Chapter 6
“The Enchanted Grove”
Finally, Godric, our hero, is back on the road again, with his wise animal companion, Philip. Having left the cave of the Dragon Lady, the Prince worked his way down the rocky hillside to the narrow road that led to the city of Ardor and, presumably, the home of the Princess. Philip took to the sky and circled overhead looking for any obstacles that might lie before them. Seeing nothing for the next mile or so, Philip flew down and landed on the Prince’s shoulder, jarring the Prince.
“There’s nothing on the road ahead that might hinder your progress, Boss,” Philip said to the Prince who shook his head at the scratchy voice of the bird next to his ear.
“Not so loud, Philip. I’m not deaf, yet! Though I undoubtedly will be in the near future if you don’t tone it down a bit!”
“Right, Your highness. Sorry,” he said, swaying back and forth as the Prince swiftly moved down the road.
“You didn’t see anything from up there?”
“Not really; just a grove of trees well off to the right though there might be a spring there too; it might be an aspen grove, white bark and all of that. Aspen groves tend to be enchanted. We should check.“
“Okay,” said the Prince. “How far ahead?”
“Less than a mile. You can see the trees from down here.”
“Ah. So I can. Why don’t you fly over there and check out the land? See if there any dangers we need to be worried about.”
“Okay, Boss.”
Philip jumped from the Prince’s shoulder into the air, flapped his black wings and rose into the sky. The Prince watched as the bird flew above the road and then over to the distant grove of trees. He saw Philip drop down into the grove and disappear from his sight. The Prince hurried along the road till he was parallel with the grove. There was a slightly worn path that led away from the main road and toward the grove of trees. The Prince followed the path to the woods. At the moment Philip was nowhere to be seen. The Prince looked up into the trees, but nothing moved there. No Philip, no birds of any kind. It felt to the Prince like an enchanted grove, with magic swirling about and the scent of hyacinth in the air. He hesitated to follow the path into the grove.
As he looked deeper into the grove of white aspen trees, he saw what looked like a girl in a white skirt moving through the trees, her dress somewhat matching the white bark of the aspen. The heart-shaped leaves of the aspen rustled around and above him as the breeze moved through them. He put his hand on the hilt of his dagger when Philip called down from above him. “Hey Boss, relax. This is Adriel, the nymph of the grove.” The Prince saw Philip in a tall aspen tree next to the path, then looked down to see a golden-haired girl with eyes the color of blue water that shimmered and danced before him. She smiled and the entire woods seemed to glow with a magical light.
The Prince took his hand from his dagger and bowed deeply before her. He found himself speechless when he straightened and looked into her dancing blue eyes. The golden hair framed her face and her delicate features as it fell to her shoulders. “Welcome to my world, young Prince,” she said, raising her hand to the Prince who took it, brushed it with his lips, then dropped to his right knee before her, as if he were greeting a queen.
“Rise, fair Prince,” she said. Philip, meanwhile, had dropped to a tree branch beside the path and next to the Prince. “Come on, Boss, don’t be shy. Adriel of the enchanted grove,” he said hopping again to the Prince’s right shoulder, “this is Prince Godric of Nodd. He’s looking for a Princess in the city of Ardor. Can you help us?”
Adriel looked from Philip to the Prince. “Perhaps,” she said, smiling at the Prince. “Follow me to my home up ahead,” she said, turning and seemingly fading deeper into the trees. The Prince and Philip followed behind her on the faint path until they found her again, standing beside a pool of crystal clear water. “Wait here, and I shall return shortly.” With that said she stepped into the water and quickly sank beneath the surface. The Prince, astonished, leaned over the edge of the pool, but could see nothing except the swirling clear water. Philip flew to a tree on the opposite side of the pool. “Nothing, Your highness. She’s just gone.”
No sooner had he said that than Adriel rose out of the water and walked to where the Prince stood. Her white dress, which should have been soaked, was dry as fallen leaves in autumn.
“Your home is in the pool?” the Prince asked, as she stood beside him again. She shook her head gently and a fine mist flew from her hair and settled on the Prince.
“Yes,” she said. “Would you like to see it?”
“Hey, Boss,” said Philip, flying back across the wide pool and landing on the ground beside them. He cocked his head up at the Prince. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. My job is to keep you on the road to Ardor. No disrespect, my Lady, but I think we need to be on our way.”
