Chapter V ~ The Mysterious Woodsman
The trek towards it was not long in the least when Happy and Doc took the cricket to this one area deep in the forest. Through the beautiful flora and lushness, there came a brand new light. Jiminy was quite taken by the sight of its beauty by comparison to its abmormal flicker of light… as though it was placed there with a purpose. It was all too unsettling, despite its beauty.
As suspected by all of them, there was a severely dark purpose on the prowl evermore. During these long months ever since the flock had been taken by those forsaken Dwarfs, the dark hearted Queen Grimhilde consulted her enchanted mirror once more. Except this time something seemed to overcome the mirror’s glass, revealing an emotionless, grotesque mask… He need not ask for she got straight to the point with her intent~
“Show me the Swan Maidens.” she demanded in such a cold tone. “I desire what was promised to Me.”
“Beyond your kingdom’s limits, your Swans have fled~ As prosephied by the Fairy’s said… Guarded by light and courage… They remain untouched by thy rage.”
“Only I will be the final judge of that, for they were never hers to take from me.” the dark hearted witch seethed through her teeth.
“Those seven little men guard them, true and fair. And a voice they shall eager fare, beyond Crystal prisms shall they soar, in order to be free forever more.”
“Belay that! They will not survive the raids out yonder~ They will be returned to me, by means of the Born beyond that lake. They are bound by the Moon, regardless of their wherabouts.” Queen Grimhilde angrily vented as a great black raven seemed to flown through one of the arched windows, and into the chamber.
Strangely, this was not her cowardly avian that would often hide beneath its own feathers at her ranting. In short, they looked rather disgruntled, as though he was sent here, for one single purpose. However, his emotions were not counted nor were they cared over because… Queen Grimhilde swept to him in full demand. Standing firm and fearless, he braced himself to listen to her, as though through some kind of agreed upon obligation.
“We must seek them out, locate the diamond swan, for her accursed fae given crown will be their downfall. Speak of them to your Mistress. They will not make it passed the barricades~ for his army awaits beyond them. They were mine to dispose, and thus this will be their punishment. As for those treacherous men of those begotten hills. Allow she to do what she so wishes with them. I only ask for the diamond swan… No one shall evade us, for long. Bring about a pox on them, and steal away their voice should they ever find it…”
The grave raven ruffled and took wing, taking his way out into the fast approaching night sky. Scaling over the great body of water that travelled through the mountain ranges. In other words, the dark spy flew over the banks for any sign of birdlife of the specific nature. Those cursed ones had slipped away entirely somehow… by the aid of the Seven heroic men. Better yet, a guide had been given to them… with a voice for those who were robbed of theirs so viciously and without just reason.
Deep within the beauty of the forest, a mysterious anomaly had overtaken a portion of the glens. Jiminy Cricket, an Appointed Conscience as part of his personal experience of the heroic variety, was going through his own. It was meanwhile when the men were away in search of this strange wall of crystal when an orb of transparent light shimmered above the waters near where the maidens stayed idle. Grumpy brought along with him this satchel that was filled highly with these crystalline orbs that had been collecting each night… The mystery of these orbs were still very much in the air but there was a shred of magic in these when they would glow all together at night beneath the magical moonlight. It was typical to relate themselves to the moon during these strange months, for it sealed the physical fate of the girls with only scarce time to embrace their true forms, only to be robbed again at sunrise.
Just the same that had happened with Cassandra’s diamond, they seemed ethereal just like their own Blue Fairy who was yet to show her face again. The girls were in desperate need for answers, and they were soon to come… As this mystery was being searched upon, there were others on the other side of the mysterious wall of crystal. Whether or not he was a friend or foe, the dastardly wall would not allow him to pass.
He appeared to be a brutish man - hunched over and bandy-legged - however, he scaled the canopies with grand ease. He was a deformed man, well into his prime of middle age, with the strength seemingly of ten men… He was a brute sized man, and yet when he rose high among one of the trees he gazed up into the morning sky, overlooking a vast river, he set his gaze was set on the glowing river, eyes that rivaled the waters hue all too well ~ of the sweet color of teal ~ as they studied the steady flow of the waters until they caught onto the color of summer orange coming in his general way. A small spot fluttered close and at once when he rose his palm to it, a tiny bird spryly landed on his forefinger.
