The Woodlands

Chapter 1

Lícia was alway seen in the forest. In her long linen dress she would wander and discover new water springs. If no one was watching, she would skip and twirl to her humming. Everybody knew her as a smiling and bubbly woman. Even a rainy day wouldn't stop her from seeing the beauty in everything. Lícia lived with her parents in a small cottage in this old town. The woods were just across from the farmers field. Every summer solstice the people get together and thank mother nature for all they are given. It's a big celebration. By the fire the elderly tell tales of the small people that live deep in the forest. The stories behold pure love and little mischief. The children sat there the entire night and listend closely. Lícia was once one of them. The stories fascinated her. Since that day she wanted to find the small people and dance with them and see what they could see. She wanted to feel their magic. Lícia is twenty years old and has never seen a fae, but if you ask her, she will tell you, that she sometimes feels their presence.

This one afternoon Lícia's mother Keira asked her daughter to pick some herbs from the forest. Her daughter knows her way around there and knows where to find the freshest growing and healing herbs. Off Lícia went, her green linen dress dancing around her ankles while she walked to enter the woodland. In her hand was a basket that swayed along to her steps. In her green dress and brown hair, she was almost invisible in the forest. The only thing that would be heard was her gentle humming. She crossed a running river by jumping over one stone to the next. Lícia had to get to the glade behind the big rocks. There she knew she could find the greenest herbs. Her free hand lovingly touched the leaves and shrubberies that she passed. She still kept on humming lullabies she knew the melody to, but not the words. The birds were singing their won little songs and the wind gently touched the woman's cheeks. She smiled up to the trees where the sun twinkled down upon her. 

Not to the knowing of Lícia a proud fae king was riding through the forest. he enjoyed warm summer outings. On his white mare he inspected his land. The tall lean fae occasionally found himself in conversations with his fae folk. They would tell him an animal fell sick or that the other day the oak tree fell to its death, because of the storm. All in all his woodland was thriving. With this he made his way back, when he heard a soft sweet humming. The wind carried the melody along, getting caught in his silky long blonde hair. The mare followed the direction of the wind. The fae king stopped his horse. He would go by foot to venture out. His walk was graceful and quiet. He walked up to the glade and couldn't believe what he saw with his won eyes.

There in the middle of the greens, a woman was collecting herbs and humming. She was the one  with that beautiful voice. A human. He kept in hiding, to not disturb her while she picked what she needed. When Lícia was done she got up. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw something moving. Her head with her wavy hair whipped to that spot. But she was mistaken. Sorrowful she studied the trees. There it was again. The feeling she sometimes so often gets in these parts of the woods, that the fae folk were with her. She smiled into the direction and thanked whoever was there for the fresh herbs. Nothing happened so she turned around and walked back to her village.

When she was gone the king stepped onto the opening. "She bewitched me", he thought. Something accord to him. He hasn't seen many humans, but he has read tales of them being the evil of this world. They destroy and take everything. She was different. There was something about her, so gentle and loving. The king smiled to himself. He has found her.