Kale the dryad chronicle.., p.1
Kale: The Dryad Chronicles, page 1
CHAPTER 1
Kale
“Hi Kale!” Emma said as she struggled to dig a turnip out of the dirt.
“Hi Emma,” Kale said as he kneeled on the dirt to help her. Kale struggled for a bit and finally got it free.
“Thank you Kale,” Emma said. “You were right again.”
“Right about what?” Kale teased.
“Right about where I should look for food,” Emma said. “My Da is sad that he barely has enough money to feed us. We were going hungry some nights until I met you. It is like you have a sense for these things.”
“Thank you, I guess,” Kale replied.
“We have been making it,” Emma said. “All thanks to you. I even get to share my food sometimes with the other kids. This big turnip is going to make everyone happy.”
“Look over there!” Kale pointed. “Are those four cabbages?”
“They are cabbages!” Emma screamed as she got up. “Why are they growing here? It doesn't matter. Do you want to split them?”
“You can take them all,” Kale said.
“Are you sure Kale?” Emma asked. “I never see you eat and I haven't met your mother. Maybe your family needs some.”
“I don't have a Ma,” Kale said. “Well I have one, but she is never around.”
“Never around?!?” Emma said puzzled. “My Da would take you in. He is the most nicest man in the Kingdom. Some of the food I forage, he gives it away to people who do not have any.”
“He sounds nice,” Kale replied. “But I am okay. I live out here. That is how I know where the best stuff is to eat.”
“It shouldn't really be growing out here,” Emma said. “My Da told me that the soil is all wrong and there isn't any water. Cabbages and turnips need water to grow, there is none here though.”
“Well the ground looks wet,” Kale said.
“It is odd,” Emma said. “I tried to show my Da where we found another muddy patch but it was almost gone. I don't know where the water comes from. How are you always wet when I see you?”
“I, um, sweat a lot,” Kale replied. “And I dunk a bucket on my head to wash off.”
“Can you help me carry them home?” Emma asked.
“Um, sure,” Kale replied.
“Thank you Kale,” Emma replied. “My Da is still working in the fields. After I get done bringing these home I am going to see if I can help him out while my Ma cooks. She is going to be so happy I brought home food. We don't even need any meat. We have pepper to season things up with.”
“So what are you thinking about?” Kale asked as he walked along with Emma.
“I think I am lucky for having met a friend like you,” Emma said as she struggled carrying two cabbages and the big turnip. “This turnip has to at least be a stone. I have never seen something so big.”
“You want me to carry the other cabbages?” Kale asked.
“Would you please?” Emma asked. “Kale I just wish everyone could eat like I am going to tonight. I know a lot of my friends starve like I used to. Food is hard to come by. We get grains for bread sometimes or maybe if someone traveled a few days and went fishing. But the meat is jerky when they get back, if they catch anything. Not everyone has a friend like you who scouts for me and tells me where they think food may be.”
“Well you can feed them a little with this,” Kale said as he took the two cabbages.
“When I grow up, I don't want to be selfish,” Emma said. “I am going to do something great and make sure I share it for free. Maybe I will become a healer. I will be the bestest healer that ever healed anything.”
“I know you will,” Kale replied.
“How is your sister?” Kale asked.
“She is still Mary,” Emma replied. “She is going to be happy to see me. She cries about food all of the time and it makes my Ma and Da sad.”
“Why doesn't she ever come out to help you look?” Kale asked.
“Mary couldn't be bothered with that,” Emma said. “She hates being dirty or walking anywhere. I just feel bad that it is always my Da who does all the work. My Ma keeps the house clean and makes whatever food she can. She just hasn't been able to forage properly since she fell off that tree while climbing for fruit. Her ankle and leg hurt real bad so she can't stay on it for long. So my Da goes out in the hot sun and gets whatever work he can. That's why I go help him.”
“So you forage while your sister stays home and you help your Da?” Kale asked.
“Yep,” Emma replied. “Don't judge my sister too harshly, she is just Mary.”
“I won’t,” Kale replied as they cleared the heavy brush.
“You see those men way over there?” Emma said and gestured with her head.
“What are they carrying?” Kale asked.
“Water,” Emma replied. “My Da is over there I think. Some days they run back and forth to carry water to the richer people. It is tough to get there to the well and back. If we had a bunch of water, we could just grow most of our own food instead of doing it for others. My Da says water is the lifeline.”
“Oh,” Kale said. “Is that your home?”
“There it is,” Emma replied. “It is only one room but we all fit. I just wish today wasn't water day. It hurts my back and my Da is dead tired when he gets home. My Da says that we are lucky that he can do that job. Most of the rich people a day’s walk away use something called goatmen.”
“Goat men?” Kale asked.
“Da says there are men who look like goats,” Emma said. “They do all of the hard work for free. If there were goat men here, then who knows how my Da would get us food. Run Kale!”
“Run?” Kale asked.
“Run!” Emma said as she started moving faster. “Those big boys will take this from us and they won’t share!”
