White Witch

It is only a legend, an old maid’s tale, but apparently not a single soul returned, once lost in the depths of the Fangorn Forest. I have no knowledge of how much of the truth lies buried in this folktale, yet I have to give account in due time, albeit the knowledge might be forgotten, once the sands of time extinguish its flame.

It has been many moons ago, when eerie occurrences took place very close to a small village yonder. The settlement was in the south, by the sea, which connected the land with worlds afar. In the north and to the east there lay a dark and murky forest. Just a small path led directly through the woodland and linked the dwellings to the distant cities. Fear alone escorted the denizens while threading on this route, through the woods the locals refer to as Fangorn. On one hand, the sight induced sheer uneasiness, since that some areas of the forest were so densely arboreal that even the midday sun could not penetrate the thicket and on ground level velvety darkness loomed. On the other hand, all the legends of Fangorn were vividly present in villagers’ minds, gaining prominence with every passing day anew. More often than not, unsuspecting city folk who ventured out to hunt beyond the path boundaries never returned to their abodes. Throughout the lands no consideration was bestowed to any concerns the villagers expressed, the legends were declared myths and disappearances were declared as abscondence to better life somewhere else. The locals knew it better and were never tired of weaving the tales to any ear lent freely to soak up their spoken wisdom.

”This forest harbors evil within”, they professed sternly. ”An evil sorcerer has conquered the woods and declared it for his own. He does not want to be disturbed. The small path is his indulgence to the travelling men, but not a soul is to depart the confinement of the given route. Once a whole posse was eradicated by the sorcerer, only one of the horsemen survived to tell the tale. A white lady wizard, his lady luck, who also calls Fangorn her home, aided his reprieve from certain doom. This lone survivor was the original source for the tales of the powers hidden in the dark.

He told about the dark sorcerer and his seeking the ultimate power and authority over the region. The white lady wizard is the only opposing force. A striking light in the darkness of the forest, where the heart tends to grow cold and despair overpowers the happiest of people; she is the one providing warmth and recovery, an impeccable manifestation of eternal beauty, ethereal kindness that our hero could not bear to face, but by preserving his eyesight he cast his look away. Clad in a strikingly white gown, which seemed to express her glory and wholesomeness, beaming through the gloomy forest with pure light and compassion, she saved his life and maybe his very soul.”

The legend of the white lady wizard experienced some modifications throughout the years, where further details and intricate additions were interwoven into the original story and only the elders of the village know the full extent of the tale. Some knights never listened to the full narrative and went off to find the beautiful white lady wizard, without having been cautioned about all the perils that were expecting them. Behold the wisdom that is within and proclaim the message to all who venture into the woods. Not many are chosen to be permitted an audience with the white lady wizard and to witness her legendary beauty and grace. Any and all who enter the forest of their own volition will be subject to the wrath of the dark wizard and are likely to never return from their adventure.