Horseshoe's Luck

A newt? He turned me into a newt! Of all the foul luck. He had to sneak into a warlock’s abode, when he could have just picked another house or just not bother taking to burglary. What did his mother say? Oh yes. ‘Braydon, stealing will catch up to you and make you small’ or something of that nature. He usually just ignores his mother anyways, but a newt? It was a cosmic joke, it had to be.

Caralic, the warlock sat down behind the desk that the former burglar (now a newt) had been trying to pry open a drawer. The warlock had dark bushy eyebrows set over deep inset eyes, which made them darker than they appeared. His thin lips under a thin dark mustache pursed for a moment as he studied the newt that sat on the scarred desk.

The warlock steeple his hand under his chin and the corner of his lips turned upward in a threatening grin. Caralic was quite amused. “Well, my greenish friend, what shall I do with you now, hmm? I do need eyes of newt as component for some spells, or I could just pluck your legs off and fry them up and feed them to you. Oh don’t worry, the limbs will regrow again, you newts are famous for re-growing your limbs.”

The newt blinked and shook his head as he propped himself up on his hind legs. He opened his mouth, and a small squawk came out. Damn it, he thought, he was still alive and there must be a reason, yes. But how was he to convince this warlock from killing him, or, he shuddered, feeding him from his own limbs.

Caralic waved a finger and suddenly he felt that he could talk. What to do? What to do?!

He mustered all his energy and what was left of his bravado. “Kind Sir, please sir, you must not be so brash, I assure you that I am more valuable in my normal form as I am highly skilled at acquiring things of a different nature."

The warlock tapped his steeple fingers together for a moment and raised his eyebrows in almost quizzical look. “Really? You look more like a squishy creature. What could you do? You did a terrible job at acquiring my things in your normal form.”

Flattery. Yes he must try flattery thought the newt and former burglar, “But sir, you are deemed the best warlock in the kingdom. You presented a challenge to all us burglars. You are well talked about in the circles, so I had to see for myself.” He turned his face down and tried to look forlorn. “But, alas, it is true, you are the best warlock, and your security is beyond us low life burglars. I included.”

The warlock’s mouth twitched into a smile, then chuckled, “Well my dear little newt, I’m sure flattery will get you far, but you are still a newt.”

The newt gulped, and looked pleadingly to the warlock, “Please sir, there must be something I can do, to make amends. “

Caralic nodded slowly, “There may be something, but you will have to offer it freely.”

The newt thought long and hard, what can he offer the warlock. He had everything as far as he could tell. Offer it freely he says? Offer what? What can he offer? He had only his skills at thieving and his loyalty.

He lifted his gaze back to the warlock, “Kind sir, I will offer you my skills and loyalty, I will do whatever you ask of me. “

The warlock nodded. “Very well. I will free you to be yourself again, but I will hold you to your words and if you so much show any disloyalty, I will turn you back into a newt.”

The newt nodded and suddenly he felt his body change and grow into his former self but for just a moment. Then things started changing, his hair started growing, his chest started to feel tight in his clothing and there were other things that were changing about his body. Or more exactly her body.

The former newt looked at the warlock her eyes big and round, her voice pitched higher than what it was before. “What have you done?”

Caralic smiled. “I must have assurances that you will keep your word. After all, you are a thief and a scoundrel. Besides, I really like this look on you, instead of a newt. “

“Now that you are returned to some semblance of your former self, I do have a need for your mediocre skills.”

Braydon shifted uncomfortably; the clothing he currently wore did not fit very well in her current state. Of all things that had befallen him, or should we say her, she really had no choice but to listen.

The warlock continued. “There is an artifact that I require, located in the Belicon’s Forest.”

Braydon eyes widen, “That’s the home of the giant!”

The warlock nodded, “It is indeed. The artifact is an ornate horseshoe. Return that to me and I will return you to your mediocre self.”

