by Davis, Lia;
“Maybe we should learn a little bit about each other before going further,” she said. “What’s your name?”
Reality crashed through his fantasy. What am I doing? Only minutes before, he’d been chasing her as an animal, and now he was rolling on the forest floor with her. He pushed away with more forced than intended, landing on his ass. Is this what Cliff experienced yesterday? But he said the woman had red hair. Her laughter followed him.
Gracefully, she stood and shook out her injured foot. The corners of her eyes turned down, and her smile faltered.
You can’t catch love with your hands.
Not with your rifle, or
with your bow and arrow, or
with your trap or snare.
Love is the trophy.
Catch me if you can.
With the final line, she morphed into the rabbit and dashed into the underbrush. Jacob’s heart pounded. He didn’t dare attempt pursuit, knowing she’d evade him. Instead, he gathered his belongings, and what was left of his dignity, and returned home to face his brother. Was there more than one woman in the forest? Together, they’d uncover the mystery, and perhaps capture the prize.
* * * *
“She was a rabbit!”
“She was a deer!”
The brothers bantered back and forth, until one argument slid into the other.
“Just stop, already,” their father stood between the two men, his arms outstretched, looking from one to the other. “In all my years with you two, I’ve never seen you act like this, and what? Over a woman?”
“She’s more than that,” Cliff said. “If you saw her, you’d understand. It’s like nature took all the fire and robust red flowers in the forest and infused it within her soul. She burned so bright …”
Jacob shook his head. “Imagine winter’s first big storm, and pure virgin snow blanketing the meadow. It’s crisp and clean, and fragile. That’s who I saw today. Who I touched.” He brought his fingers up to his lips, trying to grasp the sensation of her against him.
“I get it,” Pa said. “She’s special. So special it’s worth breaking you two apart?”
He threw his hands up, and collapsed in his oversized chair. “Go at it. If you hurt each other over this woman or women-folk out there, then what’s to happen to her? If this song she recites is true, you’re going to have to come up with another means to capture her heart.”
Silence filled the cabin, and the two men squared off visually.
“What do you think?” Jacob asked. “Is it the same woman, or are we dealing with two magical creatures?”
Cliff rubbed the stubble on his chin. “What are the odds there would be two of them? But how can I see a deer, and you see a rabbit?”
“Maybe as a shifter, she can appear how she wants, and she approached us in the form we’d most want. Or we just happened to come across her at that moment,” Jacob replied.
The anger filling his body dissipated, and Cliff’s body loosened from the stress that ate at his soul. His brother was not his enemy. Likewise, he wasn’t his rival.
“Tomorrow, I think we should go into the forest together, and see if we can find her.”
“What do you make of the song she sings. We can’t trap her by ordinary means.”
“True, but maybe that’s alone, separately. But what about together? I say we make a plan and she won’t be able to escape the both of us again.”
As the words left his mouth, Cliff already doubted. Maybe this time, he should listen to his brother’s advice, and they approach the mysterious creature in a different manner. Something told him though, that time was running out. Surely, something magical was upon them, and that was partially the reason for the encounter. Otherwise, they would have come across her previously. They’d spent their entire lives within the woods, hunting, and they were both more than familiar with the territory. Likewise, their father knew the lay of the land.
“Sounds like you two have come to a truce,” Papa said. “Good, before I made you hug it out. It’s been a long time since I had to resort to that punishment, but you’re never too old.”
The brothers groaned in unison. “Noooo. Not that.”
“Now in order to go forward, we must talk about the past,” Pa said. “Get comfortable. It’s not going to be easy.”
Darkness from outside seeped into the cottage, and their souls as Pa’s voice enlarged, becoming their entire world. In their room, Cliff took a seat beside Jacob. His brother’s familiar presence offered a continued source of comfort. Between them, Cliff suffered the most from haunting memories. This story would affect him the most.
