by Неизвестный
On her way back from the stream, she saw Fern, her sometimes horse. She gave a low whistle and the horse ambled toward her. She called the creature that because she didn't own her, rather they shared a mutually beneficial relationship. Fern would give an occasion ride while Nia would return with a weekly brushing and apple or carrot snacks.
In the morning, she'd need the mare to assist her in taking the stranger back to wherever he came from. Together, they walked to the cabin. When she entered, she was pleased to see the stranger sitting up in bed.
"Are you finished?"She indicated the clean bowl.
"May I have more?"
"Of course."Nia refilled the bowl and handed it to him. His hearty appetite was a very good sign indeed.
"Where am I?"he asked.
"Just north of the Woods of Leavendor near the cliffs of Maragorn."She indicated the horse who'd just stuck its head through the open window to nibble on drying herbs. "In the morning, you can borrow my horse to aid you in your journey back to whence you've come."
"Sending me off already?"She caught the amusement in his voice.
"It is what's best for you."She picked up the pallet she'd been sleeping on since the stranger had arrived. Spreading it out before the fire, she sat to begin her evening ritual of brushing and braiding her long hair. She removed the silver crown and placed it beside her on the pallet.
The man continued eating, but she was aware of his avid gaze as she separated the strands with her fingers.
"Why do you live in the woods alone, Nia?"His voice was low, sensual. "Don't you get lonely?"
Her eyes closed as a powerful longing swept through her. What did it matter if she told this man the truth? He'd leave in the morning and she would be gone shortly thereafter.
"My mother died many years ago, so I've been alone most of my life."Deftly she wove her hair into two long braids to avoid tangling while she slept. "I barely remember anything different."
"Then why do you remain here?"
"Because I can't live anywhere else."She tied a faded blue ribbon at the end of one braid.
"Why is that?"
"I am cursed."Her voice erupted more bitterly than she'd intended. "Surely you've heard the stories of the Witch of Maragorn?"
"Of course, they're fables designed to scare children into behaving."He placed the empty bowl on the bedside table.
"They aren't fables. They're true, for I am she."
"You aren't nearly old enough--"
"I'm over two-hundred years old."Nia dropped the brush onto her pallet and turned to face him.
His head was cocked to the side as comprehension dawned across his face. "Of course you are. Many elves are immortal."
She frowned. If elves were immortal, this was the first she'd ever heard of it. Her mother had been an elf and she was as dead as any mortal.
"My mother was not immortal,"she said. "The only reason I'm still alive is for the curse."
"But you wear the amulet."
Nia looked down at the pendant she'd worn for all of her life. It was small, just slightly larger than the tip of her pinky. Of woven silver strands, it contained a milky moonstone at its heart, the stone of the Nellwyn according to her mother.
"It was a gift from my mother."Her fingers closed around the pendant. "I've always had it."
"All of the Nellwyn wear the same pendant. It is said to represent their immortality. If they choose, they can give the pendant to the one they love and forsake their immortal life for a mortal one."Ranulf settled deeper into the bed, still facing her. "How can you not know anything of your people?"
"They cast out my mother many years ago."Nia stretched out on her pallet. The flickering of the fire and the dim room was making her relaxed. "I've never met another Nellwyn."
"Why did they cast her out?"
"According to her, because she dared to love a mortal, Megros of Litharia. They had a great love affair and, when she became pregnant, they shunned her."Nia settled her cheek against her hands. "But Megros was a jealous man who didn't trust anyone. When Mama came to him and told him she was pregnant with me, he believed she'd cuckolded him. He, too, cast her out and the curse was cast upon me."
"Tell me about the curse."
Nia yawned. She wasn't sure why he was so interested, but since it didn't matter if he knew or not, she continued. "The curse is that I am to live an immortal life until love's first kiss sets me free. What they failed to tell my mother was, should I kiss anyone other than my one true love, they would be turned into a gargoyle."
"A gargoyle?"There was a heavy pause. "You mean like the statues around the room?"
