He's Here!!

[Technocrat]

I'm glad I'm not the only person who thought that the elderly woman was a fan of Spielburgs work.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

There’s always the possibility that he came across a fey from his youth and was impressed by the speech patterns.

[Hannah]

Hi Everyone,

Here's more of my story for you.



Seamus’ team pulled the cart fast and steady along the trail beside the field.

My mind was whirring after Grugach’s parting words. Something was not right. I wasn’t on my way home, that was for sure.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked the little green fellow.

“We be ‘eaded ta Greenwood, lass.” He looked me up and down. “Ye seem a trifle shaken. Perhaps ya’d like a tipple ta settle yer nerves.” He reached into his coat and pulled out a flask.

Mindful of Grugach’s warning, I declined. “Thank you, but no.”

He unscrewed the lid. “Suit yerself.” He tilted his head back as he upended the flask for a long pull.

I looked out at the road ahead as he drank, only to see there wasn’t a road ahead. We were racing straight for a lake.

“Stop the cart!!” I hollered, but it was too late.

The horses’ hooves thundered across the surface of the water, and the cart’s wheels kicked up spray behind us. “Now why would I do that, lass? Fancy you want to stop and talk to the Merrows?”

A million questions raced through my mind at once, but the only one that came to my lips was “Where are we?”

Seamus slipped the flask back into his pocket. “Well we were in Summer, and the far shore is Spring, so you could say we’re halfway between.”

Still quite confused, I sat in silence for the rest of the journey. I don’t think Seamus noticed, he started telling a tail about some fellow who tried to catch him for 30 years and how every time he escaped by the skin of his teeth.

“We be entering the Greenwood now lass, I’ll be ‘avin’ you ta tha center in time fer tea.” He laughed. “Of course there’s always time fer tea here. There’s time fer whatever you want to do.”

“I want to go home.” I’m pretty sure I was sulking when I said it.

“Don’ be sad lass.” The cart pulled to a stop in front of a great oak. “Yer gonna be so happy here in the Greenwood that yer gonna forget that you even had a home.”

The cart rattled on, plunging deeper the great forest.


…


At Seamus’ urging I got out of the cart. He pointed me towards the heart of the forest. “Jus’ walk that way until you find it.”

“Find what?” The cart started off again.

“You’ll know when you’ve found it.” The cart sped down the trail and out of sight like a jet.

I turned and looked at the mighty trees around me. Giants, their branches appeared to stretch up to the sun itself. Squirrels and birds flittered through the branches. A doe, quite unafraid, led her fawn not 10 feet in front of me.

I looked in the direction Seamus had pointed. “I don’t know how I’m getting home, but the only way is through there.” Missing Suzie and my pack of camping gear, I started my trip into the heart of Greenwood.




More coming soon,

Hannah

PS: What's a Yoda?

[Clarity]

_____Hi, Hannah
did you ever tell Grugach who your real dad was now? She waved back and bowed when I waved at her and curtsied, but she didn’t come and talk with me. She didn’t seem at all surprised that I could see her.
_____P.S. I had fun camping with you and Mr. Ron.

[Hannah]

Hey C.

That was the last time I saw her and I didn't know who my real dad was then. But you saw her when we were camping? That means more of this is real, which isn't good.

Here's some more of the story:



The paths into Greenwood were broad and clear. Despite the great size of the trees, the forest was full of light and life. Deer and rabbits bounded through the bushes around me. Sweet spring flowers bloomed everywhere filling my nose with their perfume and brightening my mood.

I found myself skipping as I headed deeper into the woods. Seamus was right, it was almost impossible to be unhappy here.

But it wasn’t home.

A chill wind blew through the forest, which suddenly seemed darker, more sinister. The trees loomed over me. Unseen animals scurried through the undergrowth on either side of the narrow, winding trail.

Looking around for the source of the sounds, I tripped over a root, fell off into the bushes alongside the path, tumbled down a hillside, landed in a heap of mud, and rotted leaves at the bottom. Thick mist closed in around me as I picked myself up and dusted as much of the muck off as I could.

I was off the path, lost, cold, wet and alone. I turned around, trying to figure out how to get back up the hill.

