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Ilana walked home from her lessons. She was tired of being continually cooped up being taught the mistakes of the elders. Must the young ones be continually berated for something for which they didn’t do? If she hurried she could get her chores done and still have time to see Yanne before night fall. The elders were convinced that the evil crept around when all was dark. Ilana was not so sure, but she hesitated to cross the elders. Not many people felt the way she did; whenever she brought the history of the land up, people shushed her and hurried away. Yanne was the first to listen. They both believed the elders were keeping things from the young ones. The histories were always the same. A great evil came and stole away some of the youngers and when at last they were returned to the land of fairies, they were different. Even though a mere two cycles of the moon had passed, they looked as though they had been alive when everything was created. People started getting scared. It wasn’t until Ilana’s grandfather stepped up that anybody knew what to do. The five were secluded away in the densest part of the forest where men trained solely for the purpose of guarding them and their secrets could go near them. In all of Ilana’s 80 years, she had never heard of anyone going to seek them out. She didn’t know if they were dead or alive. Yanne had once suggested sneaking past the guards and Ilana had a brief thrill. But then reality hit and she knew it was not possible. What was this great evil; why have they not stolen anyone else? Ilana once asked her grandfather - now an elder – why the wise ones had to be set apart. He told her such questions should not be asked by one as young. Ilana tried to remind him that when he gave the suggestion to the others about the wise ones he had even younger than she. He raised his hand against her and told her to say no more. Face throbbing, Ilana knew that if she was going to find anything else out about the histories and the elders, she would have to do it herself.
Ilana finished her chores, and went to meet Yanne. She was at the age where most youngers got married, and much to her grandfather’s increasing chagrin, she had not found anyone she found desirable. She knew Yanne wanted to marry her, but she felt she was destined for greater things, and Yanne was not to be part of it. Her great-grandmother; before she died, had told her that it was her that was going to change the minds of man. What was man? What did Grandy mean? Grandy was known to be a seeress, and was held in the highest esteem with the town. When she told Yanne this, he was sure he was to be a part of this great destiny and there was no changing him. She had a terrible feeling this attitude would be the death of him. Ilana had often wondered if Grandy’s skills had been passed down to her, and now she was sure of it. It hadn’t presented itself in it’s full power as had it been in Grandy’s case, but Ilana had not yet fully matured, and as she matured, the power in her would as well.
Yanne sat waiting, watching the sun go down slowly into the hills of the low forest. He cursed; there was not much time to be with Ilana now. He needed to tell her of his plan, to see the Wise Ones. He had heard that their time away from the land had filled them with knowledge. Knowledge no one was to have. He knew that was why they were kept away. What they knew would set this land upside down. The elders knew this, Yanne knew this, and he knew, deep down, Ilana knew this as well. Perhaps that was why she was so frightened to meet with the Wise Ones. She did not want the knowledge; she was afraid of its power. Yanne knew the power would not corrupt him, as it might others. He was strong; perhaps the strongest in the land. Forgetting about Ilana, and thinking only of the prospect of power, he strode toward the deep forest, where the Wise Ones were hidden away. He knew all the tricks – the guards would not catch him. He knew not to stay in one place too long, for the guards were sure to catch him then. He circled the building, cutting his loops shorter and shorter until he could see the light in the window. He could distinguish the 5 voices. They were still alive! He edged closer and closer until a sound made him stop short. A sixth voice, not aged by the years and strife of the outer land of evil, but a pure voice unblemished by it A child! How had a child been born to these five? 2700 new moons had occurred since they had come back.
Yanne, contemplating this new discovery left himself vulnerable. By the time he realized the guards were coming closer to where he was hidden, the only way he could get out of sight was to run into the building. The inhabitants stood up as he barged in, and formed a circle around the sixth occupant. Yanne put his finger to his lips. If they made a sound, he was done for. The fear in their eyes reflected that in his own. They feared him, he feared the consequences of the guards catching him. After what seemed to be an eternity of silence, he spoke, "I think we’re safe".
