πΊπͺπ¬π΅π¨πΉπ°πΆ Β π·πΉπΆπ΄π·π»πΊ.
β¬ Β OF Β FAIRYTALES, Β FOLKLORE Β AND Β FAEKIND.
scenarios Β inspired Β by Β various Β settings, Β encountersΒ Β & Β magic Β tucked Β between Β pages,Β Β fashionedΒ byΒ theΒ author.
+ Β feel Β free Β to Β change Β pronounsΒ /Β rolesΒ !
βΒ letΒ meΒ guess,Β youΒ thoughtΒ aΒ trueΒ loveβsΒ kissΒ wouldΒ helpΒ you.Β β
βΒ youΒ willΒ alwaysΒ followΒ theΒ trailΒ inΒ theΒ wood,Β andΒ itΒ willΒ guideΒ youΒ onΒ theΒ sameΒ path,Β toΒ theΒ sameΒ cottage,Β theΒ sameΒ witch.Β itΒ willΒ alwaysΒ beΒ yourΒ undoing.Β β
βΒ iΒ haveΒ neverΒ seenΒ aΒ moreΒ tragicΒ creature.Β howΒ mightΒ iΒ helpΒ youΒ ?Β β
βΒ youΒ mustΒ takeΒ thisΒ knifeΒ andΒ plungeΒ itΒ intoΒ hisΒ /Β herΒ /Β theirΒ heart.Β β
βΒ forgetΒ yourself.Β thatΒ isΒ howΒ youΒ breakΒ yourΒ curse.Β β
βΒ removeΒ thisΒ thornΒ fromΒ myΒ hand,Β andΒ youΒ willΒ beΒ rewarded.Β β
βΒ iβmΒ tiredΒ ofΒ beingΒ aΒ prince.Β iΒ thinkΒ iΒ wouldΒ actuallyΒ enjoyΒ beingΒ aΒ frog.Β β
βΒ tellΒ meΒ ofΒ theΒ beast,Β andΒ iΒ willΒ huntΒ itΒ forΒ you.Β β
βΒ miceΒ areΒ neverΒ justΒ mice,Β andΒ pumpkinsΒ areΒ rarelyΒ justΒ pumpkins.Β β
βΒ iΒ donβtΒ thinkΒ breakingΒ aΒ spellΒ shouldΒ beΒ thisΒ simple.Β β
βΒ iΒ neverΒ thoughtΒ iβdΒ returnΒ here,Β toΒ theΒ siteΒ whereΒ itΒ allΒ began.Β β
βΒ areΒ youΒ anΒ orphanΒ ?Β itβsΒ justΒ thatΒ theyβreΒ alwaysΒ findingΒ themselvesΒ inΒ magicalΒ predicaments.Β β
βΒ theΒ mirrorΒ speaksΒ falselyΒ inΒ yourΒ ear.Β itΒ isΒ yourΒ trueΒ curse.Β β
βΒ myΒ heartΒ feelsΒ uneasy,Β althoughΒ iΒ amΒ free.Β isΒ itΒ supposedΒ toΒ ?Β β
βΒ iβmΒ sorry,Β itβsΒ justΒ thatΒ iΒ thoughtΒ thisΒ isΒ theΒ partΒ ofΒ theΒ questΒ whereΒ theΒ animalsΒ oughtΒ toΒ startΒ talkingΒ toΒ me.Β β
βΒ ofΒ courseΒ iΒ planΒ onΒ goingΒ toΒ theΒ ball.Β whyΒ wouldnβtΒ iΒ ?Β β
βΒ jealousyΒ hasΒ madeΒ moreΒ witchesΒ outΒ ofΒ womenΒ thanΒ adamβsΒ rib.Β β
βΒ whereΒ hasΒ choosingΒ goodheartednessΒ andΒ havingΒ goldenΒ hairΒ everΒ gottenΒ youΒ ?Β β
Β βΒ areΒ youΒ aΒ helpfulΒ wizard,Β orΒ theΒ kindΒ thatΒ sitsΒ inΒ aΒ towerΒ readingΒ moldyΒ booksΒ ?Β β
