The wagon's rattling wheels cease their noise
as Spouse and Saunterer now come upon
the cave wherein the Pilgrim yesterday
did fall when she and he were arguing—
the final proper conversation had
betwixt the two before his taking ill.
From here they turn around and take the bend,
observing side of th'road for opening
in th'woods, which comes about so subtle that
they almost miss the gap between the trees 10
despite the lantern light she holds to them.
So here they stop, dismounting from the bench
to enter th'woods in search of th'alternate
approach into the cavern they've been told
exists along this path; and as was said,
through bush and scuffing stone they find the mouth—
a hole within the ground with nat'ral steps
that lead their way toward its darken'd depths.
So hypnotiz'd by what she sees, the Spouse—
upon a hand now brushing on her arm— 20
doth jump at Saunterer's attempt to grasp
attention. "Whoa, apologies from me
for startling thee. I only wish suggest
perhaps it best I stay behind to watch
the road to make for sure the horses there
be undisturb'd for this duration thou
mayst search the cave for th'herb the Doctor needs."
She nods to this and sits upon the first
of steps to swing her legs upon the next
whilst bids he her to carefully proceed, 30
for this terrain is treacherous for men
in trousers, let alone a lass in dress.
She heeds his words as deeper she descends
within the darkness, lantern's pooling light
an ever shrinking presence in this dark
which seems to swallow what her flame can throw.
But still she sees the ground beneath her feet,
so crack'd and rugged ankles threaten twist,
and also doth she know direction she's
suppos'd to travel by the roaring boom 40
of th'waterfall that echoes off the walls,
so when there's cooling mist upon her skin
and liquid crystal spout she sees ahead,
she knows she's found the spot her Pilgrim fell
and crouches o'er the rock so to caress
the place he lay whilst she set out for help
in total darkness, save the single light
above, from which he came to land herein.
But as she hath these thoughts upon this spot
she notices a glint which proves her wrong 50
in thinking that above's the only source
of light, for to the side at th'water's edge
there sprawls a bed of ferns that glow a faint
smaragdine hue that disappears upon
her lighting them with lantern, for it's weak.
She crouches to examine what she sees
and plucks a single fern out from the dirt.
A single tear within her eye now forms
at knowing what she holds will save the lives
of those in town, but not her dearest love, 60
who fell alone to sickness, absent her.
However, reverie is broken short
by whispers all around of anger'd sorts:
"She's pick'd the herb. A human must she be
to come upon this place and not be stopp'd
by barrier we set upon the mouths
to hold at bay the demons seeking out
the magic we've withheld to stunt their growth.
Come, fairies, for we can't let one escape
or else a greatest peril will befall 70
the land as pestilence will sweep across
and spill out from the mountains over Earth."
With this a swarm of fireflies attacks,
attempting to consume the fern in hand.
She drops the lantern, covering her face,
concealing th'herb within her blouse to keep
it safe from them. However, though this works
the lantern shatters, splashing flame across
the bed of ferns, and as th'inferno eats
the leaves and stems, the fireflies emit 80
a horrifying screech in unison
and by the dozen drop toward the ground
and water, bursting on collision with
the solid or the liquid that they touch
to coat the ground and dye the water red
and cry this melody of dying fay:
"Our home is ruin'd by this human lass,
and with its burning comes our time to pass;
we've watch'd these ferns since rising from the depths
when war betwixt our kinds was th'only truth 90
and devils scorch'd the land to take our fruit,
but O, how sick our Mother Earth's become,
ejecting us from Nether Realm to come
toward the surface on her coughing breath
where now we lack our former strength to keep
attackers out, yet demons still are weak
and made to wear the mortal flesh of man
in order to survive these surface lands,
yet still it's one of these who's brought our death,
so trick'd by them despite their crippled form, 100
for humankind's naive to th'world's lore
which brought us here, with not the time t'address."
When all is done and fire fades away
to embers, Spouse begins to think she's deaf
until the water's roar returns to her
and next a scuffing coming from behind.
"What happen'd here?" the Saunterer now asks.
"I heard commotion, and it now doth seem
a flame hath burn'd the ground along this pool.
But didst thou find the herb we came t'retrieve?" 110
She turns toward his voice, but can not see,
which prompts her to inquire: "How did you
without a lantern navigate the cave?"
for at this point suspicions started growth.
"I ask'd thee first," he pointedly replies—
th'affection in his voice hath slipp'd away—
to which she nods without another word
to test if truly he can see through dark,
and which he clearly spots by what he does
upon this confirmation given out. 120
He lunges forth out from the darkness with
his fingers spread to grip around her throat.
He closes them and squeezes trachea
to close the flow of air toward her lungs
and shakes her to disorient her mind
so that her struggle's less effective now.
"I'll take the herb and carve out from thy form
the womb that holds my seed to raise myself,
and once my parents get as well their wants—
this is no trick—then I shall kill thy love, 130
who yet still lives, for th'illness that he hath
is not the kind that's made to kill a man,
but rather suck him dry like parasites,
which keep alive a host to benefit
themselves upon the sustenance therein.
And don't thou think there's anyone to see
and warn him of thy death, for I have kill'd
the witnesses who follow'd us tonight."
The Spouse is panicking and kicking out
for passage whereby she may find escape 140
from th'wrapping fingers crushing shut her throat,
and when she kicks his shin there intervenes
a twist of fate as on the water-slick'd
and bloody rock his poise gives way and slips
to twist his ankle, causing her to fall
to back and he to front on top of her
within the pool so icy-quiet cold,
which muffles th'roar of th'waterfall above
as well as howls as flesh of Saunterer
now peels from his bones; and with a burst 150
of bubbles tracing lines across her skin
and fill'd with smoke instead of viscera,
the Saunterer explodes before her eyes.
She surfaces, now thrashing for a breath
and takes a gulp of acrid sulphur's air
which chokes her almost same as hands and pool
to cough and vomit on the water's face,
yet still is air to breathe, so she survives.
She clambers out and reaches twixt her breasts
to see—by light that pours into the cave 160
from mouth above by moon—the herb is whole.
She places back the herb and looks toward
the darkness she travers'd t'arrive upon
this place, and with the knowledge she cannot
return without a light, begins to climb
beside the waterfall whilst almost blind
to purchase which she's forc'd to grope around
to find. But with resolve unwavering
for knowledge that her love is yet alive,
she climbs the wall, emerging to the night 170
and jogs toward the wagon down the road. 171