The Untold Forest

by Elisa Menz

  Surprised, Maeve gasped as her body grew stiff, but when Hakken searched her face, he only saw wonder and the ghost of a smile. This intimacy was so different from their usual closeness, and Hakken could no longer deny how much he desired her. His muscles relaxed, enveloped in her warmth. Dreaming about touching her like this didn’t come close to how heavenly it felt.

  All his meticulous plans to court her went out of the window. He didn’t want to rush her, but it was too late to worry about his absolute lack of subtlety. Despite the clear struggle to overcome her coyness, Maeve took his face in her hands. The sensation of her slender fingers trailing his beard was delicious.

  “Hakken,” she whispered, and her warm breath tickling his lips almost caused his knees to buckle. Was it too soon for him to—?

  “Maeve,” he didn’t mind anymore, “I want you.”

  His rushed words made them both freeze in amazement. He was as subtle as an oliphant in heat. I want to kiss you. He was supposed to say that instead! The words were out, and he was done running from his feelings. He was ready to be honest with her and himself. He was dying to hold her and kiss her senseless.

  But his luck.

  Inches away from her luscious lips, a loud, annoying cough broke through their haze. Startled, they turned to find Finn standing a few feet away, hands crossed over his chest and a knowing smirk on his face. “I just wanted to ask you guys what you would like for lunch.”

  Maeve writhed away from his arms and rushed to the cabin, sending a glance at him. She was beyond flustered.

  Yes. He was not subtle at all.

  Hakken shifted on his feet and scratched his head. His mind scrambled all over the place. That turned out to be a mild disaster, but his goofy smile stayed put. His little Maeve wanted to go home with him.

  His smile vanished when he turned to a very serious Finn, giving him a dirty eye. “Half-breed. You better start explaining what your intentions are with my little sister.”

  Hakken gulped. How could this skinny human be so threatening? “And don’t pretend this is all a misunderstanding because I’m sure you are not ‘that’ happy to see me.”

  Damn, that boy scared him.

  CHAPTER XXIII

  HONESTY

  Maeve

  What just happened? Right after reaching the safety of the Warlock’s cabin, her mind clouded with a turmoil of emotions.

  For the entire day, Maeve remained skittish and paranoid, thinking somehow everyone knew about what transpired between her and her guardian. Whenever Finn was in the same room as Hakken, he would glare at him, but as soon as the half-breed turned the other way, he would make kissy faces at Maeve.

  Kniv seemed to catch up pretty soon on their unusual behavior and smiled warmly at her, which turned out to be inexplicably more unnerving. Ystävä rolled his eyes after witnessing Finn’s silliness and let her be, and Regn seemed either clueless or annoyed.

  But Hakken was the worst. He followed her every move with a yearning glint in his eyes, which only caused her heart to race and the rest of her body to succumb to clumsiness. By the time lunch ended, she had broken a cup and almost choked twice.

  She slipped away with Finn right before darkness, taking a respite from the stuffed cabin and one particularly heated half-breed. Both siblings stroll to a nearby glade, covered with wildflowers about to bloom. Maeve’s mind kept bringing back provocative memories.

  I want you. Hakken’s words to her. Even though she was still a maiden, she was no prude. Unlike the court ladies, growing up surrounded by pragmatic country women taught her the intricate details of intimacy. And hanging around with Mynte, she was bound to learn a few things. Her friend never shied away when telling her about the sensuous encounters she had with young hunters. Half-breeds were definitely less prudish than humans.

  Hakken had been clingy since the beginning, but this felt different. His hugs and kisses had always been affectionate, like you would kiss a child. But he now treated her as a woman. Maeve touched her lips, trying to imagine how it would be to kiss him.

  She let out a muffled squeal, hiding her blushing face behind her hands. Finn laughed at her, coming to a stop at the edge of the flowery meadow. “Come and sit with good, ol’ Finn, and tell me about your half-breed beau.” He patted the ground next to him.

  “He’s not my—! I mean... him and I... we’re not—!”

