The Forbidden Glade
By: CapnLadyMasquerade
Inspired by: BlueBeauty875's "In the Fairy Glade"


Eris ran toward the forest as fast as she could, the midnight stars chasing her feet, and the full moon guiding her way.
“Wait!” yelled Tom, Eris stopped in her tracks. He then rode up beside her on a black and white Paint stallion.
“Here this will get you there faster” Tom slide out of the saddle easily, and walked toward her holding out the reins.
“Go.” It was such a simple gesture, and yet so important to her, she grabbed him around the neck and hugged him tight.
“Thank you, for everything.” Eris said, holding back tears.
“It was nothing.” He said shrugging “Now get going!” he urged. Eris leapt into the saddle and set off at a gallop, into the forest. Panic engulfed her thoughts, what if she was too late? No, Jack, would be alright. Hopefully. Her mind returned to memories of him. Jack sitting on the bow of his ship; Jack riding beside her on a rambunctious mare; Jack arguing about women captains; Jack arguing about pirates; Jack joking with her; Jack falling overboard; Jack holding her tight; Jack fighting to save her from the gallows; Jack bringing her to the glade, in their case, the Forbidden glade. That night came back to her now as she retraced the path they took.
Jack’s face was clear in her mind’s eye, as she saw him hold her hands and kiss her lips, gently. His arms holding her up to spin her around as Eris giddily laughed, and as Jack smiled at her warmly. His hands running through her satin, raven hair, his lips kissing her blue-green eyes, their tan hands matching as he held them. Deep, hot breathing. The nervous beats of their hearts. The moon watching these two lovers as they broke every law. A pirate and sailor. Not just any sailor, but the captain. And not only a captain but a royal knight’s son. Then Jack’s face reappeared. He was smiling sadly at her, telling her that he would be okay, and not to worry. A kiss on the cheek. A tearful goodbye. Eris brushed the thought from her mind, she couldn’t think of that now, only about seeing Jack.
Eris stopped the horse short of the glade, and tied him to a fallen tree. She knew Tom’s horses were well trained to verbal commands, but she couldn’t take any chances. Eris left the stallion and ventured into the glade. It was quite, only the occasional forest animal rustling. She called quietly
“Jack?”
Nothing.
Her heart sank with her knees, as she fell to the glade’s soft floor. She began to cry, tears watering the ground that she and Jack had brought to life only a month ago, and now he was gone. She still remembered his whispered promise to her, as he left, “I will meet you at the glade at the next full moon, I swear.”
“A royal captain’s word. That must be very binding.” She had replied coyly.
“It is unbreakable. Only by death can it be broken, and we both know that won’t happen.” He had said with a smile.
The vision faded into another racking sob. Jack was dead. Eris’s world had come to an end. She realized how much time they had wasted. They had known each other since she was fifteen, and now twenty two, she realized that she had only known the true him for eight months. Why she wondered hadn’t she seen him the way she did now? As a handsome, intelligent, funny, strong, loving, perfect man. She wiped her face and looked up to find a crow sitting on a nearby boulder, staring at her. Weird. It jumped off the boulder and landed in front of her, head cocked to one side, looking at her curiously.
“Hello.” She said warily. Great, now she was talking to birds.
The crow lifted off and flew away. However, moments later it was back with a shiny ring in its beak. The crow dropped it at her feet, and then flew away. Eris picked it up gently, and twirled it through her fingers. It was pretty, gold band with silver markings and a small emerald in the middle. She stopped twirling it, and read the inscription “Honor, Strength, Integrity, I pledge. JT Never Kneel, Never Bend “.


*Tell me what you think so far then I will give you the rest.* Thank you and happy Reading! I hope you enjoyed it!