Take a Little Trip - With Enchanteur

I was sitting in my big comfy chair in my room at Riversleigh, with a good book in my hands and a cup of tea beside me. I had an afghan spread over my knees and I was wonderfully comfortable.  Then I heard a sound. It wasn’t loud, but it was persistent. I turned my head and looked out the window, but there was nothing unusual there. I shrugged and went back to my book. I heard the sound again, this time a little louder. I looked around once more, perplexed. Where was that sound coming from? I got up and looked around the room, but I couldn’t see anything amiss. I returned to my book, but the mood was broken. I sighed and finished my tea. Then I put away my book and folded up the afghan. I went over to my computer and opened up a story I was working on. A problem I was having with it suddenly resolved itself, and I was writing intently when I heard the sound a third time, rather loudly this time. What on earth was that?I followed the sound to its source. It was that small tapestry I had found in the trunk in the attic a while back. As I got closer to it, I could hear what the sound was. It was a voice, and it was calling me. 

“She Wolf….She Wolf….Come and find me, She Wolf…..”  I figured out quickly that this was le Enchanteur calling me. Already? I had just gotten back to Riversleigh. I had heard that there was a wonderful new quest, though, and I had to admit I was intrigued. I took the tapestry down from the wall and looked at it carefully. The voice seemed to be coming from somewhere in the series of tiny islands in the swampy looking little lake.

I thought for a minute or two, but no longer. The decision was made. I opened my door carefully, but nothing strange happened. Apparently it wasn’t the portal this time. Going out into the hall, I found some of the Riversleigh residents; I asked if they would water my plants, because I might be away for a while…again. I just couldn’t resist following le Enchanteur’s call. This time I took my time packing. I did not leave out such essentials as a pocket knife and bedroll and tin mug for the campfire. I put in my matches in a water proof container, a little lightweight cooking set, some tea, and a little food- the cook was a help here, and found some good trail foods for me. I grabbed my journal and pens, my colored pencils, and my knitting- socks of course, because they are portable. I packed a few spare clothes and a big plastic poncho in case it rained - I did learn a few things last time around. I also took a canteen filled with fresh water. There. I thought that perhaps I might be ready now. I thought for a few more minutes and put in my wooden flute and then added a needle and thread and a set of nail clippers. I also added a candle stub and a piece of chalk. Why? I don’t know. It seemed prudent at the time. I have learned that le Enchanteur is full of surprises. Finally, I wedged in a plastic container of soap and other toiletries and a washcloth in a plastic bag. There. That should take care of all sorts of things, but undoubtedly not all things. I was as ready as I could be. I changed into decent hiking boots and clothing for traveling, adding a lightweight wind proof jacket as the top layer. It wasn’t as comforting to the heart as a wool cloak, but it was far more practical.

I picked up the tapestry, which was still calling me, and set out. I had no idea where this area was, but there was no time like the present to find out. I started off in the direction of some water gardens I remembered seeing. The water gardens were beautiful and well tended, so I went through them. The area became swampier and less well kept as I went. I came to a little wooden deck that had a pond on one side of it. It was getting wild here, with lily pads and frogs every where. I sat down to look at everything for a few minutes and think about what I wanted to do. The dragonflies caught my attention- they have always been favorites of mine- and water striders scooted about on the calm surface of the water. I could see little fish coming to up to the top of the water trying to eat the little insects there. It was very peaceful. I could hear birds singing, frogs croaking, the tapestry calling…the tapestry! I took it out again and looked at it. There was a little bug on it. I tried to brush it off, and realized it was part of the tapestry. I also realized that it was moving. I turned around, and so did it, so it was still crawling in the same direction. “Thanks, Enchanteur!” I called, and set off in the direction the bug indicated.

Things quickly got messy and boggy. I picked my way from tussock to tussock in the swampy mess. I made it to a dry section and wandered among the overgrown trees and bushes. There were still flowers here, too, growing wild. I paused under a willow tree to get my bearings. The little bug was still moving straight ahead, so I continued on. I went through a lot of overgrown gardens gone wild and wondered who had planted them. They must have been beautiful at one time.

I came to the edge of another pond and this one looked familiar. It seemed to be the one in the tapestry. There were several dozen small islands that must have been full of plantings at one point. The pond was like the path, and the islands were the flower beds. Now they were full of weeds and trees planted by the birds.  I looked at the tapestry again. The bug was showing me that I needed to go to one of the islands in the middle of the pond. How I was going to get there, well, that was another matter entirely.

As I watched the pond, I saw something moving through the algae. It was something large. I gulped, realizing that there was something reptilian in the pond. I backed up slightly, and as I backed up, I tripped over something and landed on my rump in the weeds. It was a boat! It was upside down in the weeds near the edge of the water, and looked to be in decent condition when I examined it. It took a while to get all the vines and weeds off of it, but I finally hacked it free. I should have packed a machete.

I grabbed a branch and put it under one side, using it as a lever to heave the boat right side up. I grunted, groaned and fought with it, and finally the thing turned over. Lots of small things with many legs scurried away as fast as they could. I was glad to let them go. The boat looked to be in even better condition than I had thought, and there were even some oars and oar locks that had been stored under the boat. Now, if I could get it into the water, I would be in business. After still more heaving and pushing and grunting, I managed to slide the boat down a small hill into the water. I held onto the bow while I waited to see if there were any huge leaks, but the boat remained as dry as a bone.

Carefully, I climbed in and fitted the oarlocks into place. Then I slid the oars into the oarlocks and started out. It had been years since I had rowed a boat, but it came back quickly. I checked my tapestry, and set a course in the direction the little bug indicated. It was fun to row through the water garden, and imagine what it must have been like.  There were shallow sections with stepping stones between the islands, and places with benches and tumble down gazebos. There were places where the flowers had taken over and other places where wild plants were growing. I thought that I would have to let Lady Sybil know about this wonderful place.

Insects were buzzing around, birds were dipping down into the water and calling in the trees and I thought I could see koi swimming in the shallow parts of the water. I never saw whatever had scared me earlier. I could keep exploring here all afternoon, but I could hear the Enchanteur calling again, and louder than before.

I homed in on the island the bug indicated and pulled up to its grassy side. It was one of the smaller islands, with a tumbledown tea house on it and old rose bushes growing here and there. I climbed out of the boat and pulled it onto the shore with me. Looking around, I didn’t see any obvious portals, but that didn’t mean anything. I climbed carefully onto the remains of the tea house. Suddenly I was falling down, down, down…

I landed on my feet by the side of a little trail that looked vaguely familiar. Then I realized that it wasn’t the trail that was familiar, it was the area. I was near Duwamish Bay once more. 

- She Wolf