Chapter 3 Ivy
Ivy
Several days pass, and I find myself at the edge of a stony cliff, gawping at a giant, snow-capped mountain in the distance.
I’ve never seen anything so vast before. Maybe inside the illustrated pages of a book. But seeing one in real life is a whole different experience.
There are other mountains, too, and they’re all just as imposing as the first, like sleeping behemoths waiting for someone to come along and wake them from their ancient slumber.
These rock formations have been here since the world began, and at the thought, the hair on my arms rises up and down.
What dreadful creatures will be waiting for me beyond those colossal structures? Stories of trolls and goblins rush to the fore, and I think of everything Mama taught me about the Fae.
At least I have my iron cross; I have my knife and sword, too, and sprigs of rowanberries and pouches of salt.
But will I really have any need for them? After all, I’m not sure that I really believe all those stories about the Fae.
I always wanted to believe. Anything to make the real world seem less dull in comparison.
Are they real?
I want to believe in pocket worlds or faerie circles made of toadstools, and I want to believe in the Fae court.
But seeing is a whole different experience, and I guess I’m about to find out if all those cautionary tales I read as a child were true, after all.
Because if they are true, once I enter that mountain range, the one shrouded in a ghostly mist, I’ll be in Fae territory. And I have to wonder if I will ever come back out again.
But in the end, the only real monster I have to fear right now is the king himself, so go forth I must—even if I have to ride into the gaping maw of hell.
I urge Belle forward, and she gallops down the rocky slope and across the barren landscape.
The terrain turns rougher and craggier the closer we get to the mountains, but I keep my eyes peeled.
At any moment, I suspect one of those sleeping giants might tear itself free from the earth and crush me under its fist. Yet they remain static, and I narrow my eyes against the biting wind until I reach the first peak.
Soon, I come to a stop and gaze into a misty valley. It’s quiet. And dark.
Light ceases to exist beyond the mountains. Nothing but sprawling rock lies in waste ahead of me, but I have no choice.
Straight into the maw of hell.
From this point onward, I’ll be leaving the kingdom of Liona and entering Fae country, if that’s really what it is.
Here, the Fae are free to do as they please. They are free to enslave me and bend me to their will. This is their land, and I am merely trespassing.
But somewhere in that unholy nest of vipers lives my Aunt Elly, and I’ll be damned if I don’t find her in a matter of days.
By this time next week, I’ll be having supper with my aunt, and I hope those faeries enjoy the chase.
If they want me, they’ll have to catch me first.
A day goes by, and I still find no sign of the Veil.
But at least the sprawling rock has given way to evergreen forest. The pines stretch towards the sky, their topmost branches vanishing with the clouds, and I swallow a lump in my throat.
Everything seems so much bigger here.
I would do anything to see a simple hawthorn or a hazelnut—anything that sheds its leaves come winter.
These trees are frozen in time. Nothing moves, and I can barely see the sky.
The forest is draped in moss, giving the light a sickly green hue, and the ferns are as tall as Belle.
I’ve had to hack several down with my sword, and I swear I woke some ancient evil from its slumber at one crucial point.
Something malevolent awaits me in these woods, and whatever it is, it’s far from friendly.
The faerie wilds are untameable, and it truly is disorientating. It could be days before I find my way out again.
I’ve checked my map dozens of times, and I’ve even used Papa’s compass for guidance, but I feel like I’m running in circles.
I’m pretty sure I passed that tree with the gnarled branches a few miles back, but it’s hard to tell. Everything looks so similar.
I need to top up my waterskin, but there’s no sign of water. I climb down from Belle’s saddle and touch the ground. No moisture. Only a carpet of dried pine needles.
I search the sky, but it’s hard to see any geese through the thick canopy.
The sun should be setting soon, but again, it’s difficult to tell. There’s barely any light in this place.
It’s best we get some sleep, at any rate, and continue our search in the morning. Belle is looking tired.
I tie her reins to a tree, kissing her snout goodnight. I stopped at a town a few days prior to pick up some supplies, and I even managed to find Belle a new saddle and bridle, too.
I also managed to stock up on rations, so we should be good for the next week or two.
I gather some rocks for a firepit, and after a few failed attempts with a rock and my knife, I finally get a spark going.
