in a far away land three adventurers walk side by side heading to a forest
deep in the south. a human barely 17 Leo,
a dwarf women brunna
and a tall human paladin named Alric all sighed at once.
” ugh do we really have to go there!” the boy leo excalimed.
brunna spoke" thats the job we were given boy, theres no point in
complaining now boy!!
“ and i thought i told you not to call me boy anymore!!”
the two glare at each other.
“now now you too, we were given the task of investigating the ruins in the forest
here, lets get it done so we can hit up the bars soon!”
“ arent just a little ashamed of yourself man!”
the three spent the next hour bickering
The three had entered the forest long forgotten by time, thick roots , moss and
vines covered the forest floor, a canopy that nearly covered the afternoon sun.
“ okay im officially creeped out “ leo nervously reaches for his daggers..
Brunna keeping an eye around axe in hand
“ it almost feels like the forest is alive, watching us “
Alric spoke grimly despite being slightly buzzed” all of you stay close who knows
what can be hiding out here!”
As if he jinxed them the sounds of branch rustling spooked
“KYHAA LOOK OUT BELOW!!”
with a big bam something had fallen on top of Leo
He opens eyes as he rubbed his head and heard a girl's voice
“ jeez that's was a rough fall, I hope I didn't hurt you?.”
On top of him was girl, pointed ears, long silver hair that reached the ground And through her messy bangs were Grey eyes.
“An elf “
Leo thought to himself” nah im fine!”
Then his senses came back to him
A girl was on top of him
Grass, leaves and vines barely covering whats important on her
Then leo immediately blushes
“WHOA WHOA
WHY ARE YOU NAKED!”
leo jumped on his feet
Leaving the girl on the ground
And Stood next to the others still flustered.
All three of them stared at the elf girl
Confused as why shes here
Then brunna spoke
“ who are you girl
And what are you doing here,”
The girl turned to them and smiled
“ oh my name is Freida
Freida Vanderbrick
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
And I live here all my life in fact.” The three of them stare at freida
As a butterfly lands on her finger
this girl has lived
Here in this forest all alone
And shes an elf so who knows how long shes been here
They all thought to themselves
Then Leo spoke still not looking at her
“ isn't the fairies forest dangerous to live especially by themselves!?”
Freida looks at leo deadpan
“ even im not stupid enough to stand on level ground when the monsters come out
at night!”
As if on cue, a mixture of howling and screams are heard through the forest
The three adventurers huddled up together
Frieda smiles pointing up to a tree house
“ you guys are more than welcome to stay with me till morning at least!”
nightfall had come quicky as they climbed a ladder made from vines and branches
up the tallest tree
“ whoa!’
leo stared at awe at the treehouse
stable flooring, walls and roof to block the wind
a simple bed and table sat at the center with dishes carved from bark.
and fireplace that frieda had just lit.
“ tell me freida.”
alric asks as frieda as she looks up at him
“ how long have you lived out her all alone.”
she looks up as if trying to count up the years
“ well my caretaker, Annie died a few years back, poor thing
so i guess a little over fifty years probably!” she pours stew into bowls that she just
finished preparing
“!!!!” “ wait you been here for over fifty years Frieda!!”
she nods at leo as if she didnt just answer that question
they stare in silence and ate.
then brunna asked
“ you never left the forest then, never been curous what was beyond the trees?’
she got quiet as she hugged her knees
“ of course ive always wanted to….
but miss Annie always said not to leave the forest
theres too much danger outside!”
then she looks up
“ anyways thats enough about me
what about you guys
why did you come to this forest if thats okay to ask!”
leo looks at brunna and alric as if asking permission to speak
“ we were sent on a quest to investigate the ruins in the center of the forest
afterwards we are to report our findings to the town northeast of here!” leo
explained trying to hard to sound formal
frieda thought for a moment then drops her hand into her palm
“ oh you mean that creepy remains of a fort down by the river right!”
“ wait youve been there before frieda?”
brunna askes as she messes with her braid
“ yeah i go by the river all the time for fishing, but that place always gave me a bad
feeling so i avoid it,…..i dont mind showing you all the way!”
leo puts his own bowl down, full from the stew" you dont have to go through all
that trouble!’
frieda shakes her head and smiles
‘ its fine its the best way i can repay you for talking with me
the fact i got to talk to people today will make it worth it!’ she stretches as she rises
‘ well im gonna gonna get some sleep, you guys make yourselfs at home…
goodnight"
she waves at leo before heading to her bed made from plants. the three of them quietly set up their own sleeping bags
leo layed in his still awake staring at the stars and he thought to himself as he
drifts off into sleep
“ that stew was really good….the best i ever had.” they set off early at dawn the next morning
freida in the front as the guide
alric and brunner in the center, going off about the dreams they had
and leo at the back lost in thought
quiet for once.
then the forest vanished as they reached the clifts edge over looking the great sea
the salty smell filled the air
her footsteps approaches leo as he stares out at the sea
“ its nice isnit
i like coming out here every now and then
just to listen to the sea.”
leo looked at her and asked
“ do you ever think about leaving the forest and head out to sea frieda?”
she smiles sadly at him then walks off to the others
he reaches out to her but hesitates
cursing himself under his breath
then just beyond the lake there it was
the ruins they were sent to look for
old battlements, rusted doors
walls barely holdingtogether
they all entered slowly into the center building
freida entered last then a noised sounded off
CREAK!!!
the rusty door began falling towards her
just inches away leo had pulled on her arm landing on his chest
just as the door fell to the floor
“ Be careful here
its older than it looks here!”
he turns still holding her hand.
“just hold on to me okay!
she nods as she hides her blushing face.
alric and brunna quietly smirking in front of leo
“Both of you
Shut
It!’ they throughly explored the ruins by torch
and found nothing but old bones and cobwebs everywhere
“ seems there was a battle here and it didnt end well"
leo nodded in aggrement along with frieda who went from holding on to his hand
to his arm
-!!!
THE HECK YOUR HOLDING ON TO MY ARM FOR!”
“um it just seems safer this way.”
then noticing how much she trembles
“ i guess she doesnt like it in here!
“hey alric
were done in here you think!”
he puts away his notebook with a sasifed look
“ yeah i think i got enough info here.
lets head back!”
for a moment freida looks sad
……..
she followed them back towards the entrance of the faires forest.
haanging far in the back
then they reached the end of the forest towards the stone paved road
frieda raised her hand and smiled sadly
“well…
have a safe trip….
goodb….”
leo ran up to her and grabbed her hand
“!!!”
“ come with us frieda, lets go on an adventure
together!”
“ no i cant
im not supposed to leave!”
“ then your okay with living her by yourself?”
“-!!!”
“ cause if thats true then i dont believe it
i can tell by the way you smiled with us
with how much you talked about your thoughts and feelings
i know you dont wanna be alone!”
alric and brunna smile behind leo
“ NO I DONT WANNA BE ALONE ANYMORE
IM TIRED OF LONELY MEALS
OF COLD NIGHTS
OF SILENT PLACES
I WANT TO SEE THE WORLD
BEYOND THE FOREST!”
leo then starts running with freida in hand
“ then lets go!’
he smiles as they left the forest
the sun beams on freida
and for the first time
she saw the wide deep blue sky.
“ Yeah!’
she holds on to his hand leaving the forest behind.
