Author's note: If you haven't watched the movie 'Willow' I suggest you do.
And now, on with the show. Enjoy!
Chapter One
Elora Danan walked through the tree's holding a small bundle of roots and foliage in a cloth sack. She scanned the ground as she searched for a small plant with jagged teal leaves and small blue flowers. After taking a few more steps she saw a small crop growing under a tree. She bent down and gently pulled the flower from the soil, taking the roots with it. Once this was done she slung the sack over her arm and wipped her messy golden hair from her face. She looked through the tree's and saw the tip of one of the towers of the castle of Tir Asleen, a blue flag flew from a post next to a high window.
Her dark brown eyes then looked at the sky and noticed it had grown angry and dark. A storm would surely come soon. She turned back the way she had come and soon found her handmaiden and their horses grazing near the road.
"Lasleen, we must go." She said as she walked to her horse and attached the sack to her saddle. "A storm is coming." She turned to the smaller woman who nodded, pulling her hood over her long dark hair and nodding. She too carried a bundle with a long strap that went over her shoulder and held it to her side.
"M'Lady, the forest is dark today. I feel as if it watches us." She mounted he horse and looked behind her then into the tree's above. Elora watched her and took a deep breath, her sharp eyes sweeping the forest.
"No Lasleen, it is not the forest you fear." She paused and Lasleen looked to the princess for some form of reasurence. "These lands are our home, I do not fear them and neither should you." The handmaiden didn't seem satisfied. Elora pulled herself into her saddle and started for the city, Lasleen trotting behind to get up next to her.
"But what of the creatures, they have been seen in these very woods. Do you think they are wild beasts from the western barenlands?" She asked quietly as Elora knit her brow.
"I think you should not worry of such things." She said harshly, ending all arguments. She looked at the girl who hung her head quietly, and after a pause she sighed. "I'm sorry." Her words were kind and soothing and her eyes softened as Lasleen looked up at her. "I am riding with my father in two days to the northern villages to see what is going on. No traders or soldiers we've sent have returned." Lasleen's eyes widened and she shook her head.
"Those woods are haunted! What if.."
"They are not. Whatever has plagued our lands is flesh and blood and my blade will find it." The determined look in her eyes made Lasleen believe her, someday Elora Danan would be a great ruler. She could see it in the way the princess walked, and spoke.
When they reached the castle rain was already beginning to fall and they were wet and tired. They walked to the lower levels where the healers quarters were and Elora took Lasleen's herbs.
"Go wash for dinner I'll give these to Hayden. I'll meet you later?" Lasleen shrugged.
"Of course, I will lay out a clean dress for you." She said as she walked down the hall to the stairs and disappeared. Elora sighed and pushed the heavy door open to the infirmary. She saw Hayden mixing something on a large table and walked over to the man.
"I found all that you asked for." She set the sack's down and emptied them. "And here, I often put this in bathing water for wounds, it seems to help." She said handing him a small plant with tiny white blooms. The middle aged healer nodded.
"Thank you, I hope it will help." He said as he began to sort the roots and herbs. He stopped and arched a brow as he pulled out some black string like roots. "And what have we here?" Elora grabbed the roots quickly and shrugged.
"They're for my father." She said with a smirk and he shook his head with a smile. He began to cut some roots and added them to the small bowl of thick paste he was mixing. When he looked up Elora was standing next to the only occupied bed and her dark eyes held a deep passionate worry.
"I don't know if this will help, the wound simply won't heal. I can't explain it." He carried the bowl with him and untied the bandages slowly. Elora looked at the maimed soldier and shuddered as she thought of the creature capable of such carnage.
"You say it was a blade, so it couldn't have been an animal." She said as the man sighed, applying the paste to the worst of the wounds. Mainly the large slash that refused to heal.
"Some are claw marks, most in fact. But this one," He motioned to the one he'd applied to medicine to. She looked at the gaping wound that still seeped blood and frowned. "This was a blade, steeped in poison by the looks of it." He put a fresh bandage on the wound and checked the man's pulse. "He's worse."
Elora turned away and sighed. That man had been the only one of thirty to survive of the men they sent north. If the people knew there would be mass histeria. Something had to be done.
"Thank you, I know you are frustrated." She said as Hayden gave a small smile. "You've done all you can my friend." With that she left to clean up and find her father.
Lord Martigan was standing in the library near the window. His blue eyes swept over the dark hills as lightning rattled in the distance. When he felt a hand on his shoulder he turned.
