There once was a wise woman that wandered the dense Forest of Eirian. It was named after the silver trees that were rumored to be filled with magic, harboring the essence of the Divine. Gilda was a tall woman, broad in stature, with brunette hair that curled down to her waist. Despite her remarkable size, most would say she glided through the forest like a light feather, moving wherever the wind beckoned. When people encountered her, they were greeted with a gentle kindness that made you feel like you were floating in a dream.
There are many fables I could tell you about Gilda. Some are just that, while others speak of deep truths that weigh into the depths of our core. This is a story of how Gilda delivered three souls from a dark magic that had invaded the Eirian Forest. This dark force is known in other parts of the world, and very few escape its seductive powers.
Gilda was lounging by a sacred pool when she heard the screech of a dragon. She looked into the pond and entreated the creator of the Holy Waters to assist her. As she stared deep into the pool a tear rolled from her right eye. She was disturbed by what she saw. A serpent with the scales and wings of a dragon and the talons of an eagle was shooting flames at another tiny beast. It was the size of a dwarf, but its skin was completely charred from the dragon and its eyes bled red. It curled up in front of the dragon while being engulfed by its flames. She could see that this was the way of things between these two creatures. The flames never consumed the little one, but made the creature’s skin set to flame while blood oozed out of the cracks. The serpent squealed in delight.
Meanwhile, a small woman dressed from head to toe in white was kneeling behind the ruins of an old fortress. Her head was bowed, and it seemed she was praying.
“I must help them,” Gilda stated out loud. She looked around as if to ask the trees’ opinion, but they remained silent. Gilda smiled and stroked the silver bark of a nearby tree. Each one possessed a soul, and the silver bark reminded anyone that saw the tree of the treasures it held. Many had tried to harvest the tree’s bark, but as soon as one takes the bark from the source it will turn to ash. Most treasures are meant to be enjoyed, not possessed, she mused.
Gilda began weaving her way through the forest. The path to the three souls was lit by golden dust. While most are familiar with Gilda, you may not know that she is an Ancient One. The Ancient Ones are people that are chosen by the creator to serve the inhabitants of the nine realms. Each one speaks with a unique voice, but all see with an enhanced vision of what the world is meant to be. The golden path was a gift from the Creator, leading her towards the tortured souls.
She moved effortlessly and silently towards the woman dressed in white. She was so intent on her prayers she did not hear or see Gilda when she approached.
Gilda placed her large hand on the shoulder of the woman, “Excuse me, Madame, but what are you doing?”
The woman opened one eye suspiciously and replied, “praying, I mustn’t stop. I cannot stop until the child is free. She won’t be free until I find the right things to pray.”
“What are the right things?”
“Mustn’t stop if I do it wrong, nothing will ever change.”
“How long have you been this way?”
“Twenty-five years. I am certain the Creator will answer me soon, he must!”
“So, for twenty-five years you have kneeled behind this wall while the serpent continually scorches what you say is a child?”
“What else could I do? Look at how small I am!”
“You are pretty small.” Gilda smelled the burning flesh that was torturing the tiny creature. “Madam, I am Gilda of the Forest of Eirian, what is your name?”
“I have no name worth speaking of. I must continue praying. Please leave me to my work, Gilda of the Forest. I have no need of you. God will answer my prayers someday. Surely, he will see how hard I have worked.”
She sighed, “very well, I will go talk to the serpent.”
The woman’s eyes widened in fear and she put down her praying hands for the first time. “You mustn’t disturb the serpent, he could kill you! He could kill me! What evil could make you do such a thing? Don’t you dare reveal my hiding place!” the woman grumbled, “All this time talking to you I should be praying.”
Gilda smiled gently at the woman and said, “No harm will come to you except the harm you inflict on yourself. The serpent will not destroy you. To find freedom from your wall and your fears, you will need to allow yourself to be seen and heard.”
Confused, the woman stared back at her, “What difference could that make?”
“Madame, your voice could make all the difference, but first you must find strength and power. Ask God for power. Ask God for love. As the fear fades, you will find your words.”
The woman glanced at her suspiciously and quickly bowed her head. “You must go. So much praying to do. Who am I? God must save the child.”
Gilda’s eyes sparkled with delight, “I am sure He will!” She turned and meandered away but glanced back to see the kneeling woman praying with one eye closed and one eye fixed on her. Joyous laughter flowed out of her as she found a circuitous route towards the serpent’s tail. Gilda had every intention of interacting with the serpent before talking with the small black creature. She became curious about the serpent. Never had she seen such a creature.
