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#26
23rd May 2013 at 6:57 PM
Posts: 411
Thanks for the answer Heaven! I actually have it all written up, pics and everything, I'm just sort of waiting until the release of Dragon Valley, since I will probably want to move it there, instead of the world it is currently in. Plus there will be more store stuff available to use. I'll end up re-doing my pics, but at least I already know what I want, lol
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#27
24th May 2013 at 3:55 AM
Posts: 141
What is considered PG-13 in terms of references to violence and/or crime? Thanks.
#28
27th May 2013 at 9:06 AM
Posts: 1,114
Thanks: 255 in 5 Posts
I figured I'd get the ball rolling, even though I usually like posting after Splad has. : P But dunno if she's participating this round or not so here's my entry.
Note: This story IS based off of pre existing material and I will be more than happy to send the judges a link (by request) to the material and a translation as the story is in spanish and is a story I grew up with. I would rather not post anything in this thread as its a story I know no one here has ever heard of and while I will be making the story my own, the core story is still there and I'd rather not ruin the ending for people who don't know it.
Anyway.
Son of the Moon
Chapter One
“Hyah! Rawr! I’ll save you from the vile monster, princess!” by the light of the candles and the full moon, young Dedric played with the figurines his father had carved for his birthday. Normally, he would have been sent off to sleep hours ago when the sun was first falling, but tonight was a special night. On the nights the full moon glowed bright in the sky, his parents always let him stay up just a while longer to enjoy her rays.
“Watch out to your left, little warrior.” His mother’s voice warns as she steps quietly into the room to watch him play. “You’ll need to use magic to escape that dreaded dragon.”
She’s silly sometimes. “There’s no such thing as magic, mother.”
She laughs at his words, brushing some dirt off her pants. “Magic is the bloodstream of the universe. It is the truth that binds us all to being.”
“Magic isn’t the truth.” He retorts.
“It is the truth, but truth is not always appearance.” She sighs.
“I don’t understand.” Dedric says as he finally puts his toys down to face her. “What do you mean it isn’t always appearance.”
“I mean that you shouldn’t believe something doesn’t exist only because you haven’t seen it.”
Dedric gives his mother an impatient look. “Mother... you can’t believe something does exist just because you want it to.”
Instead of chiding him, she just smiles, holding her hands to her heart. Her son is of a different time, where people believe only what they can hold. She isn’t. “The moon is still so high, and the light so beautiful. Get ready for bed, and I’ll tell you a story until you’re tired enough to sleep.”
He’s ready within minutes, scrambling into his bed before his mother can change her mind. Her stories are always the best, even if he doesn’t believe them. She has a way of weaving her tales and bringing them to life, and often his friends will beg her to tell them new stories whenever they visit. Her best stories however are the ones she saves for the long moon filled nights, the ones that are just for him.
“What story are you going to tell me, mother?”
She brushes his hair back away from his face before taking a seat on his bed. “Tonight I am going to tell you the story of the moon, the warrior who loved with all her heart, and of the son who was born of silver and moonlight...”
To the fools who won’t believe
Listen carefully to my tale
For I tell the legend of a wanderer
The dark skinned woman who prayed
To the moon every night
For the love of another
To not be alone...
The enchanted forest was a place of awe and mystery, a forest that spread as far as the eye could see in all directions, and deceivingly light by its border. It was so common for travelers to enter the forest and never be heard from again. Who knew what lay beyond the tree line; cliffs, rapids, maybe even monsters if you believed that sort of thing.
Esme and Danior believed. Thats why they had spent the last two years of their young lives traveling from their small village towards the forest in the hopes of completing the quest planted in Danior’s mind as a child.
“This is it.” The dark haired man tells his companion confidently. “I can feel it. This is where I become the man I was meant to be.”
“I know it is.” Esme sighs, turning away from the forest in an attempt to rid herself of the fear it sparks in her gut. Fear, you see, is a feeling neither she nor Danior were used to. Where they came from, their people were warriors. They fought dragons and monsters, with their children in a sling around their chests. Their girls became women upon marrying a man, and their boys became men after slaying their first monster. Danior had yet to slay a monster, he’d left his community asking Esme to go with him as he followed his vision to find the forest and the monster that would make him a legend.
Esme’s only fear was that becoming a legend would result in his death. She wanted nothing to do with the forest, and suddenly wished to return to the safety of their camp. “We’ve seen it. It is real and you know this to be the place in your dreams. Let’s go back to the caravan, Tem and Rawnie will be waiting.”
The pair had been joined by a number of companions during their years of travel, but some had died, and many had chosen to stay at the towns they had passed. The closer they ventured to the forest, the more of their number they’d lost until only a handful remained. The strong and silent Tem and his beautiful sister Rawnie had been one of their later additions, but also the most loyal.
Out of all of them, only Tem had any real experience in fighting monsters, as he’d spent his entire light protecting his home from the ogres that were so plentiful in the north. He had been happy to leave and join them, and there was no other whose advice Danior held more dear.
Danior wanted to run straight into the forest, Tem had other ideas.
“I know you’re excited, my friend.” He began. “But have patience! The villagers her say they have seen rare dragons, but not in the last few years. They do have other stories of the creatures here, but none venture close enough to cause fear.”
“What kind of creatures?”
“Fairies, mostly. Nothing dangerous. Nonetheless, I think it would be best for us to make a base here. Let my sister sell her trinkets to the locals while we wait for news to lead us to a new destination. The forest is wide, and this is not the only township near it.”
At the mention of Tem’s sister, Danior was convinced to stay. Rawnie was lovely, and kind. A mild mannered girl of only 19 who earned her keep by selling pretty stones and trinkets from her cart. She’d fallen in love with Danior at first sight, as Esme had. Unfortunately for Esme, Danior loved Rawnie as much as she loved him.
It hurt Esme deeply to see them together, but what could she do? To him, she would always be nothing more than a companion. There was nothing romantic between them and never would be as long as he has eyes only for Rawnie.
“If you love him so much, who don’t you just tell him?”
So engrossed was Esme in her own thought that she hadn’t even noticed that the blonde little girl who had been looking at Rawnie’s trinkets had ventured nearer.
“Pardon?”
The girl made a face before sighing. “You hear me just fine, Miss. I could see it in your eyes when those two walked away together. I’m not daft, I know the look of a girl in love when I see one, and I don’t doubt you’ve kept silent about it.”
The gall of the child left Esme blushing, stammering with humiliation. “I- No! Please, child, you’re being ridiculous! And even if I did have feelings for him what business is it of yours if I speak of them or keep them to myself?”
“You’re right.” The girls says with a shrug. “Its none of my business, but for what its worth, I think you’re right to keep silent. You wouldn’t stand a chance against her without some magical aid. She’s such a beautify. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the fair folk came out tonight to see her and granted her every wish. Your friend is a lucky man.”
Esme can’t deny the girl the truth in her statement. Rawnie was lovely, and fair enough to bring out the lust in any man. It would be a wonder to see any fairies wandering into danger to see a mere human, but if any girl could, it would be Rawnie. With her common looks, Esme was no competition.
