Chapter 75 - The Unicorn

Delaney's mouth fell open as she looked at the thing in front of her. Something she had never imagined she would actually see in her real life.

The enormous unicorn stallion was so beautiful she felt like it couldn't be there before her.

His fur was pearly, seeming to have very slight tints of pink, purple, or blue depending on how the light hit it. His long mane and tail sparkled as if they were made of spun gold. Coming from his forehead was a long and deadly sharp opalescent horn.

His hooves were large and also opalescent to match his horn. His fur hung long over the hooves. The unicorn was magnificent.

Vincent was murmuring something to him and now moved slowly back towards the woods, going for Delaney. He caught sight of her hiding behind the tree and grinned excitedly.

"Here she is old man," he called over his shoulder to the unicorn who was eating berries off a bush, unconcerned with whatever Vincent was doing.

"What do you think my Love?" Vincent studied her excitedly, "Is he a good surprise?"

"Oh Vincent he's wonderful," she whispered, staring at the creature with wide eyes, "He's the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen."

Vincent chuckled, "Good. Now come here so you can meet him."

Delaney looked up at him, mouth open in astonishment, "I... I can touch him?"

"If he likes you," her husband smiled, "I think he will though."

Delaney's hands flew to cover her mouth as she looked back at the unicorn. Vincent took one of her hands gently in his and pulled her forward around the tree. They paused and the unicorn lifted his head to turn and look at them.

Purple eyes beneath long black lashes studied her as if passing judgment. Delaney knew that was actually sort of what he was doing. She held perfectly still, not wanting to upset the animal.

After a time, the unicorn went back to his munching. Vincent grinned at her and pulled her onward with him. Delaney walked on legs that felt like jelly. This was like a dream!

"Mabon, this is my beautiful wife, Lady Delaney Adair," Vincent spoke to the beast who strangely did seem to stop and listen, "Delaney this is the unicorn Mabon who has lived on the Adair lands all his life from what I can tell."

"How old is he?" Delaney asked quietly, looking at Mabon who had turned to look back at them now.

Vincent chuckled, "Well, I don't know exactly... More than a hundred years at least."

Delaney looked at him in shock, "More than one hundred years old?"

Her husband patted the animal's neck fondly, "At least. He could be much older."

With a quiet laugh, Vincent reached down and took one of her hands and brought it up to the side of the unicorn, and pressed it into the fluffy fur. Delaney was astounded by how soft and light the fur was and when Vincent moved his hand away, she ran her fingers through it.

"He's amazing," she whispered, "I just can't believe it."

Her husband watched her with eyes full of love. He moved behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing them together.

Delaney let her hand slide over the side of the unicorn and towards his head so she could examine his golden mane. She would have thought this was a fantastic dream if not for the comforting, warm, solid feeling of Vincent against her back.

"How did you find him?" Delaney asked quietly, "I just realized you never told me."

A chuckle rumbled in Vincent's chest. "He found me actually. I was a child and I had snuck out of Edgewood with my bow, deciding I was old enough to go hunting even though my father disagreed. I walked out into the woods and crossed the stream and was immediately lost."

"Vincent!" Delaney gasped, "You could've been killed!"

"I could have. I sat down at the base of a tree and cried until I heard something. I jumped up, terrified, sure I was going to die. Then from the out of the trees came Mabon. He kept me safe."

Delaney imagined Vincent small, alone, and terrified in the forest full of wolves and bears and all kinds of monsters. He was incredibly lucky to not have died.

"Did he lead you back to the manor?" Delaney questioned, "Or did he just stay with you until morning?"

"Ah neither actually. He took me somewhere else I would be safe until morning. A special safe haven that only unicorns can find."

"Where is that?"

Vincent kissed her neck, "A fairy ring."

"What?" Delaney spun around in his arms to face him, "A fairy ring? You've been to a fairy ring? Were there real fairies there?"

He laughed at her shock and excitement, "I have been to a fairy ring many, many times and yes my love it was full of fairies who were there to dance."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing as she looked up at her husband. These were things she had only ever dreamed about. He was the only person she had ever heard of having found a unicorn, let alone fairies.

"Are we going to go see the fairies?"

Vincent looked down, his face falling a bit, "Ah, no. I don't think it's a good idea. You'd have to go by yourself and you've only just met Mabon. It can be a bit frightening if you're not prepared."

