Licorne short stories

McEzrean and the creature in the mirror lake.

There are many such tales of a monster in a lake. Most from olden days, today I will tell you a story of this variety. Long ago, by the side of a gorgeous, mirror like lake, on a hill where there now only stands ruins of what once was, stood a castle. The castle was made of the finest of stones and bricks, it belonged to one McEzrean. McEzrean was a courageous warrior and king, honoured by his clan. He wasn't the tallest, nor the most muscular. He was quite the short redheaded man, but he had wit and he was very clever. He loved watching the silent lake. McEzrean loved the land, this land his ancestors had fought for, and won. This land, he would put his life at stake to keep.

McEzrean sat by the table in the large hall. He sat at the end of the table in a chair that resembled a throne. In front of him stood a plate of egg and pork and on the side there stood a glass of wine. This would be McEzrean's breakfast, what he would eat every day before leaving to take a calm ride on his shire horse Angus. As the sun sent gentle light through the castle window McEzrean thought he would take the horse around the lake and stop to fish by the clifflike stones. He nodded to himself, confirming the thought before he continued eating his breakfast.

In the stables stood Angus, munching on his hay, when the stable boy would walk in and start tacking him up in tack made of the finest leather. McEzrean would watch in silence petting the strong black and white patched stallion as he watched the stable boy struggle with the saddle and girth. In the end, as the sun would shine with power, the stable boy wiped away the sweat on his forehead as he handed Angus, the stallion's reins to his king. McEzrean gave a joyful grin and led his stallion out to the front side of the castle. The redheaded man stepped into the stirrup and threw the opposite leg over the tall horse's back. Angus nickered with pride. McEzrean gave his horse a sharp kick to the sides and got him to the gallop, down the hillside they went, towards the mirror like lake.

After a while they would arrive at the location McEzrean had thought of that morning. He was ready to step off his horse when a sudden wind met his face. It was cold and sharp, making his eyes water. The king had to blink a few times to clear up his sight. He watched the mirror like water, he could see the sky darken and clouds come into sight. McEzrean grumbled in irritation as he turned his horse, suddenly he heard a large splash far out on the lake. He looked over his shoulder to see nothing, just rings in the water sending large waves towards land and fog swiping towards him from across the water. McEzrean scoffed and brought his horse to a trot. The king would convince himself there was nothing, probably just a diving swan.

It didn't take long for him to arrive back. Approaching the castle he felt the wind pick up. It made the silent water splash against the banks with great force, the waves were probably meters high. McEzrean got chills, he hated such tall waves. Again he heard a large splash, he quickly turned his head, but, again he saw nothing. The rain started to fall and McEzrean got Angus into a gallop. They arrived back at the castle, McEzrean got of his horse and asked for the stable boy. He got word that he was nowhere to be found, the stable boy had seemingly disappeared into thin air when he went to get water for the horses but never returned. McEzrean felt his heart freeze for a second. He would ask when the boy left, he was told only a few minutes ago. McEzrean took a deep breath and led his horse to its stall.

His heart was pounding in a quick and rapid rhythm. The splash he heard? Could it have been the boy, he thought whilst tacking off Angus. The stallion nickered impatiently, McEzrean carried the saddle to the wooden stall door hanging it over the door, he went back to grab the bridle. He would drag it of the horse's face and the stallion would chew air as soon as the metal bit left his mouth. The king sighed hanging the bridle on the outside of Angus' stall door. He closed the door and wrapped his bear skin cape around himself as he continued on his way.

Entering the big hall of the castle, there was no warm sun shining through the castle windows, only a cold and stinging wind seeping through the walls and windows. McEzrean looked around the giant hall, eyes of bears and deer heads mounted on the wall stared into his soul. He scoffed in an effort to convince himself he was just imagining things, it was just a bit of a colder storm. As he made his way to, and up the stairs, a loud thunder sounded through the open halls and rain began to fall. McEzrean shivered and continued up the stairs at a quicker pace than before. He ended up in his room, the room's fireplace sent a gentle glow into the dark room. The sky outside had darkened to the point where it looked like the night had arrived early.

It was silent no sound, the king had dared to stand by the window. He peeked out the square cut out with fear. He watched the water as the waves hit land, one couldn't see as far as usual, the thick fog was hanging low over the water. A lonely bird would take to its wings and cross the water surface. McEzrean gasped as something terrifying emerged from the foggy water, he froze. It was a beast, the ugliest he had ever dreamed of. In its opened mouth that formed around the helpless bird laid maybe six or seven rows of terrifying, sharp and bone crushing sets of meter high teeth. It had glowing, orange and snake like eyes, McEzrean could see the reflection of him in his castle window in the creature's eyes. The creature closed its gaping mouth around the bird with a loud thunder like clap and slowly lowered its head back into the water, its orange, glowing eyes studying McEzrean as it disappeared.

He stumbled back into the room, he would trip and collapse. McEzrean laid in silence, not a movement other than his chest sinking and rising. His eyes fearful. The soft glow from the fireplace sendt orange light out in the room. It gave a glow just like the eyes of the creature. Now you may wonder, what happened to king McEzrean after this day? The answer would be, nobody exactly knows what happened. They say he turned in to a shell of his former self, some even tell the tale of how he died at the teeth of the creature, but what is the true story? That, will be a tale for another time.