Harvest Moon, Part 11

Without Corrigan, I had to hail another goblin cart. It took about every bit of shiny I brought with me to get the driver to take me to the edge of the forest. I chatted with him the whole way, trying to get anything that might help me once I stepped inside. He didn’t know much, but he could at least give me an estimate of its size. I could spend a lifetime in there searching, he said.

We arrived with the light of the new day dawning. The day of the Harvest Moon. Which meant, I barely even had twelve hours to search. To top it off, my limbs were growing heavier and useless from the work they put in the past hour. I may not bleed like humans, but I still get tired. And even worse, I had polished off my flask before we arrived. I knew I should have picked up something while at the party.

My driver was quick to leave after dropping me off. Where goblins fear to tread, that certainly said something. Trees rose up before me, it felt like I had returned to the city. Steel and glass replaced by wood and foliage. From my understanding, the world hadn’t known forests like this one for awhile. Light would hardly penetrate its cover. And more often than not, the trees were wider around than a cable car. Any sort of creature could live in there. And the worst always found themselves Faery’s darkest places. Though, the eerie silence emanating suggested nothing lived in there. A thought which was even more worrisome.

I stood at the edge. I needed an advantage. And didn’t really like the idea I had in mind to get it. Nonetheless, I stood there a mere foot from the forest. Took a deep breath and called in a clear voice, “Iron John! Iron John! Iron John!”

There was a rush of wind that blew through the forest and nearly knocked me on my rear. I held fast to my hat and bared the brunt of it. I clenched my eyes shut as debris kick up and flew all around me. Leaves left tiny cuts on my exposed skin. I was going to need another patch job when this was all done. After it had died down, I slowly stood up straight and opened my eyes.

He was a mass of tangled hair. From chest to head to genitals, luckily for me it hid mostly everything. Iron John was really more beast than man at this point. I’m still not sure how he got the iron moniker attached to his name, his skin was rough, yes. But if they meant it was like iron, I didn’t see it. More than likely, he either added it himself with the iron striking fear into any from Faery who would call him. Or they gave it to him to denote some untouchable status.

Iron John crouched on all fours, his knees bent with arms sticking down between them. He had a curious bend to his head. Even through the beard, I could make out the rotten and crooked teeth. Browned from God knows what.

He cackled. Or coughed, and his eyes lit up when he saw me, “Elroy, good to see ya again old boy.”

“Have you cut your hair, John?”

He went into another fit and smiled up at me, “seen the old man yet?”

“No,” I shook my head. “And I don’t intend to.”

“Oooo, he’ll be awfully mad at me if I tell him I seen ya and he didn’t.”

“So, don’t tell him.”

This time he wheezed, “then why are ya here?”

I pointed to the great forest behind him. He twisted back round and stared at it then shook his head. “Tsk, old boy, you don’t want to go in there. Too dangerous.”

“You’ve been in there then.”

“Well, yea, a few hunts with the Old Man.”

I grinned, “then you might be able to tell me where I can find the Lady of the Harvest.”

“Ai, that information I know. But I can’t tell you that.”

“Figured as much,” I said while folding my arms over my chest. “And you’re beyond bribery.”

“Information like that can’t even be bought. Now why do you want to see her for?” he said.

“She’s got two kids.”

“Ai, the sacrifices. Every year it’s a real shame. These Court Fae they have no idea how to fully use their changelings.” he licked his cracked lips.

Was he trying to press me to ask the same questions as Corrigan? I didn’t have the time to play his games, “well, I can’t ask you for information on the Lady of the Harvest. But as always, you can assist me on a hunt.”

“Ai,“ he his teeth barred. “I can do that.“

He stood up, full height. Which was surprisingly tall, I’d only ever seen him stooped down on all fours. He ran faster that way. I didn’t realize how much it intimidated me, but my arms shook a little and I took an instinctive step back.

Iron John put a strong hand on my shoulder as he passed me by. I nearly toppled over when I caught a whisk of his musk. It was pungent and strong. I remember he was always downwind from everything during hunts. This time he gave up an advantage.

“You’re not the only one who pursues this prey. Watch for other hunters,” he said and continued behind me. “Good hunting.”

“That’s it? Just a cryptic-” as I turned to follow him a gust of wind blew and there was no trace of Iron John to be found. “message.”

I sighed, and turned back to the forest. Other hunters. The Dietrichs didn’t hire anyone else. I mean, they wanted me to fail. I was just hired to keep up appearances. So, who else would want these kids? It couldn’t be that simple though. It wouldn’t be people or Fae. There was something else to what John had said. But I wouldn’t find that out until I stepped inside.