Lauren Crowe and the Case of the
Fairy's Fate
By Marcus Lycus
(Marcus_Lycus@hotmail.com)
(I did this story a year ago for the Vladi
the Wizard’s time travel story
contest. I kept meaning to revisit
it, fix some typos and awkward sentences and well, here it
is. Lauren Crowe and the Case
of the Fairy’s Fate v2.0. I
hope everyone likes it…)
Ah Lara Croft, what is it about her we
love so much? The high adventure and international intrigue? The history
and lost civilizations? The shorts? The guns? The tits? The stuck-up, smug
British superiority complex we love to see humbled? Whatever it is she just
has that certain je ne se qua, or as the French say… watchamacallit.
But... come on. It's 2005. Does anyone
really think there are lost civilizations out there? The world has been mapped
to the last square inch by satellites. The animals and plants of the world
have been examined down to their DNA and you can make cell phone calls from
the Amazon jungle. And England... England hasn't been on top for so long
it's not even funny. Being a British tomb raider just ain't as cool as it
used to be.
But... move Laura 150 or so years back
in time to the Victorian Age, when the world was young and mysterious and
the British were masters of the world and you have... well something like
this I imagine.
Legal Horrors: Characters and text are
copyright Marcus Lycus. Do not repost this story without my permission.
And since this story is meant for people
over the age of 18, please don't read it if you are younger than that. Any
resemblance between characters in this story and any actual persons living
or dead is purely coincidental of course. Especially Lady Lauren Crowe, she's
like 100% original and totally not based on any video game characters. (Please
don't sue me!)
And finally, please e-mail me with any
comments, complaints or suggestions. Remember feedback leads to more stories!
Marcus Lycus
September 2005
Chapter 1 - A Ride in the
Forest
It was the spring of 1864. The American Civil
was winding down. Queen
So it was that in a small principality in
the Balkans, the 19th century's greatest adventuress was starting
her newest case...
***
Dimitri emerged from the dark forest into
the fields and put down his heavy bundle of firewood. As the young peasant
rested he heard the clatter of hooves, three horses walking at a measured
pace towards the woods. He looked up, wondering who these strangers might
be. In his life he had never traveled farther away than the next valley so
any visitor was a novelty.
But these visitors would have impressed
anyone.
The first rider was dressed in a simple cotton
dress and rode sidesaddle to accommodate her long skirt. A straw hat shielded
her eyes and protected her white skin from the sun. Beneath it Dimitri caught
a flash of red hair and green eyes. A foreign woman?
If the first rider was unusual, the next
was positively outlandish. Her skin was darker, darker even than a gypsy's
and had a reddish tinge to it. Her black hair was tied back in two long braids,
held in place by feathers! There was a bow on her saddle and a spear in her
hands. Months ago, during the fair, Dimitri had seen woodcarvings that were
supposed to show the savages of the Americas and here was one come to life!
The woman wore only a short leather dress that ended well above her knees
showing her long tan legs to any man who looked her way. Enthralled by the
sight of a woman's bare legs, Dimitri could barely look away to see the final
stranger.
But the third rider was the most shocking
of all. At first he mistook the rider for a young man by his way of dress
and the way he rode but a second glance showed Dimitri the truth. The person
he was looking at was a woman, unmistakably a woman. She wore a man's tight
leather riding breeches and a man's linen shirt but the proud heft of her
breasts and her long single braid proclaimed her sex, and sexiness to all.
She smiled at him as she rode past, enjoying his rude stare and even winked
at him.
Then the three beautiful women rode into
the dark forbidding forest and disappeared.
Dimiti ran home to tell his parents what
he had seen.
They branded him a liar and made him do extra
chores for the next month.
***
"M'lady, is this wise?"
"Oh Bridgett, how many times must I tell
you, call me Lauren, we have been friends far too long for you to call me
'my lady'".
"Sorry m'lady." Bridgett said, completing
the old joke. She had been brought up to be Lauren's servant and old habits
died hard. "But our mission in this forest, it just seems
wrong."
