The Lady of the Forest

by Daniel J Barnes

  The Lady of the Forest - By Daniel J Barnes

  The Unicorn

  Throughout the lands of Faranar are many places of wonder. From the tall mountains in the far north, to the great lake that lies in the middle of the land and the forest of the South that fills the land far beyond what the eye can see.

  This forest is named Harazan Forest. It is a forest named after an ancient race of humanoids that live there, hiding in the trees, staying away from any human that dare walk through the forest.

  These people are said to be similar to men in all ways apart from one; they are formed from the trees of the forest. Their skin is a silver bark, their bones are wood, and their blood is sap.. They are the forest and the forest is full of magic, some of which is powerful and good. Yet, there is darkness in Harazan and even when magic appears to be good, it can be equally dark.

  On the South Eastern side of Faranar is a place of magic. This is not the normal magic one may be used to but it is magical in the sense that it attracts every type of person into its warm walls. It welcomes the rich landowner, the wise wizard, the thief and the Knight. All are welcomed in this pub named The Unicorn.

  Its wooden interior is stained with various ales and whiskies and the bar runs the entire length of the back wall. Many men were sat at the bar and one of these men happened to be John, known as the Warrior in these parts. He was a large man, built with strength and courage. He had a neatly trimmed beard and was drinking a pint of dark ale, which was the most popular drink on the chalkboard in The Unicorn.

  John could feel the thickness of the ale fall through his body, warming his belly, bloating him but making him forget all he needed to forget. Every person had something they suppressed and this could be a dark past or a terrible memory. John’s mind was filled with ghosts that stalked his mind and followed him. He had travelled from the north to the south and still these ghosts plagued his mind.

  John looked around the pub and noticed that people kept their gaze from his when he looked around. There were those that were looking at the bar but when he turned and faced them they buried their heads or engaged in phantom conversations with one another. People feared John for all the wrong reasons. They all knew he was a strong warrior. They also knew about the ghosts that plagued his mind. They knew that his mind was damaged and that made him dangerous. He preferred it this way though. A life of solitude was easier to deal with.

  He could see a young man in the far corner of the pub. A candle that rested on the center of his table illuminated his face. He was speaking with two women; they wore dresses that were stained at the bottom with travel dust and mud. He looked bored and uninterested to John but the woman could not see this. John continued to watch the three of them and his eyes met the young man’s.

  The younger man did not avert his gaze but continued to stare into John’s eyes. The man had bright blue eyes that were visible even from the other side of the pub. The young man approached him. John realized that this man was Alec, known as the hunter. Alec was obviously more intelligent than to believe in hearsay; despite it being quite true John thought. He had a Silver Elm Bow slung across his chest and his shoulder length hair bounced as he strode over. The two woman he was talking to slipped out of the pub full of embarrassment.

  “I see your sword is looking rather old, John. How about a new one?” said Alec.

  A rather odd opening of conversation John thought. Yet, something in him told him to hear out Alec. “Explain yourself, Alec, or leave me to my drink,” he said.

  “You know what I mean, John. Don’t play the fool with me, we both know better than that,” he said.

  “I am not interested in anything like that, Alec. So leave me to my drink now,” said John.

  “Don’t play this game with me, John. How can it be that the John Harcrow, one of the bravest warriors in Faranor and searcher of relics could not be interested in this?” he said to John.

  “Fine, I will entertain you this one time, Alec. After this though, you shall never disturb my drink again,” said John.

  “We both know of the legend of the Silver Unicorn. We wish and she gives us what we asked for. It is as simple as that. People around here know how to find her, they just don’t have the brain or heart to do so,” Alec said.

  “So you want me to come and hold your hand so you can find her?” John asked. Alec’s lip curled upwards slightly before he regained composure.

  “Yes, that is what I want from you. We are both brave but together we would be unbeatable. So long as we have a way to find the Silver Unicorn, then we shall have what we want,” he said. John knew what he wanted and he had it in his hand. He signaled that bald barman for another drink. He brought it over and gave one to Alec.

  “Do you mind if I say something?” the barman asked. The two men looked at him and allowed him to speak.

  “Let me tell you the story of the Unicorn. This legend has been pursued before and not one person has returned here who set out. So let me tell you all that I have heard. My great grandfather’s grandfather turned his home into a pub many years ago. He named it The Unicorn after he swore he saw a Silver Unicorn, twice as large as a normal one running through the trees at the back of his home. He wrote in his journal it looked as though it was chasing a shadow, cloaked in black as the Unicorn’s horn pulsed with light and song. This Unicorn is strong and wise. It is ancient, most likely older than the first man of Faranar. If you find this Unicorn remember it has power beyond anything you have met before,” he said.

  “What have you heard about its wishes then if no person has ever returned alive?” asked John.