I found myself looking straight into the biggest, ugliest, hairiest bellybutton I’ve ever seen. Almost not wanting to, I looked up, past the bulging gut and massive chest, past the shoulders as broad as a tractor, past the drooling mouth full of cooked teeth, past the dripping pig’s snout and into two little beady eyes full of malice.

“Hello, lunch.” The voice rumbled like a distant avalanche.

“Uh, hi.” I gave the creature my sweetest daddy-will-you-buy-me-a-pony smile. “My name’s Hannah, what’s yours.”

“Uhh . . .” He paused to think for a moment and I made my move. I delivered the hardest kick I could to his tree trunk sized shin. He roared in pain and lifted his leg to clutch at it and I delivered the best uppercut I could square between his legs.

He howled and dropped to his knees, clutching his injured parts. Like a great oak, he slowly topped over and crashed to the ground with a force that almost knocked me off my feet.

I didn’t stay around to gloat, I started running as fast as I could, wanting to put as much distance between the giant and me before he got up. I ducked around trees and through the bushes, before finally hiding myself in the roots of one of the giant oaks.

Just in time too, a moment later the giant thundered into the clearing. Shaking the ground with each footstep, he stampeded past my hiding place and continued off deeper into the forest.

I reminded myself to breathe and slowly peeked out from my hiding place . . . and found a crudely shaped spear thrust into my face. “Hands up!!! Hands up!!!” came the tiny, but aggressive voice.

I carefully raised my hands and looked down the spear at its wielder. The creature was barely 3 feet tall, with green skin and a head that kinda looked like a football on its side. Its eyes were bright yellow and its teeth sharp and pointed.

It also had friends, maybe a dozen of them.

They all looked hungry and they were eyeing me up as if I was a Thanksgiving turkey.

That’s when we heard the music.



More to come soon

Hannah

PS: Wie told me what a Yoda was . . . seems a lot like Gruagach.

[Ron Caliburn]

Clarity,

If you spot that thing again let us know.

[Hannah]

Hi Everyone,

Here's a little more.


The music was cheerful and joyous. It was playful and mischievous. It was the music of spring flowers and summer sunshine. . . . and it was coming this way.

“That music!” growled the creature pointing the spear at me.

Another puckered his face as if he had just eaten a lemon. “It’s awful!”

“I don’t know.” I replied. “I rather like it.”

As the music grew louder, a light began to filter through the trees. It was soft and warm, like a sunrise burning away the dark gray fog of night.

“He comes!” hissed one of the little men.

“The Lord!!!” Added another of the little men, clutching his ears in pain.

“Run away!!” Shouted the smallest of the creatures.

“Run away!!!” The rest shouted in unison and they fled past me into the dark underbrush.

All except the one with the spear. He was obviously frightened by the music, but I don’t think he was quite willing to give up his prize just yet. His prize didn’t want to co-operate however.

“You’d better run with the rest, I don’t think you want to be here when The Lord gets here.” I wasn’t sure either, but if the music was a sign, he was probably better company than I’d had since I left the Grugach’s house.

The little football headed man looked at me and looked around at the brightening forest, then looked in the direction his friends ran before looking back at me.

I folded my arms across my chest and shook my head.

He gestured with the spear.

I sat down.

He gave one more panicked look around and made his choice.

But it was too late.

He made it only two steps down the path his friends had taken when the light caught up to him. As soon as it touched him, his skin began to steam and smoke. “Not Me!!” he shrieked in terror as his feet suddenly became fixed in place. For a few agonized moments he struggled, but as the light slid up his body everywhere it touched turned to stone.

I jumped to my feet and backed away until it was over and all that was left was a little statute of a little man with a big head, it’s face frozen in terror.

Not sure what to expect I turned to face the music.

The forest around me seemed to be bursting with color, the trees above me blossomed and bright petals drifted down filling the air with sweet fragrance. The wide spaces between the trees were filled with all matter of flowering bushes and shrubs. In the centre of it all, shining like an April morning, leading a procession of birds and deer and gnomes and foxes and badgers and pixies and butterflies and squirrels and all the other forest creatures, dancing and twirling as he came, playing his flute, was the most beautiful creature I ever saw.