The thief signed. She really had no choice but to accept the assignment. She looked at the warlock and nodded. “I will do as you request.”

The warlock smiled, opened a drawer from his desk, and brought out a map and spreading it out on the desk. He pointed to a particular area on the map. “Here is where the giant resides in the forest. He has a cabin and that is where the horseshoe is located, unless he is wearing it.” The warlock chuckled as he looked at Braydon. “I will leave you to the particulars on how to get the horseshoe.”

Braydon shifted uncomfortable in her new body. There were a few things that she needed to get used to and one being the need to find a bathroom. She was dreading that. There was also a need to find different clothing as her form had changed and her current clothing was ill-fitting.

With a resigned sigh, she nodded to Caralic. “I’ll not disappoint you,” she turned to leave.

Caralic smiled, “I am sure you will not. You may find that you may be getting more comfortable in that form if you stay in it too long. So, it would be in your best interest to get the job done quickly.”

Braydon shivered a moment at the thought and hurried out the door.

Belicon meander through his forest. He was three times the height of a normal man, with the strength of four. He was a recluse and did not enjoy much company, not even his own kind. Dressed in a patchwork of leather and rough knitted linen, he presented a formidable creature. He had a neatly trimmed beard and shoulder length black hair slightly peppered with gray that he took immense pride in and looked after it. He reached his large cabin in the clearing. It was a simple affair. It contained a kitchen, a small sitting area, and a bedroom. He was a creature of simple means, with a philosophy of live and let live.

His most prized possession was of all things, a horseshoe. Given to him by a sorceress for doing a service of protection, the sorceress had stated that the horseshoe will bring him luck in anything that he put his mind too.

So, once he took his leave of the sorceress, he proceeded to find a place of his own liking and found this forest and built a simple cabin. It was enough. Things fell in place as luck would have it. Although not everything came easy, but once he put his mind to it, obstacles seem to disappear. Was it the horseshoe’s doing? Possibly, but, he in any event, with his life and had nothing of want, except occasionally, even if he was a solitary being, he did wish for a companion. He had been thinking of that more so recently.

With a sigh he touched the horseshoe on its chain. He rarely took it off except to sleep when he hung it from peg on the wall in his bedroom. He sat down on a log bench on the veranda, leaned back on the cabin wall and looked out at the small clearing. From his pouch at his side, he took out a flute and commenced to play.

After Braydon the thief had left Caralic’s home, she had to return to her own place to pick up a few things for the trip as well, as going to a store to purchase some better fitting clothes. It took some time to find a path through the forest for Braydon, until she saw the giant. She followed the giant discretely from a distance. The forest path was wide, and she had to hide a few times behind the large trees along the path. At some point, her mind drifted to the memory of seeing herself in the mirror at her place. Her hair had become blonde and longer. She had fuller lips and a pert nose that was slightly freckled. Her face was heart shape, a chin had a small dimple and eyes of startling blue. She shook her head as she thought about the image of herself in the mirror and the other changes with his/her body, she was actually pleased by it. ‘Oh NO!’, he thought, ‘Try to remember what I looked like before! Time to deal with this job. The sooner I get it done the sooner I will get back to my normal self,’ she berated herself.

The giant, Belicon, had finally arrived at the cabin situated in the middle of the forest. She found herself a tree and climbed up to a branch to survey the cabin and surrounding forest without being seen. She watched as the giant man proceed to sit on a log bench and bring out a flute, it was then that she noticed a chain around his neck with an attached horseshoe. That was what she wanted, so she can return being male. She needed a plan. How in nine hells was she to get that horseshoe?

For the next few hours, Braydon the thief watched the giant sitting, playing his flute. The giant was fairly accomplished with his flute, and for brief moments Braydon forgot about her troubles. She was enjoying the music. The giant was quite handsome in a rugged kind of way, she thought as she listened to the music. Her eyes widen. Where did that thought come from?

