Chapter 27 Up a tree

Rose pushed aside some shafts so that she could get a better look at the almost non existent trail. Not too far ahead it just ended. She looked around for places he might be hiding. She had circled this place twice already. The boy had not been specific about where to meet in the fields. Then again she had run out rather quickly.

Rose felt nervous about being caught by the adults. Mother did not know she was here nor her Father who had gone off to hunt. The field hands were all very close and she wondered for a moment if he had cowered and ran away thinking that she might have told on him,once he had spotted her Mother coming with the others to work. She sighed and sat down exhausted from circling. He popped up from under the ground almost right next to her. She was startled, that quickly gave way to awe.

“This is amazing!” she exclaimed examining his little trench and covering. “You made it blend in so well!”

“Too well,” He stretched as he made motions with his hands to indicate she should lower her voice to his cautionary whisper while she continued to inspect his speedily made den. “You paced over the top of me several times.”

“You could have come out.” She said matter of fact.

“I wanted to know what you were looking for. You seemed so concentrated. Then I realized it was my breadcrumbs you were following. So I decided to have some fun.”

“What do you mean breadcrumbs? I did not see any bread.” Rose squinted at the ground around her.

Hansel smiled broadly in that parental way she found irritating. “That is the nickname I give to the false trails I make. Breadcrumbs are made to vanish and be eaten up. I leave them around to confuse the Lueda Yedka. That you could even find one tells me you have very good skills in tracking and you are faintly using your sight.”

Rose tossed her brown hair one little auburn streak caught the light of the sun. Her mouth was in a stubborn set as she continued to examine and make a note of what had eluded her. “Well I found you. I just could not see you. There is a difference.”

“It is a very big difference. You only found me because I wanted you too.” He cupped his mouth and coed. His dove flew to him from out of the woods.

“What is her name?” Rose jumped up from a squat, her hand reaching greedily for the bird. Hansel took a step back as a typical little boy protecting his property.

“I do not want to tell anyone. Once she is named she is owned. I would rather she be free.”

“Is that why you do not tell me your name?” Rose was trying to put the grass dirt cover back as before so that it looked undisturbed but she was having difficulty with it. He knelt down showing her through action what needed to be done.

“Does it bother you that you do not know it?” Hansel’s smirk showed that he was not going to tell her. Indeed the rule among his pack was only allow someone you were certain of killing the pleasure of your name.

“No, I can manage.” Rose twisted some grass with her fingers, “The miller plays such a game. I should think I will get rather bored of playing the same game twice. And it is a little annoying thinking of you in my head as that boy.”

“You say the miller will not reveal his name? How often does he come to town?” Hansel kept his voice calm.

“Hardly ever, Sadko does all his delivering though more often than not his mead goes bad and we have to dump it in the ground.

“Let’s play a new game!” Hansel bounded up once everything was good and covered. His soft hair bounced in the sunlight as he trotted away at what he thought was an easy pace to follow.

“Not so fast!” Rose stumbled behind him as she ran. He paused just long enough to grab her hand and then tow her along at a terrible speed. She was not used to anyone being faster than her. His long nimble fingers were woven tightly with hers and the pressure of them hurt a little.

“We have to hurry you know or they will spot us. They are moving to another part of the field.” Hansel spoke just as she was about to complain. When they reached the forest edge she dug her heels in and pulled back. “No I can’t.”

Hansel’s face was mocking. “I knew it! I knew you would be too scared to go in.”

“I am not allowed.” Rose stomped her little foot and folded her arms.

“Why aren't you older than I am? I have lived in the woods.” He ducked playfully behind a bush with a smile.

“My Father said a good son would stay away from the woods until of age...” Rose pouted using a finger to trace the crags of bark on the tree she refused to pass.

Hansel taunted poking his head out much farther off. It was a wonder he even heard her. “A good son,” He scoffed, “All boys are deviants and encouraged to become so! Brave men know when to break the rules when it counts!” He dove back into hiding to entice her to search. She only became agitated. There was a long expanse of silence except for the cutting of blades far behind her. Rose turned determined not to get drawn into trouble. She clenched her teeth taking a few steps back towards the field. “You blow a fine wind.”

