Dream 001
Warnings: [Human love]
Dream Effect: [Optional] If you decide to feel what she’s dreaming you will feel extremely deep human love and hatred, human confusion, and then regret felt so deeply because it is the first time ever having felt it.
She was a woman. Had been a woman for what felt like years when the truth was far less. But she was in a woman’s body - a mortal woman’s body. And before she had despised it. She had hated everything to do with being a mortal. She had actually felt hatred. Felt the deep seething loathing for her own body. It had blinded her logic and the reality of the situation. She had hated Schmendrik for turning into a woman. She had wanted to strike at his face with newly gained fingers. In her hatred she had forgotten that he had done it to save her. She started to fear hatred. And she knew fear. She had feared the Red Bull. But now she feared the very emotions the mortal body seemed to create in a matter of seconds upon becoming human. Hatred to her had been like eating, natural and necessary. And it had scared her. She continued to lie on the ground, not far from Haggard’s castle. The canopy of the forest speckled the moonlight across the ground.
But as she rose from the ground with Molly’s help, she felt her hatred subside. The calm she was used to controlled her body. She remembered who she was. What she was. She felt like a whole made into a half then halved again and again until the smallest half possible was left in her as every day she became more and more human. More of a woman. They neared Haggard’s castle closer and closer.
When she had met Lir she had thought nothing of him. She had thought of him as all unicorns did of man. They were what they were. And even if Lir was a hero she was not his maiden. She could not be his maiden. She could not be his princess. Because she was not a woman and she…
She couldn’t remember what she needed to do anymore. As more and more days passed she could never remember. She became more and more of a woman and less and less of... What? What was she no longer? She ran from her bedroom shaking into a corridor of the castle. She didn’t know where she was.
A nightmare.
"Good evening my Lady."
She looked behind her and saw him. Lir.
"Who are you?" she whispered, scared, nightmare fresh in her mind. She had never had nightmares before had she? Didn’t all women have nightmares? It was human to have nightmares. She was human. She was a woman.
"I'm Lir. Don't you know me? I'm Lir," his voice was soothing as he tried to comfort her, confused at how she could not remember him. And yet she didn’t understand. Why hadn’t she understood? Why hadn’t she remembered him? She knew him didn’t she?
"Lir. Prince Lir," she repeated. She didn’t understand. Why couldn’t she remember him? And yet she did. She could remember so much and yet every time she tried to grasp those thoughts, those emotions, those memories they fell through her fingers.
"You were dreaming, my lady," he drew near her and she closed her eyes.
"Well, I'm always dreaming, even when I'm awake. It is never finished," she shook her head. She shouldn’t have been spoken about it. Troubling him like that, troubling him with the matters of a woman. "I-I will not trouble you, my lord prince," she turned quickly.
"Trouble me!" she stopped at his voice, surprised and turned to look at him. At his plea. She watched as his face softened and he moved to hold her. His touch was soft, sweet. Like him. A hero always knew what to say in a maiden’s time of need. "Please, trouble me! I would court you with more grace if I knew how. I wish you wanted something."
She closed her eyes and knew what she wanted.
"Drown out my dreams. Keep me from remembering - whatever wants me to remember it."
"I love you," he whispered. "That is all I have to tell you."
She closed her eyes and held onto him. Now that she was a woman, everything had changed. She loved him more than anything. More than anyone in the world she would love him. She would do all she could for him. She would do everything for him. She was his maiden and he her prince, her hero.
She closes her eyes.
"Well, that's a very nice sentiment. But when I change her back into her true self-" she opened her eyes. She was in the Red Bull’s passage now, around her was Schmendrik, Molly, and her Lir. She had heard what Schmendrik had said. About turning her back into a unicorn about taking her away from Lir. The man she loved.
"I love whom I love," she heard Lir say and she smiled. But no... something far more pressing was said. She moved in front of them and gazed at them calmly.
"I heard what you said. I will go no further." She would not leave the man she loved.
