All the places and characters in this story are completely fictional and any resemblance to anyone alive or dead is purely coincidental.
Usual disclaimers apply, all copyright goes to me `the author', and may not be used without my consent.
As it's my first story in this genre if you enjoyed please drop me a line.
The Dryad
The spirit lifts. The stone empowers. The animal destroys. The plants nurture. I am lord of all that grew from weakness to power.
School was absolutely terrible. Trying to avoid my boyfriend and his brothers his triplet brothers his homophobic triplet brothers. I think he was the second one to pop out of their mother's quite obvious bucket. They were big guys. So the small weak kid with the messy mop of brown hair long legs and no upper body strength and who was openly gay was obviously going to be their target. However Nick was the one who held back when they were chasing me. All three were big muscley men. Same age as me but all built like men. Luckily, every cloud and silver linings, with them chasing me I developed really strong leg muscles, something I was really proud of and something that helped me out run them most of the time. Nick was waiting for me once on my way home from school he was standing on the corner slightly in the dark in the winter just a couple of months ago and when I turned the corner to see him I panicked and In that split second he grabbed me. My initial reaction was SHIT! but I was in luck more ways than I can imagine. Instead of pinning me and beating the shit out me he pinned my back against the wall and slammed his lips against mine. Alas it was a secret and there was nothing I could do. Trapped in this relationship that I wasn't sure I wanted to be in he was kind but only when we were really alone and the sex was hot albeit a little rough for my liking but I couldn't do anything to stop it especially after last week when I tried to talk to him about. I was met with the threat that if I didn't like things could be a lot worse. I was too weak to fight him and I couldn't run anywhere and that was how it was and more importantly how I thought I would always be. That is until yesterday....
Roses are stupid, Violets are silly, now grease up your ass, `cos here comes my willy. Valentines card from my oh so romantic boyfriend. It was four lines on a piece of paper on valentines day and he expects me to be impressed so I put on the best grin and say "thanks babe" and let out a small chuckle.
"I knew you'd like it, so do it then" he said to me with a cheeky smile on his face and a playful twinkle in his eye however I knew he was serious. He wanted me to get on my stomach pull my pants down under my ass and let him fuck me into high heaven. I just wish he let me take my clothes off and roll around with him naked ... covered in baby oil. Yet he never let me his excuse always they same. He said there was no point `cos it was quick besides he was in charge and what says goes. So I usually did it no questions. But then the phone started ringing...
"Leave it babe" he said to me but I couldn't just leave it might be something important so I reached for the phone and answered it. Much to his distaste.
"Hello" I spoke into the phone completely expecting it to be my mum telling me she was going to be late again tonight or a friend but I was in for a shock.
"Hello is this Riley Craw? If it is I'm phoning to remind you of the will reading of your late grandmother Meredith Goldem" he replied leaving me with more questions than answers but the main thing at the forefront of my head was that my gran was dead. I had seen a lot of her when I was younger but after dad's death and when me and mum moved across town we lost contact. I asked mum many times to take me to her but she always put it off until one day she said we would never go as my gran was crazy. I loved my gran even after all this time so after realising this, my heart jerked and tears formed at my eyes. Nick didn't notice.
"What do you mean will reading? I didn't even know she was dead. I didn't even know she knew where I was." I replied in a hurry of words completely confused by the situation. Obviously what I had said into the phone had peaked Nicks interest.
"Well there was a letter about it in the mail. Any ways my deepest condolences about your grandma however you need to make it over to my office in the next hour" He said to me then further describing his offices and directions to get there.
"Babe I need to go to this thing" I said to nick praying to god that he didn't push me on this as I would snap. He seemed to sense this about me though.
"Alright I understand I've got something to do anyways" he said back to me with no emotion in his voice. As he raised he kissed me on my forehead and left my house.
