Chapter Text
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like a bad star I'm falling faster down to her
she's the only one who knows what it is to burn
**
Chapter 1: The Shadow’s Sword
The trees planted beyond the castle walls had been growing for a hundred years or more, and still, their tallest branches did not reach the top of the wall.
The castle itself was carved into the side of a mountain. A grand waterfall - fed by the melting glaciers above - fell around it’s towering mass. A series of bridges connected the castle to its massive walls, leaving the water free to cascade down and flow beneath. A mist often rose from the water, which sometimes made the castle look as though it was floating.
At the base of the castle, the river was divided into 3 channels - one that flowed directly south, towards the villages beyond the castle wall, one to the southeast, into the forbidden woods, and the last, to the southwest, through the farmlands.
The river flowed through caverns under the bottom of the castle wall. Thick iron bars covered both ends of these caverns, to prevent boats from coming in or going out.
Of course, there was an exception. There was an iron bar missing in the grate that covered the passage to the southeast. The gap was not wide enough for a boat, nor a dragon, nor even a man in a full suit of armor.
It was, however, just wide enough for a princess in a dark cloak to slip through in the middle of the night.
~
Dead leaves crunched under the princess’s boots as they walked. The path through the woods was bathed in moonlight, divided up by the long shadows cast by the trees.
The whoosh of the river faded as they advanced further from the castle.
Something fluttered in the underbrush up ahead, disturbing the leaves. Something else in the far distance howled.
It was nice to be reminded they weren’t alone under such a beautiful full moon.
The path meandered into a swamp, and so it curved this way and that to round the larger pools that had settled. The fronds of ferns as tall as the princess, and taller, had extended into the path. The very tip of a frond brushed their cheek as they pushed another out of their way.
Beyond the fern grove, the path straightened out, and widened. Several knights in a row, on horseback, or perhaps a carriage, could easily fit on the road.
The distant howl that had accompanied the princess suddenly quieted. The princess listened for it to start back up again, and as they listened, they caught another sound. The crunch of someone with a light step, not far behind them.
The princess was fast, but the person following behind was faster. In the time it took for them to reach for the handle of the dagger they kept at their waist, a blade pressed to their throat.
“Don’t move.” their captor demanded.
Up ahead, a second person stepped out from behind a large tree and approached.
“What do we have here?” the man asked - an edge of cruel teasing colored his voice.
The princess’s cloak concealed the hand that was neatly wrapped around the dagger. If they could just talk their way out from under the foe’s blade, they might have a shot at getting away.
“What do you want?” the princess asked.
“What do you have? ” the man with the knife asked. His hot breath tousled locks of the princess’s hair.
They shuddered.
“Nothing that would interest you.” the princess shot back.
“What makes you so sure?” the man in front of them asked as he took another step closer.
“What’s a girl like you doing all alone out in these woods, anyways?” he continued, “It’s dangerous out here you know? There’s witches around these parts… A ghost, too.”
The princess felt the blade catch, ever so slightly, against their neck.
A third figure stepped out from behind a tree across the path. The moon was to their back, rendering them little more than a shadowy outline of a figure. A set of antlers sprung from this third figure’s helmet.
Hopefully there were only three of them. If there were more than three, well... the princess did not much like these odds.
(The witches were expecting the princess, sure, but they’d think nothing of it if the princess did not show up tonight. It was hard to get away from the castle sometimes. Their arrangements were rarely so concrete.)
All of a sudden, the press of the blade at their throat lightened.
“Hey, boss… there’s someone-”
“Let her go.” the third figure demanded, earning the attention of the man that had been standing in front of the princess. He turned in search of the voice, leaving the princess free to draw their dagger and slash at the hand holding the blade to their neck. Though, in the process, the knife burned as it slipped across their skin.
The man yelped as he dropped the knife. The sound made his accomplice quickly turn back towards them.
The princess kicked the knife at their feet into the underbrush.
