Midterm - Lavinia Rookwood
Picture #5
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Once upon a time, a very long time ago, a fisherman and his wife lived on the coast. They lived a simple but happy existence, and had in fact seen the last of their children married. Despite their rising age, they insisted on living alone in their cottage, and he continued to fish, and she, keeping house.It was only a few weeks after their youngest had left to her new husband's house when the fisherman found himself with a lucky strike. Seal cloaks were a new fashion further in the mainland, but he had never hunted them for they gathered in large packs. But on this day, he found one wounded and alone on the solitary rock that pierced up through the ocean. There were many legends about the rock, but he was a practical man and he wished to give his wife a fine gift for Christmas. So he took his fishing spear and with cunning and slyness, stabbed the seal, bringing the corpse home. His wife was aghast that he had killed one of the seals, and tried to tell him of the old tales, but he waved off, more concerned with the careful skinning of the pelt for market.
The next night, a poor young woman, with curls in her hair, and strange grey eyes, was seen on the beach near the cottage. The old man was just stepping out to put his nets in his boat when he saw her.He brought her in, and both he and his wife fussed over her. The girl claimed Meliora as her name, and said that her fiance's boat had capsized in the rough water out there. She had fallen out and had done her best to swim to the shore, but she hadn't seen her fiance since she fell. The wife had seen no other boat, nor seen any rough waters, but the girl was so sad and tired, that she merely brushed her concerns aside.
The next few days blurred together as all the fishermen of the community gathered to try and find her fiance, but the nights stood out uncomfortably to the wife. Meliora and the fisherman spent much of the time talking and laughing late into the night, and jealousy raged in the wife. She resolved to step out and see old Sinead, to see if she could take the girl in and away from her husband, before she lost to youth and beauty.When she met with Sinead, she was surprised to see the sadness in her friend's eyes. Sinead had grabbed her hand, and asked many questions about the seal pelt. When the wife was unable to answer her questions, she drew her over to where she had hidden the fisherman's seal pelt. Before the wife could accuse her of thievery, Sinead held up the pelt, showing her the strange marks on it.
"Your husband did nay kill himself a seal, but a selkie. I've seen this girl, the first day ye and yer husband brought her to town, and she is no mortal girl, but selkie herself. We must hurry or your husband's life be in danger, for tonight be the new moon, where there be no witness to murder."
Sinead whispered what she was to do, and the wife hurried home. Both Meliora and the fisherman were surprised by the sudden change in her temperament, for she was as kind as the first day the girl came. But when dinner time came, she set the fire uncomfortably hot, and threw herbs into it. At her husband's questioning, she said they were a good luck charm from Sinead herself. Neither he nor their guest questioned further, and when they lost themselves in conversation, the wife drew away.
By Midnight, when the new moon rose to the sight of no one, Meliora had convinced the fisherman to come with to the shore, intent on killing him as he had her beloved.Before they could reach the shore, she fell down, painful screams wrenched from her throat, before pushing herself up and rushing back to the cottage. Upon opening the door, she saw the wife holding her own pelt to the enchanted fire,
"If you wish to live, then you must agree to part from here, and come back no more."
Meliora bowed as if in agreement, and the pelt was given to her, still singed with smoke. A few magical words were spoken and she rushed back past the fisherman, melding into her pelt and swimming to her home. The fisherman came home in surprise, and when all was told to him, filled with shame. He tried his best to pay the price of killing a selkie, but he was cursed, and his nets were filled no more.
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Once upon a time, a very long time ago, a fisherman and his wife lived on the coast. They lived a simple but happy existence, and had in fact seen the last of their children married. Despite their rising age, they insisted on living alone in their cottage, and he continued to fish, and she, keeping house.It was only a few weeks after their youngest had left to her new husband's house when the fisherman found himself with a lucky strike. Seal cloaks were a new fashion further in the mainland, but he had never hunted them for they gathered in large packs. But on this day, he found one wounded and alone on the solitary rock that pierced up through the ocean. There were many legends about the rock, but he was a practical man and he wished to give his wife a fine gift for Christmas. So he took his fishing spear and with cunning and slyness, stabbed the seal, bringing the corpse home. His wife was aghast that he had killed one of the seals, and tried to tell him of the old tales, but he waved off, more concerned with the careful skinning of the pelt for market.