I sat in the office of David Thomwell waiting to finish what he was scribbling with and get on with it. It was extremely creepy at a will reading of an old woman you would expect many people to come and visit but yet there was only me. On my own as per usual. This was ok as I preferred it to be like that. Finally Mr Thomwell finished his scribbling and sorting his papers he looked up at me. A small bald man with glasses and a sizable gut he simply took out a bit of paper and a key which he gave to me. He then opened a small envelope opened the contents and read aloud.
"To my dearest and only family member I leave you everything I own. My home my land and my gifts. Every thing is in the letter. Congratulations my little faun." He read out. My little faun brought back many a fond memory of her. What she used to call me all the time, my little faun. Yet the short reading was very cryptic. So I started to open the bit of paper with the wax seal on it.
"Do you want some privacy to read it" Mr Thomwell said to me and after a quick thank you from me he left the room.
To my Dear Riley, this is just the first of the two letters you shall receive this day. I expect you to have many questions so I shall answer them as best as I can. I wanted to visit you many times over the years however your mother would not let me see you. It was no fault on her half she genuinely believed I was crazy and that I was too unstable to see you. Something that you will learn soon that was not craziness was a major part of my life and now yours. I probably died of natural cause's most likely old age, an age that is quite impressive at 142 years of age. As incredulous as that sounds its the way I was and now the way you are. We are a different breed a breed that will be explained in great detail when you enter Roark forest, my forest, your forest and find my home that lies in the centre of that forest. Enter my home, now your home with the key. From there go into my bedroom and unlock the book with the same key and in there you will find the answers to what you are now and what your new duties are. Just remember that I always loved you my little faun even if we had very little time together. All my love, Grandma.
Holy Fuck. I have a house and land and some sort of gifts. However I had duties but more specifically I had to go into Roark forest. People didn't go near Roark forest and with good reason. Roark forest was a perfect circle and more specifically owned by some crazy old lady who turned out to be my grandma and now I owned it. If any one trespassed on it or chopped a tree or anything to deface the forest she would raise hell, I thought to myself however I quickly wondered how in the hell I knew that. However there were other rumours around that place folklore that said things moved and not just the bears . Roark forest was massive and I was still in shock that it was mine and I had the key to the home in the centre the home that now belonged to me.
I stood there on the outskirts of the forest staring at this guy who had a chainsaw in hand and I was quite shocked by the rage that flooded through me.
"Hey" I shouted to him grabbing his attention "What do you think your doing?" I shouted again wondering why in the hell he was going to chop down one of my trees. That was weird, my trees.
"Chopping down a tree. What does it look like?" he huffed incredulously huffing at me when he was about to chop down a perfectly healthy tree. Once again I thought, how do I know that? I know nothing about trees.
"Well do you know that your trespassing and more importantly defacing private property?" I shouted to him getting steadily more pissed off by the second, a rage flowed through me, a rage I had never felt before. Fuelled by a passion that came from nowhere a passion that I wasn't sure of but my anger was bright and evident as the guy in question was startled at my features.
"Yeh well the crazy old bat is dead its not trespassing no more" e replied with a look of victory on his face. But he was wrong after I did a few signing bits on Mr Thomwell's paperwork the forest was mine. Is mine.
"Yes my gran might be dead but the forest is now in my possession so unless you want a visit from the police I suggest you back off" I screamed back at him loving the look on his face as he realised who my gran was and who was now in ownership of the forest and at the mention of the police he turned around wordlessly and stalked off.
Walking through the forest I was completely caught off guard to turn around and see a bear directly behind me. A big scary black grizzly bear. A grizzly bear that just stared at me and nudged my forehead with its nose. For some insane reason I had the urge to climb on its back a thought I subsequently acted on. I was completely just going with the new emotions that were coursing through me, this new sudden impulsive side of me and to tell the truth I was really enjoying it. I think it was good the bear let me climb on and when it started to turn to the right a little I had no problem letting it take me away. I trusted this bear to take me where I needed to go.
