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| | Description/Story of Darken Wood goes here... | | Description/Story of Darken Wood goes here... |
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| − | <helpfile>
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| − | There was a proud and noble stag
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| − | In Shadow Wood was born,
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| − | And there he grew, and there he met,
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| − | And loved a Unicorn.
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| − |
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| − | He served her long, he served her well,
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| − | He served her, whole and part
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| − | Until one night in Shadow Glade
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| − | He told her all his heart.
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| − |
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| − | She did not mock, she did not laugh,
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| − | But softly told him, Nay;
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| − | He did not grieve, but chose to leave
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| − | And plotted to betray.
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| − |
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| − | He sought out then King Sable's men;
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| − | His words were cold and blunt,
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| − | 'Oh, sentry hosts, desert your posts:
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| − | I offer you a hunt.'
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| − |
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| − | King Sable's men were duty bound,
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| − | To guard the Wood from fear.
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| − | The king, in pride, set sword aside,
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| − | To bargain with the deer.
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| − |
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| − | 'There is no hunt for me,' said he,
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| − | 'Of any creature born,
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| − | Unless I could in Shadow Wood
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| − | Hunt down the Unicorn.'
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| − |
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| − | 'None knows so well where she may dwell
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| − | As I who did her will,
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| − | If you will heed, then I will lead,
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| − | And you may have your kill.'
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| − |
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| − | But one lone guard forewarned the king:
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| − | 'This hunt is evil-starred;
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| − | For those with arms and potent charms
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| − | Against whom we must guard
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| − |
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| − | No more will wait with eyes of hate
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| − | And souls and hearts of gall,
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| − | But purge the Wood of light and good,
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| − | And Jake forgive us all.'
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| − |
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| − | Still Sable boasts, 'Step down, my hosts,
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| − | And sic the hunting drake,
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| − | Let men invade both wood and glade,
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| − | I care not of this Jake.'
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| − |
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| − | The stag led on from night to dawn,
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| − | From sunrise into morn,
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| − | And in the shade of Shadow Glade
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| − | Betrayed the Unicorn.
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| − |
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| − | She spoke to him; her voice was grim:
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| − | 'What have you done for pride?
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| − | You know and see your destiny
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| − | And yet you turn aside.
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| − |
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| − | You would betray me to my death
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| − | And quite forsake your vow?
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| − | Then service lent without consent
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| − | Is all you do me now.'
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| − |
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| − | She touched him once, she touched him twice,
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| − | And three times with her horn.
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| − | And there he fell, and where he fell,
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| − | He rose a Unicorn.
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| − |
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| − | The guards have fled; their trusting land
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| − | All undefended lies;
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| − | And through the Wood invaders ride
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| − | With darkness in their eyes.
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| − |
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| − | Without alarms they practice charms
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| − | That drive away the light
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| − | And Shadow into Darken Wood
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| − | Is made that evil night.
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| − |
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| − | And afterward, with sword and spell
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| − | And horse and horn and hound
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| − | They hunted down King Sable's men
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| − | And ran them all to ground.
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| − |
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| − | The king was slain, his body lain
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| − | Among his dying men,
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| − | But they were told ere they were cold
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| − | To rise and hunt again.
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| − |
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| − | For every wraith who breaks his faith
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| − | Must wander without cease
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| − | And, cold, perform what he did, warm,
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| − | And never rest in peace.
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| − |
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| − | So every night the stag betrays
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| − | The love he could not keep
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| − | And king and host desert their post
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| − | To hunt and never sleep.
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| − |
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| − | And so they shall betray and die,
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| − | Until the day they show
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| − | That they somehow fulfill their vow
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| − | They broke so long ago...
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| − | </helpfile>
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| − |
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| | ====Quick Notes==== | | ====Quick Notes==== |