The Flower Maiden
It was rare for Gunter to have spare time in the evenings. Clara padded down the hall after dinner that night hoping that tonight she'd be lucky. The book that her brother left her this past visit was heavy. She came to the door that was left ajar. The tot could see the guardian as he sat in his chair, absorbed in his work. Her knocks on the door where met with silence. The redhead tootled over to attendant and pulled at his pant. Gunter tore himself from his work, he was agitated initially, but his gaze melted as it met with hers.
"Good evening, little princess. What brings you here at this time of the night?" he inquired gently. Clara struggled to put the book on the desk; she stood on the tips of her toes in attempt to gain height. The knight smiled and motioned her to give him the book. She placed it in his hand carefully.
"Would you like me to read this to you?" the paladin questioned. The little girl nodded enthusiastically.
"Before we start can you be a good girl, and find the others? We wouldn't want them to miss out on this, would we little one?" The man requested. Before the man could finish the thought, the princess had already zipped out of the study, on a hunt for the others. She returned a short time later with the butler and twin maids in tow.
"Is anything wrong, Gunter? Why did you ask us here?" Jakob groaned. "We have some free time tonight and I figured I'd do something I haven't in a long time, read you a story" The butler was about to say something but was cut off by a glare from the paladin. The caretaker sat in front of the fireplace, motioning for the children to follow. The little ones snuggled around the man and waited eagerly.
The knight cleared his thought before beginning. "A long time ago, a man wandered into the woods. He heard a voice, sweet and clear singing. Curious, the man followed the song. The song wound along the forest through the brush and the trees. The man came to a clearing and in the middle stood an ancient tree." The caretaker started. Clara raised an eyebrow in confusion and tilted her head.
"What does ancient mean?" Jakob asked for Clara.
"When something is ancient, it means that something is older than history itself." Gunter stated Clara gasped in awe. Something older then history itself, was that possible?
"The voice came from the tree." Gunter continued "
'Who are you?' The wanderer asked.
'I am a maiden of the forest.' The voice sang.
'Will you come back with me?' The vagabond questioned. The maiden didn't reply. This intrigued the traveler and he left the forest with resolve. She'd come around, he was sure of it.
Sometime later, the man went into the woods again. He retraced his steps into the clearing. He again called to the maiden. This time she was sitting on the branches of the tree. The maiden was beautiful. Her hair's color was enough to make the moon's light jealous, and her smile was enough to make the world stare. The man fell head over heels for her in an instant.
'Please! Come back with me" the man repeated. Again the lady of the forest shook her head.
'Don't ask me, for I am to stay here as long as I shall live" she explained. With that knowledge the man turned on his heel and left in fury."
"Furry?" asked Felicia.
"No, no dear" the knight corrected gently. "Fury, or to be furious means to be so angry your mind can think of nothing else other then what made you that way to begin with. And in the case of the wanderer, it was the fact that the maiden couldn't leave" The rose haired maid nodded slowly. The knight resumed the story.
"The man stomped through the forest, caring not where he went. With him, he carried a sharp axe. The sun's light caught on it causing it to gleam threateningly." Flora gasped in horror. This was all too familiar, a man on a mission to force his will upon another. Gunter looked over and reassured her.
"It will be all right dear. Really, it will." Gunter confirmed. Flora gave a small whimper.
"He came across the tree where the maiden stayed.
'I will free you from the forest!' he screamed. The girl could only cry helplessly as the man took down her home, chop by chop. The willow came down with a deafening crash. The monster then grasped the maiden's wrist and began to drag her towards the edge of the forest.
'Please!' she wailed 'please, I beg of you, Reconsider!" Her captor continued, and his ears were deaf to her cries. The pair finally reached the edge of the maiden's home. Not far from the forest, the girl fell to the ground. She sobbed. Her robes slowly inherited the color of the grass below. As did her hair, as did her skin. Before the man's eyes, a small hill of grass and a small pale flower stood where the maiden once was. The flower like the maiden before it was beautiful. The man looked in horror. His maiden, his future, was gone. Perhaps, he shouldn't have taken from the forest what wasn't meant to leave. He left the flower and its' forest. And that was the last time the hunter left, never to return." The paladin concluded. The children had mixed feelings about the story. Jakob looked at the knight in horror. Why had he read them that?! What good was it?
"Why? Gunter, why couldn't he have left the forest maiden alone? Why did she have to suffer?" sobbed Flora. Gunter sighed.
"Flora dear-"he began only to be cut off.
"S-she didn't …she is a, an f-flower now," Clara sighed dreamily. The others looked at her in shock.
"G-Gunter? If…if I ever leave, I'll be a flower too…right? If t-that should happen…can you put me in a pot and place me with other flowers? Clara asked her knight softly. Gunter had no idea how to respond.
"Of course milady, if that is what you wish" he replied, unable to keep the quiver from his voice. Clara bounced up and hugged him. It was an unsaid thank you. Gunter silently prayed that the day would never have to come.