The Deer Witch and the Forest Queen

Made this for Inktober so it's mostly ink with the addition of gold watercolor for accent.  I drew these two and thought they looked like they deserved a folktale, so I wrote one.  Maybe the story adds, maybe it doesn't, but I enjoyed creating them nonetheless.

(Original characters and story created and copyrighted to me)

If you do not like or feel like reading, feel free to skip the folktale below:

Long ago and far away, there once was a witch who lived in a forest.  She often kept to herself and minded no one else’s business, but her own.  Not that she was uncordial, she just simply had no interest in such things.  That is, until she happened upon the woodsman who had built his home at the edge of the forest.  The witch fell in love with this man and would often visit him, bringing small gifts and medicines.  The woodsman returned the witch’s affections and would carve small animals from rock and wood for her.  The witch was happy and thought the woodsman would one day soon ask her to marry him and they would live in his small house near the edge of the forest together.

However, this was not to be for the woodsman was pursuing a fair and beautiful forest nymph.  The deer of the woods happened to see the two kissing by the river and told the witch.  The witch was greatly dismayed and heartbroken then she became full of jealousy and rage.  She gathered her wits and went to visit the woodsman the next day.  She feigned ignorance of his unfaithfulness then slyly put a curse on him by enchanting his favorite knife.  The witch asked the woodsman if he would make her one last carving, which he was happy to oblige.  As soon as the woodsman picked up that knife the hex would be set.  With the last carving in hand the witch departed from the woodsman.  She smiled knowing the next time the woodsman set eyes upon his beloved forest nymph that he would cut the heart from her with his bare hands and favorite knife.  The witch felt it was only fair as he had done the same to her.

The news of the great tragedy traveled quickly to the guardian of the forest who did not approve of the witch’s actions.  He banished her from the forest and forbade her to take any of her belongings leaving her nearly powerless.  The witch wept and pleaded for forgiveness, but the guardian would not yield.  As the witch left the forest the deer left with her.  The deer felt sympathy for the witch’s plight and promised to protect her.  The witch was very touched and grateful to the deer.  To honor them she wore antlers of her own and walked proudly among them.

Wandering the land looking for a new home with a company of deer garnered many looks and glances from passers-by, but keen interest from huntsmen.  The witch threatened to put curses and spells on the huntsmen, but they were empty threats and the men knew.  One night the huntsmen ambushed the witch and her herd killing some of the deer.  This outraged the witch and in her fury she set the huntsmen’s village on fire.  The witch and her herd fled, but the consequences of such actions would follow and receive retaliation.

Word of the deer witch spread to the other neighboring villages and mankind hunted the witch,  killed her deer and forced her into hiding.  The deer witch now alone, scorned and hated had to creep in the night and hide during the day.  She could not show her face nor make any friends.  She wept for her deer and lamented her ill fate until she came across a thick forest of dark black trees.  The deer witch hid in the forest thinking no one would be able to find her in the darkness of the forest’s shade or the blackness of its branches.  This is where the deer witch met the forest queen.

The queen was regal and dressed in white and gold.  She was fair of complexion and solemn in countenance.  Her hair was like moonlight, but her eyes as dark as coal.  The deer witch told the queen of her tragic story and asked to take refuge in her forest.  The forest queen agreed to let the deer witch stay, but only until five nights after the next new moon.  The deer witch concurred, but reluctantly.  She missed the feeling of being in the woods and felt most at home there.  She did not know what powers the forest queen possessed to disagree with her outright, but that did not stop the deer witch from devising a plot to overthrow the queen.

The witch began gathering supplies from the forest and the nearby village.  She stole these items under the cover of night, but her activity did not go unnoticed.  A group of huntsmen had been tracking her and soon came to the village she thieved from.  The huntsmen followed the witch to the forest and set it ablaze. 

After the forest was reduced to ash the deer witch lamented bitterly and was filled with terrible remorse.  She resigned herself to her faults and ceaseless ill fate.  No more did she wish to be vengeful and angry, but to live in peace.  This, however, she felt was impossible now.  The forest queen saw the deer witch’s despair and knew that she too had made her mistakes.  She forgave the deer witch for her misdeeds and offered to accompany her to find a new home as an ally and friend.  The deer witch felt the familiar warmth of gratitude she had once known when the deer had left with her those many months ago.  She was not sure she deserved such an offer, but was not fool enough to decline it.  The deer witch and the forest queen did become very good friends and did find a new home together where they lived in peace.



The End