Rowan’s hands were beginning to numb as he hung, in a state of nature, from the base of the moon by his ankles. His ear was wet and his feet on fire, both of which were distracting him from the seven sets of unfaltering eyes he could discern closing in on him from the abyss. Dread and defeat coarsed through his veins like mercury as he heard his mothers dying words drift about him ‘fly on my boy, further than the course of time’.
A chill stabbed at Rowans nose, waking him with a shiver.
Not yet wanting to face the morning frost, he kept his eyes closed and asked, “How did you sleep my love?”
He was met with silence.
“Ornella?” Rowan questioned with another shiver running towards his toes.
He pulled the cattle skin throw in a little tighter and asked again, “Ornella, are you still sleeping?” but all he could hear were the grunts of hungry swine.
Agitated, Rowan dressed quickly and began searching for her. His efforts lead him across the village and up to Bluebell Peak.
Nothing.
Rowan darted back into the village and to find his father.
“Pa… Pa!” Rowan cried as he sought out the familiar rumbling’s of his fathers voice.
“What is it lad, I’m round the back, by the chickens.” Wilfred responded with a barrow full of icy manure.
“Why Pa, I don’t understand - she’s gone.” Rowan told his father almost in tears.
“Who’s gone boy? Not that ruddy pig again - I told you to patch that fence up, I knew she’d be getting out sooner or later, I-”
“Not the pig Pa, Ornella, I don’t understand why she- what’s she thinking? Where’s she going Pa?” Rowan panicked.
“Slow down laddy, start again from the beginning.” Wilfred said wrapping his arm around his son and guiding him inside towards the fire.
“I don’t know, Pa. I knew something wasn’t right.’ Rowan informed Wilfred of his search and still not finding her.
“It’s alright me boy, she’ll be around somewhere, she can’t have wandered too far.” Wilfred said with a fatherly tap.
“But that’s just it Pa, when I saw she wasn’t there I couldn’t breath, I got dizzy and started to feel sick and I stumbled forwards and there it was, bouncing back the sunlight all the way from the village border.” Rowan panted.
“What was boy?” Wilfred asked.
“The armband I made for her, the one she never takes off - I’d never have seen her if it wasn’t for that. I called for her Pa, again and again I called for her and then she just… disappeared.” Rowan explained.
“Whoa, slacken your reins there boy, you don’t know that was her you saw all that way in the distance there, it could have been anything. It could have been a bird carrying somethin’ to nest with.” Wilfred said.
“Do you think me stupid Pa?” Rowan said angrily.
Wilfred shook his head.
“I know what I saw, and what I saw was Ornella.” Rowan said calming.
The pair sat together for the next few moments with their own thoughts drifting down different paths.
“Did she leave a note at least?” Wilfred asked.
“Nowt.” Rowan said with his head in his hands.
“And she hadn’t said anything to you recently that might suggest where or why she’d even think about leaving The Fallows by herself? Wilfred asked.
“Sod all. It just doesn’t make any sense Pa. She knows how much I love her, and she loves me too - you know that. What’s made her run off the way she has, and why didn’t she talk to me first!” Rowan said frustrated. “What do I do Pa? How do I get her back?”
Wilfred had never seen his son like this before, Rowan was always so confident and sure of what to do that for the fist time as a parent Wilfred felt inadequate, but he had been a husband once too and he’d certainly been alive long enough learn a thing or two about relationships.
“Well I don’t know half as much as you do these days boy, but I know enough. At least enough to keep things going until you get back.” Wilfred said with confidence.
“Back from where?” Rowan’s face was blank.
“Wherever she takes you laddy.” Wilfred said with conviction. “You made a promise to her Rowan Graysinn, and by the Gods in the Garland you’re going to keep it. What you’ve got to understand Rowan is that Ornella’s your wife and what’s more - she’s a woman. She’s not one of your plants that can be cultivated with the right amount of attention in the right doses. Ornella has her own thoughts, her own feelings, her own mind. And like it or not, perhaps not even through any fault of your own, she may just be feeling in need of something… else.”
“But what Pa? Why didn’t she just ask me?” Rowan replied confused.
“That I don’t know me boy. Maybe it’s something you didn’t have to give? Or maybe it’s something even she doesn’t know herself yet. But you’ll find out soon enough.” Wilfred said with a look of confidence in his son.
A gentle stroke of understanding tinted Rowans eyes and Wilfred could see the horror slowly drain from Rowans face followed by a sedate return of confidence.
“Come on lad” Wilfred said “If you’ve only just seen Ornella pass the border then she can only be a few hours ahead of you. The longer you leave it though, the harder it’s going to get. You never know, if you get an almighty wiggle on you could have all this done and dusted in just a couple of days, Gods willing.”
Rowan pursed his lips, furrowed his eyes and started to nod before taking himself off home to pack for the journey ahead.
Rowan paced back into the cabin and the moment he stepped through the doorway, he met with emptiness. He’d always believed the cabin to be his home, but without his wife it was nothing more than lumps of wood battered together with scraps of metal. Everything was lifeless; the walls were bare, the furniture bulky and in the way, even his beloved plants and herbs were just a display of dreary luckless weeds.
