I opened the door and barged into the witch's cottage. This time something happened. My leg pulled on a string. The witch's cauldron appeared with a ghostly image of the witch appearing above it.
"Welcome to the Crafty Carver, home of bear carvings and novelties." The figure said. "I am completely out of stock at this time, but if you'd like to inquire about a portrait or wedding cake toppers, pour vial one into the cauldron. If you'd like a bedouin garlic, vial two. If you're that red-haired lass, vial three."
Wow, she must had been out of stock for a long time. I quickly poured the contents of vial three into the cauldron.
"Princess, I'm off to the Wickerman's festival in Stoneleigh. I won't be back till spring. You're probably curious of Mor'du and your father. I believe that you came back from the ruins, yes?"
"How does she-" Pan was cut off by the witch.
"I know everything, Pan! Now, shush!"
Pan stood there quiet. We all softly chuckled.
"Now where was I...Oh, yes, Mor'du!" she said, "I'll tell you a tale, but it's up to you whether you heed the words, or not. Not far from here, there was a prosperous, flourishing kingdom."
"Ancient kingdom! Ancient!" Squaked the crow in the background.
"Would you let me tell it?" Said the witch. "It was ruled by a king whose wisdom was equaled by the love of his people. The King had four sons, each gifted in his own way. The youngest was wise. The third was compassionate. The second son was just. And the King's eldest son was strong, but he mistook great strength for character.
"One dark autumn, the King grew ill. On his deathbed, he proclaimed the crown would not pass to the eldest, but that he would divide the rule. That the combined gifts of the brothers would make an even greater kingdom. But the eldest son felt disgraced. Believing that he alone should be the sole heir, a seed of selfishness grew in him like a poison. To his brothers he declared his claim, and demanded their obedience, shattering the bonds of their brotherhood.
"Words turned to war. Brother fought brother, and the fate of this great kingdom was forever changed. The prince commanded a powerful army, but the battle remained a bitter stalemate. Starving for a victory, the prince cursed his fate.
"He stalked the woods, coming to rest within an ancient ring of stones. The will-O'-the-wisps appeared, drawing him, guiding him, to the edge of a dark loch and a tiny cottage far from the shore. There, lived a rare creature, a beautiful conjurer, an enchantress of elegance and grace, a ravishing vision of magnificent loveliness."
"Please." mutter the crow. We all chuckled again.
"A witch." She continued. "He demanded she create a spell that would change his fate. The strength of ten he desired, and he offered his signet ring to persuade her. The witch could see the wounded soul behind his bluster, and so she made him a spell that offered him a choice, to fulfill his dark wish or heal the family bond she had broken.
"Baiting his brothers with a false truce, the prince claimed his kingdom. To the brothers' protests, he stood before them and drank the spell. At that moment the spell took effect, giving him strength tenfold, but, to his surprise, in the form of a great black bear. Still there was the spell breaker she had given him, if he would only choose to mend the bond torn by pride. Instead, he accepted the shape of the monster. And defeated his brothers.
"He returned to command his army, but they saw only the beast. They took arms against him. He slew a great many, and the rest fled the kingdom in terror. With the armies of the brothers fractured, the kingdom collapsed into darkness, and the blight of the Great Black, Mor'du, fell across his domain. Desiring power over the bonds of family, Mor'du has wandered endlessly, his soul forever buried inside the scarred and tormented shell. A grim fate.
"But what he didn't know that one of the brothers, the compassionate one, lived. He had wed a beautiful princess of high standards and elegance. The couple was expecting their first child. Learning this, the beast was at raged. Then, he decided to somehow reclaim his throne. He thought that force would not be successful. Mor'du then decided that the most painful revenge is to use something that the brother cared about: his unborn child. Mor'du decide to use the child to give him the throne.
"He returned to the witch's cottage asked to make the child like him. Mor'du gave the witch treasure for this, so how could she refuse? The child was to grow up a beautiful, talented, young maiden by day, but a fearsome bear in a full moon. The beast gifted the child with his partial immortality, making the two alike. The lass would live forever, if the fates allow it. With that, Mor'du received some of his humane side back. The child was born on a full moon, like her creator. The beast watched the child blossom in the shadows, waiting to strike.
"So now you know the story. Ta-ta! Oh, and thank you for shopping at the Crafty Carver!"
Suddenly the witch's ghostly image disappeared.
YOU ARE READING
Brave Reborn (OUAT/Peter Pan Fanfic)
Fanfiction"If you had a chance to change your fate, would you?" ~Merida Merida is a girl: independent, stubborn, clever. One morning, she woke with blood in her hands. Merida seeks help from an eccentric witch, who sends her away to Neverland. She meets the "...
