AWASH

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Once upon a time, there lived a young man in an azure district. While his family wanted for nothing in terms of wealth, the man's heart sought one most felt was beyond his reach. His heart's desire was a poor but comely man who hailed from the crimson district, and his beauty had already drawn several suitors from that same district to his side in the hopes of claiming his heart for their own.

The young man despaired, for he knew to approach his love whilst hailing from another color would be a fruitless effort indeed. Thankfully there was another, a true friend, a young woman of the brighter, sunnier district, who was there to offer her assistance. It was then that he was told of a legend passed down through her family: in the forest dwelt a miraculous hen whose feathers shimmered with every color of the rainbow. The one who obtained the hen and brought it back would achieve true love with whomever he gifted it to. But a warning accompanied the legend. If the hen did not come willingly, or if the seeker succumbed to temptation, a terrible curse would befall them.

Determined to acquire this hen, the young man entered the forest. As he walked deeper and deeper, the path grew more and more tangled, until he came to a split in the path. One path went left, clogged with bushes and brambles. The other beckoned right, golden flowers and gleaming gem-like rocks lining it.

The leaves of the trees rustled and sighed, and he thought he heard a voice, no more than a whisper, say, "No bond strengthens from an easy path."

The young man was then reminded that he would be tested, and chose the left path. As it appeared, he faced a difficult progression, and was becoming weary and parched when he glimpsed through the trees a clear spring where the water shone like diamonds. The path continued past it, but the man paused.

Again, the trees seemed to whisper to him, "No bond strengthens from a fickle heart that cannot commit."

The young man steeled himself and continued, his legs sore and bleeding from the brambles, until he entered a clearing. There, he beheld a beautiful hen with shimmering, colorful feathers. So gladdened by the sight was he that he did not heed the warning whisper of the trees this time, merely grabbing the hen and running back through the forest with it clasped to his breast.

The hen was presented to his love, and a marriage was arranged between the two of them nigh immediately.

But the forest was displeased, and thus laid a curse upon the young man and the entire town. From that day forward, the young man began to change. He found himself unable to care for his family. He found himself unable to understand why he had wished to give his heart to another.

And as his bonds weakened and broke and he failed to make new ones, he began to forget those around him. Eventually, he was last seen walking into the forest and was never heard from again.

But the forest appeared to have crept closer to the town, and the town itself began to lose the color it had treasured for so long. More and more of the townsfolk began to succumb to the curse that the young man had unleashed, and as more of them disappeared, the forest drew closer still.

Until there was no one left and the town was silent and drab.

To this day, the town waits for someone to break the curse, to restore color and to demonstrate once more the true strength of bonds.

THE END