With what felt like a strange compulsion, Esme quickly turned around to look for the blonde girl to ask her a question, but as soon as she realized she had no question, her eyes fell upon the enchanted forest. Suddenly, Esme remembered the little blonde girl’s earlier words. She could stand a chance against Rawnie for Danior’s affections for magical aid. And where better to get aid than the forest before her?
The fear was gone all too quickly, replaced with a strange calmness as she contemplated the journey before her, and what she would need for her quest into the enchanted forest.
---
Current Prompts: Enchanted Forest, Quest
Previous Prompts N/A
Word Count: 1470
Photo Count: 14
CC USed:
Allowed:
- Store Content clothing, hairs and decorations
- Skins: Ephemera's Default Skins
- World: Rownshire v3
Note: This story IS based off of pre existing material and I will be more than happy to send the judges a link (by request) to the material and a translation as the story is in spanish and is a story I grew up with. I would rather not post anything in this thread as its a story I know no one here has ever heard of and while I will be making the story my own, the core story is still there and I'd rather not ruin the ending for people who don't know it.
Anyway.
Son of the Moon
Chapter One
“Hyah! Rawr! I’ll save you from the vile monster, princess!” by the light of the candles and the full moon, young Dedric played with the figurines his father had carved for his birthday. Normally, he would have been sent off to sleep hours ago when the sun was first falling, but tonight was a special night. On the nights the full moon glowed bright in the sky, his parents always let him stay up just a while longer to enjoy her rays.
“Watch out to your left, little warrior.” His mother’s voice warns as she steps quietly into the room to watch him play. “You’ll need to use magic to escape that dreaded dragon.”
She’s silly sometimes. “There’s no such thing as magic, mother.”
She laughs at his words, brushing some dirt off her pants. “Magic is the bloodstream of the universe. It is the truth that binds us all to being.”
“Magic isn’t the truth.” He retorts.
“It is the truth, but truth is not always appearance.” She sighs.
“I don’t understand.” Dedric says as he finally puts his toys down to face her. “What do you mean it isn’t always appearance.”
“I mean that you shouldn’t believe something doesn’t exist only because you haven’t seen it.”
Dedric gives his mother an impatient look. “Mother... you can’t believe something does exist just because you want it to.”
Instead of chiding him, she just smiles, holding her hands to her heart. Her son is of a different time, where people believe only what they can hold. She isn’t. “The moon is still so high, and the light so beautiful. Get ready for bed, and I’ll tell you a story until you’re tired enough to sleep.”
He’s ready within minutes, scrambling into his bed before his mother can change her mind. Her stories are always the best, even if he doesn’t believe them. She has a way of weaving her tales and bringing them to life, and often his friends will beg her to tell them new stories whenever they visit. Her best stories however are the ones she saves for the long moon filled nights, the ones that are just for him.
“What story are you going to tell me, mother?”
She brushes his hair back away from his face before taking a seat on his bed. “Tonight I am going to tell you the story of the moon, the warrior who loved with all her heart, and of the son who was born of silver and moonlight...”
To the fools who won’t believe
Listen carefully to my tale
For I tell the legend of a wanderer
The dark skinned woman who prayed
To the moon every night
For the love of another
To not be alone...
The enchanted forest was a place of awe and mystery, a forest that spread as far as the eye could see in all directions, and deceivingly light by its border. It was so common for travelers to enter the forest and never be heard from again. Who knew what lay beyond the tree line; cliffs, rapids, maybe even monsters if you believed that sort of thing.
Esme and Danior believed. Thats why they had spent the last two years of their young lives traveling from their small village towards the forest in the hopes of completing the quest planted in Danior’s mind as a child.
“This is it.” The dark haired man tells his companion confidently. “I can feel it. This is where I become the man I was meant to be.”
“I know it is.” Esme sighs, turning away from the forest in an attempt to rid herself of the fear it sparks in her gut. Fear, you see, is a feeling neither she nor Danior were used to. Where they came from, their people were warriors. They fought dragons and monsters, with their children in a sling around their chests. Their girls became women upon marrying a man, and their boys became men after slaying their first monster. Danior had yet to slay a monster, he’d left his community asking Esme to go with him as he followed his vision to find the forest and the monster that would make him a legend.
Esme’s only fear was that becoming a legend would result in his death. She wanted nothing to do with the forest, and suddenly wished to return to the safety of their camp. “We’ve seen it. It is real and you know this to be the place in your dreams. Let’s go back to the caravan, Tem and Rawnie will be waiting.”
The pair had been joined by a number of companions during their years of travel, but some had died, and many had chosen to stay at the towns they had passed. The closer they ventured to the forest, the more of their number they’d lost until only a handful remained. The strong and silent Tem and his beautiful sister Rawnie had been one of their later additions, but also the most loyal.
Out of all of them, only Tem had any real experience in fighting monsters, as he’d spent his entire light protecting his home from the ogres that were so plentiful in the north. He had been happy to leave and join them, and there was no other whose advice Danior held more dear.
Danior wanted to run straight into the forest, Tem had other ideas.
“I know you’re excited, my friend.” He began. “But have patience! The villagers her say they have seen rare dragons, but not in the last few years. They do have other stories of the creatures here, but none venture close enough to cause fear.”
“What kind of creatures?”
“Fairies, mostly. Nothing dangerous. Nonetheless, I think it would be best for us to make a base here. Let my sister sell her trinkets to the locals while we wait for news to lead us to a new destination. The forest is wide, and this is not the only township near it.”
At the mention of Tem’s sister, Danior was convinced to stay. Rawnie was lovely, and kind. A mild mannered girl of only 19 who earned her keep by selling pretty stones and trinkets from her cart. She’d fallen in love with Danior at first sight, as Esme had. Unfortunately for Esme, Danior loved Rawnie as much as she loved him.
It hurt Esme deeply to see them together, but what could she do? To him, she would always be nothing more than a companion. There was nothing romantic between them and never would be as long as he has eyes only for Rawnie.
“If you love him so much, who don’t you just tell him?”
So engrossed was Esme in her own thought that she hadn’t even noticed that the blonde little girl who had been looking at Rawnie’s trinkets had ventured nearer.
“Pardon?”
The girl made a face before sighing. “You hear me just fine, Miss. I could see it in your eyes when those two walked away together. I’m not daft, I know the look of a girl in love when I see one, and I don’t doubt you’ve kept silent about it.”
The gall of the child left Esme blushing, stammering with humiliation. “I- No! Please, child, you’re being ridiculous! And even if I did have feelings for him what business is it of yours if I speak of them or keep them to myself?”
“You’re right.” The girls says with a shrug. “Its none of my business, but for what its worth, I think you’re right to keep silent. You wouldn’t stand a chance against her without some magical aid. She’s such a beautify. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the fair folk came out tonight to see her and granted her every wish. Your friend is a lucky man.”
Esme can’t deny the girl the truth in her statement. Rawnie was lovely, and fair enough to bring out the lust in any man. It would be a wonder to see any fairies wandering into danger to see a mere human, but if any girl could, it would be Rawnie. With her common looks, Esme was no competition.