"Exactly. You're surrounded by my victims."She closed her eyes. "I'm tired of talking about me. Tell me about your life, Ranulf."
"What do you want to know?"
"Is there anyone waiting for you to return home?"She heard the rustle of sheets.
"My men, my family and my people. I have no wife, if that's what you're asking."
Nia allowed a small smile. She couldn't deny the feeling of relief that washed over her.
"Tell me about your childhood."Her voice was heavy with exhaustion. She'd slept little since she'd found Ranulf. For the first time in many years, it felt good to have someone sleep under the same roof as she. As she drifted into sleep, lulled by the sound of his voice, she dreamed of a dark haired man and a blonde woman running through a field surrounded by their children.
* * *
"You seem to be in a hurry to see me gone."Ranulf sat on the edge of the bed, watching Nia scurry around the room straightening up.
"It's for your own good."She tossed his clean leather jerkin in his direction. "It wouldn't pay for you to dawdle here for long. Better men than you have met an untimely end here in the woods of Maragorn."
"You don't scare me, she-elf."He laughed. "I am a fearsome warrior--"
"And that has been said to me before,"she shot back.
"I will do as you desire, sweet Nia."He rose, putting out a hand to steady himself as the floor tilted beneath his feet. He was almost feeling like his old self again. Only his head seemed to still give him problems. He picked up his sword and slid it into its sheath. "I will leave your home in the woods, but I think you will not forget me so easily."
"You overestimate your powers of attraction."Her tone was dry.
"Do I?"He towered above her, crowding her near the foot of the bed where she couldn't move away. He dipped his head until his lips brushed her ear and he could feel her shiver beneath that light touch. "I think not."
With that, he moved away. He needed to get home before he did something foolish like kiss her. He cast a glance at the odd little statues before the fireplace. There was something in her story that didn't quite ring true, and he needed to speak to his steward before he returned.
The horse stood a few feet from the door and its ears flicked forward as he approached. Lacking both saddle and bridle, he gripped her mane and vaulted onto her back. Beneath him, the horse moved and he soothed her with his hands and soft words of encouragement.
Nia stood in the doorway, her arms wrapped around her slim waist. "Travel well, Ranulf the Hunter."
He tipped his head in her direction. "Thank you again, Nia, Lady of Maragorn. I shall return your horse tomorrow."
She shook her head. "There is no need, just turn her loose and she will return to me."
"Do all creatures return to you, Nia?"
Her expression turned cool. "Only those who wish to become cursed as well."
He gave her a curt nod and wheeled the horse around. As they left the clearing and entered the woods, he whispered under his breath, "Fear not, Milady, for I shall return."
* * *
The first gift arrived early the next morning. As she opened the door, Nia found a package on her doorstep. Wrapped in plain brown paper and coarse string, she picked it up and carried it to her table.
It was probably a gift from the family she'd aided last week with their ailing daughter. While i
t wasn't unusual to receive an offering, it was unusual for it to be left on her doorstep. Most people left them near the edge of the clearing at the base of a tree stump. While they weren't afraid to approach her when they needed something, rarely did they do so to leave an offering.
She tugged on the rope and the knot pulled free. She removed the brown paper and her breath caught as she beheld the gift of emerald green velvet. She ran her hands over the mound of soft fabric. Surely there was enough here to make an entire dress or a cloak. Beneath the fabric, she found a note.
Cloth to match the color of your eyes...
Even though it was unsigned, Nia knew who'd sent the present. Ranulf. But how could a mere soldier afford a ransom's worth of precious velvet fabric?
He was wily, that one.
She refolded the fabric and tucked it away, safe in its paper wrapping. Too bad she wouldn't need it as it would have made a lovely cloak.
Now that she had no patients and she'd put her cabin back to rights, there was no reason to not to take the leap from the cliffs as she'd planned. Her fingers closed around the pendant and a soft shiver moved up her arm. What if Ranulf was right and the pendant was the key to her immortality rather than the curse?
