Week 12 Storytelling: Ashen Warrior

The Samiyan Kingdom was small, but it controlled the mouth of the river that snaked through the entire continent. This ocean port was so successful that it made twice the money of far larger countries.

But despite its wealth, it had no standing army and was vulnerable to attacks. Seven factions guarded the borders, however, they fought only for their own territory, not Samiya.

Fifteen years ago, there was a family that fought for the country as a whole. They were nomads, riding wherever there was a border dispute or towns in danger. But when the parents died in the line of duty, the other factions mocked their children, refusing to help the little ones. While Guinevere did the best to raise her younger sister Elleah, Guinevere died of a plague.

Although Elleah grew up all alone, she quickly became the strongest fighter throughout the entire continent.

During her eighteenth year, the Tensha began an invasion. Their troops amassed all along the land border, drawing arguments from all seven factions as to how to rebuff the attack.

Although Elleah tried to bring order to the masses, they refused to listen to her.

As the attacks escalated, the prince had no choice but to get involved. He rode to the center of the border. While a great strategist, the prince was not a warrior. He organized a tournament to raise morale and find the best fighter to lead his troops into battle.

Elleah didn’t care about being recognized as leader, however. She simply wanted to defend the country that her parents died for.

On the other hand, it seemed like every member of the seven factions was participating in the tournament. Each gladly fought their brothers, sisters, and countrymen all for a chance at the title.

Every day for seven days they fought each other, swords clashing against armor. Finally, there were only five left. Just as the prince was about to decide what to do with the odd man out, Elleah rode by on her way to a skirmish, flying under the flag of the country and not a faction.

“Warrior! Join our fight for a chance to lead my army!” he commanded.

“I desire nothing but peace for Samiya, my lord. I must be on my way,” she replied, intending to turn to the east and leave.

“This is an order from the prince of the land whose flag you fly under.”

“As you command then, my liege.” Elleah jumped off her horse and entered the arena.

With her helmet and armor on, none of the fighters recognized her as the dirty orphan they saw when they looked at her.

But as a warrior, she was incredible. Her match against the unpaired fifth person was over in two minutes after she knocked the sword from his hands.

“But we have reached the same problem again!” someone cried at the remaining three fighters.

“I’ll fight the two of you at once if you’d like. I need to get to Mikusa.”

“Arrogant girl!” one of the two finalists yelled.

“We agree! Let’s get her!” The other brandished her sword.

Elleah parried their blows and landed many of her own but always with the blunt face of her sword. We need every warrior we have. No use damaging them.

As Elleah knocked the man out with a well-placed kick, the woman hit the sword out of Elleah’s hands.

“No matter.” Elleah disarmed the woman across from her and sent her sprawling to the ground. “I am free to leave now, correct?”

The prince was so impressed that words failed him, and Elleah took off for Mikusa, not even pausing to grab her sword.

“Seize her! She is to unite the factions!” the prince declared, but she had gotten too much of a head start. “I know not where she rides, but I have this.”

In his hands, he held Elleah’s sword, engraved with the message her father had used to propose to her mother and the only thing Guinevere had been able to save when their parents died.

“We will find her, and she will lead us in the coming campaign!” The prince thrust her sword into the air, and the people cheered.

The next day the prince went back to the arena, only to find numerous people lined up with Samiya’s flag emblazoned on their armor.

“What is all this?” the prince asked, but the people only argued.

“I’m the warrior who won!”

“No, it is me! I need my sword!”

The prince sighed, realizing that he’d have to entertain all of them to find the real one.

Presenting Elleah’s sword, each fake was asked what the inscription was, but all of them failed. Some demanded another chance, but the sword was too heavy for them or they couldn’t get used to the counterbalance.

After testing every person in the arena, the prince ended up with a standing army all wearing the Samiyan flag on their armor, but he was still missing the leader.

“Does anyone know where she went?” he asked. “Please.”

“She was headed to Mikusa, milord,” the woman she fought offered finally. “The Tensha are advancing rapidly there.”

“Very well! Let us ride and defend our borders!”

When the prince arrived in Mikusa flanked by all of his men and women, he saw her.

Elleah was leading a makeshift army of citizens with pots and pans, herself only armed with a dull practice sword. But she was winning nonetheless.

“For Samiya!” the prince cried, lofting her sword above his head.

“For Samiya,” his army replied, pushing the Tensha back onto their own land.

“I believe this is yours.” The prince handed Elleah her sword. “Fight for me. Become the leader of this army.”

