Kale: The Dryad Chronicles, page 4
“Kale and I used to talk and play together,” Emma said. “He is not an animal.”
“And I play with the pony father bought you a few years ago,” Mary said. “That doesn't still mean it is not an animal no matter how much love I show it. It still has to work or it gets the whip. Its job was to carry you and our family around. It has its own little harness and its own little cart that can sit two. It does its job and it gets good oats to make him nice and strong. It gets to play with me and everyone is happy.”
“Is the horse happy though?” Emma asked. “Would it rather stay with you or be free with the others running wild?”
“Why would it do that?” Mary asked. “It is getting good food and a place to live.”
“Kale was not a horse Mary,” Emma said. “You didn't even know what he was when you first met him.”
“I knew something was off,” Mary said. “He always seemed wet and he sweated way too much. It is in the Holy Book Emma. It is our right to rule over those foul things. When the Dark Gods fell, they made those things to come kill us and take over the heavens. They lost and abandoned their creations. All throughout history they have been in chains, mother and father are not evil. They care for the things as much as can be expected. Why would they harm their investments? You have a skewed way of thinking and are blaming them for it.”
“Mary, let's say all of that is true,” Emma replied.
“There is no let's say, it is true!” Mary snapped.
“Your father still betrayed my trust at the end of the day,” Emma said. “I asked him not to do something and he did it with joy. There is no way to come back from that with me. A thousand dresses or a thousand ponies will never change that. He got exactly what he wanted and has to live with the consequences.”
“Well I am happy he did it,” Mary said. “We were poor and now we are richer than some nobles. We were able to sell some of them and got a tidy profit and father went out and bought all of the land they were on and we got rich.”
“Father is happy as well,” Emma replied. “And he has you and mother to share his joy with.”
“Don't be like that,” Mary said. “He wants all of us to share in his good fortune, to be happy.”
“I will be happy when I am gone,” Emma said. “I am not lying Mary, I don't ever plan on seeing either one of them again.”
“And how are you going to do that?” Mary replied.
“I am not like you Mary,” Emma replied. “I have done nothing but study and exercise. I watch my diet so my skin can look like this, my hair can look this way and my body can look this way. I have read and reread every book on healing I can find. I know all about different poultices, potions and other things to relieve pain and heal. I know all of these by heart, I just need the practice.”
“Then why didn’t you say that instead of going on about your looks,” Mary asked. “Or were you just bragging?”
“I plan on attracting a man with a good heart and a work ethic like father used to have,” Emma replied. “I think I can do that and have someone to build with.”
“You can attract a man without all of that,” Mary said rolling her eyes. “All you have to do is bat your eyes at them. And you have Lord Trevor asking about you. I still don't know what you said to catch his eye, there are plenty of pretty girls who throw themselves at him without all of the baggage and daddy issues you have.”
“I didn't do anything,” Emma said and smiled thinking about the man. “I didn't even know who he was. It was at one of those ridiculous parties mother throws. I wasn't even dressed up, I was just walking to the kitchen when one of his friends thought I was a serving girl. I don't even think either of them were invited, they just showed up. Anyway his friend Rodney thought I was the help and tried making a move on me. I slapped him hard across the face when he grabbed my bottom. Lord Trevor saw what happened and snatched Rodney away and berated him. Of course Lord Trevor also thought I was the help since I was in a simple dress. He still couldn't take his eyes off me and gave an apology. When he asked about me later on, someone had let him know that I was the recluse daughter of the hosts. The next day I received a large bouquet of flowers personally delivered by Rodney as an apology for his earlier behavior. Did you know serving girls sometimes either rent out their bodies or willingly lay with rich men just because? Rodney thought he had hit a real treasure when he saw me and spent most of the day apologizing. Later on that day, Lord Trevor came to check on me and we just started talking from there.”
“You are lucky,” Mary said. “Men like Lord Trevor are expected to court in their station. Other noble girls are what he should be looking for, rich commoners shouldn’t be in the equation but here you are. He wants to take you to meet his parents but father forbids you from traveling alone or with him. I offered to go but he doesn't trust noblemen around his girls and now I know why.”
“Father only cares about himself and his reputation,” Emma said. “But he will not have to worry about me for long. I plan on becoming an apprentice healer. The main reason I let them push me out the door is so I can visit the only healer in town. He doesn't have an apprentice and I think he could use the help.”
“I knew you had some other reason,” Mary said. “Why would you want to come with me to the square when you have Lord Trevor pining for you. It is fun at the square though. My friends and I practically own the place. We toss around coin and everyone is in a hurry to serve us. All of the boys look at us with longing and all of the poorer girls look at us with jealousy.”
“So you are just there to flaunt yourself?” Emma asked.
“Don't say it like that,” Mary said. “Well yes I am there to flaunt. It is a cheap thrill and petty but it does wonders for our self esteem. It is not like we go there and berate people. We are always exceedingly polite. I mean way more than normal and I have paid the bill for meals that are not mine just to be nice. I make it hard for many to hate me, all they can be is jealous.”
