Unicorn

There is a reason why Unicorns are not allowed to love humans...

As many stories begin -

Once upon a time, a Unicorn lived with her family. It was a large family, hundreds upon hundreds of them roaming the deep forests where no human could find them. She enjoyed the fresh smell of the trees, the whickers of her companions every morning, the sounds of the small animals as they moved about their daily business. She helped to protect the forest, with love and care. There was only one thing she lacked, a mate. Try as she might, she could love none of the stallions of the band. They were all ruggedly handsome, bright eyed, with silky manes and tails, plying her with flowers and telling her stories that she enjoyed. Still she could take none of them, for none could touch the portion of the Unicorn's heart that was untouchable.
The Unicorn approached a large rock one day, intent upon speaking with the goddess who made her. She called and the goddess appeared in the form of a hawk, flying to a branch above her.

"What do you seek, child of the forest?" Her voice was calm and endless, like the waves of the crashing ocean.

"Mother, there is a place in my heart, a place I cannot touch, and I want to know why."

"Dear child, that place is where a forbidden love lies. If you touch it, you will die."

"Why? What is forbidden about it?"

The hawk looked down, its raptorial eye piercing through the Unicorn.

"Child, Unicorns are strong of body, iron in will, but delicate and fragile within their souls. Shy as the moon, you keep to yourselves. Love such as what is in that forbidden place is overwhelmingly strong, strong enough to overcome your immortal soul and burn you."

The Unicorn considered for many long moments. She looked down at the valley where the herd roamed and then back to the goddess hawk.

"Mother, I am not happy here."

"I know. Are you unhappy enough to give up life here in this wonderful place?"

Another long moment of consideration.

"Yes. Please, I want to feel this love in the forbidden spot of my heart."

The goddess hawk began to change, letting out its mournful piercing cry. In front of the Unicorn the goddess stood as herself, a naked human woman who shone with the power of a thousand suns. The Unicorn felt the goddess reach out and touch her horn and sleep overcame her. She laid down in the grass and let it come, feeling the breath leave her body.
When the Unicorn awoke again, she was in a new form, the form the goddess had taken, of a human woman. The Hawk had reappeared on the branch and next to the woman stood another Unicorn.

"Child, your sister will take you out into the world, where you may find a mate. She will stay with you, but you must find your own way."

With that the goddess rose up into the sky and vanished into the light of the morning sun.

True to the goddess' word, the Unicorn led the now human maiden into the world. The woman learned about clothes, and shoes, and learned the things humans learn. She searched for a long time and found no one she felt would be a good mate. Her friend stayed with her, but remained aloof from the world. Almost despondent with sadness the maiden overheard a man one day. The voice was happy, but underneath the man was sad. The maiden turned her head to the man and she saw, through him, that the lines that connected him with the world were broken. As he looked at her she smiled at him, hoping her smile might make him feel better. Within moments she knew the connection had been established between herself and the man. She talked with him, and talked some more. Many months later he looked into her eyes and said "You have been so wonderful to me, so kind when I was sad, patient when I lost my temper, saying the right things at the right time. I don't think this could have been helped, I have fallen in love with you."

When he took her hand, the maiden felt the forbidden place in her heart open up and suddenly she realized what this Love meant. It swept her away in its ecstasy. She saw inside the man, the things that make humans what they are, the hurt they endure, the passion that drives them, the Love that makes them endure hardship. She saw too that when Love disappeared from them, they died. A little every day until eventually, there was nothing left. That night the man took her to his bed and all night he touched her and loved her. No longer a maiden, the Unicorn became a woman. She reached out with her power and touched his heart back, giving her own heart back to him, so that he might never die a cold, lonely death, that forever he would hold a bit of her warmth in him. When morning came she rose from the bed and went outside. The grass felt cool on her feet, the sky was getting lighter. She leaned against a tree who's blooming branches drooped beneath the weight of it's spring flowers. She looked up and saw the hawk in the branches above her. In her mind she heard the goddess' voice.

"Today, the sun will rise, and you will feel it burn."

Without fear the woman watched as the sun rose slowly over the horizon and as grateful tears flowed down her cheeks, she felt the Love sustain her as the sun touched her skin. She felt the fire claim her soul, burning away her immortality. She knew that the man would not stay, but she would endure. She was human.