"Elora." A large smile lit his face and he embraced her warmly. Though Elora was not his real daughter the only one he held closer to his heart was his wife, Sorsha. Elora had been interested in battle tactics and swords since she was twelve years old and her father began to tell her the lore and history of Tir Asleen. Many didn't believe she should have such input on matters of war, but she took after both her mother and father which made her stubborn yet noble and wise. "Your mother was looking for you earlier." He said as she nodded.
"Yes I just saw her. I traveled to the hills for Hayden, he needed some plants for his medicine's." The older man's face sobered. "The soldier will not live." She said as he sighed, again his gaze going out the window.
"I don't know what's happening." He said quietly, the lines in his face showing up more in the dim light. His long hair was now specked with grey and his eyes now showed deep lines when he smiled, or frowned. "And I don't know if it's a good idea to take you with me to the north. These creatures took thirty of my best men." He looked back to her face waiting for the argument he knew was coming. But it never came.
"You're right." She said after a pause. The look on her face told him she had something planned and he narrowed his eyes.
"I am?" He asked as she smiled then nodded.
"For once I will do as you say." She said as he crossed his strong arms over his chest.
"No you won't, you get that from your mother. She's taught you well." He said wryly as she sighed and bit her lip. She'd felt this urge for some time now and knew that it was more than that. Something was drawing her.
"I am going to see Cherlindrea." She said as he paused then shook his head.
"Why now? You can wait until I return, the territory is dangerous believe me I traveled it pleanty." He said as she shook her head.
"I have to. I can feel her reaching out to me, something is wrong and it's not just the beasts. I must see her, she will tell me what's happening." She knew she could go on her own, but also knew it was dangerous and didn't want her family to worry about her. "I will take some gaurds if you like, but I am going. Cherlindrea's wood is the safest place in this realm, I'll be fine." Martigan saw the determination and wisdom in her young eyes and was once again reminded that she was a part of a bigger plan. She was ordained to rule these lands and he was not. He had been a great steward, but she was royalty by birthright. Whatever blood flowed through her veins was regal and pure and lately the little girl he'd raised as his daughter had come into her own.
"I know you will." He said as she smiled and took his arm.
"Come on Madmartigan, I'll walk you to dinner." He smiled as they left and he shook his head. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a leather pouch. "Maybe you can find some use for this." She said as he took the package and raised an eyebrow, he opened it and she grinned.
"Black root...your mother's gonna kill me." He smiled as he began to chew on one of the roots he pulled from the pouch.
"I won't tell if you won't."
Keep going there's more! Tell me what you think and click the button!
Chapter One
Elora Danan walked through the tree's holding a small bundle of roots and foliage in a cloth sack. She scanned the ground as she searched for a small plant with jagged teal leaves and small blue flowers. After taking a few more steps she saw a small crop growing under a tree. She bent down and gently pulled the flower from the soil, taking the roots with it. Once this was done she slung the sack over her arm and wipped her messy golden hair from her face. She looked through the tree's and saw the tip of one of the towers of the castle of Tir Asleen, a blue flag flew from a post next to a high window.
Her dark brown eyes then looked at the sky and noticed it had grown angry and dark. A storm would surely come soon. She turned back the way she had come and soon found her handmaiden and their horses grazing near the road.
"Lasleen, we must go." She said as she walked to her horse and attached the sack to her saddle. "A storm is coming." She turned to the smaller woman who nodded, pulling her hood over her long dark hair and nodding. She too carried a bundle with a long strap that went over her shoulder and held it to her side.
"M'Lady, the forest is dark today. I feel as if it watches us." She mounted he horse and looked behind her then into the tree's above. Elora watched her and took a deep breath, her sharp eyes sweeping the forest.
"No Lasleen, it is not the forest you fear." She paused and Lasleen looked to the princess for some form of reasurence. "These lands are our home, I do not fear them and neither should you." The handmaiden didn't seem satisfied. Elora pulled herself into her saddle and started for the city, Lasleen trotting behind to get up next to her.
"But what of the creatures, they have been seen in these very woods. Do you think they are wild beasts from the western barenlands?" She asked quietly as Elora knit her brow.
"I think you should not worry of such things." She said harshly, ending all arguments. She looked at the girl who hung her head quietly, and after a pause she sighed. "I'm sorry." Her words were kind and soothing and her eyes softened as Lasleen looked up at her. "I am riding with my father in two days to the northern villages to see what is going on. No traders or soldiers we've sent have returned." Lasleen's eyes widened and she shook her head.
"Those woods are haunted! What if.."
"They are not. Whatever has plagued our lands is flesh and blood and my blade will find it." The determined look in her eyes made Lasleen believe her, someday Elora Danan would be a great ruler. She could see it in the way the princess walked, and spoke.