“Doesn't sound like my idea of fun,” Emma said.
“Well your healer is right in the square we are going to,” Mary said. “If you ever got out instead of hiding yourself in your room all day you would know this.”
“How long do I have to be here?” Emma asked.
“Until it is time to go,” Mary replied. “Carly is pulling our carriage and if there is another centaur there, they go around and talk about whatever Centaurs do. If not she goes into the stable with the horses. I hope there is another centaur there. It would be nice to have some baby centaurs around. They sell for a lot of money and I can finally have my own. We brought a male over once but Carly wasn't interested. She bucked and kicked even when the whip was brought out. Father told her that if she doesn't choose soon, he would make her choose one of the draft horses. The baby wouldn't be a centaur but would be much smarter than a normal horse.”
“Why would she want to lay with an animal?” Emma said disgustedly.
“Why wouldn't she, it is simple nature,” Mary said.
“Because it is a horse,” Emma said.
“And so is her lower half,” Mary said. “All you have to do is tie her to a fence so she can't sit down and then tie her back legs to her front. It is all very simple and only takes a moment. Despite their size, horses don't last for long, maybe a few seconds. I have seen it done before and Carly can finally become a mother.”
“That sounds horrible,” Emma said.
“Well how do you think some work animals are brought into this world?” Mary said. “Sometimes animals just need a bit of help. It is not like we are intruding on her. We can see her privates all the time, it is not like she has any clothes on.”
“Can we talk about something else other than Carly?” Emma said fanning herself. “I can't wait to leave this life behind. Maybe I will settle in the south, in Jarlan.”
“You want to leave the Kingdom?” Mary said surprised. “There is no King in Jarlan and the poor are everywhere.”
“There are poor everywhere here,” Emma replied. “At least there I don't have to deal with slavery.”
“Animals cannot be in slavery Emma,” Mary said. “They are animals. And you are not going to live in Jarlan with Lord Trevor pining over you. He is incredibly rich and brightens any room he is in.”
“Lord Trevor is handsome,” Emma admitted. “And I am happy that I got to meet him. He seems nice but I have my own morals. I don't care who doesn't agree with them, they are mine and I cannot live like this.”
“If you had never met that thing you call a boy you would never think like this,” Mary said. “Things are just too personal for you right now so you are making rash decisions. In ten or twenty summers you are going to look back on this and laugh at your ridiculousness. Hopefully you will do so surrounded by the finer things in life with a few children and a handsome husband who dotes on you.”
“If I had never met Kale you mean,” Emma said. “He is not an it. And I have no doubt that you are correct. But I was there to see him beaten into submission by father. I was even struck in the face while trying to stop him. That will stay with me even longer than the scar under my eye.”
“The scar has faded so much that it is not even noticeable,” Mary said. “And you were in the way. Father felt horrible about it and still does. All your foolishness did was get your little pet beaten more. You have to forgive our parents sometime. It is in the past and Father nor Mother has ever minimized you or thrown your feelings to the side again.”
“Because I have not asked either of them for anything,” Emma snapped. “And their so called gifts I tell them to freely take back. I have let it be known that none of their gifts are welcomed or wanted. They have not treated me poorly because I refuse to let them. I am not like you, all smiling in their faces. They wanted this version of me and they got it. I hate being miserable as well, it is part of the reason I want to leave. I want to be able to go out and smile again with people who actually love me.”
“They do love you,” Mary said. “They are not going to apologize for helping out our family.”
“An apology would be more than worthless as well as any words they might say or any actions they might do,” Emma replied. “I know you all see me as being foolish, but I am done with them Mary. I am done with them both for now and for all time. Your path takes you to smiling in their face and acting like your life is perfect.”
“It is not an act Emma,” Mary said as she rolled her eyes. “Our life is perfect.”
“Your life is perfect,” Emma said. “This is not the life I want. I am going so far away that I can pretend Mother and Father do not exist. I will miss you but that is it. I have felt mistreated for so long and I deserve happiness.”
“Just so I get this straight,” Mary said. “Father and mother buying you nice things is making you hate them even more?”
“Father and mother flaunting the wealth they received by making me feel like an evil person makes me hate them more and more,” Emma corrected. “Nothing you say can change that. Nothing they say can change that. Imagine being ravished by some brute and the result is a beautiful child. That brute always waving your child in front of you does nothing for you to forget what brought your babe into the world. It doesn't matter what he does for you after that either. You will remember for all time the violence that started everything. That is how I feel.”
“I think you are being dramatic,” Mary said. “But I do comprehend your point of view even if I do not believe in it.”
“Which is the only reason I will miss you and not them at all,” Emma said. “Is this your square coming up?”
“Don't embarrass me Emma,” Mary said. “If you see something you don't like, just remain silent. Remember Mother’s rule, if you don't have anything nice to say, do not say anything at all. I have to see these people later and you are only out for a day. Even leave my frenemy Lacy Luberon alone if she is out here in the square.”
“I will not embarrass you,” Emma said annoyed. “Tell them to leave me alone as well.”
