The Dark Side of Forever

Chapter 1 - the girl from the pool

On a dark and clouded night, though the moon shown full behind the clouds. Prince Dran rode his favorite horse, Brilks, along the winding trail through the forest towards one of his favorite spots. It was a peaceful place; a waterfall cascaded from the top of a high cliff and thundered onto the boulders below. Moss crept along many of the stones, hiding the ancient carvings placed upon them many years ago by his ancestors, there meanings lost to time. His horse ambled its way along the path, passing between two standing stones with great swirling symbols on them.

After they passed between the stones he dismounted and led Brilks to the water’s edge so that he could drink. Suddenly he heard a terrible screech, he like many who grew up in that region knew of the legends that surrounded the forest; tales of fierce monsters with dripping fangs and sharp spines instead of fur, beasts that could outrun the fastest stead and never tier.

He heard another screech, this time much closer, accompanied by the sound of snapping branches. Then he saw her, a figure in a tattered linen dress at the edge of the cliff, high above him. He saw her leap just as the beast reached out for her with bear-like claws and snapping jaws. She plummeted into the icy water and the beast gave a great howl of frustration and turned back for the forest.

Dran dove into the water frantically searching for the girl. The cold water sapping all the heat from his body. He spotted her floating on her back near the shallows with her hair flowing around her. She was pale and lifeless. He quickly grabbed her and hauled her onto the rocky shore of the stream. As he laid her on the shore her eyes flew open for a moment and he behind the most stunning pair of blue eyes he had ever seen before they were suddenly closed again.

He grabbed his great coat from the back of his saddle and draped it over her, trying to make her warm again. He picked her up again and placed her over the front of his horse’s saddle and mounted as best he could behind her. He turned Brilks for home all the while keeping an ear out for the beast.

As they reached the tree line he breathed a sigh of relief and pointed is horses nose towards the castle on the distant hillside.

It seemed like ages to him before they reached the castle. He called for an attendant to take Brilks to the stable and another to fetch the healer. He gently carried the girl to his own chambers.

He passed Andrek along the way. Andrek was astonished at the sight of his friend carrying a girl and said jokingly, ‘Was she so stunned by your ugly mug that she passed out?’ Andrek was always a jokester despite being an elite member of the king’s guard and the prince’s best friend and personal body guard.

Dran said, ‘No, I found her in the woods. She had jumped from a cliff after being chased by a terrible beast’

‘what do you mean by beats? Like a wolf?’ Andrek asked.

‘No, it had spines instead of fur, massive white dripping fangs, and long sharp claws.’

‘And she jumped off a cliff to escape it? And ended up with you. I would have chosen the beast! Andrek laughed at his friends expense. Even though Dran was quite handsome and very much a prince in every sense, Andrek insisted on keeping his ego in check by his constant teasing. He had a mop of gently curling ash blonde hair and dark green eyes which made him nearly irresistible to any of the girls in the country of Ulica.

They quickly reached Dran’s chamber, Andrek swung the door open, and Dran laid the girl on his bed. He tucked her in amongst the blue silk sheets and ornate comforter. Moments later an elderly healer arrived to assess the girl. He told the prince that she would be fine and just needed to rest a few days. He would be back to check on her in the morning.