“Enough to blow down a hata!” he cheerfully jumped out from another tree right beside her. “Come on! I was going to show you where the Frost comes from.”

That did it. She pulled back to him like a toy on a string. Soon they were winding their way through the shady expanse. As shadows moved Rose whispered more softly.

“What about the Lueda Yedka? I thought you were trying to hide from her?” Rose teased.

“Today is no different than any other day.” Hansel shrugged. She felt this was a foolish statement. It certainly felt different to her.

“Do you know the way to your Babushka’s hata from here?” Hansel decided to be direct.

“Why?” Rose asked even as he hoped she wouldn’t.

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“Well you don’t want her to catch us out here do you?” Hansel paused holding aside some branches so she could get by.

“Babushka won’t find us. She would be visiting the miller by now. He borrows her cat.”

“I think you don’t know which way it is from here.” Hansel continued in further only a little and then stopped to look up at a great tree.

“Well, we are on a different course. Not that it would matter because my Father changes them every time.” Rose set down her basket and began to dig through it. Since the boy was showing signs of hesitating to go any farther in. She wondered if he were doing that for her sake, or if her talk of the witch had taken away some of his courage.

“How do you mean? I see you enter the same way every time.” Hansel questioned. He would never take those paths. No doubt they were covered with wards and spells.

“The landmarks change, the only thing that ever stays the same is the tingling of my nose. My Babushka pinches it often and I think it remembers that house more than I do.”

Hansel snickered, “I hear your Grandmother’s house is made of candy and sweets. You always smell like gingerbread after visiting her.”

“You must be hungry. Here I brought you some more treats.” She handed him another burnt pirog.

“I’m hungry all the time.” He quickly swallowed the cake before he did anything stupid.

“Hey we were supposed to share it!?” Rose stood up indignantly once again and her curiosity over ruled her anger. “How did you swallow it whole like that without chewing?”

“Guess I take after my birds.” His dove had landed on the same tree he had been staring at. “Is this too tall for you to climb?”

“Well I have never climbed one so tall before…” Rose admitted nervously.

“Why don’t you take off that hood? After all it will only catch on the branches and make you fall.” He climbed up to the first branch and hung upside down by his legs.

“Thanks for the lovely thought.” Rose rolled her eyes and tickled his exposed ribs until he dropped into a roll laughing.

Hansel stood up. She balled up her fists ready for a fight. He only tugged her hood off playfully. She didn’t even have a chance to see his hand. “Here I’ll help you out of it.”

His eyes suddenly glinted when he looked down at her silver broach that worked doubly as a clasp.

“Oh,” He reached for it. And Rose backed away a little frightened at his greedy gaze.

“And you call me a Prince! All that silver would catch a pretty price at the market in Volpi! I could eat like a King!” The boy accused. Rose quickly unpinned the clasp with a silver chain and tucked them into her tightest vest pocket right over her heart.

“Here now, you don’t think I would steal that do you?” Hansel’s eyes grew wide and his face insulted.

“I do not know if you would.” Rose would not look at him as she hung her cloaked hood the best she could on the tree.

“I promise that would be impossible!” He announced in that charming overzealous way boys tease. Again he had on that knowing smile that made Rose wary. It revealed a humor she did not understand. He snorted at her sudden coolness. “Fine, I dare you to go up first then!”

“Why not you?” she exclaimed,

“I am better at it. I could help you if you get stuck.”

“Well I don’t want you looking up my skirt!” She kicked up her petticoat a little to make a point.

“Oh right,” Why hadn’t he thought of that? Had it really been that long since he was with a girl his own age? “Well then what if we go at the same time?” He blushed.

“I am pretty sure we will get in each other’s way.” Rose bit her lip.

“Well make up your mind! Are you just stalling because you are cowardly?” Hansel snapped.

“Fine, the same time then!” She tossed her hair back and took to the branches not fully starting until he was on the other side climbing also. This turned out to be much better for Hansel. She could not see his side and so he was unhindered in using his true abilities. In parts where no branches were he merely padded upwards. Rose made a wonderful start and gained with a better time than even he had guessed but just as Hansel broke the forest canopy she paused, arms burning and breath heavy.