The next night, a poor young woman, with curls in her hair, and strange grey eyes, was seen on the beach near the cottage. The old man was just stepping out to put his nets in his boat when he saw her.He brought her in, and both he and his wife fussed over her. The girl claimed Meliora as her name, and said that her fiance's boat had capsized in the rough water out there. She had fallen out and had done her best to swim to the shore, but she hadn't seen her fiance since she fell. The wife had seen no other boat, nor seen any rough waters, but the girl was so sad and tired, that she merely brushed her concerns aside.
The next few days blurred together as all the fishermen of the community gathered to try and find her fiance, but the nights stood out uncomfortably to the wife. Meliora and the fisherman spent much of the time talking and laughing late into the night, and jealousy raged in the wife. She resolved to step out and see old Sinead, to see if she could take the girl in and away from her husband, before she lost to youth and beauty.When she met with Sinead, she was surprised to see the sadness in her friend's eyes. Sinead had grabbed her hand, and asked many questions about the seal pelt. When the wife was unable to answer her questions, she drew her over to where she had hidden the fisherman's seal pelt. Before the wife could accuse her of thievery, Sinead held up the pelt, showing her the strange marks on it.
"Your husband did nay kill himself a seal, but a selkie. I've seen this girl, the first day ye and yer husband brought her to town, and she is no mortal girl, but selkie herself. We must hurry or your husband's life be in danger, for tonight be the new moon, where there be no witness to murder."
Sinead whispered what she was to do, and the wife hurried home. Both Meliora and the fisherman were surprised by the sudden change in her temperament, for she was as kind as the first day the girl came. But when dinner time came, she set the fire uncomfortably hot, and threw herbs into it. At her husband's questioning, she said they were a good luck charm from Sinead herself. Neither he nor their guest questioned further, and when they lost themselves in conversation, the wife drew away.
By Midnight, when the new moon rose to the sight of no one, Meliora had convinced the fisherman to come with to the shore, intent on killing him as he had her beloved.Before they could reach the shore, she fell down, painful screams wrenched from her throat, before pushing herself up and rushing back to the cottage. Upon opening the door, she saw the wife holding her own pelt to the enchanted fire,
"If you wish to live, then you must agree to part from here, and come back no more."
Meliora bowed as if in agreement, and the pelt was given to her, still singed with smoke. A few magical words were spoken and she rushed back past the fisherman, melding into her pelt and swimming to her home. The fisherman came home in surprise, and when all was told to him, filled with shame. He tried his best to pay the price of killing a selkie, but he was cursed, and his nets were filled no more.
Picture #6
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Cadogan had worked in the kitchen of the castle all his life, his ear turned always to whatever story teller that came by. He dreamed of seeing the world and rising above the castle kitchen, but the others just laughed and tousled his hair. on his fifteenth birthday, one of the cooks gave him a stolen uniform, and told him that one night, and one night only, he would be allowed a peek at the royal proceedings, before coming back and finishing his life in servant quarters like the rest. Cadogan was pleased with any chance to escape the heat of the kitchen and so with haste had changed into the uniform and hurried to the banquet hall.
He had spied on the guards before, and so was able to mimic their movements without any one suspecting that he was really a kitchen boy in costume. His eyes drank in the sight around him, especially that of the king's only daughter, a fair young maiden. When the young maiden stole away, he did his best to follow her, but once he reached the grounds, he had lost sight of her. But rather then go back, he hunted for her. Hearing a splash, he followed, his feet quickening as he noticed that she had slipped into a pond off in the far corner of the grounds. Without thought, he dove in, pulling her out and then doing his best to carry her back to the castle. But her heavy gown was further weighed down by water, he grew tired and when a knight came by, he accepted the knight's offer to finish carrying her back. He had every intention of stealing back up and seeing her again, but when he returned to the kitchen, the cook beat him, for he was late and had ruined the uniform.
Only once did he try to talk about his night amongst the royal family, but the cook only smote him about the ears, telling him to get back to peeling potatoes. So instead he withdrew, becoming sullen and angry. He took to walking around late at night, doing his best to wish the sight of the beautiful princess away and failing every time. It was on one of these walks that he met the king's alchemist, and with the bit of gold he had, begged him to find a way for him to see the princess again. The alchemist, far from laughing, called him to his tower, where all kinds of alchemy and astrology tools were set up. He took to whipping up a potion, but before he gave it to the young man, he issued this warning.
"Alchemy demands an equal exchange, for you to see her would require you to give something of equal value up. Also, the potion will only work for a short time, unless you can get the princess to fall in love with you. If she marries another, the potion will turn against you and kill you."
