“It’s okay Ursad. Can I ask you something? What exactly are you?” I’ve never seen anyone like him, she thought as she observed his face. Where the facial hair ended, his skin grew like tree bark, all tan and dark with lines trailing through it. His hair was made of darkened green, thin leaves with twigs and small thin vines springing from his head. She could definitely tell he was fey or human but he had been transformed into what appeared to be a tree man. His hands were smooth and human in appearance, but nothing above the neck resembled normal human skin.
“I… don’t normally look this way. I was cursed a long time ago and my face and hair have been affected in this way ever since.” He smiled at her but lowered his eyes to stare down at the floor as he continued.
“I guess I should explain further.” He looked up at her and paused, waiting for her approval.
She studied him and nodded and was eager for his explanation.
“I was a fey prince once, a long time ago. I was very handsome and women threw themselves at my feet and my every whim. I had a choice of any fey or human woman. Well, you could say I was pretty arrogant too, knowing my effect on woman. I thought myself undeniable and irresistible. That is, until one night, I was in a tavern, enjoying the party and drinking a bit too much liquor. I was surrounded by beauties and laughing with the lot of them. It was quite fun.
‘One woman approached me then. She was not the most beautiful woman I had ever seen but definitely not the ugliest. She was quite plain in appearance, flat brown hair, plain brown eyes and nothing amazing in her smile to speak of. It was as if when she was made, she was made without animation or a personality of any kind. I was just not interested… but she had other ideas.
‘I am Elinia, daughter of Talik, the were-stone maker. I am here to offer marriage to you. I love you and would be honored to be your wife,’ she had said without much warmth.
‘Of course, I didn’t know who she was or what she was for that matter. I laughed at her request and snubbed her in front of the whole tavern in my drunken stupor. Everyone laughed at my smart antics and I gave her a quick shove to get her out of my immediate sight. I didn’t know what it was I was doing. I laughed and laughed until she scrambled off the floor and ran out of the tavern crying. To my satisfaction, I was glad not to have to ridicule her anymore. I was glad she was gone.
‘I finished out the night laughing and having a fabulous time. Not once giving a thought to the girl again. When I readied myself to leave, I walked out of the tavern and to the stables where my horse was waiting. When I was untying my horse, she approached me from behind.
‘I curse you Ursad, Prince of the lands of Santire, prince of nothing you will be! Fair as the bark of a tree. I curse you for infinity! Return you to how you are freed, gentle kiss from a queen-to-be!’ I stared at her as she finished her words and started laughing again.
‘You’ll regret this Ursad. You will look back with a heart broken and filled with remorse. I promise you that.’ She disappeared then, as suddenly as she had appeared. I was left alone in the silence of the dark stables. I didn’t feel different but curses are not taken lightly in fey culture. I began to wonder what she meant by her words. I shrugged them off and rode off into that night, back to my kingdom. It was a long journey home, so I had to stop for the night. As I walked to a lodge at the side of a country road, I wiped my face because it was covered in dripping sweat. I felt almost sick then, wondering what was going on. I checked into the lodge and fell into a deep sleep that night, exhausted.
‘The next morning, after I woke, I walked to the mirror hanging in the room to comb my hair. My hair and my face were changed, to my utter disbelief. What I saw, well, I saw what you see now. Horrified, I fled my country, for no one would recognize me looking like such a monster. I haven’t returned since. So here I am, alone.” He looked back up at Shade as their eyes met.
“I am drawn to the forest, the ocean and the pools of water. They pull me like a magnet. They give me solace in my pain and exile. The waters bless me with their favor, leaving bits of the world, and food is easily attainable here on the banks. Now they have brought you and I can’t help but wonder why. You were hurt so, I had to help. I hope you are not afraid of me, I mean no harm, really. I guess you could say, I have been humbled from the years of isolation.” He stared into her eyes, watching her so intensely. He spoke rapidly and it was clear he had been lonely and was excited to be with another other person.
