The Shining Falcon

Chapter XXXll The Gift

He'd taken to wandering at random through the summer-heavy forest, eating whatever came his way, never bothering with a fire, steeping wherever the night took him. It was simpler that way, simpler than facing fear and the shame of what he'd become, what he once was… Though with each day, the memories of Past seemed to become more and more nebulous… vague images of bright colors and noise and himself as boyar Alexei… No, it hurt to think of that. It was so much simpler not to even try to think, just to wander, never realizing that something was driving him east and east and east…

The leshy stood in shadow, watching with distaste as the ragged figure stumbled its way along. Phaugh, how the human reeked. No wild thing bore such a stench—every forest animal knew at least enough to keep itself clean. But this city man, whose mind had fallen so easily apart, had lost all pride, all sense of what was right and proper to the forest.

I could slay him. Let a tree drop a branch on him, that would do the trick. Slay him—bah, and then be left for days with the reek of his filthy corpse! No, no, and there's the fact that he did do me homage, mad though he is, he did. The leshy gave a wind‑in-leaves bream of a sigh. And so I am reduced to doing an… honorable thing, and merely put within his mind the urge to travel east, away from me, away from my realm. The being shivered in sud‑den, delicious humor, and the bushes all around shivered as though sharing the jest. Let my brother leshy of the eastern forests have him! Oh, how witty, how fine a joke! I did owe Brother Leshy a gift from our last meeting, when we two gambled and he won, and I never could prove he cheated. Let this creature be my gift to him!

The leshy hugged himself in mischievous joy, while all around him the trees stirred, branches shaking where there was no wind.

The sunlight hit him like a sudden blow. One moment Alexei had been making his aimless way through the forest; the next, he'd fallen quite literally out of the forest and into this unexpected meadow, and for a time he just lay where he was, arm flung over his face for protection. How long had it been since he'd seen the sun? Really seen it, without the shifting curtains of leaves in the way? Its rays soaked through him, warming him to the bones, to the corners of his mind that always seemed dark and cold these days…

He was free, at least for the moment. Free of the forest, its magics and its madness… He'd been quite insane for—God only knew how many days, but now he could begin to think clearly once more, and know that he was Alexei Sergeovich, late of Stargorod. Akh, but look at this, he was in rags, and he stank, actually stank!

Alexei rolled over, leaning on his elbows. This was a good-sized meadow, surrounded on all sides by forest. He suspected very strongly that if he tried to go back the way he'd come, that bizarre madness would overtake him once more; he could feel the darkness hovering just out of reach of consciousness, just waiting to strike.

«Very well," he said aloud, and winced at the rusty sound of his voice. «I have no intention of going back! I'll go east, instead. But… not just yet.» Alexei shuddered. «I—I'll find shelter here, or just sleep out under the stars; the weather's mild enough for that. I… don't want to reenter forest, no, not yet.»

Wait. Was that sound… water? Rushing water? Alexei got to his feet to investigate, and found that a stream bi-sected the meadow, widening at one point into a pool. With delighted thoughts of a bath, he hurried forward.

But he froze at the brink of the little pool, staring in horror at his reflection. Was that thin, rough-bearded, wild-eyed face truly his?

And as he knelt and stared down at his savage self, Alexei felt a familiar wave of hatred come stealing through him, and he welcomed its return as he would welcome some old, old friend.

This is Danilo's fault, all my suffering, his fault. Alexei delighted in the force of his hatred as he'd delighted in the warmth of the sun. And he will pay, oh, yes! The young man grinned in savage humor. I will see him beg for mercy. He and his dear, sweet daughters shall beg for mercy, but I shall give them none!

The leshy stood just at the edge of the magic meadow created by himself and his brother leshy to mark the verge of their two domains, stood shrouded by trees, and stared contemptuously at the raging, laughing man. City‑man, the being mused, with his fragile, foolish hates… I think no more city-folk shall pass unscathed through my forest, no, not for a long time!

Trees whispering all around him, the leshy shook his head and began his call:

«Brother Leshy! Hear me!»

He waited, head to one side.

Silence.

With a little hiss of annoyance, the leshy began again, «Hey, now, Brother Leshy, hear my call!»

Silence once more. But the being felt a consciousness brush his own, a wary «I hear. What would you?»

«Why, Brother Leshy, do you not recall our game of gambling? Do you not recall the debt I owed you?» The being hugged himself in glee. ' 'My payment waits there in the meadow between our two domains.

There was a pause. The other leshy said dubiously, «That? What do I want with… that? I will not take him.»

«You must, you must! By the rules of our game, you must accept my gift! And there he is, Brother Leshy! There is my gift to you! With time and patience, you should be able to drag him into your domain. And then, my Brother Leshy, enjoy your gift as you will!»

«I'll repay you for this!» hissed the other leshy in not-quite-feigned anger. «I shall steal your squirrels from you, or your foxes!»

«Storm away, storm away!» laughed the being. «The man is yours, and yours he will remain! Farewell, Brother Leshy!»

Oh, a wonderful jest! And how glad he was to be rid of that ugly human!

And with that, trees swaying to his laughter, the leshy vanished into his forest domain once more.