Since this week's Sunday Scribblings prompt is "Bed," I've dreamt up a little bedtime story to tell you...
From the early morning, Ursa had been gathering the last of the Indian Summer's bounty. Now, by late afternoon, she'd filled her baskets to the brim with hazel and pinenuts; every good kind of herb and mushroom; wild apples, berries, and currants.
Though she knew by the golden light of late afternoon it was time to turn back towards the village, she let herself follow the hum of the bees gathering the last of their bounty; the promise of finding their hive and their amber honey was too tempting to pass up.
She tread softly through the falling autumn leaves, stepping on stones and bare ground where she could, so no sound would alarm them of her approach. Their buzzing grew louder as she moved deeper into the forest. Despite the lateness of the hour, and the dark clouds that were gathering for an early evening shower, Ursa knew she was close - so close she could almost smell the honey. The village would have enough sweetness to last them through most of the coming winter, if she could just find where the hive was now - she could lead the others to it tomorrow, to bring the honey back to the village.
At last, just as the sun was dipping down behind the mountain, she heard the buzzing, humming song of the bees grow louder - right beside her; right through these branches. Carefully, she parted the scarlet leaves to peer through, when lightning flashed - Ka-bloom! Just as the first clap of thunder sounded, Ursa came face to face with the stranger who'd found the hive before her! She gasped and let the branches go with a snap. Barely remembering to hang onto her baskets, she ran, as the first raindrops began to splatter around her.
She ran with abandon, though she thought she was running back the way she'd come - but each time as she kept glancing back over her left shoulder to see if the stranger was following her, she'd veer just a few steps, to the side; only a little further, but just enough, that after running for several minutes, she'd drifted farther into the forest, closer to the mountain and away from the safety of the village, from home.
The thunderhead of clouds had billowed up against the mountain, and with much commotion of lightning were drumming forth the rain now, so that she could hardly see where she was heading. As lightning struck the top of a tall evergreen, it was so close she felt her hair stand on end with the crackle of electricity in the air. She could just make out the dark entrance of a cave, between two large boulders at the foot of the mountain, so she darted in.
Out of the rain, yet still frightened enough by her encounter with the stranger, and the closeness of the lightning, she threw all caution to the wind, not caring who or what else might be hiding in the dark recesses of the cave. One hand on the cavern wall, she edged slowly deeper into her hiding place.
As the moments passed, she was able to see more clearly. At first, she thought her eyes had merely adjusted to the darkness. But then as she moved further away from the opening of the cave, she realized that she was moving towards light - there! Just around that curve of the cavern - it was definitely lighter!
As she edged around the rock wall, the sight before her filled her with such amazement, that she gasped aloud. She felt such a strong desire to rub her eyes - to make certain if this was real or some strange mirage of the light, that for the first time since her flight through trees, she set down her baskets of autumn treasures, not caring if some stray squirrel or other animal could dart forward and scurry off with her hard-earned trove. Like a child awakening, she rubbed her eyes, and looked again - yet the enchanted vision persisted.
The light came through a series of crevices in the mountain rocks above. The peculiar geometry of the rocks allowed just enough light to fall, without directly letting in the rain, that when four maple seeds had fallen, they had grown into trees - or wait, had they been planted? She picked up her baskets, stepping forward to circle this wonder slowly.
The trees were growing in an almost perfect rectangle. Now that she was closer, she could see that each had a silver spigot protruding from its wooden trunk, and their lower branches supported - a bed! Unlike any she'd ever seen in the village! This was a bed such as those found in the tales the traveling bards told - a bed that a king or a princess might lay their crowned head upon. It was plump with stuffing, with a bearskin coverlet - which startled her for a moment - till she realized it lay flat and empty across the bed, without its former inhabitant. She ran her hand across the fur, then peeked underneath. Sheets of the softest silk! Looking up, she marvelled at a tapestry depicting the night sky, embroidered with a silver moon, golden sun and shooting stars, hung from the uppermost branches; sheltering the bed below. She fingered the drapes beside her, held back with silken cords, hanging from side branches, ready to be pulled close against any drafts. They were embroidered with scenes of woodland wonders: fairies, nymphs and fauns; stags and does, hares and foxes; colorful fruits and flowering vines.
This magical, fairytale bed was topped off with pillows, that she just had to pat with her hands - fluffed like clouds they were so filled with goose down! The bed looked so inviting to Ursa - she thought she could almost hear it calling her by name. Her legs and arms shook with weariness from her work, gathering food all day; which was followed by the adrenaline rush of finding the stranger; then the running...and, as if that wasn't enough already to cloud her judgement, she felt feverish; enough so, she wondered if perhaps she were deliriously imagining the whole scene. She was so overcome by all that had happened, she simply left her baskets laying on the ground, at the foot of this enchanted bed. She lifted the bearskin coverlet and sheets; and wearily crawled into the bed.
Sinking into its soft, silken folds, she ignored one last little prickle of warning from her conscience - so what if it were the stranger's bed? She wouldn't last long in the dark- not in this weather, and if he found her outside now, as she grew weaker by the moment from weariness and cold, he could overcome her even more easily. If she could just rest and get warm for a little while...she'd think of something...As the rain pattered steadily outside, the bed drew her deeper into its warm, comforting embrace. Ursa drifted off into feverish, dream-filled sleep....
Yes, sleep filled with magical dreams, and then, a surprising awakening - that I'll tell you more of, another night....
Ohhhh Man...a cliffhanger! When is the next chapter...when when? what a beautiful vivid story! you need to illustrate that and publish.!!!! how are things in sunny Cal this morning/ Love ya...Pam ARIES
Posted by: pam Aries | June 19, 2006 at 05:02 AM
I can't wait!
Posted by: Jill | June 19, 2006 at 07:03 AM
Wow! This is a fabulous story, with a rich tapestry of detail. Can't wait to read more! Just wonderful!
Posted by: Paris Parfait | June 19, 2006 at 07:39 AM
Drat! I wanted to finish the story. I'll bet it's Madame Sylvia's bed...lol. I'll be "tuning in tomorrow". :)
Posted by: judie | June 19, 2006 at 11:15 AM
Bravo! Love it. There's surely no way you could get away with ending like that if you were really telling this bed-time story to little ones! You'll have to come up with the next chapter soon!
Posted by: Imelda | June 19, 2006 at 11:25 AM