The
Tree of Love
by Pan
Chapter 1:
Samael was struggling with the new responsibilities that had been thrust upon him. Hamish the sorcerer, ten thousand years old and respected by all, had decided it was time to give his student a taste of leadership, and so Samual was head of the leading party. He'd been allowed to choose his men, but he was starting to wonder if he'd been altogether selfless in his selection.
Truly, if he was being honest with himself, any man choosing a team would be a fool to not choose Hamish or his muse, Tegarus, two of the most powerful sorcerers that the world had ever known. But Samael knew that if he'd selected either of them, they would automatically have stepped into the leadership role, a new role that was new to Samael, a newness that he was keen to taste.
Similarly, Jesse was a natural choice for a new leader. The weasel-faced man, silver-tongued and sharp-witted was adept at finding flaws in any plan. But it was exactly this trait that had caused Samael to leave Jesse with the sorcerers - he wanted to lead, him, not simply be Jesse's puppet. At least, that's what he told himself - in truth, he wasn't confident enough to hear any criticism, and so he had surrounded himself with friends - perhaps not the strongest possible team, but certainly the most supportive.
At his right hand was Paddon. Samael enjoyed having him by his side, knowing that if trouble struck, Paddon's loyalty and bravery would serve the party well. What's more, the young man's immaturity and flightiness had ensured that he had never been placed in a position of authority, and he would be unable (and unlikely) to assess and critique Samael's own leadership skills.
Samael, leading the pack, held up his hand, and everyone stopped. Ahead on the path was a tree, the like of which Samael had never before encountered - not unusual in itself; less than a year ago, his life had been turned upside-down as he discovered that Tegarus was a sorceror, the thieving storyteller who visited the farm was the legendary Hamish, and he himself was no ordinary farmboy, but a vital part in fulfilling a prophecy that would change the world forever.
Before then, he'd never left Sendaria - he'd barely left the farm farm. In the last few months, he'd seen many varied lands, from the swamps of Tarandia to the Enchanted Woods, but the sighting of a tree he'd never seen before wouldn't cause him to look twice, let alone stop the party.
But there was something unusual about this tree...it was surrounded by-
"And why, pray tell, have we stopped?"
Samael's thoughts were interrupted by Princess Cherry's haughty tones. Samael was struggling with the responsibilities of leadership, struggling with the new discoveries thrust upon him each and every day, the knowledge that he was a vital part of prophecies that countless individuals had been working towards for thousands of years...but Samael was struggling with nothing more than he was struggling with Princess Cherry.
By the same logic he'd decided to avoid keeping Jesse in his party, he should certainly have put the Princess with the more advanced of his party, but he somehow couldn't bring himself to do it. It wasn't, Samael was quick to remind himself, that he enjoyed her company or anything of the sort - no, he found that she wavered between openly intolerable, and at best simply obnoxious and insubordinate.
But irritating though her presence was, he found that somehow she was even more of a distraction when she wasn't present. His thoughts would constantly wander, wonder about her whereabouts, and rather than question that train of thought too deeply, it had been easier to simply ask her to accompany him.
Samael turned to look at her. She was eighteen - almost a woman now, he realised, before again forcing himself to stop thinking such things. He avoided admiring her flowing red locks, her glowing, almost golden skin, and the swell of her young breasts. He refused to admit that the green dress that she wore contrasted beautifully with her skin, that her hair framed her face perfectly, and that the cleavage she showed was subtle enough to not appear deliberate, yet visible enough to fill Samael's head with thoughts of...
Of course, he wasn't thinking of any of that.
"That tree," he simply replied, not trusting his tongue to impart any more information than that.
Sir Shane followed his gesture, and looked at the tree that had caught Samael's interest. The King's most loyal knight, Sir Shane was a huge, imposing figure of a man. Upon first glance, one could not be blamed for thinking that Sir Shane was nothing but a warrior, a thug of a man who enjoyed his well-polished armor, and running foes through with his sword.
Upon hearing Sir Shane speak, one might then adjust their opinion to think that he was nothing but bluster and cockiness - but before a third thought could even form, one would most likely have been on the receiving end of the hug man's lance. Only those who got to know the large man realised that it wasn't bluster - he was true to his word. If Sir Shane claimed that he was going to run you in two, your only options were running or fighting - there was no bluff to call.
"Prithee," Sir Shane began. "My eyes hath never before seen such a tree, though mine parent-folk did talk about such things in story."
"I've heard these stories too." Samael was surprised to hear Sessar join in the conversation; the tall, hawk-faced man rarely spoke, preferring the company of the horses they rode on. Sessar was a large black man - with his head shaved bald, his dark leather clothing, and his black scalp lock, he was an imposing figures It wasn't until you got to know the man that you realised what a gentle soul he was, sharp-witted and generous, with a genuine love for the non-human beasts that he was able to communicate with.
