Ivy Lakehill (Part 1)

Fantasy

Trees. That's all there was. To the left, right, back and front. Just trees. Picking myself up off the damp ground I breathed in the heavy woodland air. As my breath came back out it lingered as little flecks of white mist before melting into the other fog that was swimming around my bare feet. These were my first memories of existence. Yet I knew all these words, I knew that judging by my height and build I must have been at least 19 if not only a little younger. So where was I? Who was I? The only memory before waking up in this seemingly endless forest was feeling afraid. So afraid that shivers ran down my spine at even the thought of it. My current surroundings certainly did nothing to help my memory. There was no bright patch through the mass of trees to indicate a clearing or end to the forest. Only a few pale suns rays managed to splinter though the overhanging canopy to light my unknown path. It was all so close. Yet far away as my awareness of ignorance thickened with each moment of consciousness.

I needed a name for myself, that would at least be a start in the right direction. But what to call myself? How would I distinguish myself in this strange place. My eyes scanned my generally bleak surrounding for inspiration and found no answer there. It was only when my gaze fell to the ground that I found a suitable suggestion. Ivy. It occurred to me that it'd be wise to ignore the full title of the plant in thinking of a name for myself, after all it was ‘poisoned ivy' I was looking at, it didn't sound like too friendly a name for a girl did it? No. So my name was Ivy... Ivy what though? My fists clenched and my foot stomped against the ground angrily. Why didn't I know any of this? A low huff of infuriation rumbled in my throat before I let out an exasperated scream. The action caused pain in my throat and my hand reached up to rub it soothingly, though something was round my neck, a strand of cold was against my flesh. I hadn't noticed it before. With careful fingers I followed the strand to a small pendant. Brining it up to eye level I studied the pendant on the end of the fine silver chain, it was a oval, a small latch on one side and the other a small set of hinges. A locket. How did I know this and not my own name? With a flex of my finger it popped open and I gazed inside. There was an inscription.

"Ivy Lakehill," I whispered my name to the breeze, it sounded right, it sounded somehow familiar. Though the odds of me having decided my name to be Ivy when it already was Ivy seemed faint, I couldn't remember knowing my name. So how had I got it right? Deciding that it was a question to be answered later I redid the locket and took in a deep breath. Another question bubbled to the surface of my foggy mind. What did I look like?

The distant sound of a babbling stream bubbled through the trees, I turned on my heels and approached with an all too eager mind to learn. It was only slightly, but the trees did thin out a tiny bit as the dawdling water went by carelessly into a small, relatively calm pool at the end about a metre away from where I stood. It's water was clear and looked inviting, I could do nothing to resist and so went to kneel by it's side with a soft smile on my face. As I leaned over my reflection was at last revealed to me. Long jet black hair cascaded from my slim shoulders in gentle waves. My eyes an icy blue, twinkling as the sun bounced off the waters glass like surface. My skin was a pale honey colour, slightly darker round my eyes. My cherry lips were full and a white toothed simper fell over my young face as appeasement filled me up. I was by no means beautiful but neither was I hideous.

A snap of a twig made me look up sharply.

Standing on the other side of the stream was a small wolf like creature, it looked at me in silence for a moment before giving a slow blink with it's dark amber eyes and taking a slow step towards me. I stood up and felt my heart hammer hysterically against my rib cage, heat rushed to the front of my head as panic set in. Why was I so afraid? It was the same feeling I remembered when first awakening. My whole body gave a contort and the next thing I knew I was flying through he trees, my legs running so fast I could barely believe it. Chancing it I glanced over my shoulder, the dog wasn't following me but still my fear fuelled legs tore on, not knowing where to but eager to get there anyway. Not sure that I'd be able to get them to do this kind of speed again I didn't fight against the adrenaline, all to happy to get out of the wood as quickly as possible I egged myself on and hoped an end would come soon.