With what felt like a strange compulsion, Esme quickly turned around to look for the blonde girl to ask her a question, but as soon as she realized she had no question, her eyes fell upon the enchanted forest. Suddenly, Esme remembered the little blonde girl’s earlier words. She could stand a chance against Rawnie for Danior’s affections for magical aid. And where better to get aid than the forest before her?
The fear was gone all too quickly, replaced with a strange calmness as she contemplated the journey before her, and what she would need for her quest into the enchanted forest.
---
Current Prompts: Enchanted Forest, Quest
Previous Prompts N/A
Word Count: 1470
Photo Count: 14
CC USed:
Allowed:
- Store Content clothing, hairs and decorations
- Skins: Ephemera's Default Skins
- World: Rownshire v3
#29
27th May 2013 at 3:17 PM
Posts: 3,720
Thanks: 27201 in 66 Posts
I'm happy to have a first entry in. I'll go and update the contestant list now. Let's hope we get 9 more soon!
Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
#30
28th May 2013 at 3:49 AM
Last edited by porkypine : 2nd Jun 2013 at 10:09 PM.
Ok. I get it now. Thanks for posting Reya! I had to see what this is supposed to look like. Waits an eon for game to load.....
edit: I am making up my own story from scratch...
edit: lol. Making my set is taking a LONG time. I may or may not have an entry read in time. lol
edit: Not finding the poses I need for the shots.. I don't think I'll have anything ready in time....
edit: I am making up my own story from scratch...
edit: lol. Making my set is taking a LONG time. I may or may not have an entry read in time. lol
edit: Not finding the poses I need for the shots.. I don't think I'll have anything ready in time....
#31
29th May 2013 at 2:12 PM
Posts: 1,101
Thanks: 39717 in 94 Posts
I don't know if I'll be participating this cycle, Reya. Supernatural tales are not my strong point, and though I could probably make a good start, I don't know that I'd be able to finish.
I'll definitely check in to cheer everyone on though!
I'll definitely check in to cheer everyone on though!
#32
29th May 2013 at 10:28 PM
I think you need to advertise this contest Heaven. I don't think people see it.
#33
30th May 2013 at 12:16 AM
Posts: 3,720
Thanks: 27201 in 66 Posts
Thanks for the advice porky! I'll see what I can do!
Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
#34
31st May 2013 at 6:35 PM
Posts: 411
Alrighty then, I looked at Dragon Valley, decided I loved it, but I am keeping this story in Avalon, lol This is my first time entering a contest here---so I hope I do this right! I underlined the required stuff.
Chapter 1: The Princess
Tomorrow will take us away
Far from home
No one will ever know our names
But the bard’s songs will remain
Tomorrow will take it away
The fear of today
It will be gone
Due to our magic songs…
~Blind Guardian: The Bard’s Song
My father’s voice, grating as a crow’s cackle, still echoes in my head, his words wrap me in grief, but I refuse to let the tears fall. The Time of the Bridal Test approaches, ready yourself daughter. Over and over, his words play themselves in my mind, an unrelenting melody that I cannot escape from. I face my beloved Sea, taste it’s salty tears, but even it cannot comfort me. My doom approaches, I must marry, and within a year.
“It will not be so bad.” Ashe tells me; his words meant for comfort, I am sure. Ashe is my Guardian, assigned to me by the Task Keeper, when I was but a small child. He was scarcely much older than I when given the honor to be my Protector, an honor not usually granted to one of his lowly birth. It was scandalous and outrageous I have been told, and the King, my father, was quite livid, but not even a King dares go against the Task Keeper. For me though, Ashe is my friend, the only one who truly knows and understands me.
“So says you, the one who is not forced to marry.” I reply to him through stiff lips. In truth, Ashe will never be allowed to marry. His duty towards me forbids it, he must follow me, even to my husband’s home, his sword and strength always ready to defend me from any harm. Not even death breaks his lifebond to me, for if I die, he must follow me, even there, to the very gates of the hereafter. Such is the oath sworn by a Guardian. I glance at him, and I catch his slight smile.
“True enough Princess, but I have overheard the women folk speaking of your suitors, and they say the men are handsome in form and speech, Prince Idrus especially.”
“Pretty speeches and a pretty face.” I scoff. “It is truth, but truth is not always appearance Ashe, you know I look deeper than that. That I hope for more.” My voice is melancholy and soft, so soft I am not even sure if Ashe hears my words, or if the wind has swept them away before they can reach his ears.
“Love?” He asks, proof that he did indeed hear my words; there is surprise in his voice. I dare not look at him, but keep my eyes firmly on the Sea, and the snow capped mountains in the distance. I am afraid, afraid of what he will see in my eyes, afraid that my own eyes will betray me.
“What is wrong with wanting love?” I ask him, but I already know his answer, the answer that is drummed into all of us from our earliest of days. Love is a fairy tale, an illusion for little girls who play with their dolls beside their mother’s feet. True love, that fire I long for with all my being, does not belong in my world, nor should it be in my thoughts. At most I could hope for is companionable love, love brought forth with the birth of each child that I will bear my future husband, but all consuming fiery love, that is the stuff of nonsense bard’s songs. Yet I cannot help that traitorous part of me that wishes for it all the same.
In truth, I shall count myself blessed if I pick out a husband that will deal kindly with me, for not all women are as lucky as I. Most have no say in whom they marry, but must do as their fathers command them. I have a choice, of sorts, as suitors from around the Lands answer my father’s summons. They will spend the next year vying for my hand in marriage, doing whatever feats or tasks they can to earn my favor, and with my favor, my first kiss. My first kiss declares the winner, and the newly crowned Prince, the next ruler of this Kingdom. I will lose my power then, once I have given my first kiss to the winner, and I will become nothing once more, confined to birthing babies and raising children.
I have already given it away though, my first kiss, but none know of it, except Ashe, and he is sworn to protect me. So my second kiss will have to suffice for him, my soon to be husband, and he will not know any difference. I am glad to have this one secret, which I keep close to my heart. Of that one perfect day, and that one perfect true love’s first and last kiss, it keeps me warm in memory, and in my dreams as I sleep.
I feel Ashe’s gaze, but I still refuse to look at him. He sees too much, Ashe does, and I will not let him see into the secrets of my heart, though in truth, he probably knows them already. He does not answer my question, but continues to look at me, waiting, watching. He knows I do not speak of courtly love, that mild affection one should feel towards their spouse, but that I speak of that forbidden type of love. Ashe will do his duty, and protect me, even if it is from myself, and my foolish questions.
I swallow down the blackness that threatens to crawl up my throat, and a children’s story, read to me when I was young, of a girl who had a pair of enchanted shoes with colorful ribbons, comes to mind. When she placed them on her feet, she could dance in the air, and she danced so beautifully and so well, that none could take their eyes off of her, and they all watched as she danced away into the heavens until the last colorful ribbon disappeared in the stars. It is said that on some nights, if you look close enough, you can still see her dancing ribbons, chasing across the sky.
