The King's Banquet

The king’s Banquet

Roisin the hare bounded through the forest.

The groundsman’s dog followed close behind.

She jumped the fence.

Misjudging the height, she ripped her leg and could not move.

Survival instincts took over, closing her eyes she shapeshifted into a young maiden.

When she awoke many hours later, she was lying in a bright room in a soft bed.

As she lay there trying to move, two heads peeped round the door frame with ginger curls and blue eyes.

“Mama, she awake!” exclaimed Tara and Finn together.

The groundman’s wife carried a tray with vegetable soup and freshly baked bread, Roisin wriggled her nose and ate hungrily, licking from the bowl and nibbling the bread. Something was not right as the twins watched in astonishment, she wriggled her nose again making the twins giggle.

Outside the groundsman was checking on his latest catch. The scent travelled on the wind through the open bedroom window; memories flashed before her eyes.

Days passed as she drifted in and out of sleep, her dreams were plagued with barking dogs and blood. When would her family come to save her? slowly her strength was beginning to return as she walked around the room with the help of Tara and Finn.

A fifth plate was added to the table setting.

Roisin suppressed her urge to nibble and lick her food.

The groundsman sat across from her, his dog lay at his feet.

He took out instructions for delivery to the king’s banquet for the following morning.

His wife said Roisin will help with the delivery.

That afternoon she left the cottage.

Turning the corner she froze.

Her mother stared back at her.

Hares in cages upon cages

A part of her was in those cages and was soon going to be slaughtered, it started to rain heavily, like tears from the forest.

Clenching her fits she sang a high-pitched melodic song of freedom.

The cage doors burst open with force; all the hares ran in every direction.

Following behind was a white hare with a limp and a large scar, looking back she saw Tara and Finn waving in the distance.