  Finn threw his head back, laughing hard at her babbling. It was difficult to be mad at him when the only thing she thought of was how much she enjoyed her brother’s laugh. Maeve chuckled, sitting and leaning her head on his shoulder. They both settled in relaxed bliss, staring at the soon to blossom field.

  “I still can’t believe you’re here, mushroom. I missed you so much!” They snuggled together as the temperature descended. A few stars appeared in the twilight sky, and a breeze swayed the grass. For Maeve, this moment was perfect. As if the piece missing from her heart finally fell into place.

  “Finn, are you happy?”

  “I am! Right now, I’m the happiest idiot in the whole Forest.” He put an arm around her, sighing between chuckles. “Some days, I only thought about the pain I’d caused, and there are still days when loneliness wins the battle.”

  “You have Ystävä.”

  Finn groaned. “I do, and I love that pointy-eared grouch. But my training as a Warlock is over, and he will leave me soon.”

  They fell into a pensive silence, and Maeve realized Finn needed to get things out of his chest. After a moment gathering his thoughts, Finn continued. “My time here has been like a dream. I’ve learned and done so much. Every day is full of wonder, and as a Warlock, I get to help others in ways I would never accomplish as a noble’s son. Look at this field, for starters.” He waved at the meadow.

  “What about it?” Maeve straightened, straining her eyes in the gloom.

  “I planted these flowers,” Finn said, “a few months ago, a family came from afar, asking for a cure to a plague that killed their crops. Ystävä and I worked on a potion, and before the family left, their daughter gave me some dry seeds. From what she explained, they were incredibly rare, only grew in a small area where they came from, and the plague had exterminated entire fields. They were lost back in their homeland.”

  “You were able to make them grow here?” she couldn’t hide the admiration in her voice.

  “Indeed, I was, little sister! I consider this one of my greatest accomplishments. Finn O’Riordan, the savior of the Butterlily!”

  Maeve smiled. “The what?”

  “Shh... watch.”

  The sun had set, so when they turned to the field, Maeve barely discerned the color and shapes around them. But little by little, fireflies lightened the meadow, and the buds opened, unveiling delicate blue petals with black rims. After a few blinks, the entire field turned from vivid green to a sea of dashing blue, sparkled with light and the beautiful butterfly flowers. Delighted, she smiled at Finn. “I see what you mean now, they truly resemble butterflies.”

  Her brother smirked. “Oh, mushroom... you have no idea.”

  A soft murmur rose from the field, and thousands of butterlilies took flight, fluttering over the grass and between the fireflies. It was the most magical thing Maeve had ever experienced. Unable to blink, she gasped at the spectacle, watching as the flowers flew around and away. Beside her, Finn tenderly gazed at the flying blossoms, and as the night fell on them, they witnessed the start of their long voyage into the Forest.

  That night—the first one in a long time she had a bed for herself—Maeve dreamed of floating flowers and passionate kisses.

  “You can relax, mushroom. Your hunter left early to do some hunting.” The next morning, and as soon as she walked out of her bedroom, Finn resumed his annoying older brother role. “Kniv dragged him, probably to let you have some peace. They’ll be back in the afternoon.”

  The news came as a bit of a relief. Maeve was eager to see Hakken, but she still needed to come to terms with these newfound
feelings.

  She had a fun breakfast with Finn and Ystävä and left the cabin right after helping her brother with the dishes. Cooking and cleaning for the rest of his life was his punishment for revealing a thousand-year-old secret.

  Ystävä mentioned Regn was moping around the cabin since dawn. She now had the ability to understand half-breed language, so she figured it was time to have a heart-to-heart conversation with him.

  After being saved a couple of times from very dangerous situations, Maeve trusted Regn. But she still remembered he once tried to hurt her, and she needed to know why.

  He sat with his back against a tree, trying and failing to appear relaxed. She joined him in silence, thinking about how she should start a very prickly conversation. No point beating around the bush.

  “Why did you try to kill me, Regn?”

  Regn

  “What?” he snapped towards her. Way to go, Regn, that didn’t sound suspicious at all!

