Part 2:
The Unicorn Spring
"Where do you reckon we can find that dragon friend of yours, Jonny?" Thomas said. They'd left the fae court, regained their horses, and were traveling roughly east. Neither of them were at all familiar with this world, so they were wandering blind. At the moment, they were stopped between a split in the animal path.
"I'm not sure. Nyllay? Can you hear me? Are you nearby?"
Thomas looked at Johnathan as if worried for his sanity. "You do realize he's probably not within shout-shot, much less ear-shot?"
"I am here."
Nearly falling off his horse in surprise, Thomas was yanked back in the saddle by a smirking Johnathan.
"Dragon's have excellent hearing, you know, particularly if you address them." Turning to Nyllay, he said, "Would you be willing to guide us, again? The fae kind agreed to give us land for our people if we completed three tasks, but we do not know this world, especially when compared to you."
"Flattery is pointless with a dragon," Nyllay said, it's voice not changing pitch in the least from it's monotone. "But I will guide you to your journey's end, and only guide you. You must complete them yourself. What are the tasks?"
Johnathan explained, and when he finished, Nyllay turned around and, without a word, led them back the way they came. Clearly, they had been going the opposite direction of the Forest of Chivista.
"The Spring of Unicorns can be found down this path." And again, Nyllay vanished into the surroundings.
"I'm going to beg him to teach me that. I will flat out beg," Thomas said, envious.
"Focus, Tommy," Johnathan chided. "Can you create me a container? For the water?"
"Sure," he replied. "Won't be glass, though. I never did manage to get that right. But stone should work, right? We can use a stopper from the spare waterskin, to save the trouble." Sliding off his stallion, Thomas searched through the forest floor for good stones to fuse and mold into a vial. It took him several minutes before he managed to gather a sizable handful.
Johnathan watched as Thomas sat cross legged in front of the pile of stones, focus intent and total. He loved watching others perform magic, even if he'd grown up watching. The stones swirled, kicking up dust that surrounded it. It glowed red hot, Thomas melting the stones into the desired shape. Eventually, the dust settled and the red glow faded. Left behind was an interestingly patterned vial, the different colors of stones creating a sort of collage. But it was smooth, the right shape, and hopefully water-tight. Then again, Thomas wouldn't have given him it if he wasn't confident that it could serve its purpose.
Steadying himself, Johnathan began to walk. It took a while, but he reached a spring. The whole area was heavily shaded by the tree canopy, but the small clearing around the spring seemed to glow with a silvery-bluish light. Like moonlight, despite the fact that it was midday. It was gorgeous, a pure, natural, magical place, with an aura that was so incredibly peaceful Johnathan just wanted to sit and…exist, if only for a while.
He shook his head, willing himself to focus. Going to fill the vial, he hesitated. It didn't feel right just to take it. It couldn't be that easy. He straightened his posture before calling out, gentle and soft in tone, "Who is the guardian of this sacred spring? Will you allow me to speak with you?"
"Clever boy, asking instead of taking." From the water lifted up a sort of fae—and Undine, a nymph of water. Everything below her shoulders was in the water, unseen despite the clarity of the spring—the long, silvery hair on her head almost seemed to merge with the water.
"Are you the guardian of this lovely spring, ma'am?" Johnathan asked.
The Undine smiled faintly, seemingly amused. "Polite, too. Yes, I am the guardian. What is it you need, child?"
Once more, Johnathan found himself explaining the plight of his people, and his desire to give them all a home where they could be safe, once and for all. The Undine listened silently through his whole explanation, of King Oberon's tasks and why had come to the spring.
"It seems you've quite the problem," the Undine mused. "I suppose giving you a little vial of water wouldn't hurt. However, I have one condition."
"What is it?"
"No one but King Oberon must open the vial once it if stoppered."
Johnathan nodded gravely. "I swear it, the vial of water shall be opened unless it be by the hand of Fae King Oberon."
The Undine held out her hand, and Johnathan handed the vial to her. She refused the stopper, saying, "It is no matter. I can create one myself, one untainted." So he pocketed the stopper.
He watched as she summoned up a small stream of the water, letting it spiral into the magic-crafted vial. She waved her hand over it and a dark green stopper appeared. When she handed it back to Johnathan, the outside was completely dry.
"I wish you luck with the unicorns. They are proud, stubborn creatures. Not as easily moved by a story as I." And then, like so many of the magical creatures Johnathan had met, she vanished.