He danced a circle around me, never stopping in his melody. The birds and butterflies followed suit, swirling around me in a flurry of colors. A fawn nuzzled my hand as it trotted past and a pair of chipmunks chased each other around my legs before scampering up a tree.

Giggling and swaying in the music, I turned to watch him dance.

On goat’s legs, he danced. Spinning and twirling merrily. His foot falls so light that the grass did not bend beneath his feet. He danced through the forest, up trees and even in the air. All the while, his flute was serenading me with its intoxicating melody. He stopped his dance only for a moment to turn to me. A few notes from his pipes and a tilt of his held made his invitation clear.

I took a step towards him, and then another, and soon I was a part of the procession, dancing with the gnomes and cavorting with the pixies, we made our way through the woods. I had never danced like that before and in my heart, I know I’ll never be able to dance like that again. The music seemed to bring my feet to a life of their own and they carried me to a clearing around a great oak that seemed to stretch upwards for ever.

Once there, he took his flute from his lips and my feet were my own again. Panting from the activity and my thighs burning as if I’d just sprinted for a mile, I eased myself down, with my back against the oak.

The musician watched me for a moment, and then went over to a spring that bubbled up in the clearing. He cupped the water in his hands and brought it over to me.

Exhausted from the dance I think,
sweet water perchance to drink?

I looked at the cold clear water in his hands and started to lean forward to sip it when I remembered Grugach’s words. To out of breath to speak, I merely lifted my hand in refusal.

He lifted his hands to me again, his kind eyes, just below his small horns, pleading with me. The scent of fresh earth filled my nostrils.

Fear not the water from yon well,
drink you should and stay to dwell.

I was so thirsty and what could it hurt, I wondered. I leaned towards the outstretched hands again.

“Don’t leave me Hannah!” I heard my mother cry in the distance.

“Ma!?” I stood up and looked around.

Do not listen to past echoes,
this is where your future grows.

He had become taller all of a sudden, in his skin appeared dirty. His horns grew long and curved. His legs were shaggy and his hooves scratched the soil. He smelled of rotten compost.

I pressed myself back against the oak. I had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

You must stand here at my side,
come the morrow you are my bride.




It's dinner time, I promise I'll finish next time.

Hannah.

PS: I won't make you wait so long for the next piece.

[Grace]

This story reminds me of childhood fairy tales my father would tell me about the wee-folk. So few of them were like tinkerbell in those tales.

Which is not to say that I think this is a fairy tale or in your imagination, though that too could be the case, I don't know. But I've seen too much to dismiss these things out of hand any more.

It just brought back images of witches sailing about in egg shells to steal children is all.

[Hannah]

Hello everyone,

Funny you should mention the eggshells Nemesis. Here's the last part, sorry if it's long.



“No!” I screamed back at him. “I don’t want to marry you! I want to go home.”

He bent down low to look at me. His face was easily as big as all of me. His horns towered over my head. Thunder rumbled as he spoke.

Pretty child, stay here you must.
your own father promised you to us.

“That’s enough Robin.” The oak behind me boomed.

Robin or the Lord or whoever he was took a few steps back and bowed low.

Oh great king you know this to be true.
All this is within my right to do.

The ground underneath me lurched and I stumbled forward. When I turned, I saw the great oak had stepped up from its roots and turned ‘round to face it. In the leaves above appeared to be a face. Its mouth moved as the voice echoed across the land. “Look at the child Robin. She is so young. The promise did not give you any right to her until her fifteenth spring. When that comes you can claim her, but not before.”

But Father; now we have the girl here in our burgh
Why not keep her lest her father go back on his word.

The oak rumbled again. “Her father knows the consequences of breaking his oath and the ruin that will befall him. No mortal has ever broken his word to me without great consequences. The girl will be yours at the appointed time, but until then she should grow and learn with her family.”

As he spoke, the oak began to shrink and change. The rough brown bark turned into smooth golden skin. The leaves and acorns transformed into a crown set above a kind, warm face. A pair of spring robins rested on his shoulders. In one hand, he held a staff that looked like one of the branches of the mighty tree he had been. The other hand he rested gently on my shoulder. He looked at me with gentle eyes.

“Hello Hannah, it is nice to meet you.”

My brain was whirring but I could not come up with anything more than a “Hello,” and a belated “your Majesty.”

