Daughter of the Forest

“The conflict within me slowly abated, and my mind was taken over by a stillness that emanated from the old trees themselves, and from the ground that nourished them. This was a familiar feeling, for there were many places in the great forest where you could drink in its energy, become one with its ancient heart. When you were in trouble, you could find your way in these places. I knew them, and Finbar knew them; the others I am not so sure, for often when the two of us at quiet in the fork of a great oak or lay on the rocks looking into the water, they were running, or climbing, or swimming in the lake.”

“Later, much later, they were all there, all bu Diarmid. I was awake, and they had brought me barley bread with honey, but I could not eat and I fed it to the dog. Perhaps this was what the stories meant when they called somebody heartsick. Your heart and your stomach and your whole insides felt empty and hollow and aching.”

“I ask myself,” said Finbar, with a stubborn note in his voice that we all recognized, “why this must happen. Why must Sorcha endure that must offer, why sacrifice herself thus when she could be safe and protected, and move on with her own life in peace?”

We all stared at him. There was a slight pause. It was Conor who spoke first. “Because evil must not be allowed to prevail,” he said. “Because we must reclaim what is ours,” added Liam. “Because Sorcha believes it’s the right thing,” said Padriac with devastating simplicity.