230; and where do you live? Say, why don’t we run away together and build our home in this very forest. I have so tired of city life.”“Maiden, I live in this forest already. I would like for you to come stay with me on my natural hammocks and live on my dishonest pay, but I would not feel worthy.”“My father is a rich man; he built this preposterous obstacle course. I have tired of jewels and such. Take me away.”“My dear girl, I can do just that. He lifted her up and carried her through the maze. All the obstacles were magically frozen once defeated, so Lysander examined them with interest.“These garden snakes! What are they doing here! I fought great serpents with fire bursting from their open jaws!” Lysander shook his head as he walked by a couple of limp foot-long poisonous snakes.“These piles of sand are messy, but I struggled my way through the fastest quick sand anyone has ever encountered!” “And these vines! They were…alive! They shove their fingernails deep into my body!” Lysander sighed at a mere overgrowth of peaceful forest vines blocking the last corridor. “My scars…” Lysander scrutinized his filthy skin, but found no deep open wounds, only angry scrapes and scratches.“You don’t need to play big, strong hero. My father’s been an egotistical lunatic for years. I just want somebody normal and in touch with the earth.”“You are right, that is exactly who I am. I only wanted a wife to wash my face and let me touch her skin. But…something about this maze…I felt tough, I felt brave…I was a hero and I fought great obstacles.” The girl shook her head and led Lysander into town where her father lived.The door was a brilliant sickly green, the color the walls of the maze at been. It was nauseating. Lysander knocked, but there was no answer. The girl insisted he ...
