Debbie Banna - Shattered Dreams, New Beginnings

They walked together in the forest until coming to a sunlit, grassy clearing. The beast dropped his massive, shaggy frame down upon a fallen tree to rest. His companion sniffed the air and turned in the direction of a scent he had picked up but then reconsidered his decision and returned to sit beside his friend. The two companions sat quietly for a moment before Wolf glanced at the beast then, hesitating, he spoke. “So, how’s it going? Did you try any of my ideas?”

“I thought you might be interested,” the beast replied with a laugh. “Yes, I did, though I feel like a fool, such a monster as myself reciting poetry. I’m surprised she didn’t fall down at my feet in hysterics,” he said sheepishly. “But actually, she seemed to like it. And the picnic was a good idea too. I took her to a spot beside a waterfall that I’d seen in my wanderings and told her I’d never shared it with anyone else. She looked at me then and for a moment I almost thought…well…I thought I saw something in her eyes. I’ve been trying hard all week, Wolf. You said to let her see how I feel about her and I don’t think I can make it any clearer. But still, I don’t know. I mean, am I expecting too much from her?” he asked. “Is it possible that she could really learn to love me? She has a gentle heart and I think she pities me but how could I ask her to marry someone she pities? That’s not fair to her,” he finished, sadly.

“Oh, don’t worry about fair,” Wolf replied. “I wasn’t exactly fair with Virginia either. “She married me because I told her we needed to provide a home for our little wolf cub. I sort of shocked her into it. But she married me and that’s all that counts. And within a little while, she realized that she really did love me and wanted to be with me. If you can get her to say yes, take it and run. Get her to that wedding chapel as fast as you can,” he advised.

The beast eyed Wolf strangely, then continued. “I want her love, Wolf. I need her love. But I don’t know how to find out how she feels about me.”

“Well, you could ask her,” Wolf suggested.

“I don’t know. What if she says it could never be love between us? Then it will all be over. There will be no hope for my ever becoming free.”

“Well, you never will know until you try. And take it from me; “No” might not be her final answer. Just when I thought all was over between Virginia and I, we were given another chance. I almost gave up and threw it all away but, deep in my heart, I knew I could never leave her. My suggestion to you, sir, is to ask her.”

“Would you go with me, then, if I do? It’s been a long time since I’ve had a friend and I think I might need one if she rejects my love.”

“I’ll go with you,” Wolf said putting his arm around the shoulder of the beast and patting him on the back. The two arose and walked back into the forest, each caught up in their own thoughts, wondering and musing about the future.

Carefully Tony ministered to the swan, continuing to wash the wound and dress it with wine and clean cloths. By afternoon, it seemed to become more alert so Tony offered a bit of fish to the bird from his hand. Hungrily it accepted the food, then returned to resting, propping its long, elegant neck against the softness of Tony’s pillow. With sundown drawing near, Tony took a forest green dress he’d found when walking around the pond that afternoon and draped it over the bedpost. Then he went for a walk.

Amazing how the impossible becomes ordinary in this place, he thought to himself. “How was I supposed to know that was her?” he asked. “I didn’t mean to hit her. It was an accident.” With his hands in his pockets, he wandered out to the dock, wondering if the other swans were beautiful women too. There were no birds in sight however, and he remained standing and staring into the distance until the sun dipped below the horizon. Then, after waiting just a bit more, he returned to the cabin.

Poking his head carefully around the door, he called to her. “Adora? Are you there?” When she did not reply, she stepped inside to see where she might be. Her long brown hair gracing the pillow, the fragile beauty slept, her dress still on the bedpost nearby. “Hoo boy!” Tony exclaimed uncomfortably as he glanced to where the covers had been rolled back and a pale white leg lay exposed to the thigh. Remembering he’d told Adora he was a gentleman, he reached over and pulled the blanket up until the exposed limb was hidden. The movement woke the beauty from her sleep and she opened her delicate, blue eyes and gazed at Tony. “Hi,” he said trying to force his face to look fatherly.

“Hi,” she returned with a gentle smile. “Thank you for taking care of me. I would venture to say I turned out to be a bit of a surprise,” she said.

“Well, you might say that. Actually, you surprised me very much,” Tony answered.

“So now you know my secret. It has been a hard one to bear alone for all these years. I guess I’m relieved that someone has finally discovered it,” she said with resignation.

“I think you have some explaining to do, young lady,” Tony teased trying to sound like a disgruntled parent. She smiled at his attempt at humor. “So just what is going on around here?” he questioned.

“I’ve already told you part of the story,” she said. “Sit and I’ll fill you in on the rest.” Tony sat carefully on the edge of the bed so as not to disturb her. She pulled the blankets up closer to her neck and shifted her position before she began. “As I told you, my parents died in an accident and my brother and I were driven from our home and our kingdom. What I didn’t tell you is that my parents were the next heirs in the line of queen Sleeping Beauty. My father’s mother, who was Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, ruled the Sixth Kingdom until her death. My father was her only son and next in line for the throne. But with the accident, which was arranged we found out later, now we, his children, were next to ascend to the throne. Specifically my brother Allistar was to be the next king. But a man my grandmother had appointed many years before to be her advisor, Venican, whom we called Uncle Venican, had other plans. My father had never trusted him as Grandmother’s advisor and had determined that, with her passing, Venican would be removed from the palace. But before he could act, he was gone and Venican was in control. My brothers and I were not yet of age to claim the kingdom in our own right and so Venican became our protector. Within a short time, he had gained control of the castle and the loyalty of the palace guard. He convinced the people of the kingdom that their happiness and welfare relied upon the leadership of one who had gained maturity in years. The kingdom would be endangered, he convinced them, by the lack of experience of my brother Allistar, who would reach adulthood within the year.

Venican produced a long lost relative; a brother of Grandmother’s who had not been heard from for many years. It was rumored that Great Uncle Naked had been committed to an institution by the family and had been a carefully protected secret ever since. Naked was promoted as the savior of the kingdom by Venican and his cohorts and swiftly confirmed as the next king, while our ‘uncle’ proceeded with the plans he had prepared for us. While in Grandmother’s service, it seems, Uncle Venican had begun to dabble in the black arts. For a short while he entertained the presence of an evil wizard from the Eighth Kingdom in the castle. When Grandmother became aware of this, she reprimanded Venican and he, reluctantly sent him away. The time the two spent together was not wasted, however, as Venican learned from him deep and evil secrets to be used when the time became right.

He realized that his plot was on its way to becoming successful but to ensure that the insane king would remain on the throne and he, himself would control the kingdom through Uncle Naked, Venican realized he would have to be rid of us. One night, when all in the castle were sleeping, my brothers and I were dragged from our beds and forced to descend a dark staircase to the basement. There, Venican revealed his plot and spoke gleefully of what was to become of us. He hated my brother Allistar most of all, as he reminded him of father. He seemed particularly pleased with his plans for him. Allistar, he revealed, would be transformed by a magic spell he had learned into a horrible, hideous creature that would be feared and hunted throughout the kingdoms. The spell could be broken but only if Allistar could find someone to love him and agree to marry him, which would be very unlikely. As for me, I was to be turned into a swan, destined to live as a bird forever. My only hope for being released was the same as Allistar's. If he could be set free, then my spell would also be broken.

Needless to say, we were horrified. Long ago our mother had told us the story of other poor unfortunates who had been forced to suffer under such spells as these. Now it seemed the evil curses had been resurrected and used against us. My youngest brother Andre was the most distressed at this shocking turn of events. He began to beg and plead with Venican to spare his life. He fell to his knees before him and pledged to do anything if he would not be turned into an animal. Venican seemed to consider the request and calculate the danger of sparing a small grandson to the queen. Since Andre was still young, having only reached the age of 10 at that time, Venican seemed to take pity on him. After reflecting on the situation, he announced his decision. Andre would be allowed to remain human and stay in the castle, but his will was to be taken from him and he would become a slave to Venican unless the spell under which Allistar was placed could be broken. Then immediately he began to implement his evil schemes.