"Yes Brave Crow, injuring a sprit is never
wise. "
Lady Lauren Crowe, the leader of the expedition
sighed and rolled her eyes. Her two companions Bridgett O'Malley the Irish
scholar and Running Deer the American Indian huntress were her oldest and
dearest friends. They had traveled together for years exploring the darkest
corners of the world and learning secrets hidden for centuries. Yet, despite
all they had learned her two friends still insisted on holding on to outdated
superstitions and fairy tales. Crowe smiled at the thought, if her employer
was correct they were literally entering a fairy tale now. But she knew better
than to mention the fact, her friends did not need any more
ammunition.
"Bridgett, Running Deer, really, sometimes
you surprise me. If the information the Count gave us is correct we might
discover a new species of primate, like the Orangutans of Africa or the Spider
Men we encountered in the Amazon. Surely you do not believe those creatures
are anything other than natural animals? And the creature we hunt today will
no doubt prove to be the same. Moreover our new employer seems a reasonable
and quite charming man, do you think he would send us on a mission to do
harm?"
"Charming m'lady? You sound quite taken with
the Count."
"Well he is quite handsome, and wealthy and,
yes, charming... if something were to happen I might not
object."
"You have been without a man for very long."
Running Deer interjected bluntly.
"Uh..." the Victorian lady found herself
at a loss for a reply.
Changing the subject quickly Bridgett asked
"But m'lady the descriptions match all the old tales. Do we not hunt for
a spirit of the forest?"
"Honestly Bridgett, fairies? Beautiful winged
women living in trees? The idea is absurd! I don't doubt there is something
out here, all myths have a basis in fact after all but I am sure we will
find something that can be explained by rational science and not the deranged
chatter of druids and witch doctors."
***
Bridgett fumed silently. She had grown up
with Lauren, after her family had given her to the Crowe estate during the
potato famine. As children they had been playmates and as adults... much
closer. From the beginning Crowe brought Bridgett on her expeditions for
her scholarly skills. As a young girl Bridgett had read everything in the
Crowe library and her gifts as a linguist far surpassed Lauren's. But in
recent years Bridgett had gone beyond book learning, discovering her Druidic
heritage and the magical gifts that came with it. She had lost count of how
many times her gifts had saved Lauren's life yet the English noblewoman still
treated her magic with scorn, claiming it was just superstitious
rubbish. Sometimes she could
corner her mistress into admitting that there might be some natural phenomena
science had yet to explain but those times were few and far between. Lauren's
stubborn belief in science had begun to drive a wedge between the two, one
that Lauren seemed completely unaware of. Bridgett would never think of leaving
her mistress of course, but she found it harder and harder to serve her the
way she once had.
***
Running Deer ignored Lauren's prideful words.
She had long ago accepted that the white people were ignorant and barbaric.
Every Indian knew that. But Running Deer owed a blood debt to the woman she
called Brave Crow and had learned to tolerate the pale-face's savage ways.
Perhaps in time her companion would gain wisdom in the way Fire Hair had.
If not, Fire Hair skills as a witch doctor and Running Deer's magic talismans
would have to be enough to protect Brave Crow from the world she willfully
ignored.
***
Lauren smiled to herself when her companions
fell silent. Obviously her rational arguments were beginning to
work.
Her father, the famous adventurer Thomas
Crowe, had traveled the world for thirty years before returning to England
to start a family. Soon after his daughter's birth he had left again on an
expedition to Africa this time taking with him his wife, already pregnant
with their second child. He had never returned.
Lauren had been left virtually alone in the
great manor house. Her bitter grandmother took charge but had little patience
for the impetuous girl. As far as her grandmother was concerned Thomas'
foolishness had killed her daughter and unborn grandchild and she would not
allow young Lauren to follow in his footsteps. But Lauren regularly fled
from her to seek out her father's journals and trophies. She decided early
on that a convenient marriage and life at home were not for her, she would
follow her father's path, and perhaps even learn his fate. She'd left her
grandmother and the Crowe estate at age 16 and never regretted it for a
moment.
