Extra Credit 5 - Creative Work
Silmarien Szilagyi
Once upon a time, when magic still existed in the world, there lived a young man named Árpád. He was a bard, traveling all over the continent and regaling kings and peasants alike with his songs and tales. His audiences often likened Árpád's voice to that of the Fey, not only because it was lovely and eerie, but also because it seemed as though it could suffuse songs with a life of their own. When Árpád sang of battles, one could almost hear the ringing of metal, the clang of swords. And when he sang of lovers, one could feel the soul-pervading warmth of their joy, the heartrending pain of their sorrow.
While his audience experienced a flurry of emotions through his songs, Árpád was immune. He'd never felt the excitement and fear of battle, or the happiness and anguish of love; he longed to feel. So one day, he took to the roads, determined to find a new life. No longer would he be the entertainer; it was time for him to finally live as the heroes and lovers in his songs.
But little did Árpád know, his voice had caught the attention of the Fey, who would watch his performances in the guise of humans. One particular Fey, a beautiful, raven-haired fairy, was especially intrigued with the golden-voiced mortal man. She followed him from town to town, protecting him from danger, casting little enchantments on him to ensure he was always well enough to sing. She knew she was behaving foolishly, allowing herself to become bewitched by a mortal, but she didn't care; she had fallen in love, and it was every bit as glorious and terrible as Árpád's songs described. And when Árpád gave up his life as a bard to explore the world, she went with him, always far enough behind to keep her presence unnoticed.
Until one morning. Árpád stopped for a drink at a stream and came face-to-face with a lovely young woman. She beckoned to him, humming a hauntingly beautiful melody, and Árpád followed. He was in such a trance that he failed to see the woman's face transforming into that of a terrible demon--sharp teeth glistened in the sunlight, eyes changed from warm blue to deepest black.
Suddenly, he was pulled out of the trance and was horrified to see the she-demon's true face. A small hand on his wrist was tugging him away, but all he could think about was that he'd almost met a rather messy end. He struggled against the hand, but it held on resolutely, nearly wrenching his arm from its socket in its haste to retreat. When the hold slackened, he finally looked at his rescuer and was rendered speechless...literally, as his breath was knocked from his lungs.
Before Árpád stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her ebony hair tumbled down her back in gentle waves, while her eyes sparkled like amethysts. He reached out to touch her alabaster skin, when logic finally caught up with him. A woman with purple eyes? His hand quickly dropped as he retreated from the woman.
"Do not be afraid, Árpád," the woman said, her voice soft and tinkling. "I mean you no harm, unlike the she-demon."
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Árpád asked. "And who was that...woman?"
The raven-haired woman smiled. "I am Talaitha. I am familiar with your songs." Talaitha paused, wondering how much she should divulge. "And that woman was a rusalka, a member of the Fey, who would have loved nothing more than to... devour you." Amethyst eyes sparkled with mirth.
Árpád frowned. He didn't understand what was amusing about being eaten by a she-demon. Then he remembered why he was speaking to Talaitha. "I am forever in your debt for saving my life."
Talaitha shrugged. "My presence was merely opportune." Her gaze shifted to the forest floor.
Árpád approached her, placing his hand beneath her chin to tilt her head up. Their gazes met, and he felt himself being drawn into her eyes, falling ever deeper, until she blinked. He staggered backward, gasping. "You. You're like the rusalka," Árpád accused.
"You're half right," Talaitha replied. She held up a hand, and a purple orb in her palm. "I am Fey, but I don't eat handsome men." She grinned, and the orb disappeared.
Árpád's emerald eyes widened. Did he just witness magic? Well, he'd clearly witnessed and experienced magic when the rusalka beckoned him, but somehow Talaitha's orb was more shocking. Perhaps it was because the orb was the exact color of her eyes. Or perhaps it was because he was completely clear-headed, as opposed to under the rusalka's enchantment. And that sparked another thought.
"If you are Fey, why am I not bewitched?" In every song he sang and tale he told, the Fey enchanted mortals for their amusement or to do their bidding.
"Would you prefer to be?" Talaitha asked, walking towards him. His wary glance was answer enough. "No, I thought not." She turned away, then sat against a tree. "I suppose I haven't enchanted you because I am different from the other Fey. I, unlike them, have been spellbound against my will." Her voice was tinged with sadness.
Árpád sat beside her and took her hand. "Who would do such a thing against so beautiful and powerful a creature?"
Talaitha laughed, in both amusement and bitterness. "You."
Árpád dropped her hand. "How is that possible? I am certainly no Fey."
"You are more like the Fey than you realize," Talaitha replied. "Your voice carries magic, like the rusalka's, but it is benevolent. I have listened to you sing, and I have fallen in love."
Árpád's mouth hung open. The townspeople had always said his voice was powerful, but he'd never really believed them. Now a fairy confirmed it.
Talaitha's voice, colored with laughter, interrupted his reverie. "Close your mouth. You look like a fish."
He obliged. "When I saw you, I felt as the lovers in my songs do." He took her hand again, squeezing it slightly. "I believe I, too, have fallen in love."
Talaitha smiled sweetly. "Then I believe we shall live happily ever after."
Fin
While his audience experienced a flurry of emotions through his songs, Árpád was immune. He'd never felt the excitement and fear of battle, or the happiness and anguish of love; he longed to feel. So one day, he took to the roads, determined to find a new life. No longer would he be the entertainer; it was time for him to finally live as the heroes and lovers in his songs.
