Terrified, Drachen broke into a run, dodging through the market place, past tall piles of fruit and displays of rough cloths and leathers. He squeezed through narrow alleys between weathered brick buildings, and ducked behind carts while angry men gave chase, their feet beating the ground. His heart pounded. If he could only reach home, there was a chance he could hide. Taking a sharp left turn, he fled through another alley and gauged his distance. It was still too far.
Fast footsteps echoed behind him; approaching, shouting. New men joined in the chase, now from two directions. Drachen leapt up a set of stairs, his lungs on fire. When he reached the top, he looked back. They were gaining on him.
Desperate and exhausted, he took the only option he could and sprang from the stairs onto the next street. His body twisted as he slammed into the thick brick wall of a building. For a brief moment, he was stunned, half-awake and half-dreaming, and then, slowly, the sounds and the reality of his plight came back to him. Something warm trickled down his face. Touching his hand to his cheek, he drew in his breath. Blood!
Despite his stupor, Drachen forced himself up, but the crowd was too fast. Strong arms grabbed him and held him down until the merchant arrived and yanked him up by his threadbare clothes, shoving him against the wall, his fist aimed at the boy’s chest.
His head throbbing and his eyes nearly blind from fright, the boy yelped and squirmed as he dangled in the merchant’s grasp. The rough surface of the bricks stung his back. “Stop!” he cried, his scratchy adolescent voice pleading. “I’ll give ’em back. Just stop!”
The merchant’s fist halted in mid-air. He dropped the boy to the ground while the other men formed a barrier around him making his escape impossible.
“Alright, then. Hand it over!”
Tears burning his eyes, Drachen opened his grimy hand and handed over the gold pieces.
The merchant tucked them back in his cloak, giving a final lecture to the boy. Then he turned to the men and thanked them. They set out on their way, leaving Drachen in the street, bleeding and crying. No one had bothered to ask if he was okay.
Drachen traced the scar on his face. It hadn’t been fair. Why shouldn’t an old man give some gold to a hungry boy? After all, what were a few pieces compared to the merchant’s thousands? He swallowed down the lump that dared form in his throat at the memory.
The cottage was close now. He tightened the reins, slowing the mare’s pace, fighting the dread inside.
“She can’t possibly remember me. She’s an old woman now.”
He wiped the sweat on his neck and urged the mare on until the short trail that led to her home was in sight. Dismounting, he tied the horse to a low branch and took tentative steps up the path.
The door creaked open a crack revealing the suspicious eyes of a tiny woman whose silver hair fell in a straight line to her shoulders.
“What is it you want, Drachen?” Ali asked, her voice icy.
A chill swept over him – she remembered.
He forced himself to stand his full manly height. “I wanna know ’bout the unicorns.”
She eyed him for a full minute, and then replied, “Why?”
Drachen searched for a lie, but instead revealed the truth. “’Cause I think I might’a seen one.”
Her eyes grew wide, and the door creaked opened further. “Where?”
“In my holding pen. They broke through the brush. There were three of ’em – a stallion and two colts. They took off when they saw me comin’ back from town.”
Ali stared, her mouth gaping. A small smile crept to her face. “So they’ve survived all these years.” Her eyes took on a dreamlike quality as memories of long ago stirred. “I don’t believe it.” She moved aside, letting him pass. “You must come in and tell me.”
Walking to the fire pit, she poured scalding water over dried tea leaves. She placed a plate of warm, unleavened bread on the table and motioned him to sit down.
“Tell me what happened,” she said, her voice anxious, but guarded.
Drachen recounted what he had seen while she listened, her eyes seeming to measure his every word, shaking her head from time to time.
“I wasn’t too sure ’cause I only saw the stallion for a few moments, but when I went and had a look, there were no white birch branches anywhere, and there were these hoof prints.” His voice lowered to a murmur. “They’re too small to be a horse’s.”
Ali clasped her hands together, her eyes hopeful. “At least there were some tracks. You know that a unicorn can travel leaving no traces.”