Across Asia, Australia, Africa and the Americas
she had sought out the darkest corners of the world and brought the light
of reason. Lauren and her companions had discovered the Lost Plateau of the
Thunder Lizards in the Amazon, the Hidden Kingdom of Va'al in Africa, the
Golden Tomb of Gengis Khan in
If she had learned one thing in her travels
it was that the future of the world was to be found in reason and in science.
There was no place in this modern age of steam locomotives and telegraphs
for stories of magic and monsters. Progress! Progress, science and industry
are where miracles were to be found not in dusty tombs or forgotten relics.
Sometimes, perhaps after a few whiskeys,
she would admit to having seen a few things she could not explain. The walking
statues in Wuhan, the zombie pirates of the Caribbean, the mysterious Yog-Sothoth
of the Antarctic, they all seemed to go beyond the reality her books taught
her. But she was sure that someday science would explain them and strange
events like the Mystery of the Mummy's Curse would become no more mysterious
than lightning or the tides.
Lauren Crowe was proud to be part of progress.
In a time when women were slaves to the kitchen, she her friends had proven
that women could go anywhere, do anything. In the future her legend would
live on in Victorian 'Penny Dreadfuls', 30's pulp magazines, a 70's TV show
starring Jaclyn Smith and a line of best-selling video games in the
21st century. The world would never forget
her.
But the world would also never know how close
she came to defeat.
***
That night they camped in a clearing several
miles into the vast unexplored Transcarpathian forest.
"Just think" Lauren told her comrades "these
woods have never been fully explored. Even the local peasants do not set
foot in them at night. I might be the first civilized person to properly
explore this place! I must ensure everything is properly recorded for the
future."
While Lauren recorded her observations in
her journal Running Deer and Bridgett secured the camp in their own way,
secretly laying charms and talismans to protect their circle of light from
all manner of harm.
When they were done the three women laid
out their bedrolls, said their good nights and promptly feel into a deep
sleep.
At least two of them did.
Ever since she was young Lauren had always
been in top condition. She was always stronger, faster, more fit than the
other girls and most of the boys. As she had attained womanhood Lauren's
stamina and strength had only increased until now she needed only a few hours
sleep even after a hard day of riding. Her senses and night vision were sharper
as well, sharp enough she felt she was better off spending this night hunting
for traces of their prey. She carefully slipped out of camp avoiding the
herbs and markings her friends insisted on putting up. She knew about it
of course and humored them. Let them put their faith in circles and magic,
Lauren had more confidence in her twin revolvers and boot knives.
But Lauren tended to forget that Running
Deer was her equal in physical prowess. Moments later her Indian protector
rose as well and shadowed the white huntress undetected.
Bridgett had many skills and assets, but
few of them were physical. She slept soundly, snoring on
occasion.
***
Several weeks ago Lauren received a letter
from the Count of Walachia a small realm deep in the Carpathian Mountains
in an area called Transylvania. The Count wanted to hire her services to
uncover the truth behind local legends of a race of fairies in the forests
around his castle, magical guardians of the woods who took the form of beautiful
women with dragonfly wings.
The letter had arrived just one week after
the trio returned from their expedition in
A ferry took them to France and from there
the railroad took them as far as
Budapest. After that they traveled
by coach and by horseback through a part of Europe still unchanged by the
modern world. They passed peasants
toiling in the fields much as they had for a thousand
years. Crowe of course never
tired of pointing out how far behind England this part of the world
was.
The count's letter had described him as a
modern man trying to bring to reason to this primitive corner of Europe but
the count's home was a decaying castle more suited to the middle ages then
the nineteenth century. The man himself seemed kindly but there were signs
he was but a few generations removed from
barbarism. Crowe remembered
riding up to its gates and seeing the tall iron spikes arranged outside,
stained brown with years of blood. The setting sun created long shadows that only added to
the gloomy feeling this crumbling citadel
inspired. So even Lady Crowe felt a bit of trepidation as the manor
house’s double doors opened.
“Welcome to my
house! Enter freely and of your
own will!”