It was like walking through a ghost. Rowan didn’t want to spend anymore time in that corpse of a home then he had to. Every second that passed he could feel himself fading away, the ambivalence of the whole situation weighing down on him like a heavy coat, pulling him away from the light and into the darkness. But Rowan was stronger than that, and smarter too.
Thinking logically about what he might need Rowan grabbed his bag. He filled his water skin and tied it to the side. He emptied a little of each herb from his crowded medicine bag and folded it down to squeeze into the bottom of his bag. He then wrapped up as much bread and cabbage as he could manage and packed the meager amount of dried meat he had left too.
Wilfred soon arrived with something clutched in his hand. He took a moment to observe his son, tall and lean with muscles tense from panic. His dark hair and sunken brown eyes were a stark contrast to his pallid skin, although his lack of colour was no more-so than that of anyone else born and raised in the Fallows.“You wanna know something boy.”
“What is it Pa?” Rowan replied, distracted.
“Your mother always said that one day she could see you goin’ beyond the village border and how important it was that we prepared you as best we could, but when our Ornella arrived in town she said that was it, you’ll never leave now but you will be happy at least. Funny now when you think about it that it’s our Ornella that’s leading you on your way. The Gods must think us getting a little to boring or somethin’.” Wilfred paused “But your old dear was right about one thing she was, there’s never been no boy nor man in all the Fallows better prepared to find their way through the great beyond as our Rowan. We raised you right we did boy, and she’d never been prouder of ought else in all her life, may Anases keep her well.”
“Anyhow.” Wilfred announced “Open your hands boy and close your eyes.”
As if he were still a small child Rowan did as he was told.
“Okay, now open your eyes” Wilfred instructed. “You know what that is boy?”.
“Of course I do Pa, that’s Ma’s ring. But why are you giving it to me?” Rowan asked.
“Not giving my lad, loaning.” Wilfred continued, “It’s the symbol of a promise I made to your Ma all those years ago. And I want you to make a promise to me now. That you’ll bring her home. Whatever it is, you’ll work through it together, no matter what. It’s not going to be easy my boy and your going to have to make some difficult choices but don’t let that soft heart of yours get in the way. Aright? Promise me that, and i’ll have that ring back once all silly this business is over.”
“Pa, you’ve got my word.” Rowan said placing the ring on his finger.
Rowan strapped on a thin belt fitted with a number of small hand tools and various other light accessories he thought might come in useful in the days to come. He then laced up his boots, flung on his cloak and made for his staff but as he reached out his hand he caught a flash of white resting in the corner of the floor.
A chill stabbed at Rowans nose, waking him with a shiver.
Not yet wanting to face the morning frost, he kept his eyes closed and asked, “How did you sleep my love?”
He was met with silence.
“Ornella?” Rowan questioned with another shiver running towards his toes.
He pulled the cattle skin throw in a little tighter and asked again, “Ornella, are you still sleeping?” but all he could hear were the grunts of hungry swine.
Agitated, Rowan dressed quickly and began searching for her. His efforts lead him across the village and up to Bluebell Peak.
Nothing.
Rowan darted back into the village and to find his father.
“Pa… Pa!” Rowan cried as he sought out the familiar rumbling’s of his fathers voice.
“What is it lad, I’m round the back, by the chickens.” Wilfred responded with a barrow full of icy manure.
“Why Pa, I don’t understand - she’s gone.” Rowan told his father almost in tears.
“Who’s gone boy? Not that ruddy pig again - I told you to patch that fence up, I knew she’d be getting out sooner or later, I-”
“Not the pig Pa, Ornella, I don’t understand why she- what’s she thinking? Where’s she going Pa?” Rowan panicked.
“Slow down laddy, start again from the beginning.” Wilfred said wrapping his arm around his son and guiding him inside towards the fire.
“I don’t know, Pa. I knew something wasn’t right.’ Rowan informed Wilfred of his search and still not finding her.
“It’s alright me boy, she’ll be around somewhere, she can’t have wandered too far.” Wilfred said with a fatherly tap.
“But that’s just it Pa, when I saw she wasn’t there I couldn’t breath, I got dizzy and started to feel sick and I stumbled forwards and there it was, bouncing back the sunlight all the way from the village border.” Rowan panted.
“What was boy?” Wilfred asked.
“The armband I made for her, the one she never takes off - I’d never have seen her if it wasn’t for that. I called for her Pa, again and again I called for her and then she just… disappeared.” Rowan explained.
“Whoa, slacken your reins there boy, you don’t know that was her you saw all that way in the distance there, it could have been anything. It could have been a bird carrying somethin’ to nest with.” Wilfred said.
“Do you think me stupid Pa?” Rowan said angrily.
Wilfred shook his head.
“I know what I saw, and what I saw was Ornella.” Rowan said calming.
The pair sat together for the next few moments with their own thoughts drifting down different paths.