Then on the way there I saw them two kids messing around and when I say messing around I mean going at it hot and heavy. A boy and a girl. Although I didn't have the emotion enough to argue or the interest to watch, I was drawn to the situation. Drawn to the boy. Drawn to my boyfriend. Obviously it wasn't him it was one of his brothers. Or was it him? The boy looked up sharply sensing my presence and turned round to face me. His face dropped and he started running towards me pausing for a few seconds when he realised what I was sitting on and in these few minutes I told the bear a magic word.
"Please, Run" I whispered in the bears ear and we took off. Did you know that Bears can run at 30mph. I was truly confused about this useless information that kept popping in my head at random points. Alas I didn't care as my bear took me forwards away from Nick who, no matter how hard he tried, couldn't catch up with my bear.
We arrived at the house. Me and my bear arrived to the cottage which was situated on a dip as we entered the perfect circle of a clearing the bear stopped for reasons unknown but I am happy he did as It gave me time to truly enjoy what I was seeing. The trees let in perfect shafts of light that showed off the rectangular cottage that looked straight out of a fairy tale. A wooden door and a thatched roof with two medium sized windows either side of the cottage. A sort downwards slope of grass led us into the clearing however the back of the cottage was completely flat so the downwards slope only came from the front and left of the house. A stream was situated along the back of the cottage and no small stream either. It was medium paced and black or at least the rocks on the bottom were black and the word obsidian popped into my head. Wildflowers grew all along the clearing and the grass wasn't long it was short but not cut just short.
I dismounted my bear and before I could thank it, it just meandered off into the distant tree line at the back of the cottage. A cottage I couldn't wait to enter and explore.
I walked through the wild grass and came to the front door and pushed the key into the lock and turned, after hearing the click in the lock I quickly pushed open the door and stepped inside and quickly took my shoes off before looking around. It was so beautiful inside. To my left there was a big dining table with a pure marble kitchen just next to it except the marble looked in most senses smooth but also more off, as though it was hand made I thought to myself,. What I wasn't expecting was the reply that it was hand made an elegant voice. A voice in my head, so deciding to tally it up to all the other weird crap that happened to day I turned to my left and saw something perfect. An old couch with a open fire and a two bookcases full to the brim of books as I walked into the living room to look at the books, books which were pretty modern as well as old, I realised that the house wasn't a square as I hadn't seen the bedroom. I walked back to the front door taking notice of the fact that it was very open planned as there were no walls between the dining area and the kitchen and the living room. It was just a big space split into sections but then I saw the door sitting directly in-between the two bookcases and the end kitchen counter. I walked to the door and opened it to see the bedroom. The walls were green and the double bed was in the far right corner up against the wall. The bed was beautiful, I could instantly tell it was hand made and a lot of care had gone into it. That's when I saw it, the book. It was lying there on the bedside table, another ornate furnishing, just waiting to be opened. I don't know why I glanced over my shoulder but I'm happy I did as I notice a massive painting covering the entire wall that had the door on it. It started as a green orb in the corner and from that branching out came green and brown wisps, like smoke, and from the wisps came animal, all different kinds all different colours all in perfect detail.
After I got over the awe and looking at this magnificent painting I quickly remembered about the book and the rest of the room. At the foot of the bed was a giant chest and on the floor was a brown rug that felt extremely soft. To the left of the door frame was another door. I went and investigated and it was an en suite although this far out in the forest I was quite amazed that gran had water and electricity and gas. The bathroom was also quite earthy as was the rest of the house. The tiles where black obsidian and the shower was made of wood as well as the toilet. All the wood was a very comforting thing the beams in the ceiling the doors the furnishings, it made me feel comfortable.
Turning around and approaching the task at hand I grabbed the book off the bedside table pushed the key into the lock, anxious for answers at what was happening, I turned the key and the book opened. It was heavy to keep up, the casing made of dark wood with gold inlay. As I opened the first page there was an inscription and an envelope. I moved the envelope onto the bed and sat down next to it. The inscription I read aloud.