He smiled and I suddenly did not feel a lone or tired. I didn’t feel sad or afraid.

“I am sorry that my son frightened you so much, he doesn’t like taking no for an answer.”

I looked back over my shoulder and the Lord had also shrunken down and returned to his beautiful form, but something about his eyes remained fierce and untamed. I turned to the King. “I want to go home.”

“And so you shall. Walk with me.”

So we walked through the forest together. As we passed through, he greeted every tree, bush, and flower by name. He conversed with every bird, bug, and beast as if they were old friends. He told me stories, many stories of mortals whom had come to his kingdom.

Finally, we came to the shores of the lake that Seamus’ cart had taken me across earlier. He tapped his staff against the ground three times and waited.

A few moments later, a beautiful blonde woman emerged from the waters in front of us. She came forward and curtsied before the King. “Why have you summoned me my King?” She gave me a sidelong look. “Have you brought me a new daughter?”

The King clucked his tongue. “Miss Grant needs passage to the Winter Shore, where I cannot go. I would like you to escort her there so that she may be returned to her mother.”

“Of course my King. Do you have a message for Queen Fand?”

The King chuckled a bit. “Tell her I will have much to say when we next meet. Take the girl to the Winter Shore first though; she has been away from home too long as it is and if she were to see your cities she may forget that she has a mother to return to.”

The blonde pouted a little bit, as if she had been thwarted. “As you command my King.”

The King turned to face me. “Across the Winter Shore you will meet another King. He and I are rivals so I cannot set foot in his lands, nor he in mine. He will know of your situation and will assist you in going home.

“We shall meet again when you are a woman.” With that, he placed my hand in the blonde’s and disappeared.

She giggled at me, it sounded like bells tinkling. “Let’s get you home to your mother.”

She pulled me towards the water and in a few moments, we were swimming across the lake together. Fish and dolphins swam with us, leaping in an out of the water in play. Small faeries, rode the waves on turtles or in eggshells, cheering us as we swum by. Even though I am sure the lake was miles across, we reached the ice on far side in only a few minutes.

The blonde gave me a boost up onto the thick winter ice. The wind circled around me, snow crystals dancing in the air and stinging my face. Somehow, my clothes were dry and still carried the warmth of the spring day I had just left behind.

I turned to thank the blonde but she was already gone, back beneath the surface of the lake.

I turned back to the forest and there, in front of me was a sleigh, pulled by a team of deer with an elf at the reins. “His majesty sent us for you Miss Grant.”

The sleigh ride, like the cart ride, set the world in a blur around me. We plunged through frozen forest and crossed snow covered fields and arrived at our destination, a great castle made of ice and snow.

At the drawbridge, I was greeted by more elves that ushered me inside, passing by countless corridors filled with the sounds of merriment and industry.

Finally, I found myself in the great hall looking at a large man with a round belly. His winter suit was green and a sprig of holly was in his hat. A wren was perched on each of his shoulders. His face was as warm and kind as that of the previous king I had met. In fact, their faces were so similar I wondered if they could have been brothers.

The King jumped up out of his throne and bounded down the steps to me, his belly bouncing like one of my mother’s fruit molds. “There’s the girl!” He roared joyously. “Hannah, come, come, let’s get you home.” He strode over to me and embraced me warmly.

He seemed so familiar “Are you . . .?”

“No, no.” He replied. “Children always ask me that since that Moore fellow wrote that poem.” He chuckled slightly. “I wish I had more time to show you around, but I know you must miss your mother, so lets go.”

He led me out to the courtyard and turned to face the gate. “I assure you, we shall get you home most expeditiously. The one who shall take you home is never, ever late.”

As if on cue, the sound of hoof beats and the creaking of cartwheels could be heard beyond the gate. A moment later a cart appeared, pulled by two horses. One was old and withered the other full of life. On the cart sat a tall man in a long dark coat and a wide brimmed hat. The collars on his coat were turned up so high as to hide his face.

“Here you go Hannah. This is Ankou; he shall deliver you home safe and true. Just be sure not to look at his face, you won’t like what you see.” He steered me over to the cart and gave me a gentle pat on the back. “Don’t be afraid and off you go.”

Keeping my eyes averted, I went to climb into the cart. A black gloved hand with a whip appeared in front of me.

