The Deception

by Suzanne de Montigny

  Emotion welled up inside Ulysees at the kindness in her voice, but he bit his lip and lowered himself onto the knees of his forelegs, waiting. Ramah moved forward and pierced the tip of her horn to his shoulder. He winced in pain as the horn broke his skin. Energy flowed through his entire body, and heat surged through his brain. He felt feverish, and his legs tingled. The sounds of the forest began to drift away as Ulysees lost consciousness. He was about to surrender to darkness when his mind drifted back.

  Ramah had removed her horn.

  Ulysees let out a long, slow breath and awaited her next command.

  “Rise!”

  Ulysees obeyed, then faced the herd. The unicorns cheered.

  Ramah turned to Téo. “Téo, the defender,” she said, “You have always shown strength and courage. Though you have engaged in great folly, I believe you’ve matured and that you will be a guardian to our legacy. Therefore, I command you to kneel.”

  Téo lowered himself, and she dug her horn into his shoulder.

  Ulysees watched in awe as his friend trembled, his face crumpled in pain. Fearing Téo would pass out, he held his breath. Téo shuddered violently and began to sway. Then Ramah removed her horn. His shuddering ceased, and he grew calm again.

  “Rise!” she commanded.

  Téo pushed himself up and faced the herd, his eyes shining with confidence as they cheered.

  “Alannah,” The matriarch said, “you are renowned for your great beauty and poise. And it is for those traits that you may one day be regarded as a queen within our herd. Kneel before me.”

  Ramah pierced the filly’s white coat with her horn. Alannah’s muscles stiffened, her head bent in agony. Her eyes rolled upward, and she took a sharp breath and held it for a moment before letting it escape as the matriarch withdrew.

  “Rise!” Ramah commanded.

  When Alannah rose, she was more radiant than ever.

  “Lilia, the quiet and gentle one. You have been through many trials and tribulations that have given you a kindness and understanding unsurpassed. You have the gift of inner beauty and shall teach this to the young. Go forth and inspire our youth.” Again the horn pierced flesh as Lilia received her initiation. Her face twisted in pain. A gentle light glowed from within her body, and then, like a soft sunset, faded. She waited on bended knees.

  “Rise!” Ramah said.

  Lilia rose, her eyes moist as the others cheered.

  Her expression softening, Ramah turned to the others and addressed them. “And now, mares and stallions, I present to you, our four new initiates.”

  The unicorns pounded their hooves against the ground, their neighs and whinnies rising above the night noises of the forest.

  Ramah waited until the joyous sound died, then said, “And now, let us walk in the shadow of Jaresh and keep alive the Legacy of Azaria.”

  Chapter 18

  Jaresh

  “They’ve arrived!” Lilia called one moon later. “Wake up! It’s time to name the new foals.”

  Ulysees’ eyes whipped open. “Foals?”

  “They were all born in the night!” cried Lilia. “I helped the mares bring them into the world.” Her face shone like the sun rising over the trees.

  Ulysees scrambled with the other unicorns and made his way toward Ramah. They stood at attention, waiting for the ceremony to commence.

  The mares led their new babies into the fold, their fur ruffled and wet, their legs spindly.

  “There are five of them,” said Lilia. “Two colts and three fillies. And did I mention that I helped bring them into the world?” She reared, paddling her hooves in the air.

  Ulysees let out a laugh only to stifle it when Ramah glared at them. Tightening his jaw at the reprimand, he waited for the naming to begin. He shuddered at the thought of what awaited the foals in the moons that followed – Icarus’ cruelty, Ramah’s indifference. He frowned, buried deep in the painful memories, silently vowing he’d stand up for them, just like Danae had done for him.

  When the ceremony ended with the unicorns’ chant, Icarus rose before the herd and addressed them. “And now I’d like the yearlings to come forward.”

  Ulysees inwardly groaned at whatever the stallion had in store for them.

  When they had assembled before Icarus, the Great Stallion began. “Yearlings, you are now old enough that you may undertake the duties of your initiation.”

  Ulysees’ heart quickened.

