Sometimes you have stories that start with ‘Once upon a time’ and end with ‘They lived happily ever after’
This, is not one of those stories.
We start our tale, at the edge of a river, while the youngest Princess of the White Wood Tribe, Aponi, sat just gazing at the water as it trickled over the rocks.
As it was, Aponi was quite good hearted and loved by all, but never was one to talk much. Which, in return, made her to be considered odd by the other tribe members.
But that seemed to not bother her much. Not until today.
Today, was the day that a neighboring tribe, Shadow Lake, was sending their strongest warriors to White Wood to claim their brides.
Of course, Aponi had to be in the line with her sisters to be chosen because she was finally at the age to be made a mate, even though it didn't matter to her one way or another.
Matter of fact, she had only ever thought she would live quietly and alone for the rest of her days, but her father had other ideas.
So, she made herself leave her sanctuary by the water to run as quickly as her small feet would carry her back to her village just as her father was gathering her sisters to be judged or chosen.
As she stood staring at the ground, she thoroughly expected all of her sisters to be chosen first, seeing that there were only a few warriors and only if one felt pity, would he choose her.
But, to her surprise, she didn't just stare at the ground. No. She stared at the ground as well as a pair of moccasins, made from the finest deer skins.
“Look at me, woman.”
The rough voice commanded and she slowly looked up to behold the most handsome of all the warriors.
His golden eyes blinked as he produced a smile, making Aponi’s stomach flip.
“I am Nebi. Son of Chief Dasan.”
He said with a slight nod of his head and Aponi felt her father, the Chief of her tribe, hover behind her.
“This is Aponi. My youngest daughter. Are you sure you do not prefer one of her sisters?”
Nebi held Aponi’s gaze and shook his head without ever looking at her father.
“No. I desire Aponi.”
This created disappointed groans amongst her sisters, but she felt a sense of pride from her mother and father as they asked of the trade for her, for a section of treed, fertile land, with two bulls, and six goats, then the remainder of the Shadow Lake warriors gave forth three sections of land for three of her sisters.
It was a proud day for most.
So, Aponi left her family to walk through the woods to live at the edge of the Lake with her husband.
Life was happy for many months for Aponi and Nebi.
Happy but bittersweet.
You see, Aponi had not been able to give Nebi a child.
It was not for the lack of trying.
But Nebi was never cross about it.
He cared for his little Aponi. And she for him.
But Aponi knew that her husband would not tolerate her much longer if she could not give him a family.
So, she took out in the dark, to the Witch Doctor that lived deep inside the cave in between White Wood and Shadow Lake.
No one would go to the Witch Doctor unless there was no other means. And Aponi had felt that this was the last chance she would have to please her husband.
As she snuck off at dusk, she quietly made her way to the opening of the cave.
“Witch Doctor”
She called out.
“I beg of you. Help me give my husband a child.”
Nothing. No answer.
So, Aponi cleared her throat and called out again.
“Witch Doctor, please. I beg of you. Help me give my husband a child. I will pay any price.”
*Click...thump. Click...thump. Click...thump.*
She heard the echoing shuffles of someone coming and she readied the small staff she had brought for such protection.
But as the shadow that emerged turned into an elderly woman, she slowly lowered the staff as the failing light hit her wrinkled face.
“That stick will do you no good, little Aponi. Come. Sit with me.”
The old woman beckoned Aponi to follow her inside.
“Tell me what you have, that I would want. What would you pay for such a request?”
Aponi followed the woman in, with very little hesitation, because that was why she was there in the first place.
“I…”
Aponi started to speak, but the old woman held up a withered hand for her to stop, then gestured to the tree stump that sat at the wall of the cave.
“Sit. Then speak.”
Aponi slowly lowered herself and stared at the woman as she echoed the *click, thump, click, thump* when she moved to sit across from her.
“What is your price, Witch Doctor?”
Aponi’s voice wavered, but her words were all she had, and the glint in the old woman's eyes told her getting to the point was the best thing.
“What are you willing to part with?”
Aponi sighed and tightened her grip around her staff.
“Anything. I must give my husband a child.”
The witch doctor stared her down with cold milky eyes, then a slow smirk hit the corner of her crusted mouth and she stood, turned at the waist and grabbed a clay pot, then with lightning speed she took Aponi’s wrist and cut a gash in her palm and dumped wood shavings amidst the blood.
“In less than twelve full moons you will give your husband an heir. Then you come back to me for your payment.”
