Thread: The Fairest in the Land

Erik Longbow had ridden to an inn at the edge of the Mulascelon, storing his mount there and resting a night in the company of a willing barmaid. Mmm , she had cooed exhaustedly in his arms after their romp. ' Longbow' is not named just for your quiver, is it my love? He chuckled, having heard this remark often enough, before lapsing into a soothing sleep, with dreams of the arms of the Queen giving him equal, if not superior pleasures. In the morning, fully refreshed, he set out on foot into the forest. Half a day's hike brought him to one of the two creeks he knew would lead him toward his target. His bow was slung across his shoulder to slide into position in a practiced instant, and his belt was lined with sheathed knives and a short sword to grab for any emergency. But Erik understood a secret about the forest animals unless they were in desperate hunger, if you didn't threaten the beasts, they would not threaten you. He traveled silently, careful of dried leaves, sticks and branches, or bushes that would betray his position and warn skittish creatures of his approach. Even before he caught sight of the house he was expecting, he froze suddenly and cocked an ear. Unmistakably, a sweet feminine voice was wafting through the trees, carrying a haunting, almost hypnotic melody. Not only haunting, but he felt a sense of arousal surging through him at the sound, as if the voice alone was enough to spark desire. When he forced himself to continue moving, he caught sight of other animals, their attention even more than his enrapt by the lilting solo soprano. Erik altered his direction from the creek and toward that sound. He spooked a variety of animals as he moved carefully through the brush. Deer and wolves were paused side-by-side, ignoring each other to listen to the song. Rabbits would not flee his step unless he practically kicked them in his progress. Birds settled on low branches, their chirping stopped so the voice of the maiden would not be interfered with he could have reached out and taken any of them in his grasp before they realized it and flapped away. And within his heart, Erik understood their transfixed state completely. Or was it within his loins... The voice faded, then stopped. Creatures of all sorts blinked as if waking from a dream, and the normal rhythms of the forest seemed to resurge around him. Erik continued on toward the direction of the voice before it ceased, and saw the dense foliage clearing ahead. He reached the edge of the glade and carefully peered through a curtain of brushes. He saw the lovely young maiden curled in the soft grass, her hair spread across the pale flesh of her face like a satin sheet. Next to her was a basket full of berries, and behind her, also curled up, was a young fawn, seemingly as tame and comfortable in the presence of the young woman as if a house cat. In a smooth motion, the huntsman turned, drawing an arrow from his quiver and notching it in place in his drawn bow. A wolf within twenty paces had growled lowly and was now racing toward him. Even as it leaped toward him, Erik's arrow slashed through its throat, halting the leap in mid-air and sending the beast crashing into the ground nearly beside him, clawing desperately at the dart through its gullet. Erik quickly drew a knife and hacked through the animal's chest, drawing its death throes to a quick and merciful end. His eyes scanned the woods quickly for other threats, but apparently only this wolf felt the courage to offer a defense of the maiden, who still slept through the silent battle. Erik acted quickly. He stepped through the brush into the clearing with a length of rope in his hands. He sank to a knee beside the startled young woman and pushed his weight into her back, holding her down as he grasped her hands and tied them efficiently behind her back. He did the same to her ankles, then wrapped a cloth gag about her head and forced it between her lips. Checking about for any threats, he then pulled a woolen bag from his pack and forced it over her body, from the head down to nearly her feet. Then, he was easily able to toss the bundled damsel over his shoulder as he rose, carrying her like a roll of carpet through the forest and far from her home.