When at last my chest gave an objecting twinge I slowed to a jog before stopping completely and allowing myself to catch my breath again. I had no how long I had been running for but the rush was amazing, every inch of me was tingling, my fingertips practically fizzed as my blood seared through my veins. Though my legs seemed to be regretting their actions as they ached before going slightly wobbly. Odd throbs went up and down, up and down. Though the heat of the chase still fluttered about in my mind. With a joyous grin on my face I walked round curiously, holding onto nearby trees as I went, they were less tightly packed here, more spaced out and allowed space to breath. The sun seemed dimmer now and the sky which was visible to me now looked a dim pink to what I guessed was the West. Another irritated huff pushed past my lips, how did I know where the sun set when I didn't even know who I was? Though then an alarm bell rang. It was going to get dark soon. I didn't feel like sleeping out in this forest and simply wait for another wolf to come trotting along and send me into another blind panic. The initial rush had been fun, and I was amazed at how fast I was, but my feet were badly cut and my knees ached badly. I needed to find shelter.

As I looked round for an indication on where I should go next I heard an ear splitting crack. The tree next to me splintered. Something hit my head and I fell to the ground in shock. The sound bounced around the woods for what seemed like forever till I heard heavy footsteps coming my way. Shuffling backwards whilst still on the ground wasn't the most effective way to escape, I knew that, but it was all I could do as terror gripped my body all over. The adrenaline was gone and only a dim glow of thought burned in my mind. It shouted at me to get up and run, but my legs still felt like led, my arms ached even as I heaved myself over roots to get away. Another BANG and the tree to my left splintered just as the first one had. The world went fuzzy suddenly, something sharp had hit the front of my skull. A splinter from the tree presumably but my vision was all over the place and I began to fall back onto the soft, muddy ground. Everything above swam sickeningly. Footsteps grew closer now. Though I couldn't move.

"Oh sod it!" hissed a voice from somewhere above me. Through the deep oily depths I began to swim upwards in search of the surface and with it consciousness. "Miss? Can you hear me? Oh god please tell me you're not dead." it begged by my ear. My lips quivered as I tried to part them, hearing a sharp gasp at last my speech returned. It was blunt.

"I'm not dead."

"Oh... well thank you."

"Your welcome."

"You're awfully polite for someone half asleep." it scoffed sounding a lot happier than the last time it had spoken. A smile sketched itself over my face and my eyes flickered open to allow shreds of light to filter through. Slowly I was help to sit up and a gentle hand was put on my shoulder, the strangers skin was warm.

"What's your name?" it asked quietly, kindness shinning through each note,

"Ivy Lakehill."

"Wow. Nice name." it congratulated as my vision began to clear and the owner of the voice was finally revealed to me. Short blonde and brown hair, sharp turquoise eyes that were a soft oval shape. A dark peach skin tone, small button nose, high cheek bones and full lips. All finished off with a small blonde beard jutting out of his strong chin. My keen eyes continued to study him, he wore no shirt, his toned chest had a long thin line of blonde fur going down the middle and over his belly button, though instead of there being a pair of trousers or even legs there were... goats legs. I took a second look and it was confirmed.

"You have the legs of a goat."

"... Well spotted." he laughed,

"You're a fawn." I said baldly, his face cracked into a broad smile that revealed his perfectly white teeth that practically shone at me whilst he chuckled.

"Again, well spotted Miss Nightingale."

"Sorry, I just don't remember...." my voice trailed away. I had been planning on mentioning that I didn't remember ever meeting a fawn before but for all I knew a fawn could have been my best friends, I knew nothing about my past. My silence had clearly puzzled him and he dipped his head to meet my gaze, the corners of his broad lips pulling up at the corners into what could only be described as a sympathetic smile.

"You were just hit in the head by a stray branch the size of your leg Miss. I thought you were something else and... well you know what, but I am really sorry about that." he assured me biting his lip. Giving a dismissive wave of my hand I tried to stand up, though clearly my head had been hit harder than I had first thought and my balance completely failed me though thankfully the fawn was still around to catch me. "Careful miss, how about you come back with me and we'll fix you up okay?" he suggested kindly helping me to walk.