A wind picked up in the trees of the forest. The trees started swaying as the wind passed through. At that moment she heard a cracking sound and the branch she was crouching on shifted. This caught her by surprised as she was sure that this branch had been sturdy. Of all the rotten luck, she swore. She felt the branch give way under her. She grabbed at other branches around her, but each broke off as she plummeted down to the ground and then, darkness.

Belicon was putting away his flute when he heard the large cracking sound from a branch breaking. He glanced across the glade and saw a figure come tumbling down from a tree branch to the ground.

The giant stood up and walked purposely towards where the figure had fallen. He rarely got visitors and most of the city and village folks avoid this forest because of his presence. He never dissuaded the rumors about him in this forest as he liked his privacy here. He approached the prone figure, a female he surmised. He knelt on one knee and gently turned the woman over with his big hand and watched the rise and fall of the woman’s chest, indicating that she still lived. For a moment he debated about what to do and then with resignation, he checked to see if any limbs were askew, before unceremoniously picked her up off the ground. He did look around the forest to see if there were any other beings around and after being satisfied, he ambled over to his cabin, entering and then placing the woman on fur covered sitting couch.

The woman stirred and then groaned and placed her hand on her head, and then looked around disoriented. “Where am I?” she asked.

The giant pulled up a stool and sat down, his hand drifted to the horseshoe around his neck like a reassuring habit, “You are in my cabin in the forest. You had a fall. Why have you come to this part of the forest?”

The woman looked slightly confused. “I’m not sure, I don’t remember!”

“It looks like you had a nasty knock on the head, maybe it will come back to you. I’m called Belicon. Do you remember your own name?” Belicon asked.

The woman thought long and hard, she looked at the large man, an exceptionally large man. No, she thought, a HUGE man, a GIANT! Her eyes widen as a wisp of blonde hair floated down across her face. She brushed it aside and tucked it behind her ear and winced with pain as she brushed against a small lump on her head. Her head hurt. She wracked her mind and all she came up was something like ‘Bra….‘

With deep concentration, she whispered, “Bra….. Braeee Braelyn? I think, maybe”

The giant grunted as he watched her. She’s cute in a small doll kind of way, he thought. It has been lonely here recently and it would be nice to have some company for a while. He stroked the horseshoe attached to the chain around his neck and then smiled. “Well, you will have no fear from me, you are welcomed here until your memory returns. You are lucky person, there is no telling what would have happened if I were not around.”

Belicon played with the horseshoe thinking that maybe she won’t remember at all why she was here, it wouldn’t be so bad. He did want some company. If luck would have it, she may enjoy staying here in the forest with him.

Braelyn smiled and looked at the giant of a man, even handsome, she did feel lucky that he was around.

Belicon was enjoying himself immensely, Braelyn turned out to be very charming and helpful in many things around the cabin. Although she was small, she seems to find ways to keep the place clean. She was even able to help with some of the cooking. Although he had to put her on a chair to reach the stove. She still did not remember how she got here or why she had come. He shrugged it off. Her memory will return, maybe or maybe not. He watched her move around the cabin with so much energy. A playful thought crossed his mind as he strokes his ornate horseshoe. Would it not be wonderful if she were as tall as a giant?

Carelic grumbled and was in a foul mood. He should have heard from that thief by now. It has been week and still no word. He had known about the horseshoe from overhearing a conversation. This sorceress had gifted this ensorcelled horseshoe to a giant. It had something to do with luck so he has had heard. He wanted it for his own collection and to study it. It seems fortuitous that the thief that he had capture was easily manipulated to have him acquire the horseshoe. Carelic had thought he had planned well. Although now it looks like he will have to find another way.

He wrinkled his bushy brow for a moment as a thought crossed his mind. Luck and fate, intertwined. Could it be luck that brought that thief to him? Could that horseshoe manipulate luck from afar? He shook his head and dismissed it. No, he thought, it was strictly coincidence. No magic can have that much reach.