'She is right.' Johnathan was sort of tired of things just appearing. Getting startled so often was not a pleasurable thing. And the fact that it was spoken into him mind rather than aloud was somewhat unnerving.
Behind him was a creature much like a horse, but it wasn't just the horn on its head or the pure white of its coat that differentiated it. The creature had a most dignified aura about it, an intelligence in its eyes that spoke of a long life of much trial. It had scars around its neck, horrifically marring it's beauty, yet not diminishing its majesty.
'Humans have hunted my kind for generations. They have sought to imprison us and show us off, or to kill us and rip us to shreds. We have far fewer numbers than we did even a century ago. There is no kindness directed to humans from many of my kind. None of us have remained unscathed, having lost families and loved ones, or suffering personally to ourselves.' The Unicorn tilted its head, the old scars around its neck becoming more visible. 'And yet, you say you seek to create an asylum for magic. Not to abuse or destroy it, but to protect it, to let it flourish. And since it is impossible to lie near the waters of an Undine, I know you speak your truth. What has made you this way? I've come across very few humans who accept magic yet don't wield it themselves.'
"My aunt was very dear to me—Morgana was her name," Johnathan said quietly. "She was a healer, mostly, but her magic extended far beyond that. She was powerful, yet kinder than anyone else I've ever known. She strove to use her magic to heal, rather than harm. She taught my best friend magic alongside her own son, and she taught me many lessons I will forever carry, and instilled upon me her desire to protect and heal. But three months ago, merely weeks before the great wizard Merlin brought my people back into Myula, she was killed.
"Her son, Mordred, had dueled one of my father's knights, one who had attempted to court his mother, but began heavily harassing her. The knight was killed, and there was a large section of the non-magical humans who used the knight's death as an excuse to rise up against magic.
"The people with magic among mine are inherently peaceful, and many of the elder ones still remembered how their parents suffered the persecution from those who hated magic in Myula. It had led to a war then, and they feared it would do the same. But even as they made preparations to leave, they were harrassed and attacked.
"My cousin was killed defending my father, and my father was killed also. Morgana watched them die even as she attempted to save them. Her anguish overtook her, her magic spiraling out. The castle collapsed, killing her and all of the people who had rioted inside."
He took a deep, shuddering breath. He had been doing his best to keep control the emotions connected to the event that removed his whole kin-family from mortality, and sharing it was making it a hundred time more difficult to do so. He reached up and rubbed the small bronze key that hung from a cord around his neck, nestled beneath his shirt. It was the key to what had been Morgana's workshop. She had given it to him shortly before her death.
"And so my people made our hasty escape. Back into Myula they went, finding only a shaky peace, one that is very close to shattering. Which has lead me to here, seeking a way to prevent more of my people from suffering. I know what it's like to be hunted, to lose ones I love. And I can assure you that I wish no harm to the unicorns, nor anyone who doesn't wish harm to my people. The haven I wish to create is not just for my people, but for any human or fae or creature who wishes to be safe and is either of or sympathizes with magic. I can assure you that if I manage to create this home, that the unicorns will be just as protected as the humans, or the fae. For they will indeed be a part of the people, if they wish."
The Unicorn gazed at Johnathan for several long, silent moments. Then a Unicorn Foal crept up behind the Unicorn.
'Grandsire, we should help him.' The Foal tossed it's head. 'I want to live in a place like that. Where people won't hurt us anymore. This human is good, and I know you can sense it more than I can.'
'I told you to remain back, with the herd,' the Unicorn said sternly.
The Foal snorted in what seemed to be the equivalent of giggles. 'And yet you set Seona as the watchmare. She cannot keep an eye on a mountain, much less me.'
'That is fair.' The Unicorn appeared to sigh before looking over to Johnathan again. 'Since my grandfoal seems so determined to aid you, I suppose my herd will agree with your idea, as long as we receive the asylum you promise.'
"I will make it a surety that the kingdom created for the purpose will have protection for the unicorns," Johnathan swore.
The Unicorn nudged the Foal and she gleefully skipped up to Johnathan's side. She flicked her tail several times, and eventually a single, shimmering silver hair fluttered away from it. Johnathan reached out and caught it as the Foal returned to her grandsire's side.
"I thank you with every fragment of my being for your gift," Johnathan said sincerely.
The Unicorn huffed. 'Thank us by creating the haven.'
And the Unicorn and Foal were gone.
