Past Life Regressions are fascinating and can often turn up nuggets of wisdom. Sometimes they lead to healing. Sometimes they lead to sharing that method of healing. That is the case with Sophie's Heart.
An apple tree is a wonderful magical place to hide, to tell stories, to flee what adults want you to do. A seven year old can disappear into it’s branches easily. Sophie had left her new tabard near the wall of the orchard buried under some branches. She was a bit chill in only her shift and she sometimes could feel the spring bees’ wings against her arms and legs. The blossoms smelled so delicious and sweet. The humming of the bees lulled her to slumber. Her dreams were far away from the wedding in the Great Hall. Imagine your groom being an Ax held by an smelly, ancient man. Well, at only seven Sophie knew it would be years and years before her real groom, the Lord of a coastal manor, would come to collect her. Meanwhile she was able to flee the celebration after a ceremonial drink of wine and a light plate of food.
Her skin was goose bumped when she awoke to a sound below her. A hum that replaced the bees’. It turned to a soft song. It seemed to go back and forth and around on itself. Peeking down she saw a young man dropping what appeared to be seeds in a pattern under her favorite tree singing as he went. She leaned out further knocking some petals down on him. He sang louder but didn’t stop until the pattern seemed complete. He then went back over the pattern with some dirt from a second bag he carried. By the time he was done, Sophie was shivering violently. He looked up into her eyes and held out his arms. She came down into them to be wrapped in his cloak. This was Daffyd, a traveller from Wales. Not tall, kind of square of shoulder, in general, brown - brown eyes, brown hair, very tanned skin from living on the road. He laughed. And so their friendship began. Yes, just friends. After all he was but 14 and she but 7.
Bear with the story, good people, although I know it seems long. Not too long after Daffyd and Sophie met at her Ax Wedding, the Anarchy began. King Stephen and the Empress Matilda both wanted to rule England. In general the Southwest was for Matilda and the Southeast was for Stephen but the war went back and forth many times. Some people changed sides and then back again. The year that would have seen Sophie married to her Lord for real came and went without him coming. The war was close then and the men were off fighting. Then after more years word came that her Lord had fallen dead. She was now the heiress of a Manor on the Coast to her father’s delight. Her sister had been married off and already had children. Life seemed quite good. But then another Lord was found for her. This time she refused. How could her father marry her off again to another old ugly man? But another Ax Marriage took place with Sophie desperately searching for ways of getting out the this marriage. After all she had her own wealth now. She didn’t need to bring more land to her father.If that man touched her, she would kill him. Her heart was dark and the darkness sank into her soul.
Daffyd meanwhile showed up occasionally all through the war. Their friendship solidified and strengthened. Sophie asked her friend if he knew plants that would kill? She was surprised at his reaction. They often talked of plants and trees and what they could do. He had grown into a Healer. Ready to settle down back in Wales. Why would he not help her escape her fate? She was determined, on hearing her new Lord was arriving at the manor, to kill him no matter what. Daffyd would have nothing to do with that. When he left he asked her to come, but she refused out of anger at his not helping her. She didn’t see that he had offered her the escape she craved. He had offered her the world.
Two days later her new Lord arrived. It was to be a quick celebration for the war was back in the neighborhood and her Lord needed to get back to his troops. Sophie was ready. The ground up dried mushroom in a handkerchief awaiting the first opportunity. It came soon Her hand hovered over the cup. Hatred of her father and her new Lord, of the times that dictated such things could happen seethed in her heart. She stirred the dark liquid to take to her new husband.
On her plate a bundle of herbs appeared. She hadn’t noticed them before. Their scent was heavenly. It distracted her thoughts so much she forgot she was going to give the poisoned cup to her husband. It slid from her hand spilling on the floor. The orchard with the wildflower labyrinth Daffyd had created called her. She begged to be excused to clean up her dress. In her room she suddenly knew what she had to do. She gathered a bag of clothes and a few precious things her mother gifted her. Then she slipped out to the stables taking her sturdy pony and went to the orchard. Under their tree, she found the labyrinth. She remembered him putting a rolled up skin within the now ancient tree. A map. She followed it even riding at night though it was so dangerous to be out. In three days she came to a valley in Wales. It was beautifully green and at the Southeastern edge there was a large labyrinth made of herbs and an apple tree in the center. That is where she found Daffyd. It was Wales. English laws didn’t apply. Well, you know the rest.
No comments:
Post a Comment