Shade fought to look away. His face was smooth and serious, but his deep green eyes were wrought with sorrow. She looked back up to see him still watching her. “Again, I’m sorry I hope I didn’t insult you,”
“No, you did not,” said Ursad with a kind smile.
It was alarming to look at him, at first, but she could see his handsome features underneath all of it and in a peculiar way, found him striking. Time had not withered this man; he was preserved in the prison he made for himself. I wonder if he really was a prince, this is so strange, she thought to herself. He was the prince of the Santiran lands, of all things, the very place she needed to get to.
“Ursad, I am thirsty and hungry too. I could use something to eat, if you have anything to share. “And do you know where my things are?”
He paused as he turned towards the door. “I will get them for you; I left your pack near the fireplace to make sure it dried out a bit, though it seems impervious to water. I could not take out whatever you had in there; it has a personalized lock charm on it, and would not open for me. I do hope your things are not ruined in it.” He ducked out the door and Shade was left staring at it after him.
She suddenly became aware she was not wearing her own tattered muddy clothes from before, but wearing soft cotton drawstring pajama pants and an oversized tunic instead. They were clean and soft but she pulled the blankets even tighter around herself. She tried not to imagine him changing her out of her soaked clothes. She squirmed at the thought, feeling flushed.
Ursad returned with a tray of fruit, a meat sandwich and a cup of juice. Her stomach growled at the sight of food. He set it slowly in front of her, not smiling but extremely serious. She tried to smile and soon forgot her embarrassment; she settled in and started to inhale the meal. Food in Faerie seemed to taste so much better than in her world. She wondered if it was because it really was better or simply because she was ravenous because she hadn’t eaten in hours, not to mention was getting a lot of exercise on this journey. She chewed and ate so fast, she started hiccupping. She guzzled down the juice hoping to stave them off.
As Shade finished, Ursad had stayed and watched her. Realizing she had been gorging herself, her face suddenly flushed, as she slowed her chomping to a slow chew. She swallowed her last bite and stared right back at Ursad. Brilliant green eyes that shined in the dim light of the room, those eyes seem to pierce her. She ran her eyes over his hair of vines and leaves; so long they fell down past his waist like tendrils of flowers. She wondered if it hurt to pluck a leaf off the thin vines that draped him like shroud and dangled over his shoulders. He was dressed in dark brown clothes; they were frayed and reminded her of peasant’s clothing from fairytale stories.
She laughed to herself. Maybe this was her ‘fairytale’ in a way. Nothing is as it should be. Nothing is going the way it should be. The world is not what it seemed and somehow, Shade wasn’t sure she liked it much at all. And now I’m lost.
“Is everything alright? Was the food good, Shade?” Ursad asked breaking her thoughts, dragging her back to the present.
She nodded and pushed the food tray away, signaling that she was done.
Ursad promptly stood up, collected it and left through the door. He was now smiling widely and seemed to walk with a happy skip in his step.
Shade shook her head. Fey men are so strange! She sighed and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She grabbed the footboard and stood up slowly, feeling her legs wobble beneath her. She stood for a minute, relaxing her muscles and breathing through the dull pain that r
esonated throughout her bones. She remembered the cold chill of the river and shivered.
She glanced down at her fingers now and flexed them. They felt slightly stiff but functional; the slight ache wasn’t bothering her much at all. She sighed and counted her blessings. Somehow she had healed and maybe her spirit guides had done what they said. Thank you for the gracious gift. She hoped somehow they were hearing her.
Ursad entered the room and stopped. He held out her pack and a folded pile of clothes that she had been wearing before. They were now washed, repaired, and folded neatly. Shade smiled and let him place it on the bed next to her. “I took the liberty of repairing your clothes; the rocks nearly ripped them to shreds. Your pack seems pretty dry. I take it you don’t want to be staying very long, which is really too bad. I would like to get to know you and hear your story. Like I said, I haven’t had any company in such a long time.” He paused, waiting for her reaction.
