviews

[Elina]

"...only a few moments passes for me" The "passes" should be "passed."

[Eddie Davis]

Thanks again, Elina.