Just Another Fairy Tale by Ariel Mwazi
 (1 rating)
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SUMMARY: A royal family is in for a big surprise when they summon an old bard to entertain them. A story of war and love the love that ended it.The king sits high, beside his queen
The little prince plays with the nurse
And the jester sits, making fun of the dog
While the cat lies asleep on the hearth
The king calls aloud "Summon the bard"
From shadows the bard does appear
"What shall I sing for my king and queen
What song should you wish to hear?"
"A tale of Giants" cries the prince
"...or of birds," says the Queen
"Nay" says the King in a voice that is firm
"Sing of the Adrian Peace"
The bard takes his seat and strums a note
"The king" says he, "may it please"
And so he begins in a clear tenor voice
To sing of the Adrian Peace
"When woods were thick and water clear
And beasts talked among themselves
T'was a war that raged amidst the glades
Between the Fairies and elves
(How it started, none could say
But most believed with heart
T'was the elves so filled with greed
That caused the war to start)
Here lived the elves in castles of stone
With honey bee herds so grand,
Which they had stolen in the middle of night
From the sleeping Fairies' land
They were the timeless music makers
Only as tall as the weeds
With sheer white hair and old grey eyes
But hearts always filled with greed
And here lived the Fairies in huts of twig
With clear-silver wings of flight
Drinking the dew off rose petal leaves
And dancing in bright moon-light
They were the cheerful prank-pulling folk
Always teasing the birds
With wild dark hair and changing eyes
Weeping for lost Bee herds
Thus the story began
In a glade called Evening LoBright
There stood a castle ruled by King Reed
But kept by his daughter, Rose-Right
And she was a fair elf maiden
Fairer than many could boast
With a merciful heart and a kindly hand
She was loved by all the king's host.
T'was a warm day in June, while the king was away
When the Warning Horn sounded its call
"The Fairies Attack! Run for your lives!"
So the guard left the castle to fall
But the Princess was brave and refused to leave
Until every Elf was out safe
So she was captured by Fairies and kept
‘Till the captain decided her fate
Hence he came, a great Fairy lord
Adrian Great was his name
Proud and tall like the Raven king
And eyes that sparkled like rain
He stood before Rose-Right, so fearsome and dark
That quickly her heart did beat
And she with a cry and a deadly fear
Did fall to her knees at his feet
Though Rose-Right did tremble and shake
She spoke with a voice that was still
"Take what you wish, but kill none I pray
And I shall submit to your will"
But as Adrian Great gazed upon Rose-Right
His heart felt a love within
How odd it was that Fairy for Elf
Should have such a feeling therein
So Adrian Great ordered his men
"Take of the weapons and food
But touch not one of the living elves"
And so the order was issued
Then turned the Fairy to the Elf at his feet
And spoke in a voice that was fair
"As for my will, I will that thou would
Come willingly back to my Lair"
Now, near to the Captain another there was
A Fairy called Costian Lee
With long hair he wore in a single braid
Good friend of the captain was he.
Costian Lee now spoke to the captain
With warnings against his will
"King Reed may be roused and armies of elves
Will scourge all the Fairy hills"
But Adrian Great would listen to naught
And the princess had given her word
So the castle was left and the servants all safe
While the Fairies all fled Homeward
For a time and a half, no ill did come
(The news failed to reach King Reed)
And Rose-Right was bride to Adrian Great
And later his child she carried
Then winter came; King Reed returned home
There met the guards that had fled
He then heard the news of the Fairy attack
And feared that his daughter was dead
The King in despair, flew into a rage
And slew all the guards who had fled
He then swore an oath to kill Adrian Great
And offered a great price on his head
"To see the merry folk shed Tears
Is a rare uncommon sight"
But we shall now cause the Fairies to weep
And avenge the death of Rose-Right"
Great hosts of elves were summoned
And sent out to seek Adrian Great
Many were killed and Fairies all fled
From the Elf kings raging hate
Soon the armies of elves did come
To the home of Adrian Great
And though his guards did faithfully stand
They were hewn at a dreadful rate
And last to fall was Costian Lee
Who bid his lord to fly
"But did I not say it would come to this?"