Kale started running behind Emma. It took him a bit before he could see that there were two big boys running flat out to beat them to Emma’s house. Emma just made it in the door and Kale tossed the cabbages inside just as he was tackled. Emma’s mother Miriam came out as one boy belted Kale hard in the stomach. They were bigger than Kale was, he and Emma were only nine and they were at least fourteen. Miriam started screaming as one of the boys got up and just glared at Kale.
“I’ll get you,” said the boy who tackled Kale and punched him.
“And my Da will get you!” Emma screamed back.
“Are you okay?” Miriam said as she looked down at Kale. “Why are you covered in water?”
“I took a bath,” Kale replied.
“You better leave those boys alone,” Miriam said.
“All he was doing is helping me carry home all of our food,” Emma said. “I hope you are okay Kale. Don't be too mad at them, they are just hungry like everyone else.”
“That punch really hurt,” Kale said as he held his stomach and got to his feet.
“You found more food,” Miriam said and gave her daughter a squeeze. “I guess you will be wanting something to eat Kale?”
“No,” Kale replied.
“Kale helped me find it,” Emma replied. “He just knows where things grow out there in the brush. It is hard and nasty to get there but it is worth it.”
“I wish I could forage like you are Emma,” Miriam replied. “You make me and your Da so proud.”
“I couldn't do it without Kale,” Emma said.
“Thank you young man,” Miriam said. “You are a good boy for seeing after my Emma.”
“You’re welcome,” Kale replied. “I should be getting back.”
“You don't want to wait while I cook?” Miriam asked.
“That’s okay Ma’am,” Kale replied. “I know you could use the food.”
“Well you look like you could use it as well,” Miriam replied. “You are practically in rags and we are going to give some away anyway.”
“Giving what away?” said a shrill voice. “Where did all this come from?”
“Kale found it for us,” Emma said. “We just brought it in.”
“Of course you found it,” Emma’s sister Mary said as she looked over Kale. “Why are you wet?”
“Leave my friend alone Mary,” Emma said. “Kale is the reason we have been eating good these last two weeks. I am happy I found him.”
“Well I better get going,” Kale said.
“You hurry and get home,” Miriam said. “I don't know if those boys will come back. They were mad they weren't able to rob you.”
“I know,” Kale said as he gave a smile. “See you miss Miriam, see you Emma, goodbye Mary.”
“Whatever,” Mary said as she walked back into the house.
Kale walked back to the thick brush. It ripped and tore his skin going through the brambles but he was still small enough to do so. Kale walked for about half an hour before he started looking after his other vegetables. He had planted them a while back and his vegetables always grew up nice and strong. The soil was okay for growing once all of the weeds were gone, all it needed was a bit of water.
Water was something Kale knew. Kale was a dryad, one of the few male dryads around. It was safer for Kale to say that he was part dryad. Kale’s mother had been a full dryad and she was easily distinguished from a human. Dryads were human looking, but anyone could tell they were not human at first glance. Kale’s mother looked like a living water statue and her skin felt liquid and solid at the same time. Like a gelatinous version of a human waterskin. Kale’s father had been the child of a water dryad and a human. Kale thought he was 3/4th water dryad
Kale could not hide one aspect of his appearance. Kale always looked wet and soaked whatever he was wearing to the core. Kale was happy he got a little of his mother’s power. He could produce his own water and the other dryads said it was the best water they had ever tasted. Kale could of course run out of this ability, what was helping him was that he could filter water out of almost anything liquid. Kale had tried it on a variety of liquids, he was able to get the water out of blood, urine, river water, mud, fruit and anything else that felt wet. Blood and urine were disgusting, it took Kale a longer time and his body really had to work at it. Once Kale was done, the extra he soaked up would be excreted through his skin and only the pure water would remain. Kale didn't need any extra right now though.
Kale had traveled to the river and took a dunk. He didn't have to breathe so he could have stayed there forever if it were not for the merfolk. They hated him and Kale knew they could hurt him. He was amazed to see them in freshwater but they were there and Kale knew from the others to leave the water people alone. Only female dryads were unafraid of them. All female dryads were full blooded, there had never been a half female dryad and that was including the wood dryads. Female water dryads could turn into pure water so there was nothing merfolk could do. Kale found his carrot patch. He was going to take a few of them and replant it somewhere Emma could find. Before that he planned on watering it.
“Where have you been?” asked Silenus. “It is bad enough they let you stay here. You need to leave here human.”
“I am not a human and you know it,” Kale replied as he looked at the goat man.
“Watch who you are raising your voice at,” Silenus said as he kicked Kale hard in the ribs, sending him rolling on the ground. “You are a human, you look like a human. The dryads fall for your little act but not me.”
“Why do you hate him so much?” came a feminine voice. Kale knew it was Tithy and she most likely had her daughter Eury with her.
“Because he is a stupid human!” Silenus snapped. “Ask him where he was today?”
“We all know he was with that human girl,” Tithy said. “Those poor things are starving and he has a good heart.”
“That doesn't give you the reason to hit anyone,” Eury said angrily. “And I would rather have him over here than you.”
