The Last Unicorn: The Bull's Vengeance

Chapter 5

     The group, now up to four, departed the Greenwood forest shortly before the sun awoke from its slumber. They were so close to Lir's kingdom, they could not stop now. They would have to face the possibility of an encounter with the Bull at night, but their desperation to reach the kingdom, known as Arran (according to what the group learned from travelers they passed in the outskirts of the Greenwood Forest), was far more overpowering than their fear of such an encounter at this point. Molly held Oxa in her arms as they walked along the road, saving the young boy the trouble of walking too far to handle.

Taking up the tail end of the group, the unicorn watched carefully for danger. Lucky for her, she found no danger along this part of their journey. Eventually, the group reached a small town on the outskirts of Arran. At the edge of it stood a sign which read "Welcome to Saida." There was a very small population in this city, with only one hundred people calling it home. Upon entering the town, the group was instantly greeted with hospitality from the locals. "We bid you welcome to our city," said a tall, buff man who approached them. He appeared to be about thirty, with dirty blonde hair and a short, scraggly beard that covered his chin. "My name is Ronin," he added. "I am the mayor of Saida. Come, enjoy a drink and a meal in the local tavern." So, Molly and Schmendrick followed the man, with Oxa still being held in Molly's arms. Since she was not known to the townsfolk, the unicorn was placed in a field with the citizens' horses, none of which would approach the strange white beast that was housed in their pasture. Every horse in the pasture with her could do nothing but simply gaze at her from the opposite end of the field, which made some locals look upon the white mare in confusion, still unaware of her true identity.

After a short walk through the town, Molly and Schmendrick finally approached a small pub named "The Crow Bar Tavern," and were ushered in by Ronin, their friendly guide. As they took their seats, the two were questioned by the townsfolk about who they were, as well as what they were on the road for. "We are on our way to Arran, King Lir's kingdom. I believe it lies just North of Saida. Our last country became too dangerous, so we are seeking refuge in his realm, as he is an old friend," Schmendrick remarked, answering the questioning townsfolk. "Ah the king," remarked one elderly man at the end of the long table Molly and Schmendrick were sitting at. "So you all know the young King Lir do ya? Well, I've heard he is a wonderful leader, and takes excellent care of his kingdom and citizens. Way more than his father could have ever imagined taking care of raggedy old Hagsgate." The mention of Hagsgate sent shivers down Molly's spine, recalling the journey through Hagsgate to the castle, just before the unicorn met her last terrible fate. She picked up her glass of wine, and continued to drink, hoping to drown out any memory of Hagsgate.

As Molly and Schmendrick ate dinner and filled themselves with booze, the unicorn kept an eye on little Oxa. His eyes appeared to have a strange glow to them, that somehow no one in the tavern noticed. As she studied him, Oxa caught sight of the unicorn staring, and shot her a menacing grin, one that a small child should not be capable of. As he gazed upon her maliciously, his hair seemed to burn like fire, and he seemed to have a newfound vengeance towards the unicorn. This frightened her, for just earlier he seemed like an innocent young boy, clinging to her with a pure, untouched heart. "That can't be," thought the unicorn. "I wonder, what is he hiding?" The unicorn then paced nervously through the pasture, the horses stopping in their tracks to let the nervous unicorn through.

After several hours, Schmendrick and Molly were still in the tavern, with one of Saida's young maidens keeping watch of Oxa. Since it was getting late, Ronin offered to let the two and their child stay the night in the town's Inn, to which they gladly accepted. As Molly and Schmendrick drifted to sleep, the unicorn stayed up, still racing around the pasture, which left the townsfolk wondering why the strange white mare was behaving in such a way. Then suddenly, the unicorn noticed a strange glow coming from the Inn. She did not understand what it was at first, until the scent hit her. "He's here." she said hurriedly, awaiting the arrival of her nemesis.