Cadogan agreed without a second thought, and drank the flask dry, where he next fell asleep. When he awoke, it was too a nearly sightless world, for he could no longer see beyond the tip of his nose. But within moments of his shouting, he heard the door open, and felt the hands of the fair princess on his arm. He recognized her voice from that night, and for the moment, he felt glad. It was worth his sight to have her close, and surely it would recover once the princess fell in love with him, would it not? And so he created a tale of bandits and being struck about the head and having his sight robbed from him, and losing all his treasure. He felt it would be more fitting then claiming to be a servant or a guard.
And so the princess claimed him as a friend and companion, and escorted him everywhere, though he found his feet burned with every step. But her laugh was so sweet and she clung to him tightly, and so he burned in silence. He tried once or twice to move to kiss her, but she would only laugh and press her lips back in a sisterly fashion, and crown him with flowers. Still, Cadogan was sure that he had plenty of time and so would laugh along.
That sureness died quickly when the princess confessed a secret to her dearest companion; she had been rescued by a fine knight when she had fallen into a pond nearly 4 months past, and she had recently found out the fine knight was a prince of a small kingdom to the south, and she was to be wed to him, to the princess's great joy. Cadogan could barely force the smile to his face, and he knew he had little time to win her heart. He took to singing songs, reciting poems, even fumbling his way to gardens to pick her favorite flowers, finding each by scent. The princess laughed and enjoyed every gift, but wouldn't give her heart over. The night before her wedding, Cadogan gave one last try, grabbing the princess's hand and confessing all, his tongue tripping over the words. The princess did not laugh this time, and he hoped for a moment. Instead, she drew her hands away and apologized; her mother had warned her of spending too much time with the young man, telling it could lead to problems.
"I never meant to lead you on so, my dear friend, but I just so enjoyed your company. I wish you hadn't spoken, for I had hoped to spend our last night together as friends. You see, I'm to move with my husband back to his home and I cannot bring you along with me. My husband would want to know what a blind man could do for me. I'm so sorry, but I love him dearly, and you will forget me by and by."
The words pierced like a knife, and when she left, he fell down sobbing, unable to summon manly pride to stop the tears. This was how the alchemist had found him, and pressed a knife to him. The thump of the cane told Cadogan that the knife was magical, and as he dried his tears, he did his best to listen to the alchemist. If he stole into the wedding chamber and kill the prince with that knife, a knife that would guarantee that he wouldn't be blamed for the crime no matter what, he would be free from his blindness and he could go away and see the world. He took the knife with far more care then the flask from earlier, and thanked the alchemist properly.
The next night, he stole away into the wedding chamber and hid in the cabinet. He listened as the couple came in, all laughter and soft words. As he listened to the two whisper, he dropped the knife, for he knew he couldn't hurt his princess like that, and when they fell asleep, he stole away into the night. He made his way out of the castle, stumbling until he couldn't walk anymore and he slid down into an alley, waiting for his death.
He opened his eyes, which was the first surprise; the second was he could see again, though what he saw was completely foreign. It was clouds and marble and a man in armor who stood over him.
"We are the knights who are never seen, the guardians who are never thanked, the saviors never blessed. You could have killed to have you wanted, instead, you gave up your own life for another. We wish to induct you into our brotherhood."
A young blind man's body was found by an maid in the early morning all those years ago. But it is said that if ever a young woman in danger found herself spared instead, that she had been saved by a knight who could never be seen.
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Cadogan had worked in the kitchen of the castle all his life, his ear turned always to whatever story teller that came by. He dreamed of seeing the world and rising above the castle kitchen, but the others just laughed and tousled his hair. on his fifteenth birthday, one of the cooks gave him a stolen uniform, and told him that one night, and one night only, he would be allowed a peek at the royal proceedings, before coming back and finishing his life in servant quarters like the rest. Cadogan was pleased with any chance to escape the heat of the kitchen and so with haste had changed into the uniform and hurried to the banquet hall.
He had spied on the guards before, and so was able to mimic their movements without any one suspecting that he was really a kitchen boy in costume. His eyes drank in the sight around him, especially that of the king's only daughter, a fair young maiden. When the young maiden stole away, he did his best to follow her, but once he reached the grounds, he had lost sight of her. But rather then go back, he hunted for her. Hearing a splash, he followed, his feet quickening as he noticed that she had slipped into a pond off in the far corner of the grounds. Without thought, he dove in, pulling her out and then doing his best to carry her back to the castle. But her heavy gown was further weighed down by water, he grew tired and when a knight came by, he accepted the knight's offer to finish carrying her back. He had every intention of stealing back up and seeing her again, but when he returned to the kitchen, the cook beat him, for he was late and had ruined the uniform.