The man before them stepped back and drew his sword. He eyed the princess’s blood stained dagger, and then his gaze flitted back towards the shadow of the man on the path. The odds were better than the princess had calculated, and their captor-to-be seemed to realize this as well.
Too soon for celebration… The princess heard the unmistakable hiss of another sword being drawn from somewhere behind them. The man they had wounded had a sword, too, it seemed.
The princess backed away from the two swordsmen, with no choice but to gravitate towards the shadowy figure on the path.
“This ain’t no fun anymore.” the man they’d sliced spat, “Let’s kill ‘em.”
“Get behind me.” the third man, with the antlers, insisted as he drew a sword of his own.
Under normal circumstances, the princess may have challenged such a demand, but here the man with the antlers on his helmet had a much larger weapon.
The two bandits drew nearer, swords pointed directly at the princess and the shadowed figure. The princess and the shadow mirrored the motion, both backing away from their foes together. There was only so much space behind them… The princess nearly stumbled backwards over the gnarled root of the large tree they were backing towards. One of the bandits lunged forward and swiftly knocked the sword from the shadow’s hand.
A nervous laugh escaped the shadow.
The princess quickly held out their blade for their savior to take.
The man with the antlers lunged back at the bandit who had come for him, with his new, much shorter weapon. The bandit’s sword collided with his shoulder, though in return, the dagger had been planted right into his side.
For a moment, the princess stood there and watched, weaponless and terrified. The man with the antlers barely dodged the swing of the second sword from the other bandit.
Remembering their shadowy savior’s sword, the princess quickly turned in search of it. The blade glinted in the moonlight. They quickly grabbed the sword and turned back towards the fray.
In the short time this had taken the man with the antlers had managed to get one of the bandits - the one he’d stabbed - onto the ground. He was howling as he braced his hands around the dagger in his side.
The two men had rotated a little, and now the glow of the moon reached the man with the antlered helmet’s face.
Only, he wasn’t wearing a helmet. Or, it didn’t appear that he was. Two sizable antlers sprung from the crown of his head. Long brown hair cascaded down around them. Though he was empty-handed, his eyes were wild, determined to take the second man down.
“Over here!” the princess called.
Poorly planned perhaps. The bandit turned and pointed his sword directly at the princess.
The princess did not, however, end up needing to use the sword in their hands.
Gloved hands wrapped around the second bandit’s neck. He blindly jabbed his sword back over his shoulder, in an attempt to strike the man with the antlers. It was no use. The man with the antlers ducked away from the sword without loosening his grip, and soon, the bandit went limp and dropped like a sack of potatoes.
The man with the antlers quickly stepped towards the princess, who held out his sword.
“Are you alright?” he asked, taking and resheathing his sword.
The princess could not tear their eyes away from the two men on the ground - one writhing in agony, and the other out cold.
“I’m fine.” the princess insisted.
“You’re bleeding.” the man said, taking another step closer to inspect their neck.
The princess swiped at their neck and inhaled sharply when their hand came away wet with dark blood.
“I’ve had worse.” the princess shrugged.
“If you say so.” the man with the antlers offered skeptically. He turned back towards the bandits to inspect his work. “Do you want your dagger back?”
Without waiting for the princess to answer, he walked back over the men on the ground and ripped the dagger from the man’s side.
The princess watched, helpless and wide-eyed, as he wiped the blade clean on his cloak and presented it, handle first.
“Thank you.” the princess said dryly as they took the blade and slid it back into its rightful place at their side.
“Why don’t you let me escort you to wherever you were headed?” the man with the antlers asked, “That guy wasn’t kidding. It is dangerous out here, you know?”
“I walk these woods all the time.” the princess argued, and now that the danger had passed, they were almost offended.
“Alright, alright.” antlers defended, holding up his hands.
“But you may escort me.” the princess allowed, “It was this way…”
The man with the antlers kicked one of the men on the ground as he passed them to follow after the princess. A weak, pained grunt sounded.
The distant echoing howl in the forest resumed.
“What should I call you?” the princess asked, as they set off down the path.
“Frank.”
“Frank.” the princess repeated.