Drachen raised his brows with great interest and leaned in a little closer. “Oh, really?”
She nodded.
He carefully formed his next question in his mind to lure her into his plan, but before he could ask, she blurted out, “So what is it you want?”
Coldness crept up his skin. He paused a moment, contemplating, and then answered truthfully, “I wanna catch one.”
Ali gasped. With one move, she shot up, upsetting the tea. “No!” she shouted. “You must leave them be!” She grabbed the remainder of the bread in her gnarled hands and slipped it away from his reach. “I simply won’t hear of it.”
“Why not?” Drachen asked.
Ali turned and faced him, her dark eyes penetrating. “Because they were nearly annihilated by my father.”
Drachen was stunned. So the stories were true. “But it’s only one –” he said.
“No!” She shook her head, her lips turning white. “The gold will blind you. It’ll start out as one unicorn, but then soon you’ll search for more and more just as my father did.”
Drachen frowned, and then risked another question. “What did he do?”
Ali’s eyes darkened. “He murdered the Great Stallion for his horn.” She turned away, blinking back tears.
“The Great Stallion’s horn?” His voice rose with interest, a small sinister smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. “And where’s the horn now?”
“Only my mother Adiva knows. She concealed it after my father died, and it shall remain so until a need arises like the great plague of sixty years ago.”
“So she’s still alive?” he asked.
“Yes. She’s eighty-three years old now.” Her eyes flashed as though challenging him to even think of approaching the old woman.
For a moment, Drachen shrunk under her glare, until a proposal came to mind. “Maybe we can make a deal …”
Her actions were swift as she shoved him to the door. “Drachen, I had hoped you had changed, but it’s obvious you never took heed of your mother’s last words. It’s time for you to leave. Night’s falling.” Her voice had regained its coldness.
“But …”
Knowing his defeat, Drachen gave little resistance. His face burned from her scathing words. He turned, throwing a final glance at the one person who had the knowledge to make him rich, and then slipped into the growing darkness of night to plot his plan.
Chapter 11
The Exodus
As the dark shadows softened, and rays of sunlight pierced through the trees, Ulysees awakened. For a moment, he forgot the horror of his transgression. Then he saw Ramah towering above them on the knoll, her judgemental eyes focused on him. The severity of her expression made him cringe.
One by one, the unicorns awoke and pointed their horns in her direction.
When the entire herd stood at attention, the matriarch began. “Unicorns, Icarus and I spoke long into the night. We discussed the difficulty of the situation and what should be done. And we decided that despite the disobedience of Ulysees and Téo, their crime has brought to light the fact that the humans have spread too far from the original valley of our ancestors. This places us all in grave danger. Therefore, we must fulfill our vows to the Legacy of Azaria and make an exodus to find a new and suitable place to live. We leave tonight.”
Desperate cries rose through the forest, forlorn wails of despair for the hidden spot among the trees so many had known since bi
rth.
Ulysees hung his head.
Ramah continued. “But even though Ulysees and Téo alerted us to the humans, they must still be punished for their transgression. Therefore, they will not be allowed to leave our sight. Should anyone witness any attempts by them to wander away, they will sound a warning. Is that understood?”
Heads nodded, and angry looks were shot at the colts.
“We can’t take any chances that Jaresh will remove their powers. It would endanger us all.”
She moved to where the colts cowered and stood before them, her eyes filled with anger. “And now, Ulysees and Téo, I command you to prostrate yourselves before me and receive your punishment.”
Whimpering, the two colts dropped to their front knees, their faces pushed against the muddy ground.
“Because you have disobeyed the Legacy of Azaria,” her gravelly voice sentenced, “I condemn you both to spend an entire day before the praying tree, asking Jaresh for forgiveness.”
“The praying tree?” cried Sarah, her voice incredulous.
“Yeah, they deserve it,” neighed a stallion.
“Yes, endangering us like that,” whinnied a mare.
“Silence!” shouted Ramah.
The herd stared, wordless, at the matriarch.