“You are indeed a wise bird, Philip. No offense. My home is deep and spacious. Some who come there wish never to leave, and their failure leaves them heartsick forever. Sometimes a glimpse is more than enough to satisfy curiosity. If you look deeply into the pool, you may see something to help you on your way.”
Philip flew up to the Prince’s shoulder and they both leaned over the pool. At first the Prince saw nothing but the clear water, but the longer he stared, the water became translucent and an image began to work its way to the surface. It was that of a dark complexioned man holding a long sharp dagger before him, seemingly threatening someone. The Prince could see no more and the image faded.
“Did you see that, Philip? The man with the dagger?”
“No, Boss, nothing but water,” Philip replied.
“It looks as if someone is in danger, perhaps the Princess. We should go!”
Adriel extended her hand toward the Prince. In her palm lay a heart-shaped green stone, smooth as glass, with a translucent glow within, like that of the water. “Perhaps,” she said, “you may find some use for this gem down the road. Keep it close to you.”
“Thank you. You’ve been most kind and generous.”
“You’re welcome, Prince. If you’re sure you won’t visit my home, then I have a third gift for you to speed you on your quest. You will find it at the entrance to the grove.”
“Though I have no idea what your third gift might be, thank you.”
“Godspeed, young Prince,” she said, as she stepped again into the water and vanished from sight.
“A third gift?” Philip said, looking up at the Prince. “I saw only one.”
“I think the first gift was the vision. We should hurry, for the Princess maybe in trouble. Come on, Philip. Back to the road.”
“Okay, Boss,” replied the black bird, springing into the air and flying through the trees just ahead of the Prince. He turned his head back toward the Prince, nearly smashing into the tree ahead of him as his wing clipped a low branch. “Ouch! Oomph! Goodness, your highness, did you happen to notice Adriel’s eyes? At first I thought they were blue, the color of clean ocean water.” Philip dropped down to the Prince’s shoulder. “Then, the next time I looked, they were green, like the water of a sunlit stream.”
“They were like the eyes of Elesandra, weren’t they?” the Prince replied as he wove his way carefully through the trees, following the path out of the grove. Philip dug his nails into the Prince’s shoulder, trying to keep from falling as the Prince moved around the trunk of a tree. “Saints above!” cried the Prince. “I think you’ve drawn blood this time!”
“Sorry! This means of transportation is a bit precarious, your highness. I’ll take to the air once we are out of here. But listen.” The words of a distant song seemed to surround them as the Prince made his way back to the road.
Magic swirled and danced in the air, seemingly gathering substance as the Prince and Philip moved, words growing clearer, then fading as the two reached the entrance to the grove.
In an enchanted aspen grove
A fair Prince met a fae lady;
She felt her heart turning to stone
When the Prince said, “Farewell, sweet lady, adieu
Sweet lady, farewell, adieu, adieu,
Sweet lady, farewell, adieu.”
Adriel’s voice came to them through the trees as magic flashed through the woods, settling hauntingly into the air around the Prince. He turned quietly and looked back into the grove.
“I think she likes you, Boss. She’s very lovely!” Philip cleared his throat. Had he been a person, he would undoubtedly have blushed, turned crimson, probably down to his toes!
The Prince turned back and looked down at the short path before him. Sunlight streamed into the grove through the remaining trees.
A loud whinny broke the sudden silence. Stepping out of the grove into the sunlight, the Prince saw, tied to a green-leafed branch of an aspen tree, a large golden horse, with a brown leather saddle and bridle.
“The third gift?” croaked Philip, rising into the air and coming to land on the saddle, where he immediately bounced off and fluttered to the ground.
“She is yours, Prince Godric, for the length of your quest, or until she is no longer needed.” A soft voice whispered in the Prince’s ear. “Turn her loose when the quest is complete. She will find her way home.”
The Prince ran fingers through his dark hair, shook his head, then walked to the horse, put his foot into the stirrup and swung up into the saddle, grinning delightedly. “Thank you,” he shouted into the air, and the leaves of the aspen trees rustled and shook like the surface of water in the wind.
“Come, Philip! Into the air, my friend. We’re off to save a Princess!”
And so they were, kicking up a small cloud of dust as the horse began to gallop down the road, carrying the Prince, with Philip in the air above them.
Image: undoubtedly enchanted aspen trees, standing in a magical grove.
Second image: magical aspen trees in the fall, of course.