“Yeah.” Frank said, “And you are...?”
“Gerard.” the princess said, after a moment of hesitation.
“A pleasure to rescue you, Gerard.” Frank said, “You said you walk these woods often? Don’t take this the wrong way… but you don’t exactly look like you’re from around here.”
“No one’s from around here.” the princess offered, gesturing towards the forest.
“I suppose you’re right.” Frank agreed.
“So Frank… It’s not that I’m ungrateful.” the princess said, “But what exactly were you doing out here in the middle of the night anyways?”
“I could ask you the same question.” Frank answered.
The princess was not amused by this.
“...I was searching for something.” Frank amended after a few steps in awkward silence.
“Oh. Perhaps it’s something I could help you find?” the princess asked.
“It’s not… At least, I don’t think so?” Frank answered wearily, “But it’s nice of you to offer.”
“It’s the least I could do to repay your kindness…” the princess shrugged.
“Kindness?” Frank laughed, “I couldn’t have gotten the upper hand without you.”
And at the moment Frank had no idea how right he was.
Chapter 2: The Witches
Beyond the stretch of road (wide enough for a carriage or a line of knights on horseback), laid the ruins of a farm - an old shack, and a large, overgrown clearing. The sign that once hung from the broken fence hung from one corner. The old chain holding it up squeaked when the wind blew.
Beyond the old farm, laid a path, where the underbrush grew thick enough to block some of the moonlight, and at the end of the path, laid an abode.
“I know this path.” Frank commented, “Where did you say you were headed?”
“I didn’t.” the princess answered.
If Frank too was an adversary of some kind, (perhaps the craftier kind, the kind their mother had warned them about,) the princess had led him right to one of their most treasured places.
“Are you... going to see the witches?” Frank asked.
Gerard paused on the path to give Frank a calculating once over.
“Is that a problem?” Gerard asked.
“No! Not at all!” Frank assured, “It’s just… Well, they’ve actually been looking after me. I just wouldn’t have guessed we were headed to the same place.”
It was Branwen, then, that sensed the battle-weary pair on the path. It was Vivian who opened the door. And it was Hettie who called out, “My children of the night! What has become of you?”
And then they were ushered inside. The slice across the princess’s neck had mostly stopped bleeding, however, there was a dark patch of bright-red blood soaked into the front of their dress. Hettie’s careful hand was soon spreading a salve across the wound, while Vivian ran her fingers over the dress, coaxing the blood free of the white linen.
In spite of Hettie’s fussing and the spell Vivian was murmuring, the princess was transfixed by the sight of their saviour in the candlelight. Frank winced as he shrugged off his cloak, revealing thick leather armor that hung from his shoulders. There was a split in the leather where the bandit had struck his shoulder with a sword. Branwen helped him lift the leather over his head - minding the antlers, which looked all the more real in the light. He winced at this as well.
He hissed as Branwen prodded at his tender shoulder. She retreated back to the light of the fire with the compromised leather shoulder piece in-hand. As soon as she was across the room mumbling to herself about her mending kit - she had been “mending just the other day” - Frank looked up. He smiled as their eyes met.
He was awfully handsome, the princess thought.
“Are you even listening to me?” Hettie complained to the princess, “Oh, nevermind! ”
The princess blushed and averted their gaze, over to Hettie, in penance.
“Forgive me.” the princess requested.
“You know how I feel about you walking here alone at night.” Hettie sighed.
“How many times have I made the journey alone without consequence?” Gerard reminded.
“Enough to gain the attention of consequence, it seems.” Hettie replied.
“Perhaps Frank could escort the princess in the future...” Vivian mused.
“He’s not an errand dog!” argued Branwen.
“You’re a princess?” Frank asked.
Gerard looked over at him once more and nodded, a touch sheepish.
“You didn’t tell him you are a princess? The princess around these parts.” Hettie scolded, “Where are your manners, Gerard?”
“Hettie…” Branwen warned.
“The woods have always escorted me.” the princess reasoned, “I was listening to them, Hettie… They let me know I was being followed.”