The back of the cart is not for you Hannah Grant. You must ride in the front, with me.

I nodded. “Of course.” I turned and climbed aboard the front of the cart and settled myself next to Ankou.

Ankou tipped his hat to the King and flicked the reins and we were off, wheels creaking and rattling over the snow.

“Why couldn’t the King take me home?” I kept looking at my lap, not wanting to see the face I had been warned about.

The King, like many others here, cannot come to your world as frequently as I.

“Why not?” It was sort of weird having a conversation with someone who didn’t speak, but whom you understood perfectly.

The people of your world don’t believe what they used to. The doors between the worlds stay shut because of it.

“But they still believe in you?”

They still believe in me at the right time. We must make a stop before I take you home, but only the one.

“That’s okay; it’s nice of you to give me a ride home after all.”

Somehow, the world had changed from winter to summer and day to night. We were in a city, a great big city. I don’t know which one. We pulled to a stop outside of an alleyway.

Stay here.

Ankou got out of the cart and walked a few steps into the alley. There he found a boy not moving, a needle in his arm. As I watched, a translucent image of the boy rose out of the body. Ankou and the boy spoke for a moment, and then with one last look at his body, the boy let Ankou lead him to the cart and helped him get into the back.

I stayed quiet for the rest of the trip home.

The cart pulled to as stop outside of the living quarters in the compound. Ankou lifted his gloved hand.

You need to go in there.

“Thank you.” I said. “I hope you don’t mind if I hope we don’t see each other for a long time.”

Ankou nodded and helped me down from the cart.

I get that a lot. I can only promise that I will not be late for our appointment, but I might let you ride up front again.

I turned and stepped through the door. I do mean through, without opening it. Like a ghost.

“Hello! I’m home!!”

The place was as quiet as a tomb. That wasn’t good. This place was never quiet.

I walked up and down the halls, calling for my mother, my father, my uncles, my aunts, my cousins, but nobody answered.

Except Suzie.

She came bounding down the hall and skittered to a stop in front of me.

“Suzie Girl!! You’re okay!!” I bent down to scratch her between the ears and she licked my face for a few moments before she started whimpering and tugging on my dress.

“Lead the way.” I followed Suzie down the halls to a door and we slipped through.

The room was lit with candles and a single bed was tucked up under the window. In a chair next to the bed slept

“Mom.” I whispered. “Mom.” I said. “Mom!” I called and reached to wake her.

My hand passed through and Suzie whimpered.

I looked at the bed.

I was in the bed, a great big bandage wrapped around my head.

I turned to Suzie and she whimpered again. I knelt down beside her, gave her a big hug, and scratched her in all he favorite places. “Thank you girl.” I said and climbed into the bed. “There’s a man outside waiting for you.”


…

My mother didn’t let go of me for three whole days after I woke up.

Apparently, when Suzie came home, she looked like a bear or a cougar had gotten hold of her. She could barely move but she managed to pull on Zeb’s pants enough to convince him to follow the trail back into the woods where he found me. I’d apparently bounced my head off the roots of the oak when I landed.

None of them ever believed my story, especially my father. He even forbid me to talk about it after a while.

They gave Suzie a nice funeral, better than they gave most of us family members. I don’t think there was a dry eye there, neither the children nor the adults.




So that's the story how I met Him before. It might have been a dream or it might not. But He was here.

Hannah

PS: I'm sorry it took me so long to write this. Thinking about Suzie makes me cry.

[Shadowstalker]

It is alright to cry Hannah, remembering old friends that were taken from us too soon is painful. But also remember the better times as well, and share those better times with new friends.
That way you not only keep their memory, and spirit alive, but you honor them as well.
Now I would like to ask a question of Ron. Do you know anything of this deal Hannah is speaking of?

[Ron Caliburn]

If I knew anything about the deal, I'd tell you.

I do know the reason the boys "tested their manhood" by going camping in those woods is it was widely beleived they were haunted. Anyone who had any time alone in those woods had some strange story.

[Willie Long]

Her father knows the consequences of breaking his oath and the ruin that will befall him. No mortal has ever broken his word to me without great consequences. The girl will be yours at the appointed time, but until then she should grow and learn with her family.

B.S.!

Ron wouldn't make that kind of deal; nor would Compound Dad, from what I've been told about him.

Assuming the thing isn't just delusional, we ought to find out who it thinks is Hannah's father, why, and what oath was made.

[Ron Caliburn]

I'm no help here 'cause I certainly didn't deal with them and I know no reason why my father would have dealt with such creatures.

[Shadowstalker]

The next question is when was this deal made? We know for sure that Ron wasn't the one to make the deal.

[Hannah]

Hi Willie and Shadow,

Thanks for being concerned - the boards are so quiet lately I was beginning to wonder if nobody cared.

What I put into the stories is all I know, I hope we can find the answer soon. I keep thinking I hear Him playing his flute or see Him dancing in the back yard. Wie and Dad haven't been able to find anything though.

Hannah

PS: Why do these things happen to me? Was I born under a sign that read "Attracts supernatural" or something?

[Diemos]

Sounds like one of the fey. They can't stand cold iron, so steel or iron, such as nails, will discourage him, or should. You can place them around the house. Not saying will work, but better than nothing, especially if you put them pointed end up, nobody likes to get a nail in the foot.

[Hannah]

Helo Deimos,

I wish it were that easy - but I can't spend my whole life locked inside my house.

It's strange, back when I was younger my whole world was that compound in Montanna, now that I've stepped outside of it, I couldn't ever really go back to someplace so small and isolated again

Hannah

PS: I really wish Wie were back with us, Dad's been in a real sour mood and I'm not doing much better. Even Mr. Fluffers is unhappy.

[BraveSirRobin]

“That’s enough Robin.”

I don't remember being a pedophilic satyr...

Seriously though, having read through the whole thing just now (drinking away your pain + anything more than skimming long stories = very bad headaches... also remarkably little awareness of your friend's friend sneaking up to try to put you in a sleeper hold for no reason, but now I'm parenthetically rambling), the safest assumption (that's right, I'm making asses out of everybody) seems to be that these things think "compound dad" is Hannah's real dad. Which basically means we have to get a hold of the crazy SOB and ask him about this alleged deal. I know that's a pretty tall order, I was there the last time we had to get into the compound... but surely there's some way. Dream travel, some kind of telepathy, somebody's got to have something that'll do the trick!

That said, I know I don't have anything so... thoughts?

[Ron Caliburn]

I hope there's no connection between you and it.


Tall order of a solution there.

[Shadowstalker]

Tall order indeed, but maybe doable.

[DarKnyht]

Not to muddy the issue even more but couldn't your wonderful (and ever so pleasant sounding) look-a-like have made this deal? Tricking these beings into believing you are responsible.

[Shadowstalker]

Nasty thought, but not likely if for only one reason.
That is that Hannah's story of her first encounter with these Fey, happened long before Not Ron ever came into existance.
Thou I could be wrong on that time line.

[BraveSirRobin]

I hope there's no connection between you and it.


Tall order of a solution there.

Consider this, Ron: if your father did make some kind of deal with these fairy bastards, then even if we save Hannah, any biological daughters he may have are probably screwed if we don't figure out the deal itself.

[Ron Caliburn]

Not wrong on the timing Shadow, you were there when Not Me appeared the first time, her story is years before that.

[Hannah]

Hi Everyone,

I don't think Dad or that Nightmare did this. It's possible Grandpa did, but I don't see how he could have or would have. He'd like these things even less than Dad does.

I sometimes hear the music, when I'm outside. Sometimes it's really hard not to start dancing and follow it.

Hannah

PS: I wish Wie were here, she seems to know how to make me feel better.

[GhostSpider]

In the short term, until Ellie is better, I'd recommend a bracelet or amulet of cold wrought iron. It can, or so many sources say, protect you from the magics of the Fair Folk.

[Ron Caliburn]

I sort of wish he'd show himself. After today I'm in a foul mood and being able to vent it out on something that deserves it would suit me just fine.

[Cybermancer]

Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Caliburn.

Although, I suppose it may be some time before you get a chance to read this message.

There are ways to see what has gone before, although they may not work in this case. The physics are sure to get complicated.

[Ron Caliburn]

There are more than a few things I wouldn't mind getting my hands on right now.

[Cybermancer]

Care to elaborate?