Unicorns And Wishes

Unicorns And Wishes

Jenna walked slowly through the forest, brushing away the dew laden branches of weeping willows. She felt a drop trickle down her back, then another. The elderly lady who lived in the tiny stone cottage on the edge of town had told her to be in the forest just as the Sun crested the horizon if she wanted to see one. And to have her wish fixed firmly in her mind because there would be no time to waste.

The damp grass muffled the sound of her footsteps as she stepped carefully over fallen logs. The sky was a pale gray with streaks of purple and Jenna estimated that she had perhaps ten minutes before the Sun rose. Silently she repeated her wish over and over in her mind. She wondered how she would know if her wish was to be granted. Would there be some kind of sign? Would it simply nod its head? Was there a certain way she needed to phrase her wish? The old crone had neglected to give her that information, all she had told her was where to be in the forest and what to do when she saw it.

Now she could hear the baritone creaking of toads from the shallow pond up ahead. Birds began to twitter brightly and she hastened her step. "The unicorn will appear beside the pond, make sure you are there waiting," she’d been told. She gathered up her heavy wool skirts and began to run along the path. The sky began to lighten as she finally arrived at the pond. There was nothing to do now but wait.

Jenna looked at her reflection in the pond, grimacing as she did so. In the morning, with her face still puffy from sleep, you would hardly notice the scar that ran down the left side. As there were very few looking glasses in her town she didn’t often see the remnants of that horrible night.

She had been fixing supper for her husband, Darth, when she thought she heard men in the yard. Looking through the window she saw three men on horseback, their faces grimy with sweat and their hair long and stringy. Jenna felt a small twinge of nervousness in her stomach as she went out the front door to greet them.

"Good day, gentlemen," she said, trying to sound confident, "how may I help you?"

The three men took in the sight of her curly red hair and shapely figure. Her dark blue dress was simple but well made and fell in soft folds to the ground. The yard was freshly swept. Three plump hens clucked in the gravel. A sense of order and modest prosperity was everywhere they looked.

"Well Miss," said the largest of the three, "we were hoping to water our horses and have a bit of something to eat, if you have anything to spare."

"Of course," smiled Jenna. "There’s a pump around the back and a post you can tie your horses to. Once you’re finished please come in and I’ll be happy to give you some venison stew."

Jenna tried to gauge how long Darth had been gone. She was sure the men were harmless but it would do her reputation no good if word got out she had been entertaining three men on her own. And there was something about the look of them that made her nervous.

She was in the middle of laying out bowls and cutlery when the three men entered the house. Pointing towards the table, Jenna said, "Please, have a seat. I’ll dish your stew up right away. There’s also fresh bread if you’d like."

The men nodded in agreement and began eating their supper. They ate as if they hadn’t had food in months, devouring the entire pot of stew she had prepared and two loaves of bread. They washed it down with big mugs of mead, wiping their mouths with the back of their hands. Darkness began to fall and Jenna looked anxiously through the window.

"What might ye be looking for?" asked one of the men.

"Oh," replied Jenna, "I’m just watching for my husband, he should have been home a few hours ago. I’m sure he’ll be here any moment."

Just then, Darth’s black mare, Isis galloped into the yard, rider less.

"Well would ye look at that," laughed one of the other men, "there’s the horse that fellow we robbed was riding. I’m sure glad it found its way home, I wanted that animal."

Jenna turned towards the men, her eyes wide and her hands clammy. Each of the men gave her a little smile as she backed slowly towards the front door. Her mind whirled with thoughts of Darth lying injured in the road, or worse, dead. She had to get out of here, get help, find him, bring him home. As she finally reached the door, the man who appeared to be the leader pushed back his chair and stood.

"Going somewhere m’lady?" he asked, walking towards her.

"My husband, I need to go to him, please let me go," she pleaded.

"I beg your forgiveness m’lday," he sneered as his friends got up as well, "that’s not really part of our plan."

Jenna screamed and turned to run but the three men were too fast for her. They grabbed her arms and dragged her kicking and screaming back into the house. She had never been so terrified in her life and when they threw her across the bed the Gods took mercy upon her and she fainted. When she awoke the next morning, her clothing was ripped to shreds and her pale skin was covered in large red bruises. Her legs felt as though they had been yanked from their sockets and she was so sore she could hardly walk. But she had to find Darth.

Isis stood in the yard chomping on a patch of grass, her saddle still on. Apparently the men had forgotten her. Gingerly Jenna swung herself up and kicked the horse’s sides lightly. It was all she could do to remain upright as the horse made it’s way across the meadow.

Finally, after six hours of searching she found his limp body in the road. The robbers had slashed his throat and his blood had turned the dust to a deep burgundy. Jenna slipped from the horse with a soft cry and took his head in her hands. The man she had loved since she was twelve was gone. Her tears streaked his face as she rocked back and forth, her heart breaking.

And now it was time; time for the answer to the question that had haunted her these past few months. She gazed across the pond as she saw the tip of the sun break over the horizon.

Jenna gasped – the Unicorn – there it was! It’s enormous blue eyes stared back at her as she marveled over the sheer beauty of the creature. The wind played games with it’s thick white mane, lifting random strands then letting them float back to rest softly against it’s long neck. She could make out every muscle in it’s body, it’s flanks shimmering like velvet. Quickly she whispered her wish and waited. The Unicorn blinked once and then turned into the forest.

"Was that all?" Jenna wondered. Perhaps she was to follow it. Leaping over the pond she made her way into the thick stand of trees. But it was too late, the magical creature had disappeared.

She replayed the events of the last ten minutes over in her head. She was positive the Unicorn has made no sound. Perhaps a sign? Jenna could not recall seeing anything that might be taken for a sign. What if it was all a myth, that the animal couldn’t really grant a person’s wish. She had probably come all this way for nothing. A look of frustration mingled with fear crossed her pale face. She would know soon enough if the Unicorn had granted her wish.

Three months later, Jenna lay in the middle of the big bed she had once shared with Darth. Her chestnut hair was plastered to her skull with sweat. Every few minutes a weak moan would escape her lips prompting the midwife to offer words of encouragement.

"You can do it, lass," she urged, "not long now I tell you."

Jenna grimaced as another contraction ripped through her body, causing her to arch her back and scream.

"That’s it Jenna, that’s it. I can see the baby’s head!" shouted the midwife.

Jenna summoned every last bit of strength she had and gave one final push. As her head reeled from the pain she heard a sharp smack followed by the outraged wail of a baby.

Her green eyes, half shut from exhaustion, looked to the foot of the bed. There the elderly midwife was gently wiping the baby clean. Feeling Jenna’s eyes on her, the midwife lookd up and smiled.

"It’s a boy, m’lady," smiled the midwife.

Jenna thought back to the day in the forest as she raised herself to a seating position. Now she would know for certain if the Unicorn had granted her wish. The months of speculation and worry would finally come to an end. She would know.

The midwife wrapped the child in a soft blanket and handed him carefully to his mother. Jenna gazed at his face, his little stub of a nose, his rosebud mouth, the tiny lashes that rimmed his deep, blue eyes. She tried to convince herself that he was a perfect combination of her and Darth.

Slowly she unwrapped the blanket, the image of the Unicorn in her mind. Her hands began to tremble as she uncovered her son’s right shoulder. And there it was, the crescent moon birthmark that was on the shoulder of everyone in Darth’s clan. The Unicorn had granted her wish.