The sun shines bright, but cold through the ancient trees, settling on the forest floor in patterns of shifting, lace-like shadows. I tread carefully across the uneven ground, humming quietly to myself to fill the deep stillness that wraps the forest like a blanket. I kneel beside a patch of wild fennel, cutting a handful of the slender stalks to join the other herbs in my basket. My humming catches as the bushes ahead of me shake, followed by a low while and the sound of labored breathing. I stand quickly, brandishing my small knife and watching the bushes with wary eyes. When no wild beast or monster emerges, I creep cautiously toward the sounds. Rounding a low bush, I spy a small wolf caught in a hunter's snare. Blood seeps slowly from its leg, and its eyes flutter weakly.
"Oh, you poor thing." As I come closer, the wolf's mouth flies open, growling fiercely, as if telling me to stay away. I drop my basket to the ground, but the pain in the wolf's eyes grips my heart. I lower myself to the ground and show my hands, speaking softly.
"Shh. I don't mean you any harm, you poor thing. I'm here to help." As I reach out to grasp the snare, the wolf watches me with suspicion. I bite my lip, glancing at the wolf's teeth as my hands fumble with the trap.
"That's it...almost...there!" I exclaim as the wolf limps forward– hackles raising as it bares its teeth in a vicious snarl.
"Please, no... I was only trying to help you!" I exclaim. The wolf lunges forward. Too scared to run, I squeeze my eyes shut, preparing for the worst... But instead of teeth closing around my throat, I feel strong hands seize me by the shoulders, moving me swiftly to the side. I open my eyes, realizing that I'm no longer alone with the wolf. One black-clad arm is wrapped around my chest, holding me against the powerful figure that stands at my back.
Who..? I turn my head to catch a glimpse of my savior's face, but the wolf growls again, drawing back my attention. I suck in a sharp breath as the wolf advances on me again. I flinch, trying to get away, but the stranger's grip on me only tightens. Spice-scented breath ghosts across my cheeks as the newcomer speaks in a cold, commanding tone.
"Be still." I shiver, his words a cool caress along my spine. I obey them without thinking, surrendering even as my heart beats against my chest like a frightened bird. The wolf takes a hobbling step forward...then hesitates as it looks up at the man behind me. After a few tense seconds, the wold slinks away into the trees.
The stranger releases his hold and I let out a soft gasp, feeling strangely unsteady on my own feet.
"Oh my goodness, thank you!" I say, letting out a sigh of relief, "I thought I was..." My words trail away into nothing as the stranger's dark eyes lock on mine, freezing me in place as surely as if I were still staring into the eyes of the wolf. "Are you hurt?" The man asks. His words seem to break some spell, and I manage to look away from those piercing eyes to take in the rest of him. Beneath the rich clothes, his forearm is lean and powerful. The rest of him is covered in a dark cloak. The quiet intensity of his bearing seems to magnify his already considerable height.
"No...um, I'm alright." I say quickly, "Are you lost?" The man shakes his head.
"I live here."
I scoff, "In the forest? The stories say that only terrible beasts call these woods home." The stranger only stares impassively, and I let out a little nervous laugh. I run my hands down the front of my dress and dip my head politely.
"Where are my manners? Thank you so much for coming to my rescue. I owe you my life." The stranger's eyes narrow.
"The threat here was of your own making. Wild things are dangerous, wounded ones doubly so." His voice now a mixture of annoyance, holds a touch of amusement.
I nod, "Maybe so, but it was the right thing to do."
"Even at risk to yourself?"
"You stepped in to save me, didn't you?" I laugh, "Surely you can understand the impulse to help a creature in need."
The stranger holds my gaze for a long moment. There's something mesmerizing– and slightly unsettling about his stare. When he finally looks away, I can't help but feel a little disappointed.
"Take this. Something tells me today is not the last time you will find yourself in trouble." From the folds of his cloak, the stranger produces a ring fashioned to look like twisted vines.
"Throw this ring to the ground, and it becomes a snare of brambles to entrap your foe. You may do this three times, then the power will be gone." The man holds the ring out to me.
"So it's a magic ring, then?" I scoff, shaking my head at the so-called 'magic ring'.
"Yes." The man says simply. I almost laugh, but something in the stranger's face makes me wonder if he's being serious. Could that ring actually be magic? Real magic, like in the stories?
"This is a most generous offer. Why give such a treasure to someone you just met?" I ask the man. The stranger's eyes flick to mine again, and my pulse quickens.
"Such a soft heart will get you killed in this place." He says. The man holds the ring out to me again, but I shake my head. The stranger stares at me for a moment longer, then returns the ring to his pocket.
"So be it. But if you insist on entering these woods, you should at least have your wits about you." He says. A chill wind rustles through the trees, and for a moment, I catch a glimpse of the sky, streaked with orange with the first blush of sunset.
"Oh! I didn't realize how late it was. Forgive me, but I must be headed home." I say quickly, "Thank you, again!"
"Farewell." The man says, "Do try not to antagonize any more wild beasts on your way." I dip my head politely and turn, scooping up my basket and hurrying back toward home.
I pause at the edge of the woods, looking back over my shoulder. The stranger is gone, leaving only deep shadows and shifting leaves.
"Oh...I never asked his name." Something about his words brings back memories of another warning, long ago...
Fifteen years ago...