“This stupid human has turned you against me,” Silenus said. “Humans only know pain and violence. They call us Menials and will have us all toiling away at some field somewhere. They hate our kind since the Gods used to walk the earth.”
“And that is not his problem,” Tithy said. “My son is half human.”
“And where is he?” Silenus asked. “He is out there pretending to be human and leaving this whole world behind.”
“He is not beholden to any tree,” Tithy said. “He should go out. Maybe he can meet other groves and tell us about them. We can trade seeds and grow our people. Besides, before Kale came it was hard to find water, we had to dig deep for it or travel there ourselves. The distance is so great that we all felt sick from being too far away and would need a day to recover after we returned. With Kale around, all of our trees stay well watered and fresh. It is the least we could do to help him feed his little friend.”
“I don't trust humans,” Silenus said. “My Da was taken and beaten in front of me by a human. Now Eury, why don't we go somewhere and get to know each other better? Maybe we can get a seed to grow or have babies the way my people do.”
“Stop trying to sweet talk me,” Eury said. “I saw what you just did to Kale.”
“Forget about your little human,” Silenus said. “If it makes you feel any better, I will leave him alone.”
Kale finally sat up as the others were leaving. Silenus never liked him and neither did the two other goat men who lived there. They hated humans and Kale thought they had a good reason to. Each of them had seen violence that Kale was only warned about. Kale waited for them to leave and started watering his carrots. He paused as he heard a strange sound, the sound of a sneeze. Kale had never sneezed and neither did any of the dryads. The goatmen sneezed but this one sounded too light, too feminine. Kale scanned the thick underbrush and locked eyes with Emma.
CHAPTER 2
EMMA
“What are you doing here Emma!” Kale said in a low worried tone as he started leading her away.
“Stop pulling me!” Emma said and yanked her arm free.
“You have to leave here Emma,” Kale said as he looked back worriedly.
“That was a goat man,” Emma said.
“I know now let’s go,” Kale said as he grabbed Emma’s arm and tried leading her away.
“I SAID LET ME GO!” Emma screamed.
“Emma if he comes back, he will kill you,” Kale said.
“I am not going anywhere unless you tell me what is going on right now!” Emma said.
“Emma I am trying to save you and you are being a horrible friend,” Kale said.
“I am not being a horrible friend,” Emma said as she started to calm down. “I want to know why you were talking to the goat man. Does he want my father’s jobs?”
“Emma I will answer whatever you want, we need to move,” Kale said.
“I SAID I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE!” Emma screamed.
“He is coming!” Kale said as he grabbed Emma and tossed her on the ground. “You make another sound and he will kill you. I will not be able to stop him and your father would cry long and hard wondering what happened to you. If you want to scream then do it loudly so your father can be in tears.”
“What was that?” Silenus said as he ran out fifty paces in front of Kale while holding a club.
“I heard a human,” said Marsyas, another goat man.
“Probably just the one they let stay here,” Silenus said. “Come on, maybe we can talk the dryads into having a little fun.”
“Don't you ever do that again if you love your life,” Kale said as he let out a deep breath.
“You are going to tell me what is going on right now,” Emma said in a lower tone. “Why are you with goatmen?”
“I live with them, sort of,” Kale said. “You cannot tell anyone Emma, swear to me.”
“Why would I swear?” Emma asked.
“Because I am your friend and I am asking you to,” Kale replied. “I have never done anything but help you.”
“Who were those women with the leaves in their hair?” Emma asked.
“Not important,” Kale said. “Promise me that you will never tell anyone about this place.”
“There is food right there Kale,” Emma said. “It is a lot of it. Why are you hiding it all for yourself? It could help out so many people back home.”
“Leave it be Emma,” Kale said. “Now promise me that you will not tell anyone about this place.”
“Kale we need to get that food to the people who need it,” Emma said. “My father could come over here and help carry it out. This could feed a lot of people.”
“Leave the food where it is Emma,” Kale said. “I can bring you a little at a time. Now promise me that you will not say anything.”
“Why do you keep asking me that?” Emma said annoyed. “People are starving to death Kale and you are here with goatmen. They could use that food.”
“And I said I would bring it,” Kale said. “Now promise me Emma.”
“Kale my father could bring all of this out of this nasty forest and many people could eat,” Emma said. “He could even find you a place to stay that isn't with the goatmen or the strange women with the leaves in their hair.”
“Emma I am not a human,” Kale said and bit his lip. “I am a dryad. I don't want your father to know where I live at, now promise me that you will not say anything.”
“My father is a good man,” Emma said. “This food could really help us a lot. How did you make water? I saw you do it.”
“Because I am not human Emma, now promise me!” Kale said desperately. “If humans knew where we were, they would come and hurt us. I think you are a good person Emma, please don't hurt my people.”
“My father will not hurt anyone,” Emma said. “You just have all of this food and no one is eating it. We really need it.”
“Emma I don't want your father to know where I am at,” Kale said. “I am begging you to keep this a secret. I have only ever been a friend to you.”
