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holly_evolvingOnce upon a time, a long time ago, there were two kingdoms on either side of a great forest. They were very close together, as although the forest was very long, it was only a day's walk across. The people in these two kingdoms were very much alike. They spoke the same language and had the same ways and customs. This is because once these two kingdoms had been one, but the kings' grandfathers had been twin brothers and had quarrelled and split the kingdom in two along the forest.
The forest itself was a strange thing. No one would cross it, except by a boat on a river that ran across its middle. This is because it was full of gypsies and thieves. Some said it was haunted by fairies and ghosts, while others claimed witches took their refuge there. No one really knew, as no goodly people had walked in the forest since the kings' grandfathers were little boys, and so no one was left alive who would talk about what was really in there.
Now at this time, the kingdoms were not very rich, but they were very beautiful and proud and had many enchanting customs. Their people were comely and healthy, their land was fertile and their animals were strong. But they were in danger. They were too small to defend themselves and their neighbors knew it. North of the east kingdom was a nation of wild men who thought they would conquer first the east and then the west. They did not know or care about the stories of the dangers in the forest between them, only about the riches that they could take from these little kingdoms.
The kings knew that they were in danger. They secreted their wives and children away on islands in the southern sea, and began raising and training their armies. In their hearts they hoped that this would be enough, but they feared that it would not. Still, they were too proud to go to each other and work together.
The forest itself was a strange thing. No one would cross it, except by a boat on a river that ran across its middle. This is because it was full of gypsies and thieves. Some said it was haunted by fairies and ghosts, while others claimed witches took their refuge there. No one really knew, as no goodly people had walked in the forest since the kings' grandfathers were little boys, and so no one was left alive who would talk about what was really in there.
Now at this time, the kingdoms were not very rich, but they were very beautiful and proud and had many enchanting customs. Their people were comely and healthy, their land was fertile and their animals were strong. But they were in danger. They were too small to defend themselves and their neighbors knew it. North of the east kingdom was a nation of wild men who thought they would conquer first the east and then the west. They did not know or care about the stories of the dangers in the forest between them, only about the riches that they could take from these little kingdoms.
The kings knew that they were in danger. They secreted their wives and children away on islands in the southern sea, and began raising and training their armies. In their hearts they hoped that this would be enough, but they feared that it would not. Still, they were too proud to go to each other and work together.