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Part 2
The Swan of Sherwood
Matilda witch of Locksley village sat outside her cottage enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.
Above her head she heard a flapping of wings and turning round she saw that a female mute swan had landed on her roof.
To her surprise the creature hopped down onto the ground and waddled forward to lay her head in the witch's lap.
Matilda wrinkled her nose and sniffed deeply. Her face brightened as she became enlightened. There was magic afoot here. This was not really a swan.
She laid a gentle hand on the soft feathered head and gave a reassuring smile.
" You've come to the right place my lovely, I believe there are ways of breaking this spell.
What I need to know is do you have a human sweetheart or partner somewhere ? "
The swan looked a little coy; and Matilda was pleased.
" Do you think you could lead this man of yours here ? " she asked.
The swan looked hopeful.
Matilda went inside and brought out a piece of string that she tied loosely about the swan's long white neck.
" If you don't get here until after nightfall; then I might not recognise you without this, " she explained. " If I'm right about the spell you're under ;
you'll be human from sunset to sunrise and a swan from sunrise to sunset until the spell is broken. "
The swan shot her a grateful look and took off into the sky with Matilda wishing her luck until she was out of sight.
******
Guy had been leading a search party all day. The party of guards were
weary and dispirited.
Not having found so much as a hair of Meg's head Guy was not in the best of moods.
He yearned for her scent. After kissing her hand last night he felt it had been branded to his memory.
She'd smelt sweet; more than a touch of honey laced with a whisper of lavender that must have been in her bath water.
The sun was the deep gold of early sunset; another hour and there would be too little light to continue.
Guy took pity on the guards and told the sargeant to take them back to the castle.
He himself would keep going for as long as possible. He patted his tired horse's neck; " not long now mon ami, " he said softly; " and we'll head back to Locksley for the night. I promise. "
The horse gave a snort as they tuned down a path that they'd not tried yet today; and Guy wasn't sure his companion had believed him.
A swan with string around its neck was gliding above the trees and watching the ground bellow. She saw a man in black on a black horse
and immediately began her descent towards him.
Guy calmed his spooked horse as the great white bird, turned a pale apricot by the sinking sun landed just yards from him.
She waddled towards him. He instinctively reached for his sword though there was no sign of aggression from her.
On the contrary she curled her lovely neck and rubbed against his thigh like an affectionate cat.