"We were never in any real danger of the guards, young one. It is you who is safe, for now. It is us who decide your fate, no one else." Yanne, stunned by the strong, harsh words, only stared. They didn’t look as old as the pictures of the histories depicted them. For the first time since entering the forest deep, Yanne began to regret his decision to seek out the Wise Ones. A woman stepped forward. "I know you are scared, Younger, but we wish no harm upon you. We knew this day would come. It’s a wonder someone hasn’t broken through the guards before you. It is no crime to be curious at your age. We were."
"Hush Drina!" The first speaker stepped forward as if trying to stop Drina’s words from reaching Yanne’s ears.
"Well we were Emerus. If we weren’t curious, we wouldn’t have been taken away. I don’t understand why the Youngers are told – "
"Drina, you’re getting senile in your age, you just told the boy being curious wasn’t a crime, then your next words blamed your curiousness for our troubles."
"Being curious isn’t a crime, but that does not mean there are no consequences. We’ve had to accept responsibilities for our choices, and so must this Younger."
Yanne stepped forward. "Forgive me for interrupting Wise Ones, but I must ask you – "
"You want to know the truth, don’t you?" Emerus asked.
"Yes. I want to know of the child you’re hiding, and how it came to be in this cabin."
The Wise Ones, as if on cue, stepped out of the protective circle they had made around the sixth occupant. Yanne first saw the twinkle in dark eyes. The little girl stepped out and smiled broadly at Yanne. He couldn’t help but smile back. "Are you a fairy too? I have a little bit in me." Yanne swallowed, waiting for the little voice to continue. When it didn’t, he looked around him. Emerus, always careful, had caught the little one’s eye and shook his head slightly barring any words from coming form her mouth. When would he get his questions asked? Who, or what was this girl?
Ilana was on her way to meet Yanne when she heard a strange noise. It wasn’t the beasts of the forests, nor was it another fairy. It was something she had never come across in her life, but knew seeking it out would change her. Glimpses of her life to come flashed by like waking dreams. Images of a strange land - was she to go there? The noise came closer to her but she stood steadfast. It was a man! She knew this is what Grandy meant; everything she had said rushed to her memory. He stood a head taller than any of the fairy men and had so much hair. He stared at her, his eyes showing fear and shock. "What are you?" he asked in a voice so much deeper than the fairy men. Ilana didn’t answer. She just stared back at him wondering what was to come of this meeting.
Josiah stood staring at the creature before him. She was a small little thing - so why was he frightened of her? He hadn’t meant to come so far into the woods, but something kept drawing him in. Was it her? Was she a witch that had chosen him for her evil schemes?
"Don’t be afraid – I’m not a witch." Ilana was surprised at her bold tongue. She hadn’t meant to give away that she could hear his thoughts. She was just as surprised as him. Never before had her abilities brought her to this. What was it about him that intensified everything around her?
Dark fell quickly in the forest, and she knew the elders would send their scouts as they did every night. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she heard - no felt - their presence. Instinctively, she grabbed the strangers hand and pulled him with her into the bushes. She held a finger to his lips to stop the surprised sound come from them. She felt his heart pounding and wondered if it was an echo of her own. She had heard fables of her ancestors - of Grandy’s line - and how their power was suddenly manifest the instant they came across someone they felt deep emotion for. She had always thought it a story that the simple maidens liked to tell themselves. Meeting this strange man, after having those visions, made fables come alive. She wondered if he was the bridge to her future. She felt his eyes on her, and realized the danger had passed. "It’s alright, we’re safe now."
"From what?" Josiah longed to run, but was unwilling, and unable to draw himself away from this girl.
"The elders. They think only evil comes out at night. It darkens quicker in the forest than nearer the village."
Josiah swallowed. "Village? There’s more than just you?"
