The Last Unicorn: The Bull's Vengeance

Chapter 8

  The feast was plentiful, with food and booze for all who were there. As everyone celebrated their victory, they could happily fellowship with one another, sharing many wine drunken laughs. The soldiers shared their tales from the battle against the Bull with the townspeople, describing the terrors, as well as triumphs, in great detail. Some went into such depth that the townsfolk felt as if they too were at the battle, because of the vivid picture painted in their minds.

Aside from the main feast, King Lir hesitantly approached the unicorn, being sure to not make any sudden moves so as not to frighten her. Despite his worry, she was very willing to let him approach, and welcomed him with open arms. Lir stroked the unicorn's muzzle while weeping, both because of her sheer beauty and his shock of seeing her once more. "Thank you for sending men to save me," the unicorn said softly to Lir, her still mortal part feeling a deep love still burning for the king. "You have done me a great deed, and I will remember it for many moons to come." Lir smiled softly at the unicorn, then said "Milady, I cannot tell you what great things you have done for my kingdom, as well as many others. The Bull can never return now, ever. You are very brave, and I admire you for that. Thank you for coming back to me, even for a little while. Feel free to inhabit the woods just outside the town, as I will ensure you are safe there, if you'd like."

The unicorn did not answer Lir, but took his proposal into consideration. She hated to leave her lilac woods she had inhabited for so long, but now had a great love for the kingdom of Arran as well. She paced anxiously, pondering what she would decide to do.

At the end of the feast, the townspeople, along with Molly, Schmendrick, and the soldiers, gathered around the bonfire to end the celebration. Here, a group of soldiers dragged the Bull up to the fire, and guided his body into the raging pit of flames. There, he burned to just ash, and everyone watched in celebration. A sense of pure relief washed over everything and everybody as the Bull was reduced to ash. The world immediately felt a little safer, and everyone could breathe easy now.

As night fell and the fire was slowly extinguished, everyone retreated indoors to their homes or the local Inn for the evening, with the people of Saida planning to return to their town the next morning. While the humans laid down to rest, so did the unicorn. This time, she had no fear, and knew she could sleep peacefully. With a new sense of freedom, she drifted off to sleep under the starry night sky.