"How many times have we told you, Alora? You are not to enter the woods!" My father yells. I stare guiltily down at my feet, covered in dirt from my day in the forest.
"I'm sorry. I was trying to find the magic herbs." I say quietly.
"Magic...what are you talking about, girl?" My father demands.
"To help you and mama. Everyone says the Fae's Forest's got magic herbs that can make people well again." I reply. Father runs his hand over his face as he crouches before me. I risk a glance, and in the late afternoon light, he looks very tired.
"Alora, I know it's been hard since your ma and I got sick, but there's a good reason the village wall's got all that iron in it. One step over that wall, and you're at the mercy of Fae tricksters, spirits, and worse." Father says, "At night, a wicked winged creature prowls the trees, looking to gobble up stray children."
"Why's the winged monster so mean?" I ask cautiously.
"Because it's a monster. It's the nature of monsters to be wicked."
"Well, I wouldn't let the monster eat me!" I exclaim, "I would find it something else to eat. I wonder if the monster would like blackberries. They're my favorite..." My father sighs, drawing me into a tight hug.
"You have a kind and trusting heart, my child. But if you're not careful... it will get you hurt someday."
As night falls, I serve drinks at the village tavern, where I've worked for most of my life.
"Evening, Nadine! Hilo. how's little Mathilda?" I ask my regular customers.
"Not so little anymore! She's walking now, and determined to chase those poor chickens around all day." The man replies.
"Alora, what's this I hear about you running around in the Fae woods?" A woman asks.
"Oh, just a little ways past the wall." I reply, pouring her a drink, "You know our soup's only so good because of those wild herbs. Besides, some stories say the Fae are good. Sometimes they even give gifts to those who are kind to them." I hand the woman her drink and she looks up at me with fearful eyes.
"Tell me you wore iron, at least! Or turned your stockings inside out? Ma always said salt would scare them away too, but I heard–" The woman says, but is quickly cut off by a man seated at the bar.
"No need to scare the poor girl with that nonsense." He says, "No one's even seen a Fae creature since my gran's time." The woman's eyes widen in anger.
"Nonsense?!" She gasps, "You know my cousin hasn't been right since he tried to go hunting out there."
I laugh as I listen to their argument while rinsing out a few mugs.
"Tch, it ain't pixies and giant Fae cats making off with my sheep at night. Too bad that wall's too short to keep the wolves out. That would be useful." The man says.
As I place the clean mugs in the sink, Arthur, the town drunk, grabs my arm and leers into my face.
"Are you on the menu tonight, gorgeous?" He asks words slurring. His words don't shock me, as this is something I hear from customers regularly. I smile as I pull away.
"You just enjoy that drink, Arthur." I head back to the bar to catch my breath. Tamara, the old widow who owns the tavern, and who took me in after my parents died, shakes her head while looking at Arthur.
"It's that silver hair, you know." She says, motioning to my hair, "Now be a dear and fetch some water from the well out back?" She shoots a withering glare at Arthur, still sulking into his drink.
"And take as long as you like," Tamara adds. I laugh as I turn for the door.
"I will, thank you."
Outside, the noise of the tavern fades away into a cool quiet, as if I've sunk beneath the surface of a moonlit sea. I breathe in the grass-scented air, taking a moment to relax. I swear, that man... I laugh to myself, thinking of poor Arthur. Shaking my head, I move toward the wall, a spot of deepest black against the silver-painted landscape. As I lower the bucket into the well, something shifts in the darkness below. Squinting, I can just make out a faint red glimmer, down at the very bottom.
"That's odd..." I mutter. Pulling on the rope, I eventually scoop the strange light into my bucket. As I raise the bucket back up, the object slowly comes into view.
"What in the world..?" I gasp. Despite the cold water, the red stone is warm beneath my fingers as I pick it up from the bucket. I hold the stone up, marveling at the soft red light at its center...when the stone suddenly flashes a bright crimson, dissolving in my hand.
"Ahh!" I shriek, as the stone crumbles into powder in my hand, burning my palm. The glowing powder turns to mist, and flows inward, seeming to sink into my chest. A moment later, it's gone, but now there's a low, warm pulse thudding inside me.
"What just happened?" I gasp. My eyes find the low stone wall at the edge of the village, studded with iron spikes to ward off Fae creatures and their wicked magics. On the other side of the wall, the glimmering forest looks wilder. Older. Ghostly lights seem to dance between the trees.
"Magic...it must have been! Unless I'm dreaming..?" Something inside seems to tub me toward those ancient trees, and the lights flickering within. Entranced, I find myself walking toward them. Closer, and closer... When a sudden voice calls out from behind, breaking my trance.
"Hey, you!"
"Huh?" I mutter as I snap out of my daze. I turn around to see that Arthur's followed me out of the tavern, his eyes huge and greedy.
"I saw you take that big jewel out of the well. Where'd it go?" He demands.
"The jewel?" I ask, "It just vanished! One moment it's there, then–"
"Don't lie to me. Thought you'd keep it all to yourself, eh?" Arthur staggers drunkenly closer, pulling a short knife from his belt. He brandishes it unsteadily, moonlight glinting dully off the tarnished blade.
"Dunno who you stole that from, but that jewel don't belong to no village orphan. Give it over!"
"I don't have anything!" I say, raising my hands. I try to edge around him, but he steps in front of me.
"I said–" Arthur yells as he makes a grab for my wrist, and in a panic, I jump over the stone wall and run into the forest.