“I have always fought for you as my parents did before me. These people will not follow me, but I will do as you ask.”

“We will follow you, Commander, we swear!” several voices insisted.

And that is how Elleah became the leader of Samiya.

Author's Note: This wasn't quite how I originally envisioned writing this story, but I still think it worked out okay. The initial idea is of course Cinderella, but there were multiple different versions in the reading I did for this week, giving me lots of ideas to choose from. Rushen Coatie was very similar to what I normally think about when I think of Cinderella, except the ball was a church gathering of Yuletide and a little red bull functioned more as her fairy godmother than anything else. I mostly went off of this version, but I wanted to make Elleah (Ella was too obvious, but this name sounded like a nice alternative) stronger and a warrior who lost her sword not a shoe.

I would have loved to wrap up the ending a little better, but I once again found myself at exactly 1,000 words.

As for names, the title came from a friend when I asked my classmates in Japanese to come up with a title for a Cinderella adaptation. Besides Guinevere and Elleah, I made up all of the other names. I realized after I finished writing that, again, save for Guinevere which I randomly picked off of the top of NameBerry's webpage, that all of them follow the Japanese language structure. It's invaded my whole life now, for better or worse.

Bibliography: "Rushen Coatie" by Joseph Jacobs

Image Information: "Albion Arn Film Sword" by Søren Niedziella. 

Reading Notes: More English Fairy Tales Part B

This second half only solidified my desire to do a Cinderella rewrite.

While I found The Children in the Wood interesting, I wasn't a huge fan of the prose. I was also really sad that the children died! I'd love to do a rewrite where only the brother dies, and the sister goes on to avenge him, or where they both have a kind of original Little Mermaid-esque revival and get to wreak the havoc on their uncle themselves.

Rushen Coatie was so similar to the Cinderella that I've always known that it surprised me. It would also be perfect for the Cinderella adaptation I was thinking about last night.  I would love to make the prince weak and so he issues a call to arms for the finest warriors. That is where Cinderella would show up and woo him/defeat his foes.

I liked the Little Bull story, and it is very similar to what I want to do. However, I didn't like that the Little Bull wasn't revived in some way. I'd love to rewrite just the kill the dragon & save the prince(ss) part.

The Dragon in Question

However I also really like the Children in the Wood idea for some reason, so I'm a bit conflicted.


Bibliography: "More English Fairy Tales" by Joseph Jacobs

Image Information: "Head Lizard" from Pixabay

Reading Notes: More English Fairy Tales Part A

This week I am reading More English Fairy Tales.

To be honest, I started this unit for Tattercoats and the other two Cinderella-like stories, and so far I have not been disappointed. I love Cinderella variations and retellings so this could be really fun for me! I'd love to gender swap, play with the concept of the goatherd, or simply set it in modern times. Any one of them sounds like an interesting story to write. I really admired both the prince's steadfast love for Tattercoats as well as the goatherd's love for his friend. I could write one similar to my Turkish fairy tale retelling with the imp, but I think I ship Tattercoats and the prince too much.

I liked the idea of Johnny Gloke too, although the name detracts a lot from it. Again, genderswapping at least one character could be fun, but I'm not sure. I always like the idea of defeating monsters with brains over brawn (with the occasional side helping of luck).

While I didn't like that the original girl stole all the witch's money in the Old Witch, I liked that the younger sister was punished for her lack of kindness. The best part was that her punishment wasn't death, like in so many other tales.

The rest of the stories in the first half I either didn't love or didn't understand. I think I'll end up sticking with a variation of Cinderella because it is the most up my alley. I'm excited to read the other two similar tales in Part B.


Bibliography: "More English Fairy Tales" by Joseph Jacobs

Image Information: "Glass slippers at Dartington Crystal" by Glamhag

Week Eleven Storytelling: Heart's Desire

Aethelreda was a curious child, learning to crawl by the time she was four months old.

As she was the princess of the kingdom, her parents were delighted by her curiosity. Aethelreda grew up quickly, switching from various fascinations once she mastered them.

It wasn’t until she tried to become a knight that she found her happiness. Every day she learned horse riding and sword fighting.

By the time she was eighteen, she had helped everyone she could in the capital city and surrounding towns.

“Father, I long to go on a real quest. I want to find my fated one,” she pleaded.

“Very well, my child. In the treasure room, there is a magic mirror. Use it to find your heart’s desire.” The king smiled down at her.

“Thank you, Father!” Aethelreda kissed his cheek before racing to the treasure room. As soon as she was inside, Aethelreda spotted the ornate handheld mirror.

