The forest archer and the warrior

I jumped down from my tree, landing on one knee supported by my hand on the ground, my long dark hair falling almost to the ground covering my face completely. Looking through my hair I could clearly see the powerful warrior across it, and he could see me. He was wearing the long red robe of a kings warrior, and he sore a tight sleeveless shirt and long pants on underneath. I had felt his power ever since he entered my forest this morning, he was no weakling. He’s been walking around my forest for a few hours, killing plants and animals, disrupting the peace and tranquility that we usually live in.

“Who are you?” He asked in a low rumbling voice. Fear was absent from his voice.

“I am the one who’s going to stop you.” Rising to my feet I let my arms fall to my
sides. My dark green shirt and short leggings labelled me as a forest maiden, and my leather shoes, the leather guard on my left hand  and on my shoulders, and the leather pieces that fell between my legs in front of me and behind me labelled me as an archer. I knew he’d know who I was. I fingered the small green feather dangling into my palm from a leather band around my wrist. The warrior slid into a fighting position, and I felt his power rising, increasing, around his body. He was even more powerful than I though.

“I have to continue on. I have no quarrel with you.” Caution stilled his voice.

Walking forward I explained: “You have come into my forest, disturbed my plants and trees. You burnt and killed without asking or thanking the forest or me. I am the archer of this forest, and you`ve disrespected my land. `` Now standing within a few yards of him, I saw he was no older than me, still in his teenage years. Shaking my hair to the side, I stared at him. I felt his gaze falter under my dark green eyes. His eyes flashed form the feather to my eyes.  `You may not pass into the heart of my forest.” Around me I felt the forest relax.

He surprised me and bowed. “Lady Kyade.” He bowed again. “I meant no disrespect to you or your forest.” Honesty and meaning where of complete lack in his voice or demeanour.

“Leave now.”

`` ‘A flower took from the very heart of the Kyade forest can heal even the worst sicknesses’. I dare not ask one such as yourself for help, but I was told one of your flowers can heal anything.  `` His eyes hardened with resolve.

``What makes you think you deserve one? ``  it was common knowledge that my flowers have immense healing power, but it was also common knowledge that I, Kyade of Kyade’s forest had more power, and that I turned more than most pilgrims away.

“I have proved my worth many times over.” His voice hard as steel.
“With the king, no doubt.”

“Aye” he said as in this was common knowledge.

“That has no worth here.” I saw surprise grow in his eyes, but it was quickly covered.

“You reject the king?” A hint of amusement in his voice.

“The king has no power or say within the boundaries of my lands. Why should his subjects?”

With this I grabbed the feather with my other hand and slid my hand down it. ``I am the archer of this forest.`` Suddenly a great light shone from the feather, it grew brighter and brighter, then it was gone and in my hand was a long wooden bow entwined with green ivy vines, across my back a large quiver of wooden bolts with thorns along the shafts and green feathers at the end. Pulling one arrow from my quiver I knocked it to my bow and pulled it back.

``You’ve made your decision’ and I released the arrow.  Faster than I could see he had pulled a long sword from somewhere within his clothing and he blocked my arrow. Shock race through my body as it registered that I had been bested.

“I said, I need a flower from the heart of your forest. I ask your permission to retrieve one.” He stood stock still, he sword across his chest, acting as a shield, my arrow on the ground, split in pieces. No one has ever stopped my arrow before. I lowered my bow, light shone as it returned to feather form.

“You may continue.” I said as I dropped to one knee, my head lowered in shame.  “May I know the name of the only one who’s stilled my arrow?”

“Prince Teague.” He said as he returned his broadsword to his scabbard. “Stand, you have no placed kneeling in your own forest.” Cockiness and arrogance filled his voice, as in he expected this to happen. I felt anger swell inside me.  Prince Teague, the kings’ one and only son, was in my forest and had bested me, and had also expected. No one should expect to best me.  Rage and ager filled me. I raised my eyes to meet his and he visibly faltered under my gaze. He stepped back as I rose to my feet. I melded with the forest, my spirit and the spirit that was the forest became one.

