Children of the Forest
Palatine and Syffox stood in a forest clearing watching over the first crop of soldiers “bloom.” The two men found a camaraderie in their storied past. The battle of their first meeting put aside for the sake of the common duties they now shared, duties that sometimes left them at a loss for how to proceed. This was one of those times.
The two stood at the side of a forest glade and watched the commotion over a sunlit plot of earth at the centre. Mackyntal stood in the dirt, directing a troop of priests and priestesses scurrying about attending to the strange beings Vantaiga had directed them to plant.
There were calls for clothes and water and urgency as the seeds began sprouting immediately upon planting. Thin, green shoots poked through the soil and grew up before them all. As water was splashed on the sprigs, the shoots took on human form and turned from wood to flesh.
But instead of beholding sturdy muscular men to battle for their Goddess, Syffox and Palatine looked over a row of diminutive beings with fine features and fair hair huddling in blankets at the side of the clearing. Their large almond eyes looked about confused as they took in their new surroundings.
Instead of soldiers, Vantaiga’s creations looked like thin adolescents that stood only as high as Syffox’s shoulder. Next to the tall, broad forest people, they seemed outright puny and out of place. The Goddess had given them both males and females— although it was difficult to tell which was which without looking between their legs. Outside of their size, they were otherwise human. The only thing to give away their divine genesis were slightly pointed ears.
Syffox spoke in a hushed tone. “I’ve never considered myself to be a big person, but I would have thought our offspring would be a bit larger.”
Palatine shook his head in bafflement. “I don’t know what to say. She said they would be ‘as fleet as her fey.’ Umm… what’s a fey?”
“Those flying creatures of her paradise. She calls them fearies and pickcys.”
That seemed to help, but the prefect was still confused. “And what is ‘fleet’?”
Syffox glanced at him sideways. “Fast, but that doesn’t explain what we are seeing here.”
“I would think they would have to be fast if they’re as weak as they look.”
Syffox nodded. “I think I could knock them over with a sneeze.”
Palatine chuckled. “I agree. I don’t know if I need to train these things or spank them.”
Syffox joined his laugh. “Maybe we could dress them up, and they could dance away our enemies.”
“Well, it wouldn’t matter how we dress them—you can’t tell the boys from the girls.” The two laughed for a moment before falling silent.
Syffox’s expression turned worried. “Do you think maybe the Goddess is trying to tell me something? She’s spent a lot of time with the gods.” He leaned in more closely to Palatine. “Do you think she, uh, she thinks I’m not very tough?”
“No, No. I don’t think that’s it at all.” The officer nudged Syffox. “You thrashed me and my army. Maybe being on high makes her see things differently. We are only mortals, after all.”
Syffox appreciated his effort to boost his morale, but his comment didn’t help. “I know, that’s the problem. How is it possible to live up to those expectations?”
Mackyntal approached them from the side in a huff. “What expectations, my lord?”
Syffox shot a glance between him and Palatine. “Ah, the expectations of a soldier. I’m not sure if these new creatures are up for that.”
Palatine bowed to Mackyntal. “My lord.” He then joined in with Syffox. “Yes, they look very frail. How will they help with our battles?”
Syffox grimaced. He didn’t think that needed to be pointed out.
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Mackyntal replied to Palatine’s bow with an awkward nod and collected his breath. No one had expected the new beings to grow so quickly. He looked tired and frustrated trying to keep his priests organised and the poor creatures clothed. He scratched his head. “I don’t know. I don’t know what she is thinking. They are quite small. I’m afraid if we send them into battle, they would just end up cowering behind us. If we could possibly find metal armour, then we might keep them from falling to pieces, but I don’t think they have the strength to lift it. As for weapons, maybe we could give them the wooden toy swords of our children, but I don’t think they could handle much else.”
“Let’s not get carried away. I don’t think they can be that bad.” Syffox’s voice betrayed a hint of indignation. “I’m sure they have skills we don’t see yet. We just need to work to their strengths, and we will make them a force to be reckoned with.”
Palatine chimed in, “Why, yes. Properly trained, I’ve seen men smaller than these defeat enemies twice their size. Just put a sword in their hands, and I’m sure they will prove themselves.”
Mackyntal looked between the two men with doubt. “Yes… well, we don’t have much metal in the forest for swords. Maybe we can make daggers or small, thin short swords they can wield. But I think our best course will be with bows for this lot. That way they can stay out of harm’s reach and still be some use.”