Once the tinder catches fire, I wrap myself up in my cloak, holding my hands before the flames.
The temperature has dropped drastically, and I’m afraid I’ll freeze to death out here.
Hopefully, I will make it through the night.
I wake with a start.
Something dropped onto my head, and I look around the forest, heart beating in my throat.
That’s when my eyes find the pinecone. Its scales have been chewed off, and I crane my neck to peer up at the branches.
I’m greeted by the sight of a bushy red tail, and a smile forms across my face. Finally, the first sign of life I’ve seen since I entered this dreary place.
A lack of humans must mean that wildlife can flourish here, and that’s one good thing, I suppose.
However, my joy is short-lived when the squirrel drops another pinecone onto my head, and I fish it out of my hood, stretching to my feet.
It’s time I had some breakfast of my own. I gaze into my bag, my hand freezing.
My food. It’s all gone.
No apples, no bread, even my wheel of cheese has vanished. I know I went to sleep with a full bag of rations.
Panic rakes its dark talons down my spine, and I grip the hilt of my sword, wrapping my fingers around it tightly.
Who…or what…took my food?
I could hunt for food. But I haven’t hunted in a long time.
Papa used to take me out in the woods all the time when I was younger, but I didn’t have the heart to shoot a helpless animal. I’m decent enough with an arrow, and I know how to set a snare.
I shake my head. Maybe my mind is just playing tricks on me, addled by thirst and hunger.
However, when I check my bag again, I find that it’s still empty. Not even a single crumb.
Someone must have stolen my food in the middle of the night, but surely, I would have woken to find the culprit. I had a restless sleep after all, tossing and turning on the cold, hard ground.
With shaking limbs, I climb up onto Belle’s saddle, urging her forward. Maybe if I leave now, I can catch up with the thief.
A hush spreads through the forest, and I think I can hear people whispering about me. I take a deep breath, telling myself it’s not real.
A shape moves in the corner of my eye, and I repeat the mantra: It's not real, it’s not real...
Through the misty trees, I spy a glowing blue light, and it beckons to me in a voice so sweet. I try to pull Belle in that direction, but the horse refuses, carrying me away from the strange orb.
The light vanishes into the mist, and I finally understand.
A Will-o'-the-Wisp. Faeries that lure lost travellers to their deaths.
They’re mostly found by fens and boglands, and if that’s the case, then there must be water close by.
My waterskin is running dry.
Making up my mind, I tug Belle in the direction of the Will-o'-the-Wisp, yet she’s adamant that we don’t go anywhere near that floating orb.
“Belle, come along. There may be water that way.”
But the horse is persistent, taking me further and further away from the water source.
Losing my patience, I pull on Belle’s reins as gently as possible, leading her towards the water. “Don’t be ridiculous, Belle. There is nothing—”
The horse rears back suddenly, and I slip off her saddle, falling to the ground with a yelp, but before I can gather my bearings, the eerie sound of a growl freezes me in place.
I turn towards a sharp set of teeth. They float in a face as black as midnight, and all I can do is stare.
It’s a wolf, though far larger and far fouler than any I’ve ever seen. I fumble for my blade, finding my scabbard empty.
It’s gone, and now I’m defenceless.
The wolf snaps its teeth, and I shuffle away on my hands and knees, never taking my gaze off its silver eyes.
Silver, just like the eyes of the raven that came to my window…
Belle shields me from the beast, light against dark.
The mare’s coat beams as bright as the moon, while the lupine’s black fur seems to absorb all light. They size each other up, and it’s obvious Belle isn’t going to let this monster anywhere near me. I wish I hadn’t been so harsh with her earlier.
I will apologise to her later. After she saves me from this monstrosity.
The wolf’s eyes are far too calculating, evaluating Belle’s every possible movement, and that’s when I realise… Wolves hunt in packs.
Yet this wolf hunts alone, coordinating its attacks with cunning and precision.
This wolf is Fae.
The blood drains from my face. There is no way Belle can defeat this creature.
The wolf feints to the right, trying to catch the horse off guard, but Belle is far too quick, kicking it with her leg.
