Chapter I: Serentiy’s Sorrow

Copyright © 2002-2017 by Dustin Jon Scott
[Last Update: December^rd, 2017]

The first chapter of The Descent of the Drayad introduces the conflict that will incite the action of the story.

¶I. For many days Serenity was once again content as she capered with her sisters about the wildwoods, foraging amidst the wealds and prancing through the underbrush. Again Serenity unstrained in sun-swathed glades, and again joined her sisters several times each day in their tribadic orgies. Again was she pacified by the way of Nymphs, and enraptured utterly therein.

¶II. On the seventh day Serenity returned to the clearing where she and the Dark Elf had first met, and waited there for him to come to their quarterly tryst.

¶III. Upon the Dark Elf’s arrival he and Serenity cavorted through the creepers and hemp trees, laughing and playing with each other as aye the day waned toward dusk. Yet again the Dark Elf shared stories of the world beyond the Emerald Forest, and yet again Serenity thanked him with dance and song.

¶IV. But when the day had ended, and the Dark Elf had left, Serenity was again by her loneliness mired. Then a thought came unto her, more burdensome than all the thoughts that ever had come unto her before: she suffered not from an ailment to be cured by runecraft or lyblake, for always and anon would her heart cry out in despair for the desires it sought, yet never would attain. And so Serenity went unto Charity once more, and said unto her:

¶V. “I cannot stay this course of mine, of being forever suffered to endure this solitude of mine heart. By spelled rite, by sung rune, by salve and by potion hath my woes been for a time quelled. Yet always am I left discontent when this time hath passed. Surely there must be something thou can do for me, someway that I might attain that which I desire.”

¶VI. “I shall take thee to Faith,” offered Charity, “who shall find a way to make thee more content.” And to this Serenity agreed.

¶VII. Charity brought Serenity unto Faith accordingly, and there Serenity explained to Faith the cause of her sadness: that she had fallen in love with a Dark Elf. This greatly disturbed Faith, for such a thing was not the way of Nymphs. Faith nonetheless took pity on Serenity, knowing of her sadness, and attempted to forge for her a solution.

¶VIII. “I shall take thee to Daphne,” said Faith, “the Alpha Dryad of the Eldest Tribe, who will make thee more content.” And to this Serenity agreed.

¶IX. Faith and Serenity left their tribe that very day, and by Faith’s guidance Serenity traveled to the southernmost ends of the Emerald Forest, beyond which lay the darksome dead of the Somberwood.

¶X. And into the Somberwood they pressed; into the murk of sallow mists twisting through withered and leafless trees, into the bale-boding voices of pasts long deceased, and into the blackness of its deepest shades.