Private Tales Sierra's Storytime

[Sierra]

"The minotaur's roar shook the very ground they stood upon and seemed to wake up sleeping beasts further in the magical woods. Trees shook and birds took to the air. Talus pulled his sword free and disappeared again. The other blond boy pushed his fingers forward and arcs of electricity shot through them toward the enraged beast."

"That's Luther, right?" Rose asked.

"Umhm," Sierra nodded. "It was like he could control lightning itself. Just on a slightly smaller scale. And do you know what Si did while the boys were doing all this?"

Rose shook her head.

 

[Sierra]

"She began making the beast feel tired. Feel like he didn't want to fight anymore. Feel like he just wanted to give up. Si pushed and pushed those emotions toward the beast with all her might and strength and she saw the beast begin to falster. To waiver. Even before the lightning hit."

Sierra tucked some auburn strands behind one of her curved ears and sat back, studying her daughter with fondness.

"The beast crumpled with the lightning and slipped further on the ice. He lay still as he hit the ground as if he just didn't want to fight anymore. Even as Talus brought the sword down for a killing blow. Even as Hal took a shard of ice and drove it through the creature's back. And even as Luther sparked lightning across the creature's head."

 

[Sierra]

Rose pumped her little fist into the air.

"So they won and killed the beast!"

Sierra suppressed a smile. "They did kill the beast. Did you know that the beast's roar woke up another beast?"

Rose shook her head and settled back down.

"Imagine a spider but as big as a house!"

Rose shivered. "But was it a nice spider?"

 

[Sierra]

"It was not a nice spider. It was a spider looking for fresh food. A spider with large fangs and sixteen eyes. A spider that shot really sticky, thick webs. Webs that were as strong as ropes."

"Mommy, I am getting too scared," Rose whined.

"Do you want me to stop?" Sierra asked.

"No. But can we talk about things less scary?" Rose gave her mom a pleading look.

"Okay, okay. How about this? We'll end tonight on a different, less scary story. Then tomorrow we can come back to this?"

Rose slowly nodded.

 

[Sierra]

"Once upon a time there was a brave little girl whose gift was storytelling. Everyone loved hearing her stories especially on Brightlands Day. A day when the village celebrated its freedom from the Dark Woodland rulers. But the problem with her stories, was that folk tended not to believe her if she said something they believed couldn't be true. They just thought she was telling another story."

Rose shook her head, "they should know better."

Sierra smiled. "Yes, they should. But sometimes folk have a hard time believing things they haven't see with their own eyes."

"Harumph," Rose crossed her little arms over her little chest.

 

[Sierra]

"So, the little girl was up late one night in a field by her house that bordered the dark wood. The village may have won its freedom but there were boundaries in place to protect each kingdom. They were not allowed to go in the dark wood and the dark wood members could not go into the fields or by the village."

"Why was she in the field?" Rose asked, rubbing a little curled fist against one of her sleepy eyes.

"Because she liked counting the stars and she always looked for a shooting star to make a wish. And on this night, she really wanted to see a unicorn."

Rose's half-closed eye popped open when Sierra mentioned her favorite animal.

 

[Sierra]

"So, she took her favorite soft-blue blanket and stuffed an apple in her pocket and slipped out the back door of the little cottage she shared with her parents and older brother. Walking down the dirt path, she veered at the bend where the oak tree grew and waded among the tall grasses of the field. Heading toward the dark wood."

"But she can't go there," Rose whispered.

 

[Sierra]

"She went close to the dark wood. But not too close. And besides, the wood would only get in the way of the sky and she had to find a shooting star that night. Spreading the blue blanket among the tall grass, she plopped down onto her back and stared up at the heavens. She waited..."

".........and waited."

"And waited, even as she felt her eyelids grow heavier and heavier."

Rose yawned again, her own eyes beginning to close.

 

[Sierra]

"The breeze whispered in the little girl's ears. A story. They wanted to hear a story. A story for a wish."

Rose's eyes were both closed now. Her arms limp at her sides. Steady breaths filled her chest as it rose and fell beneath the blanket. Sierra smiled and very quietly stood, place a kiss on her daughter's forehead. Reaching out and turning off the light, she tiptoed out of the room.

"Sweet dreams, my darling."

She was sure Rose would beg for the end of the story tomorrow night. Turning, she went in search of Cillian.

 

[Sierra]

The next night Sierra was in charge of bath-time. And Rose was anxious to get back to the story. But that didn't stop her from pretending to be a water nymph in the tub. Much to Sierra's chagrin.

"Okay, brush your teeth then get into bed quickly before the floor turns into lava."

Rose leaned over the sink on a step-stool that Cillian had made just for her, painted purple with little plastic pieces that looked like gemstones all over it. It was bejazzled. The little girl furiously brushed at her pearly whites.

 

[Sierra]

Turning on the water, Rose leaned over the sink and spit a few big globs into the basin. Taking her purple cup, she quickly rinsed her mouth and spit again. "Mom," she gave Sierra a look. "The floor does not turn into lava."

"I dunno," Sierra called as she settled down into the comfy-chair next to Rose's bed. "It might tonight. The fire fairy just stopped by."

Rose squeaked from the bathroom and rushed into the bedroom, plopping onto her bed and crawling up toward the pillow. "She stopped by and YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!"

 

[Sierra]

This was the world Sierra and Rose lived in now. A world where fire fairies really existed. Where fae really existed. And water nymphs and trolls and boggins, and trufter-snouts.

If those at the Academy could see her now, falling for a male with pointed ears.

"No, she didn't really stop by munchkin, now get under the covers and I'll pick up the story from last night."

Rose huffed and squirmed, wiggling under the covers.

 

[Sierra]

Sierra glanced out the window behind her daughter's bed. She caught a glimpse of Cillian going down to the stables to attend to FrauFrau and her own horse. She let her eyes linger on him for a moment.

She was a lucky woman.

Attention returned back to her daughter's intent blue eyes. Waiting. And for once, patiently.

"Okay, so where were we?"

Rose scrunched her nose in thought. "The girl was going out to the field by the dark wood."

 

[Sierra]

"Ah, yes. Her name was Daisy. And she ventured out to the fields at night, the fields that hugged the dark forbidden wood. But her eyes were not on the wood that night. They were to the sparkling sky above. Hoping to see a shooting star so she could make a wish."

Sierra leaned forward and tugged the sheets a little higher up on Rose.

"Daisy looked and looked and look. But she didn't see anything and she felt her eyes grow heavier and heavier. Harder to keep open. So hard, she suspected the sandman stopped by when she was distracted and sprinkled some of his magic sand over her. But then she heard that voice..."

 

[Sierra]

"Give me a story. A story for a wish. Daisy's eyes flew open and she stared at the twinkling stars. You want a story? She whispered to the heavens above. She waited and strained her ears. Held her breath. Moments passed and she was about to dismiss what she'd heard for a dream when she heard a rustling of leaves on the wind and a quiet yessss."

Rose's eyes widened.

"Daisy smiled in the dark and rested her hands behind her head, cradling it. Well just you wait, she said up into the night. And she began weaving a tale about the Hunter King that lived in the dark wood. He had two horns that wove up from his head into two nasty, sharp points. And a retinue of fearsome warriors that..,"

Rose interrupted her. "Mommy, what does retinue mean?"

Sierra smiled. "It means he had a group of warriors who were loyal to him and followed him on his hunts."

 

[Sierra]

Rose nodded her head in understanding, bringing one hand up to play with her still drying strands of dark hair.

"So, Daisy continued to weave her tale for the night sky and as she spoke, she could've sworn even the insects that never stopped buzzing stilled their noises. The wind in the dark wood behind her quieted. The Hunter King of the dark wood was a fearsome being. He always started his hunts with a sharp howl that filled the air. And he always had his wife by his side, she was the Queen Huntress. And while the Hunter King had a dark heart, the Queen Huntress had the blackest heart of them all."

 

[Sierra]

"She craved violence and bloodlust as much as her husband. And they were a fearsome couple. All animals knew to hide when they heard that call because none could stand against the group that hunted. None could stand against the dark heart of the Queen Huntress. And the Hunter King would do anything to make his Queen happy."

Rose frowned. "He loved her?"

"Yes," Sierra answered.

"But if she was so evil...," Rose stopped playing with her hair for a moment. Sierra shrugged.

"Are you ready for me to continue?" Sierra patiently looked at her daughter.

 

[Sierra]

Rose gave a quiet sigh and twirled her finger through her hair again. "I guess so."

Sierra tried to keep the smile from sliding onto her face. "Okay, so. Daisy continued the story to the night sky. And Daisy would be lying if she said she didn't feel as though many eyes from the dark wood were watching her that very moment. But she didn't turn around to look."

 

[Sierra]

"Daisy continued her story to the night sky. The Queen Huntress and Hunter King from the dark wood were quite the pair. Their castle was nestled right in the middle of the thick wood. And that was where their group of fellow riders and followers also lived. The castle was overgrown with thorns and vines on the outside but beautiful and well-kept on the inside."

Sierra took a breath.

"Save or the pelts and collections from the bloodlust hunts of the King and Queen. Exotic creatures and animals decorated their halls and mantels. So did many a weapon that had slein each beast, the blood preserved on steel."

Rose scowled. "That's gross, mommy."

 

[Sierra]

"It was certainly not very nice," Sierra agreed.

"Their castle was settled in the middle of the dark wood and many a creature learned to stay far away, or else they would become hunted. Especially when the wild howl was made on the darkest of nights. The nights where the moon was but a sliver in the sky. Daisy paused in her story, realizing tonight was such a night, even though it made the stars she was looking at burn even brighter."

 

[Sierra]

Rose lifted her head and peeked out her bedroom window. A small sigh of relief when she saw the full moon outside.

Sierra suppressed her smile and continued the story.

"Daisy lifted her head and looked behind her at the line of thick trees and bushes of the dark wood not that far away. Squinting in the darkness, for just a moment, she thought she caught a pair of yellow eyes staring back at her. But after she blinked they were gone."

 

[Sierra]

"Daisy turned back around and re-settled back on the soft blanket. Her attention returning to the starry ceiling above. The Hunter King loved his Queen Huntress so much and would've given anything for her. Done anything for her. For hundreds of years they lived a happy life together. Going on hunts through the dark wood and even traveling beyond. All across the edges of Arethil to find and slay creatures of all kinds with their hunting group. But...."

Sierra paused.

"There was one thing the Huntress Queen wanted more than anything. A child of her own. And try as they might, they were not able to have children of their own. They were beings who were too powerful and too dark."

 

[Sierra]

"The Hunter King traveled all across the land, looking for a solution. Looking for a way to help his mate. His love."

Rose sighed. "Even though he's evil that's kind of romantic."

Sierra shifted in her chair. She didn't want Rose to get the wrong idea. But she also had to let her daughter form her own thoughts. So, she didn't comment and instead, continued the story.

 

[Sierra]

"The Hunter King finally found himself at the base of the tallest peak in the Spine. It was said this was where the throne of the goddess of newborns sat. Meershta. He appealed to her on behalf of his mate. He brought her gifts of his hunt and gifts of gold. He even got down on his knees in front of the goddess."

Sierra took a breath.

"But, Meershta could see what he couldn't."

 

[Sierra]

"The Queen Huntress's heart was blacker than any who had walked the land before. She had no compassion or love to ever care for a child. Meershta saw the Queen Huntress was not fit to ever be a mother due to the deepness of cruelty in her heart. Of course, the Hunter King was outraged. And heartbroken."

Rose continued to stare wide-eyed at Sierra. Any sleep far from her daughter's eyes. Sierra sighed and continued.