The shriek of an eagle mixed with the roar of a lion reverberated from the beast as it rained fire and ash onto the child. Gilda cocked her head in wonder. “Serpent, what is your name?”
The thing ignored her question and continued his torturous task.
Gilda placed her hand on her chest and asked the creator of all for the power to reach the serpent’s invisible ears. Golden rings of light encircled her body and stretched her to the height of the serpent’s head. In a thunderous voice she echoed, “Serpent, what is your name!”
The serpent looked to her and reared back, “I am Camara. Why do you bother me in such a manner?”
“Why are you scorching that child?”
He turned his head back to the weary creature. Smoke rose all around the little one, due to the reprieve of blistering fire. “I am merely protecting her.”
“I am curious. What are you protecting her from?”
“From all manner of evil. If I do not hurt her in this minimal way, the shadow creatures will consume her.”
Everyone in the nine realms knows the evil one uses shadow creatures to turn people into the worst versions of themselves. Most people were destroyed by these creatures, and many destroyed others when the shadows took control.
“I see you have a desire to protect this little one. You must really love her.”
“More than anyone. She is my betrothed.”
“Your betrothed?”
The serpent looked back to the child, squinted his scaly eyes, shook his smoking nostrils, and shot another round of fire at the child.
Again, Gilda raised her voice, “Are you quite finished?”
“I cannot stop for too long or it will hurt her.”
Gilda walked past the serpent and stooped low to put her giantess hand on the flaming child. A bubble reflecting all the colors of the rainbow surrounded the child. “There, now she will be protected.”
The serpent looked over Gilda’s shoulder and slithered his snake-like body around her to inspect. He pecked at the bubble with his forklike tongue and pulled back to face her. “I guess it will be ok for a little while.”
“Wonderful! Now tell me how you got to be this way?”
“Oh, well, we were walking through the forest looking for treasure when the shadow creatures attacked my beloved. Her name is Elianna. As soon as the darkness surrounded her, I did all I could to protect her from harm.”
“How old are you?”
The creature had shrunk a little as he told Gilda the story. Her height matched his as he replied. “I am twelve.”
“That is interesting. You must be a very brave twelve-year-old. The lady in white tells me you have been protecting the child for twenty-five years.”
“Truly? I do feel exhausted from all this work.” He peered past Gilda to make sure the child was still encased in the bubble.
“I bet you are so tired! I wonder what it would be like to let the creator help you today.”
“Do you think he would?” The wings of the creature disappeared as he grew a little smaller.
“It would be his delight to see you as he created you to be.”
“I can’t imagine, but what can a mere child do against such evil?”
“When we turn our hearts toward love and trust in the power of the Creator, there is much we can do.”
“But the woman in white has been praying for years, with no success. Does God even hear his creatures?”
“I can see how you would wonder that. Yet her prayers are steeped in fear and only have one outcome in mind. The God of the Universe responds to our needs in ways that are beyond our imagination. Repetitive prayers motivated by fear alone forget how powerful and loving he is. Despite that, I believe the creator has sent me here today.”
“My lady, your words have brought warmth to my blood and hope to my soul.”
She beamed at the serpent, “May I place my hand on your head?”
“Certainly.”
Gilda’s eyes lit up like a kaleidoscope and she spoke boldly over the boy’s head in an ancient tongue. To this day no one knows exactly what she prayed, but the one who lived as a serpent for twenty-five years would tell you it transformed his life.
When Gilda finished, she looked at the man in front of her. He was built like a warrior. Both had shrunk to their God given height. His amber eyes sparkled as he regarded the Ancient lady in front of him. He looked down at his dark brown legs and powerful hands. He looked at her in disbelief. “I am a man!”
“Yes. I am afraid your childhood is over.”
His eyes widened, “The Princess!”
They both turned to the creature in the bubble, although they did not see her. Multi-faceted lights had filled the surrounding space. Gilda laughed with glee as she saw the light working its way with the child. “Darkness can never overcome the light, Camara.”
He stared in disbelief as the bubble burst and glittering dust filled the surrounding air. He threw his hands up in the air to catch the sparkling particles. For a moment he looked like a child trying to catch fireflies.
Gilda glanced sideways at Camara in amusement and slowly returned her gaze to the spot the child had been. The light illuminated a full-grown woman. Her black hair fell in tight curls to her shoulder and her high cheek bones gave her a regal air.
Camara ran to the woman and fell to his knees, “My dear lady, I hardly recognize you! We are free! This Ancient One has freed us!”
