We belong to the forest
The first days had been a blur. They were put into a big and fancy room (“just on a very temporary basis, you understand, until we work this out”). The best thing about the room were its sturdy walls, door and window shutters. The second best was the wide bed, which was almost uncannily soft, and easily big enough for the three of them. The kids went out like a lantern the minute they lay down on the bed. And truth be told, he didn’t take long to fall asleep either. It was the first protected bed they had had for months.
The good night’s sleep was needed the very next day, when everyone was suddenly expecting him to have a plan, proof of his education, and, apparently, quite a lot of money. He of course had none of these things. On the one hand he was secretly proud that everyone treated him as a full adult. The flip side was of course the expectations. As an adult he should know everything and be on top of things. Just like every proper adult was!
He went around many offices, where he had to explain their situation as well as their parentage, again and again. At first the people he met also wanted him to talk about the Events, but every time he was asked, he felt Lalli’s little fist tightening on his tunic. So, usually it was enough to say “We are from Toivosaari” and gesture towards the wide-eyed child.
When it was established that he didn’t indeed have enough money to rent in the civilian quarters (or buy food for more than about a week, for that matter), he was urgently ushered (back) to the Quartermaster’s office, and then to the Staffing office, and back to the Quartermaster again. For a while he was afraid they’d be kicked out after all (“well, obviously, we cannot deny you our protection, but also, obviously, the lodgings are rented, not just given out”), but finally someone sent him to the Mages’ office, and he was promptly hired as a Junior Defense Noita. Normally a Junior Noita would be put into the big barracks, but with the children it was decided that they got a private room. (“She’s ten years old, she can’t go to the women’s barracks alone, and certainly not into the men’s common room”).
So, now, everything was in order. The room was small, but there was talk that two private rooms could probably be connected for them later. They were all allowed to eat at the common hall (or, in case of Lalli, got food brought to him from the common hall). They had gone to see the wall several times, and Tuuri was cautiously starting to relax.
He didn’t think he would ever be happy again, but now things were as good as they were going to get. He should feel… maybe not good, but better. In reality he was terribly anxious. He had a job, upon which depended not only his own livelihood but the children too. Grandma had made sure he was good at following orders, but this was a different kind of responsibility. The mages knew Ensi by reputation, but they didn’t know him, and he didn’t know them.
And the people! They were everywhere! Many hundreds, if that could be believed! So incredibly many people lived in Keuruu that it made his head spin. There were more people than their whole village simultaneously at dinner in the common hall! How was he supposed to ever know the names of so many people, let alone forge the relationships based on familiarity and mutual respect that life in a community was based on? Just thinking about it made his head spin. It was so overwhelming.
“Are you sad?” Lalli was staring at him.
“N-no! Everything is fine! I’m just a bit tired, is all!”
“You are sad.”
“Well, maybe just a bit. But it will pass,”
“No”
“No? What do you mean?”
“You will stay sad.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Grandma says… said… that we belong to the forest.”
“Yes? Yes, she… did.”
“You will stay sad, if you don’t go into the forest.”
The little gremlin had a point. It would be so much easier to breathe in a forest (one on a safe island of course - he’d always hated the trips to the shore where you never knew which direction a grossling would come from). To touch the trees, and only hear birds sing, instead of the never ending hubbub of the big city. The longing brought tears to his eyes.
“Well, Lalli, we must stay safe within the walls. I cannot go to the forest anymore.”
“We belong to the forest!”
“Don’t worry, Mielikki and Tapio will hear us from here too. And Vellamo is in this lake just like she is in Saimaa. We must get used to this.”
“No! Forest!” Lalli was practically in tears too.
“Oh Lalli, you at least will be able to go when you are older. Remember that I’m not immune.”
“Forest! Now! Come!” Lalli was tugging at his hand.
He recognized the signs and knew it’d be best to follow. He sincerely hoped Lali would calm down enough for him to be able to stop the kid from scaling the wall. But Lalli was not going for the gate. Instead he started north towards the fields. Seeing that he was following, Lalli stopped pulling him along and concentrated to the surroundings. It was amazing how much like Ensi he was already, at eight years old.
They passed the fields, and some remains of what had been Old World ruins (“don’t you worry a bit, it’s been cleansed many times over!”) and then turned to the east.
“Lalli? Where are we going?”
“Forest. I told you. Tyhmä!”
”Seriously Lalli, we cannot go outside. It’s too dangerous. Besides I’m in the military now, it will be an offense to leave the area without permission”.
“Shhh!”
The child was infuriating. He loved Lalli, but, what a crazy critter!
After a while the path left the fields and they were surrounded by trees. Lalli stepped off the path and walked between the trees. He followed. They climbed up a small hill, now fully surrounded by big tress. At the top of the hill, Lalli pointed to a very large tree.
“Come. Climb.”
“I’m not as agile as…” he started, but hitto (heck), they’d come all this way, and they were away from the wall. If humoring Lalli would help him settle down, he could do a bit of climbing.
The tree was actually a very easy climb. Soon he was up with Lalli, nestled in a sturdy fork in the trunk.
“So. Here we are.”
“Yes. Forest. Look.” Lalli was pointing northwards.
And indeed, they were so much higher that the wall, paths and small buildings were not immediately visible. Looking towards the north they could see trees upon trees upon trees, extending to unfathomable distance. In a way, it was scary, as it showed exactly what a tiny island of humanity in a sea of forest Keuruu really was.
But at the same time, it was utterly glorious. All that life extending in front of them. Certainly, many dangers lurked in that forest, but the trees and the birds were alive, and the ferns and the small buzzing things, and flowers and mosses and all manners of creepy crawlies. The world was hurt and life was still struggling, but not beaten. Never beaten.
“It’s marvelous. Thank you Lalli.”
“We belong to the forest.”