Oh, how I wish I had a pair of those enchanted shoes that I could place on my feet, then I would dance joyfully in the air, towards my true love, towards happily ever after, and far away from here. Ashe would rebuke me, I know, if he knew of my fanciful thoughts. Enchanted shoes indeed, while magic is a live thing in this Land, indeed magic is the bloodstream of the universe, it is never used for such folly as enchanted shoes.
The word magic is just a word we use, a word that cannot explain all of what it is. Magic is a part of everything, the very words I speak, the land I walk upon, the birds and trees, that great expansive sky. Every person, young or old, short or tall, has a little magic, whether it is a healing touch on a fevered brow, the soothing words to a frightened child, or a bard’s song sung so sweetly it coaxes a tear from the hardest of hearts. Magic expresses itself differently in each of us.
My eyes easily find the Tower, it sits on top of the highest hill, a monument to those who are among the strongest and most powerful.
The Great Mages wield the power of the elements; the very air we breathe can become a servant to them, making them the most feared as well. It would be a fearful thing indeed, if they had total freedom, but they must obey the King, because of a sworn oath, made to my ancestor. They swore to serve him and his descendents, until time’s end, or until there is no longer a King to serve. This is why I must marry, though I do not wish it, to carry on my line, or the Great Mages will be subservient to no one.
A thought suddenly flitters through my mind; it is so frightful that I open my mouth and break the silence between Ashe and I. “This Prince Idrus,” I say, using my best Princess voice in the hope that Ashe will forget my earlier foolishness, “I have heard rumors that he is the illegitimate offspring of the Great Mage, Fallon Orcsblood, is this true?” I hold my breath and wait, will he answer me, or will he press me for answers I do not want to give?
I do not know, Princess, but I will find out.” He finally answers me, and in his answer I know he will not ask me. He knows what I fear, and this is more important, if this Prince is a son of a Great Mage, then I must not marry him, for I will only be giving the King’s power over the Great Mages to one of their own.
~<>~
Current Prompts: bard, enchanted shoes
Previous Prompts: N/A
Word Count: 1500
Photo Count: 10
CC Used: Allowed: Default skin, EA Store, World: Avalon
Excerpt: It is truth, but truth is not always appearance; and bonus excerpt : Magic is the bloodstream of the universe
Chapter 1: The Princess
Tomorrow will take us away
Far from home
No one will ever know our names
But the bard’s songs will remain
Tomorrow will take it away
The fear of today
It will be gone
Due to our magic songs…
~Blind Guardian: The Bard’s Song
My father’s voice, grating as a crow’s cackle, still echoes in my head, his words wrap me in grief, but I refuse to let the tears fall. The Time of the Bridal Test approaches, ready yourself daughter. Over and over, his words play themselves in my mind, an unrelenting melody that I cannot escape from. I face my beloved Sea, taste it’s salty tears, but even it cannot comfort me. My doom approaches, I must marry, and within a year.
“It will not be so bad.” Ashe tells me; his words meant for comfort, I am sure. Ashe is my Guardian, assigned to me by the Task Keeper, when I was but a small child. He was scarcely much older than I when given the honor to be my Protector, an honor not usually granted to one of his lowly birth. It was scandalous and outrageous I have been told, and the King, my father, was quite livid, but not even a King dares go against the Task Keeper. For me though, Ashe is my friend, the only one who truly knows and understands me.
“So says you, the one who is not forced to marry.” I reply to him through stiff lips. In truth, Ashe will never be allowed to marry. His duty towards me forbids it, he must follow me, even to my husband’s home, his sword and strength always ready to defend me from any harm. Not even death breaks his lifebond to me, for if I die, he must follow me, even there, to the very gates of the hereafter. Such is the oath sworn by a Guardian. I glance at him, and I catch his slight smile.
“True enough Princess, but I have overheard the women folk speaking of your suitors, and they say the men are handsome in form and speech, Prince Idrus especially.”
“Pretty speeches and a pretty face.” I scoff. “It is truth, but truth is not always appearance Ashe, you know I look deeper than that. That I hope for more.” My voice is melancholy and soft, so soft I am not even sure if Ashe hears my words, or if the wind has swept them away before they can reach his ears.
“Love?” He asks, proof that he did indeed hear my words; there is surprise in his voice. I dare not look at him, but keep my eyes firmly on the Sea, and the snow capped mountains in the distance. I am afraid, afraid of what he will see in my eyes, afraid that my own eyes will betray me.
“What is wrong with wanting love?” I ask him, but I already know his answer, the answer that is drummed into all of us from our earliest of days. Love is a fairy tale, an illusion for little girls who play with their dolls beside their mother’s feet. True love, that fire I long for with all my being, does not belong in my world, nor should it be in my thoughts. At most I could hope for is companionable love, love brought forth with the birth of each child that I will bear my future husband, but all consuming fiery love, that is the stuff of nonsense bard’s songs. Yet I cannot help that traitorous part of me that wishes for it all the same.
In truth, I shall count myself blessed if I pick out a husband that will deal kindly with me, for not all women are as lucky as I. Most have no say in whom they marry, but must do as their fathers command them. I have a choice, of sorts, as suitors from around the Lands answer my father’s summons. They will spend the next year vying for my hand in marriage, doing whatever feats or tasks they can to earn my favor, and with my favor, my first kiss. My first kiss declares the winner, and the newly crowned Prince, the next ruler of this Kingdom. I will lose my power then, once I have given my first kiss to the winner, and I will become nothing once more, confined to birthing babies and raising children.
I have already given it away though, my first kiss, but none know of it, except Ashe, and he is sworn to protect me. So my second kiss will have to suffice for him, my soon to be husband, and he will not know any difference. I am glad to have this one secret, which I keep close to my heart. Of that one perfect day, and that one perfect true love’s first and last kiss, it keeps me warm in memory, and in my dreams as I sleep.
I feel Ashe’s gaze, but I still refuse to look at him. He sees too much, Ashe does, and I will not let him see into the secrets of my heart, though in truth, he probably knows them already. He does not answer my question, but continues to look at me, waiting, watching. He knows I do not speak of courtly love, that mild affection one should feel towards their spouse, but that I speak of that forbidden type of love. Ashe will do his duty, and protect me, even if it is from myself, and my foolish questions.
I swallow down the blackness that threatens to crawl up my throat, and a children’s story, read to me when I was young, of a girl who had a pair of enchanted shoes with colorful ribbons, comes to mind. When she placed them on her feet, she could dance in the air, and she danced so beautifully and so well, that none could take their eyes off of her, and they all watched as she danced away into the heavens until the last colorful ribbon disappeared in the stars. It is said that on some nights, if you look close enough, you can still see her dancing ribbons, chasing across the sky.
Oh, how I wish I had a pair of those enchanted shoes that I could place on my feet, then I would dance joyfully in the air, towards my true love, towards happily ever after, and far away from here. Ashe would rebuke me, I know, if he knew of my fanciful thoughts. Enchanted shoes indeed, while magic is a live thing in this Land, indeed magic is the bloodstream of the universe, it is never used for such folly as enchanted shoes.
