Page 14

The Hazelwood Forest

In the morning, Issylte awakened to sunlight streaming in through her window and a delicious aroma emanating from the small kitchen of the cottage.

She rose from the warm covers, made the snug little bed, washed her face and hands in the basin, inhaling the lovely scents of yarrow and dogwood in the handmade soap.

She donned the homespun brown peasant dress that Maiwenn had left for her on the table and headed towards the kitchen, where she spotted the fairy witch stirring a pot over the hearth.

“Good morning, églantine! You seem very well rested, my dear. Did you sleep well?” Maiwenn flashed her a bright, welcoming smile.

“Yes, Tatie . The bed was very comfortable, thank you.” Issylte peered into the pot to see what Maiwenn was cooking.

“Boiled oats and fresh fruit. This morning, we have gooseberries and wild strawberries, with fresh honey, too! But first, let’s go meet the animals. I’ll teach you how to milk the goat, Florette. We can have fresh goatmilk with our oats and fruit.”

Maiwenn put the lid back on the pot and set the large spoon down on the nearby shelf.

She took Issylte’s hand to lead her outside, behind the cottage, to a small wooden building with a grilled door, centered within a metal gate enclosure that encompassed a large grassy area.

The stream she had followed to discover the hidden cottage flowed into the fenced area behind the building and back out into the forest again.

Maiwenn opened the door of the small wooden stable and greeted the animals inside.

“Good morning, ladies! Who’s hungry?” At this, four plump brown hens and a small white goat rushed outside to greet the woman and the girl. “églantine, meet Jojo, Lulu, Belle and Sophie,” Maiwenn said, indicating the chickens, who pecked at the grass, searching for delectable insects.

“And this is Florette! Isn’t she lovely?

” Maiwenn stroked the goat’s white fur and went inside the small stable to fetch a metal pail.

Pulling up a wooden stool, she sat down beside Florette and began milking the goat, motioning for Issylte to watch.

As she demonstrated, a stream of milk entered the clean pail, and when she deemed it a sufficient amount, the fairy witch stood up, replaced the stool, and allowed Florette to graze in the grassy area behind the cottage.

Issylte noticed that the goat and hens drank from the stream and understood the ideal positioning of the fence.

“After breakfast, I will show you my two gardens. I have one for vegetables and another for herbs,” Maiwenn explained, indicating two rectangular areas that were also enclosed within the grilled iron fence.

This is my workshop,” she said, gesturing to a small adjacent stone building that abutted the cottage.

“In the winter, I open these doors which connect the workshop to the cottage. I keep the animals in there when it’s too cold outside.

That way, they have the warmth from the fireplace, and I can still tend to my herbs. ”

Issylte followed Maiwenn past the two gardens. Plants and vegetables were in one garden area, with small green tomatoes forming on the vines, and what appeared to be herbs growing in another.

“I’ll teach you how to harvest the herbs and vegetables, and how I preserve them to last through the winter.

I’ll take you into the forest and show you where I find the most delicious berries, like the ones we have for our breakfast this morning.

” Collecting four eggs from the henhouse, Maiwenn said cheerfully, “We’ll have an omelette with goat’s milk and fresh mushrooms for supper.

I’ll show you where I find the edible ones and teach you which are poisonous.

Come now, let’s go back inside and have this fresh milk with our boiled oats and fruit. ”

Issylte followed her tatie into the cottage, and the two enjoyed the delicious porridge topped with fresh milk, fruit, and honey.

Washing up the dishes in a basin on the shelf, Maiwenn handed Issylte a towel so that she could dry them, indicating where they were to be stored in the small wooden cupboard.

“Come now, let’s go tend to the vegetables and herbs.

I’ll show you how.” Returning to the back yard, Maiwenn rinsed out the bucket which had held the goat’s milk and filled it with water from the stream.

She carried the bucket over to the garden area, watered the vegetables, and returned several times to fetch more water until both gardens had been sufficiently irrigated.

“I do this every morning unless it has rained. Next, I prune them if necessary and remove the weeds. If there are any caterpillars or beetles on any of the plants, I feed them to the hens. They love them!” She chuckled.

Maiwenn showed Issylte how to harvest the vegetables that were ready to be picked, explaining that the scraps from peeling or pruning would be tossed into the nearby pile which she maintained to form a rich compost that she added to the garden.

“The insects lay their eggs in this dark soil, and the fat grubs feed the chickens. The Goddess provides for us all.”

After storing the herbs and vegetables in the kitchen, Maiwenn led Issylte through the Hazelwood Forest, indicating the gooseberry bushes and wild strawberry plants which were full of fruit.

Issylte learned where the edible mushrooms were found, and that the poisonous ones often had white gill caps, or cup-like structures at their base, a red color or perhaps a ring in the stem.

