It was a day like any other in Haven when the strange news reached my ears. The sun was high in the sky, casting its warm light over the growing fields and bustling villages. I was attending to the usual matters of state—disputes among landowners, the allocation of resources, and the ongoing training of our army—when a messenger arrived, his face pale and his voice trembling.
"Your Grace," he said, bowing low before me, "there is news from the southern forests. Strange creatures have been spotted, emerging from the deep woods."
I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to make of his words. "Strange creatures? What do you mean?"
The messenger hesitated, clearly struggling to find the right words. "They are... unlike anything we have seen before, my lord. They appear almost human, yet not. They are small, with large eyes and skin like bark. And they were seen near the places where the Essosi have been cutting down the weirwoods."
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of the weirwoods. The ancient trees with faces carved into their trunks were a sacred part of our land, though their significance had long since faded into legend. Few paid them any mind these days, and even fewer remembered the old tales that spoke of their power. But now, with these strange creatures appearing, those old stories seemed to take on a new, unsettling relevance.
"And what of the Essosi?" I asked, my voice steady despite the unease creeping into my thoughts.
"They claim to be the First Men," the messenger replied, "the original settlers of this land. They say they have come to reclaim their heritage, though many here scoff at their words. After all, there have been people living in these lands for centuries, long before these foreigners arrived."
The arrogance of the Essosi claim was not lost on me. It was true that the southern regions, with their fertile lands, had been inhabited for as long as anyone could remember. Kingdoms had risen and fallen there, and the idea that these newcomers could simply declare themselves the rightful owners of the land was met with derision by most. But the appearance of these strange creatures complicated matters.
"What do the people think of these claims?" I asked, leaning back in my chair as I considered the implications.
"Most find it laughable," the messenger admitted. "They see the Essosi as little more than arrogant invaders, trying to stake a claim where they have no right. But the appearance of these creatures... it has given some pause, my lord. There are whispers of ancient magic, of legends coming to life."
I remained silent for a moment, letting the weight of the news settle over me. The arrival of the Essosi, with their bold claims, was troubling enough. But the emergence of these creatures—whatever they were—hinted at something deeper, something far older than the kingdom I now ruled.
In truth, I did not know how to react. The old tales of magic and mythical creatures were just that—tales. I had never put much stock in them, nor had anyone else in Haven. We were a practical people, focused on the here and now, not on the whispers of the past. But now, it seemed that the past was reaching out to us in ways we could not ignore.
"Send scouts to the forests," I ordered finally. "I want to know more about these creatures and the Essosi who have stirred them. But be cautious. We do not know what we are dealing with, and I will not risk our people unnecessarily."
The messenger bowed and left to carry out my orders, leaving me alone with my thoughts. As I stared out the window at the peaceful landscape of Haven, I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. The world was changing in ways I had not anticipated, and I was uncertain of what the future might hold.
Later that evening, as I sat with my councilors, the topic of the Essosi claims came up again. As expected, most of them dismissed the foreigners' arrogance out of hand.
"They are fools if they think they can come here and claim to be the First Men," one of them scoffed. "We have lived here for generations, built kingdoms and homes. They have no right to call themselves the first anything."
"But what of the creatures?" another councilor asked, his tone more cautious. "If the old tales are true, if these beings are connected to the weirwoods... should we not be concerned?"
"There have always been strange things in the deep forests," a third councilor replied dismissively. "This is nothing more than the result of overactive imaginations."
I listened to their debate in silence, my mind churning with conflicting thoughts. On the one hand, the claims of the Essosi were laughable, an attempt to assert dominance over a land they did not understand. But on the other hand, the appearance of these creatures—whatever they might be—suggested that there were forces at work here that we did not fully comprehend.
In the end, I decided to keep an open mind. "We will watch and wait," I said, ending the discussion. "If the Essosi truly believe themselves to be the First Men, they may yet reveal more about their intentions. As for the creatures... we will see what our scouts find. Until then, we will continue as we have, focusing on the well-being of Haven and its people."
The councilors nodded in agreement, and the meeting was adjourned. But even as I returned to my chambers that night, the unease lingered. The world was shifting in ways I could not yet understand, and I knew that I would need to be vigilant in the days to come.
As I lay in bed, my thoughts turned once more to the old stories—the legends of magic, of weirwoods and creatures that lived in the deep forests. For years, they had been nothing more than bedtime tales, passed down from one generation to the next. But now, with the arrival of the Essosi and the strange happenings in the south, I wondered if there was more truth to those tales than any of us had ever believed.
