The Forest Nymph Ch. 01

I collapsed to the ground, exhausted and racked with pain. For three days and three nights, I had been running without pause. On the horizon behind me, a pillar of smoke wafted up into the heavens, letting the world know that the city of Troy had been destroyed. On that fateful night, the armies of Greece had broken through our mighty walls and set the city ablaze.

While my body was as dry as sand from thirst and blood loss, I couldn't help but cry in misery and agony. It was only last season that my family celebrated my twentieth birthday, I had reached the league of manhood, but I was unable to protect my parents or my siblings.

I remembered waking up to the sound of our front door being smashed in as the soldiers broke into the city. My father and brother were killed without mercy and I was stabbed in the side, a near fatal blow. I remembered falling to the floor, unable to stand or move as blood poured from my wound. Like savages, the soldiers took turns violating my sisters and my mother in front of me before killing them all and leaving me for dead.

With the fires of the burning buildings illuminating the dark night and smoke tearing at my throat, I staggered out of my home and fled the city, running past the horrors of the soldiers slaughtering my fellow Trojans. I was supposed to be a soldier of Troy, a valiant warrior that ignored all injuries and fought to death for my city and its citizens. But not once had I thought to put on my armor or even lift up a sword. Not once did I think to go into battle to fight for Troy and all the people within its crumbling walls. I just ran, ran like a coward.

Ignoring my burning thirst, the blood oozing from my side, and the rough ground slashing my feet after my sandals broke and fell away, I ran beneath the searing heat of the sun during the day and the pearled scythe-like moon at night, unaware of my surroundings and lacking the knowledge of why I was running at all.

Now I was here, sprawled out on the ground of a forest and unable to take another step, with my only relief coming from the cool night air and soil beneath me leaching away the intense heat burning within my aching body. I was more tired and in more pain than ever in my life, but the only relief I desired was the relief of death. My family was dead and my home was destroyed, what was the point of living? Now I could only hope the ferryman Charon would pity my poor soul and bring me across the river Styx without payment.

As I prayed to the gods for a quick death, the sound of footsteps reached my ears. They were so soft on the forest floor that I wasn't sure if it was truly a person or an animal. All I knew was that I was not alone.

"Please don't help me. Please, just leave me here to die." I murmured with my voice raspy.

The stranger crouched down and placed their hand on my cheek. From just that small touch, I knew it was a woman. She had the softest skin I had ever felt and the tender care that seemed to radiate from her palm and fingers eased my pain and calmed my shaking muscles. The woman leaned forward and her long soft hair brushed against my skin, making me shiver. As her face approached mine, I desperately wished I had the strength to open my eyes and see her face before my death.

"It is not time for you to leave this world, you still have a life to live." She whispered softly in my ear, speaking with the most beautiful voice that had ever blessed my ears.

She wrapped her arms around me and gently rolled me over with my head on her lap. I strained to open my eyes, just to get the slightest glimpse of her. All I saw was a green and blue glow and the silhouette of her long hair. She pressed her fingers against my lips and poured water into my mouth from her cupped palm, quenching my burning thirst. The water that ran down my throat felt like liquid crystal that was as cold as the sea in winter, cooling my aching body and calming the fires of agony within me.

"Sleep, sweet soul. Let your mind and body rest and heal so that you may continue to enjoy the bliss of life." She cooed, brushing her soft hands against my face as my mind fell into warm darkness.

My eyes slowly opened and I gave a soft sigh. My whole body felt like it was bathing in warm wine, and while I was so exhausted that I couldn't move, I did feel more rested than before I fell asleep. I looked around, having only the strength to move my eyes.

I was lying at the base of a tree on a bed of moss, as soft as pillow and covered in a sheet of some mysterious material that was as smooth and flexible of water, but did not feel like it was made of animal skin or a woven material. I was wrapped in a blanket of the same material, and while it was quite thin, it held in more warmth than a thick wool quilt.

Up above me, the branches of the tree were bent down towards the ground and interlaced, forming a tightly knit canopy of wood and leaves, thorough enough to keep even the most persistent rain from leaking through. The canopy was so extensive that it formed two walls with the tree as the third, creating a small egg-shaped bedchamber, almost like an animal den.