Eliana looked at him, “We are free?”
“Yes, my beloved. Will you forgive me for torturing you all these years? It seems we have both been under the spell of the shadow creatures.”
“If we were under a spell, there is nothing to forgive. Truth be told, I remember little. I know we were walking through the forest looking for treasure when I was struck down. Something took hold of me and would not let me go, I could barely breathe. I remember you running towards me, but then a giant serpent came and consumed you! Oh, what a nightmare. But strange to see you as a man. You look much like your father.” She brushed her hand along the side of his face.
“Yes, and you look like your mother.”
She looked down at her body to see she was a grown woman. “It cannot be, I was merely a child of ten!” She stared at Gilda bewildered.
Gilda looked at her with compassion, “I am sorry that I cannot turn back time. That is not a power the Creator has endowed me with.” She shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheek, “I am grieved to say much of your childhood is lost.”
“Camara, what should we do?”
He glanced at Gilda, “You say it has been twenty-five years?”
“That is what the woman dressed in white said.
“Mya? My dear maid! Where is she?”
“She was hiding behind that wall.”
Eliana ran to the other side of the wall and screamed. Camara ran to catch up as Gilda followed gracefully behind. As she turned the corner of the wall, she saw the shriveled corpse of an elderly woman. “How old was she when she accompanied you here?”
The couple looked at each other and Eliana replied, “She was in her final season of life, my lady. She was my nurse and my guide.” Her eyes brimmed with tears.
A tear rolled down Gilda’s cheek, “I am sad to see a shadow creature consumed her last days. It is not how the world was created to be. But it appears the shadow creature has fled and your maid is free.”
“It is a tragedy lady Gilda. Twenty-five years,” he shook his head in disbelief. “What has become of our Kingdoms? Our marriage was meant to unite them. Two realms under one Kingdom.”
“You must be the lost prince of Ignacia?”
“I did not know I was lost until now, but yes.”
“Then you are the princess of Masato.”
“That is right, but what of our parents? What is happening in our realms?”
“The evil one has waged war on the all the realms. There is a thin hope that the realms will stay united, but unless they turn to the creator for help, their resolve will fail. They never united your Kingdoms. In fact, they war against each other. Both sides were accused of your abduction and murder. It has been some time since I have been to your realms, but the trees tell me that the shadows have invaded your lands.”
“What must we do?” Elliana asked.
Gilda held out both of her hands and encouraged them to place their hand in hers. She took Camara’s right hand and placed it on top of Eliana’s left. As she cupped her sizeable hands around theirs, a golden light circled around their arms and hands. “You are free from the darkness and anointed with light. The ring of gold that circles your hands is an eternal symbol of your union and love. Do you wish to be joined to one another for all time?”
They looked at one another with love and devotion, “With all my heart, Eliana, I am yours.”
“And with all my heart, Camara, I am yours.”
“Your union represents a future Kingdom filled with peace and with hope. Tonight, you will bless your marriage and tomorrow you will travel to Zalmania, to seek the wisdom of the great council. There you will find a young woman named Alia, she will lead you on a quest that will bring unity to all the realms.” She released her hand from theirs to reveal intricate bracelets made of silver wrapped around each of their wrists. “The silver of the trees of Eirian formed these bands. It is a rare gift and a symbol of the Creator’s blessing. It seems he desires good things for both of you. Riches will flow out of your union and the Kingdom that is yet to come.”
Camara spoke quietly, “I do not know how to thank you.”
Her eyes twinkled with delight and she beamed at both of them with love. “Your freedom and your love are all the gratitude I need. Much has been lost and we will mourn those losses in due time. In times of upheaval, it is hard to grieve when the losses mount up. Follow the path laid before you and ask the creator for guidance. Some days will be filled with mourning and sadness, only to be followed with the rising sun of joy and freedom. Today, you have experienced both.”
“It is bit disorienting.” Eliana commented.
She looked at her knowingly, “Sometimes when we get disoriented, we will slow down enough to find our way. Most mistakes happen when we think we know where we are going, but have not taken the time to consult with wisdom. Life has many twists and turns. You are in the middle of your journey and there is much that is still to come.”
They bowed to Gilda in reverence, and she bowed in return. They would cross paths again, but that is a part of this tale not yet told. The Ancient Ones have crossed the paths of many souls and continue to guide them towards the light, when darkness obscures the way. Gilda’s light is ignited by the one true light, the one who will illuminate and restore all nine realms to the hidden kingdom.