"There's no choice. We have to go on." Her hatred for him started to rise but she knew he was doing what he thought best. She moved to Lir, held onto him and his warm loving arms wrapped around her.
"Don't let him change me. The Red Bull has no care for human beings. We may walk out past him and get away."
"If we do that, all the unicorns in the world will remain prisoner forever except one, and she will grow old and die."
She shook her head and held on tighter to Lir.
"Everything dies. I want to die when you die. I'm no unicorn, no magical creature! I'm human, and I love you. Don't let him! Lir, I will not love you when I am a unicorn!" Unicorns could not love a man like she loved Lir. She held onto him tighter but his arms loosened.
"Amalthea, don't," her prince whispered, unable to take her pleas when he knew what must be done.
"Then let the quest end here. I don't think I could change her back even if you wished it. Marry the prince and live happily ever after."
"Yes. That is my wish," she didn’t want to leave him. She loved him! Damn the world and all the unicorns so long as Lir was with her. So long as Lir loved her she wouldn’t care about anything else. But she felt Lir pull further away from her.
"No. Lady, I am a hero, and heroes know that things must happen when it is time for them to happen. A quest may not simply be abandoned. Unicorns may go unrescued for a long time, but not forever. The happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story."
She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Lir would not kiss her. Could not. They continued walking and she felt like she was the only one willing to give up the world. She loved him why wasn’t that enough? Why wasn’t that enough to end the story?
"But what if there isn't a happy ending at all?" she heard sweet supportive Molly ask as they walked.
"There are no happy endings, because nothing ends."
"Schmendrick, let her stay the way she is. Let her be." Even though Molly was trying to whisper she heard her. She moved to stand closer to Lir and he let her. He still loved her even though they could not be.
"That's not in the story. Lir knows that, and so does she."
She was turned into a unicorn again. She ran from the Red Bull as it chased her. He nearly drove her into the sea and she would have gone. She could no longer be with Lir. She regretted both being human and loving him and being apart from him as a unicorn. But then she saw Lir, trying to save her attacked by the bull. She saw him lying face down and the hatred she felt when she first turned human rose once more. Not at Schmendrik but at the Bull. He had hurt Lir. She had hurt the only man she had ever loved. Still loved. Her horn glowed white and hot with the anger she felt and she attacked the Red Bull, standing over Lir. She would never let harm come to him. The only man she adored. But even as she fought she knew Lir was dead! Her rage at knowing the Bull had killed Lir made her horn burn brighter and she drove the Red Bull into the sea.
The other Unicorns rushed out of the water and their captivity and Haggard’s castle crumbled. But Lir was still dead… She moved then and after comforting Molly she pressed her horn to Lir. That same horn that had driven the Bull into the sea now brought Lir back from the dead. But she could not stay. She couldn’t do that to either of them. As soon as she pressed her horn against him and healed him she left. It was enough a goodbye.
She watched all three of them from a cliff. Unable to face Lir now that she was once again a human.
"I remember you," she said as she watched them. Her mortal heart seeking him. Wanting him. She closed her eyes. "I remember."
She ran then and did not look back. You must never look back.
But even though she could not look back and face Lir again. She could still face Schmendrik. He had had a wish to be a magician after all. She found them in the forest. Lir was nowhere in sight. Nor would he be. She was both sad and grateful she would not have to face him in such a way. Schmendrik awoke and went over to her.
"You are a true wizard now, as you always wished. Does it make you happy?"
"Well, men don't always know when they're happy, but I-I think so. And you?"
"I am a little afraid to go home. I have been mortal, and some part of me is mortal yet. I am no longer like the others; for no unicorn was ever born who could regret. But now I do. I regret."
"I am sorry, I have done you evil and I cannot undo it."
"No. Unicorns are in the world again. No sorrow will live in me as long as that joy - save one, and I thank you for that part too." For she could never regret loving Lir.
---
[Purple eyes opened and then closed again with slight pain as she rose from the forest floor. She shook her mane and gazed at the little berry.]