“Any sight nor whisper, Faer?” he asked the feathery little friend, almost sounding as though he were pronouncing faith lightly on his tongue. A shrill chirp there and a warble there, the bird could not close his wings yet despite clinging onto his finger. He closely resembled that of a finch or a robin, but the Hunchbacked Woodsman held no judgement upon that. Faer’s plummage was entire summer orange and brown, a little ruffled over the head with a swift and long fanning tail.
“Have we finally found a place untouched by that accursed Lich,” he uttered to the bird who preferred to stay in the air about his head. Faer finally got comfortable to perch for moment on his broad shoulder. “I could not find this place anywhere on our map… yet I wonder…” he spoke as though the bird was wily enough to understand him, of which was entirely true.
A spryly little thing he was, and was intensely loyal to the Hunchback alone, as it would seem at first glance. He followed as soon as his leage leaped down into the woodland below, strongly landing firm and arched on the murky ground. Beside the bank, he kneeled to fetch a drink of water from the river. Faer kept a fine look out for the man, not taking the presence of one swan to be enough to fuss about as he drank. As soon as the man had his fill, he took a leather pouch to refill for the rest of the journey. Not far away though, an auborn pony stood idle beside one of the tree boughs that leaned down low enough for him to nibble on its leaves. He kept on even as Faer flew close to frolic around his flicking ears. It was an ongoing tell tale that his rider was well on his way…
The Hunchback returned with his bearings, however, he seemed slightly exasperated. Untying the rein from the bough, he mounted the pony with care and ease. With his companions each with him, he rode on down this glowing path of quartz stones. “High tail it, Fidele~”
His pony was a flighty one, by nature, graced with the fond name of Fidele, which went along with the robin’s fondly little name, Faer. Of how this came to be was a beautiful journey~ with high mounts and low valleys beyond understanding. Two simple animal companions were only a personal outcome for the man, of both of them ultimately being rescued at one point on his journey. The small loyal robin, whom served as his eyes above the world~ was more than what it seemed to be.
Into Faeland
The tiny robin warbler had his tiny foot held aggressively tight in a snag trap, that hung him high close upon a limb. Wings fluttered and they flapped, aimlessly with abandon, until a ginger, gruff hand came and cupped the little bird into its palm.
The tiny one froze, panting with an open beak as he laid eyes on the mightier being who held him now; of whom he was at the very mercy of. A hunchbacked woodsman had taken the bird at once when he clipped the string off with his pocket knife, that was among an array of wood tools upon this leathery belt. As soon as he checked those summer orange wings, he intended to release the bird.
He had done so, and simply dismounted his pony in order to camp out for another night. The man held this inkling that he was being closely watched. Fidele twitched his ears back and forth with anticipation… when a moment later, there was a rustle in the brushes. On his wits, sharp and awake, the Hunchback took that same knife out from his belt and swept a strong hand to grab whoever it was… What he grabbed felt like the scruff of a fox and he whipped out, and only pinned it down to the grass in a swift move, prepared for a grotesque face… yet… he only saw a pair of frightened wide eyes, that were as round as moons.
The Hunchback held his favored hand high with the knife ready but he froze at whom he had caught… It was some creature that closely resembled a gnome or an elf of some origin. Clearly coated in thick fur with soft tufts over the head and back. They were spindly, ruffled up and kicked around, bruised here and there but spry as anything with a skirt of fur about his waist above two spindly legs that only had simple romanesque sandals upon his feet. They were worn and tearing, and he wore nothing else.
The Woodsman did not leave off his grip, however, and only furrowed his brow at the creature with one warning snarl. “What has brought you close to my camp?” he challenged the little creature, who flinched.
“I-I was only going to~” he whispered to his captor, so quietly.
“Speak up!” the Hunchback demanded, making the critter flinch more.