"Of course. Where do you think I came from? I sprouted from the ground like a tree?"
Despite himself, Josiah smiled. "No, I just didn’t think anyone lived here. We always thought the forest went on forever, to the ends of the world."
"Well maybe it does. I’ve never seen anyone like you, and you’ve never seen such as my kind. This deep forest may go beyond your people’s world." And then it hit her, she saw it, as if she were there. It was to this world the Wise Ones went to. They weren’t stolen, they went to far past the deep forest. But why did they come back so changed?
Yanne looked at Emerus. "Why don’t you tell me? What are you trying to hide?"
"You!" Emerus said forcefully. "You and all the rest, the elders, the Youngers, everyone. There are things out there, past the deep forest, that you can never know of, ever! It means death, or worse."
Yanne grew impatient. "Tell me old man! Or I will expose your little secret."
Emerus sighed. "Drina is right. You are just like we were. Well perhaps I can save you what we went through all those years ago. I always knew there was something past the forest. I could feel it. Those with me in this room felt the same way. So we decided to go and find out what was beyond our world. We walked for many hours, deeper and deeper into the forest, when suddenly, everything around us changed. The air, the light, everything. We had gone past the border. There were beasts that I had never seen, and the people - so like us, but yet so different. Their physical appearance was so much like ours, but their mannerisms, they were so crude, like our ancestors of old. Drina was taken, and she had a child. That child had a child and so on. This young one is Drina’s great, great, great, great, great grandchild. She has more man in her than fairy, but if we keep her here, inside the borders of the forest, she will age as we do. Time goes by faster in that land than here. That is why our appearances were so altered, even after only two moons had passed for the people here."
Yanne stood incredulously. Finally the answers he had sought for so long, but, this world, so close to their own, yet so different, was beyond even his wildest dreams. Emerus demanded he swear a solemn oath never to repeat what he had heard and to never seek that world, but Yanne swore an oath to himself. He would not let another moon go by before seeing that world for himself.
"Do you want to see it?" Josiah asked, getting braver.
"See what?" Ilana knew the answer, but was afraid to say yes, afraid of what it would mean.
"My world. It’s only fair. You won’t have to go far, just to the edge of the forest."
Ilana said nothing, but stood and held out her hand for Josiah to lead her. It was a long way, longer than Ilana expected, but suddenly the air changed, and she gasped at the oddity of it. And yet, it was familiar. It was this land she dreamed of. But what did it mean? Was she to stay here? Forever lost from the other fairies? Or was she only meant to see it briefly? Was it this world she was to change? Grandy’s prophecy echoed in her ears. Man, not fairy was in her destiny. She looked at Josiah, for she knew him now, she had known him all along. "Take me farther."
Yanne hurried along the path, remembering finally about Ilana. She wasn’t in the meeting place, nor on the path. She wasn’t to be seen ever by those living past the borders of man. But Yanne kept his oath. Before the next moon, he travelled to the other world. As he passed the border, a movement caught his eye. A woman, strangely familiar was staring at him. "Yanne?" She asked. "Can it really be you?"
Yanne moved closer. "Ilana! What are you doing here?"
"Yanne, you have to leave this place. It is dangerous for you. You don’t know how the people are here. They believe in this Being that controls everything, and they are afraid of what is different. You, are different. You mustn’t let them see you. They will kill you."
"What about you? You’re in danger too then."
Ilana smiled. "No, I came earlier, they accepted me for they knew no different. Things have changed much since I’ve been in this land. They’ve forgotten I where I came from. Now, please, go."
Yanne went that day, but returned the next. He was careless, watching for Ilana. Robed men grabbed him, intoning Latin as they dragged him farther from the borders. Yanne struggled and a robbed man hit him, and he knew no more.
For years after that, there were rumours of a little people who lived in the forest, and lived forever. There were also rumours that a little woman had come to a village and married a man, but as the years went by, all fact had turned to myth.