Dream Effect: [Optional] If you decide to feel what she’s dreaming you will feel extremely deep human love and hatred, human confusion, and then regret felt so deeply because it is the first time ever having felt it.
She was a woman. Had been a woman for what felt like years when the truth was far less. But she was in a woman’s body - a mortal woman’s body. And before she had despised it. She had hated everything to do with being a mortal. She had actually felt hatred. Felt the deep seething loathing for her own body. It had blinded her logic and the reality of the situation. She had hated Schmendrik for turning into a woman. She had wanted to strike at his face with newly gained fingers. In her hatred she had forgotten that he had done it to save her. She started to fear hatred. And she knew fear. She had feared the Red Bull. But now she feared the very emotions the mortal body seemed to create in a matter of seconds upon becoming human. Hatred to her had been like eating, natural and necessary. And it had scared her. She continued to lie on the ground, not far from Haggard’s castle. The canopy of the forest speckled the moonlight across the ground.
But as she rose from the ground with Molly’s help, she felt her hatred subside. The calm she was used to controlled her body. She remembered who she was. What she was. She felt like a whole made into a half then halved again and again until the smallest half possible was left in her as every day she became more and more human. More of a woman. They neared Haggard’s castle closer and closer.
When she had met Lir she had thought nothing of him. She had thought of him as all unicorns did of man. They were what they were. And even if Lir was a hero she was not his maiden. She could not be his maiden. She could not be his princess. Because she was not a woman and she…
She couldn’t remember what she needed to do anymore. As more and more days passed she could never remember. She became more and more of a woman and less and less of... What? What was she no longer? She ran from her bedroom shaking into a corridor of the castle. She didn’t know where she was.
A nightmare.
"Good evening my Lady."
She looked behind her and saw him. Lir.
"Who are you?" she whispered, scared, nightmare fresh in her mind. She had never had nightmares before had she? Didn’t all women have nightmares? It was human to have nightmares. She was human. She was a woman.
"I'm Lir. Don't you know me? I'm Lir," his voice was soothing as he tried to comfort her, confused at how she could not remember him. And yet she didn’t understand. Why hadn’t she understood? Why hadn’t she remembered him? She knew him didn’t she?
"Lir. Prince Lir," she repeated. She didn’t understand. Why couldn’t she remember him? And yet she did. She could remember so much and yet every time she tried to grasp those thoughts, those emotions, those memories they fell through her fingers.
"You were dreaming, my lady," he drew near her and she closed her eyes.
"Well, I'm always dreaming, even when I'm awake. It is never finished," she shook her head. She shouldn’t have been spoken about it. Troubling him like that, troubling him with the matters of a woman. "I-I will not trouble you, my lord prince," she turned quickly.
"Trouble me!" she stopped at his voice, surprised and turned to look at him. At his plea. She watched as his face softened and he moved to hold her. His touch was soft, sweet. Like him. A hero always knew what to say in a maiden’s time of need. "Please, trouble me! I would court you with more grace if I knew how. I wish you wanted something."
She closed her eyes and knew what she wanted.
"Drown out my dreams. Keep me from remembering - whatever wants me to remember it."
"I love you," he whispered. "That is all I have to tell you."
She closed her eyes and held onto him. Now that she was a woman, everything had changed. She loved him more than anything. More than anyone in the world she would love him. She would do all she could for him. She would do everything for him. She was his maiden and he her prince, her hero.
She closes her eyes.
"Well, that's a very nice sentiment. But when I change her back into her true self-" she opened her eyes. She was in the Red Bull’s passage now, around her was Schmendrik, Molly, and her Lir. She had heard what Schmendrik had said. About turning her back into a unicorn about taking her away from Lir. The man she loved.
"I love whom I love," she heard Lir say and she smiled. But no... something far more pressing was said. She moved in front of them and gazed at them calmly.
"I heard what you said. I will go no further." She would not leave the man she loved.
