The Unseen

Chapter One: The Forest

One bright and sunny day she wondered down the lane, uncertain of where to go but unable not to continue. So bright was the sun that she found herself blinded and tired. So she stumbled her way into the shade and sat down to rest in the mossy coolness of the trees. Feeling better the girl rose from her rest and continued on her way, but not wanting to be beaten by the sun she moved deeper into the forest and away from the sunny path. Soon she realized that she was hopelessly lost and began to call out for help.

As she called out for help, hopelessness engulfed her and she began to give up on ever finding her way back to the sun. As evening descended and the dark shadows of the trees grew even deeper, she resigned herself to the fact that she was lost and would now have to make this her home.

Time passed and the girl found that while it was not the home of the sun that she was used to and loved this new home of hers among the shadows and the moon and the stars had its benefits. Here she found that it didn't matter what she looked like or what she did. The darkness protected her from the prying eyes of so many. Growing more accustomed to her new home she settled in and began to discover the inhabitants and creatures of her new home.

With time and persistence she found others who had come to make the darkness their home and to make friends among them. She found that like she they too had found the home of the sun too bright and hurtful and preferred the comfort of the shade of the trees. Feeling a sense of home now among these dark shadows and dwellers, still she never forgot her former home in the sun. Occasionally she found herself moving toward an area that she discovered harbored a pocket of the sun in it.

There, she had found while wondering, a beautiful brook with a gentle waterfall streaming through the darkness into a patch of soft light. Drawn to the light she peered into the clearing and up through the trees to the sun dancing through the leaves over head. Intrigued by the vision she found she returned often to watch the patterns the sun made through the whispering leaves and to listen to the soothing voice of the gentle water as it washed the rocks of the stream.

It was there that one day she saw the people of the sun as they made their way to collect the water and wash their clothes. Afraid that they had seen her she slipped back into the darkness and was about to run when she realized that she was safe and had not been spotted. So she watched with interest and listened with fascination as their lives unfolded in front of here. She found herself attracted to these sun dwellers but weary of their reaction. So she remained in the shadow of the trees, content to watch as they visited the clearing.

Chapter 2: The Dwellers

So this continued for some time until one day. It was on this one day that she noticed a new sun dweller among the visitors. He stood tall and strong among them, brave and proud. He appeared a god among men to the bedazzled young woman. He was like no other that she had seen among her friends that inhabited the dark and like none of the sun dwellers either. So the young woman stepped closer to the edge of the shadows to try to get a closer look at the man who had caught her attention. When suddenly they raised the alarm, with one fleeting heartbeat she knew that danger had found her. Turning quickly she fled the now pursuing sun dwellers. Deeper into the woods she ran and soon their shouts changed as they realized they were to be lost in the forest and stopped their pursuit. Stopping and circling back to the clearing she caught one last glimpse of the handsome man as they turned around and returned to the clearing.

Amazed and confused by the handsome man she vowed nonetheless to avoid the clearing for fear of being seen again. Eventually though the curiosity became too much for the girl and she decided to return. This time however, she planned on being careful. With that thought in mind then she set out very early for the clearing. Arriving just as the sun first peaked its way into the leaves. Climbing a tall sturdy tree, she settled into the cradle of its limbs. Settled in she saw that there she had an excellent view of the clearing while still being concealed. Smiling she felt rather proud of herself and relaxed as she waited for the sun dwellers to arrive.

The gentle sound of feminine laughter greeted her ears and startled her awake. Mentally chiding herself for falling asleep she quickly took in the sights of the clearing. Quietly sighing the young woman sadly noted that the handsome man was not among the dwellers today. Watching the dwellers the young woman decided that it was better that she stayed where she was away from light, too many eyes and too much danger. Quickly scurrying down the tree, the young woman slipped back into the shade of the forest and its protection.

However, the curiosity was still there and she returned again to her safe haven in the cradling arms of the tree to watch for the handsome man. This time however she was not disappointed. Cautiously she sat up and leaned forward to get a better look. Hmm, he was quite the brave warrior, she thought. Watching the others buzz around him she realized that he was one of great importance to the others. She quietly laughed as she watched the young maidens try to out do each other and win his attention. How silly they look she thought, with a look of derision to the love struck girls'. As she looked back to the handsome man, she saw that he looked bored with all of this. Hmm perhaps he finds all this as silly as I do she thought, nodding in agreement. The things they do to be noticed. As she watched the scene below her she relaxed and began to enjoy herself and especially with the knowledge that they knew nothing of her watching them. As the afternoon wore on and her feelings of security returned the girl decided that she would continue this game and return again, for they didn't even know she was there, she had outsmarted them. Smiling to herself, she climbed from her perch and down into the forest to go home.