  “It’s all right. I will not accuse you. You saved me from the river and later with Vorka, but I know you were not fond of me at first, and I’d like to know why.” He was stunned. She saw right through him from the beginning, and she could have ruined his life in the village by exposing his actions. But she had kept it a secret. Regn gaped at her for a moment, trying to understand the intentions behind her troubled gaze. She only asked for an honest answer.

  Regn sighed and looked away, not daring to meet her eyes. “I hate humans, not you... particularly.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “They killed my family.” Did she even care about his loss? For some reason, the thought of her being indifferent to his pain made him feel miserable, and he couldn’t find the courage to look at her. To worsen his pitiful situation, treacherous tears welled in his eyes.

  A soft hand landed on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  “Shut up.” He hated she saw him so vulnerable, but despite his harsh words, he didn’t recoil. Her touch was soothing yet disarming, and soon the first tears streamed down his face. Regn bent his knees, wrapping his arms around them, breathing and trying to control the sobs.

  What was wrong with him? All these years, he hardly spoke about his family, and he never, ever cried for their loss. What was with this human girl unraveling his pain so effortlessly?

  Regn flinched when she hugged him, but soon surrendered to the hand gently caressing his hair. An angry, petty voice in his head told him he didn’t need a filthy human’s comfort, but his body disagreed, leaning and nuzzling against her.

  While the sobs took over, he stopped fighting and desperately hugged her back, seeking shelter from the pain. Wrapped in her arms, he knew he could face the grief and the memories for the first time. When she began shaking with quiet sobs, Regn remembered she also had lost her parents, and her pain—although different from his own—came forth as they both mourned.

  The hours passed while the sun rose high in the sky. He cried all the tears locked in his chest, and the feeling was wonderful. He felt light and free. Maeve sat next to him, leaning on the tree. “Thank you.”

  “What for?” He had done nothing. It was all her.

  She chuckled. “I don’t know. Many things. Saving my life, for starters.” He watched her drying her eyes with her hand before smiling at him. The smile he gave her back was a genuine one.

  “Are you hungry?” Regn asked.

  “Starving.”

  They were both lightheaded, so Regn stood and offered her a hand. With Hakken away, he was less likely to die. They walked side by side towards the cabin, overcome by shyness, but Maeve threw her arms around him before arriving.

  “W-What’s gotten into you?” he stuttered, amused and suddenly nervous.

  “Just... thank you.” She let go and headed for the door, leaving him with a silly smile on his lips.

  The door flew open. Ystävä stood in front of them, hands on his hips, a glint in his eyes, and a mischievous smirk. Finn smiled from the kitchen, elbows deep in dough.

  “You!” The elf winked at Maeve. “Would you like to try something fun?”

  CHAPTER XXIV

  THE TREE

  Maeve

  Ystävä handed Regn a basket full of tiny fruit pies and motioned them to follow. They left the cabin and surrounded the base of the Tree, climbing gargantuan roots and dodging saplings scattered here and there.

  “Where are we going?” Maeve walked behind Regn, followed by Finn, who casually munched on a pie.

  “Well, you already discovered your brother is ‘the Warlock’ and magic proficient.” Ystävä seemed much calmer. “So since we are throwing ancient laws and traditions out the window, I thought we might seize this opportunity to learn some things.”

  “Oh, I know what you are thinking. I can’t wait to try this!” Finn looked thrilled, and Maeve couldn’t help to be excited and a little apprehensive. She remembered clearly how Finn’s enthusiasm led to accidents and scolding.

  Ystävä climbed over a root with nimble steps. “You all seemed astonished to learn Finn mastered magic—”

  “Did you do something to him?” Regn butted in.

  “Do you mean if I put a spell or cursed him?” Ystävä smirked, but the half-breed shrugged.

  “Every single being that lives and breathes in the Forest is naturally imbued with magic,” Ystävä explained. “Magic manifests as sharp instincts, remarkable physical strength, the ability to shape-shift, or... the capability to mold pure energy into spells and applied witchcraft.”