"There's no choice. We have to go on." Her hatred for him started to rise but she knew he was doing what he thought best. She moved to Lir, held onto him and his warm loving arms wrapped around her.
"Don't let him change me. The Red Bull has no care for human beings. We may walk out past him and get away."
"If we do that, all the unicorns in the world will remain prisoner forever except one, and she will grow old and die."
She shook her head and held on tighter to Lir.
"Everything dies. I want to die when you die. I'm no unicorn, no magical creature! I'm human, and I love you. Don't let him! Lir, I will not love you when I am a unicorn!" Unicorns could not love a man like she loved Lir. She held onto him tighter but his arms loosened.
"Amalthea, don't," her prince whispered, unable to take her pleas when he knew what must be done.
"Then let the quest end here. I don't think I could change her back even if you wished it. Marry the prince and live happily ever after."
"Yes. That is my wish," she didn’t want to leave him. She loved him! Damn the world and all the unicorns so long as Lir was with her. So long as Lir loved her she wouldn’t care about anything else. But she felt Lir pull further away from her.
"No. Lady, I am a hero, and heroes know that things must happen when it is time for them to happen. A quest may not simply be abandoned. Unicorns may go unrescued for a long time, but not forever. The happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story."
She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Lir would not kiss her. Could not. They continued walking and she felt like she was the only one willing to give up the world. She loved him why wasn’t that enough? Why wasn’t that enough to end the story?
"But what if there isn't a happy ending at all?" she heard sweet supportive Molly ask as they walked.
"There are no happy endings, because nothing ends."
"Schmendrick, let her stay the way she is. Let her be." Even though Molly was trying to whisper she heard her. She moved to stand closer to Lir and he let her. He still loved her even though they could not be.
"That's not in the story. Lir knows that, and so does she."
She was turned into a unicorn again. She ran from the Red Bull as it chased her. He nearly drove her into the sea and she would have gone. She could no longer be with Lir. She regretted both being human and loving him and being apart from him as a unicorn. But then she saw Lir, trying to save her attacked by the bull. She saw him lying face down and the hatred she felt when she first turned human rose once more. Not at Schmendrik but at the Bull. He had hurt Lir. She had hurt the only man she had ever loved. Still loved. Her horn glowed white and hot with the anger she felt and she attacked the Red Bull, standing over Lir. She would never let harm come to him. The only man she adored. But even as she fought she knew Lir was dead! Her rage at knowing the Bull had killed Lir made her horn burn brighter and she drove the Red Bull into the sea.
The other Unicorns rushed out of the water and their captivity and Haggard’s castle crumbled. But Lir was still dead… She moved then and after comforting Molly she pressed her horn to Lir. That same horn that had driven the Bull into the sea now brought Lir back from the dead. But she could not stay. She couldn’t do that to either of them. As soon as she pressed her horn against him and healed him she left. It was enough a goodbye.
She watched all three of them from a cliff. Unable to face Lir now that she was once again a human.
"I remember you," she said as she watched them. Her mortal heart seeking him. Wanting him. She closed her eyes. "I remember."
She ran then and did not look back. You must never look back.
But even though she could not look back and face Lir again. She could still face Schmendrik. He had had a wish to be a magician after all. She found them in the forest. Lir was nowhere in sight. Nor would he be. She was both sad and grateful she would not have to face him in such a way. Schmendrik awoke and went over to her.
"You are a true wizard now, as you always wished. Does it make you happy?"
"Well, men don't always know when they're happy, but I-I think so. And you?"
"I am a little afraid to go home. I have been mortal, and some part of me is mortal yet. I am no longer like the others; for no unicorn was ever born who could regret. But now I do. I regret."
"I am sorry, I have done you evil and I cannot undo it."
"No. Unicorns are in the world again. No sorrow will live in me as long as that joy - save one, and I thank you for that part too." For she could never regret loving Lir.
---
[Purple eyes opened and then closed again with slight pain as she rose from the forest floor. She shook her mane and gazed at the little berry.]