Staring into the depths of her reflection, she made her wish. “Show me the man who will stand by my side.”

Her image rippled, and the mirror showed a tall man, half-dressed in armor. His muscles rippled in the sunlight, and his shield laid on the ground next to him, the name Artemis emblazoned onto it.

So my fated one is Artemis. She couldn’t explain it, but Aethelreda was disappointed. He was a strong knight, but her heart didn’t move.

But the mirror can’t be wrong. So Aethelreda bid her parents farewell and rode off in search of Artemis.

She followed his trail for a week, stopping to help whoever needed her. By the time she finally saw him, she was in a different country.

Keeping her helmet on and concealing her identity, she shouted at him from atop her horse. “Sir Artemis! Fight me so that I may see you are worthy!”

“Sir Knight, I accept your challenge!”

The two knights crossed swords, desperately searching for the upper hand. As the battle wore on, the two began to tire, but Aethelreda would not give up.

As she threw all her remaining strength into her final blow, she knocked the sword right out of his hands.  

“You…you’ve bested me.” Artemis’s face was contorted in shock. “As the loser of this battle, I shall serve you and your noble quest.”

He’s so loyal. But she did not love the man before her. I’m certainly not going to tell him that he was my quest.

“It is sunset. Let us camp for the night.”

“My liege,” Artemis replied before embarking to make a fire.

“How was this wrong?” Aethelreda studied the mirror in her bag. “Artemis is nice, but we cannot be destined to get married.”

Maybe I wasn’t clear enough, Aethelreda realized, before making eye contact with her reflection again. “Show me the one I am fated to be with and love with all my heart.”

Aethelreda’s image dissolved, and a new one formed.

This time it wasn’t Artemis.

The mirror displayed a woman riding a horse through the woods with reckless abandon. Her silky blond hair flowed in waves behind her. Her pale skin glowed in the moonlight, but her expression was grim.

Aethelreda’s heart skipped a beat. She’s beautiful.

This… she’s what’s been missing. And everything made a little more sense.

“Where can I find her?” Aethelreda insisted, watching the picture change again.

In the image, she was surrounded by dark woods with no distinguishing features.

How am I going to find her? The woman in the mirror glanced behind her with fear before urging her white horse faster. I must find her before whoever she is running from does.

“Artemis! There is an emergency! We must leave at once!” Aethelreda called, and he came running.

“Yes, my liege!” He mounted his horse, and they were off at a breakneck pace.

They rode east, trying to find the land that was already so dark.

They galloped through the twilight, Artemis already proving himself to be a loyal knight. I hope we shall go on more quests together.

After some time had passed, Artemis shouted over the steady rhythm of hooves. “My liege, we must rest or our horses will give out!”

He is right. “Yes, Artemis!”

They came to a stop near a stream.

“May I ask what the emergency is?” Artemis’s words were soft.

“I—” Just as she was about to tell him everything, hooves thundering on packed dirt echoed through the forest. Artemis and Aethelreda jumped on their horses and prepared their swords, waiting for whatever came for them.

Just as the noise became almost deafening, out of the woods shot a pale figure.

It was her. Instinctively, Aethelreda rode after her, her loyal knight following behind.

The radiant figure turned in fear to see two knights chasing her too. She urged her horse again, but it could only go so fast.

“We are here to help!” Aethelreda cried.

“Then do something about that horrible beast!” the woman insisted, her voice like music to Aethelreda.

“I will defeat whatever it is you run from!” Aethelreda declared, spinning her horse around and taking off in the opposite direction.

Aethelreda only had to ride for a few moments before she came across a terrifying creature who looked to be half-giant and half-beast.

“You will cease at once!” she declared without fear, and it roared toward her.

Aethelreda and Artemis fought together, making quick work of the monster.

“Let us return to her!”

They raced back towards where they’d last seen the woman.

Finally Aethelreda spotted her hair dancing in the wind.

When they reached her, Aethelreda dropped to one knee, removing her helmet.

“My fair lady, when I asked my father’s magic mirror for my fated one, I saw your face and have only desired you since. Pray, if my affections go unanswered, you may leave at once. But if there is hope for me, tell me your name.”

The enchanting woman smiled down at Aethelreda. “I am Florence.”