The word magic is just a word we use, a word that cannot explain all of what it is. Magic is a part of everything, the very words I speak, the land I walk upon, the birds and trees, that great expansive sky. Every person, young or old, short or tall, has a little magic, whether it is a healing touch on a fevered brow, the soothing words to a frightened child, or a bard’s song sung so sweetly it coaxes a tear from the hardest of hearts. Magic expresses itself differently in each of us.
My eyes easily find the Tower, it sits on top of the highest hill, a monument to those who are among the strongest and most powerful.
The Great Mages wield the power of the elements; the very air we breathe can become a servant to them, making them the most feared as well. It would be a fearful thing indeed, if they had total freedom, but they must obey the King, because of a sworn oath, made to my ancestor. They swore to serve him and his descendents, until time’s end, or until there is no longer a King to serve. This is why I must marry, though I do not wish it, to carry on my line, or the Great Mages will be subservient to no one.
A thought suddenly flitters through my mind; it is so frightful that I open my mouth and break the silence between Ashe and I. “This Prince Idrus,” I say, using my best Princess voice in the hope that Ashe will forget my earlier foolishness, “I have heard rumors that he is the illegitimate offspring of the Great Mage, Fallon Orcsblood, is this true?” I hold my breath and wait, will he answer me, or will he press me for answers I do not want to give?
I do not know, Princess, but I will find out.” He finally answers me, and in his answer I know he will not ask me. He knows what I fear, and this is more important, if this Prince is a son of a Great Mage, then I must not marry him, for I will only be giving the King’s power over the Great Mages to one of their own.
~<>~
Current Prompts: bard, enchanted shoes
Previous Prompts: N/A
Word Count: 1500
Photo Count: 10
CC Used: Allowed: Default skin, EA Store, World: Avalon
Excerpt: It is truth, but truth is not always appearance; and bonus excerpt : Magic is the bloodstream of the universe
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#35
3rd Jun 2013 at 12:00 PM
Posts: 220
Thanks: 39 in 1 Posts
Chapter One: Ripples in the Water
Chapter One: Ripples in the WaterTalia Randall and Justin Courtald walked down the gloomy street. Though they held hands, the warm night air between them was brittle with an angry silence. They stared ahead, not speaking, and may as well have had the road between them.
Talia wondered what Justin would do if she squeezed his hand and let her fingers relax as if the whole fight, the whole damned night,had never happened.
He'd be happy. He'd step closer, run his thumb over the inside of her wrist. The tension would leak away and disperse into the night. But she couldn't do it, couldn't reach out.
They had gone to the theatre as a break from the stress at home. But Talia made one snippy remark, Justin snapped back, and the fragile peace shattered. They couldn't disagree about the little things anymore; everything became a big thing.
"I don't care if you say you hate me, Tal. Just say something, for God's sake," Justin had yelled.
"People are staring. Wait till we get home," Talia responded, her arms crossed – not a shield, but to hold herself in. Her voice was calm, composed, despite the turmoil inside.
Once, Justin had known she wore a mask. Now he thought it was her real face.
So they walked down the street and waited for the silence to end.
"You two look happy. I suppose food is out of the question?" A disgruntled voice drifted from beyond the rusting fence to their right.
They halted abruptly and stared into the dark construction site. The metal skeleton of scaffolding climbed a looming building with shattered windows like broken eyes. The gleam of water caught the distant street lights.
"It's just a hobo?" Justin half-asked.
The voice came again, indignant now. "I resent that aspersion." And, atop a jutting metal bone of the scaffolding, a cat thumped its tail angrily.
Talia and Justin blinked up at it. Then Justin yelled and stumbled back, arms flinging up; Talia touched a trembling hand to her mouth.
It had to be the cat. Nothing else moved in the deserted site save the water. The cat had spoken.
"Screaming's good. Normally it's the woman though."
"Sexist. I'm allowed to yell," Justin muttered.
Laughter chased the fear from Talia. That was him right through: no coward, and definitely not afraid to show emotion.
"Well," the cat drawled, "you can hear me, so I suppose you're who I'm looking for." It stretched, paws out and back arched. "Yes, I am a talking cat. No, you're not crazy. It's magic. Does that cover everything?"
"Did someone spike our drinks?" Talia ignored the cat.
"We'd have noticed earlier."
"Animals don't talk."
"That one is," Justin pointed out.
"What's a cat doing in a construction site anyway?"
"Talking to us." He grinned, but the expression slipped when Talia glared. "Lighten up, Tal. We're meant to be having fun. Who cares if we're hallucinating?"
"Crazy isn't fun. Magic isn't real."
"Magic is the bloodstream of the universe. It imbues everything – if you've the eyes to see it," the cat, sitting patiently while they argued, interjected. "It's real. I'd know."
"No, that's atoms. Not magic."
"Your call, human. I suggest climbing over there. If you dare." It turned and bounded along the metal into the dark.
It wasn't a hard decision: walk away from a relaxed Justin and intriguing mystery? As Justin jumped down the other side of the fence and Talia followed, using the bin to boost herself, the cold metal biting into her fingers, excitement pushed aside the misery of the night. Maybe this was the problem; they hadn't broken into a construction site – well, ever. But adventure had been part of their relationship once.
"Humans are graceless." The cat watched them from on high.
Talia reached the top of the fence and shot it a dirty look. "And you're tactless, cat."
"Cat. How rude."
"Do you have a name?" She swung over the fence, scraping her ankle and wincing. Justin caught her legs to steady her.
"Names are a human conceit."
"Then deal with being called cat."
"Your woman is rude."
"So are you," Justin said easily. He helped Talia the rest of the way, hands skimming up her sides and lingering. She looked up at him, and for a moment they didn't move. Then she remembered the fighting, and he stiffened and stepped away.
A long sign was attached to the scaffolding, out of place in the dust and rubbish. It was old and rusted but didn't fit the construction site. The cat leapt to the ground and curled up under it.
"Is it licking itself?" Talia squinted in the dark. The city's constant light meant it wasn't pitch black, but nor was it easy to see.
Justin snorted, then laughed. "Yep. Nice to know some things don't change, even if it talks. Hey, cat, what's with the sign?"
"The sign?" The cat's voice muffled against fur. "Dufe Uabge."
Justin's mouth twisted; then he laughed again and shrugged. "Yeah, right. You made that up."
The cat paused its grooming to look up coldly. "I did not. It translates to Land's End."
"From what? Gibberish?" Talia stepped closer.
The cat hissed, then leapt back up the scaffolding. "This way."
Talia climbed up first this time, the scaffolding creaky but steady. She flipped onto her stomach to help haul Justin up. She didn't look around; she didn't scare easily, but there was an atmosphere about the abandoned site that crept under her skin and made her hair stand on end. Her mind compartmentalised the talking cat and treated it as a normal, if illegal, escapade.
"You're not dreaming. You'll have to make a choice soon."
"Are you a mind reader as well?" she snapped. She wriggled forward to look down at Justin.
"No, but I'm not stupid. Your choice will have consequences."
"Like?"
"Him. You willing to fight for him?"
Talia froze. She stared at the cat in fear; then anger sliced through her. "Yes. Always." Love wasn't meant to be easy. Four years weren't cancelled out by a few months. They'd get through this.