When she didn’t say anything, just sat frozen and staring at him, he continued. “I mean, you shouldn’t hurry out, you are welcome to stay as long as you like of course.” He waited again, shifting nervously. He rushed out of the room then and closed the door behind him.
Shade smiled, his nervousness seemed to calm her anxiety.
Rummaging through her pack, she pulled out a fresh set of clothes. She grabbed jeans, socks, underwear, a bra and her black sweater. Her repaired clothes were tucked into the backpack and she reached for her brush. She wondered if there was a shower or restroom in the little cabin. She sighed, slipping some house shoes on that she had thrown into her pack, just in case. Opening the door she peeked out, and called out to Ursad. “Is there a bathroom I can use? I could really use a shower.”
“It’s to your right,” he called from outside her room.
Shade stepped into the hallway and looked down the darkened hallway. The walls were made of wood, twisting and curving in such a way to create the rooms and halls. She realized in awe that they must be inside a large tree that was converted into a cottage. She retrieved her light stone from her pack and held it in front of her. The glowing light was bright in the dim surroundings and comforted her some. The hallway was not as long as it looked in the dark. She took the last door at the end of the hall; it was a modern looking bathroom, nothing elaborate but it was clean and (small). She placed her clothes on the counter and the light stone continued to glow. She smiled and was glad it didn’t need to stay in contact with her to stay lit. She whispered thanks to it and turned the shower on.
I wonder how this all works? There wasn’t any electricity in the cabin but it appeared to have modern conveniences. It was still hard to take in the idea that magic and the faeries were real, even after everything she had seen and been through. The water ran over her skin and the heat and steam revived her, and simply felt like bliss.
When Shade was done she returned down the hall to her room, slipping in and putting her things away. She put her shoes on and held her backpack in one arm as she left the room to check out the rest of the house and find Ursad. The main room was small but cozy; a blazing fire crackled along one side of the room in a simple fireplace. There was one reading chair (made out of old red velvet) it sat in front of the fire along with a fluffy couch that was placed on the right side of the room. It was covered with a warm cotton throw blanket, with bits of yarn loosened from its edges. She turned towards the left to see a small table and two chairs made out of wood and it appeared as if it was hastily nailed together; but the wood was smooth and worn and showing signs of age.
Ursad sat in one of the chairs and had his hands on his face when she entered the room. He pulled his hands away and stood up suddenly, when he realized she was standing there and watching him. He looked momentarily distressed but composed himself immediately.
“Oh, you’re done? I guess you will want to be leaving then.” He sank back into his chair and sighed. His green eyes glowed with the fire dancing in them, as he stared at it from across the room.
“Yes, I have to. I wanted to thank you for your hospitality. I don’t know what would have happened to me if you had not found me.” She stopped and stared at him. He looked almost agitated at her words. She bit her lip nervously and approached the chair that sat opposite of him. Dropping her pack, she sat down and looked up at him. “Ursad?”
“Yes.” His voice sounded quiet and dejected.
“What’s wrong? Are you upset? Did I do something wrong?”
His green eyes drifted up to meet hers. She realized that his cheeks were wet with tears. She waited uncomfortably for a response. She felt like she didn’t know who this person was at all but felt compelled to stay. A moment or two won’t hurt.
“Ursad?” She said, as he did not respond.
“You don’t have to go. You are safe here. Whatever was chasing you, will not find you here. I have wards all around this area that prevent even other faeries from wandering here or knowing of your presence. You don’t have to go and risk your life again Shade. Stay here, stay here forever, please?” He had his hands grasping the table, his knuckles white with strain.
She stared at them and then back to his face. She shook her head, feeling suddenly drowsy, like she had been drugged. No, I’m just feeling really tired. “Ursad, I can’t do that. I have people counting on me…I have been asked to do something and I can’t give up. I have to do this or the land of Faerie faces a war between the two Faerie courts. Queen Zinara needs me to get to the fountains of the Santiran lands to get the magic water to help them keep the Lonares of the Unseelie court from waging war against them. So you see, if I stay, the war would spill out of Faerie and into the mortal world. I live in that world, and my family does too. I can’t let that happen, Ursad. I can’t.” She felt the warm spill of tears stream down her cheeks as she spoke of her family. She missed them more at that moment than ever before.