“As I said last night, ’tis true I came upon the two of you. But what I didn’t share is that I spoke to your father, you’re real one, and he told me the reasons why he left you.”
“After all these years,” Cliff interrupted. “But why tell us now?”
“You’ll know the reasons soon enough. I’ve waited all this time to tell you, let me do the telling.”
He weaved a tale of an overcast morning, and a hunt for food. Right when he was thinking about turning back for the day, he’d come across two boys crying, with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, a bedroll and a small backpack.
“Are you lads lost?” he asked.
“No-no-no, Sir,” the dark-haired child answered.
“That must have been me,” Jacob said.
“Imagine figuring that out,” Cliff muttered under his breath.
“Do you want me to continue on, or do you already know this one?” the Huntsman asked.
“Please go on,” Cliff said, encouraging him.
“I couldn’t imagine how two small boys had made it all the way out in the woods, without any supervision, and still not consider themselves lost,” he explained. “A few minutes later, a man approached. The dark-haired child threw his arms around the man. ‘Pa, I thought you left us.’”
“And he did,” Jacob said.
He tensed his body as if to move, and Cliff placed his hand on his arm. “Please stay, for me.”
With a nod and a firm set of his jaw, he settled down. “Go on.”
The man had detailed how he was hiding the two of you from greater harm. You see, he was a poor blacksmith, whose wife had died in childbirth. His brother was a rich craftsman, who always wanted more and more money. One day he came across a special bird who laid golden eggs, and …
“Wait!” Cliff stopped the story. “You mean golden eggs like the ones we get?”
“Yes, exactly like that,” Pa said. “The problem being is that he wasn’t happy enough with what the feathered creature provided, he wanted more, and he wanted it all for himself. So he set out to follow the instructions of the myth.”
“There are instructions?” Cliff asked.
“Yes, for almost every story out there, you can find out a bit of the why and figure out what you need to do. In any case, in this instance, the brother wanted all the riches for himself, so he killed the bird.”
“Killed the bird that laid golden eggs?” Jacob said. “How stupid. Why don’t you keep it? What good is it dead?”
“Maybe, but maybe not. The myth goes that whomever kills the bird, and then eats its liver and kidney will wake up each morning to a golden egg under their pillow.”
The brothers grew quiet. Cliff knew they were probably both thinking about the same thing: Their morning gift. If their uncle killed the bird in order to get the reward, how did they come about it. He had no memory of those events. Either he simply didn’t recall them, or he’d blocked them.
“Now, I’m sure you’re wondering, ‘what golden egg?’”
“Yes, Pa, what golden egg? We get one every morning. How is that possible?”
“Well, as I know it, the thing was before your uncle was able to, you two came along and ate those delicacies. At the time, neither you nor your aunt knew about the instructions. They seemed to be small, leftover parts. But once you ate them, the damage was done.”
“We ate the g
olden bird!” Jacob stood quickly from the bed. “That doesn’t seem right. We wouldn’t!”
Thud. He hit his head on the wood of the top bunk.
“Fuck. Dammit.” He pushed off Cliff’s attempts to stop him. “I’m not sure if I want to hear anymore.”
“Well, there is more to hear,” Pa said. “And it’s for your own good. Especially if you two decide to go out after this girl who has you so enthralled.”
Grumbling, Jacob settled next to Cliff. “Go on.”
“Well, the uncle found out what happened, and he ordered you two be killed, so he’d collect on the bounty. Rather than fulfilling his brother’s wishes, your father brought you both out into the woods, and hoped for the best.”
“’Hoped for the best?’ You mean he abandoned us!” Jacob said.
“It sounds like he didn’t have much of a choice.” Cliff never wanted to accept any less of a reason. “It was either kill us, or give us some chance for survival.”
Once spoken, the words took on a life of their own, and the cottage grew quiet. Each alone with their thoughts, the silence expanded, growing until Cliff couldn’t take it anymore.
