Whirlpool

'If you give up now, your brother will be king, and it was your duty to prevent it!'
'Apparently.'

Summary

During calm summer nights, the starry sky would mirror on the flat pond's surface. Despite this apparent calm, evil was always lurking inside the murky Redswood forest and its black water. People from Oldbourn used to sense a sinister presence and avoided getting close to that dark and creepy place. Nobody knew how was it created, but one thing they knew was that only Leonard's Uncle would get close to its banks. It is even told that somebody saw him drinking its black water from a grail. Years passed by, and people kept ignoring the pond and its mysteries, until that summer, when our story took place. It was in fact the hottest summer of the last century. As you should know, hunger can push one to take wild decisions, and seldom to pick a dark path. In the court of the family Cavaletti precious water was lacking, and it was time to make good use of the pond. Brave prince Itcho decided to leave by its own to dry and clear the water-source. He started by opening a gutter, from which water could be directed out of the pond and towards the fields, made yellow by the sun, and eventually into the town well. He then asked the help of his best friend, knight Vasirani. When they got back to the pond, right after lunch, the water level was short, and they could start clearing the bottom.
Vasirani brought with him, with a leash, the old trusty Ivan, the first horse ever owned by his family. Retired from his services eight years before, was kept as a friend, since he was a great friend for the knight. Itcho, with his heavy steps, followed the two right behind. Laughing and joking, they were sure that thirst and hunger were past, but the empty banks revealed something dark: hundreds of spiders and snakes laid dead on the black mud. Despite the nature of their findings, the two had a mission to accomplish and started to work. With a shovel, Itcho began to remove this mud, while his friend relied on his gentle hands to remove those reeds, and that's when the coin was found. This was shining with a ghostly light, and lured Itcho to pick her up. Having a better look at the coin under the sunlight, the prince noticed the emblem of the House of Maiola, where Leonard's Uncle's mansion could be found. That's how they uncovered his secret! The creatures, his experiments, were hidden on the bottom of pond Terun, never to be seen by unwanted eyes. Itcho asked his friend to have a look, and, with a glance, Vasirani reached the same conclusion.
Unluckily nobody noticed the creature that was spying them behind the trees, just like they didn't notice the stirs above the water surface. Itcho was staring at his friend from the bank, waiting for a comment, when a whirl of water embraced Vasirani. The prince did not hesitated, and rushed towards him, desperately searching for his hand. With his bear-strength he managed to hurl Vasirani out of the water, just to end up being trapped himself. The knight brought forth his stallion, and launched a rope to Itcho, ready to bring him out. The vortex became mightier and mightier, and Ivan was no match for it, and could not bear the heavy burden. Vasirani did what he could to help his horse, which was being carried closer and closer to the pond. The brave prince softened his grasp and told Vasirani not to waste his companion's life for him, for the task was over and that was enough. The knight would not hear a word, and used his last bit of strength to pull the rope, but in vain. He saw his friend's head disappear beneath the water; but the proud prince managed to make one last heroic deed before leaving the World: he saw the coin shimmering again, and he ripped away her sorcery from the pond. Ivan, worn and tired, let himself fall inside the black mud, while his master tried to pull him without a chance to succeed. The old companion followed the prince and disappeared, forever.
Silence became the master, and the knight found himself staring at the empty pool, where his friends were eaten. Unlike prince Itcho, Vasirani was not content from the success of the quest, and let pain devour him. Above him were laid the eyes of the demon-dog, now came out from the bushes, sent as a catalyst by the evil sorcerer to avenge the theft of the coin. The magic used by the Uncle fed itself with pain and dread, and no resistance was made by the heart of the knight. The curse embraced him in a silk cocoon, and turned Vasirani into a grim spider.

The Legend:
People in Oldbourn never knew the tale of those two heroes, and never trusted again that knight. Voices whispered about a plot between the evil sorcerer and Vasirani, now suspected guilty for the death of the bold prince. He never proved or disproved those voices, since he never uttered a word about what happened. The only certainty was his coy and gloomy behavior. During hot sunny days, Vasirani would step away for hours, with the excuse of being sent to get water for his young colt, and arousing more than simple suspects. It had been just a matter of weeks before tales of a repulsive monster wondering amongst the wood's shades came to court. Children named this creature Vasiragno, sure about the secret nature of the knight. To remember prince Itcho, every year, on the day of the anniversary, a young cow, his favorite animal, would be given to a family in need. Despite the nefarious events, his body was still to be found, and hopes of his return would not be lost easily. Some say that during days when water is particularly still and clean, it is possible to see an horseshoe glittering on the bottom of the pond.

a.k.a.
"The Web Knight and the Drowned Prince"
Written in collaboration with my Sister.


Painting by Narcisse Virgilio Díaz
("Pond in the Woods" - 1862)