“You can't come out and refuse to be friendly with girls who have never hurt you. Just enjoy being out after you go see whatever healer you are on about.”
“I can do that,” Emma said as the carriage stopped. “I will find you after I talk to the healer.”
Emma climbed out of the carriage and could see Mary was right, there was a healer in the square. She frowned once she realized that she was right in front of the Healer’s building, she hadn't told Carly that was where she wanted to go. Carly must have overheard them talking about her like she was nothing, like a rock or something. Emma wondered how she would feel if someone spoke so brazenly about having her ravished by some animal. Emma put it out of her head as she walked inside of the Healer’s building. It was just like Emma thought it would be. The front room was painted white and there were a lot of people inside. There was an older man behind the counter that looked like he had seen better days.
“Excuse me,” Emma said as the bald old man grabbed something out of a drawer.
“Wait your turn girl,” the man said, not making eye contact. “I have many patients to see and you are trying to cut in line.”
“I am not a patient,” Emma replied.
“Then please come back later.” the healer said as he grabbed his mortar and pestle. “Whatever you want can be handled when I am not so busy.”
“I came to see if you would take an apprentice,” Emma said.
“For how much money?” the old man said as he stopped what he was doing.
“I don't know what is fair,” Emma replied. “I have been studying things but I can't put it into action. I have an apothecary book that I have studied from cover to cover.”
“I am making a solution for tooth pain,” the old man said and looked at Emma.
“Rip the leaf of a dopium plant up and pour a small amount of your strongest alcohol over it,” Emma began. “Mash that up with a pestle and pour the mixture into a pint bottle. Add water until the bottle is filled and shake. The water breaks it down so it is hard to have too strong of a dose.”
“Get back here and get to work,” the healer said as he pushed away the mortar and pestle. “Before you get to mixing anything else, tell me what ingredients you are using until I know that you know what you are talking about.”
Emma went around the counter as her mind started filling in the blanks of what she needed. She had the knowledge but not the experience of what needed to be done. This mixture was for internal aches and pains. She would probably have to mix this up a few times in varying doses for pain. Emma finished her first batch and was going to hand it over when she stopped. She used one leaf so she wrote Dopium, 1%. Take up to eight times daily for pain and gave it to the Healer who still did not give his name. He seemed surprised at her writing and just nodded as she went back to making more of the mixture. As Emma finished up her second bottle, she had caught sight of something that made her pause. It looked like the drawing of the pencil mushroom she had seen.
“Is this what I think it is?” Emma said as she showed the bowl of small mushrooms to the healer.
“You know what that is?” the old man said as he stopped what he was doing.
“For infections,” Emma replied. “I heard they were rarer than rare.”
“They used to be,” the healer said. “Not anymore. Since that big batch of dryads were found a few years back. I notice it grows on their dung, the few times they have any. I have taken all that I can find. Not too many people have dryads, those that do ask too many questions of what I need them for. Trying to make money, I understand that so I just sneak in when they are not around.”
Emma paused for a moment to comprehend what she just heard. It made sense for people to have never heard of or used this cure. Most people prayed to the Gods or rubbed a stone blessed from a holy man on themselves. The book she read called them idiots and explained how to deal with infection. If dryads had never been found, how many people would have died? Maybe not a lot but one would have been horrible. Then again, if she was a dryad, she wouldn't have cared when faced with the alternative. Emma took the mushrooms and carefully sliced half of them into slices the size of a decent fingernail. She then found some honey and floated all of them inside of a small bottle filled with it. Each slice was a dose and the average infection needed twenty doses, two per day to fight infection.
Emma thought she had been working for a little over two hours when she had finally called it quits. It felt good to have pestle in hand. She had a system going, on a shelf she had marked in ink the names of the most used medicines. She then started filling them, as soon as the healer had taken one she went to work to refill it. Anything he needed specialized he did it himself, although Emma had seen him look at an old book to do so. The healer could consult and look at patients while Emma worried about medicines, she would need to learn that side of it she thought. For now she had worked hard and the business was clear. The shelves were fully stocked and her palm hurt from holding the pestle.
“Chancer Downey,” the old man said and stuck out his hand.
“Emma,” Emma replied and shook it.
“I watched you Emma,” Chancer said. “You know your stuff. I should have taken an apprentice a long time ago but the majority of the people here are poor and most people don't think about me when it comes to apprenticing. Boys want to be smiths or woodworkers or something. Girls want to learn the needle. To have a beautiful girl come in off the street who put herself to work was a breath of fresh air. What do you hope to gain by being here?”
“I want to learn what you know,” Emma replied. “The knowledge is what I need. Once I have it, I can start my own place away from here.”
“Well I can give you that,” Chancer said. “I used to be one of the healers for the army. You think of anything and I have seen it. I quit in disgust when it became apparent people cared more about their religion instead of real medical work. Even some other healers would use tried and true medicines and mix it with some sort of blessing and nonsense to make it seem it was their god who healed instead of science. Whatever book you have been learning from must be expensive. Most books teach half assed cures along with mumbo jumbo.”
