Prologue

Night, darkness, they were my only friends. They shielded me from my father's hatred, held me in a blanket of warmth when my days seemed to never end.

Night, darkness, were the best things in my life. That is, until, the fates decided that they would remove everything I held dear. Darkness stole my mother, and because of that betrayal and the curse I was given, I lost all love for night and darkness.

In my world, mythology is as real as the air we breathe. Many creatures exist and roam across the lands of Caynala. The ruling species have to be the humans, who control the eastern lands. Human are afraid of all other species, they close themselves in with walls and weapons.

The King, Richard was a peaceful man until he disappeared one day leaving his brother John in charge. As the years passed by, John became a tyrant, exterminating all magical creatures in his land. Rumours began to spread about Richard, the idea that he had sired an heir caused revolutions to spring forth. The people began to hope again that their was someone out there to end his rule.

But John remained strong, crushing all resistances except for the one. But that is a story for a later time.

The Nomas, Were creatures, half-animal half-man, controlled the northern borders. These were creatures were of every animal alive, wolves, foxes, bears, rabbits. They kept to themselves for many people had mistaken them for animals and accidentally hunt them for their winter supply. They were the most sadistic creatures in Caynala, yet control was prominant in their territory, some compared their ruling to that of Sparta.

The nymphs claimed the southern seas and surrounding area. These are not the creatures that most have come to associate them with. They were a mysterious race, only having the ability to create simple charms and wards, but they were most famously known for thier ability to adapt to their environment. If they dove into the sea they would become merpeople, if they lay their hands upon the bark of a tree they would become wood nymphs. They shared a bond with all living things in Caynala.

The last of the species, my people, were the dryads. We were the most powerful race in all Caynala and resided in the western forest. Nature was not just connected to us, it was our other half. We could talk to the trees, control the leaves, become one with them. We could easily water bend and move the wind but the earth was an unconquered territory of which none ventured. Weather was in the hands of the fates but dryads were favored by them and the fates would from time to time lend their power to only those with a pure heart. Small illusions could also be made by bending sunlight to our will.

But with all this power, some dryads tried to start wars with the other lands and the created tension within all the races. For the most part though, the dryads were a peaceful group and we settled in the western forest. My story is what changed this past history.

I was born in the dead of night, darkness concealed my mother and she fled a few short days after my birth. My father was never a kind gentle man, he only did what was needed to secure his powerful position. A mere day after my birth an elderly woman came to our home requesting shelter and food.

She stood before my family with a cloak hiding most of her features. From the hood draped dull grey locks. From behind the cloak you could see remnants of a once youthful body. Her posture showing a once regal staure and her smile seemingly long gone from her lips. My father refused to give help to this woman saying "You old woman, are not worth my time or money, you are another mouth to feed and a waste of the oxygen in these lands, another homeless woman to keep alive." With a wave of his hands yelled for the guards to remove her from his presence.

Slowly she turned her head towards my mother at my father side. With venom laced in her words she spoke with such power that even my father trembled. "Your husband's ambition and pride has revealed to me that he is deserving of his punishment. The child that has yet to be announced to the world will be your downfall kind sir" she spat.

"She will rise above in life, beauty, grace, yet strength I guarantee, Although all of these gifts will be your demise kind sir, the years of your life are few, it is your ambition to conquer these lands but you will die before that occurs and it will be your prodigy that will have your dream. She will unite the lands and she will with the power of an army at her side. Remember these words kind sir, for you are cursed to tremble in fear for the rest of your life because of them." With those words she turned on her heel, the wind blowing away all oppostion leaving my father fuming in rage.

That was the night my world fell apart. My mother made many attempts to calm him, saying anything that came to mind, but by doing so caused him to make a decision that would set the dreaded prophesy in motion. "Since my fair daughter is still unknown to the world there is still time. Tonight is the night I plan to rid myself of all worries."

Her breath become caught in her throat. The room began to spin and she ran into the room where I lay, in her stories she said that one look upon my face and she knew what she had to do. She grabbed me and tucked me under her arm and fled from the home that she had once loved.

Through the surrounding woods she trudged, followers not far behind, she ran faster and prayed to the fates that the darkness would grant her and the child safety. She escaped to the eastern lands, but because we were of dryad descent and the tensions towards our race ran high, we were not welcome in this land.

Every dryad can be identified by the tattoos of vines on various parts of their body. Each design was decided by the fates, only the scholars in the land can decipher the meaning of each vine which revealed the history of each individual. She taught me to use the illusion of light to hide my appearance and allow us to blend in with the humans.

This tale was not told to me until I was 5 years old. If it was my mother's decision, I would never know of her history, but the cards had been laid and she knew she would not be there much longer.

The yellow fever claimed her a few weeks after I learn of my history. I was entrusted to my mother's dear friend Robin when she left. He raised me as his own, also with his son Tristan. Robin helped to conceal what I was through the years for if anyone discovered the truth I would be killed or handed back to my father for execution.

The secrecy in my life began to take its toll, while I grew up strong and beautiful just as the women said, I soon learned to trust no one.

Soon the rebellion in the human territory towards the tyrant king John became evident, after Robin's wife was killed for suspected treason we all fled to the woods. It was there that Robin soon became the leader of the resistance in the woods. Robin Hood he called himself, he trained me and Tristan to be the greatest warriors yet.

I became a master of swords, staff fighting, and the best archer next to Robin himself. Tristan became skilled in tactics and battle strategies and could wield a sword almost as well as myself. Our army grew until it was at least fifty men in size, Robin Hood elected five as his right hand men. Each had talents besting John greatest warriors.

Life was simple, train to fight, rob the rich, kill the guards that stand in our way, give the proceeds to the villagers, hide under cloaks and bandages for the rest of the night. I fell soon prey to the atmosphere of the human lands and began to despise what I was, I would call it my other half even though it was my whole person. Robin and Tristan continually tried to convince me that I was feared out of jealousy but I never listened.

I just took my anger out through my weapons. I plan to never follow through on those old woman's word by my own free will. I knew how impossible that task would be, for I knew something about my father that Robin and Tristan didn't.