The three women hesitated at the slight of
the count. He was a tall man,
lean and gaunt. They could not
see how he was dressed, his body was covered in a dark cloak clasped by crimson
ruby. He almost disappeared
into the shadows. His had a
thick head of dark hair that formed a pointy widow's peak on his brow. His
skin was quite pale a sign of too many days spent in his castle away from
the sun.
“Count?
Greetings. I am Lady
Lauren Crowe and these are-“
“Yes!
The one I summoned. Welcome
Lady Crowe, welcome to my house.
Come freely. Go
safely. And leave some of the
happiness you bring.”
He looked into her eyes, bowed and gently
kissed her hand.
“Come!”
Crowe followed at his
heels. Running Deer and Bridget
hesitated a second but then scrambled to match the count and Crowe’s
long strides. The castle was
as gloomy and archaic inside as it was
out. Even more so
perhaps. To the seasoned
adventuresses it seemed larger inside than
out.
They passed hall after hall, each filled
with dusty relics and tapestries.
Occasionally the count would gesture to a trophy and mention the battle
where it was won. From the pride
in his voice you would think he had won them all
himself. Running Deer tried to conceal her boredom, Bridgett tried
to place them all in history and Lauren looked around with barely disguised
envy. With some cleaning and
proper cataloguing this collection would rival that of Crowe manor
itself. There was a pause and
Crowe asked the Count about the spikes outside.
"Ah yes the spikes... Centuries ago my ancestor
and namesake Vlad, known as the Impaler, used them to execute his foes. They
were impaled publicly and left to rot for all the world to see. I leave the
spikes there as a reminder to the peasants, it is good for them to remember
their history. To remember the
time of blood. Now come, it
is time for you to rest."
From another man that horrid sentiment would
have repelled Crowe but something about this place and this man that made
it seem appropriate. He was
rude, imperious and dictatorial, quite abrupt with his servants and only
slightly more polite with Crowe, technically his peer. He even had the gall
to suggest Running Deer and Bridgett be quartered in the
stables! Normally Crowe
would have had no patience for such a man but something about his eyes stopped
her from objecting.
Her friends were not as charmed. Running
Deer seemed constantly on edge the night they were in the castle and Bridgett
complained of strange feelings and nightmares. But Crowe knew her friends
were always a bit jumpy and did not worry too much, they were probably just
offended by the Count's suggestion.
Still Crowe had some doubts about the man.
He provided some useful information such as a map showing the areas where
fairies had been sighted and a pack of tools he claimed she would need to
bind it. But his suggestions (Lauren refused to think of them orders) smacked
of superstition. She was to seek these 'fairies' in circles of mushrooms
and to bind one with cold iron to render it
powerless. What nonsense.
But still... he was a charming man and as
Running Deer had tastelessly pointed out it had been a long time since she
had said goodbye to King Botota.
She licked her lips. Perhaps when she returned...
Lauren had tried to hire some local guides,
perhaps boys who had seen a fairy before but no one would work for her once
they heard her mission. By the
time she left the village the locals were all sneering at her and making
signs against the evil eye.
***
Slipping through the forest some distance
from the fire Lauren tried wondered what the fairies might actually look
like. Some sort of large insect or butterfly? A huge bird? A colorful bat?
Obviously the stories of gorgeous women were embellishments by lonesome peasant
boys, much as sea lions had inspired stories of mermaids. Whatever form these
'fairies' took Lauren was sure one would look great stuffed and mounted in
Crowe Manor.
Crowe leapt into the boughs of a nearby oak
and found herself a perch. She was above the trail and had a clear view of
the sky. If one of these creatures flew by she should be able to see it in
the air. If not, perhaps one would pass below.
It might be a long futile wait, this was
only the first night, but Lauren saw no point in wasting
time.
Three trees over, Running Deer watched
her.
***
The pattern continued for three more
nights. Bridgett and Running
Deer's anxiety only grew, they could feel strange forces growing around them
but their leader seemed blissfully unaware of the
threat. The two companions dutifully set wards each night and
their scornful leader slipped out of the circle each time.