“I-I was only gonna th-thank you~ for-for- uh letting me go~ don’t hurt me —“
The gnome-like one spoke in such a unique accent, young and shaken… but his voice bent in a way that was foreign to him. Rising and falling of those words as they shook, it was thought that this was a child like soul and it made him lessen his grip on the gnome and soon he softly released him. However, he was wary of him.
“To thank me. How do you mean? I did not help a gnome.” he told him. “… who are you?”
Those wide black eyes only wavered and widened more as he backtracked towards the bushes and ran… Shoving and leaning his knife into the dirt, the Woodsman watched him scatter away in a cower, suspecting him to be a spy. His aquamarine eyes remained focused on where they vanished, as he stood back up, awkwardly. Expecting another corpse, his greeting of the little gnome was justified yet a pit of guilt still overwhelmed his stomach at once after he saw them run off. Stowing his pocket knife, the Woodsman sighed before returning to the fire in deep thought. If that gnome was merely that trapped bird, then perhaps this was a mistake - however, he and his father had dealings with fae before… none of which were kind. So it was best to not press it… Those summer feathers certainly matched that gnome’s coat.
These woods were known to house many fae however it was a land where the Born were to never enter… Perhaps the rescuing one of these woodland folk was wiser than some would believe.
It was when he entered into Faeland was when even the animals wore masks.
~
The bird who accompanied him was beyond what he seemed, and held his own heart freely upon the tips of his wings. For him, the Woodsman was merciful despite that first impression being slightly shaky… but the little gnome he had deemed with a name that fell upon his heart in a swift moment, kept close to him despite how he treated him at first. The creature was a helpless one, but then he was so inclined to help in spectacular ways that surprised him.
Fidele was happily grazing in their chosen glen for the evening as dusk began to come ever closer upon another long day of scouting. As someone who was constantly on his own wits and strength, there were some blessed things that even he needed aid in. As he would guard their resting place, the little orange robin would flutter high and around to check if all was clear and safe for them to rest for the night.
It was while the kindly Woodsman was preparing the fire, he barely bat an eye when Faer flew in through the canopy — with one fluid moment, the bird’s fluttering shape transformed with one swift blur into that same spindly orange gnome who fell right into the ferns with no regret on the matter that he had just fallen right out of the air.
The Woodsman looked over his broad shoulder at his little friend while he unsaddled Fidele, smirking.
“Not too tired now, are you?” he asked him, lightly.
“It’s no big dealio, Quasimodo~” Faer answered, in a wavered little voice as he hopped out of the fern garden. “Haven’t got one doozy in a while now — I think we’re good tonight, buddy.
“It has only been a month, Faer.” Quasimodo replied, nonchalantly. As soon as the fire was awakened, he rose back up. “For too long it has been quiet since we had seen the last of them,” he mentioned, ever wary, as he had to be. The knife was never hidden away. “I certainly thought you one. I hope I’ve earned your forgiveness…”
The one he deemed Faer appeared to look up all confused as he tried his hardest to tie his sandal. “F’rgive what? I mean, y’just thought I was a skeleton, I ain’t belly achin’ over it~” he chortled at that before rolling over to a better sitting position before the fire. Quasimodo held on that warm hearted smirk as he soon found a moment to rest. However, he did notice the struggle with those shoes and furrowed while watching him. “You are driving me mad with that — do come here.” he offered, waving the gnome close as if he were a child of his.
Faer looked sheepish and scooted close to him, yet he kept his gaze to the grass as he awkwardly rubbed his shoulder. He had tufts of fur that remained as the same orange as his natural form’s feathers, that ruffled up just as any lad’s would. Quasimodo was still quite curious about him, as he seemed elven in nature and yet only wore shoes. Those that did not suit him well, for certain.
“Are you sure you are not fae?” he asked him as he properly tied the sandal.
“I-I can’t tell ya that, sir.” Faer began, a little taken aback at this kindness. Rather, he seemed to studying Quasimodo’s hand as he was tying. “I tend to go where ever the stars take me…”
There was a shimmer of confusion in the Hunchback’s eyes at that sentence in particular. “… the stars?”
