Book One Chapter Thirteen: Forbidden Forest Intro?

Book One Chapter Thirteen: Forbidden Forest Intro?

Halt!

Theyd made it about three steps into the Forbidden Forest before they got stopped. A small, twisted little creature stood in front of them, holding a spear bigger than it. The creature looked like a mix between a frog and a giant acorn.

Qube screamed. The acorn-frog ignored her, looking at the Chosen One and Sewer Bard.

You may not enter without the mark of Mother Gothel! It croaked.

The Chosen One rummaged around in his backpack.

Wait, Ive got it right here. No. Wait. Hmm. I really need to organise this better. Mark mark l m n o p, so it would be aha! He triumphantly held the wooden plaque aloft.

The guard nodded solemnly. Youd better hurry, Hero, if you want your friend back. Qube looked at the guide in confusion, then looked at the Sewer Bard, who was starting to look a little worried himself. Maybe the guard knew that the mark meant Mother Gothel had a prisoner, and just hadnt yet heard that theyd broken the curse? It made sense, theyd travelled without stopping (except to pick various herbs) so the news couldnt have reached the Forbidden Forest before them.

A half smile quirked at the Chosen Ones lips, amused at a private joke.

Oh this is gonna be good. He laughed quietly. He practically skipped forward, a pretty impressive thing to see of someone in full plate armour (minus the helmet, of course, because only villains wore face coverings). After a few skips he stopped, disappointed.

Huh, I thought something was going to dramatically break. He said, turning back to Sewer Bard and Qube, who had yet to step past the guard. Oh hey, theres the village. Just a little bit down the path they could see the (thatched, as prophesied) roofs of about twelve different huts. Come on. The Hero of All Living Creatures said and so Sewer Bard and Qube stepped past the guard.

For the second time that night the entire world fell apart.

Honestly, it was starting to annoy Qube. Was this normal for places outside the village? She thought as the world seemed to ripple before her, dead trees suddenly bursting into leaf, dilapidated huts standing upright and the villagers switching from hostile positions to happy dancing. Granted, the villagers were all still horrifying abominations of forest items mashed together and given life, but they were a lot more pleasant to watch dance than pointing weapons at them. Just.

One of the abominations was a giant spider with screaming childrens faces stitched along its sides. It was standing on its hind four legs, its swollen abdomen dragging along the ground. Its top four legs were against its middle joint, for all the world like a human with their hands on their hips. Long brown hair sprang from its top screaming face, ignoring its green tipped fangs.

But strangest of all, it was wearing clothes. Not much was covered, true, but it had a short brown leather skirt on the top of its abdomen, and a one shouldered crop top around where a humans bust would be. There was also a crossbow slung over its shoulder, but that part made more sense. A spider wouldnt want to get into a slugging match, after all.

It strut towards them, swinging its pseudo hips in a decidedly disturbing manner.

Looks like you had it in you after all, Hero. The decidedly female sounding spider said in a husky voice. Although it was opening its mouth and clicking its fangs, the voice seemed to emanate from somewhere within it.

The Chosen One stepped back, horrified. Qube hid behind him and got ready to cast.

I suppose Id better hook up with you lot then, make sure to keep the Dryad Queens sacred gem safe, huh? Half of her eyes winked provocatively.

What, cat got your tongue? Or are you just surprised to see me in my true form? The giant spider leaned forward, making her top shift strangely. A screaming face peeked cheekily out from the suddenly exposed ...skin? Exoskeleton? Carapace? Qube couldnt remember what spiders had.

On the other, other hand, if the only reason it made him uncomfortable was because it was coming from a giant spider covered in human faces, was it not just discrimination against the differently beautiful?

On the other, other, other hand, should Sexy Screamy Spider Lady be allowed to continue with her delusion that she was a fully blooded wood elf rather than a giant spider? Assuming, of course, that the appearance of a full blooded wood elf was not, in fact, that of a giant spider with forever screaming kids erupting out of it? What if she, Qube, was being prejudiced by thinking that full blooded wood elves had to look a certain way?

Qube was officially stuck in a worry spiral.

Right! The Chosen One said, thankfully breaking Qube out of her thoughts. Time to go see what kind of unholy mess the Forbidden Forest dungeon is in.

There are no dungeons here, my Hero. Sexy Screamy Spider Lady said. In deference to the Chosen Ones wishes, she didnt wink at him.

Temple, whatever, The Chosen One waves her words away, the place where the Dryad Queens heart was.

Possibly the giant tree towering over everything? Qube suggested. The Chosen One squinted at the blackened dead tree that reached to the sky. A large black doorway was carved in the space between its above ground roots.

Yeah probably. He conceded.

Are you going to be leaving this humble jungle, my Hero? Sexy Screamy Spider Lady asked the Chosen One.

Technically? The Chosen One said.

Then please, take me. It would be an honour to serve you on your journey. My life is yours to command. Sexy Screamy Spider Lady said as non-provocatively as she could. She still flinched, as if whipped. Avoiding sexuality seemed to be physically painful for her, as far as Qube could determine. Given Qube was attempting to analyse the facial expression of several screaming faces and a spider, it was rather difficult to tell. Possibly she was Prophecy bound to be sexy? The Golden Prophecy hadnt mentioned anything about romance, but perhaps it had to do with a different reading of taking the forests heart. Perhaps the Chosen One and Sexy Screamy Spider Lady were destined to fall in love?

Qube spared a glance for Sewer Bard, who seemed entranced by the giant spider woman skittering alongside them.

Or maybe it was Sewer Bard who was destined to win this denizen of the forests favour? While she had originally thought him shallow and annoying, as well as painfully shy for all his bragging, he had really shown her his worth this night. He was not, as she had first supposed, at all concerned with the appearance of women. Instead he had fallen in love with Mother Gothel, a wizened old witch, and now he was looking at a true abomination with stars in his eyes. He saw deeper than the skin, and had seen the inner beauty of both women: one her Queenly nature, the other her bravery in offering to help save the world, while Qube had let herself be swayed by their physical appearance.

Qube was ashamed of herself. Silently she vowed to be more like Sewer Bard, and look for the inner spirit of each person, rather than be put off by the fact that they had eternally screaming childrens faces stitched to their giant hairy spider bodies. She smiled at him mistily but he, still being shy around her no doubt, did not look at her.

Unless the reason he didnt want to interact with her was that her inner soul was hideous.

No, that couldnt be it. She was the Prophecy Approved Companion, that meant she was Good.

Bolstered by her belief in the Golden Prophecy and her place within it, Qube wasnt even threatened when the Chosen One told Sexy Screamy Spider Lady that she could join their party. And, having vowed to be better, she didnt even allow herself to be repulsed when Sexy Screamy Spider Lady did a sexy victory dance at joining the team. The Chosen One, however, had used his arm around Qube to push her in front of him, so she got the throbbing abdomen thrust in her face instead. But that was fine, Qube told herself as the Chosen One hid behind her, laughing, Sewer Bard started demanding his own spidery lap dance and the childrens screaming faces seemed to make eye contact with Qube. It was all part of being the perfect Companion.

This was fine.

This was her destiny.