And if there was, what did it mean for the future of Haven?
The forest loomed ahead of the envoy as they made their way through the dense underbrush. Tall, ancient trees towered above them, their branches intertwining to form a thick canopy that blocked out much of the sunlight. The air was cool and damp, filled with the scent of earth and moss. As the men approached the clearing where the strange creatures had been spotted, a hush fell over them. The usual chatter and laughter that accompanied their journeys was replaced by a tense silence, each man on edge, unsure of what they would find.
The creatures, when they finally appeared, were unlike anything the envoy had ever seen. Small and slight, with skin like the bark of the trees they lived among, they seemed almost to blend into the forest itself. Their large eyes glinted in the dim light, watching the men with an intensity that made them uneasy.
The leader of the envoy, a seasoned diplomat named Halric, stepped forward cautiously. He had dealt with many strange and unpredictable people in his time, but nothing quite like this. Clearing his throat, he spoke in the common tongue, hoping that these creatures might understand.
"We come in peace," he began, his voice steady but cautious. "We have heard of your presence in these woods and wish to understand who you are and what you desire."
At first, the creatures made no response. They simply watched, their expressions unreadable. Halric shifted uneasily, wondering if they could even understand him. But then, one of the creatures stepped forward, its eyes narrowing as it began to speak in a strange, lilting language that none of the men recognized. The words flowed like the wind through the trees, carrying a sense of urgency and anger, but their meaning was lost on the envoy.
The men exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of how to proceed. They had prepared for many scenarios, but not this. Halric was about to try speaking again when, to his surprise, the creature's language began to shift. Slowly, the unfamiliar sounds gave way to words they could understand, though they were spoken in a halting, ancient dialect that made them sound as though they were pulled from the depths of time itself.
"We are the children of the forest," the creature said, its voice now clear, though still tinged with an otherworldly quality. "We have lived here since before the memory of man, long before your kind set foot on this land."
Halric nodded slowly, his mind racing. The "children of the forest"—he had heard the term before, in the old stories passed down through generations. But like most, he had dismissed them as mere myths, relics of a bygone age. Yet here they were, standing before him in the flesh.
"We do not seek to harm you," Halric said carefully, choosing his words with the utmost caution. "We only wish to understand what has brought you out of the deep woods after all this time."
The creature's eyes flashed with something that might have been anger or sorrow. "It is not by choice that we reveal ourselves," it said. "It is because of the outsiders—those who come from across the sea. They have violated the sacred places of our people. They cut down the weirwoods, the trees that hold the faces of our gods. This we cannot forgive."
A murmur went through the men at this revelation. Halric felt a chill run down his spine. The weirwoods were indeed ancient and sacred, but their significance had long been forgotten by most. To these beings, however, they were still holy, and the thought of them being desecrated by foreigners filled Halric with unease.
"We were not aware," Halric said, his tone apologetic. "The men who have come to these shores are not of our people. We do not condone their actions, nor do we seek to bring harm to your sacred places."
The creature seemed to study Halric for a long moment, as if weighing the truth of his words. "It matters not who they are or where they come from," it said finally. "What matters is that they have brought destruction to our home. The weirwoods are our lifeblood, our connection to the past and the future. Without them, we are lost."
Halric bowed his head in acknowledgment. "I will bring your message to my lord," he said. "We will do what we can to prevent further harm to your sacred trees. But I must ask—what is it that you seek from us?"
The creature's eyes softened, though the tension in its voice remained. "We seek only to be left in peace," it said. "To live as we have always lived, in harmony with the land. If your people can respect this, then there will be no further conflict between us. But if the outsiders continue to destroy what is sacred to us, there will be consequences. We will not stand by and watch our home be torn apart."
Halric nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I will ensure that your words are heard," he promised. "But I must ask—what of these outsiders? They are not easily swayed, and their numbers grow with each passing day. How do we stop them?"
The creature's expression darkened. "That is for your kind to decide," it said. "But know this: the land itself will rise against those who seek to destroy it. We are not the only ones who will defend these woods. The old powers are waking, and they will not be kind to those who come with axes and fire."
With those ominous words, the creature stepped back into the shadows of the forest, and the rest of its kin followed suit, disappearing as silently as they had appeared. The envoy was left standing in the clearing, the weight of the encounter heavy on their minds.
As they made their way back to Haven, Halric couldn't help but feel a growing sense of dread. The world was changing, and forces long forgotten were stirring. What this meant for Haven and for the future of the kingdom, he did not yet know. But one thing was certain: they were facing something far greater than any threat they had encountered before.