βΒ iβmΒ dreadfullyΒ bored.Β whoΒ knewΒ waitingΒ forΒ aΒ princeΒ wasΒ soΒ strenuousΒ ?Β β
βΒ weΒ allΒ haveΒ towersΒ weΒ mustΒ leave,Β andΒ magicΒ thatΒ willΒ tryΒ toΒ thwartΒ us.Β β
βΒ iβmΒ afraidΒ forΒ theΒ clockΒ toΒ strike.Β theΒ hourΒ willΒ ringΒ inΒ theΒ placeΒ ofΒ myΒ heartbeatΒ whenΒ weΒ mustΒ beΒ parted.Β β
βΒ iΒ hadΒ noΒ ideaΒ carpetsΒ couldΒ fly.Β orΒ pigsΒ forΒ thatΒ matter.Β βΒ Β
βΒ whatΒ wouldΒ happenΒ ifΒ theΒ knightΒ didΒ notΒ arriveΒ toΒ theΒ castle,Β andΒ theΒ dragonΒ madeΒ aΒ denΒ ofΒ itΒ andΒ aΒ hoardΒ ofΒ itsΒ peopleΒ andΒ prizeΒ ofΒ itsΒ princessΒ ?Β β
β Β i Β sometimes Β think Β i Β was Β switched Β out Β at Β birth, Β like Β a Β lizard Β in Β a Β birdβs Β nest. Β i Β belong Β somewhere Β else. Β β
βΒ Β inΒ anotherΒ kingdomΒ existsΒ aΒ throneΒ andΒ aΒ crownΒ thatΒ isΒ mineΒ byΒ right.Β β
β Β if Β i Β did Β not Β wake Β up Β one Β day, Β i Β would Β still Β be Β waiting Β on Β a spinning Β wheel, Β dutifully Β bored. Β β Β
βΒ somethingΒ inΒ meΒ knowsΒ youΒ areΒ hereΒ forΒ myΒ heart.Β β
βΒ inΒ allΒ theΒ mythsΒ iβveΒ heard,Β itβsΒ neverΒ beenΒ worthwhileΒ toΒ approachΒ strangeΒ sights.Β itβsΒ bestΒ toΒ turnΒ aroundΒ andΒ pretendΒ youΒ neverΒ sawΒ them.Β β
βΒ nothingΒ isΒ folkloreΒ untilΒ itΒ existsΒ longerΒ thanΒ consciousnessΒ remembers,Β andΒ livesΒ inΒ spiteΒ ofΒ it.Β β
βΒ iβveΒ heardΒ yourΒ nameΒ before,Β inΒ songsΒ andΒ lengthyΒ ballads.Β β
βΒ whateverΒ hasΒ ledΒ youΒ hereΒ toΒ me,Β thereΒ isΒ destinyΒ inΒ itsΒ making.Β β
βΒ theΒ beastΒ returnsΒ everyΒ centuryΒ orΒ so,Β andΒ triesΒ toΒ devourΒ us.Β itΒ willΒ comeΒ againΒ beforeΒ long.Β β
βΒ aΒ prettyΒ faceΒ isΒ notΒ nothing.Β itΒ earnsΒ youΒ aΒ hearthΒ andΒ aΒ kindΒ hand,Β afterΒ all.Β β
β Β their Β lips Β are Β red Β as Β blood, Β and Β their Β teeth Β carve Β ruinΒ intoΒ throats. Β β
βΒ arenβtΒ dragonsΒ supposedΒ toΒ breatheΒ fireΒ andΒ makeΒ aΒ fussΒ aboutΒ havingΒ theirΒ treasureΒ foundΒ ?Β β
