Introduction - The Forest that surrounds the town of Ashby is endless. Huge, ancient, and dark. The town sits at its very centre, a wide strip of fields separating the town walls from the trees. St Julian's Monastery stands a little way from the town, surrounded by its own defensive wall. There are four roads leading out of the town, one following each point of the compass. The monastery is about half a mile along the eastern road, inside the forest itself. Villages dot the forest surrounding the town, and all pay a heavy tithe to the Countess of Ashby, Audra.

Audra is a witch, and was the second wife of the Earl of Ashby. His first wife, Mina, was Elvish, and died tragically only a few years after their marriage. They had a halfblood daughter, Rowena, who should have succeeded the Earl on his death. However, the wicked Audra took control of the castle and the town when her husband died, driving her stepdaughter from her home, and into hiding in the Forest.

Rowena has sent messages to the King, begging his assistance in regaining control of her lands, but the Forest is a lonely place, misfortune befalls many who travel its paths, and she has no way of knowing if her messages have reached him or not. She lives in a small village, hidden in the deepest part of the forest, with others who have fallen foul of the evil Audra, and plot her downfall

Read on for more of the story...
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five
Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen