Apparition Tears

My mad dash through the forest was almost to an end.. My life with it. I have spent most of it running and now that I had served my purpose I would be killed, but not before one glorious final act. I had to get this bird into the skies and since I have been in the Jarden camp, spying on them, this bird with my message needed to get airborne. To make that happen I had to find a clearing somewhere, to set it on it’s journey, to many branches here. We are running out of time. They knew of my treachery and would be upon me soon.

I have for months gathered and listened to my enemies plots and evil conventions. My life means nothing in this war, not if I cannot get my message to those who need to hear it. I stumble through the dense trees, feeling as if they too are trying to grab and stop me. I will not heed them, no I will get this message to my people. I can feel the thorns underfoot clawing and scraping my skin off, likely leaving a blood trail for their hoods to pick up. It wouldn’t mitter that they will catch me eventually. They would be in a hell of a bit more hurry to catch me if they knew I had a bird to get my message out.

Fools the lot of them, only they have a plan in motion that just might work if my people were caught unawares. I thought their plan a worthy enough one to break my cover and attempt to get a message out. They would have never known I was even leaving had a not-so-secret admirer come to my tent that night to woo me. When he saw my pack and bird, he put two and two together and knew I was not who I said I was. Among my people I am royalty, because it is my duty to protect mine people I had volunteered for this mission. How can I ask for sacrifice from my people if I myself will not give it?

This disgusting pig, had thought I was giving him attention, when in fact I had been asking light prodding questions about their armies movements. This man is nothing, just a common foot soldier. I had asked some lighter questions, nothing to draw attention. Apparently my looks led this man to come “entice” me. I knew there would be no persuading this man to keep my secret, once he saw I was not a fair maiden visiting the camp. I did what I had to. I am not proud of it, however this is war and my people must be warned. I left his still warm body inside my tent, figuring it would at least not be discovered until morn- I had been wrong. Someone else must have come to visit me in the dead of the night and discovered the body.

Not like it really matters now, as I run for my life. I kick a root that’s grown above ground and fall to my face in the dirt. As I fall, feeling yet more skin tearing, I have to grit my teeth together to force back my scream of frustration and anger. Honestly I could probably tear these men chasing me apart with my canines. After a few moments of seething at my anger of tripping and having to run from these monsters, I stand and accept reason. There are likely hounds with these humans and against them and their masters, my chances are pretty awful. I sigh through my nose and start back into my jog, only this time a little slower.

The bird- the damn bird, I fell and it went out of my hands. I start to frantically look around for the white bird. I don’t see it, uh oh. No, no I have come too far to have lost now. I amp up the pace only to go back to where I had fallen and start looking. There- above the bird is flapping and swinging from branch to branch looking for an opening to fly through. I try to whistle as quietly as possible to call the bird to me. It obeys instantly, only I have now signaled my location to my pursuers. I hear the hounds start baying and their echoing howls chills my blood and my hair stands on end.

I suck in a breath and race double time away. I see some light ahead and kick up dust. I hear a growl behind me and I chance a look. Ah they are close, very close, the light I saw is indeed a clearing good. I can feel the world slow to molasses. My heart beat becomes impossibly loud in my ears and seem to count down my seconds left of precious life. Images flash before my eyes, only they are not images of one's life moments before they die like the saying goes, no my flashes are the here and now. A flash of myself running, hair fanned out behind me as the wind tears viciously through it, skin flushed and heated from running, clothes torn and blood oozing from gashes, and the shadows behind me.

The colossal pines exude a caustic scene behind me, best left unsaid. Even the monsters of hell would cower in the face of what chases me. The humans must have been very displeased indeed that I had broken into their battlements, to have sent Satan's personal pet after me. I will have to admit to fear at this moment, once I truly know what has been chasing-hunting me this last hour. My death will not be a swift one as I was hoping for. I knew this was a possibility when I volunteered for this job. My people will be taken care of in my absence and will fare even better when this message arrives to warn them of what is coming from their enemies.