“The more you talk, the more I remember,” he said, probing his memory for something nagging. Finally, it came. “We didn’t eat that bird! We buried it!”
“What?” Jacob asked, before his eyes grew wide with knowledge.
The image of holding a delicate white Pheasant in his hands, and the softness of her feathers struck Cliff. They’d interrupted their uncle – a vile man throughout their lives – poised to twist the neck of the creature, and then he’d been distracted for a moment.
“Please help me,” the bird cried out. “Don’t let him eat me.”
Cliff picked up the wounded animal. “I’ve sorry he said. I don’t think we can save you.” He stroked its feathers.
“Bury me. In the forest, where the soil is rich and cool.”
Stealthily, with a glance in the direction their uncle took, they did exactly that in a secret location. Tears flowing, Jacob dug the hole. The moment before her death, she said “For your kindness, I bless you with all my riches.”
A magic light emanated from her body, enveloping them in warmth. As it ebbed away, she grew limp, dead, and they buried the pour soul.
Their father wiped a few stray tears from his eyes. “My two boys. You’ve always been kind-hearted. Do you see the connection between then and now?”
“A talking bird? How did we forget about that?” Jacob asked.
“A magic spell that held the truth of those memories until it unraveled,” Pa said.
“Do you think she might have been a shifter, too?” Cliff voiced the question they were probably all thinking.
“Impossible to know for sure,” Pa said. “But odds are yes.”
Jacob stood, facing their protector. The anger pouring off his body evident from his tense muscles. “What of our father and uncle? Have you ever heard what happened to them?”
“Aye, I have.” He turned, not meeting their eyes for the first time. “Over the years, I’ve enquired, especially to make sure you two were safe. From what I heard, a few years back your father died, sad and lonely. I’m sure your father regretted letting you go.”
“Don’t give him any qualities we don’t know about,” Jacob said. “He doesn’t deserve it. And our uncle?”
“Only on my most recent trip did I hear of his passing, which is one of the reasons why I thought now would be time to share the story.”
It was enough of the past. They needed to move forward, and not get stuck in an unnecessary anger. Cliff had one last question of his own.
“What of this gold? Is it that valuable? It’s worth two sons?”
“Ah, yes, to some,” Pa said. “But all this time I’ve had you two I haven’t touched an egg of it. Well, not in that sense. Instead, I turned it into other precious commodities, ones that you boys might be able to use when you venture out of the woods. It wouldn’t due to show up with twelve years’ worth of golden eggs in sacks. Some people may actually ask questions. When the time comes, it’ll all be there for you.”
Chapter Three
On the other side of the forest …
A princess knelt in a pale pink dress before her father. The king sat on his golden throne. A line of servants streamed out in a V-shaped line from his chair. Each person, including his daughter, bowed before him.
“You went out again in the kingdom, didn’t you, Daphne?” he asked his daughter.
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, I just can’t …”
“Can’t obey my commands?” he retorted? “How may times have I told you, it’s not a good idea?”
“But you know what it’s like. When this time of the month comes upon me, I can’t help it. The walls feel too close. Too confined. Trapped. I need to get out. Escape, and run.” Just talking about the occurrence made her pulse speed up. She imagined the feeling of the moist dirt beneath her feet, and the wind ravaging her hair.
“And how did that work out for you this last time?” He flicked his eyes toward her bandaged ankle. “Had a little run-in with humanity? That’s what I’ve always tried to tell you. It’s not you I don’t trust. It’s everyone else out there in the great woods. You don’t know how to protect yourself, and you’ll just end up getting hurt, or worse like your mother.”
“But you don’t know what it’s like, Father,” Daphne argued. “You don’t know what it feels like. It’s like my skin itches, and I can’t escape. Not until I’m free and running do I truly feel alive.”
He swallowed a retort. Even though he didn’t say a word, Daphne heard the response. They’d repeated this fight so many times over her lifetime, except this time around, she’d actually met someone. Or someones. It gave her a reason to want to go back into that dangerous forest her father forbid her to visit. There was no way to choose between the two men she’d met. If it was up to her, she’d venture out again, and see which one would be able to capture her and her heart.
