“I want to go somewhere” she whined

“Aine said you need to stay here.” she crossed her arms at Aspen’s response and she crossed her arms.

So I’m a prisoner?”

“No. It's just-you need to keep a low profile.”

“Why?” 

“Do you want everyone in the world to know you are here?”

“Going on an outing for one day won't stir up that much trouble.”

“You could stir up trouble in five minutes while handcuffed and blindfolded.”

“And I have. But that's not the point, the point is you'll be there to keep me in line.”

“I’m keeping you in line by not letting you go”

“I love that you think you let me do the things I do. But we both know that whether or not you let me go, I’m going to go. With or without you. If you come there’s less of a chance I’ll get into trouble.”

“No there isn’t.”

“Yeah but pretending there is will get you to feel better about yourself when you come anyway.” she was grinning at him now and when he sighed she gave a chuckle, “You don’t have to look so put out about it. Now where will we be going?” She turned and he followed as they headed out of the training yard and into the hall that led to her rooms.

“You didn’t have a destination picked out?”

“Well I don’t know the place very well.”

“You haven’t heard any of the myths or stories about the magical woods or terrifying creatures.” he made a mocking scary face and she punched him in the side.

“Well of course I’ve heard the stories! But none of them are actually real.” Aspen just stared at her. 

“So the Faerie princess that currently resides in the home of the infamous witch queen doesn’t believe in fairytales?”

“The assassin that spent 10 years locked up, killing for a mad man, doesn't believe the world is made of unicorns and rainbows.” 

“Well you're right about that, but faerie tales are far from rainbows and unicorns.”

“Oh really? Then what are they?”

“Are you sure you heard the stories? Because you seem to have forgotten some key themes.”

“I did hear the stories, but maybe yours are different, what are these real live faerie tales you speak of.”

“What, other than you yourself, and the queen in the castle behind us?” She gave him a look, “Well other than that there are alot of cave dwelling sharp toothed beasties in the forest, and even more large scaled serpents swimming around beneath the mountains.” she perked up interested, “Buuuut since Aine won’t be happy if you come back in pieces,” she rolled her eyes and shoved him again, “I think the best place to take you would be Crann na n-eochracha.”

“What's that?”

“Let's call it a surprise.” They were at the door to her room now and she turned back to him, “We’ll head out in an hour, wear something casual but comfortable to walk or run in.”

“I don’t care how close it is, I'm not running there.”

“Don’t worry I’m being nice, we’ll take horses, just be in the front hall in an hour ready to go.”

“Fine.” she sighs, “How do you manage to make get away trips boring?”

“Just be ready in an hour.”

“Whatever.” she closed the door behind her

 

An hour later she entered the entrance hall, curious but cautious. In truth she had heard many of the stories of the terrifying beasts and monsters that lurked in the forests of Aine’s land. But she wasn't about to admit any sort of fear to Aspen. She was dressed in a s[pring green tunic embroidered with flowers, that was roomy enough to run in. She had also used the hour to find and don a pair of pants that she normally wore with her fighting leathers but that would do for this outing-whatever it was. When she entered the hall, still tying her hair up with a piece of leather that didn’t seem to want to cooperate, she found Aspen dressed in slightly more casual attire than normal- If it could be called casual, he still looked like he was prepared for an attack at any moment but now it didn’t seem to be the first thing on his mind. He turned to her and gave an irritated sigh though she saw the slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, 

“I told you to wear shoes you can run in.” she looked down at her shoes, she was wearing leather boots with tow metal buckles and a heel the size of her thumb nail,

“I can run in these!” he gave her a skeptical look, 

“Yeah and snap your neck.”

“Any woman worth her salt in Nocturn can run in heels.”

“But why would you wear them in the first place?”

“Because we can, and it just shows that even with a harder life we can still get more shit done than most of the men.”

“One I still don’t understand why you would take the risk and two-

“Here we go with the lists again-

“If you don’t like my lists than don’t make me use them-”

“I don’t make you do anything.”

“Yes you just manipulate the situation to get what you want,” his sarcasm was evident ashe added, “Such a big difference.” she just rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t force you to do anything, I talked you into it, I convinced you to make that choice there was no force involved. That's how I got you to take me- remind me again where it is we’re going?”

“I haven’t told you yet.” his postured eased

“Well then unless your going to blind fold me or something you might as well just tell me now.”

“You know what?” he gave her a self satisfied grin, “I don’t think I will.”

 

They rode on horseback, Aspen riding a large brown stallion and Anatia taking a speckled white mare. It took them about 2 or 3 hours but when Aspen started to slow they were nearing a small village.

“If your grand adventure is visiting a old village the I’ll have to tell you now that we have plenty of these in Glacinar.”

“One, It isn’t a grand adventure and two-”

“I thought I told you to stop with the lists!” he just continued on.