And so this game of spying continued for some time. Little did the girl know that her feelings were changing as this time had passed and she had come to count on the gathering each day and the joys and sorrows she shared with the dwellers had some how attached themselves to her soul. As she watched the group grow up, fall in love and become adults, she felt as if she were one of them. So much so that she even enjoyed their references to the shade that was among them. It no longer frightened her to know that on some level they knew she was there, though they never saw her. And so it was a great shock to her when one day she came to the clearing and no one was there. Thinking that perhaps something was happening that prevented them from coming she left thinking nothing of it, but when several days had passed and no one had appeared in the clearing, the girl felt the pains of worry and fear that something had happened to her sun dwellers. She was right.

Chapter Three: The Attack

Several days later as the girl anxiously awaited the dweller's arrival again, from the other side of the clearing she saw a motion. Then two figures emerged from the clearing and approached the stream. These were strangers to the young woman, unfamiliar in speech and appearance. There was no doubt that they were sun dwellers but they were different from her group that came. Looking closely at them the girl decided that she did not like these sun dwellers, something wasn't right about them. They did not smile or laugh, they were angry and suspicious. Their movements quick and awkward as they constantly scanned the forest walls for something or someone. Fear gripped her as she studied them and she unconsciously pressed closer to the tree and deeper into the shadows. Soon these dwellers left and with a sigh of relief the young woman tried to relax.

Motion again in the clearing renewed the girls' anxiety, but with the emergency of the disturbance she sighed and smiled. Her dwellers were back, smiling she leaned forward to see it was the handsome man and his friend the follower. She had so named him because he never seemed far from the handsome one but always was there ready to attend to him or do as commanded. Nevertheless, something seemed odd to her. She couldn't quite figure it out.

Then as they approached the stream a loud blood curdling scream erupted and the girls' smile turned to horror and fear at the scene before her. The picturesque clearing became a battlefield as the strangers of earlier appeared from the brush to ambush her two sun dwellers. In and instant the men shattered the peace and serenity of the grove as they began battling for their lives and victory.

In helpless horror the young woman watched as the follower was valiantly battling and then found himself overcome with a blow to the head from his attacker's shield. Quickly looking to the handsome man she saw him destroy his attacker with a swift blow of his sword to the others' neck. Blood spurting out to cover him, she saw the glow of triumph spread across his face; only to be replaced with shock as the arrow struck him in his chest. Both the girl and the man looked to the direction of the arrow to see the first attacker reloading. Before clear though or understanding came to her, she descended in a leap upon the attacker pulling her dagger from her boot and slitting his throat.

Rage quickly turned to sorrow and distress as comprehension returned to the young woman. Staring down at the dead man the girl realized she had taken another's life, a stranger no less. One whom she had no quarrel with, Why? Because . . . because he had tried to harm her dwellers. Her dwellers . . . yes . . . oh no, the handsome man. With that thought she turned to see he had crumpled to the ground.

Running toward him, she waded through the stream and came to where the men now lay upon the ground. Dismissing the attacker, she looked to the handsome man and the follower. Kneeling before the handsome man, she saw that the arrow had penetrated his right lower chest deeply. He was so pale and the blood soaked his shirt and the grass beneath him. As she leaned over him she felt something stir her hair, looking closer she realized it was his breath. Ooh! He's still alive. Worry quickly consumed relief again as she realized that she must act quickly or he would die. Knowing that the arrow was the problem, but worried it might cause more bleeding to remove it, she decided to leave it there for the time. I must move him though, other strangers may come, it's not safe. Yet how? Running to the edge of the clearing she looked for several large sticks and began making a makeshift stretcher to pull him along on. Quickly throwing the stretcher together she came back to the handsome man. Turning to his companion she realized she had not looked at him. He laid there still and she saw now that he too had been badly wounded in the arm and leg. Leaning over him she saw that he too was alive, but before she could do more a strong hand gripped her arm and she felt herself knocked off balance.

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