“Oh yes yes, sir Quasi~” Faer’s eyes lit up, and as soon as his shoe was prepped, he bounded up much to his friend’s surprise. “As far as y’can see, there are so many things out there~ over the moon, and beyond the sun,”
Quasimodo was entirely bewildered, yet all the more intriqued by this creature. However, he had to be careful by taking it lightly for now. “Truly?” Quasimodo remarked, with the eagerness of a child almost, chuckling. “Knowing you now to be winged thing, I can only imagine what other creatures would see, beyond the veils or even the wonders here, on this earth. You have wings… perhaps you had beyond there?”
“I-I know you think me just a crazy gnome, sir…”
“Oh no no, perish that thought. I am merely a curious man. I’ve come from a simple town. I was once just a bell ringer. Still am, once on a blue moon,” Quasimodo began. “I’ve honestly have heard the craziest stories. Prior to seeing them up front…” he then slowly trailed off due to some memory sweeping through upon a sudden. He shook it off, changing the subject. “In our world, there is much talk of stars. Unlike some, we could only be bound to our land. Whether you are spirit or not, I envy you. You’ve found yourself in a difficult place, Faer. My scouting for a new settlement was all because of a war in our home. And it’s spreading… Of course rescuing a poor bird from a snag was merely a kind distraction.”
“Y’saved me, sir - thank you so much. I was wonderin’ if… if I can stay? Help ya in any kind of way?”
“A creature from a distant star, you’d prefer to help me?”
“Sure~! Why wouldn’t I? Y’helped me, it never hurts to help, right?”
Quasimodo’s eyes became glossy and solemn before a solid moment, before his mouth tightened up a little into a gentle smile. “… yes. That’s right.”
On Moonlit Wings
Meanwhile, as the day was becoming late now as the Seven little Men journeyed deeper into the enchanted forest, leading the smaller one to the mystery that had driven them mad during these past couple of years. Jiminy Cricket, a fae sent advocate apparently for the enchanted maidens who was able to communicate with them through a magical spell Cassandra’s diamond had passed on. The star annointed cricket was still at a loss for words on that. He was to be shown a great mystery that would prove reason for the men’s nightly searches. It was all another protective attempt for the maidens, and was an honorable and emotional feat for the men. At once when they led the Maiden’s new Voice to this discovery that may have been related to their findings.
Grumpy set the satchel down and dug into it as his fellows neared. Happy held Jiminy, who stood in his palm and he gracefully hopped closer for a better look. They had come upon a phenomenon that appeared to have just grown there from out of the ground, but it was made up of no tree or root either. Something akin to swords had stabbed out of the grassy ground and rose as high as the trees~ towering crystal quartz, similar to the tiny moonstone ones that littered and lit each path in the forests. These took on an unatural glow of a glorious rose and lilac that so close to hypnotizing them all in rapture. It was among the strangest magic ever seen within Mondfall’s boundary and it was pondered if this was placed here intentionally.
Jiminy set his hat aside, feeling immensely courageous enough to approach one of the quartz. Wary, just as he should have been with Cassandra’s crystal, he dared not touch it. There was something about it that was luring to the men, for no reason in particular.
“… this cannot be villainous in nature.” Jiminy timidly said to Grumpy, who finally took out one of those found orbs from the satchel.
“There’s no tellin’,” Grumpy replied before he held out this strange sapphire glowing orb in his hand. “… but we have been on this hunt for two blasted years only to find these all scattered about like pebbles.”
“We figured they are fae beads~” Doc mentioned as a guess.
“Either, or~ they could be…” Happy added, whilst nervously twiddling his thumbs.
“Or it are they the Blue Fairy’s? Will she come back, men?” Doc hoped aloud. He blinked tears back at the thought of that possibility.
Grumpy sharply winked at his fellows as though he had his doubts. Something tugged at the Conscience’s heart when the light of the orb shined over him in some sort of welcoming fashion. Nearby was the known Ivory Gate that neighbored another part of the wood that was graced with these waterfalls. Aligned with the gate that had two fae shaped winged statues on each side. The flock had always wondered of these statues yet it was a passage through to the world outside these magical woods.