I break through the cusp of darkness and the ethereal beauty of the clearing I have stumbled into shocks me. Only for a heart beat do I allow myself to peer at the glorious haven, I simply do not have the words to describe the heaven and the emotions that roll through me. Home that’s what this place reminds me of, home a place of safety and glorious artistry and allurement. Many breaths would have been held in awe for this place, if there had been time for it. I stumble forward a few steps and with the fear now gone in face of this newest reminder of what I am fighting for, I lift my arms and open my palms.

The white of the bird is shocking at how contrasting, the white and greys of the glade im in under the moon’s eye, and the dark green and black of the forest- the black and red beast that now stands utterly still at the glade’s edge. I can only see him by his silhouette, amid the gathering shadows, because he lets me see him, he wants me to know he has found me. Hideous shadows wraith around his body and brutish scars marr his body. He doesn’t come any further into the glade, but stands inert watching me and the dove. Surprisingly the bird does not fly away, but circles above my head as if asking me to fly with it. It is very dangerous for it to linger. As this thought crosses my mind, My nightmare moves and pulls from somewhere in the shadows a warty blackened ash bow. I know of the histories of those, in fact it was one of those bows that killed my parents and crowned me a princess far sooner then I should have been.

A Shandrake can only receive one of those terrible weapons, when they massacre the living. Clearly this one was a killer, even among its brethren, even if it’s abnormal size didn't tell me this. I was so going to die this lovely night, but if I am to die I can think of none more worthy a cause or place for it. Unfortunately if this bird did not fly away from me, it too would find its finally resting place here alongside me. I can’t have that. I start yelling in the language of my people for the bird to flee. Even though it doesn’t know what my words mean, my meaning is clear enough and it turns to start flapping upwards.

Just as the Shandrake draws back his mighty bow and releases the string. A deep sound bellows forth from his ash bow and I know it’s the echo of his past kills, trapped inside. The arrow sings and parts the very oxygenated air as it zips for the living flapping bird. With a thud it hits, only it is not the bird the poisoned arrow hits, but a small white slender hand-my hand. I can't help the cry of anguish, pain explodes through my veins as the fires of hell race through my blood. I tell myself it matters not as the bird flies out of range, screaming in anguish as it goes. Surprisingly the beast stays on the outer edge of the lightened clearing.

It doesn’t stop him from firing another arrow, this one hits my shoulder. He growls in frustration at me. He must not be able to enter this place of beauty. I smile sadly at him, and can feel the venom closing in on my heart. The world goes funny and tilts. I feel as if the world is falling and suddenly it is falling-no I am the one falling. I can tell when my head hit the solid earth. It feels like that time when I had too much mead. The world is spinning and I feel like I may upend my stomach, only God forbid that happens. I cannot muster the energy to turn my head or even pick it up. How fitting to lay someplace that feels like home. I smile in content, I am at peace with dying. I can tell the monster is angry by the bellows echoing around the world. He wanted my flesh, my bloodline is a favorite of theirs. Not this time you animal.

I feel it the moment my heart stops. My eyes close and don’t open again. My chest falls and never lifts. Only I don't leave my body like I expected. No, the world just slows again and I hover above my body. Ah how beautiful I am lying there upon the grassy earth, hair strewn about my head in a crown like fashion. The monster continues his angry lament at his lost prey. I watch as my body begins to glow, as though I have moonlight under my skin. I gasp as my dark hair turns white and starts to bleed into the soil. It stretches outward as if in the likeness of great silvery white roots. They stretch and stretch and as the beast grows silent to watch, I see my body start to morph into a great willow tree.

I start to weep and great heaving sobs shake my apparitional hovering body. I never thought the great spirits would ever grant a blessing such as this to me. Here they are, finding a way for me to live in safety and to be able to offer it to others. Silver fat drops drip into the divine roots, watering myself with my own tears. I slowly reverently drift down into the awe inspiring willow. The branches now fully formed have what appears as tears only the water is frozen in place. They are still water only...it's not falling to the ground. With the moon shining onto those drops that cling to the branches, they look like shimmering jewels. Just as my body joins that of this tree, I look to the monster to see he has gone.