Subj: The Diary of Victor North pt8
Date: 4/25/99 11:58:06 AM Central Daylight Time
From: marcos1

“Pop,” Maggie asked, “how can you say that I look beautiful to you and ugly to others? That witch blinded you and you cannot see.”

“Maggie,” Sam replied, puffing his pipe, “I can see you in my memory. It wasn’t that long ago.” He sat at the dinner table eating berries brought from the woods. “I don’t seek to hurt you with what I said...only to prevent you from being hurt.”

“Is that why we have no mirrors,” Maggie said, “and you insist upon my never going to the village.”

“Yes,”

~~~

The Lord Of The Pines, sat deep inside the large tree. He was troubled, having never cared for a mortal before. His heart felt funny. He didn’t know what it was, but he felt an overwhelming desire to be near this female. This female named Maggie.

Nicholas Blair shouted at Eliot, “search that side of the forest and I’ll comb through this part. Remember the tree will be very old, and probably the tallest one in the woods.”

“Stop shouting,” Eliot grumbled. “Are you forgetting, I’m a dog. And dogs do tend to have a certain knowledge of trees.” The bulldog moved through the bushes, away from Blair.

Nicholas stopped near the tall pine. {Could this be the one? It’s certainly tall enough.}

The Lord Of The Pines could sense the mortal outside. {Ah, ha, this one was once a warlock. I hate them. They are so self-important, but are really little more than mere mortals. This one does have a handsome demeanor, though...perhaps he could be the one.}

Nicholas leaned against the pine, but then he felt something happening to him. Roots were sprouting through his boots, tearing his flesh. He felt like he was growing--and then everything went black.

Nicholas looked out at the forest. He felt strange, his vision was plural—as though he had a thousand eyes. He felt strangely implanted. He couldn’t move. And then the great shock came, he could see himself, standing naked in the
woods. {But that isn’t me!.} The great Blair, pine tree, trembled in the wind.

The Lord Of The Pines felt strange in his new body. His mind felt blank. Who was he? Where was he? He had no idea.

“Did you blow your top, Blair!” Barnabas exclaimed. “Where are your clothes, man?” The small gnome was furious. He looked up at Nicholas, but found himself, due to the difference in size, looking up between Nicholas' legs. “Damn it, Blair. I have no interest at looking, at that.”

Josette heard Barnabas shouting and flew over the trees. The Lord Of The Pines, now, looking exactly like Nicholas Blair, felt a warm feeling when he saw the fairy princess. He liked her. She giggled, “what are you doing, Monsieur Blair...going back to nature?”

“Is that my name, Blair?” The Lord Of The Pines asked.

“Hey, there is a cottage over there,” Eliot said, running up. He looked at Nicholas and shrugged his dog shoulders. {Things are getting crazy around here.}

The real Nicholas watched all of this, but was unable to speak. He realized in horror, that somehow, The Lord Of The Pines had assumed his identity. And now he was trapped inside a tree and it could be forever.

To be continued