  Maeve was fascinated. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined herself discussing magic with an elf, but there they were. She followed Ystävä close. “So, when Finn entered the Forest, he somehow gained the ability to use magic?” she ventured.

  “Not exactly,” the elf said. “You see... the Forest is the origin of all creation. Every single creature alive saw its beginnings in this magnificent cradle of primordial energy.”

  They all sensed it, especially there. The vast pulse of magic was unmistakable.

  “So you, me, your nitwit of a brother, your half-breed friends, we all share the same inherent raw power. But thousands of years ago, humans left the Forest, and they lost their connection with it.”

  “Listen to this guy! He is an inexhaustible source of knowledge.” Finn beamed with pride for his master.

  “Why would humans leave the Forest?” Regn asked.

  Ystävä smiled. “Not a clue.”

  “I’m never praising you again, sad elf.” Finn took another pie from Regn’s basket before taking the lead.

  They surrounded the enormous base of the Tree after a few minutes, and they stood on a tall root, overlooking a field of young trees. They looked like a miniature version of the main one, and Ystävä pointed at them.

  “Here is another secret you should definitely not know. Even though every Warlock has their own magical power, the nature of our duty to the inhabitants of the Forest is so demanding, we have to tap into the Tree’s energy to accomplish many things.”

  The elf gestured towards the trunk. “This is the source of most of our energy, so it became a tradition to test our power and connection with the Tree to determine our potential.”

  Maeve’s eyes roamed over the magnificent Tree. Its bark shone silver under the afternoon sun, and millions of dark green leaves swayed with the breeze. As she closed her eyes, Maeve noticed the powerful presence, and the sensation it was studying her made her smile.

  “That is what we are going to do now, right?” Finn jumped from the root and ran through the tiny jungle.

  Ystävä climbed down before helping Maeve. “Correct. You see, your brother showed a remarkable potential to become the Warlock when I tested his natural magical strength, so I’m curious about you, young Maeve.”

  Finn ran back to her and dragged her to a sapling. “Oh! You are going to do great, I know it! Look... all you have to do is place your hands on the ground next to the sapling and focus your energy.”

 
Maeve hesitated. Seeing her brother performing spells was one thing, but her ability to do magic was entirely different. She was positive; she didn’t have that power. People always said she was remarkably acute when reading other’s emotions, and her instincts were pretty sharp, but that differed from what Ystävä and Finn did.

  “Wait! Are you sure this will not hurt her?” Regn placed the basket on the ground and moved to stand beside her.

  “Yeah! I did it too. There’s this weird tingle in your hands and a few other awesome sensations. Nothing to worry about.” Finn sat on the ground, crossing his legs. “Give it a go! The Tree will work with you and appraise how compatible you two are. If you do well enough, you can become my Warlock assistant!”

  Regn moved closer. “Not a chance.”

  Ystävä stood a few feet away, scratching his jaw while studying Maeve with a curious gaze.

  She was fidgety, but Finn’s words encouraged her. “I would like to try.” She trusted neither her brother nor his master would risk any harm on her, so the worst-case scenario was nothing happening. Not that it worried her; magic-wielding was not on her plans.

  Ystävä smiled. “Well, then. Do as Finn said, place your hands on the ground and focus your mind on the sapling. Imagine a flow of energy from your body into its roots. The Tree should react to your energy through the sapling, and the reaction will tell us what kind of magical energy you possess.”

  She did as instructed, taking a deep breath.

  “Wait!” The elf raised a hand. “You two should stand back. I have a good feeling about this.”

  The ground grew warm under her palms, and soon, the tingling sensation Finn mentioned was there. This was not her doing; she could tell. The Tree was reaching for her energy. “This is amazing!” Maeve shouted with glee. A very apprehensive Regn shifted his weight from one foot to another, but Ystävä and Finn grinned. She focused her thoughts on the young tree.

  A massive but benign tide of emotions flooded her heart. The conscience was so immense she couldn’t grasp it. Maeve glimpsed its curiosity and wonder, and a breathtaking love for every living thing, including her.