“There be only one way to find out~” Grumpy droned, solemn and serious as he took one of the orbs and tapped it against this crystalline wall. Each one was neatly places along it as Jiminy observed, overly confused at first, but he was one who knew to be ready for anything. Backing up a bit and retreating to a fern, he observed further as this odd change seemed to come over the mysterious wall of crystal. As they all naturally feared, it was a reflective vision that seemed to falter and waver around before them until there came a fearful vision~ Grumpy’s expression became a rare one of fear as he backed away at what he saw as with the rest of them. Over a land, or rather, a battlefield, scores of these bony men marched forth as if in a trance, holding weapons and axes, swords~ however, they were not living men. They had no blood, no flesh on their bodies, as it was all stripped away with time. Happy gasped when the vision changed to an army trying to thwart these undead creatures. Immense strength did not matter as some living soldiers perished at first contact with the monsters. These living knights wore an insignia upon their armor, upon the breast plate and the shoulder — of silver and crimson, fleur de lis
Their arrows had done nothing and had to pull back~ a feirce baritone of rage and shock bellowed from the distance to retreat before a series of flames overtook the vision from the poor onlookers. Jiminy and the Dwarfs seemed all transfixed and horrified at what they had just seen. Jiminy gave a shaken sob before he had to tear his gaze away.
“All the more that w-we, that we took them away,” Doc wept. He had to take his spectacles off so that he could dab his eyes.
“It is as wicked as it could get!” Grumpy stated, just as moved. Happy still had his eyes set on the crystal.
“But-but look. Look there~” he pointed.
“Who is that?” Bashful gaped.
Jiminy willed himself to look again, and there was a new vision. It was of a man, a deformed hunchbacked young man, with a tiny bird by his side, as he hid among the canopies of the trees. Familiar trees that only grew within Mondfall. Grumpy furrowed at the sight of this fellow, mainly feeling protective, however, there was a glimmer of hope in the moment.
“Could he be, oooh~” Sleepy yawned. “… someone who can help?”
“His eyes look so kind,” Jiminy finally found his voice. “… with a body strong. And that army, they - they could be Parisians.” he deducted.
“How’you know that, Cricket?” Grumpy asked him, forward.
“Why are we seeing this?” Happy asked.
“The ladies can’t just stay under this spell forever, men. If we stay here, mind as well blow it — throw it all away!” Doc stated.
Jiminy kept on studying on what he was seeing in the crystal, at first appearing quite confused. “This young man could be one of the answers to our questions. I am a reader, gentlemen, as much as a traveler. I have seen happenings among our own troubles; fires off in the distant hills, people fleeing just as we had. Many are coming and going for the same cause~” he continued on, explaining quickly enough before he would lose his voice from emotion. “… and these beings, never have I seen them - but only in legends.”
“True, but what about the girls?” Happy asked, worriedly.
“The girls? The girls are dead set on finding a way out of their spell, even if it means leaving this place.” he explained to the men. “By choice, they are learning about the miracle of their own wings.”
“That is a miracle!” Happy cheered on!
“An’ what does this hunchback gotta do with it?” Grumpy countered, fairly protectively. Such talk alarmed the knowledgeable cricket.
“Yes, I know it would sound rash to you, thinkin’ this man could be an answer, but if you look at the grand scheme of things~”
“Just like Princess Snow White~” Happy caught on rather quick.
Grumpy, on the other hand, did as well however his trust for outsiders was stifled and small. It was clearly written in his eyes and it was neither genuine hatred or dismay, but entirely that of honorable protectiveness.
“What if we are to meet this sort first? Before we allow the ladies to ever come near?” Jiminy told them, handing out options. “What would we lose by doing that, sir?”
“Heh, fine by me, but I have say~” Grumpy struck a deal right then. “Last time we let someone alone, it near blasted our hearts to oblivion. I ain’t standin’ about to let that happen once more.”
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~Magical Thoughts~