It was still night, but the forest seemed different from any forest I had ever seen before. Every tree and leaf seemed to have the faintest of auras, while the stars and moon glowed brighter than ever before. The air was filled with fireflies, further illuminating the forest and constantly moving around the lush fruit that hung from every tree. About twenty paces away was a babbling brook, giving off the soothing sound of water on rock. This place was a true Eden.

My body wasn't so much exhausted now as it was peacefully tired, and every ounce of pain that had racked me before was now gone. While the night air was cool, it was in no way chilly and uncomfortable. The bed of moss I was lying on was incredibly warm and soft, and with the blanket over me, it felt like I was wrapped up in my own bed.

My eyes widened as a figure of light came into view, walking through the shallow brook. The figure approached and the light around them became dimmer and more focused, letting their features be distinguished. It was the woman from before, the woman who had saved me, and she was far more beautiful than I could have possibly imagined.

Her skin was a light greenish-turquoise shade, while her long hair was of a much deeper and more bluish hue. Her eyes glowed like the stars above us and the smile upon her soft lips was more beautiful than a sunrise in Troy. She had the face of a goddess, with features that were illuminated seemingly by the light of the heavens. Her body was quite shapely, with a narrow waist but large round breasts and full hips. She was wearing a dress of the same material as the sheet I was laying on, but it was covering her body so that her smooth thighs and slim belly were exposed, letting me see the tribal-style tattoos on her body.

She stepped out of the creek and walked towards me, with the plants glowing brightly around her with each step of her bare feet. I held my breath as she crouched down beside me with her tender smile, completely hypnotized by her beauty. She placed her soft hand on my cheek and I couldn't help but shiver from her touch.

"You are safe, weary traveler. I am Serenity, the forest nymph, and this is my paradise. Rest and recover without worry or fear." She said sweetly.

Her voice washed over me like warm rain. I tried to respond, but I was too tired to even use my voice. After running for three days without food or rest, my body was still half-dead from exhaustion. Serenity's smile brightened and she stood up, grasping on of the fruits hanging above and plucking it from the branch. She crouched back down and sank her teeth into the fruit. I watched her smooth cheeks contract and inflate as she sucked the juices from the fleshy orb. With her mouth full, she relinquished the fruit and crouched over me.

My heart fluttered as she slowly leaned down and pressed her lips against mine. This was the first time I had ever kissed a woman, and the experience was better than I could have possibly imagined. Her lips were softer than rose petals and were as warm as sunlight after a chilly night. With our lips connected, she transferred the fruit juice from her mouth and into mine. It was the sweetest nectar that I had ever sampled, and the second it touched my tongue, I could feel an addiction to it forming.

Once I had drank it all, she ended the kiss and sucked more juice from the fruit, then resumed transferring it to me. She did this several times with several more fruits, draining them of all liquid and then giving them to me with a soft kiss. Through her efforts, my thirst was quenched, my hunger was removed, my body was resupplied with the nutrients that it had been deprived of, and I gained enough strength to speak.

"What is your name?" The nymph whispered.

"Felix." I said softly, making her smile.

Serenity then moved over to my side and gently lifted the blanket and my bloody tunic to examine my injury. I jerked and writhed in pain from the fabric touching my wound, which had gone all the way through me and nearly tore my organs. While the twin wounds had clotted and were no longer bleeding, the skin around them and the wounds themselves were dark from infection. I would be lucky to last a week before rotting from the inside out.

"Why do the gods despise me so? Everything in my life is ripped away in one fell swoop, but the sweet embrace of death will only come in exchange for time and agony..." I cursed with tears falling from my eyes.

"The gods do not despise you, they took pity on you by letting us meet. Do not despair when your life is far from forfeited." Serenity murmured.

I turned to her and saw tears rolling down her cheeks like liquid pearls. She held her face over my wound and let her tears fall onto the infected flesh. I jerked as a mix of pleasure and pain surged from the wound, partnered by the sound of hot metal being dipped in water. Serenity's tears pelted my wound, curing my infection and mending my flesh all the way through. The intense sensations that filled my body were slowly snuffed out and I became limp, drained of what little energy I had.