  “I have heard whispers of a few people gaining a wish. There was said to be a man my great-grandfather’s grandfather knew who gained a wish of great wealth. There have been whispers that two companions gained the power of a beast, and they now wander the forest and its hills. There was another who wished for a mask of power; but that is all I know,” he said.

  “Do you know anything of this mask?” said John.

  “No, I am afraid I do not, John” he replied.

  “We are all well aware of the legend my friend, but where to begin?” said Alec.

  At this point another man appeared beside Alec. He was dressed in dirty linens and a ragged cloak, his hood covered his head but a dirty face could be seen underneath it. John wrinkled his nose in distaste. No one should smell so bad. John made sure he stayed clean; he hated the feel of dirt and filth on his body.

  “What do you want Pauper?” said the Bartender most rudely, as though he was fed up of the sight of him.

  “A little water would go down well, my friend,” he said.

  John’s distaste of him continued to grow, he hated a beggar more than a dirty man. The combination of both infuriated him.

  “I also know that the Unicorn is said to be near its lair at the time of full moon. The lair is said to be five days march into the center of the woodlands. It is then said you have to follow the sound of its song, so long as you don’t follow the sound of the water instead, as you will fall down the waterfall to your death,” he said.

  “The water is said to take control of the weak and lead them to their doom, only the strong can hear this Unicorn’s song which will lead to the lair of the beast,” said Alec who had heard of this before.

  “That is true sir, and think of the glory that those who get their wish can expect. I will come with you and guide you to the Unicorn as best I can, so long as you give me the coin to feed my wife,” the Pauper said.

  John stood up, a look upon his face that was somewhat between confusion and the other a sense of adventure. His need for adventure had disappeared till this point. There was something here though, a good feeling about finding the b
east.

  “Pauper, make sure you bathe before we leave at sunrise. You will be paid so long as your work as a guide is good. If it is not, being paid will be the last of your problems, is that understood?” said John.

  “Yes - of course it is,” he replied, as his voice broke slightly.

  “Good sir, will you be able to provide supplies for the trip?” he asked the Bartender.

  Alec looked most surprised by his willingness.

  “Of course lad, so long as you have the coin for it,” said the Bartender.

  The Pauper walked over to a table carrying the water he had asked for and shared it with a woman John presumed to be his wife. She was plain and John never was attracted to such plain woman. “Why the change of heart?” said Alec.

  “I have a feeling, that’s all. See you at sunrise, Alec.” said John.

  As he made way to his lodgings John seemed to have forgotten his ghosts. He had a new sense of life and this was a chance where he could redeem himself. The memories that he was left with were pushed to the back of his mind. The anger remained though. The thought of his men who had abandoned him remained raw. It hurt still, to think about it. The mask was within their sights when they left him. John still heard his own screams but the Unicorn could change everything. He was finally getting close to having the revenge he deserved. All he needed was the same power from the Unicorn as the one with the mask had in the caves. Then he would go back and take the revenge he wanted so desperately.

  Journey into the Forest

  At sunrise the Warrior, the Hunter and the Pauper left The Unicorn and entered the dense Forest of Harazan. John noticed the Pauper had bathed as the look of filth had left his face, but the stench remained. They each carried a bag on their backs full of food and water and a few bottles of dark ale (John had a few more of these than the other two). The woods were thick with all kinds of trees and plant life. Some were tall and thick, others small and skinny, some had a thick covering of leaves, others stood there naked. The barks were silvers, reds, browns, whites and blacks and this intrigued the Pauper who had never set foot so deep in the woods. The ground beneath their feet was full of grasses and mosses and was spongy on the foot. Birds were flying overhead, insects were flourishing on the ground and all sorts of forest life were speaking to one another; the forest was alive with the sound of the animals in it. This worried the Pauper even more though, but with a quick glance around he knew he would be most safe with these two men.

  As the first day of walking progressed the Pauper had already begun to slow down. His legs were no stronger than a child’s and his bony frame struggled with the supplies he carried on his back. He pleaded with John and Alec to take it slower but it fell upon deaf ears. They were a good fifty yards in front of him when he finally saw them heave their bags to the floor and create a small fire pit in a small clearing.

  The clearing was circular in shape, with some giant oaks surrounding it with nettles and weeds at their bases. This was a place of sadness, a place that had not been touched by beauty in many a year. The Pauper felt the ground had grown cooler, as the grass tugged at his ankles like many icy tentacles. It was far darker in this clearing and the fire that Alec had struck threw dancing shadows all around them. Fear bundled on top of the Pauper, slowing him down further, making the place feel even colder.

  “About time Pauper, my piss has more strength than you,” John said. He had perked up a lot throughout the day, smiling and muttering to himself as he walked.

  “Come over here and rest by the fire Pauper, you will need your strength for tomorrow,” said Alec.

  “I know - it’s just - it’s- hmm, I’m not very strong and this sack is rather too heavy for me,” he said. His voice stuttered and he danced on his feet in the most nervous of fashions. He gave his shoulders a rub as if to exaggerate this notion of weakness. Alec smirked at this.