  “Alannah and Lilia, you shall bring the mares some fresh flowers that will help them to recover from the birth of their foals. Ulysees and Téo, I want you to explore the surrounding area and report back what you’ve found.”

  Téo and Ulysees waited until they were dismissed, and then reared up and broke into a gallop. They raced into the woods, whinnying and kicking up their heels.

  “We’re free,” cried Téo. “Free to do what we want!”

  “Yeah!” shouted Ulysees. “We can eat what we want, do what we want, say what we want … except …”

  “Hang out with horses,” they both said at once.

  They burst into laughter.

  They traveled farther and farther into the forest where ferns grew in abundance, and strange bird songs filled the air. They enjoyed the sun filtering through the leaves of the thick trees as it traveled across the sky. Trotting in the cool shade the canopies provided, Ulysees breathed in the tantalizing scent of the flowers.

  After a time, they came to a small lake. Its turquoise waters shimmered, catching the sun’s rays.

  Ulysees walked to the shore. “Gosh, this is beautiful, like a small paradise. It reminds me of that lake in the valley of the bones. Want to go in for a swim?”

  Without waiting for an answer, Ulysees dipped his front hooves in the cool waters, shivering at its chilliness. Not hearing Téo’s steps close behind him, he turned to see what was keeping him. “Téo?”

  His friend stood frozen, his eyes fixed far above the trees. “Camouflage!” he whispered, fading from sight.

  Ulysees glanced up to where Téo had been staring and reeled at the terror that stretched high above the trees. It was monstrous, with scaly skin the colour of the forest. Its neck was longer than any animal he had ever seen, and its tail was the length of the largest boa constrictor.

  As quick as lightening, Ulysees disappeared. “Téo,” he said between his teeth.

  “Yes?” His friend’s answer was barely a squeak.

  “Think maybe Danae was wrong? I mean, maybe this is Jaresh.”

  “Or maybe it’s one of those skeletons we found where we left Danae … except this one’s alive.”

  The massive animal swung his long neck around, his gaze falling directly on them.

  “Oh, my gosh. Can it see us?” asked Téo. “How on earth? We’re camouflaged.”

  “Great. Our first mission and we get eaten.” Ulysees fought to control his trembling.

  The giant creature spoke, his deep voice resonating. “You do know that all I eat is plants, don’t you?”

  Ulysees’ heart pounded, but he dared not move. Sweat poured off his coat.

  “Really, it’s true,” the voice thundered. “I have no taste for meat.”

  Still shaking, Ulysees dared release his camouflage. “Are … are you Jaresh?” he stammered.

  The creature lowered its head to Ulysees’ level. “Jaresh?”

  “Y-yes, Jaresh. You know, the guy who gave the unicorns their ability to camouflage, ride the wind … and shadow-walk?” Ulysees babbled.

  The colossal creature tilted his head and cocked one eyebrow.

  “And and he can take away our powers if we don’t obey the Legacy of Azaria?”

  The creature raised the other brow.

  “I’m a unicorn … well, actually we both are … and we’ve just been initia ...” He stopped, and then asked again, “Are … are you Jaresh?”

  The creature’s expression turned to one of amusement. He let out a laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” asked Ulysees, b
reaking into a scowl.

  The giant’s face settled into a patient grin. “Yes, I’m Jaresh, but you’re saying my name wrong. It’s Darius.”

  “Darius?” Ulysees scrunched his brows. “So you do exist?”

  “Of course I exist, and I’ve been waiting for you for over sixty years.”

  “For us?” asked Ulysees.

  “Yes.” Darius hauled his enormous body through the water, sending waves lapping on the shore as he climbed out.

  “What do you mean?” asked Ulysees

  Darius sighed, “It’s been sixty years since Polaris was killed. I wanted to follow the herd when they escaped, but I would have been seen from afar because of my size.” His mouth turned down into a pout. “I’ve had to live alone all these years.” Giant, oversized tears began to plop down to the ground.

  Ulysees waited with rounded eyes, unsure what to say. He’d never seen an adult unicorn cry before, let alone a gigantic creature like this. After a few minutes, Darius’ lamenting subsided.

  “How did you know we were coming?” asked Ulysees.