She frowned. But why wouldn't her mother have told her? Surely she wouldn't have kept such a thing a secret. Not that it mattered now. Even if the pendant was the secret, the curse still remained. When she kissed a man who was not the love of her life, he turned to stone. That alone was something she could live with no longer. The thought of an eternity alone was more than she could bear.
Nia stripped off her clothing and removed the white gown from the clothing cupboard. The beautiful fabric had survived its shabby treatment. After a good cleaning and allowing it to dry in the warm sun, it looked as beautiful as ever.
She pulled it over her head. The gown felt heavy as it settled against her skin, not as comfortable as it had the last time she'd donned it. Why was that? What had changed?
Ranulf.
She exited the cabin, her heart thudding in her chest as she walked through the soft grass. He was the only thing that had changed in her life. Since meeting him, she'd felt out of sorts. Almost as if--
A spark of sun glinting off something caught her eye. As she neared the small boulder, she spied a delicately embroidered pair of ladies slippers. Her lips formed an O as she took in the tiny seed pearls sewn around the edges.
She lifted them to reveal a note underneath.
Slippers for your beautiful feet...
With trembling hands she slipped them onto her feet, reveling in the sensual caress of the fur lining. Never had anyone given her such a grand gift as the velvet and slippers. Usually she received gifts of food, a length of homespun. Once she'd received two gold coins, not that she had any use for them, but they were pretty when the light hit them just right.
Straightening, she continued her journey, stopping to admire her new footwear from time to time. As she neared the trees, she saw something in the trees reflecting the sunlight. When she drew near, she saw an emerald pendant on a narrow silver chain. A note was attached to the chain.
Emeralds to match your eyes...
Nia couldn't help the feeling of joy as she read the card. She lifted the pendant and fastened it around her neck along with the moonstone. Had her soldier snuck through the dead of night hiding these gifts for her? How could he have afforded them? Had he stolen them?
She wove her way through the woods and, as she neared the clearing, a flash of red caught her eye. From a tree branch hung a ruby red velvet cloak. Never had she seen anything quite so lovely. Silver embroidery edged the front and the hood. The clasp was shaped like a horse's head and was made of sterling silver.
She removed the cloak and another note fluttered to the ground.
To protect you from the elements...
Nia clutched the cloak to her chest as her gaze scanned the area. How many gifts had he left for her? She slipped the cloak over her shoulders and began searching.
Within two hours, she'd unearthed a myriad of gifts. A large basket of food, a length of sapphire blue silk for a dress, a collection of silk hair ribbons in every color of the rainbow, an emerald ring as well as a saddle and bridle for Fern. Trip after trip she made back to her cabin carrying her bounty.
With all of the gifts piled on her bed along with a stack of notes, she admired the king's ransom she'd received. As beautiful as the gifts were, they didn't compensate for an eternity of loneliness. Lengths of velvet and precious jewels were a poor substitute for love.
Nia exited the cabin a final time. She could only hope that whoever happened upon her cabin could use the things she'd left inside. When she reached the cliffs, a voice rose from behind her.
"There you are, my fine witch."
* * *
Ranulf nudged his horse into a canter. He couldn't wait to get back to Nia and see how she liked the presents he'd left her. It had taken two of his men over an hour to hide them in the area around her house.
Ever since he'd left her home the day before, she'd occupied his thoughts completely. He could think of nothing else but her.
He was in love with her.
Yes, it was folly to love someone he'd only met a few days before, but it was true. His mother had always told him that, when he met his soul mate, there would be no doubt in his mind. With Nia, there wasn't one. Witch or not, elf or not, she was the woman for him.
As the woods thinned, to his left were the cliffs where they'd first met. He pulled his horse to a stop when he heard voices coming from the cliffs. Recognizing Nia's cool, melodic tones, he leapt from his horse and moved to a tree that would shelter him from view.
His heart leapt into his throat when he saw her poised at the cliff edge, her back to the sea. The winds from the sea tugged at the red cloak. Her expression was composed as she faced two dwarves who looked oddly familiar.