βΒ somedayΒ youΒ willΒ becomeΒ aΒ pilgrim,Β aΒ saint,Β orΒ aΒ favoredΒ story,Β whileΒ iΒ willΒ beΒ aΒ voiceΒ onΒ theΒ wind.Β β
β Β the Β stories Β say Β brides Β donβt Β live Β to Β the Β light Β before Β demons Β devour Β them. Β why Β should Β i Β become Β one Β ? Β β
βΒ thereΒ wasΒ anotherΒ girlΒ likeΒ youΒ once,Β inΒ aΒ smallΒ townΒ likeΒ thisΒ one.Β iΒ canβtΒ rememberΒ ifΒ sheΒ becameΒ theΒ monsterΒ orΒ diedΒ tryingΒ toΒ escapeΒ it.Β β
βΒ rememberΒ toΒ festoonΒ theΒ hearthΒ withΒ garlic,Β orΒ rosemary,Β orΒ oneΒ ofΒ thoseΒ mundaneΒ herbsΒ thatΒ keepΒ evilΒ out.Β β
βΒ thatΒ soundsΒ likeΒ nothingΒ butΒ aΒ tallΒ tale,Β butΒ iβmΒ certainΒ smallerΒ mindsΒ wouldΒ eatΒ itΒ up.Β β
βΒ toΒ crossΒ thisΒ bridge,Β youβllΒ haveΒ toΒ payΒ aΒ heavyΒ toll.Β β
βΒ donβtΒ strayΒ tooΒ farΒ fromΒ theΒ pathΒ setΒ beforeΒ you,Β orΒ somethingΒ interestingΒ mightΒ happen.Β β
βΒ iβveΒ passedΒ thatΒ yardΒ ofΒ cropsΒ aΒ millionΒ times,Β butΒ theΒ crowΒ neverΒ movedΒ fromΒ itsΒ postΒ untilΒ thisΒ morning.Β β
βΒ Β itΒ isΒ asΒ thoughΒ ancientΒ fearsΒ areΒ stillΒ inΒ usΒ likeΒ scarsΒ orΒ stitches.Β β
βΒ graveyardsΒ arenβtΒ whereΒ youΒ findΒ ghosts.Β lookΒ forΒ themΒ inΒ placesΒ thatΒ feelΒ likeΒ memoriesΒ youΒ shouldnβtΒ have.Β β
βΒ storiesΒ reapΒ princesΒ fromΒ peasantsΒ asΒ ifΒ theirΒ skinsΒ wereΒ cropsΒ inΒ theΒ ground.Β β
β Β what Β form Β does Β your Β fear Β take Β ? Β surely Β not Β that Β of Β a Β bear Β or Β a Β lion. Β such Β things Β are Β too Β assuring. Β β
βΒ iΒ foundΒ myselfΒ whereΒ everythingΒ wasΒ tooΒ familiarΒ toΒ beΒ real.Β β
βΒ inΒ safeΒ bedsΒ onΒ coldΒ darkΒ nights,Β weΒ learnΒ toΒ faceΒ theΒ monstersΒ inΒ ourΒ ownΒ minds.Β β
βΒ youβreΒ notΒ toΒ partakeΒ inΒ aΒ fairyΒ feast.Β donβtΒ youΒ knowΒ itβsΒ theΒ foodΒ thatΒ willΒ devourΒ youΒ ?Β β
βΒ iβmΒ sorryΒ youΒ didΒ notΒ readΒ theΒ eyesΒ ofΒ theΒ treesΒ beforeΒ findingΒ yourselfΒ here.Β β
βΒ iΒ wishΒ toΒ goΒ back.Β iΒ wantΒ toΒ forgetΒ everything.Β β