  Darius let out a great sigh. “Because I’m a seer.”

  The two yearlings exchanged puzzled glances.

  “You know, someone who can see the future before it happens. I was the one who warned Polaris about the fireball that struck the earth and the coming of Ishmael.”

  “It was you?” Ulysees said, under his breath.

  Darius nodded.

  “Then why did Danae tell us there was no Jaresh?” He looked at Téo as though he might know the answer.

  “Because there isn’t. At least not that Jaresh. I can’t take away your powers.” The immense creature huffed.

  “Then why does Icarus insist it’s true?”

  Darius gave his tail a sharp twitch. “It sounds to me like he’s created an imaginary being to control the herd.”

  “So there’s no such thing as a supreme being?” asked Ulysees.

  “I didn’t say that,” said Darius. “I mean, take a look around you, the beauty, the power of the winds, the waters, everything. Is all this just an accident?” He waited as Ulysees took in his surroundings, then continued. “All I’m saying is that Icarus invented one for his own purposes.”

  “So if you’re not this being that Icarus claims you are, then what are you?” Téo asked, taking a timid step forward.

  “I’m the last surviving dinosaur. The rest died out a long time ago – after the fireball.”

  “So the skeletons we saw – they were dinosaurs too?” asked Téo.

  “You’ve been to the dinosaur’s valley?” asked Darius, wonder in his voice.

  “Yes, we have,” said Ulysees. “It was beautiful – really beautiful, but Icarus made us leave … because he was scared.”

  Darius seemed to drift, a smile curving his lips. “Ah, my old home. How I miss it.”

  “Why don’t you go back?” asked Téo.

  “Because there’s no one there for me.” The dinosaur stared at the ground.

  “Aw, that’s really sad,” said Ulysees, unable to imagine being so alone.

  They spent the rest of the afternoon listening to Darius’ tales of long ago, of the time that Polaris ruled, and about Azaria’s bravery. Ulysees and Téo hung on his every word, mesmerized, until they noticed the long shadows forming.

  “It’s going to be dark soon. We’ve got to get back. I want to tell Icarus about you,” said Ulysees, “but I don’t know if he’ll listen.”

  Darius curled his upper lip. “Because he thinks he knows everything?”

  “Yeah.”

  Darius clicked his tongue. “How different he is than Azaria and Polaris.” He shook his head, pressing his lips together tightly. “How did it ever come to this?” He sighed. “You’ll just have to do the best you can.”

  “Alright,” said Ulysees, turning to leave. “We’ll try.”

  Chapter 19

  The Trapper

  Drachen and his brothers followed the trail for days as it wound deeper into the forest, sometimes nearly disappearing in the tangled brush. At times, their search stole hours of precious daylight before they found it again. More than once, they set off in the wrong direction only to realize their error days later. Fists flew and angry words were exchanged. When their breathing slowed, and they unclenched their bloodied knuckles, they retraced their steps, often surprised to find the trail again only a few lengths away from where they had lost it.

  Drachen pondered that strange but exquisite valley they had found a few days before. How beautiful it was – a paradise, really. He might have stayed forever, even forgotten about the unicorns – if only they hadn’t found the remnants of those horrible creatures. He wiped the sweat from his forehead. Why had they died? Were there others? Surely, they must be waiting in lairs, for a tasty human like him to pass by, pouncing as a spider swoops down on a fly in her web.

  But something else troubled Drachen – a vision.

  It happened in the early hours of dawn as the sun sent shimmering pillars of light across the chilly, wet earth. It seemed so real. Almost ghostlike, the wispy, white form of a unicorn sauntered to the lake and dipped its head in the cold waters. He watched the animal, unsure if he was dreaming, and then stood up quite suddenly, shading his eyes against the rising sun to see more clearly. The vision had vaporized. Was he going mad over all this unicorn nonsense? Or was it just a dream?

  Then, weeks later, after leaving the mysterious valley behind, he had stopped to inspect the ground when a flock of magpies took flight. Drachen tensed. His breath shallow, he tied his horse and crept about. He slowed his pace and edged forward, peering between the coloured leaves. His eyes flew open.

  It was her!