"Why would I have to go by myself?"

He swallowed, "I shouldn't go with you, Delaney. You'll only have one chance to meet them and if I... if I were to ruin it I'd never forgive myself."

"But you said yourself you've been there many times! Why would it ruin it for you to come with me now?"

"Delaney fairies are all beautiful... and they like beautiful things. Flowers and fresh grass and fireflies. They don't... they don't like ugly things." 

He looked down at the ground between them, embarrassed and sad.

Delaney's mouth hung open as she looked at him in disbelief, "You-you think the faries will think you're ugly? You're not ugly Vincent!"

He met her eyes with a sad smile, "I am ugly my Love. You're sweet and you love me so you say otherwise but everyone else knows. I know. I see myself every day."

"You're not," she insisted, frowning at him, "I know you're not. I want to go see the faries but I won't go without you."

He swallowed, "If I go Delaney they won't accept you. You're beautiful though and if you go on your own I'm very sure they'll let you dance with them. I can wait here for you to take you home once you're tired."

"I won't go without you. Now or ever. If they won't accept you I have no interest in them accepting me."

Vincent shook his head, "But my Love they're magical creatures. They can bless you and give you gifts. Don't give up that chance for me."

Delaney's looked at him as seriously as she could, stepping close to him and taking the scarred side of his face in her hand. "I won't go without you."

He sighed and swallowed, "I wish you'd change your mind."

"I won't."

Having heard enough, Mabon started forward into the trees. Delaney gave her husband an encouraging smile and a quick kiss before taking his hand and hurrying after the unicorn.

Delaney had often dreamed of seeing faries but it was an unattainable goal. Only a unicorn could take you to faries and unicorns were nearly impossible to find. They had been known to reveal themselves to humans they deemed worthy but you would have to be fairly close to them already.

The fact that her husband had already spent so much time with both types of enchanted creatures was unbelievable. She had no idea how he was so lucky other than he was very brave.

It took a brave soul to go into the forest in the dark with only the moonlight to guide you. On top of that, your soul had to be good for a unicorn to deem you worthy to see themselves, let alone lead you to the fairy realm.

She knew she herself was not that brave or that good for that matter. She was accepted by the unicorn because of the goodness and bravery of her husband. Alone, she doubted she would have stood up to the test.

Walking along in the near pitch black darkness, she glanced back at Vincent and saw in the patches of moonlight making it through the trees, that his face was sad and anxious. She squeezed his hand gently and when he looked up and met her eyes she smiled before turning back around.

Delaney had no idea where they were as they continued on. She knew if she lost sight of Vincent or the unicorn she would never find her way home, even in daylight. It had been hours since they left Edgewood and had taken many twists and turns.

Looking ahead, Delaney squinted now as she started to make out a glowing light. At first she thought she was only imagining it but as they grew closer she realized it was real. She looked back at Vincent again and saw he looked even more nervous now as he saw the light too.

Mabon walked a bit farther when suddenly a small spot of golden light flew forward and swirled around him, causing a little gust of air that blew the unicorn's mane. Delaney and Vincent froze. The golden light quickly spun around them.

It tore off back to the big ball of light ahead and Vincent whispered for Delaney not to move.

Within seconds, a mass of colorful little lights like the first one came hurdeling towards them. Delaney gasped but held her ground as Vincent had said.

A faint buzzing filled the air around them as well as a warmth. Delaney didn't move as the lights flew around her so fast they were like a blur. She turned her head just enough to see Vincent and saw he looked stricken, his breaths coming quickly. He was afraid of what might happen.

The lights moved away from her and gathered around her husband. To her surprise, his shirt was pulled up from where it had been tucked into his breeches as if by an invisible hand, revealing the mass of scars below as well.

As she had seen him do before, Vincent went almost slack, his face going to an unreadable mask. He hated his scars and hated when people examined him. It was as if he closed his mind to what was happening and projected himself into a different place.

Delaney squeezed his hand but he didn't waver. At last, the little lights flew off, back into the clearing where they had been before. But some tugged at her skirt, pulling her onward with them. 

There was no fighting the pull so she whispered a quick good bye to the unicorn and moved forward towards the clearing, pulling Vincent along behind her.

There was no turning back now. Here they were. Being pulling into a fairy ring.