He asked as he left him to fight
So Adrian flew to the Hush-Berry tree
High where the elves could not climb
And there he wept for Costian Lee
With his Elfish wife at his side
And the army of elves gathered in wait
At the foot of the Hush-Berry tree
By Order of Reed who wore as a belt
The braid of Dear Costian Lee
Then aloud cried Adrian Great
‘Thus was the fate on my end
To fall to a love that could not be returned
And thus cause the death of a friend"
So Adrian Great took up his blade
And cried his last farewell
"Now shall I die by my own sword
And suffer my payment in hell"
But here Rose-Right with a painful cry
Did stay his hand and blade
"I beg of thee for Costian's sake
Waste not the blood he has paid"
"Though it is true that I at first
Did not return thy love
Time has passed and I now love
Greater than ever I dreamed of"
At her words he was suddenly changed
Gone was his pain inside
He sheathed his sword, wept for joy
And kissed his fair Elfish wife
"Your confession has done me good
And resurrected my strength
But still I despair for Reed waits below
Surrounded by Elfish ranks"
Abandon despair," said Rose-Right to he,
"But listen, dear Adrian Great
Send me now unto the king
So that his wrath may abate"
"And when he is made to be at peace
Then I shall return to thee
And we shall unite once again
Here at the Hush-Berry Tree"
Adrian Great content with this plan
Summoned a passing tree squirrel
And on its back Rose-right was placed
And carried to earth in a whirl
In the mist of Reed's army Rose-Right dismounted
And was escorted by guards to the king
But as she approached the king grew pale
"Alas it's a ghost" cried he
But Rose-Right knelt and grasped his hand
"I am no Spirit," said she,
"Safe have I been but now I return
To ask you to spare my family"
By her humble request the old Elf was shaken
"My child and my joy," Said the king
"To lay a hand on my daughter's kin
I would never do such a thing.
"But I was not told of a wedding
Only I heard you were missing
But let that pass and bring me your family
That I may give them my blessing"
"My husband waits in the tree," said she
"Fearing that you are his bane
And the child I carry is due in the spring
The rest you have already slain"
At her words the King grew angry again
Knowing what she did say
His daughter was wed without his consent
To the Fairy that he wished to slay
But he had given his word
Never to harm her family
And though he was loath to honor his vow
He consented to dismiss his army.
And then he spoke to his daughter
"How then did I lose your love?
That you would allow my greatest foe,
The Fairies to mix with my blood."
"Father," she said in reproach
"How long will you maintain a war
That started for reasons that none can remember
But still you make reasons for?
"I have lived now among the fairies
And seen what a happy folk they are
So I was encouraged that a union of such
Might soon put an end to this war"
Then Reed begin to see
That what she said was true
And he now felt, as never before
A pity for those he had slew
At last his will was broken
And the great king begin to cry
"What great darkness has clouded my mind,
So my daughter is wiser than I?"
Then he called to Adrian Great
"My son, you need no longer fear.
My daughter has fruitfully pleaded your case
And now you may safely come near"
So Adrian Great flew down from the tree
And gladly the king embraced him
Blessed the union of his two children
And swore that the peace would begin
Thus the king returned to his home
And Adrian accompanied him there
To the Elves surprise King Reed
Named Adrian the Fairy his heir
The news was quickly spread
And everywhere far and wide
Fairies and Elves deserted their weapons
And put all thoughts of war aside
So it was called "The Adrian Peace"
When the Bee herds were fairly split
Among the Elves and Fairies too
So none had reason for upset
Then when the spring had come
Adrian's son was born
With sheer white hair and tiny wings
And they sounded the Good-News Horn
They named him Costian Lee
And from the braid of the elder's head
They wove a shirt for the infant prince
(Thus did they honor the dead)
"And so my tale comes to an end"
Says the bard, setting lute aside
He passes a hand o'r the scars of his face
To dry the tears he's cried
The prince sits still in revere
And his small wings flutter so slightly
Then he shakes his fair head of curls
And touches his woven shirt lightly
And the dark haired Fairy king
Takes the hand of the Elfish Queen
As the fairy bard takes a bow
Before the lord he esteems
He wishes the Lord and lady well
And limping he turns to leave
But then with start the King cries out
And begins in disbelief
"I see your hair though once cut short
Has begin to grow long again"
"And yet I fear," returns the bard
"Not enough to braid, old friend"
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