"Thank you. Please call me Ivy, miss sounds so... proper." I shuddered, "What's your name anyway?" I asked as politely as I could, it was beyond my knowledge whether it was fawns or elves that were particular about manners, or was it vampires? Were they real? My head gave a throb. All right, stop over thinking. He looked at me incredulously before laughing loudly.

"You don't need to talk to me as though I'm a vampire you know."

One question answered at least. No wait, two.

"My names Grey, Grey Honeycomb."

"Nice name." I said tripping over a root.

"Cheers. So where are you from? A bit odd to find someone like you wandering through the woods at this time of night, nearly dark out you know Ivy, dangerous to be in here during nightfall." he warned before looking at me with gentle curiosity in his eyes. "So where are you from?" My breath caught in my throat, should I tell him I didn't know? Or should I make something up? As he kept watching for an answer I made a quick decision that I guessed would cause a lot less hassle.

"I don't know." I answered biting on my lip as he didn't respond straight away, out of the corner of my eye I was sure I saw him do a double take with what had just come out of my mouth, it was only then that I realised he seemed very tall for a fawn.

"I thought fawns were meant to be quite small." I said randomly, it brought him out of his puzzled daze anyway.

"Myth. We grow just like anything else, some are smaller, some are bigger and some are huge, depends. What do you mean you don't know where you came from? You can't have just woken up in here Ivy!" he scoffed clearly not believing the answer I had given him out of total honesty. I turned to him with a desperate look, my whole body was shaking now. His right eyebrow went gradually upwards and I gave a small nod. "You woke up here and can't remember where you're from? How come you know you're name then?" I pointed to the locket, "You only know your name because of that locket? Like some kind of dog tag?" he exclaimed when I gave another small nod. He was shaking his head in disbelief, giving me a sideways glance. "Are you an elf by any chance?" The only response to give was a vague shrug of my shoulders.

"I have no to be honest Grey, I could be a goblin for all I know!" I wailed throwing my arms up into the air. "Why did you ask anyway? Do you think I am?"

"Well for one thing your ears are pointy. Usually an elf thing. I don't know Ivy maybe you've got some elf in you."

"So now what?"

He thought for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders.

"Well lets think about all the factors shall we?"

"Okay."

"You woke up here,"

"Yes."

"You have no who you are or where you came from."

"Correct."

"You've only got that locket to tell you your name and you don't even know what species you are."

"Indeed."

"And now I'm the only person you know?"

"Mm.... yes, that's right." He gave a sharp nod and then suddenly looked very triumphant. I hadn't noticed but the air was becoming lighter still and the suns light was more pronounced now, a golden glow touched everything as we walked, me holding onto him for support as he led the way to wherever he was going.

"Okay then."

"Okay then what Grey?"

"You have nowhere to go right?" I nodded and he smiled. "Then you can come work at the manor till you can figure a few things out. The Angels are really a good natured family, a little proud but over all good. They'll let you in as a maid in a flash, it's good pay for the work and-"

"Hold on!" I gasped, stopping him before he planned out the next few years of my life, "I can't just scrounge off of you and your empolyers!"

"So you don't know who you are, what you are and where you come from, but you have high principles?"

"I may as well have something!"

"Well that's a stupid thing to have. Don't worry about it. They have too much money anyway and need the extra help. I'll be able to help you most of the time anyway okay? Plus it'll give you a roof over your head while you figure things out. Only temporary. How does that sound?" he asked. It sounded like a good plan, but I had no who these people were or where they lived. I gave a sigh,

"Sounds good to me." I chirped smiling gratefully at him.

"Let's get going then."

"Is their house far?"

"You see the big white thing that looks kind of like a small hill?"

"Yes."

"That's the manor."

"Bloody hell."

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Ilia_small Ilia Mogilevsky is a happy go lucky web developer based in Melbourne, Australia with his beautiful wife and a nameless budgie. Contact him on facebook, twitter, or digg.

Peter_small Peter Sbarski is soon to be PhD certified and is based in Melbourne Australia. He loves to dance and is a gym fanatic.

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