“Now rise and follow me,” she commanded the two colts.
Ulysees felt the eyes of every single unicorn on them, despising them as they trailed her. Pushing past the old, the young, and the in-between, he heard their grunts and mumbles of scorn. Then out of the corner of his vision, he spied Danae. His eyes weren’t filled with hatred and contempt. They were filled with compassion. Ulysees’ heart throbbed. Could it be that Danae understood?
They traveled the short path until, in the distance, they saw the dreaded tree. Short with sharp, grey thorns, it emitted an odour so foul it stung their eyes long before they arrived.
Ulysees gagged. Heavy tears formed beneath his lids. He turned, silently pleading to the matriarch, but Ramah let out a low warning rumble in response and aimed a swift nip at his rump. Breaking into a trot, Ulysees closed the distance between himself and the poisonous tree.
“Now repeat after me,” commanded Ramah, when they all stood before the offensive shrub. “Jaresh, forgive us.”
“Jaresh, forgive us.”
“We are but foolish colts and promise henceforth without question to follow the Legacy of Azaria.”
“We are but foolish colts and promise henceforth without question to follow the Legacy of Azaria.”
“Now repeat it over and over until the sun sets.”
“Jaresh, forgive us,” began Ulysees. He stopped and choked. “We are but foolish …”
As the sun traveled through the sky, their voices grew hoarse, their throats parched, and their eyes swollen. Just as Ulysees thought he couldn’t continue, he heard a strange rustling in the forest’s undergrowth.
“What was that?” he asked, breaking off the words of his penance.
“I don’t know.” Téo swung around.
Dark eyes peered through the leaves of the bushes – a face like a lion’s, surrounded by coarse, black hair, the cheeks and nose naked.
Ulysees jumped. “That’s the other face of the two-headed monster I saw when we left Xavier’s meadow!”
“Oh, no!” said Téo. “What do we do?” He shot a desperate look at Danae who stood nearby.
The old stallion’s response was quick. “Human!” he shouted
Chaos ensued as the herd broke into a gallop and disappeared into the trees, mindless, and crazed. They fled in terror, their hooves hammering the ground, their neighs and whinnies filling the air.
“Silence!” Icarus commanded. “They’ll follow our voices.”
The herd quieted except for the sound of the odd sob.
“Now fly!” ordered Icarus.
One by one, they leapt and caught a gust of wind that pushed them forward at a speed no human could equal. They rode long into the day, their breath ragged, their muscles aching until the bright sky faded into night, and the moon rose above the somber trees. When they pulled up to rest, their hides were thick with foam that dropped in globs while their heavy pants, like small clouds, curled into the air.
“We’ll have to travel all night,” said Icarus, heaving.
“But we’re tired,” complained a mare.
“We’ve been running since the sun reached its highest point,” said a stallion.
“There’s no choice if you want to survive,” Icarus growled. “Now, shadow-walk. That way they can’t follow our tracks.”
The unicorns reluctantly fell in line behind Icarus. They traveled all night in the faint moonlight, stopping only to nibble on dewy leaves to wet their dry tongues. When early morning arrived, they slept for a spell in the deep shadows of the forest, and then continued on their way.
On the fourth night, Sarah’s ears pricked forward. “I hear water.”
“Water?” Tired heads shot up.
“Yes, over that way.” She pointed her horn.
The herd followed the sound of bubbling and gurgling until they found the small brook.
“Let’s have a drink, and then follow it to its source,” said Icarus. “That should lead us farther from the humans.”
* * *
Ulysees dipped his head in the cold water. It cooled his body and mind. He drank deeply, and then glanced up, taking in his surroundings. White peaks glowed above in the moonlight, and tall trees seemed to touch the sky. Farther ahead, the thin line of dawn worked its way over the mountains.
“This is beautiful,” he whispered to Téo.
“It is,” replied his friend. “Who would have ever known there was so much more out here than just our home hidden in the trees?”
“I don’t think anyone could have.”
