The Prologue...
Nov. 3rd, 2007 06:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
triple_flamePrologue to this year's Nano. Although since I seem to be telling a lot of the story in flashbacks I'm not sure that it should really be a prologue rather than chapter 1.
A messenger thundered up to the gates of the palace. "I must see her Majesty, the Child is to be born this night." He dismounted while speaking and barely gave the guards a second glance, they were mostly a formality and all in the Seelie Court knew his face. The doors to the palace flew open before the storm of his passage and the sound of wood slamming against stone could be heard echoing far into the vast building. "Majesty!" His voice was a little below a shout, it would not be fitting to demand the presence of a Queen in rude tones. "Bran?" The voice was soft, melodious. "What has your feathers in such a ruffle?" "Majesty." The messenger paused for breath and turned to his Queen with a frown. "It is the child. The Ancient one's prophecy is coming to pass, and if we are to avert the disaster it fortells we must move swiftly."
"Bran, Bran hush. There will be time. We are prepared, we have been prepared for many years. Rest yourself and I will see that the child is taken."
The messenger, Bran, bowed and made to leave the presence of his Queen. "My Lady." He turned back for a moment. "The Unseelie also move. Lord Arawn honours you as always but there are factions among his Court."
"There will always be factions Bran, the High King will see to his own."
"As always Majesty." Bran bowed once more and left in search of rest and refreshment.
********************
A messenger thundered up to the gates of the palace. "I must see his Highness, the Child is to be born this night." He dismounted while speaking and barely gave the guards a second glance, they were mostly a formality and all in this Court knew his face. The doors to the palace flew open before the storm of his passage and the sound of wood slamming against stone could be heard echoing far into the vast building. "Find the Prince, I must speak with him as soon as possible." He snapped the order at a passing servant who dipped a bow and scurried off. Aedan flung the door of a nearby room open and found himself a seat. The man he waited for may well be his prince but Aedan was well aware of his own worth. It was mere moments later when the door opened once more to reveal a slender, silver haired man in the doorway. Aedan rose to his feet with a scowl and made an elabourate bow. "My lord Prince, I bring news." He was in no great hurry, it was known that those in the Seelie Court had been setting plans in place long before his Prince had even heard the prophecy. It was also more likely that they would carry off the switch without loss, a poppett or some traditional Changeling would be discovered all too soon and that might cause even more trouble in the long run than simply stealing the child once it was already in Faerie.
Prince Cael, high noble of the Unseelie Court looked down at his liegeman with disdain, Aedan thought much of himself, to much really but so long as he continued to be useful Cael would allow him his delusions. "Well then, speak it and do not continue to waste my time with courtly frivolities."
Aedan snapped upright, a strange light in his eyes. "The child is to be born this night." Cael smiled. "Then my kinsmen will already be moving to take it, we need only be ready for thier arrival. Is that all Aedan?"
"Unless you wish to know which messenger carried word to the Queen and what her precise words to him were." Aedan tilted his head to one side, an insolent gesture of curiosity. "My sources are very thorough."
"It is enough." Cael waved a hand in dismissal. "As always you have proven your worth admirably."
"Thankyou my Lord Prince."
The 'Lord Prince' turned and left with no further speach.
********************
But time runs differently between this world and that. A few hours of preparation by the Seelie Court stretched to near three years in the world of mortals. Three years in which a child was born and grew with the love of her parents, the outside world stayed at a distance for there is no creature more protective than a mother with young. Her dark hair had only begun to lighten and the brilliant blue of her eyes to fade to grey when, in the midst of a storm, the Faerie Court came a riding. No threashold barred their way and no sorrow marked their passage. A child taken and a child left for balance must always be kept, a mirror taken so that the girl might know her true home and a silver piece left in its place for even in such things the balance must be kept.
In the morning the parents would awaken, notice small differences in their daughter but differences in such a young child may be noted from day to day. The mirror is missing and a silver coin of no earthly mint in its place, faerie tales are life's blood here still, perhaps the queen needed a new mirror they joke, never knowing how close they come to the truth, not knowing thier daughter is stolen away.