Vivian smiled fondly. The princess glanced down and found that the blood had vanished from the front of their dress.
By the light of the fire, Vivian and Gerard went over the incantations for stirring the voices of the forest while Branwen repaired Frank’s armor. She couldn’t use normal thread, she explained, magic was the best mender after all.
At first Gerard was a touch self-conscious reciting spells in the presence of a stranger. Every time they looked up, Frank seemed to be listening. He’d loosened his undershirt so that it could hang off of his shoulder. Even in the dim, a dark bruise from the impact of the sword he’d met was starting to take shape across his skin.
The next time the princess looked up, Frank’s eyes were closed. He’d fallen asleep curled up in his chair by the fire.
“He’s been sleeping in the strangest places.” Vivian commented, keeping her voice low.
“He said you’ve been looking after him. Where did he come from?” Gerard asked, voice equally soft.
“He came to us,” Vivian said, “The poor thing.”
“Must’ve been a week ago now. We found a deer with an arrow in its side lying in the meadow across the road. Hettie wanted to try to nurse it back to health, so we went to get Branwen to help us carry it. Bran took one look at him and said he wasn’t a deer at all…”
“Powerful magic.” Hettie commented from across the room, “I couldn’t even undo it all the way. He’s still got the antlers.”
“You changed him back with magic?” Gerard asked.
“It sounds more impressive than it was.” Hettie deflected.
Gerard looked back to Frank to study his sleeping form, the curve of his antlers.
“He doesn’t know how long he’d been like that. Doesn’t remember where he came from…” Branwen added in, “All he’s got are the clothes on his back, and a sword with no markings.”
Frank wandering the woods at night, searching for something Gerard couldn’t help him find, as he’d said, made sense.
~
Frank stirred as the princess was pulling on their cloak to depart before the coming dawn. His eyes widened as it registered that Gerard was leaving.
“Let me escort you back to the castle.” he offered, voice heavy with sleep.
“There’s no need.” the princess assured, “No bandits at this hour.”
“At least through the woods.” Frank requested, wincing as he unfolded himself and got to his feet, “Please. It would put my mind at ease to know you are safe.”
He reached for his cloak without waiting for Gerard to answer. Gerard didn’t miss the smirk that Branwen shot at her sisters.
~
The distant howl of the forest was much quieter at this hour.
“Vivian told me about your… problem. ” Gerard began, as they walked. They weren't entirely sure that it was the right word, “She said you don’t remember where you came from… But you remember your name? Or is 'Frank' just a name you came up with?”
“I can’t say for sure, I guess?” Frank said, “They asked me my name when they found me and that was what came out of my mouth? It feels like it’s really my name.”
“I might be able to help you.” Gerard offered, “I can ask around the kingdom… See if anyone is looking for a missing Frank. If you want…”
“Maybe.” said Frank, it was a few steps before he continued, “I considered just starting with the nearest village and asking around myself but I worry… What if I don’t want to be found by the person who changed me? What if they try to do it again? Or worse?”
“After your earlier performance, I suspect your odds of defeating them aren’t bad.” Gerard offered, “But I understand your concern. With magic especially...”
“My memories feel… just out of reach?” Frank mused, “Hettie has been giving me cup after cup of this awful tea that’s supposed to help. It’s like drinking swamp water. I’m really hoping I can remember more on my own.”
“And you think wandering the forbidden woods at night, assisting princesses in battle, is going to help?” Gerard asked.
Frank let out a breath of a laugh. Something skittered off into the brush as they crossed a small footbridge. “Hey, I got to meet a princess.” he shrugged, “I can’t complain.”
“Every night since the witches found me I’ve had this dream.” he added, in a tone more serious, “Where I’m alone in the woods and it’s dark and there’s… a fire? But it’s far away. I was thinking, maybe, if I keep looking, I might find that place, wherever it is.”
“A fire…” Gerard repeated thoughtfully, then added, “Well, I promise to keep your whereabouts a secret for as long as you’d like.”