         A great gust of wind rose, shaking the sturdiest of trees, vines snapped in the air. Both of our capes flew off.

“I can call on the power of wind.” I yelled, my voice coming from every corner of the forest, from everywhere and nowhere.  I pushed a great bellow of wind onto him, forcing him to kneel. “I can call on the power of lightning and thunder.” I pulled a lightning bolt from the sky, having it crack, feet from him. Thunder vibrated through the air. “I can call on the power of the forest herself.” Plants, vines, sprouted around him. Winding around his arms and legs, quickly taking any control over his body.  I let my power die and I returned to my body, keeping the vines containing him.
“Prince Teague, you have disrespected the forest. It is time for you to leave.” He struggled to free himself from the vines.

“I cannot! I need that flower more than anything I’ve ever needed before.”  He stopped struggling; it seemed all will had left his body.

“Why?” I asked cautiously, anger still simmering in me.

“My sister.” His voice faltered. “My sisters sick.” Princess Aslyn! Shock shook my body. Immediately the wind returned, rain pounded down and plants and trees lost control and began reaching towards us, whipping through the air. I dropped to the ground, burying my hands in the ground.

“No!” I yelled, I could feel the forest pulling at my mind and spirit. It wanted to take control. It wanted my power, it wanted to be free. It is only because of the archers, the forest maidens, that forest do not over run the earth, or become consumed by power. We can control all elements and the forest. We keep it safe and under control. But the forest can rebel. 

“No!” Pain seared through my mind. Then all went dark. Realization flashed through my mind as I gave in, the forest had once again succeeded in bending me to its will.

I sat up. I was in a small cave. I could feel trees nearby. I looked around and saw a man sitting against the wall across from me, food, ropes and other supplies covered one corner of the cave, a horse and hay where in the other.

“Your awake.” The man said. Prince Teague. His eyes were closed. “I had heard stories that you can lose control over the forest, but I never really believed it. To many stories of the amazing Kyade saving lives and of her incredible powers for me to believe that she could have problems with them.”

“Ya, well, even I’m not perfect.” I said getting up. My clothing was still on and all my guards and everything was still on my person. My right leg burned when I tried to put weight on it. I saw cuts and scratches coming from mid calf, all the way up to my hip. A dressing looked to have been applied, and my ankle was wrapped in stiff cloth.

“You’ve been asleep for 3 days. I figured I may as well help you heal since the forest won’t let me leave this cave.” He seemed to be exhausted. I limped over to him, and sat beside him.

“I’m Kyade. Nice to meet you Teague. The forest is free at the moment; we’ll be stuck here for awhile, at least in till my ankle heals.” I sighed.

“Care to explain?” He asked, his eyes still closed. “No one really knows much about the forest maidens’ powers.” He stated a fact.

“It’s easier for you to know nothing, then just a little bit. Pretty much, I lost control, and now the forest is refusing to return to me. Since I’m injured, and tired, I can’t force it to return to me.”

“Ah,” He fell silent in though, “Do you have any of you powers that are in the stories?”

“All of them, and more.” I sighed; people had a tendency of wanting me to do a lot of difficult things for them when they head my powers where real. 

“I healed you, but I couldn’t heal myself.” With this, his body seemed to slump over and he lost consciousness. His shoulder fell to the side, exposing a gash in his shoulder and neck. It was still bleeding. He must have had this for three days now, how can he still be alive? The gash had cut through muscle tendon and clipped into his shoulder bone.  I pushed him on to his side, and covered the gashes with my hands. Plunging into his body with my power, I could feel some healing attempts but a dark poison unlike any I had every felt before was traveling through his body. Slowly I pulled all of it out, piece by piece, I pulled the strange poison out of his body, but with it came precious blood and vital fluids. The deeper and deeper I pushed into his body, the more I found. It seemed like I just kept finding more of this poison, it had attached itself to his blood stream, lungs, and in his heart I realised. I couldn’t get it all out. After what seemed like hours of me pushing my healing powers to their limits my body and mind gave out and I gave in to unconsciousness. Falling at his feet; at the same time he awoke.