“Did she leave a note at least?” Wilfred asked.
“Nowt.” Rowan said with his head in his hands.
“And she hadn’t said anything to you recently that might suggest where or why she’d even think about leaving The Fallows by herself? Wilfred asked.
“Sod all. It just doesn’t make any sense Pa. She knows how much I love her, and she loves me too - you know that. What’s made her run off the way she has, and why didn’t she talk to me first!” Rowan said frustrated. “What do I do Pa? How do I get her back?”
Wilfred had never seen his son like this before, Rowan was always so confident and sure of what to do that for the fist time as a parent Wilfred felt inadequate, but he had been a husband once too and he’d certainly been alive long enough learn a thing or two about relationships.
“Well I don’t know half as much as you do these days boy, but I know enough. At least enough to keep things going until you get back.” Wilfred said with confidence.
“Back from where?” Rowan’s face was blank.
“Wherever she takes you laddy.” Wilfred said with conviction. “You made a promise to her Rowan Graysinn, and by the Gods in the Garland you’re going to keep it. What you’ve got to understand Rowan is that Ornella’s your wife and what’s more - she’s a woman. She’s not one of your plants that can be cultivated with the right amount of attention in the right doses. Ornella has her own thoughts, her own feelings, her own mind. And like it or not, perhaps not even through any fault of your own, she may just be feeling in need of something… else.”
“But what Pa? Why didn’t she just ask me?” Rowan replied confused.
“That I don’t know me boy. Maybe it’s something you didn’t have to give? Or maybe it’s something even she doesn’t know herself yet. But you’ll find out soon enough.” Wilfred said with a look of confidence in his son.
A gentle stroke of understanding tinted Rowans eyes and Wilfred could see the horror slowly drain from Rowans face followed by a sedate return of confidence.
“Come on lad” Wilfred said “If you’ve only just seen Ornella pass the border then she can only be a few hours ahead of you. The longer you leave it though, the harder it’s going to get. You never know, if you get an almighty wiggle on you could have all this done and dusted in just a couple of days, Gods willing.”
Rowan pursed his lips, furrowed his eyes and started to nod before taking himself off home to pack for the journey ahead.
Rowan paced back into the cabin and the moment he stepped through the doorway, he met with emptiness. He’d always believed the cabin to be his home, but without his wife it was nothing more than lumps of wood battered together with scraps of metal. Everything was lifeless; the walls were bare, the furniture bulky and in the way, even his beloved plants and herbs were just a display of dreary luckless weeds.
It was like walking through a ghost. Rowan didn’t want to spend anymore time in that corpse of a home then he had to. Every second that passed he could feel himself fading away, the ambivalence of the whole situation weighing down on him like a heavy coat, pulling him away from the light and into the darkness. But Rowan was stronger than that, and smarter too.
Thinking logically about what he might need Rowan grabbed his bag. He filled his water skin and tied it to the side. He emptied a little of each herb from his crowded medicine bag and folded it down to squeeze into the bottom of his bag. He then wrapped up as much bread and cabbage as he could manage and packed the meager amount of dried meat he had left too.
Wilfred soon arrived with something clutched in his hand. He took a moment to observe his son, tall and lean with muscles tense from panic. His dark hair and sunken brown eyes were a stark contrast to his pallid skin, although his lack of colour was no more-so than that of anyone else born and raised in the Fallows.“You wanna know something boy.”
“What is it Pa?” Rowan replied, distracted.
“Your mother always said that one day she could see you goin’ beyond the village border and how important it was that we prepared you as best we could, but when our Ornella arrived in town she said that was it, you’ll never leave now but you will be happy at least. Funny now when you think about it that it’s our Ornella that’s leading you on your way. The Gods must think us getting a little to boring or somethin’.” Wilfred paused “But your old dear was right about one thing she was, there’s never been no boy nor man in all the Fallows better prepared to find their way through the great beyond as our Rowan. We raised you right we did boy, and she’d never been prouder of ought else in all her life, may Anases keep her well.”
“Anyhow.” Wilfred announced “Open your hands boy and close your eyes.”
As if he were still a small child Rowan did as he was told.
“Okay, now open your eyes” Wilfred instructed. “You know what that is boy?”.
“Of course I do Pa, that’s Ma’s ring. But why are you giving it to me?” Rowan asked.
“Not giving my lad, loaning.” Wilfred continued, “It’s the symbol of a promise I made to your Ma all those years ago. And I want you to make a promise to me now. That you’ll bring her home. Whatever it is, you’ll work through it together, no matter what. It’s not going to be easy my boy and your going to have to make some difficult choices but don’t let that soft heart of yours get in the way. Aright? Promise me that, and i’ll have that ring back once all silly this business is over.”
“Pa, you’ve got my word.” Rowan said placing the ring on his finger.
Rowan strapped on a thin belt fitted with a number of small hand tools and various other light accessories he thought might come in useful in the days to come. He then laced up his boots, flung on his cloak and made for his staff but as he reached out his hand he caught a flash of white resting in the corner of the floor.
