A midsummer's day, filled with sunshine and the sea's warm breeze. The fragrant scent of apples is everywhere. This magical, wondrous island is my home, the Isle of Apples or as some would call it, Avalon. Our village is a small one but, quite rich indeed. We boasted of a sorcerer (ancient and cranky he was!) and his apprentice, whose magic and spells kept us in good health and our crops fruitful, several young druids, whom were of high birth as most druids are of course, would oversee our faith and make certain we all followed the right path. All, was not always harmonious within our peaceful village life. This isle did have dangerous and unpredictable inhabitants as well. The ancient great forest that lay outside of the village boundaries was home to many creatures. Fairies, dragons, harpies, ogres and the unicorns were just to name a few.
The morning had begun just as any other midsummer day. My sister and I had gone deep into the woods in search of herbs and berries. Our mother made the best medicinal salves and berry pies in all of the village. But, that day we wandered deeper into the forest than we had ever gone before. With our brown woven baskets filled to the brim, almost to overflowing, we were quite pleased with ourselves. Imagine our surprise and joy when we broke from the wood into a small clearing and in that clearing was a pond. Deep and clear. The water seemed to beckon to us. The birds had gone silent, all was quiet, the very air seemed heavy. Still. Everything was hushed and without movement. We should have became alarmed. We should have run all the way home as fast as we could. Instead, we decided to swim in that beautiful beckoning pond.
The water was cool as we splashed each other and made merry in our foolish, girlish play. Suddenly, male laughter rang out shattering that unnatural silence. My sister and I, both naked as the day we were born, quickly dipped low under the water, hiding our bodies from those horrible leering faces. Three, unfamiliar faces. Three hunters, and from the lust that burned in their black eyes, my blood ran cold and my heart pounded so hard it felt as if it were knocking against my chest. I shivered in fear for my younger sister. I was the elder by eleven months and I should have known better. It was my responsibility to have kept us safe. Too late. With trembling frozen lips I uttered soft frantic prayers to the goddess for our safety. I made promises to become a better person, to never disobey our parents again, to do whatever was necessary if only the goddess would protect us.
It was no benevolent goddess that saved my sister and I that fateful summers day.
A pale Unicorn stepped out of the forest, its horn shining against the gloom cast by the trees. He was large, feral, a fierce animal with magical abilities. He was a violent, warlike unicorn, born in blood and vehement in battle. He was the guardian of the forest. This creature saved my sister and I from being raped and perhaps murdered by those hunters but, at what cost? A dear cost to be sure. The magnificent beast cursed the two of us. By day we would take the form of the unicorn and by night regain our humanity. He thought to keep us safe, to protect us, perhaps to keep him company. To me it was more a curse than a sign of protection. But, what do I know of the thoughts of male unicorns or even the mysterious minds of human males. There was but one way to break the curse.
And so, my tale begins.