Once upon a time there was a beautiful baroness and her handsome husband. They loved each other very deeply and swore they would never leave the other. One day though the baron had an evil posses his eyes, turning him to only see the worst in himself. In his misery he barely did anything and it worried the baroness. She in her worry went to the woods, looking for an answer from the witch there.

She strapped on her favorite sword, for she was skilled with it, and mounted her horse, as she rode hard into the woods. The witch's hut was elevated above the earth on stilts, seeing as the witch lived near the river and it would regularly flood. The baroness knocked upon the witch's door loudly. “I've come to seek your wisdom, for my love had evil take his eyes!” And the door creaked open revealing a shriveled shell that had once been a beautiful woman.

“M'lady, forgive me I do not bow.” The witch cackled gesturing for the Baroness to come in. After the baroness recounted her tale, the witch pondered. “Lover's eyes are clouded dark, yes? Cannot see the good in him? Hmmm, I know not the answer, yet I know one who will.” The crone smiled, “But nothing comes for free, m'lady, what will you pay for my knowledge?”

The baroness contemplated her sword for a moment, but knew she would need it. Instead “I offer you my boots, sturdy and strong they will serve you well.” The crone smiled and revealed her knowledge.

“Go take yourself down to the river, and call for the guardian of it. He will answer you, but you must ride three leagues northward m'lady Or he will not come at all.”

So the baroness rode the three leagues and beseeched the river crying. “Oh great river guardian, I've come to seek your wisdom, for my love had evil take his eyes!” And beneath the surface of the rivers bubbles streamed forward, crabs running out from the river. Suddenly from the river burst what seemed to be a mounted man who was flayed, as well as the horse itself, with a broad sword. In her terror, the baroness drew her saber and ran for her horse. The beast rode after her, even as the baroness urged her black stallion on.

Eventually, the baroness escaped, and she dismounted. Sore from the ride, and her feet blooded from the stirrups rubbing them raw. She cried deeply, bemoaning the fate of the baron. Her mourning was cut short from a melodic voice asking, “My Lady, why are you crying?” The baroness looked up to see a fair born lady above her. The fair lady was so beautiful it could only be one thing, the faerie queen of the forest.

“Your majesty, I rode into your realm to seek wisdom, for my love had evil take his eyes. And all I have encountered was the river monster, and the crone who tricked me into seeking it.” She dried her eyes and bowed to queen.

The faerie queen contemplated this deeply, and her visage became one of rage. It soon was replaced by a calm one. “My Lady, you have been wronged, and for that you're payment is almost made. But I ask one more thing that you're line must carry out, and not only will I grant you what you seek, but the forest I rule over.”

“Anything, anything for him.”

“Then I ask for you and your children to take care of my forest, and respect it, only appoint those who I seek worthy as the woodsmen for it.” The baroness agreed and so, the bargin was struck. The faerie queen told the baroness the secret and she rode back to her home, seeking a butler.

“Butler, you would do anything I command you too, yes?” She demanded from her most trusted butler.

“M'lady, I would always.” The butler looked up at his baroness, eager to hear her words.

“Then I need you to pluck my eyes out of my skull.” The baroness looking as serious as she was strong.

“But m'lady, I would bring the baron's wrath upon me.”

“It is him that I seek to save, do you rather my wrath?” She grasped her blade.

Cowed by the baroness, the butler agreed and prepared to take her eyes.

The loyal butler took the blinded baroness to her husband, and she cried for him. “Love, I have found the answer, but it is not without pain.” She said, and then instructed her butler to replace his old eyes with her's. The butler still cowed by his masters, agreed.

The baron looked upon himself, and realized what had made him so amazing before and ran to kiss his wife. Only to realize she was blinded. “Butler, I command you to put my eyes into her empty sockets.”

“But love the evil in them.” The baroness demanded before her protests where silenced by his lips.
“The evil in them only hurt me. I still saw you as my angel.” He said softly.

Soon the eyes were replaced, and again, the baroness could see. They lived happily for the rest of their days.

As for the witch you may ask yourself, well, that my friend is another story.