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."
The stag pointed out, "Once, long ago, the fate of a
wood wasn't."
"Now it is."
The stag was too stunned to respond. The king added,
"I am no longer the sworn guard of Darken Wood,
but I choose to return to my post. I will not hunt you this
night."
"You have hunted at my request - have hunted me, as
my punishment - every night for - " The stag
stopped. How, in this endless cycle, could he measure
time?
The king nodded. "Granted. But a king may change his
mind. Once you have seen these strangers, you will
understand."
"Will I? You seem sure of that; what are these
strangers like?"
The king hesitated. "Complete strangers, let us say."
He said nothing more. "Go see them. Perhaps they will
change their mind."
"Or perhaps they will hunt at my request." The king said
simply, with more emotion than he
had shown before, "Look on them for yourself, and
think what they mean. The hunt must end." "The hunt
will end when I choose it - which means
that the hunt will never end," the stag finished bitterly,
"oh, great and loyal king."
King Peris dropped his hands silently. "Then go and ask
them if they will hunt you. Let them slay you, let them
listen to the same bitter words, the same old pain, over and
over
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