“Is this not high enough?!” Rose shouted up to him for he had just passed her, though she had hoped to beat him.

“No, you have to be able to see above the wood!” He shouted down. She saw his hand stretch out on the other side. The dove was taking little side steps on his finger. Then it glided down to the branch above her.

“Reach out to where she perches.” Hansel encouraged as he feigned natural human movements he crawled back down and around to help her.

The tree began to sway and she bit her lip to keep from screaming. After a while the movement became so much that she began to feel sick. Her heart was thudding nearly out of her chest and she somewhat stuttered as she continued to climb.

“I do not think I should go any higher. The branches will snap.” She tried to excuse herself.

Hansel used his current tree hug to ease around to the foothold next to her.

“Look above you. There are some bear markings. I am certain if it can hold a bear it can hold you.” Hooking his arms over these two tell tale branches above he let his legs swing freely to show off. Then he swung up and sat on the branch, offering his hand.

“You really do take after your birds.” Rose accepted, talking was a good distraction that somehow made her focus more.

“It’s because I like them so much.” Hansel looked off into the distance at a flying hawk.

“I like them too. Don’t forget, I have a new golden goose.” Rose bragged.

“Thanks for reminding me which one I should eat.” Hansel jibed.

“You do and I’ll…” she gasped before she could even threaten him he was swinging her in the air.

“You’ll do what?!” He laughed wickedly and the fact that he was younger than her made it all the more frightening.

“Stop, Stop!” Rose’s color was dropping as drastically as she imagined she might.

“You stop squealing and grab that branch across from you!” Hansel gritted pretending that the feather he held was actually heavy. Once she had steadied on top of it she shouted at him. “How could you do such a thing?”

“Help you? I said I would have too. Besides we made it.” He gestured about without shame.

This last branch had allowed Rose to burst through the top foliage and look around at the expanse. “It is very amazing.” Rose continued to hang on white knuckles; she realized for the first time that the woods were full of more shades of green than she had ever seen in her whole lifetime. And there was more beyond, she saw the river as it wound its way out of a mystic white grey that wrapped around the edge of the forest on all sides like layered fabric twisting and turning.

“You see Father Winter lays siege to the outside.” Hansel gestured with a sweep of his arm. “He pounds upon the outer rim with snow that falls like needles!”

Rose shook her head at his Tom Foolery. “They are only clouds.”

“Maybe from here but beyond those clouds are snow covered passes. You are looking at a storm beyond human imagination. Those clouds are so high and full they cover even the tallest peak and once that river reaches past the woods it freezes.

“My mother has told me of mountains. She said they are like the well hills only much larger. So which way is the Frost?” Rose remembered what the bargain had been.

“He follows that in for a while then takes to hiding in the trees. There must be some sacred places left here or he would not be able to do that.” As Hansel thought aloud Rose watched his finger as it traced the riverbed to its first entry into the wood and beyond.

“I suspect he lives out there. I remember on my way traveling in there seemed to be a very strange looking cliff face that was glossy with icicles. I think it was that direction.”

“If it weren’t for this great storm we would probably be able to see it.” Rose squinted praying for the clouds to shift but they did nothing but their usual swirling.

“The river looks smaller than it should be don’t you think?” Hansel changed the subject.

“Sadko says it has gone down drastically every year. If you look at the start of it you’ll see it is still very large before it comes to the little ravine waterfall.” Rose shivered, the chill of the air getting to her.

“That is so,” Hansel mused then reached out and pinched her nose.

“Ouch that hurts!” Rose covered her face then was startled to see he was descending down the branches rather rapidly.

“There now you will remember this place also!” His amused shout began her panic.

“You helped me up! How am I to get down?!” Rose wailed.

“You will be alright!” He shouted back undeterred.

“No, come back and help me!” Rose was getting dizzy looking down at the surprising height they had climbed. Her vision blurred further as she witnessed Hansel spring off near the very bottom of the tree and land on the ground. He ran away into the woods.