I - Of Evil and Folly
There once was a little king of a great kingdom. His wife bore the king a daughter, and she was named Starbright, for her eyes were deep as the night and gleamed as the heavens. And she was fair and loved by all, and grew in grace and kindness.
And so it came to pass when Starbright entered her eighth year, that the king of a neighbouring land heard rumour of this beloved princess. And his heart grew in wrath and greed, for this king was of orc-kind and he hated and desired all fair things. So the orc-king sent messengers to his neighbour, promising riches and peace and prosperity and goodwill between the two kingdoms forever. “If only,” said the messengers, “you should deliver your daughter the princess unto us. And in time, a union between your kingdom and ours would be to the better of both.”
“Do as you will,” said the last messenger, “But I pray you will choose wisely. For no kingdom, however great, can endure if wisdom reigns not.”
And the king perceived the threat in the words, and he was afraid. Yet his fear for himself was greater than the fear for his kin, and also did he secretly desire the great gifts and riches promised him by the orc-king. For he was a craven and foolish man, and loved wealth. And also was it so that the orc-king was feared not only by his people, but by all, for he had lived long and possessed a strength beyond that of mortal men.
So it was that the king ordered his captain to take Starbright, and to deliver her to the orc-king. And the captain wept, for he knew it was an ill choice and cruel, but loyal was he to his liege, and so he took the princess and set her before him on his steed, and he rode forth on his evil errand.
It was a great journey between the two kingdoms, and so it was that the captain and Starbright came to a great forest on the wild marches, and in that forest they made camp under the shade of a lowstanding crabapple tree, for they were weary. And the princess Starbright slept well and easy, for she knew not the evil end to which she was destined. But the captain wept softly, and cursed his fate and the fate of the princess, and the folly of his king. “Better it were if she should die this day, than to be delivered unto the wicked care of such a steward,” he said.
And then, seized by these words, he drew a long knife, and fain would he have slain her where she slept, if the branches of the crabapple tree should not have parted and the light of the moon sudden struck her as she lay. And seeing her so, the captain was stricken with a fierce madness and grief, and weeping bitter, he abandoned the child where she slept, and ran this way and that in the forest, crying terrible curses against himself, against the two kings, and against the gods themselves, for he was angered by the evil choice to which he had been driven.
So it was that minutes drew to hours, and the moon crested overhead and was near to setting, when the captain returned to his horse and camp, and there he beheld a strange answer to his laments, for the child was gone as if never she were there. And though he hunted long for her in that strange forest, never did he see trace of her or of any living creature, though he was a great tracker.
Then the captain understood that his desire had been answered and his choice was set aside from him, and though he feared in thought that the youth had been seized by bandits or slain by wild beasts, his heart knew it to be other and he was gladdened for it. And the captain went before the orc-king, and told him that he had failed in his duty, and laughed as he spoke. So the orc-king feigned great wrath, though in his black heart he, too, was merry, for never did he intend to hold to his word with the neighbour king, and further did he perceive in his malice that the princess was no more, and surely had perished in anguish, if not by his own hand.
So the orc-king was pleased, and he commanded the captain be tormented slow to death, and though his end was cruel, ever until the last did the captain laugh and sing glad songs, for he did see that a strange fate was at play. Then did the orc-king issue challenge of war, “For,” said he, “We have been ill-used by our neighbour, who did make promise to us in good faith, only to selfish abandon his troth.” And the orc-king and his fell hosts sallied forth, and they took the castle of the weak king, and he was put to death. And so it was that the orc-king gained all that he wicked desired, and he sat upon the throne of two kingdoms.
II - Of the Fate of Princess Starbright
Yet what of the child? For well did the captain hope that she had not perished in that great forest. And even as he dashed hither and thither, crying loud laments, did a strange thing happen. For lo! the princess awoke upon hearing a strange voice call to her, a voice low and slow, though of womankind. And the princess looked about fearful, for she saw no person nearby, and she asked, “Who goes there? Be you of the Fair Folk?” For she knew that such people had strange powers and could pass by mortals unseen if they willed it so.
Yet the voice laughed low and said, “Nay, I be not. And well might I ask, ‘who goes there’ of you, for you be the passerby and not I. Yet to your first question, I be Mother Applebloom, and you have naught to fear of me.”
Then Starbright was greatly perplexed, and she glanced wild around, and said, “Show yourself, then, if you mean no harm to me! Why do you hide yourself from my sight?”
And Mother Applebloom laughed and it was a strange sound, as if the forest itself laughed with her. And she said, “I be not hidden. Rather, you have not eyes to see. Look up!”
And Starbright did as the voice commanded, and she looked, and she saw a strange sight indeed. For behold! the crabapple tree bore a face, that looked to her with deep green eyes, and the princess saw that it was no tree but a woman, yet also was she as like to a tree as to a woman. And the face smiled, and though the princess was afraid, also did she know that the strange woman meant no harm to her.
Then Mother Applebloom said, “Child, we have but little time, for you were to be delivered to an evil fate but for this chance. You must come with me, for still it may be that joy may be born of this wicked sorrow.”