“Two, we aren’t here to see the village, and three, I thought you didn’t force me to do things?”

“I never said I forced you to stop making lists. I said that I told you to stop, I was simply hoping you would honor my request.”

“So eloquent.”

“If we’re not here to see the village then what are we here to see?”

“It's a surprise.”

“Whatever you brute.'' They tied their horses to a tree on the outskirts of the village and walked into the town. They stood out like sore thumbs, Aspen with his large hulking figure and Anatia with her fine tunic and boots but they passed quickly through the town and were soon ensconced in the neighboring wood. After walking for about a half an hour she asked, “Are you sure you know where you're going?”

“Yes I am.” After a few more minutes they came to a large wall of rock, like the side of a mountain of boulders. He looked around, feeling with his hands for a moment before he said, “Ahh here it is,” and he started pushing one of the boulders out of the way. She moved to stop him, 

“What are you thinking you’ll cause an avalanche!” but even as she said it the stone moved aside easily revealing a small cave passage. “I thought you said no caves with long legged beasties?”

“Just come on.” he grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside moving the boulder back in place behind them. It was completely dark for a moment and it took her eyes a second to adjust but then she saw a faint light in the distance and they were walking towards it. She hesitated for a moment when they stood right before what looked like a veil of moss and vines,

“What is this place?” Aspen pushed aside the flora,

“This Anatia Nalcothy, is the Coeden O Allweddi.” Even as part of her marveled at the sound of the words in the old language she was captivated by the site before her.

It was a Cavern, a grove, an underground pool or pond with little rocks dotting the surface and a willow tree that seemed to sprout from the rocks themselves. Vines of glowing lilies climbed the walls, the light bounced around the grove in a cool blue light, playing off the water and mossy islands of rock like moonlight. The rocks were small boulders but they served seemingly as little islands for the frogs and ducks and other small creatures. They boosted carpets of thick moss and red speckled mushrooms that contrasted their dark wet gleem. The water beneath, roots swimming through it, was clear as crystal with a blue tint, and she could see that after two feet or so the water gave way to a floor of dark pebbles. The cavern, the cave, whatever it was, it was silent save for the murmur of the small streams that ran from small cracks in the rock, babbling over small pebbles and rocks in their paths.  The roots of the tree stretched out across the pool, thick and ancient, rising up above the surface before dipping back down again. The tree was ancient and old, its long lanky branches reaching down, with a few slim leaves scattered across the branches. But the branches, the branches hung from the weight of keys, sparkling and dull, ancient and new, iron and gold, large and small. The keys seemed to all be tied to the end of the branches. 

“What is this place?” she repeated but this time all caution had faded to wonderment and awe. The view before her was indeed a vision from a faerie tale and she could see little twinkling things darting through the air. Small creatures the size of her palm swimming in the water with gleaming tails, and wide eyed sprites peering at her from behind mushrooms and large tree roots. Thin and light and ranging in color from rock grey to leaf green and pool blue. But they were all silent, all of them focused on her and Aspen. 

“This is the Coeden O Allweddi, the tree of keys.” he said, watching her expression with calm amusement on his face.

“But what is it?”

“When people have secrets, have places or things they don’t want anyone else to see or hear, they lock them up and bring the key here,” he motioned to the keys on the tree, “they tie the key to a branch on the tree and whisper their secret into the groove, if the tree finds the secret worth protecting than the branch binds to the key.”

“What makes a secret worthy?”

“No one knows really, since none of the people that get their secret protected are very keen on sharing what it is no one has ever really found any sort of common thread.”

“But why doesn’t anyone just cut off a limb and use the key?

“The branches can’t be cut, so when a key is bound to the tree…”

“The secret stays secret forever.” she tilted her head looking closer at the tree

“Yes.” 

“But what if the person tells someone? Does the tree know? What if someone else already knows the secret?” 

“I don’t really know. And I suspect no one ever will.” They were quiet then, listening to the whispering of the water streaming down into the pool. Ana walked over to the edge of the rock, where it gave way to the pool, she hopped on to the nearest rock and she heard Aspen give a sigh of frustration, muttering “Of course she has to..” She couldn’t make out the rest as she hoped from rock to rock, the little faerie creatures scurrying away. She jumped to a bigger rock that a large tree root seemed to have carved its way through. She stretched her arms out balancing carefully as she walked along the thick but bumpy root until it reached another rock closer to the base of the tree. She placed her hand on the bark of the tree feeling the grooves worn into it by time. 

She looked up then and saw the light of the lilies lighting up the keys hanging from the branches, making them look like stars against the cavern ceiling. One of the keys flashed bright for a moment and she could have sworn she heard something- someone- calling to her. The voice sounded like the babbling of a stream but the words were clear, yet so distant. She had to get closer.