On the third night...
Crowe was sure she had seen something, a
huge set of wings silhouetted against the moon for a
second. She'd even glimpsed
a double tail similar to that of New Guinea's bird of
paradise! The long feathers
of the tail she had seen suggested a set of legs, no doubt the origin of
the whole 'fairy' idea.
She wished for a Daguerreotype apparatus
like the one she had seen in America although she knew such an apparatus
was far too fragile to drag through the
woods. Maybe someday in the
future these 'photo-graphy' machines would be portable, what a boon to science
that would be!
She pulled her journal out of a belt pouch
and started to sketch what she had seen with a chunk of
charcoal. Lost in the thrill
of her new discovery she did not hear the creatures padding below her
tree.
Running Deer did.
"Brave Crow beware!" She called, reaching
for her bow; she had just gotten it off her back when something struck her
from behind.
Crowe looked up at the shout just in time
to see her Indian companion fall to the ground wrestling with some sort of
wild beast. Twin revolvers appeared in Crowe's nimble hands before the thought
even formed. She peppered the creature with lead bullets as it fell but the
animal seemed to ignore the wounds. She had only a second to wonder at that
before another creature leapt down from the branches above and tackled her
too.
As they fell in a twisted embrace the creature
raked her back tearing the linen shirt and drawing thin ribbons of blood.
She fired her last four rounds into the creature at point blank range before
she hit the ground driving the wind from her. Amazingly the creature still
lived, it reared on its hind legs and howled over
her. Its claws tore away the
remaining scraps of Lauren’s shirt exposing her maidenly breasts to
the leering beast’s gaze but Crowe did not notice.
Crowe could not look away; her attacker was
some sort of humanoid wolf! It was covered in fur but walked on its hind
legs (with an elongated shin just like a wolf) but the clawed hands clearly
had opposable thumbs.
A new species!
She could not believe her
luck.
Of course all the discoveries in the world
would mean nothing unless she survived to report this back to the Royal Institute
of Exploration.
The creature lowered its snout revealing
its sharp teeth. Lauren could feel its foul breath on her chest as it came
closer to her vulnerable neck.
Closer...
Closer...
***
The foul stench of unwashed fur sent Lauren
Crowe's memory back to the Case of the Druid's Destiny...
Bridgett's studies of the ancient Celtic
Druids had lead her back to the land of her birth where her uncle Shamus
had promised to offer insight into her
heritage. The Irish girl was
accompanied by her two companions to Shamus’ ancient decaying
farmhouse. For a time Bridgette
engrossed herself with her studies while her two friends fought off boredom
by hunting each other in the
woods. But their quiet
vacation ended when Bridgett was kidnapped. Her two companions spent days
tracking her through the darkest reaches of Killarney until they finally
located her. They found more than they bargained for.
Lauren and Running Deer had been ambushed
by small men dressed in garments made from leaves and rendered insensible
by their drugged darts. They awoke in a clearing, bound to stone monoliths
under the moonlight. Other monoliths surrounded the clearing and in the center
was a stone altar, and bound to it was the nude form of
Bridgett!
The Irish girl was clearly drugged and delirious,
moaning and writhing in a most unladylike way. Around her were gathered a
dozen bearded men in hooded brown robes. In their hands were sharp scythes
and branches of mistletoe. Lauren had never seen much need to learn the heathen
tongue of the Irish but from what little Gaelic she had picked up she could
tell they were summoning someone they called the Woodgod. Someone? Or
something?
The robed druids brought their scythes down
on Bridgett making shallow cuts in her fair skin so that small streams of
blood fell upon the altar. All around the clearing wolves howled, birds took
wing, the wind picked up drowning out the druid's chants and Lauren's curses
as she struggled with the thick hemp rope that bound her.
Across from them the trees swayed and parted
allowing a massive figure to emerge. It was nearly ten feet tall and human
in shape. Black fur covered most of its body but the chest and face were
bare. Long deer-like horns sprouted from its head like a forest crown and
between its legs a thick phallus jutted forth like third leg.
