Faerie

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three

All I could think about during out long journey back to Hobs Wicket was Mac. The explosion was huge, you could have seen it for miles and the sound was so loud, we were miles away before the ringing had stopped.

Morning was now upon us and we had stopped to refresh ourselves. We had been travelling all night and at one point I had drifted off to sleep. I woke up slouched against Kieran's chest, my head resting under his chin. We had been travelling all night and even though we rode in the direction of the log cabin, we never reached it. The land had moved and changed since then. A way of the land protecting itself from any other harm.

However, it was a good thing. The sun was leaking up over the horizon casting a golden glow out, over the land. The last of the stars twinkled in and out of consciousness as the sky turned a lilac blue. We travelled further over flat plains with dead, brown grass and a few dying trees.

"Hobs wicket is just through there." Kieran pointed out, noticing I was awake.

I glanced in the direction, my eyes still smudged with sleepy dust. I focused on a group of trees, it was like a miniature forest. Only a few cluster of tall trees grouped together. As we rode closer I started to see things embedded amongst it. As if something used to be there and wildlife had taken over it.

"This used to be one of the entrances to Danu's court." Kieran pointed out, as we finally came to a halt.

Kieran didn't talk much after the incident at The Unseelie Court. When I asked questions about what about his father, the king he chose to ignore me. Perhaps he was ashamed to be a part of that side of Faerie. So when he spoke as if nothing had happened, I felt relieved.

The grass was longer here, almost tickling the belly of the stud we were riding. Kieran hopped down and the grass came up to the top of his legs. He offered a hand, I took it. Jumping down, the grass came up to my hips. The grass was greener than the rest of the plain, though it had started to brown. The trees rusted the leaves in the slight breeze that rounded us.

I glanced amongst the trees and noticed stone slabs, overgrown with weeds and vines. Dirt was covering them. I was eager to follow them but Kieran stopped me.

"Remember what I said about Hobs Wicket?" He said with piercing blue eyes.

I nodded. Kieran and Mac told me about the creepy woodland. How it could deceive and play tricks on you. However, I believed it was the forest protecting itself. It was already dying and this was the only chance it had in order to survive. I also remembered Danu in the dream I had. How she was there in her original state and how she mentioned that the forest would look after me. I felt confident.

Dead vines cracked under our boots as we followed the almost hidden slabs. Yellow after centuries of decay, the trees enclosing around us. However, I still could see the flat, empty planes surrounding us and I could see the horse, grazing as we trod deeper.

It was hard to pick out the slabs as we trod carefully through the woods. Some of them were missing or broken. Kieran led the way, gracefully stepping on them. I felt a little like Dorothy in the wizard of Oz and following the road that led them to the emerald city. However, this was much creepier.

As we wound our way through, I glanced around, picking out old fire torches held up by, four foot stone columns. Brown vines, dead, snaking around them. Ivy and fungi tangled at the base. Amongst the shrubbery and the weeds, I could see remnants of statues and iron gates. It looked creepy, forgotten and abandoned. The forest grew darker as we came to a bridge. Brambles decorated the railings and the vines came up and across the bridge, like fingers clutching on for dear life. It creaked loudly and unforgiving as we walked across it. I thought it would suddenly collapse with the unexpected weight. We made it across and was now faced with the bridge turning back into the disappearing stone slabs. The tiny woodland seemed to expand into Hobs wicket. Thick trunked trees with strange mushrooms growing off the side loomed up. Thick vines swooped down from above attaching themselves to the next tree. We walked carefully side by side; Kieran had his sword drawn, ready for anything that could jump out at us.