Aponi blinked and attempted to retrieve her hand, but the crone held tight.
“If you don't, I will seek you out for my payment.”
Yanking her hand back, Aponi nodded, then tore at her skirt to clean up the blood and tree shavings.
“Twelve moons.”
She whispered and stood.
“Yes, child. Twelve moons and then you come to me. If not…”
“I know, witch doctor.” Aponi cut her off. “You will seek me out.”
She backed up, staring at the old woman, then without hesitation she took off running out the cave.
Back to her husband, and to her life.
Weeks passed and just as the witch doctor said, Aponi was finally with child.
Nothing could take away their happiness.
Then, less than ten months later, Aponi gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
She and Nebi named him Rowtag. To show the world that their son would always have fire at his heels.
Life was exactly what Aponi wanted.
A handsome, powerful husband by her side and and healthy child at her hip.
Her wish and wager with the witch doctor, all but forgotten.
One full moon later, just days after the one year anniversary of her trip to the cave deep in the woods, a fierce storm plagued Shadow Lake.
This storm went on for days, causing floods from their lake and their crops to wither.
This made the food scarce as the crops died right before their eyes.
Aponi’s heart wrenched as she watched her tribe starve.
The pain that they endured after days without food.
“What would have caused such a curse?”
One villager cried.
“What could we have done so wrong that we are being punished?!”
Another bellowed.
But Aponi could do nothing but cry along side her neighbors.
That, was when she remembered her deal with the witch doctor.
“Oh no. It is my fault.”
She whispered, then looked down into the beautiful brown eyes of her son.
It was for him that she cursed the village. It was to bring him into this world that she sentenced everyone else to die.
She could not do that.
She needed to make things the way that they were.
So she went to her husband and told him of what she had done.
Knowing that it was the wrath of the witch doctor that plagued their village.
Nebi could not let his tribe suffer for his wife's mistake, so, being the generous leader that he was, he sent his tribe to seek refuge with the White Wood tribe.
But, he did not send his wife with the other villagers. Only their child.
Nebi commanded Aponi to take herself deep inside the warmth of the heaviest of the tribe's teepees.
As angry as he was, he could not outright kill her for the mistake she made because he did love her. But, he knew she needed to realize her error of making a deal with the witch doctor.
No matter if it was for something as good as his son.
So, she did as she was told.
And he left her there as the rains continued, flooding the entire village and slowly creeping up to her tent.
“Nebi!”
Aponi cried out, to no answer.
“Nebi! Husband!”
She yelled again, and received nothing but the wind whistling through the opening of the tent.
“Husband.”
She sobbed, then slowly poked her head through the opening to watch as the waters overtook her neighbors tents.
She was going to drown if she didn't leave the tent.
But obedience gave her pause.
What if she left and Nebi came back to look for her?
He could just as easily be swept away in the current.
But what if he expected her to escape and was waiting for her at her birth village?
She knew he was punishing her for her mistake. And she knew the error in her ways.
Maybe it was time for her to go back to the cave and kill the witch doctor?
That would surely remove the curse she had plagued on her village.
And she could go back to her husband and son, and the world would be right again.
So, Aponi trudged through the water to the shallow edge and up into the trees.
That was where she ran.
She ran for the village.
Ran for her husband.
Ran for her son.
She ran and ran.
But found no cave.
She only found more trees.
More trees that grew thicker and darker as she ran.
“Witch Doctor!”
She cried to the thick and stopped to turn when she heard the Witch Doctor’s feeble scratchy cackle.
“I told you twelve moons.”
The crone hissed to Aponi from all sides.
“What is your payment? My husband and I…”
“Your HUSBAND?!?!”
She cackled again even louder, the sound encircling Aponi.
“No, the payment I seek is you, now. Nothing your husband could give me would be enough payment. I need YOU. Your suffering. Your...pain…”
Aponi spun around, heart pounding trying to find the source of the voice but she found nothing but trees.
“You...sacrificed...us.”
Nebi said and she spun again just as his face turn to smoke.
“No, husband. I would...never...”
She cried as a branch grabbed her arm and pierced through her skin.
The cackle of the witch doctor rose in pitch as more and more branches overtook Aponi's weakening body.
“I gave you a life. Now yours is for the trees.” She said as Aponi screamed until her throat was full of bark and nothing but the wind could be heard.
_______________________
As the sun came up and glittered across the receding waters, a lone tree stood at the bank of the lake.
A new tree. But with massive branches.
Looming over the waters as if protecting it.
Forever.
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