A story as told by Emmawynn to a friend on the road.
"There was once a little girl who lived in a tree. While she was in the tree bad things did not happen to her. If she left the tree, when she came back she could find comfort and stillness, a way through the bad things that happened outside."
*Chuckling lightly* "Although as is commonly the case with little girls how she defined bad things was very subjective. She absolutely detested her mother's etiquette lessons, and she had to endure them every day. *A note of teasing sarcasm lacing her comment* She was unfairly delegated to all of the inside chores while her brothers were able to do the outdoor chores and train the horses.
But sometimes the tree took her real sorrows too. Like when her first horse died, and when her closest friend moved away.
The tree also was where she celebrated her greatest joys. The people around her could not understand her much of the time and when she spoke of the things that brought her joy, they would often give her curious looks.
In that tree she celebrated the first time her words brought comfort to another person, when the wounded bluebird healed and flew away, and many milestones as she trained horses.
Anytime she climbed high into the branches of the tree no one could see her, and she did not have to see anyone else. Although, she could peek out to see the world outside whenever she wished.
The girl was taken away, and the tree was gone. She had nothing left to absorb her sorrows, and she suffered for it.
I cannot say how, or when, but somewhere along the way. The tree grew again. This time the tree grew in her heart. Wherever she went, if she could find a quiet place, she could once again sit in her tree.