A messenger thundered up to the gates of the palace. "I must see her Majesty, the Child is to be born this night." He dismounted while speaking and barely gave the guards a second glance, they were mostly a formality and all in the Seelie Court knew his face. The doors to the palace flew open before the storm of his passage and the sound of wood slamming against stone could be heard echoing far into the vast building. "Majesty!" His voice was a little below a shout, it would not be fitting to demand the presence of a Queen in rude tones. "Bran?" The voice was soft, melodious. "What has your feathers in such a ruffle?" "Majesty." The messenger paused for breath and turned to his Queen with a frown. "It is the child. The Ancient one's prophecy is coming to pass, and if we are to avert the disaster it fortells we must move swiftly."
"Bran, Bran hush. There will be time. We are prepared, we have been prepared for many years. Rest yourself and I will see that the child is taken."
The messenger, Bran, bowed and made to leave the presence of his Queen. "My Lady." He turned back for a moment. "The Unseelie also move. Lord Arawn honours you as always but there are factions among his Court."
"There will always be factions Bran, the High King will see to his own."
"As always Majesty." Bran bowed once more and left in search of rest and refreshment.
********************
A messenger thundered up to the gates of the palace. "I must see his Highness, the Child is to be born this night." He dismounted while speaking and barely gave the guards a second glance, they were mostly a formality and all in this Court knew his face. The doors to the palace flew open before the storm of his passage and the sound of wood slamming against stone could be heard echoing far into the vast building. "Find the Prince, I must speak with him as soon as possible." He snapped the order at a passing servant who dipped a bow and scurried off. Aedan flung the door of a nearby room open and found himself a seat. The man he waited for may well be his prince but Aedan was well aware of his own worth. It was mere moments later when the door opened once more to reveal a slender, silver haired man in the doorway. Aedan rose to his feet with a scowl and made an elabourate bow. "My lord Prince, I bring news." He was in no great hurry, it was known that those in the Seelie Court had been setting plans in place long before his Prince had even heard the prophecy. It was also more likely that they would carry off the switch without loss, a poppett or some traditional Changeling would be discovered all too soon and that might cause even more trouble in the long run than simply stealing the child once it was already in Faerie.
Prince Cael, high noble of the Unseelie Court looked down at his liegeman with disdain, Aedan thought much of himself, to much really but so long as he continued to be useful Cael would allow him his delusions. "Well then, speak it and do not continue to waste my time with courtly frivolities."
Aedan snapped upright, a strange light in his eyes. "The child is to be born this night." Cael smiled. "Then my kinsmen will already be moving to take it, we need only be ready for thier arrival. Is that all Aedan?"
"Unless you wish to know which messenger carried word to the Queen and what her precise words to him were." Aedan tilted his head to one side, an insolent gesture of curiosity. "My sources are very thorough."
"It is enough." Cael waved a hand in dismissal. "As always you have proven your worth admirably."
"Thankyou my Lord Prince."
The 'Lord Prince' turned and left with no further speach.
********************
But time runs differently between this world and that. A few hours of preparation by the Seelie Court stretched to near three years in the world of mortals. Three years in which a child was born and grew with the love of her parents, the outside world stayed at a distance for there is no creature more protective than a mother with young. Her dark hair had only begun to lighten and the brilliant blue of her eyes to fade to grey when, in the midst of a storm, the Faerie Court came a riding. No threashold barred their way and no sorrow marked their passage. A child taken and a child left for balance must always be kept, a mirror taken so that the girl might know her true home and a silver piece left in its place for even in such things the balance must be kept.
In the morning the parents would awaken, notice small differences in their daughter but differences in such a young child may be noted from day to day. The mirror is missing and a silver coin of no earthly mint in its place, faerie tales are life's blood here still, perhaps the queen needed a new mirror they joke, never knowing how close they come to the truth, not knowing thier daughter is stolen away.
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Date: 2007-11-03 08:17 pm (UTC)