  Shoulder-length hair, hanging like silver threads over her hand-woven grey cloak, Ali chose her steps carefully amid the red, brown, and gold leaves that scattered about in the light wind. Her eyes focused on the ground below, her lips turned up in a gentle smile.

  Drachen dared not breathe. What was she looking at that was so interesting? He inched forward, careful to make only the smallest of sounds.

  Ali bent down and reached for something, and then … disappeared.

  The creases in Drachen’s forehead deepened. Was this magic like the unicorn who had vanished? His heart beat wildly as he waited. A gust of wind blew dried leaves in a frenzied circle. Then Ali’s head bobbed up again.

  Drachen crawled up further, taking cover behind shrubs and trees, his dirty clothes blending well with the natural colours of the earth. He pushed his head out as far as he dared, and then abruptly drew it back.

  She was in a pit. She’d dug a hole – or someone had.

  He shook his head and waited in the shadows for her next move.

  Ali began to coo, speaking soft words of encouragement. Her coos grew into a gentle song one sings to a child on a starlit evening. Soft grunts answered her.

  His muscles tensed. He knew that sound anywhere – wild boar! Raising his weapon, he waited for the crazed creature to erupt. After all, he needed the woman alive to find the unicorns, and if nothing else, the boar would provide them with meat in the coming weeks. They could even have some that night. His arms stood ready and poised to launch the arrow … until the impossible happened.

  Ali braced her back against the boar and shoved him up the side of the pit. The animal scrambled up to the solid ground above, his cloven hooves scratching the sides of the hole. When it cleared the walls, it sat on its haunches and faced the woman, its head tilted, listening. She pulled herself from the pit, her cloak soiled and arms covered in dirt, and knelt face to face with the wild pig.

  “Alright, my little one,” she sang, slipping a knotted rope around its neck. “You’re coming to a new home.”

  The boar placed its hooves delicately against her knees, reached up, and touched her nose with its nearly smiling snout.

  “Yes, you’re a good boar, aren’t you?” She rubbed its forehead while the creature groaned with pleasure. />
  Patting its back, she rose and turned down the path, leading the boar as though it were a mere pup.

  The hair of Drachen’s arms rose as chills ran up and down his body. He ducked back and raced through the brush, his blood pumping hard in his veins. Twigs snagged his hair and tore at his clothes. Thin lines of blood trailed down his cheeks from thistles that scraped his face. By the time he found his brothers, his chest was heaving.

  “She’s a witch!” His voice barely rose above his wheezing. “That’s why she has such penetratin’ eyes.”

  “Who?” Kayden dropped an armload of wood in the fire. Steam rose from the flames, distorting his face.

  “Ali,” Drachen’s hoarse voice spit out the name. “I saw ’er in the woods, an’ I tell ya, she’s a witch.”

  Ike let out a rude laugh and shook his head. He picked up a long stick and stoked the fire. “She’s no witch.”

  “Yes, she is! I know what I saw. That’s how she stopped the crowd from stonin’ her father so long ago. It was dark magic.”

  “Here, ya need some of this.” Kayden stepped forward and handed him a cup of spirits.

  Drachen downed it in one gulp, then took some more. After his nerves calmed, he described what he had seen to his wide-eyed brothers. When he finished, he settled before the growing fire, taking small nervous bites of dried meat and roots.

  “That means we gotta be careful,” said Ike, breaking a piece of root with his teeth.

  “I say we go back home,” said Kayden, throwing another branch on the fire. “What if she poisons us or somethin’? Or, worse yet, what if she casts a spell on us?”

  Drachen chewed his jerky slowly, heavy in thought, and then pursed his lips and shook his head. “No. We’ve come all this way to find a unicorn, and we’re gonna get us one.”

  As if in response, the fire let out a huge snap as sparks flew high and disappeared into the night.

  Chapter 20

  The Truth

  When Ulysees and Téo returned, the mares’ ears pricked forward with curiosity, and the stallions gave inquisitive stares. Marching past the herd, the two yearlings held their heads high as though oblivious to the wave of excitement they created. They spotted Icarus at the edge of the herd, scowling as he swatted at flies with his tail.