She discovered where herbs could be found in the wild, and Maiwenn promised to teach her of the medicinal properties of the forest.

As they continued their trek through the woods, Maiwenn explained to Issylte, “In Bretagne, a woman blessed by the Goddess with the gift of the forest may study herbal medicine to become a guérisseuse, or advanced healer. She learns which plants prevent a wound from festering, which form salves to soothe tired muscles or ease aching joints, and which herbs promote fertility or prevent a babe from being conceived.” Lowering her head to fit under a thick branch, she motioned for Issylte to follow, and continued walking at a brisk pace, as if pursuing a predetermined destination.

Following closely behind, Issylte listened as Maiwenn continued.

“I learned herbal medicine in the Forest of Brocéliande, in my native Bretagne. In that sacred realm, there are Druids who follow the teachings of the famed Merlin, and women priestesses who have mastered all three of the sacred healing elements of the Goddess—forest, water, and stone—to earn the prestigious title of guérisseuse. ” Turning to face Issylte as they reached a clearing at last, the old woman smiled enigmatically.

“Who knows? Perhaps it is your destiny to embark on this journey. Indeed, that may very well be the reason why the Goddess has brought you to my doorstep.” Upon finishing these words, Maiwenn revealed the purpose for this trek through the forest.

They had arrived at the edge of an enormous lake, gleaming in the morning sunlight, surrounded by dense woods and ledges of high rocks.

The water was an intense blue, calm and serene; birds soared overhead amongst the scattered white clouds.

The loamy, earthy scent of the rich black soil mingled with the fresh tang of the lake and the pine scent of the forest, inundating Issylte with its striking natural beauty.

“Where is this place? It is magical!” She sighed, taking in the vast expanse of the lake, the enormity of the rocks on the distant shoreline, and the density of the Hazelwood Forest from which they had just emerged.

“This is Lough Gill , which means shining lake. See how the water glistens? The Lough Gill drains into the river to the west. From there, it flows into an estuary, a tidal bay which leads to the ocean. I often go there to harvest shellfish, such as oysters, cockles, clams, and mussels. The village of Sligeach is a seaport there, with lots of local fishermen selling their wares. My grandson Branoc has a blacksmith shop there in the village, where I go to the market every Saturday. I’ll bring you with me this week and introduce you to him, and to some of the townspeople as well.

We’ll get some fresh seafood, a few supplies, including the fabric for your dresses—and your new pair of leather shoes.

It will be such a lovely day.” Maiwenn beamed.

Issylte was speechless, still marveling at the beauty of the lake before her and the forest around her.

She thought of her father, whom she missed so much her stomach ached, and of Gigi, who had mothered and comforted her throughout her entire childhood.

She missed the castle of Connaught, and even the attendants who always yanked her hair into tight braids with the emerald silk ribbons Gigi adored.

She longed to ride Luna, her beautiful gray mare, and to see the handsome face of Liam who had taught her not only to ride and care for her horse, but also the thrill of a wild gallop, the wind whipping her hair as it stung her cheeks.

But above all, she missed her father. His warm hugs, his twinkling hazel eyes, his generous heart.

Emotions flooded Issylte, and tears welled up into her eyes.

A wave of terror flooded through her as she sensed her stepmother’s icy hands draining her strength.

Her legs trembled at the memory of the ordeal in the forest when Lords Cian and Bolduc had been ordered to kill her.

Shaking, crying, and overwhelmed, Issylte fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands.

The gentle touch of Maiwenn’s hands soothed her. Issylte raised her tear-soaked, crumpled face to search the kind eyes of this loving old woman who had welcomed her into her own home.

“Thank you so much, Tatie . For everything. For bringing me here to this enchanted place, for offering me shelter. For feeding me, protecting me, teaching me…I will always be grateful to you for the kindness you have shown me.” Her lower lip quivered as tears flowed into the scratches on her still-torn face.

Maiwenn pulled the girl into her arms. She stroked her hair, kissed her cheek, and cooed, “Ah, there now, dear heart. Don’t cry.

I know you miss your father the king and the life you had at the castle.

Poor thing, you’ve had such a fright, and you’ve been through so much. But, please, look at me, dear.”

Issylte lifted her tear-strewn face to meet her tatie’s affectionate gaze.

“I am very, very glad that you are here with me now. I thank the Goddess for bringing you into my life. It is wonderful to feel needed again. I have been so lonely for such a long time. For far too long.”

Issylte offered a soft smile, drying her eyes with the hem of her plain woolen dress.

Maiwenn reached into the basket and retrieved a metal hook. She flashed Issylte an impish grin. “And now, I will teach you how to fish!”