But little did Árpád know, his voice had caught the attention of the Fey, who would watch his performances in the guise of humans. One particular Fey, a beautiful, raven-haired fairy, was especially intrigued with the golden-voiced mortal man. She followed him from town to town, protecting him from danger, casting little enchantments on him to ensure he was always well enough to sing. She knew she was behaving foolishly, allowing herself to become bewitched by a mortal, but she didn't care; she had fallen in love, and it was every bit as glorious and terrible as Árpád's songs described. And when Árpád gave up his life as a bard to explore the world, she went with him, always far enough behind to keep her presence unnoticed.
Until one morning. Árpád stopped for a drink at a stream and came face-to-face with a lovely young woman. She beckoned to him, humming a hauntingly beautiful melody, and Árpád followed. He was in such a trance that he failed to see the woman's face transforming into that of a terrible demon--sharp teeth glistened in the sunlight, eyes changed from warm blue to deepest black.
Suddenly, he was pulled out of the trance and was horrified to see the she-demon's true face. A small hand on his wrist was tugging him away, but all he could think about was that he'd almost met a rather messy end. He struggled against the hand, but it held on resolutely, nearly wrenching his arm from its socket in its haste to retreat. When the hold slackened, he finally looked at his rescuer and was rendered speechless...literally, as his breath was knocked from his lungs.
Before Árpád stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her ebony hair tumbled down her back in gentle waves, while her eyes sparkled like amethysts. He reached out to touch her alabaster skin, when logic finally caught up with him. A woman with purple eyes? His hand quickly dropped as he retreated from the woman.
"Do not be afraid, Árpád," the woman said, her voice soft and tinkling. "I mean you no harm, unlike the she-demon."
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Árpád asked. "And who was that...woman?"
The raven-haired woman smiled. "I am Talaitha. I am familiar with your songs." Talaitha paused, wondering how much she should divulge. "And that woman was a rusalka, a member of the Fey, who would have loved nothing more than to... devour you." Amethyst eyes sparkled with mirth.
Árpád frowned. He didn't understand what was amusing about being eaten by a she-demon. Then he remembered why he was speaking to Talaitha. "I am forever in your debt for saving my life."
Talaitha shrugged. "My presence was merely opportune." Her gaze shifted to the forest floor.
Árpád approached her, placing his hand beneath her chin to tilt her head up. Their gazes met, and he felt himself being drawn into her eyes, falling ever deeper, until she blinked. He staggered backward, gasping. "You. You're like the rusalka," Árpád accused.
"You're half right," Talaitha replied. She held up a hand, and a purple orb in her palm. "I am Fey, but I don't eat handsome men." She grinned, and the orb disappeared.
Árpád's emerald eyes widened. Did he just witness magic? Well, he'd clearly witnessed and experienced magic when the rusalka beckoned him, but somehow Talaitha's orb was more shocking. Perhaps it was because the orb was the exact color of her eyes. Or perhaps it was because he was completely clear-headed, as opposed to under the rusalka's enchantment. And that sparked another thought.
"If you are Fey, why am I not bewitched?" In every song he sang and tale he told, the Fey enchanted mortals for their amusement or to do their bidding.
"Would you prefer to be?" Talaitha asked, walking towards him. His wary glance was answer enough. "No, I thought not." She turned away, then sat against a tree. "I suppose I haven't enchanted you because I am different from the other Fey. I, unlike them, have been spellbound against my will." Her voice was tinged with sadness.
Árpád sat beside her and took her hand. "Who would do such a thing against so beautiful and powerful a creature?"
Talaitha laughed, in both amusement and bitterness. "You."
Árpád dropped her hand. "How is that possible? I am certainly no Fey."
"You are more like the Fey than you realize," Talaitha replied. "Your voice carries magic, like the rusalka's, but it is benevolent. I have listened to you sing, and I have fallen in love."
Árpád's mouth hung open. The townspeople had always said his voice was powerful, but he'd never really believed them. Now a fairy confirmed it.
Talaitha's voice, colored with laughter, interrupted his reverie. "Close your mouth. You look like a fish."
He obliged. "When I saw you, I felt as the lovers in my songs do." He took her hand again, squeezing it slightly. "I believe I, too, have fallen in love."
Talaitha smiled sweetly. "Then I believe we shall live happily ever after."
Fin
Zoki Phantom
There is so little left in this piece of reality
That one can achieve in a lifetime of mortality.
For I had found the love of my dreams,
A wicked witch for which I'd go to extremes.
However, there was nothing common between us
Hence my quest for her love has been without success.
She was as radiant and graceful as the sun itself,
And I looked like a poor hard working house elf.
I had a love, or obsession if you will, for music toys,
Things she did not like nor found in them any joys.
And her beauty, immense and eternal as magic is,
Is definitely something worth only for a true whiz.
But she was a one-of-a-kind faery and I was just a mortal,
So I gave away my skill to play music at this magic portal.
For I yearned to be immortal and to make her my queen,
But without my charming music she was no longer keen.
That one can achieve in a lifetime of mortality.
For I had found the love of my dreams,
A wicked witch for which I'd go to extremes.
However, there was nothing common between us
Hence my quest for her love has been without success.
She was as radiant and graceful as the sun itself,
And I looked like a poor hard working house elf.
I had a love, or obsession if you will, for music toys,
Things she did not like nor found in them any joys.
And her beauty, immense and eternal as magic is,
Is definitely something worth only for a true whiz.
But she was a one-of-a-kind faery and I was just a mortal,
So I gave away my skill to play music at this magic portal.
For I yearned to be immortal and to make her my queen,
But without my charming music she was no longer keen.