For this story to work you have to believe in magic. And also unicorns. Not just the white and golden horned ones, but every colour of unicorn. Once the world was a dark place, I don’t mean dinosaurs and cavemen times, but more sort of medieval times or maybe in the gap before that. Anyway, magic existed more in this time than at any other because people could see and perform it for real. Thus, meant that such creatures we believe today to be myths and legends did walk the land.
Don’t get me started on what happened to the magic or the mythological creatures connect with it. This story isn’t about that. This story is about you believing that there was once such a time in which magic and unicorns lived. Now, most histories say that unicorns love female virgins because they are pure of heart like the unicorns themselves. So, unicorns would come to them and share their magic.
Unicorn magic is powerful, no one really knows how powerful, but it is written that to drink the blood of a unicorn would give you all of their power. However, by killing something so pure you damn yourself. Don’t worry; this isn’t that kind of story. In fact, I’m not sure this is even going to develop into a story. It’s just that I wanted to talk to someone about unicorns and you seemed so interested to hear me out.
I’ve never seen one, only their likeness in old crumbling books and paintings. They do look like horses, but bigger and more powerful. Imagine a shire horse as that’s the closest we have to the figure of a unicorn now. Yes, the horn. The horn sits between the ears, a top of the forehead and the base just covered with mane. Do you know what happens if you cut off the horn of a unicorn? All the magic returns to the land and the horn is useless. No, I don’t know why they have horns, that’s not my area. No, I only know about their nature and their magic.
Perhaps, I should place all this in a story, you’d understand it better and this wouldn’t turn out to be a boring history lesson. Of course, this whole thing is only going to work if you help me. Now, I need a good portion of your imagination, a bit of your ‘suspended disbelieve,’ some of your knowledge of the medieval period and a dash of creativity.
Now, imagine you are a princess or a prince if you want, though princesses do work better for this. I don’t know why girls fit this role so well, but they just do. If that doesn’t work for you, imagine yourself as a knight. Now that part is always male, but I don’t mind it’s up to you. So, here you are then as a princes/s or a knight living in a land which is on the edge of the medieval period. You were born and raised in a large castle, you have never known hungry or real fear. The time you live in as at peace and everyone is happy. Often you go outside the castle walls into the growing town and country fields. You love riding horses and attending parties. In fact, ever since your sixteen birthday you have become very fond of balls. You like studying the people around you.
Now, one hot summer’s evening you are very restless. Everyone else is preparing to try and sleep, but you just can’t settle. You decided to go for a walk around the castle’s gardens. There are water features and lots of brightly coloured flowers to be seen. There are also tall trees and singing birds. The air is hot and sticky, you wonder how anyone else can get to sleep. You ended up walking further through the gardens then you imagined. You come to a high mossy wall, which you know to mark the boundary of the castle.
On the other side is a forest. It has had many names before you were born and it’ll have many others after you are gone. At your moment, the forest is called The Bow Forest. You have walked through its edge a few times, but have never wondered any further. Your nanny filled you with scary tales about the forest. Just as good nannies should do.
However, tonight, you find a large hole in the wall. The stones have tumbled away and left an archway for you to step through. You know, you shouldn’t do really, but for some unknown reason, you step into the forest. It is dark and you have no light, save that coming from the castle’s many windows. Slowly, you pick your way into the forest. Telling yourself that you won’t go very far, but somehow you do just that. You find yourself in a clearing and sit down for a moment. It is still dark, but now the full moon lights your way. As you try to figure out the way back, you hear something moving the trees close by.
It’s a large animal, not trying to hide itself and you believe that it doesn’t know you are even here. You think about hiding, but before you can move, the most wonderful creature you have ever seen in your life steps into the clearing.
Can you see the unicorns now?
The Story Files 