Below, Justin called for a hand. She ignored him. The cat's mouth curved in a smile showing sharp incisors. "This way." It strolled off along the scaffolding.
They followed, less sure in their balance, toward the wall of the building. Talia slid down and swung her legs through the air; Justin knelt on a convenient plank of wood. Below them, the water was a pool of darkness. For a moment the only sound was the background noise of traffic.
"Well?" Talia said testily.
"Look down. What do you see?"
"Water."
"Just water?" the cat asked.
"Maybe it's blood," Justin offered.
"Yeah. Water. That's the truth." Talia ignored him.
The cat said with obvious patience, "It is truth, but truth is not always appearance."
"What does that mean?"
"It's water. It's also true it's more than water. Look harder."
Talia sighed, but Justin leant forward and peered down. "Nope. Still 'appears' to be water,' he said.
"It's nice water. Rippling," Talia added.
"Definitely rippling. Probably dirty. "
"I'm stuck on the rippling." She almost laughed. Suddenly she didn't care it was the middle of the night and they'd broken in because a cat told them to. She and Justin were talking, not arguing, almost teasing.
"Look again, smartarses."
Talia's breath caught suddenly in her throat; deep in the pool was a golden glitter. It grew from a hint of starlight to an intense glow. "What is it?"
The cat smiled smugly. "The way to Land's End."
"What? Like a magic portal?" Justin sounded half eager, half sceptical.
"Not like. It is a portal. Now you have a choice."
"A choice?"
"Jump or walk away."
Justin didn't have to think. He looked at Talia, and the anger and frustration was gone, leaving only a huge grin and the boyish adventure she'd fallen in love with. "We're jumping, right?" He almost dared her.
She thought about the cat's words. Did going through or not going through meant she risked losing him? If it was even a portal. She knew now there wasn't only anger left between them; if they walked away, she could work from that. So jumping in meant possibly losing him.
He shifted impatiently, and she nodded.
This time when they grasped hands there was no space between them. Justin looked at her, but Talia stared at the golden glow of the portal, then flicked a glance at the cat. It nodded, serious, and she knew she was right. Going in meant risking Justin – but she said she would fight, and she would.
They jumped. They disappeared.
The cat rolled over to bat idly at a buzzing insect while the glow exploded into a golden mist. It chuckled, an oddly human and bitter sound. "Alright, hag. I kept my part of the deal: I betrayed Conall. But I warned her, and she went. You made me help you, but I think I helped him more."
__________________________________________________________
Current Prompts: Portal, Talking Animals
Previous Prompts: N/A
Word Count: 1499
Photo Count: 15
CC Used: Allowed only. Skin , Eyes
__________________________________________________________
Phew. In retrospect, entire chapter in the dark? Probably not an awesome idea. I had a really hard down cutting down pictures/words for this. Including many adorable and I swear totally necessary cat pics.
Now I just hope we get seven more late entires
#36
3rd Jun 2013 at 4:30 PM
Posts: 3,720
Thanks: 27201 in 66 Posts
3 down, 7 more to go! Still 2 and a half days to go for anyone wanting to get an entry in.
Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
#37
3rd Jun 2013 at 6:29 PM
I would be so tempted to enter this - I just don't have a story idea. I fear that is rather key to this contest Hopefully one will come to me soon!
Like this post? You'll love my Tumblr! 😉
#38
3rd Jun 2013 at 8:06 PM
Last edited by porkypine : 3rd Jun 2013 at 8:18 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by w_sims
I would be so tempted to enter this - I just don't have a story idea. I fear that is rather key to this contest Hopefully one will come to me soon! |
lol. I have a story idea but am bogged down creating my photo sets. Not enough time to get it going... (The truth being I seem to be unable to just create a 'Hollywood' type set.. I find myself building the whole lot as a usable unit. But then again, I am not practiced at storytelling. I am a builder at heart and a mesh masher secondarily and probably soon to be a pose maker because I can't find the poses I want for the scenes.)
I think you should have an extension on this one Heaven... so you can get enough contestants.
So I guess I better get a move on creating my fairy rath... after working all day.. cleaning and cooking.. finding some personal time.... uh - yea. that..
#39
3rd Jun 2013 at 8:07 PM
Posts: 3,720
Thanks: 27201 in 66 Posts
If we don't have enough contestants by that time, I'll have to talk to someone and see if an extension can be allowed. I don't think it would be an issue as the contest area isn't exactly abuzz with activity at the moment but I don't want to promise anything just yet.
Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
#40
3rd Jun 2013 at 8:15 PM
I still think you need a sticky up top for APPLICATION ROUND. All visitors see is all the closed stuff. People who don't know the site just don't scroll down enough to see the application round at the bottom of the page.
#41
5th Jun 2013 at 4:02 PM
Posts: 3,720
Thanks: 27201 in 66 Posts
With only 3 entries and less than a day to go, I am officially extending this. Delphy was nice enough to post this on the home page as well so maybe we can get some more traffic.
Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
#42
5th Jun 2013 at 6:24 PM
Good! I may have time to get my story pics going then! When is the new deadline? (or should I scroll up to read the new date?) ...scrolling up....
#43
5th Jun 2013 at 7:17 PM
Is this application round still running? I think I would to use the Sims 3, since I have some pretty Sims 3 Store dresses that look very medieval and rustic.
#44
5th Jun 2013 at 9:40 PM
Posts: 286
Can the story be set in someone else's fictional world? Namely, JK Rowling's Harry Potter? I have an idea for a story which mostly uses the setting of Hogwarts, and although the storyline and main character are completely my own, a few of the characters are briefly mentioned (but literally only by name) in the Epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I understand if this wouldn't be allowed as it's not an entirely original setting, but just thought I'd ask.
♫Cuz I don't have a home in this life, I have to roam. Got nowhere to lay my head, so I'll follow you instead, and set my gaze on the place I'm going to. Til then I'm homeless, but I'll roam with you...♫
My Simblr: http://natteryaktoad.tumblr.com
♫Cuz I don't have a home in this life, I have to roam. Got nowhere to lay my head, so I'll follow you instead, and set my gaze on the place I'm going to. Til then I'm homeless, but I'll roam with you...♫
My Simblr: http://natteryaktoad.tumblr.com
#45
5th Jun 2013 at 9:42 PM
Posts: 3,720
Thanks: 27201 in 66 Posts
Porky, I gave it another week, hoping we can get enough entries in by then. At that time, the application round will have run for a month. If I can't get enough entries in a month, might as well close up shop!
CrèmedelaCrème, yes, the contest is still open to new applicants.
NatteryakToad, I think what you're suggesting is perfectly alright! Looking forward to it!
CrèmedelaCrème, yes, the contest is still open to new applicants.
NatteryakToad, I think what you're suggesting is perfectly alright! Looking forward to it!
Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
#46
5th Jun 2013 at 10:03 PM
yea... I hafta pay bills tonight then see if I have enough time to fire up the computer to take the pictures.. (Remind self - YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CREATE THE WHOLE LOT FOR A PICTURE! JUST THE SET!)