Author's Note: I had a lot of fun writing this adaptation. In the original story, the warrior princess Britomart looks into a magic mirror and sets off after her fated one, Artegall. At one point while she is riding through the woods on her quest, an enchanting woman named Florinell rides by as if running from something. Although I'm not sure whether or not I ever figured out who Florinell was, I loved the idea of her running through the woods, and Britomart going to help her. So, I just changed the initial prophecy a bit and ended up with my fierce lesbian warrior princess. 

As always, I played around with names. I thought about simplifying Britomart's name to something like Brittney, but it just didn't have the same feel. Instead, I found out that her name meant fair maiden, so I picked another unique name with a similar meaning as Aethelreda means "noble maiden." I wanted to change Artegall's name to something like Artie or Arthur, but Artie felt too short for the time period and Arthur is too synonymous with the knights of the round table. So I kept three letters and decided on Artemis. For Florinell, I kept the same first four letters and simply switched it to Florence (probably because I love Florence & The Machine so much that the working title was Florence & the Warrior Queen).

Bibliography: "Faerie Queen - Britomart" by Mary Macleod.

Image Information: "Antique Edwardian Silver Hand Mirror" by Lamerie. Cropped slightly.

Reading Notes: Faerie Queen - Britomart Part B

Part B started off a little odd.

I was a bit confused as to the parade of emotions as people that traipsed through the castle. However, I thought this was an interesting concept and could be easily played with. It reminded me a little bit of Inside Out and one of Jenna's stories.

I did think the concept of the enchanter doing blood magic during the second night in the castle was intriguing because I always find blood magic interesting. As much as I'd be more than happy to write about it, I want to focus more on Britomart, and I don't want to give her blood magic powers. I think her character would lose something if she had them.

I couldn't believe Glaucé and Sir Scudamour left after only a night and a half of waiting and then Scudamour didn't believe that his wife was faithful, even though he had trusted her for seven months.

To be honest, I started getting a bit confused and lost tract of the characters shortly after Britomart left the Enchanted Castle. With the tournament being rightly glossed over for being so long, this confusion only further deepened. However just the name "Braggadocio" was wonderful. Especially due to the confusion, I was shocked when I found out that the Savage Knight was the guy Britomart has been looking for this whole time.

I was so very happy that Britomart ended up with Sir Artegall, and I now 100% want to find out what happened to Lady Amoret. I am definitely going to go on a hunt to see if I can find any more tales of Britomart because I love her fiercely.

As for what I shall write, I'm thinking it will be Britomart's tale, but when she looks in the magic mirror she asks something like "what man shall stand at my side?" and she sees Artegall.

But something about him feels wrong. She goes to find him, and it is easy. She cares for him as a friend, but nothing more. So she consults the mirror again and asks who she shall marry and sees Florinell instead. So she goes on a quest with Artegall to find Florinell.


Bibliography: "Faerie Queen - Britomart" by Mary Macleod.

Image Information: "Antique Edwardian Silver Hand Mirror" by Lamerie. Cropped slightly.

Reading Notes: Faerie Queen - Britomart Part A

This week I read about Britomart, a princess and knight.

Even just reading the description, I was already in love with the idea. I thought it was so cool to have a lady knight.

In the first story, the author throws out that the two initial heroes capture the "wicked enchantress Acrasia," but I would have loved to see that battle! I'd love to write it from Acrasia's point of view since I tend toward female heroines and anti-heroes. The farther I got along into this story, the more I loved how awesome Britomart was. As a kid I always wanted to be a princess knight, and she was living the dream.

Even Florimell was beautiful and awesome, even though she was running away. I would totally write a story where Britomart saves her, and they both live happily ever after together.

I did however get a bit confused in the Castle Joyous section as to who was who until the author revealed Maeldata's name.

The next chapter was an awesome time. It felt so equal to me. I loved that Britomart went on her own quest to find her prince/knight and that neither of them are weak.

But the chapter after was kind of disappointing, I didn't like that Britomart moped around for months instead of going out and seeking her fate for herself.

I was sad that Britomart and her knight buddy parted ways because I was really hoping he decided to help her fulfill her quest (despite not knowing what it was entirely), however I was excited when she got a new one.

I was super excited to read the next section after the final chapter in Part A.

In whatever I do, I hope to do Britomart justice.


Bibliography: "Faerie Queen - Britomart" by Mary Macleod

Image Information: "Corona Prusia" by FDV

Week Ten Storytelling: Evergreen Everlong

The forest had always been full of wonder for me. The way the sunlight filtered in through the trees or the scent of the woods after a summer rain. Everything about it seemed magical.

Regardless of the weather, every day I walked its paths and uncharted ground alike, unwilling to spend my time elsewhere.