Ursad had his hands clasped together on the table. His eyes no longer flaring but were filled with sadness. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have ever asked you to stay here. I know you are meant for great things, I can feel it. It is selfish of me to make you.” He sighed and handed her a handkerchief.
She wiped her face, blowing her nose and sniffling. She stood up then feeling again exhausted. When will I be able to go home? She thought sadly and frustrated too. She looked at Ursad and idea came to her. “You could help me you know.”
Ursad looked up at her, he seemed to be wondering what was going through her head but decided to ask instead. “What do you mean, Shade?”
“You are a prince of the Santiran lands. You would know the way to the fountains wouldn’t you? I don’t know the way; and you could take me there. Please, my friends will probably be heading that way, and I could catch up.” She found herself sitting forward in the chair, and was surprised at how she was eager for him to agree to the idea. Shade took a hold of his hand as her eyes flashed with hope. “I’ve been feeling lonely a bit and lost myself. Ursad, it would be nice to a have new friend with me.”
He glanced down at their hands touching and Shade pulled back. Her face was flushed with heat and her stomach fluttered in an excited way and she wasn’t sure why it was happening. Maybe it was because a man had never looked at her like that before; his eyes were filled with hope and maybe desire. She glanced away and down, focusing on her hands, now folded in her lap. Don’t make something out of nothing…he’s just a new friend.
“Okay, I’ll help you,” he said.
Shade met his eyes, her face lighting up as she jumped from her chair and hugged him, and let out a sigh of relief.
Shade smiled as he embraced her. “Whoa, any tighter I might not make the journey.” He chuckled, sounding winded. “But I have to say your enthusiasm is contagious.”
“Oh, sorry about that,” she loosened her grip and stepped back. “You won’t regret this, Ursad. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I don’t know what I would’ve done without your help.” She stopped and watched him smile quietly and nod his head. She
fought the urge to hug him again and nodded too. She wasn’t feeling exhausted anymore, but revived and ready to get started. “When should we start?”
“We can go now. Wait a minute, though,” he opened a cabinet on the wall by the sink and rummaged through it. Tin cups and miscellaneous papers trailed out and clamored on the floor. Shade pressed her lips together, not wanting to laugh out loud and hurt his feelings. What a mess, She thought his place was cozy but cluttered.
“Here we go!” He pulled out a folded parchment brochure that looked like it had seen too many years. He unfolded and shook it, letting dust puff out into the air. Coughing a little, he cleared his throat and laid it out on the table. It was a map, another map of the faerie lands. It was extremely detailed (down to the tree stumps) and also showed the side trails and pathways.
Shade’s eyes widened as she absorbed the amazing drawings and unusual names that were scattered throughout the parchment. She reached out and slid her finger over the area labeled ‘Santiran Fountains.’ “That’s where I need to be, Ursad.” She glanced up and smiled at him. He smiled back, confirming.
“We are here right now.” He traced the crescent of Solare’s beach and followed it down a crooked blue line. “This stream is the small river near where I found you.” He traced the trail that led through what looked like a small town or village, past a small mountain range, and to a palace of stone near a much larger mountain range, that bordered all of Faerie.
“Yes, how long do you think it would take us to get there?” Shade asked and felt the excitement flutter under her skin. They couldn’t be that far from the fountains.
“It’s a day and a half hike to reach the fountains. We can spend the night in the town of Genoden. The road is not what I’m afraid of though.” He paused watching Shade’s face fall. “The trail is filled with dark creatures and probably already being watched by the Lonares soldiers. We will have to sneak past them to reach the base of the Santiran Mountains, where the fountains are housed.”