And Starbright was unwilling, but then sudden a spell of understanding came over her, and she rose, and Mother Applebloom gathered her in gentle arms, and bore her far away, deep into the heart of the green forest. And it seemed to Starbright as she went that the trees themselves moved and changed as they passed, so that all the paths of the forest were thrown into confusion, and not one track remained as it was. And Mother Applebloom took the princess into her hidden home, and there she tended to the child, and in time, told her of the unhappy fate that had been set for her.
So Starbright wept, and her heart was sore. But Mother Applebloom comforted her, and cared for her and loved her, and in time so too did the princess come to love Mother Applebloom, for she was wise and kind, and cared for the child as if she were her own.
And so long years passed, and the princess Starbright grew into the flower of womanhood under the eaves of the great green forest. She became fierce and fair and free, and ate of the forest’s fruits and drank from its streams, and she was tall and slender and strong as a young tree. She bore no weapon save a great cudgel of wood, though seldom did she wield it, for beast and bird and bush loved her as she loved them. So it was that the princess Starbright became a young maiden unsurpassed in beauty, though unseen by all in the land, and she was free of malice and desire.
III - Of the Youth Fleetstride
So the years passed, and the orc-king ruled cruel over his subjects, and much that was fair was laid to waste. Yet never did he or his subjects dare set foot within the borders of the forest, for it was said that a mighty Queen of the Fair Folk had set her power over it, and ever did fear come over any of evil heart who came near to it.
There was a youth, of humble birth, and he was marked strange by the folk of his village from an early age. For though he was not idle in labour and he was not slow in thought, ever did he prefer to wander afar across the land than to sit idle in the company of others. And people mocked him and called him foolish in their own folly, and declared knowingly that he would come to little and meet a bad end, for it seemed to them that he had no serious thought. And he was called Fleetstride, for ever he went at a great pace.
Yet Fleetstride was not idle in his wanderings, and many a great journey did he make, into lands far and strange, where men live not. So it was that he became known to the Fair Folk and to other strange creatures, and did great deeds in their lands and was accounted a hero by them. And he grew in wisdom and in fair thought, and was held to be bold and good of judgement by many, though men knew it not. So swift was he that, when he was grown to manhood, his pace when walking was equal to that of a young man running, and when himself pressed to run, he could outpace all but the noblest of horses. And he bore the silver axe Frost-sear, that was granted to him by the King of Faerie, though seldom did Fleetstride raise his fell weapon in wrath, for he loved not battle.
So it was that Fleetstride did many deeds and won renown, though more is not told here, and never did his adventures reach the ear of mortal men, who scoffed at him and called him vagrant. Yet for all his great journeys, never did Fleetstride pass under the eaves of the great forest, though oft he walked along its outskirts and greatly did his heart yearn to discover its secrets. Yet ever were its paths closed to him, and it seemed to him that the wind whispered, “Not yet, not yet.”
Then came a red day, and the sun glowered heavy upon Fleetstride as he wandered fair meads, and he was come upon by evil men, and orcs were among their number. They jeered challenge to him, and commanded that he surrender himself unto them. And so Fleetstride sprang swift in flight from them, but they mounted wolves and pursued him, and some evil will was bent upon them, for they kept pace with him and hemmed him in. With desperate bound Fleetstride came to the green wood, and heedless of danger he fled within, and the brigands halted upon its borders and laughed, for they knew that none who entered the forest had ever escaped its crooked wandering paths.
Yet the trees made way for Fleetstride, though he knew it not, and allowed him to pass deep within, until, wearied from the pursuit, he cast himself down upon grassclad riverbank and slept. And so it was that as he lay, Starbright came dancing with lilies in her hair, and she saw him and stopped short and was afraid, for not in many a year had she seen another man.
As she stood and trembled, Fleetstride awoke, and was himself struck dumb with awe, for though he had journeyed far in the lands of the Fair Folk and met with their queens and ladies, never had he seen a maiden fairer than Starbright. And she saw him and made to flee, but he spoke gentle words of staying and behold! the two of them were captured, one and both, by the spell of the other. And they drew near to each other, and spoke long as the shadow of evening drew over them, and they loved each other.
So Starbright took Fleetstride by hand, and led him by secret paths through the spells of Mother Applebloom, and took him to her house. And Mother Applebloom saw Fleetstride, and deep in her heart she was glad, for she had the gift of foresight and knew well that a happy chance was upon her daughter. Yet she drew herself up to a great height and towered over Fleetstride and feigned wrath so he was sore afraid, and challenged him to name himself, to tell who he be, and to answer how came he to pass by her magicks and wards. Though in her heart she laughed as though she were a silly child, for she herself had allowed Fleetstride to pass unhindered through her forest, though he knew it not.
And Fleetstride shook for fear, but he answered her challenge, naming himself and telling of his flight from the orc-folk, and how he had passed unknowing into her domain alone at first, and then by guidance of her daughter. Yet he spoke not one word of his renown in Faerie, and Mother Applebloom took notice of this. For she saw the mark of the Fair Folk upon his brow, and knew some little of his deeds, for she was herself a friend of Faerie, though Fleetstride knew it not. And she was glad to see for herself that he was both humble and wise.
So Mother Applebloom decreed that Fleetstride should be harboured in her realm for a score of days and one, and all the three of them were glad, though Fleetstride and Starbright knew not why, and Mother Applebloom glowered stern and secret hid her joy.
