3. The Dryads
“Dreamshore forest was a magical place. The dryads lived there. They had no city of their own. They lived in the trees. The dryads were magical creatures – keepers of the trees. They didn’t eat or drink. They just entered their tree and, like their home, used the ground to keep healthy. I knew a dryad once. Her name was Daphne and she appeared to have lived in the tree on which my home in Dreamfall was built. It was quite rare to see a dryad. They hid themselves from others for they were shy creatures and were easily frightened.
I found Daphne hiding in my room one day. It appeared she had come out of the tree while our hunters were gathering beside it. She had gotten so scared she climbed the tree and hid in my room.
“Why didn’t you hide in your tree again?” I asked.
“I was so scared! I just ran…”
“Don’t worry. I am the last person in the world you should be scared of” Said I while I was hanging my swords on the wall. I could see her fear when she saw me do that. “Calm down! I’m not going to hurt you. Do you want something to drink?”
“You are kind but you seem to know very little about dryads.”
“And who is to blame for that? You hide from us and when you accidentally see us you run.”
She was staring at the floor of my room.
“I’m…sorry…We have lived this way for generations…ever since Lauria’s death.”
“Who’s Lauria? And are you sure you don’t want some water?”
She giggled. She told me what I told you earlier. Dryads fed and drank directly from the trees’ roots. Then, seeing that I meant no harm she told me a splendid story about Lauria and the ancestors of the dryads……
* * *
“We dryads called Dreamshore forest home long before the elves came here. It was so many years ago. The forest was ours from end to end. We used to spend less time in our trees and more time in the outside world. We used to help wounded animals and take care of the sick. The forest was flourishing. Oh how I long for those days of tranquility! We would sing and dance in the forest all day long and enter our trees for the night tired but happy. Every day was full of happiness and laughter…until they came…
The sun was in the sky. The birds were singing and we were having fun the way we had done for so long. Then Mystra fell…dead before she hit the ground! Then Sylvia…then Liana…it was horrible! You see, a dryad dies when her tree is cut down and someone was cutting down Dreamshore forest killing us in the process!
Then Lauria came from the eastern end of the forest.
“Orcs! The orcs are cutting down our forest!”
It appears the humans had gone on a crusade against the orcs and have destroyed them all. Now they were chasing a small group of survivors into our forest. The orcs were cutting down trees to set up their last stand.
We were healers not fighters. It all seemed hopeless. Our deaths seemed inevitable. We decided we wanted to be together when the moment came so we all gathered on the meadow that had been witness to so many days of joy and fun.
Our sisters fell one by one. I could see Lauria’s face. It showed great pain as she watched the dryads fall. Suddenly her expression changed. It now displayed tough determination. She stood up.
“Hear me sisters! This has been our forest for many generations! Now invaders have come. Should we just sit and wait for our deaths?! I say NO! I say we take the fight to them! I can see the fear in your eyes. I too am scared but I will not leave my forest undefended.”
This said she rushed into the woods. We looked at each other. Our eyes – full of tears. Then Maggie stood up and ran into the forest after Lauria. Moments later Nelly followed her. We all stood up. It was time. The dryads would not go down without a fight!
We all ran through the forest as fast as we could for more and more kept falling down dead. We found Lauria at the base of the Great Oak – the oldest tree in the forest.
“Come my sisters! Let us ask the Great Oak for assistance.”
We dryads had the ability to commune with the trees. We all circled the enormous tree and bowed down asking for help. What we found out gave us hope but brought us sorrow as well. The Oak promised to help us but in exchange it wanted us to almost never leave our trees. No dryad had ever lived in the Great Oak so now it wanted one of us to choose it as her home but she would never be allowed to see the outside world again.
Lauria stood up.
“I will go.”
We were all silent. She was sacrificing her own freedom to save us. Lauria didn’t wait for an answer and walked to the Oak.
“We will always remember you my sister!” I remember shouting as she entered the tree. “The forest will always sing your song!” The last thing I remember was lying face-down on the soft leaves of the forest and crying.
I must have passed out. When I woke up I was in my tree. I tried to speak with my sisters and found out that the orcs were dead. Killed by the trees themselves. We were saved but we paid dearly for our salvation. Lauria was no more and we would never sing and dance in the forest like we used to. But Lauria’s spirit was still alive. Her power enchanted the forest so that no one may ever threaten us again…”
“Can you hear it Erina?” Daphne was excited. “Can you hear the forests? They sing Lauria’s song!”
I could hear the trees. It was like gusts of wind coursed through the leaves. The forest was singing…
I’m…sorry…I just…I just can’t hold my tears…We will have to continue later…”
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