This was the Woodgod.
The circle of druids made way for their master,
the black creature scooped up poor Bridgett like a doll. Her ropes snapped
like twine. The virginal Irish lass wrapped her arms around the creature
and pressed her legs into his flanks like ridding a horse. He entered her
somehow (Lauren had never understood the mechanics of how such a large...
thing had even fit between her friend's legs) and Bridgett let out an
earsplitting scream.
Enraged beyond all measure by her friend's
violation Lauren found the strength inside herself to break the ropes binding
her and charged forward. Running Deer was already two steps ahead of her
having found a cunning way to slip free of the knots.
The Druids moved to stop them but the elderly
woodsmen were no match for the two adventuress' fighting skills. Soon they
were unconscious or fleeing and the two women were left alone with the bestial
rapist.
Lauren reached down and found that even these
ignorant Irish savages had known enough to take her
revolvers. But she reached lower
and found to her joy they had missed the twin throwing knives in her boots.
Running Deer had no such concealed weapons
(and to tell the truth no where to conceal them in her skimpy dress) but
took off her necklace of talismans, wrapped it around an abandoned shillelagh
and began to strike at the creature.
Lauren threw one blade (burying it in the
creature's arm) and leapt on the creature's back stabbing it with the other.
All the time Bridgett panted and moaned and
howled with delight.
When the sun began to rise it was all over.
The Druids had disappeared into their forests and the body of their mysterious
master had finally fallen, dissolving into shadowy mist in the light of day.
Bridgett slept for three days but seemed otherwise unharmed. If anything
she seemed brighter and healthier than before, and she claimed to have received
insights into the nature of the natural world.
When she recovered Bridgett spent weeks wandering
Ireland hoping to find someone who would explain what had happened, what
she was feeling, but after her friends' sacrilege no one who knew anything
would talk to her. She left Ireland heartbroken. Since then she had tried
to learn on her own how to properly use her gifts. To this day she wondered
what the purpose of the ceremony had
been. Was she some sort of virgin
sacrifice, as Lauren insisted, or was there a greater purpose to instill
her with magical forces? Bridgett might never know the
truth.
Needless to say her mistress was little help.
Lauren just assumed it Bridgett's 'insights' were dementia brought on by
shock. To this day she insisted they had fought a bear and that it was only
the druid's hallucinogenic drugs that made them imagine that outlandish
beast.
And nothing would convince her
otherwise.
***
Back in the year 1864...
A flash of white! A shower of blood! A
death!
And Lauren Crowe stood
triumphant!
She had played possum for the creature until
its own neck was close enough for her to stab it with her twin boot knives.
Bridgett had given her the two throwing knives in Mexico when they were
investigating the Mystery of Montezuma’s Mummy; they were coated in
silver and had been blessed by a Catholic priest. Crowe saw no value in these
attributes they were finely balanced well-made and quite beautiful weapons.
She was glad to see they had served her well again.
The creature twitched a few times and started
to crawl for the woods. Crowe let it leave knowing it would be dead in minutes
and rushed to the aid of her faithful Indian companion.
Thankfully Running Deer needed no help, she
had already dispatched the creature with strong blows from her talisman-laden
tomahawk. The other wolf creature fled into the woods bleeding heavily. Lauren
doubted it would live more than a few minutes.
"Did you see them!" she asked her bare breasts
quivering with excitement and excursion. "Some sort of lupine primate! A
new species of mammal! Doctor Darwin will have to rewrite his
theories..."
"Brave Crow are you truly so blind? These
were no animals we faced, they are men possessed by the spirit of the beast,
those whom your storytellers call werewolves."
"Oh tish-tosh Running Deer! There's no such
thing as werewolves, though these may well be the animals that inspired those
tales. Come let us recover their bodies and see the
truth!"
Pausing only to retrieve her spare shirt
Crowe and Running Deer took off into the woods. But a search of the forest
found no trace of the wolf-primates only two nude men dead from slash
wounds.
"They must be villagers slain by the
wolf-primates as they fled."
Running Deer knew better than to argue.