Last night was date-night with hubby-dearest. Dinner and a double feature at the movies. Saw After Earth and Fast and Furious 6. Got to bed around 1:30 am-ish . . up at 6 am... Nothing like sleep deprivation. mwahahahaa!
Last night was date-night with hubby-dearest. Dinner and a double feature at the movies. Saw After Earth and Fast and Furious 6. Got to bed around 1:30 am-ish . . up at 6 am... Nothing like sleep deprivation. mwahahahaa!
Test Subject
#47
7th Jun 2013 at 6:35 PM
Posts: 7
Still only three contestants, huh? Eh, what the hell, I'll join in, too
Prologue: The Burning of Cartref Wood
"Hmm... you know, I don't do backstory, however I'm becoming very interested in yours. Why don't you start from the beginning?"
"Do... do I have to?"
"No. But then, I don't have to take your case, either."
"Sigh... Okay. This whole thing started a long time ago, before I was even born..."
~*~*~*~
There used to be magic in this world. The myths and legends of our time are actually historical fact. For the most part, at least. My people, or at least my parents' people, had a saying: "Ysbail siglo ym mhob man," which translates roughly into "Magic is the bloodstream of the universe." It's inextricably linked to the planet; the earth, sea, and sky, and all the plants and animals therein.
Humans aren't incapable of magic, but they are the most naturally mundane creatures in the world. And as they grew more populous, and lost their already tenuous connection with nature, they began to wipe out other sentient, magical species and bury any knowledge of magic. And the worst part is, they didn't even go out of their way to destroy magic, it just happened.
That's the general history you need to know to understand what I'm about to tell you. This isn't going to be some epic tale of worldwide extinction, or some grand 1000-year story. It's... more like a coming-to-Simerica story. Except my ancestors were here before there even WAS a Simerica, but let's not open THAT can of worms.
Anyway, to the west of this very town, where there's now plenty of shops and venues and houses, it used to all be forest. That forest was called Cartref Wood. It was a place of enchantment, which of course used to be the norm. This was only a generation ago, however, so of course anything enchanted had long since gone into hiding and stayed away from human eyes.
A clan of tree elves used to live in that forest. They spent their days idly enough, for they didn't have the kind of society humans have. There was no such thing as business, and they didn't even need to barter for goods. Theirs was a society that was built around the idea of "Mi casa es su casa." What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. Sharing is caring. That whole chestnut.
They were like one big family, and didn't want or need reimbursement for helping someone. The very idea was completely foreign to them. I know I'm building it up to be pretty idyllic, and maybe it was. All I know of that society is what my parents told me, and they have the whole nostalgia thing going on. I'm sure they had quarrels and grievances with each other; after all, plenty of human societies talk about valuing community and togetherness and loving thy neighbor and whatnot, and still find ways to treat others like crap. No amount of cultural conditioning can erase human nature. Or elf nature.
That's not to say they never did any work, or that they were all lazy hippies or whatever. They had their hunters, their gardeners, their craftsmen. In recent years, they also took on the responsibility of caring for the forest and its inhabitants, and cleaning up after human hikers and campers once they'd gone and left a mess in their wake. All in all, it was a simple existence, and despite some hardships, they prospered and thrived.
One day, however, the humans did more than just leave a campfire unattended or forget to pick up their trash. They wanted to expand their little town, to draw in new business ventures and people to spend money at their new business ventures. That meant the forest had to go.
Using the time-honored slash-and-burn technique, they completely cleared the forest. I probably don't need to tell you that most of the plants and animals didn't make it out alive, and those that did were homeless. The same went for the tree elves.
Some tried valiantly to fight the fires while others tried to save their loved ones. Many were trapped and perished in the blaze while a few managed to escape. For the most part, those that escaped traveled far, far away from the ruins of their home, searching for another, one that would be safe from the destruction of humans.
My parents were not amongst those that left. In fact, they were the only two of their clan that stayed. They were stubborn people, my parents, and would not be chased from their ancestral land so easily. They found and settled in a wooded area that had somehow been allowed to continue existing. It wasn't until later that they learned the area was privately owned and that the owner had refused to sell it to the town for them to destroy.
They built a very, very small cabin in those woods, and made the decision to integrate into human society. There was no way they could survive unless they did, and besides, the hermitic life didn't really suit them. As angry as they were with the people who had destroyed their home and killed, maimed, or chased off their friends and family, they were still social creatures. They had each other, yeah, but that only goes so far.
There was another reason they wanted to reveal themselves to the humans. They hoped that if they could rekindle humankind's connection with magic, they would remember the respect they once had for nature, and stop the destruction. An ambitious goal, true enough, but one they felt they could manage.
It took some time for them to come up with an actual plan for revealing themselves to humankind. It took even longer for them to find the courage to go through with it. The humans had destroyed their lives, after all. They were afraid that the humans would destroy them, too, once they showed themselves. But it had to be done.
There was a pretty nice house nearby. It had kind of a modern style, which put my parents off. It was too square and too white, and so unlike the natural world. But they were, technically, my parents' neighbors, so they would meet eventually. Might as well make it sooner rather than later.
So, my parents approached the house. They stood in front of the door, steeling themselves for what was to come, and knocked.
Current Prompts: Enchanted Forest, Elves
Previous Prompts: N/A
Word Count: 1064
Photo Count: 10
CC Used: None
Prologue: The Burning of Cartref Wood
"Hmm... you know, I don't do backstory, however I'm becoming very interested in yours. Why don't you start from the beginning?"
"Do... do I have to?"
"No. But then, I don't have to take your case, either."
"Sigh... Okay. This whole thing started a long time ago, before I was even born..."
~*~*~*~
There used to be magic in this world. The myths and legends of our time are actually historical fact. For the most part, at least. My people, or at least my parents' people, had a saying: "Ysbail siglo ym mhob man," which translates roughly into "Magic is the bloodstream of the universe." It's inextricably linked to the planet; the earth, sea, and sky, and all the plants and animals therein.
Humans aren't incapable of magic, but they are the most naturally mundane creatures in the world. And as they grew more populous, and lost their already tenuous connection with nature, they began to wipe out other sentient, magical species and bury any knowledge of magic. And the worst part is, they didn't even go out of their way to destroy magic, it just happened.
That's the general history you need to know to understand what I'm about to tell you. This isn't going to be some epic tale of worldwide extinction, or some grand 1000-year story. It's... more like a coming-to-Simerica story. Except my ancestors were here before there even WAS a Simerica, but let's not open THAT can of worms.
Anyway, to the west of this very town, where there's now plenty of shops and venues and houses, it used to all be forest. That forest was called Cartref Wood. It was a place of enchantment, which of course used to be the norm. This was only a generation ago, however, so of course anything enchanted had long since gone into hiding and stayed away from human eyes.
A clan of tree elves used to live in that forest. They spent their days idly enough, for they didn't have the kind of society humans have. There was no such thing as business, and they didn't even need to barter for goods. Theirs was a society that was built around the idea of "Mi casa es su casa." What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. Sharing is caring. That whole chestnut.