Only once did he try to talk about his night amongst the royal family, but the cook only smote him about the ears, telling him to get back to peeling potatoes. So instead he withdrew, becoming sullen and angry. He took to walking around late at night, doing his best to wish the sight of the beautiful princess away and failing every time. It was on one of these walks that he met the king's alchemist, and with the bit of gold he had, begged him to find a way for him to see the princess again. The alchemist, far from laughing, called him to his tower, where all kinds of alchemy and astrology tools were set up. He took to whipping up a potion, but before he gave it to the young man, he issued this warning.
"Alchemy demands an equal exchange, for you to see her would require you to give something of equal value up. Also, the potion will only work for a short time, unless you can get the princess to fall in love with you. If she marries another, the potion will turn against you and kill you."
Cadogan agreed without a second thought, and drank the flask dry, where he next fell asleep. When he awoke, it was too a nearly sightless world, for he could no longer see beyond the tip of his nose. But within moments of his shouting, he heard the door open, and felt the hands of the fair princess on his arm. He recognized her voice from that night, and for the moment, he felt glad. It was worth his sight to have her close, and surely it would recover once the princess fell in love with him, would it not? And so he created a tale of bandits and being struck about the head and having his sight robbed from him, and losing all his treasure. He felt it would be more fitting then claiming to be a servant or a guard.
And so the princess claimed him as a friend and companion, and escorted him everywhere, though he found his feet burned with every step. But her laugh was so sweet and she clung to him tightly, and so he burned in silence. He tried once or twice to move to kiss her, but she would only laugh and press her lips back in a sisterly fashion, and crown him with flowers. Still, Cadogan was sure that he had plenty of time and so would laugh along.
That sureness died quickly when the princess confessed a secret to her dearest companion; she had been rescued by a fine knight when she had fallen into a pond nearly 4 months past, and she had recently found out the fine knight was a prince of a small kingdom to the south, and she was to be wed to him, to the princess's great joy. Cadogan could barely force the smile to his face, and he knew he had little time to win her heart. He took to singing songs, reciting poems, even fumbling his way to gardens to pick her favorite flowers, finding each by scent. The princess laughed and enjoyed every gift, but wouldn't give her heart over. The night before her wedding, Cadogan gave one last try, grabbing the princess's hand and confessing all, his tongue tripping over the words. The princess did not laugh this time, and he hoped for a moment. Instead, she drew her hands away and apologized; her mother had warned her of spending too much time with the young man, telling it could lead to problems.
"I never meant to lead you on so, my dear friend, but I just so enjoyed your company. I wish you hadn't spoken, for I had hoped to spend our last night together as friends. You see, I'm to move with my husband back to his home and I cannot bring you along with me. My husband would want to know what a blind man could do for me. I'm so sorry, but I love him dearly, and you will forget me by and by."
The words pierced like a knife, and when she left, he fell down sobbing, unable to summon manly pride to stop the tears. This was how the alchemist had found him, and pressed a knife to him. The thump of the cane told Cadogan that the knife was magical, and as he dried his tears, he did his best to listen to the alchemist. If he stole into the wedding chamber and kill the prince with that knife, a knife that would guarantee that he wouldn't be blamed for the crime no matter what, he would be free from his blindness and he could go away and see the world. He took the knife with far more care then the flask from earlier, and thanked the alchemist properly.
The next night, he stole away into the wedding chamber and hid in the cabinet. He listened as the couple came in, all laughter and soft words. As he listened to the two whisper, he dropped the knife, for he knew he couldn't hurt his princess like that, and when they fell asleep, he stole away into the night. He made his way out of the castle, stumbling until he couldn't walk anymore and he slid down into an alley, waiting for his death.
He opened his eyes, which was the first surprise; the second was he could see again, though what he saw was completely foreign. It was clouds and marble and a man in armor who stood over him.
"We are the knights who are never seen, the guardians who are never thanked, the saviors never blessed. You could have killed to have you wanted, instead, you gave up your own life for another. We wish to induct you into our brotherhood."
A young blind man's body was found by an maid in the early morning all those years ago. But it is said that if ever a young woman in danger found herself spared instead, that she had been saved by a knight who could never be seen.