  “Leave what you don’t need then. Take the food, the water and give me the ale and weapons.,” said John. “I can’t see you needing those blades while you are with us,” he said.

  It seemed that the Pauper had already thought of this. He had two half blades wrapped in linen in his bag and handed them over to John. John flicked a silver piece the Paupers way.

  “Thank you sir, thank you very much,” said the Pauper.

  “If you’re so poor, where did you get these blades?” asked Alec. John seemed to mimic this question as the two of them stood there, staring at the Pauper.

  “Well, they were from my father. He was a smithy at some place. Never met him. He gave my mother these swords to sell so she could feed me. She never did. I took them when I left home. They are most probably blunt as they have never been used,” he said.

  The Pauper appeared to be sad which John surprisingly noticed. What John had noticed, which was more important to him was that the Pauper was weak. John did not want anything bad to happen to him, he would not wish that on such a man but he was unsure that he would last the five days at this rate.

  (Cut him loose)

  “Why have you come with us then Pauper? You aren’t a warrior like us, and this quest could be full of danger over the next few days,” said the Hunter.

  “It is simple, Alec. I am here for my Wife. She has been with me since we were young and I want to show her my love. I am doing this to help us raise some money so we may finally buy our own land,” he replied. The Pauper never looked at Alec when he spoke but remained looking at the ground, another sign of weakness John noted.

  “So you will ask for a fortune?” said John.

  (Leave him)

  “I am not sure yet, but I do not think so,” replied the Pauper. “What I do know is that I must make this journey. I have never done anything of value and this will help me. If I make it here I can make something of my life. This quest will make me the man I have always wanted to be,” he said.

  John had grown tired of this conversation. “Very well, Pauper. This quest may seems to be heroic to you but it will get worse. As we get deeper into this forest where no man lives or walks, we will be on our own and at the mercy of this place. Keep an eye out and do not be taken for a weakling whilst we are here,” said John.

  (Kill him).

  Alec had set up a fair sized spit whilst they had been talking and placed on it three large White Squirrels. These were only found in Harazan Forest and were abundant in number. They looked almost exactly like normal Grey Squirrels, except for three things. Firstly, they were white; secondly, they are a lot larger, around 2-3ft and; lastly, they had large eyes. These eyes seem to be escaping from their skulls and were quite unsettling; especially for the Pauper who seemed to be terrified by them.

  “Now Pauper, how do you know so much about this Unicorn and forest? It doesn’t make sense to me,” said Alec.

  “I was taught to read as a young boy by my mother. She was a bright girl, and made sure I could read. One book I had was about this forest. I read it each night until my eyes closed or the flame of my candle went out. The legend was in this book and how to find her,” he said.

  “Her? How do you know this Unicorn is a lass?” asked John.

  “Could you ever imagine a male ever being as beautiful as this Unicorn is said to be? I think she is a female, the Lady of the Forest,” said the Pauper.

  “That does make sense. Everything beautiful in this world has been touched by a female. This forest is unique; no words of mine could ever describe its beauty. She has walked this forest since its beginning, and it is hers, and its beauty is hers,” said Alec.

  At this John collapsed onto the floor as laughter escaped him. He had never heard anything to be so humorous for women had no such power. His laughter was met by silence though. The three of them ate their squirrel and drifted off to sleep.

  Each of the next days progressed rather similarly, but the Pauper continued to get weaker as the days passed. On the fourth day, he was weak and lacked the strength to wake up. He had started to worry he may not make it at this point. He had assured
John and Alec that they would find the Unicorn by the next day, although he was unsure if he would.

  “Alec, come over here now; we must do it now,” said John. This alerted the Pauper immediately. He looked over towards Alec who seemed to look tense at John’s instruction. “Do what now?” asked the Pauper. “Leave you here,” said Alec. “You are holding us back. Only the strong can find the Unicorn. You will lead us to our death if we meet her with you. We must leave you to make sure we find her,” he said.

  “You said I would get paid for helping you, you promised,” said the Pauper.

  “Yes, we did and we will hold our part on this. You have done a great deed in getting us this far. I hope you make it out of here though with this gold, I wouldn’t want it going to waste,” said John.

  He threw him a rather small pouch that was rather worn. Inside were two gold pieces, four silver and seventeen small bronze pieces. This was enough to buy food for a year or for him to buy a rather small plot of land. It was more than the Pauper had ever seen.

  “Thank you good sirs. Are you sure I cannot continue with you? I promise not to get in your way,” asked the Pauper.

  He felt that this plea would go unheard but he knew he had to try.

  “If you try to come with us my sword will find a place between your chest. I do not mean to be like this, but you are weak and the legend tells us you will not make it. We cannot risk you leading us to our death. You must not follow us in case we hear the water. Incase you get us killed,” said John.