Syffox took in a breath before donning a calming smile. “Perhaps we should find out more about these creatures before we judge our Goddess’s latest creation so harshly.”
Mackyntal caught himself before continuing and only replied with “Yes, of course, Master.”
The three walked over to a group of the creatures sitting by a tree. Wrapped in blankets, the small beings looked about bewildered and shaken. They didn’t yet know what to make of this world they suddenly now inhabited. Syffox knelt down before one and gently examined its face and eyes.
The creature pulled back at his touch. “Fear not. I won’t hurt you.” It relaxed slightly and let him continue. Syffox smiled. “You can understand me. Can you talk?”
It nodded its head shakily and spoke in a soft voice. “Yes.”
“Good, that will make things much easier. Do you know why you are here?”
It nodded again and spoke in an almost musical tone. “We are here to defend the forest and the Mother Goddess.”
Syffox beamed. He liked the new title for Vantaiga. “Indeed, you are. And how do you feel about that?”
The small creature’s voice grew proud. “The Mother Goddess has given us life. We will defend her with ours.”
Pleased, Syffox looked back to Palatine and Mackyntal. “They will make fine warriors.” Mackyntal nodded his agreement, while Palatine grumbled an objection under his breath.
Syffox stood up and gestured for the delicate being to do so as well. It rose to its feet and bowed while still holding its blanket.
Mackyntal’s eyes widened at the being’s courtesy. “They are very formal. You don’t see much of that in the forest.”
Syffox glanced uneasily to Palatine. “Indeed, it is unusual.” He gestured to an attending acolyte to give the creature some clothes.
While it dressed, Syffox realised it was in fact a female. It took him a moment to consider that, like their size, their sex shouldn’t matter if it was their duty to fight for their Goddess. “So, if you are here to defend our Goddess, how will you fight?”
The creature looked puzzled. “With what weapons we have.” It looked around before its eyes were strangely drawn to Syffox’s wrapped bow. “Is that a weapon? We will use that.”
It pointed over Syffox’s shoulder. Syffox looked around before realising what it was referring to. He pulled the bow from his back. “This is a weapon, but you won’t be able to use it.”
The creature stared transfixed at the bow. “I believe I can.”
It reached for the bow, but Mackyntal stopped her. “Whoa! It is not wise to touch the master’s bow.”
Syffox pushed back Mackyntal’s hand with a devilish grin. “I think we should let her try. If she is to be a warrior, she will have to get used to experiencing certain… things.”
Mackyntal bit his lip and stepped aside. “If you wish, my lord.”
Syffox unwrapped his bow and, with a flick, commanded it to string itself. The newly born creature watched with fascination as the bow bent and hooked its own string around the ends. Syffox held out the bow with anticipation.
The small female gently grasped the bow and lit up as she felt the warm, faint heartbeat inside. She looked almost comical holding a weapon that towered over her, her small hands unable to fully wrap around the grip. The size and heft of the bow did not deter her as she felt its power and magic. “It beckons me.”
She then held out her hand and one of Syffox’s arrows appeared in her fingers. She nocked the arrow in the string, pulled back and, with a jolting crack, released the arrow across the clearing. The three men jumped as the arrow thudded deeply into a tree on the far side of the glade. All attendants stopped working to stare at them, and the meadow went silent.
The small creature smiled with satisfaction as it handed the bow back. Syffox took the bow numbly while Mackyntal’s mouth dropped open.
Palatine looked amazed. “I thought nobody could handle that bow.” He patted Syffox on the back. “Now we know what weapon they can use. You can make some up for them.”
Syffox hung his head. “Just make some up… Oh, Goddess, what are you doing to me?”
Mackyntal put his arm around him. “We’ll figure something out.”
Oblivious, Palatine looked between the two clergy. “What’s wrong? You can make more bows, can’t you?”
Still hanging his head, Syffox looked at his bow. “I can make more. How many seeds are there?”
Mackyntal led his dejected master away. “About five hundred of them. Let’s go get you a drink.”
Palatine followed them, still impressed at the small creature’s use of the forest’s most holy relic. “Five hundred—that’s a good number.” He looked back at more of the strange small creatures sprouting from the ground. “You know, there certainly seem to be a lot of redheads among them.”
As they walked away, Syffox sneaked in a kick to the clueless fighter.