They were like one big family, and didn't want or need reimbursement for helping someone. The very idea was completely foreign to them. I know I'm building it up to be pretty idyllic, and maybe it was. All I know of that society is what my parents told me, and they have the whole nostalgia thing going on. I'm sure they had quarrels and grievances with each other; after all, plenty of human societies talk about valuing community and togetherness and loving thy neighbor and whatnot, and still find ways to treat others like crap. No amount of cultural conditioning can erase human nature. Or elf nature.
That's not to say they never did any work, or that they were all lazy hippies or whatever. They had their hunters, their gardeners, their craftsmen. In recent years, they also took on the responsibility of caring for the forest and its inhabitants, and cleaning up after human hikers and campers once they'd gone and left a mess in their wake. All in all, it was a simple existence, and despite some hardships, they prospered and thrived.
One day, however, the humans did more than just leave a campfire unattended or forget to pick up their trash. They wanted to expand their little town, to draw in new business ventures and people to spend money at their new business ventures. That meant the forest had to go.
Using the time-honored slash-and-burn technique, they completely cleared the forest. I probably don't need to tell you that most of the plants and animals didn't make it out alive, and those that did were homeless. The same went for the tree elves.
Some tried valiantly to fight the fires while others tried to save their loved ones. Many were trapped and perished in the blaze while a few managed to escape. For the most part, those that escaped traveled far, far away from the ruins of their home, searching for another, one that would be safe from the destruction of humans.
My parents were not amongst those that left. In fact, they were the only two of their clan that stayed. They were stubborn people, my parents, and would not be chased from their ancestral land so easily. They found and settled in a wooded area that had somehow been allowed to continue existing. It wasn't until later that they learned the area was privately owned and that the owner had refused to sell it to the town for them to destroy.
They built a very, very small cabin in those woods, and made the decision to integrate into human society. There was no way they could survive unless they did, and besides, the hermitic life didn't really suit them. As angry as they were with the people who had destroyed their home and killed, maimed, or chased off their friends and family, they were still social creatures. They had each other, yeah, but that only goes so far.
There was another reason they wanted to reveal themselves to the humans. They hoped that if they could rekindle humankind's connection with magic, they would remember the respect they once had for nature, and stop the destruction. An ambitious goal, true enough, but one they felt they could manage.
It took some time for them to come up with an actual plan for revealing themselves to humankind. It took even longer for them to find the courage to go through with it. The humans had destroyed their lives, after all. They were afraid that the humans would destroy them, too, once they showed themselves. But it had to be done.
There was a pretty nice house nearby. It had kind of a modern style, which put my parents off. It was too square and too white, and so unlike the natural world. But they were, technically, my parents' neighbors, so they would meet eventually. Might as well make it sooner rather than later.
So, my parents approached the house. They stood in front of the door, steeling themselves for what was to come, and knocked.
Current Prompts: Enchanted Forest, Elves
Previous Prompts: N/A
Word Count: 1064
Photo Count: 10
CC Used: None
#48
7th Jun 2013 at 9:50 PM
Posts: 1,637
Thanks: 7 in 2 Posts
Due to real life issues and the fact I cannot work with word limits well I have decided not to enter. I wish everyone who has entered luck.
"I know, and it breaks my heart to do it, but we must remain vigilant. If you cannot tell me another way, do not brand me a tyrant!" - knight commander Meredith (dragon age 2)
#49
8th Jun 2013 at 5:18 PM
Posts: 293
Holy Freakin' Corn Dogs! I just saw this contest on the home page today. I haven't dropped by MTS for a couple weeks as I've forced myself to focus my time to get stuff that needed to be done done. So, no fun times. But that's over now.
Hmmm... only 4 days... I'm no Mary Poppins, but I'll try to pull something out of the bottomless purse bag. This may not be a good first entry, but this contest needs some.
To everyone holding back entering because they're feeling that their entry may not be good enough or you might eventually do something this summer or whatever reason, screw it. Just go ahead and enter anyway. Your story/idea is not as bad as you think it is. Let's do what we can in the application so this contest can keep going, then work extra hard on the next round.
If you don't even have a story idea (like me), read the entries that have already been posted, bust out some Disney movies, shove those kids out of your way in the fairy tale section of the library... spark your imagination and run with it. Crap can turn into gold! I've seen it. ...well, ok, maybe not that--but I have seen crappy story beginnings turn into golden stories. Don't give up!
LET'S DO THIS! Who's with me?!
Hmmm... only 4 days... I'm no Mary Poppins, but I'll try to pull something out of the bottomless purse bag. This may not be a good first entry, but this contest needs some.
To everyone holding back entering because they're feeling that their entry may not be good enough or you might eventually do something this summer or whatever reason, screw it. Just go ahead and enter anyway. Your story/idea is not as bad as you think it is. Let's do what we can in the application so this contest can keep going, then work extra hard on the next round.
If you don't even have a story idea (like me), read the entries that have already been posted, bust out some Disney movies, shove those kids out of your way in the fairy tale section of the library... spark your imagination and run with it. Crap can turn into gold! I've seen it. ...well, ok, maybe not that--but I have seen crappy story beginnings turn into golden stories. Don't give up!
LET'S DO THIS! Who's with me?!
#50
8th Jun 2013 at 9:46 PM
Last edited by porkypine : 8th Jun 2013 at 10:09 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Qnshr5
Holy Freakin' Corn Dogs! I just saw this contest on the home page today. I haven't dropped by MTS for a couple weeks as I've forced myself to focus my time to get stuff that needed to be done done. So, no fun times. But that's over now. Hmmm... only 4 days... I'm no Mary Poppins, but I'll try to pull something out of the bottomless purse bag. This may not be a good first entry, but this contest needs some. To everyone holding back entering because they're feeling that their entry may not be good enough or you might eventually do something this summer or whatever reason, screw it. Just go ahead and enter anyway. Your story/idea is not as bad as you think it is. Let's do what we can in the application so this contest can keep going, then work extra hard on the next round. If you don't even have a story idea (like me), read the entries that have already been posted, bust out some Disney movies, shove those kids out of your way in the fairy tale section of the library... spark your imagination and run with it. Crap can turn into gold! I've seen it. ...well, ok, maybe not that--but I have seen crappy story beginnings turn into golden stories. Don't give up! LET'S DO THIS! Who's with me?! |
I agree and am trying to get my game set up to take the blinking pictures but my garden calls... lol (It's funny, but my sims gardens are always lovelier than my real life weed patch of a mess in the desert out here.. lol. Sims is my solace for lack of real life gardening skills). ... And thoughts of how to unwrap the Sims3 burrito baby keep creeping into my thoughts...... decisions on what to use my scarce time for.... burritos or fairies... fairies or burritos... hmm.. now I'm hungry! And of course, I am not really crazy about the clothing I have and am thinking about creating some garments... That would also take time away from the story.... I guess at heart, I am not much of a sims player but a mesher and an architect.
Ok. I'll try my best to crank out my story. Can I post what I have so far and then add the rest since it isn't the deadline yet? I'll do that... and you can cry foul later.
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