The shorter of the two was armed with a bow and a short sword still in its sheath. The taller, more aggressive one stood closer to Nia. His sword was in its sheath, but he held a jeweled dagger, one that Ranulf recognized as being his father's. One that had been missing since his ill- fated hunting trip.
These were the two who'd attacked him in the woods that day.
He ran his hand over the bindings that still covered his sword injury. Nia's healing skill had the wound almost healed. These two had tried to kill him, and now they had the woman he loved cornered.
Anger simmering, he moved through the trees until he stood almost directly behind the taller man. Careful not to make a sound, he withdrew his sword from its sheath and advanced.
Nia's eyes widened when she saw him, but she made no effort to acknowledge him.
"I said, whatcha 'ave to say for yourself, woman?"The taller man jabbed his dagger in her direction, but she didn't flinch.
"I fail to see why I have to answer you,"she said. "I was but minding my own business the day you chased the stranger here upon this cliff. It wasn't my fault you lost your prey."
"'E was a rich one, 'e was, and we mean to collect on our 'ard day's work."He jabbed the knife at her again. "I know he's probably stashed at your place. You'll just 'ave to take us there."
"And if he's not?"she asked. "What then?"
"Then we'll just avail ourselves of you and teach you a lesson about meddling where you're not wanted. We'll just toss them skirts over your 'ead and see 'ow well you like it."The taller one glanced at the shorter man and laughed. "You'll be our consternation prize."
"I believe you mean consolation."Amusement laced her words.
"Humph."He grabbed her arm and began hauling Nia toward the woods and her cabin beyond the clearing.
"There's no need, gentlemen, for I have come to you."As Ranulf spoke, both men jumped. Spinning, they turned to face him. He jabbed the tip of his sword into the soft earth, then braced his hands over the hilt.
"You,"the taller one said.
"Yes, 'tis I. I believe you were asking
the lady about me?"
The shorter one took a half step back, clearly unwilling to face a healthy, armed man this time.
"We came only to bid 'ello to the beautiful lady."The taller one smiled, revealing a mouthful of rotting teeth. He pulled Nia closer. "Good friends, you see."
"Indeed."Ranulf's gaze flicked to Nia's expressionless face. "You'll have to forgive me if I think the lady disagrees with you."
The taller dwarf shifted her until she stood in front of him as a human shield. His dagger was placed against her throat, but Nia seemed unconcerned.
"As if we care what you 'ave to say,"the man snarled. "Now, give us your money or I'll slit 'er throat."
Ranulf gave him an unpleasant smile. "Come and get it."He removed his money pouch from his belt and held it out, sure to give it a good jingle so the men could hear the coins clinking together.
"Get it,"the taller one said to the shorter man.
He started, then stopped. "But he's armed."
"Step away from your sword, milord. I'd 'ate to cut 'er throat if you made any sudden moves."
Ranulf inclined his head toward the man and stepped away from his sword. With the bigger man's gaze fastened on the bag, his dagger moved away from Nia's throat ever so slightly, giving him a chance to save her. But before he could pull his own boot dagger and hurl it at the man, Nia had grasped his arm and slid beneath it.
"Wench,"the bigger man snarled.
Nia grabbed his cheeks and, to Ranulf's surprise, gave him a quick, hard kiss on the lips. Stepping back, she ran her hand over her mouth as if to remove the taste from her skin.
The dwarf gave an odd scream that cut off in mid syllable. Instantly, he was transformed into a gargoyle statute, a particularly ugly one at that. The smaller man gave a strangled scream and headed for the woods, the bag of coins and his friend forgotten.
"I guess you were right,"Ranulf said.
Nia's brow crooked. "You've seen my home and still you didn't believe me? I'm cursed and I have been from the day I was created. Thank you for the lovely gifts, but you've wasted your time."She indicated the squat stone creature at her feet. "I can't risk this happening to you. You're better off without me."