βΒ youΒ thinkΒ thatΒ believingΒ inΒ usΒ isΒ enoughΒ toΒ protectΒ youΒ ?Β thatΒ itΒ willΒ killΒ usΒ ifΒ youΒ forget,Β andΒ weΒ preyΒ uponΒ yourΒ unknowingΒ ?Β β
βΒ stepΒ aroundΒ theΒ ringΒ threeΒ times,Β likeΒ aΒ backwardsΒ clock.Β thatβsΒ howΒ youΒ getΒ toΒ fairyland.Β βΒ Β
βΒ iβveΒ neverΒ heardΒ suchΒ sweetΒ musicΒ before.Β β
βΒ whereΒ theΒ treesΒ beginΒ toΒ twistΒ andΒ groanΒ inΒ theirΒ roots,Β rememberΒ youΒ mustΒ notΒ makeΒ aΒ rightΒ turn.Β β
βΒ iΒ didnβtΒ feelΒ likeΒ iβdΒ steppedΒ intoΒ anotherΒ world,Β butΒ likeΒ itΒ steppedΒ intoΒ me.Β iΒ knewΒ iΒ wasΒ thereΒ andΒ forgotΒ iβdΒ leftΒ anythingΒ behind.Β β
βΒ howΒ amusing.Β aΒ humanΒ !Β β
βΒ wouldΒ youΒ beΒ myΒ brideΒ ifΒ iΒ wereΒ toΒ takeΒ youΒ intoΒ theΒ groundΒ ?Β β
βΒ iΒ knowΒ ofΒ tunnelsΒ youΒ mightΒ take,Β theΒ burrowsΒ ofΒ trollsΒ andΒ rabbits.Β β
βΒ donβtΒ takeΒ anythingΒ fromΒ thisΒ realm,Β noneΒ ofΒ itΒ isΒ worthΒ theΒ priceΒ ofΒ keeping.Β β
βΒ thereΒ areΒ courtsΒ byΒ manyΒ titlesΒ inΒ theΒ landsΒ beyondΒ theΒ veil,Β allΒ ofΒ themΒ other.Β β
βΒ namesΒ areΒ notΒ likeΒ currencyΒ here;Β theyΒ areΒ moreΒ preciousΒ thanΒ diamondsΒ andΒ legacies.Β β
βΒ didΒ youΒ thinkΒ allΒ ofΒ usΒ lookedΒ likeΒ goblinsΒ ?Β β
βΒ gettingΒ hereΒ isΒ easy,Β butΒ gettingΒ homeΒ isΒ quiteΒ theΒ trick.Β β
βΒ iΒ shallΒ giveΒ youΒ aΒ riddle,Β andΒ itΒ willΒ puzzleΒ youΒ untilΒ youΒ knowΒ theΒ answerΒ butΒ forgetΒ yourΒ ownΒ soul.Β β
βΒ aΒ bloodlineΒ isΒ nothingΒ whenΒ youβveΒ outlivedΒ civilizations.Β β
β Β refusing Β my Β hospitality Β isΒ likeΒ human Β sin,Β andΒ it Β will Β bring Β worse Β upon Β you. Β β
βΒ everythingΒ hereΒ isΒ andΒ isnβt,Β andΒ thingsΒ areΒ andΒ arenβt.Β β
βΒ onΒ lonelyΒ nightsΒ iΒ stareΒ intoΒ theΒ trees,Β andΒ aΒ strangeΒ faceΒ leersΒ back.Β β
βΒ theΒ thronesΒ hereΒ areΒ madeΒ ofΒ bonesΒ andΒ blood,Β andΒ builtΒ uponΒ decay.Β β
βΒ aΒ thirdΒ timeΒ isΒ notΒ aΒ charm,Β butΒ aΒ bargain.Β itΒ saysΒ thatΒ youΒ wantΒ somethingΒ enoughΒ toΒ wagerΒ yourΒ sense.Β β
βΒ itΒ isΒ dangerousΒ toΒ thinkΒ thatΒ magicalΒ beingsΒ doΒ notΒ haveΒ humanΒ intensities.Β β