Truth be told, both already owned a piece. She knew, though, that having both men she’d met would not be realistic. She’d have to choose one.
Each held an allure. The first one fair, and with a kind heart. The second darker, as if his soul held a secret and only she’d be able to uncover it. Both proved to be strong, physically attractive, but also gentle with her.
If up to her father, it would be neither. Princesses married because of worth. Not love. With the state of the castle since her mother’s death, their fortune had dwindled. She needed to make a good match.
“What’s it going to be?” he asked. “Are you going to take heed to my words, or will I have to lock you in your room?”
“What? Do you not trust me?” Daphne asked.
“I’m sorry, but I was young once in my day, and I remember knowing the feeling when I met your mother. Nothing would keep us apart. If something or someone is calling you out to the woods, I don’t trust it, and you are acting somehow different.” He leaned in, scrutinizing her.
“That’s for sure,” she muttered under her breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing sir.”
In her natural state, her hair was a non-descript brown. There was a reason why she picked such magnificent creatures with memorable hair color to shift into. Day by day, she blended into the background with everyone at the castle. Nothing about her screamed “Princess” or “beauty.” And the way things were going, she’d never marry a prince or knight. One would only choose her for position or power, not love. She didn’t want one though.
She longed for a man to cherish, protect and provide for her. Not one who needed to be coddled and sheltered.
Three days a month, she faced her true nature, and was able to shift into any form she wished. All she needed to do was think about the creature and she transformed. Unlike the lore about werewolves, who were ruled by the power of the full moon, her time of the month fell under the New Moon. She always imagined it to be
something with renewal of Mother Earth, and her soul.
“Please don’t lock me in, Father. You know what it’s like.”
“Yes, sadly a little too much.” His voice took on a distant tone. “I lost your mother on one of her New Moon runs, and I swore I’d never let you do the same.”
“I’m safe though. Nothing will happen to me.”
He brushed his hand against the side of her head, stroking her hair. “I know you mean to be safe, but the more you grow into the beautiful young woman you are, the more there is for me to worry about.
“Someday, I hope you understand, and I hope you’ll be able to forgive me.”
Panic struck deep to the core, until she remembered no matter how he attempted to hold her captive, she’d find a way to escape, as a bird, a mouse, it didn’t matter. He might think he’d be able to confine her, but her desire for love knew the escape route.
That night, rather than escorting Daphne to her bed chambers, the lady-in-waiting begged her pardon to visit the dreary tower on the south side.
“The King he, umm, wants me to show you something,” Lucille said.
The poor woman thought she was fooling Daphne, but no. It didn’t matter how high the tower, she’d soon be on a glorious adventure, and the next day if anyone questioned how the princess got out of a locked tower? Well, no matter.
Despite being such a high point, the coolness of the bricks made the tower feel even more cold. Once ensconced within the confines, Lucille slipped out the door and locked it tight. “My apologies, mi-lady. Tis your father’s doing.”
“No hard feelings. I know it’s part of your job,” she called back. Standing in the center of the floor, she turned, taking it all in. Thick metal bars blocked the window. As a human, there was no way getting out, but as an animal? What was her father thinking? It was like he didn’t want to face her reality. To do so, he’d have to face the truth of his own.
Not for the first time in her life, Daphne wished for a sibling. At least in that instance, she wouldn’t get all the idiosyncrasies of her father, and instead they could share the burden. Her mother had died when she was young enough to miss her daily, but old enough to appreciate having her. She had been a shifter, too, and could have explained a lot of what Daphne experienced. As an only child, the future of the kingdom weighed upon her shoulders, and her choice of a mate. The king explained how vital it was for her to wed someone financially secure. In other words, rich. A huntsman, no matter how successful, would never do.