Serenity moved up on top of me and placed her hands on my cheeks.

"Do not despair Felix, do not try to escape your pain by forsaking your life. Just sleep dear soul, sleep." She hummed. She then leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead.

"Sleep." She whispered again. My eyelids slowly lowered, and in the moments before I fell into the realm of dreams, I could feel Serenity lying down beside me with her arm across my chest, holding me in her tight embrace as she pulled the blanket over us.

Shining brightly through my eyelids, the sun woke me from my deep slumber. I gave a yawning sigh as my body slowly fell back under my control. I was still alive, but had what I seen really happened? Finally able to move, I sat up and looked around, hoping that my encounter with Serenity had not just been a sweet dream. I was still on the bed of moss beneath the interwoven canopy of branches, and twenty paces away was the babbling brook I had seen from the night before. I looked down and spotted one of the fruits that she had bit into before kissing me. So she did exist...

I slowly stepped out of the tree nook, struggling to maintain my balance and wincing in pain from the scars under my feet. After my sandals broke, the skin had been nearly torn off the bottom of my feet from the running. I staggered into the brook and collapsed, breathing heavily. A red streak could be seen running away on the surface of the water as the dried blood from my injuries and clothes were washed off.

I rolled onto my back, letting the cool water run over me while I gazed up at the sky. What was I supposed to do? Was I just supposed to keep running once my injuries healed? Find a new home or city and try to start a new life? Would I ever see Serenity again?

I thought back to when we had kissed and the euphoria that filled my mind from that blissful touch, the sweet taste, the softness of her lips, and the tender care that seemed to radiate from her. I opened my eyes as the sound of a soft tune reached my ears. I rolled back over and looked up the river, gasping as I saw her.

Serenity was walking down the babbling brook, humming a soft tune and dancing with each step. With a smile on her face, she sat down when she reached me and gently kissed me on the forehead. The sensation of her lips against my skin made it feel like the water around me was as warm as tea.

"Good morning." She said sweetly as she moved my head onto her lap.

"Serenity..." I murmured, unable to believe she was real.

"I'm glad to see that you are alright. As a nymph, I am unable to leave this forest, and I have never had company before. It is so nice to have someone with me." She whispered with a tender smile.

I was still unable to believe this beautiful woman was real. Here I was, saved from an agonizing death by a forest nymph, more beautiful than any goddess and as sweet as the fruits that hung in her orchard.

"Once you are fully healed, will you dance with me? I love to dance and I would love it even more if you joined me." She hummed as she brushed her hands against my cheeks. I shuddered as a wave of pain coursed through my veins like sludgy poison.

"How can you dance when Troy is nothing but ashes? How can there still be happiness in the world when so many men have been killed, women violated, and children enslaved over the course of a few days? How can I go on when the monsters of Greece tainted and destroyed everything that I held dear? There is nothing for me left but pain and misery and nothing in this world but war and loneliness." I cursed as painful memories returned, drawing tears from my eyes.

"Shhhhhhh" Serenity hushed as she wiped them way.

"There is still so much in your life for you to cherish; this beautiful world full of wonder and happiness, your life and the majesty of life itself, and the gift you have of being able to see the years go by and watch the world in its eternal metamorphosis. Your life is not fated to hold only pain is misery, it is a cascade of choices for you to find your own path to happiness.

And if there really is nothing in this world other than war and loneliness, then stay here with me. Live with me in this forest so that we can banish each other's loneliness and be together and happy for the rest of our lives. Please Felix, don't leave me." She cooed, wrapping her arms around me and holding me tightly.

At that moment, I could not imagine anything outside of Serenity's embrace. Was there honestly anything in the world that could bring me more bliss than being held by this gorgeous woman? Was there anything in this world that could make me happy, other than Serenity's sweet touch? Besides, I was still alive when I should have died. I possessed a life that should no longer belong to me, what right did I have to selfishly do what would make me happy when I didn't deserve to be happy? If I were going to continue living, I would not live for myself; I would live to make others happy. And if staying alive and staying with Serenity would make her happy, then that was my new reason to live.

