Bounty from the Forest [Fanfic]

[Lugh]

Beron Faim
Beron cursed as he banged his knee against the stump, muffling the angry words into his jacket sleeve so he didn’t offend the ears of the Aes Sedai seated nearby. Rubbing the sting out of his knee, he crouched awkwardly and with his knife quickly scrapped the black crusty lichen off the side of the stump.

Looking at the hideous Chaga mushroom, he was surprised anyone had ever tried eating it, but apparently the tawny flesh inside was a wondrous fortifier. It even helped with pain he had learned, something to do with growing off the birch which could also be good for pain. And so he gently placed it in the basket he was carrying for today’s chore.

As he stood, he looked for the next birch to be found nearby, enjoying the sun as it washed over his face through breaks in the canopy. The Grey Tower was wondrous, but there was something about being outdoors that filled him with joy. And he was glad his talk with Gareth Ashaman had led to an increasing number of excursions.

He this morning had been commandeered to assist a Yellow Sister, with her herb gathering for the healers. While many herbs could be grown in the Grey Tower, there was something harder about mushrooms to cultivate. Which suited Beron just fine, he was happy to push through the brush and climb the rotting stumps that mushrooms liked best. Spying more Chaga mushrooms, he climbed up quickly. Deft cuts again removed the growths, and he was climbing down when he spotted a rocky face in the sunlight.

Remembering a chore he had often done for his grandmother, Beron moved over to the rock face as he assessed whether it would take too long to climb to the top. Deciding it could be scaled, he gently placed his basket on the ground and headed up the stone. He was glad to find that the time spent in the Warder Yard had not caused his skills to rust; in fact as he grabbed handholds of the outcroppings and cracks in the rock, he was surprised to notice how much stronger he felt. The work of a few minutes had him up the rocks and looking at the cracks and crannies around him. Finally spotting the plant he had gathered so many times, he took the blade of his knife and dug the root out of the stone. A small brown ball, the root was slightly dusty looking, and when he looked at the silver undersides of the leaves he was certain it was the same plant. To that end he gathered the rest he could find, before coming down and making his way back to the Aes Sedai.

“Pardon me Aruin Sedai, but I was wondering if you were familiar with Goat’s Tooth. It was a herb my grandmother often had me grab her on my climbs, and I am sure this is it although I did not think it would grow so far south,” Beron asked as he handed over a couple of his find.

“I have not heard it called that before child, but the markings on the leaf let me know that it is Lacal. This is a great little plant that is tough and hardy, I know of a few uses for it. It is good for old joints and pain in the joints, which is probably why you grandmother used it. I will make a notation of the local name for it, where did you say you were from child?” Aruin Sedai asked him as she examined the plant quickly before depositing it with the rest.

“Saldaea. I lived near the mountains there, this plant seemed to like the sun and rocky places and so when I saw that hill face there I was reminded of it,” Beron said simply. The Aes Sedai waved him off with a thanks, her quill already busy making notes in the journal she bore.

The rest of the day found them Travelling to a few other locations, the Aes Sedai each time presenting him with sketches and descriptions of the plants and mushrooms she hoped to find. Taking advantage of the time saved by her weave, they were able to harvest from the forest of Andor, the fens and swamplands of Ebou Dar and other remote corners she had explored and found on previous trips. What surprised Beron was how often they met a village wisdom or wise woman on an afternoon hunt herself. With his keen eye and interest in what the Aes Sedai was teaching him, Beron soon found that Aruin Sedai would rest upon their arrival; sending him to gather the plants. He also learned how similar plants that healed could be to plants that killed; she would often burn a sprig if he had grabbed the wrong thing, showing him how to spot the differences. Eventually the afternoon sun was sinking into the mountains and Beron heaved a great basket onto a cart they had borrowed from the Wisdom.

“Thank you Beron, now we have been invited to the Wisdom’s house for supper. She has much to tell me but I will try not to keep you overly late,” Aruin smiled gently as she began walking through the field, Beron leading the cart mule along the trail.

“It’s not trouble Aruin Sedai, I spent long days in the fields before the Grey Tower and I am looking forward to a good meal,” Beron chatted easily with the Aes Sedai, soaking the knowledge she was willing to share, like the ground after a soft rain. Eventually they arrived at Loren’s Hollow, a small Andoran village nestled along a gently curving river; a few of the goodwives looking out there windows as the cart rattled along.

— - -

Beron walked out of the Wisdom’s cottage, glad to clear his head in the cool air. There was a hint of woodsmoke in the air, but mostly he smelt the flowers and drying herbs that surrounded the wooden shed. It was clear the Wisdom was well regarded here, thatch thick and in good repair, and he smiled when he saw a couple of the village lads keeping an eye on him over their tools. He had been surprised by the reaction at first, but was coming to realize that to peaceful villagers he appeared more Gaidin than less. Still he figured a little work would help his meat settle, and so he took to the woodpile with a vengeance. And if those village boys get the measure of a Grey Tower man, that’s good as well, thought Beron to himself with a smug grin.

Thunk! The last of the wood fell beneath his axe much later, and he looked up to see the Wisdom and Aes Sedai watching him from a bench. Merriment twinkling in her eyes, the Wisdom thanked Beron, “I won’t need to spend a copper on splitting wood for ages now. The boys might work a little harder, and the girls might actually go to bed if you cover those arms.” Beron laughed when he followed her gaze and saw three women, hair just in braids as they mooned over their fences. Grabbing his coat, he thanked the Wisdom and walked with the Aes Sedai out towards the field.

“Apologies if I held you up, I had just wanted to do something good after she fed us such a meal.”

“No apologies needed child. The work was there, it gave me time to check on an ear I’ve cultivated long ago. And the women will chuckle at the antics of the girls, and the Grey Tower will bloom a little kinder in their thoughts,” Aruin Sedai said just before weaving the gateway that took them home.