When they reached the castle rain was already beginning to fall and they were wet and tired. They walked to the lower levels where the healers quarters were and Elora took Lasleen's herbs.
"Go wash for dinner I'll give these to Hayden. I'll meet you later?" Lasleen shrugged.
"Of course, I will lay out a clean dress for you." She said as she walked down the hall to the stairs and disappeared. Elora sighed and pushed the heavy door open to the infirmary. She saw Hayden mixing something on a large table and walked over to the man.
"I found all that you asked for." She set the sack's down and emptied them. "And here, I often put this in bathing water for wounds, it seems to help." She said handing him a small plant with tiny white blooms. The middle aged healer nodded.
"Thank you, I hope it will help." He said as he began to sort the roots and herbs. He stopped and arched a brow as he pulled out some black string like roots. "And what have we here?" Elora grabbed the roots quickly and shrugged.
"They're for my father." She said with a smirk and he shook his head with a smile. He began to cut some roots and added them to the small bowl of thick paste he was mixing. When he looked up Elora was standing next to the only occupied bed and her dark eyes held a deep passionate worry.
"I don't know if this will help, the wound simply won't heal. I can't explain it." He carried the bowl with him and untied the bandages slowly. Elora looked at the maimed soldier and shuddered as she thought of the creature capable of such carnage.
"You say it was a blade, so it couldn't have been an animal." She said as the man sighed, applying the paste to the worst of the wounds. Mainly the large slash that refused to heal.
"Some are claw marks, most in fact. But this one," He motioned to the one he'd applied to medicine to. She looked at the gaping wound that still seeped blood and frowned. "This was a blade, steeped in poison by the looks of it." He put a fresh bandage on the wound and checked the man's pulse. "He's worse."
Elora turned away and sighed. That man had been the only one of thirty to survive of the men they sent north. If the people knew there would be mass histeria. Something had to be done.
"Thank you, I know you are frustrated." She said as Hayden gave a small smile. "You've done all you can my friend." With that she left to clean up and find her father.
Lord Martigan was standing in the library near the window. His blue eyes swept over the dark hills as lightning rattled in the distance. When he felt a hand on his shoulder he turned.
"Elora." A large smile lit his face and he embraced her warmly. Though Elora was not his real daughter the only one he held closer to his heart was his wife, Sorsha. Elora had been interested in battle tactics and swords since she was twelve years old and her father began to tell her the lore and history of Tir Asleen. Many didn't believe she should have such input on matters of war, but she took after both her mother and father which made her stubborn yet noble and wise. "Your mother was looking for you earlier." He said as she nodded.
"Yes I just saw her. I traveled to the hills for Hayden, he needed some plants for his medicine's." The older man's face sobered. "The soldier will not live." She said as he sighed, again his gaze going out the window.
"I don't know what's happening." He said quietly, the lines in his face showing up more in the dim light. His long hair was now specked with grey and his eyes now showed deep lines when he smiled, or frowned. "And I don't know if it's a good idea to take you with me to the north. These creatures took thirty of my best men." He looked back to her face waiting for the argument he knew was coming. But it never came.
"You're right." She said after a pause. The look on her face told him she had something planned and he narrowed his eyes.
"I am?" He asked as she smiled then nodded.
"For once I will do as you say." She said as he crossed his strong arms over his chest.
"No you won't, you get that from your mother. She's taught you well." He said wryly as she sighed and bit her lip. She'd felt this urge for some time now and knew that it was more than that. Something was drawing her.
"I am going to see Cherlindrea." She said as he paused then shook his head.
"Why now? You can wait until I return, the territory is dangerous believe me I traveled it pleanty." He said as she shook her head.
"I have to. I can feel her reaching out to me, something is wrong and it's not just the beasts. I must see her, she will tell me what's happening." She knew she could go on her own, but also knew it was dangerous and didn't want her family to worry about her. "I will take some gaurds if you like, but I am going. Cherlindrea's wood is the safest place in this realm, I'll be fine." Martigan saw the determination and wisdom in her young eyes and was once again reminded that she was a part of a bigger plan. She was ordained to rule these lands and he was not. He had been a great steward, but she was royalty by birthright. Whatever blood flowed through her veins was regal and pure and lately the little girl he'd raised as his daughter had come into her own.
"I know you will." He said as she smiled and took his arm.
"Come on Madmartigan, I'll walk you to dinner." He smiled as they left and he shook his head. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a leather pouch. "Maybe you can find some use for this." She said as he took the package and raised an eyebrow, he opened it and she grinned.
"Black root...your mother's gonna kill me." He smiled as he began to chew on one of the roots he pulled from the pouch.
"I won't tell if you won't."
Keep going there's more! Tell me what you think and click the button!