And in the distance, in the southern forests where the weirwoods had been cut down, something ancient and powerful was beginning to wake.
A year had passed since I sent my envoy to the southern forests, a year filled with the usual affairs of the kingdom—councils, disputes, and the ever-present task of managing the growing realm. But in the back of my mind, there lingered a quiet unease, a sense that something larger, something ancient and untamed, was brewing far beyond the borders of Haven.
When the envoy finally returned, their faces were drawn with exhaustion, their bodies worn from the long and arduous journey. I gathered my council in the Great Hall, the walls echoing with the low murmur of voices as everyone settled in, eager to hear what news they brought. I stood at the head of the room, my eyes fixed on Halric, the leader of the envoy, as he began his tale.
"The journey to the southern forest was long and perilous, my lord," Halric began, his voice steady despite the weariness etched on his face. "The land is wild and untamed, with paths that are little more than game trails, and rivers that swell and rage without warning. But we pressed on, determined to reach the place where these strange creatures had been sighted."
I nodded, urging him to continue. The room had fallen silent, every ear attuned to his words.
"When we reached the forest, it was as if we had stepped into another world. The trees there are ancient, taller than any we have in Haven, their trunks thick with age and wisdom. There is a presence in those woods, something that watches and waits, though we never saw what it was. And then, we met them—the children of the forest, they called themselves."
A ripple of surprise ran through the room. The children of the forest were the stuff of legend, stories told by the fireside to frighten or amuse. But Halric's tone left no room for doubt.
"They were small, slight, and their skin… it was like the bark of the trees, blending with their surroundings. At first, we couldn't understand their language, but then one of them spoke to us in an ancient dialect, something from a time long past."
"What did they say?" I asked, my voice quiet but firm.
Halric hesitated for a moment before continuing. "They spoke of the weirwoods, my lord. The trees with faces carved into them, sacred to their people. The men from across the sea—the ones who claim to be the first men—they've been cutting them down, desecrating what the children hold most dear. They warned us that if this destruction continues, there will be consequences, not just from them, but from the land itself."
A murmur of concern spread through the council. My thoughts raced. The weirwoods… even in Haven, there were a few scattered remnants, though their significance had faded over time. But to these creatures, they were vital, sacred. And the idea of the land itself rising in anger…
"What do they want from us?" I asked.
"They ask only to be left in peace," Halric replied. "To live as they have always lived. But they made it clear that if the outsiders continue their destruction, they will not sit idly by. They spoke of ancient powers, my lord, powers that will not be kind to those who bring axes and fire to the sacred places."
The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of what they implied. Ancient powers. The land rising against those who defiled it. These were not threats to be taken lightly.
I took a deep breath, my mind turning over the possibilities. Haven was strong, its people resilient, but this… this was something different. Something that went beyond swords and armies.
"We will need to tread carefully," I said finally. "Send word to the southern borders. No one is to cut down a weirwood, no matter the reason. Let it be known that these trees are under the protection of the crown."
There were nods of agreement around the room, though I could see the uncertainty in their eyes. This was uncharted territory for all of us.
"And what of the outsiders?" one of my councilors asked. "They seem intent on carving out their own place in this land, regardless of the consequences."
"We will deal with them in time," I said, my voice firm. "But for now, our focus must be on understanding these children of the forest, and on keeping the peace within our borders. If the land itself is stirring, we need to be prepared for whatever comes next."
The council nodded, though I could sense their unease. As the meeting drew to a close, I dismissed them, but Halric lingered behind, his face troubled.
"My lord," he said quietly, "there's something else. The children… they spoke of a darkness, something that they say has been awakened by the destruction of the weirwoods. They didn't explain further, but the fear in their eyes was real."
I felt a chill run through me. A darkness awakened… The words echoed in my mind, a foreboding that I couldn't shake.
"Keep this to yourself, Halric," I said, my voice low. "We need more information before we spread rumors that could cause panic. But stay vigilant. If there's something more at play here, I want to know about it."
He nodded and left the hall, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The fire crackled in the hearth, but its warmth did little to dispel the cold unease that had settled over me. The world was changing, old powers awakening, and the peace we had fought so hard to build seemed suddenly fragile.
I turned to the window, gazing out at the sprawling lands of Haven. It was a kingdom built on hope and perseverance, but would it be enough to face the challenges that were coming?
Only time would tell.