The Marigold

The earth opened up and I felt breath return to my body as I coughed up moist earth. How had I survived? Flashes of memories flitted at the corner of my mind but there was nothing solid.

Then it hit me through the sent of the fertile earth was the pungent sent of death. I turned to see the bodies surrounding me. My clan, the druids of the forest, all strewn across the field. Among the familiar elven bodies were strangers adorned in soldier’s uniforms, some mauled from large animalistic claws. There were animal corpses as well, strange how those creatures' deaths hit the hardest. Druids had a connection to animals. Often an animal would come to the aid of one who had an affinity for them. If they were lucky enough they could use the magic of nature to transform into an animal as well.

The soldiers were ready for us however. The face of their captain stared blankly ahead vines around his body pinning him to a tree. A thick vine around his neck had choked the life out of him. That was the other druid affinity and what I was better suited for. Trees, plants, and the earth responded to my magic.

I struggled to remember anything as the stench of death made my stomach queasy. Memories flashed through my head. I remembered the arrows that were flying at me, running for cover and finally being grabbed. This man’s face had sneered at me as his hand wandered a bit and he said something about what he’d do to me. My rage boiled as I struggled with everything I had. I thanked the gods when he had cried out letting go of me. I hadn’t looked back and now wondered if I had killed him. Amid all the chaos at the time I had only thought to escape. The rest of my memory remained blurry. I continued toward the creek nearby not bothering to release his body with my blade. I began to wonder if there were any other survivors as I walked cautiously. Why had Mother Gaia saved me and not the rest?

Bodies littered the ground for almost a mile out indicating the soldiers made sure to follow anyone trying to escape. With what I had learned last week perhaps my clan deserved this destruction. I had been the youngest and only child in quite a long time. Every one of the clan knew the truth.

I reached the cool clear waters and quickly fell to my knees. I cupped the cool water in my hands desperate to get the dryness out of my throat that the dirt had left behind. After I had gotten my fill I caught my reflection. A large slash ripped across my face mixing blood with the dirt on my bronze skin. I was numb to the pain but a flash of the memory was like lightning in my brain. I was running and a soldier had popped out from behind a tree and at the last second I dodged his blade enough to not lose my head.

Queasiness threatened to overtake me as I quickly splashed my face with water. It took a minute to realize that there should be a lot more blood. I had seen small cuts on the head bleed out a terrifying amount. It was already scabbed over, it must have been the Mother Goddess. I studied my reflection. My long dirt caked hair fell into my wet face along with a tangled twig. As I continued to study my reflection I noticed my robes were slashed and soaked in blood. I cursed myself getting so distracted by a scratch only to forget I was almost killed. After failing at decapitating me and before I could get away the soldier had struck again. This time his aim had been true as he sliced into my side. As I was falling the earth opened up and I was encased protectively.

Gingerly I removed my robes letting them fall to the earth and slowly stepped into the cool water. I was surprised to see the deeper cut in my side had stopped bleeding as well. For a moment I entertained the thought I’d been under the earth for some time. I dismissed it swiftly since animals hadn’t gotten to the bodies yet. It didn’t make sense that the Great Mother would have healed me, but I couldn’t think of another answer.

I choked as tears threatened to overwhelm me. I fixed my jaw taking a deep breath and lowered myself into the water to wash away the grime. The cool water soothed my bruised and sore body as well as calmed my troubled soul.

I knew I didn’t have a lot of time left. The human village might come to collect their dead. I wasn’t sure what they did to the dead other than deprive them of serving nature and returning the earth. What did I even know of humans? I’d never even seen a human village until last week.

My stomach turned again and I dropped beneath the surface of the water hoping the cold would help me keep it together. Nobody was without sin. The water couldn’t block the burning flames that threatened to consume me as I thought of the horror my clan had enacted that day.

For a moment I didn’t want to return to the surface to just end it all right here I had been blind for so long. My head broke the surface and I gasped in life giving air. Water fell down my face, perhaps mixing with some tears as I started to head out of the water. Massacre for massacre…

I returned to the shore and ignored my discarded robes for my bag and pulled out a simple earthy green dress that matched my eyes. I stepped back, wringing my wet hair and then tying it up so it stayed off my neck scolding myself for not doing so earlier. I went to my dress and put it on the neckline showing my collarbones. I had been only in the robes for a long time. I had believed my clan. Believed so much that I hated myself, for being half human. Absently I found my hand rubbing the tip of my slightly pointed ear that had reminded me I only half belonged in the clan, a half breed.

As I looked down at the golden flowers my mother had embroidered on this dress for me long ago. My mother had called me her little Marigold. I thought it was odd at the time. She would tell me about how marigolds keep animals and certain insects away from vegetation. They were good in gardens to protect the food. She told me some humans use that trick. Marigolds keep animals away from plants nearby and humans use it in their gardens for such reasons.

My mother had been the most temperate of the clan and had loved my father. I never met him. My mother had always been sad deep down. As I reflected on her words I realized what she had been trying to teach me.

There needed to be a balance; it wasn’t humans or nature. They needed to work in harmony together. Just as the wild marigold can protect the food of humans. Perhaps, I was to be that marigold.