It lands on its paws, then lunges for the horse’s neck, and I scream her name, the sound rupturing my throat. “Belle!”
It happens so fast.
One moment, Belle is about to be slain, and the next, she burns with the light of a thousand suns. I shield my eyes, yet no matter how hard I try, her rays blind me.
The light intensifies, burning brighter by the second, and then as swiftly as it appeared, the light vanishes.
All is silent, aside from the pounding of my heart.
When I remove my hands from my eyes, I find myself alone. There is no sign of the wolf or Belle.
I rise up on trembling limbs, jerking left and right as I search fruitlessly for my horse.
All I find are her saddlebags.
I stumble towards the bags, gripping them tightly as I continue searching the forest. “Belle!”
Only my voice echoes back. She truly is gone.
No. I can’t be alone in this place…
So, I search, search, search, wandering aimlessly through unknown terrain for my horse.
I won’t give up. Not until I’ve reunited with Belle.
Where did she go? What happened to the wolf?
One moment, they were fighting, and the next, they were gone with a blast of light.
That strange whispering starts again, and now I know I’m definitely being watched this time.
They giggle like small children, darting behind trees in the corners of my eyes, but every time I turn to face one, pulling out my knife, they’re gone.
But I know they’ll return.
Time is never-ending as it stretches slowly, making it hard to tell east from west. The mossy trees close in, making it hard to breathe, yet I must go on.
Belle needs me…
Childish laughter echoes through the trees again, and I lose my nerve at last, throwing down my bags. I hold out my knife, whirling on the spot. “Show yourself!”
The giggling stops, leaving nothing but the taunting wind.
I tighten my grasp on the handle of my blade. If only I had my sword, but I lost it a few miles back.
“Cowards. Can’t even face me!”
More silence, and I scoff, bending down to pick up my bags.
Something jumps out at me, knocking me off my feet, and I look up in time to see a tiny, childlike figure vanishing behind a tree.
They are taunting me, making me believe that I’m going crazy, but I’ll have the last laugh.
I grip my knife tighter, hoping they see the threat. This knife is steel, and steel is an alloy of iron. I am ready this time.
Another blurred shape darts out from the trees, shoving me hard against the ground, and my knife fumbles from my fingers.
Horrid little things!
They peal with laughter, and I find my iron cross within the folds of my skirt.
Another solid push to the ground, and the cross slips from my fingers, disappearing beneath the undergrowth with my knife.
These faeries simply are too quick for me. They’re small, so I can hardly make them out.
Crawling on my hands and knees, I gasp for air, counting down as I prepare for battle with an unseen enemy.
I only came here looking for my aunt. A woman I have yet to meet, but I truly mean these creatures no harm.
Surely, they must see that. Yet they don’t care… They just want to make me suffer. Mother was right about the Fae. They truly are wicked.
Still, I refuse to give up. They will not make a fool out of me.
Climbing to my feet, I face the creatures head-on. But then I gasp when I spy a horse’s silhouette up ahead. There’s no mistaking it now.
“Belle!”
I rush forward, tears streaming from my eyes.
The horse turns her head my way, but I won’t stop until I reach her side. “Thank goodness! I thought—”
The ground gives way beneath me, and I find myself tumbling into deep water.
I didn’t even see that marsh, hidden by the mist.
And the thing I thought was Belle? Well, it turned out to be a monster with a mane of seaweed and sharp, needle-pointed teeth.
It wasn’t a horse after all, but one of them. It tricked me, and now it will gladly drown me.
I try to swim away from the Fae horse with glowing red eyes and piercing fangs, but I may as well be swimming in tar. My limbs won’t move.
This is the end. I really am going to die.
Something darts into the murky water, skewering the creature’s eye, and I try to scream. But only bubbles escape.
Before I sink to the bottomless depths of the marsh, a hand grips the back of my cloak, yanking me up to the surface.
I gasp for breath, the cold air like knives in my lungs, but I welcome the sensation, even when my vision tunnels and I begin to lose consciousness.
The last thing I recall before I pass out are those glowing eyes of amber—eyes hidden beneath a cowl of forest green.
It’s him...the male from my dream. Now I know I’ve definitely lost the plot.
Finally, I slip away, grateful for an end to this nightmare at last.