"Strong as Stone, Quick as Stream, Tough as Wood, Spirit flows. Nature binds, it intertwines, Wrapped in all, Weaved in all." I said completely clueless as to what it meant. However I then noticed the green glow coming from the book and before I could stop it or more importantly realise what was happening, green smoke shot out from the book and in a panic I inhaled but all the smoke came to me. It was seeking me out and when it found me it wormed its way in.
My vision clouded over and I was lucky that I was on the bed as I collapsed. I fainted on the bed and passed out.
As my vision returned I realised that it was getting dark and that I must have been out for awhile. I was so filled with so many questions I knew I had to read the letter and then take a closer more cautious look at the book. As I reached for the light switch and switched it on and the lamp next to the bed came on. I made an impulsive decision to spend the night in my new home so I got up and locked the front door and pulled the curtains in the living room and dining room and returned to the bedroom. I drew the lace curtain in the bathroom and drew the curtains over the window above the big chest. I quickly typed out a text to my mum saying I was staying with a friend for the night. After doing all the preparations I stripped completely naked and climbed into bed and grabbed the letter to read. Once I thought I was sufficiently settled I started to read.
Dear Riley,
If you are reading this then I have departed but we managed to get through all that at the reading. You're probably wondering about the strange things that have happened since you arrived here and I'm also guessing about the smoke that you inhaled. It is always best to start at the beginning so that is what I shall do. 122 years ago I inherited the forest and this house from my mother when she died as it has always been mother to daughter throughout the line. We are Nymphs, spirits of nature. We can manipulate Mother Nature in her various forms like rock, woods, water and the animals. We can converse with these beings on a spiritual level and hear the whispers of the trees. How else do you think a crazy old lady managed to guard an entire forest from the evils of the world? As nymphs we can jump from tree to tree a form of teleportation if you like to call it that. We can make the most barren of places in to lush wonderlands and can usher in new life. However we can only do this with life around us. In a forest a nymph is nearly unstoppable but in a desert she is the most fragile person in the world. Now you are no daughter of mine as my first son as a boy and shortly thereafter me and my husband where involved in an accident that affected my ability to have children and tragically took my husband from me. I had hoped for a girl to continue the legacy but before you could get a sister your father died. However I realised that you would inherit the abilities you would merely become a faun instead of a nymph. At this realisation I started to encourage you to talk the animals and the plants but as soon as your mother found out the visits stopped. However I was always watching you through nature if you were in sight of an animal or a plant or even a stone I could watch you.
Now that I have explained what you are and some of your abilities I should just say that the weird stuff was your abilities awakening with my death and the smoke was a catalyst to hurry the process along. Now the water in the house comes from the stream and the stream is always warm due to the black rock it passes over. Also there is a boiler in the loft and solar panels on the roof around the back. There is also a few discreetly placed wind turbines in the forest that generate electricity and the cookers electric too so no need for harmful gas. I might have been a 142 year old nature spirit but I was up to date with my appliances.
The book is a hand-guide of sorts. It will guide you through your abilities and some of the other `odd' things you might find. Use it well and please remember me, I may return to Mother Nature but I will always come back to help if you need me enough.
All my love, Grandma.
I was gobsmacked. I could manipulate nature. I was powerful. Not in the sense of take over the world powerful but .... I wasn't a weakling.
"I swear grandma that I will protect this forest that I will remember you and be the best Dryad this forest has ever seen." I spoke aloud overjoyed at all that happened. Yet as excited as I was, I was still exhausted so before I could pee myself with happiness I dropped asleep.
Well hoped you enjoyed and hope you come back to find out what he can do with his new found powers and what his new found powers help- him discover about a certain cheating dickhead.
Drop me a line at reece_108@live.co.uk if you enjoyed it