The Lady of Waterleaf and Wire

The Tale of Johnathan Cooper

The sun had long since set beneath the western hills. A cold wind had blown in from the north, turning the rain cold. It stung at James's cheeks. He wasn't sure which way home was anymore. He hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday and the puddles he had drunk from made him feel sick. His mama had always warned him that the woods were no place for little boys. There were wild animals that would eat him alive and roots to trip him. There were no warm beds to sleep in or fires to thaw his toes. Remembering his mother's warning, James began to cry. He sat down and sobbed, hugging his soaked stuffed bear close to his chest.

He sat for a long while, sniffling, until the brambles beside him began to rustle. He knew it wasn't the wind. Before he could turn to run, a woman stepped out of the bushes. "Don't be frightened," she told him, but he was scared. He tried to run, but just like his mama said, roots tripped him up and he fell, which made him cry even harder. "Are you lost, son?" the woman asked, holding out her hand. James nodded. "Well, you can stay with me for the night and I'll take you back home tomorrow. The woods are dangerous at night for newcomers."

James's mother had always told him never, ever to trust strangers, but he was hungry and tired and he knew the woods were dangerous, so he took the woman's hand. She pulled him to his feet and walked with him. She brought him to a clearing with a small fire burning in its center. They sat beside the fire and she handed him a bowl of soup. He sipped it gratefully. The woman asked him if he wanted to hear a story. "Yes! Yes!" James exclaimed, wiping away his tears. His mama always told him a story before bed.

"Alright," the woman said, "I'll tell you the story of Johnathan Cooper. He wasn't all that different from you, albeit a little older. He, too, was lost deep within these woods, a boy of sixteen, determined to provide for his family."