After their rest, they traveled onward, through narrow deer paths and thick brush. When the sun rose, it revealed for the first time, the giant monolith that towered above them. The unicorns mumbled with excitement at the sight of such a large stone. Using it as a guide, they broke a trail until they came to the opening of a valley. Ulysees’ eyes widened at what lay before them.
It was the most stunning, lush green land he had ever seen. Waterfalls tumbled downward from high façades, misting the forest below where tall ferns grew everywhere.
“Purple flowers!” exclaimed Alannah, her blue eyes sparkling.
The tired herd erupted with joy at the sight.
“And red ones, and yellow ones!” cried Lilia.
Alannah stepped forward. “Please, Icarus. We must be far enough from the humans to take advantage of this delicacy!”
Ramah nodded. “Yes, Icarus. Let them go. I see no signs of humans here.”
Icarus scanned the valley. “Alright, but don’t go too far.”
Ulysees’ heart danced with joy, but what happened next was short of miraculous. The stallion broke out into an actual smile.
Chapter 12
The Brothers Grimm
Drachen pounded on the door of his brothers’ shack. “I got some news!” He waited a few moments, and when no sound came from within, he knocked again. “Let me in, I say. I got somethin’ excitin’ to tell ya.” Rustling noises stirred from inside, but still no one came. Cupping his hands to the door, he shouted even louder, “It’ll make ya rich, ya numbskulls!”
He heard the sound of heavy feet dragging, accompanied by grumbling and cursing. The door swung open, revealing Ike’s great height.
“Wha’do ya want?” He rubbed the coarse hairs of his beard, squinting at the morning light. A stench escaped his mouth, so foul it made Drachen gag.
“I’ll tell ya what I want.” Drachen pushed him aside and moved into the cluttered shack.
“Ah, not you again,” said Kayden, rolling over on the straw mattress, covering his ears.
“Yeah, and yer gonna be so excited to hear what I gotta say.”
“What? Ya saw a unicorn again?” Ike let out an obnoxious chu
ckle, filling the air with the foul odour again.
Drachen closed off his nostrils and breathed through his mouth. “I did. I followed the trail, an’ I found the whole herd.”
“Herd, my eye,” said Kayden, pushing himself up from the floor. “Didn’t we tell ya it was all fools’ tales? I can’t believe ya woke us up just fer this.”
“No, they exist!” Drachen said. “They really exist, and we’re gonna get rich!”
Ike shook his head and shrugged.
“Ya don’t believe me? Look.” Drachen unwrapped a small parcel and extended his arm to show them.
“What is it?” asked Ike, wrinkling his large nose like anything could possibly smell worse than his own breath.
“A dropping.”
“A dropping?” Ike snorted and shook his head. “Ya got us up fer a dropping?”
“Yeah,” Drachen nodded. “An’ there’s a whole lot more from where that came from.”
“How do we know it’s not just deer poop?” Kayden moved beside Drachen and checked the brown pieces for himself, holding them up to the light as though he were inspecting gold nuggets.
“Come with me and I’ll prove it to ya.”
The brothers shared an exasperated look, and then each let out a sigh.
“Alright. We’ll come, but this better be good,” said Ike.
* * *
Drachen pointed to the spot in the fence where he’d glimpsed the unicorns.
“Ya see, this is where they came in. There was only thick brush here before, but they broke through somehow.”
“Yeah,” said Kayden. “But that doesn’t prove it was unicorns.”
“Follow me.” Drachen removed the poles, letting his brothers slide through. “See, over here?” He parted some brush to show them the narrow, grassless strip that snaked through the foliage.
Ike stared in astonishment. “Holy! It’s a trail!”
“Well, I’ll be,” said Kayden, bending over to examine it. “Kind of an old one too.”
Drachen led them up the path. Branches clawed at them, and their sweaty shirts clung to their skin as they trudged up the mountainside. They hiked over rocks, through mud, and over slick trails. Several hours later, they still hadn’t found the unicorns’ hiding spot.
The Deception Page 4