He dealt with Allistar first, tossing a grayish, chalky dust at him. A cloud of black covered my brother and when it had dissipated, before us stood a gruesome, hairy beast. Andre and I began to cry but it did not dissuade Venican. He whipped around swiftly and scattered a white powder in my direction. Before I could move, I found myself looking up at my brothers from the floor. I tried to reach out to Andre but found that my hands had become wings. “Do not be distressed, my little one,” Venican said, smiling at me. “Each night when the sun goes down, you will again become a beautiful girl. Enjoy yourself for, by morning, you will again be a swan.” With that he laughed a vicious roar and grabbed Andre by the face. He took a vial from his pocket and tossed it into Andre’s eyes, after which he released him and stepped back. Andre stood before him, head down and eyes cast to the floor. “Andre, sit in the corner,” Venican ordered and my brother walked to the wall, allowed his body to flop and sat as if he were a puppet without strings,” she finished.

“The rest you have already been told. Allistar and I were driven out from the castle and we wandered about in the woods for days. One morning we stumbled upon a band of never-do-wells wandering in the woods and they thought it a sport to attack and overpower poor Allistar. What has become of him, I do not know, yet, without him, there is no hope of my ever being set free from my bondage. You might have almost done me a favor, Tony. If you had killed me, maybe I would then be set free from this inhuman existence in which I am forced to live my life, “ she concluded with a sigh.

Tony was greatly moved by Adora’s dreadful plight. Ashamed as he was at having been the one to cause her physical pain, now he felt fiercely protective of this delicate creature before him. Within him arose a desire to find a way to deliver this innocent victim of such a fiendish plot. Finally, he had found someone who needed his help, who he could protect and save, in the way he had not been able to save his own daughter. “There has to be a way to deal with this creep behind the throne,” he blustered. “I’m not going to let him get away with this. We’ll find your brother and find a way to break this spell.

“Tony, I appreciate your desire to help, but I am in no condition to go looking for my brother right now. I wouldn’t even know where to look. The last time I saw him, we were near the border to the Eighth Kingdom. It is so far to travel and there are no guarantees that you would find him or that he is even alive,” she reminded.

“Look, kid. I’m not doing anything here anyway. I need to do something to make it up to you for hurting you. Besides, I need to find a purpose for my life right now and this may be just what I need to do.” With that he stood to his feet and began impulsively to pack his sack. “Don’t try to stop me. I’m going to do this,” he said trying to convince both himself and her that it was possible. “Do you think you will be alright here until I return? It may be a while.”

“Tony, you don’t have to do this. You don’t even know me. Why would you commit yourself to such a task for a stranger? This I don’t understand.”

“I’m doing this for you but I’m doing it for me too. And I’m doing this for my daughter, Virginia, whom I lost just a short time ago. I think somehow she’ll know that what I’m doing, I’m doing for her,” he said, the pain evident in his voice.

“Then, if you have made up your mind, I will tell you all that I know about the place I saw Allistar last and what you can expect to see if you meet him,” she said. They talked and planned into the small hours of the night when both decided they would need their rest to face the day ahead. They retired and neither stirred again until the morning had all but turned to afternoon. Preparing his last fish breakfast, he shared his meal with the swan, who was looking decidedly better today. Then Tony shouldered his pack which he filled with food, a knife and a change of clothes, and stood by the bed where the wounded bird lay. Leaning over, with fatherly tenderness, he stroked the swan’s elegant neck as it lay passively still, accepting his attention. “I’ll do my best, Adora,” he told her. “I won’t come back until I find him.” And with that, he turned and left the cabin, heading down the path away from Kissingtown that led to the Huntsman’s wood.