Everything about this place feels so wrong.

“Neena!” my mother snapped, whispering angrily under her breath. “Get your head out of the clouds!”

I smiled politely at the pair of people at the table across from me. We were at some fancy new Italian restaurant downtown, and I could feel the weight of my mother’s gaze. The air conditioning is nearly as cold as that look.

“So, Hunter, what do you like to do?” I tried, ignoring the urge to bolt and never come back. The man in front of me’s mother made eye contact with my own like my question meant something.

I wish I could just fake being ill again. It had worked three blessed times before my mother figured it out.

“Hunting,” he replied, nodding his head.

“Really,” I managed breathlessly. I care too much about the creatures in the forest to even fathom it. Could Mother have picked a worse ‘suitor’?

I knew he was talking, but it just sounded like meaningless babble.

“Deer are my favorite,” he finished as I caught the tail end of whatever he was talking about.

“Me too!” Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I can do this.

“Really? Do you use guns or arrows?” His eyes lit up in interest.

I stood woozily. That is not what I meant at all.

“They’re my favorite animal.” I shook my head. “Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom.” Squeezing past my mom, I made it safely into the bathroom. How long before the check arrives?

*

“He is a perfectly nice boy. I don’t see what the problem is!” my mother insisted on the drive home.

“Even after I told him I love deer, he spent twenty minutes talking about the best ways to skin one!”

“Well at least you’d never grow hungry with a man like that. I don’t know how you think you’re going to survive with an Environmental Studies degree.”

I banged my head lightly into the glass window. I don’t need anything but the forest.

As soon as she pulled up in front of our house, I leaped out and made a break for the woods.

“You better be back inside before dark!” she called after me.

Just how old does she think I am?

I sighed, finally relaxing in the quiet sounds of the forest. If I could just live here, I would.

I followed my favorite path, relishing in the familiar sights. There is no place like this. Nothing else in this world brings me this joy.

I took a right near one of the larger moss beds and ascended the hill. When I reached the top, the view of the sunset disappearing beneath the trees assuaged my irritation and bitter resignation left over from the day. “As long as this is here, I need nothing else.”

I stood and waited until all of the color had drained from the sky.

“It’s so peaceful.” Every time my mother forced me to meet another guy or berated my love for nature was washed away by the tranquility of the night.

Just before I was about to go, I saw a flash of light down the hill.

What was that? Carefully making my way through the dark, I descended down to where I thought I’d seen the light.

“Nobody’s here.” I glanced around, but there wasn’t even a sign that someone had recently passed through. “What did I see then?”

Despite having excellent night vision, the forest seemed especially dark here. “Was this evergreen always here?”

It was massive, much taller than the other trees surrounding it. Behind it stood a whole grove of beautiful pines.

Transfixed, I walked towards the secret I had stumbled upon. Moving reverently around the largest tree, I came into an open space. It was full of dancing lights, far more than I’d seen from the top of the hill.

There’s no way this is possible. Colors swirled around me as I basked in the warmth. Yet it feels so right.

“Neena,” a quiet voice behind me whispered, and I startled.

“How do you know my name?” A tall thin man stood before me, swathed in rich shades of green.

His laugh was music and the wind whistling through the trees. “Because you belong here.” He gestured to the quiet area, and the words rang true in my heart.

“Who are you?”

“I am Evergreen. This grove is sacred. It is only visible to those it chooses.” He stared into my eyes. “You are kind and pure-hearted. You know only love for these woods.”

“They are my greatest treasure. They’ve always been my home.”

His smile was sunlight through the trees, it was beauty incarnate.

“Stay. Spend your days with us.” He stretched his hand out to me.

And I took it.

Author's Note: To be honest, I forgot it was Wednesday today. But I still think this came together better than last week's Native American tale. The story I chose this time was of Neen-i-zu, an effervescent girl whose mother tries to set her up with a hunter. She refuses, but the wedding is decided upon anyway. When she goes for a walk, she disappears, and later the hunter says he saw her in the Sacred Grove with a fairy named Evergreen. 

I wanted to take this story and make it a bit more modern and actually detail Evergreen and Neen-i-zu's meeting. I gave Neen-i-zu a more plain name but kept the name Evergreen. I decided to actually name the hunter character Hunter to make him feel even more one-note. 

While this story didn't turn out like I imagined, I'm not mad at it.

Bibliography: "The Fairy Bride" published by Henry Schoolcraft

Image Information: "Forest Evergreen" by Unsplash.