"Serenity, I will stay." I said softly. The nymph smiled and kissed me again on the forehead.

"In these woods, your only worry is healing so that you will have the strength to dance with me. Thank you Felix, I know the life we will live together will be a beautiful one." She hummed.

We were lying on the bed of moss, enjoying the cool shade of the interwoven canopy right above us, while everything else cooked under the midday sun. I had my arm around Serenity and the nymph was leaning her head on my shoulder with her arm across my chest.

"Who are you Serenity? I know only your name and that you are a forest nymph, nothing else. Please tell me more, I want to learn more about you." I asked. Serenity hummed in reply and pressed herself against me tighter before replying.

"I was born in these woods as the daughter of Helios and his human lover. I was conceived and brought into this world in secret, for my parents loved each other and loved me so much that they wanted to keep me safe from the horrors of the world. Wherever a nymph lives, they can never leave, so my parents searched the world for the most beautiful place for me to live. They came here and I was born under this tree. Out of love, my father granted me a great gift; the Light of Outsight. Everything that the sunlight and moonlight shines upon is in my sight, letting me see the world from this forest. I've been here ever since, waiting for company.

What about you? Tell me about your life." She purred. I looked up at the branch and shuddered as the memories came back.

"I was a warrior of Troy during our struggle with the armies of Greece, having been recruited into the army at fifteen. Originally I had wanted to be a poet and knew nothing of fighting, but with the skills the army trained me in and the thought of protecting my family and home, I had the strength and resolve to slay my enemies and survive every battle. I quickly rose through the ranks and became well respected by the royal family for my achievements in battle. I became one of the most celebrated soldiers in Troy. Few others had greater death-counts than I was; I was a war-hero.

I had a younger brother, four years my junior. I also had twin sisters, both barely in adolescence. My parents loved us all and were proud of my accomplishments in the war, all brought on by my will to fight and protect what was important to me.

When the news finally came that the war was over and our enemies had left our shores, I was so happy. I was happy that I would no longer have to fear for my family and have to kill to keep them safe. Maybe now I could retire as a soldier and do something with my life that would let me use my heart instead of my sword.

On the night that we retrieved the wooden horse left for us by the Greeks, everyone in Troy celebrated the end of the war. For ten years, the city had been oppressed by the fear of death, with families praying every night for the safety of their members and love failing to bloom as people strayed away from each other, either afraid to get married one day and become a widow the next, or too busy training and honing skills for survival.

Late into the night, everyone sang and drank as we celebrating the veil that had been lifted from Troy, freeing us from fear. That night, I was awoken by the sound of our front door being kicked down and soldiers streaming in. Before I could get to my feet, I was stabbed through the side by an enemy spear and left to bleed out. In a pool of my own blood and in too much pain to move, I could do nothing as the troops beheaded my father and stabbed my brother to death.

Then they made their way through the house, knocking over all the furniture and walking all over me. I could hear the screams as they found my mother and sisters and the soldier's laughs as they dragged them into the den. My sisters... they were so young and so innocent... they screamed the loudest as the soldiers ripped off their clothes and violated them.

I struggled to move, but one of the soldiers was standing on me with his full weight and my blood loss was making me delirious, pouring from my side like fluid from a torn wineskin. Once the soldiers had their way with my family, they killed them and left, leaving me for dead. A torch was thrown through the window, landing next to a rack of scrolls. It seems like the whole house was burning in a matter of seconds, with me lying among my butchered family.

With the smallest spark of strength in my bleeding body, I got to my feet and staggered out of my home. I was supposed to be a legendary warrior and a war-hero, but I just ran like a pathetic coward. Everything after that point became a blur of pain as I ran out of the city, past hundreds of people being raped and killed by Greek soldiers. I remember the sun searing my back as I ran during the day and the cool air giving me some relief as I ran at night. I don't remember the changing scenery, but I remember my sandals eventually breaking away and gripping my side to stop the bleeding. Finally, I remember being found by you.