Post by Lady Elestirne on Mar 26, 2007 16:43:51 GMT -5
This is a story I wrote for a college writing competition. I only just found out today that it made finals. Please read and comment
‘The Unicorn’
Bored, the girl sat in her window seat and gazed out of her tower at the world below. She often did. She spent most of her time up here or in the library-out of sight and mostly out of mind. She preferred to be by herself-away from the glitter and glamour of the numerous social gatherings which she detested but was still occasionally forced, ordered or tricked into attending. It was inevitable, being what she was. King’s
daughter. Not because she had wanted it, but because she had been born to it, because it was what she was. She sighed. King’s daughter. The words were a curse to her. The
court wanted her to be a painted doll, a puppet princess; to act as they thought and dictated a princess should act. She just wanted to be left to herself with her books and imagination; lost in her own world-one far from the one she was forced to live by
necessity and fate.
Movement in the courtyard four stories below her window caught her attention. Soldiers of her father; returning from whatever business the king had sent them on. Something she had seen countless times before. Nothing new. Bored, she started to turn from the window with the intention of going to the library to read when something else caught her attention. The soldiers had not returned alone. There was something with
them. The princess’s sea-blue eyes narrowed but she could not clearly make it out. She caught a flash...of something, and heard a deep, trumpeting call-a wild, ringing challenge
to something or someone. A crowd was beginning to gather below around the soldiers and whatever it was that was there with them. That decided her. No way was she going
to sit up here when something exciting was happening. She wanted to know what was going on. In a rush, she left her rooms.
She found the first floor a sea of confusion. People-servants and nobles alike-were scurrying in every which way; seeming lost. Some, either les busy or less confused than the rest gaped after the princess as Alena swept past them towards the great front doors- but she did not notice the incredulous stares. Her only focus was on getting out of the castle and seeing what all the commotion was about. Ducking out the doors, Alena wove
her way through the gathered throng, which was so tightly packed that making any headway was difficult. She was elbowed and trodden on more than once and her shrill,
indignant demands to move aside went unheeded and unheard.
“Make way!” A deep voice boomed out from out of nowhere and a broad-shouldered figure moved past her to bully a space through the throng. “Make way for the Princess!” Wincing in pain, Alena covered her ears to dull the volume of the shout. One of the guards, it sounded like-Trevon, the captain more than likely. Another deep voice spoke, but near her ears and considerably lower in volume. “Princess? Come along lady.
Trevon has cleared a path.” Another of the guards. Gratefully, Alena took her hands from her ears, and accepted the arm offered her. People parted hastily on either side as the guard led her to where Trevon waited at the ring of soldiers enclosing whatever it was that they had caught.
Alena imperiously strode up to the very edge of the soldiers’ ring, who, although as shocked as everyone else to see her, held their ring with superb discipline. “What goes on here?” she snapped at the nearest. Her voice fell high and shrill, as does the cry of a hunting hawk. Silence fell instantly all around her. The soldier she had singled out quailed under her bright gaze-her turquoise-blue eyes glinting like jewels. He spluttered
and stammered but no coherent reply came out. Alena sighed; rolling her eyes heavenward. Must her presence always have this effect, to strike people dumb? Gods above! Trevon stepped in smoothly, eyes icy. “The Princess asked a question,” he
snapped briskly. “Answer her!”
The soldier’s comrade stepped forward to cover for his friend. He met Alena’s gaze for only a instant, then dropped his eyes. “Milady, there is nothing to trouble yourself with
here. We are sorry the commotion has disturbed you. All it is is just a strange wild creature we caught on the borders. We shall hold it until we learn what the king wants done with it.” The soldier kept talking but Alena did not hear him. Instead she had
stepped past him and shoved her way through the ring soldiers; ignoring their shouts and Trevon’s call to stop. Once she had broken the ring however, she did stop-but out of awe, not obedience, awe for the strange, wondrous creature standing before her.
It had the general shape and appearance of a horse, but not so. It had an undeniable equine shape, yes, but there were notable differences. This creature was taller and had a more elegant look to it, yet, at the same time had a finer build than most horses possessed. And it somehow achieved the appearance without sacrificing strength-for every inch of the creature rippled with muscles taut with tension. But the biggest
difference Alena noticed was the horn. It spriraled up from the creature’s brow; thrusting up between its eyes like a silver sword. She was entranced by it. It sparkled and glittered, seeming to shine with its own light as well as reflect light back. It was unlike anything else she had ever seen before. After tearing her eyes from the horn she noticed the dark, luminous eyes, brimming with intelligence; the long forelock, parting around the horn as foam parts around a ship’s prow; the luxurious mane, reaching to its knees and the flowing tail that reached nearly to the ground. What it was Alena could not say,
but she could not take her eyes off it.
All of a sudden-as if it had just noticed her-the creature’s nostrils flared and it swung its magnificent head around to lock gazes with her. Deep, deep blue eyes met her own sparkling turquoise-blue ones. Alena’s eyes widened and her lips parted in a silent gasp as a rush of feelings swept through her- feeling them almost as strongly as if they had been her own.
Pain, defiance, pride, anger, isolation-all these she felt in an instant. Crippling loss and sorrow so deep and raw it brought tears to her eyes as she stood entranced. And beneath it all was an unbreakable spirit; wild, fierce and untamable-shimmering with a strange, haunting melody that was unlike anything she had ever encountered.
“Princess!” Trevon’s shout cut through the strange silence; shattering the dream-state that Alena had fallen into when the creature had looked at her. Someone seized her and pulled her bodily back; hauling her out of the way. Just in time, for at that very moment the horned creature reared high with a squeal and deep trumpet of wrath. Soldiers rushed forward, seeking to catch hold of the ropes encircling its neck-but it fended them off;
scattering them with its hooves and horn. Desperately, the soldiers closed in around the creature in a tight ring; casting more ropes about its neck until they were able to contain it. A few, struck by its hooves, fell and were replaced promptly by others.
Alena desperately tried to squirm free of whoever held her; watching as the creature, snorting fiercely, reared again with a deep trumpet; ears laid back flat against its skull. It lowered its horn and charged one side of the ring-lashing out with hooves-but was pulled up short as the soldiers on the other side tightened their ropes. She felt a strange sense of pity and empathy as the creature-with much effort and cursing on the soldiers’ behalf-was dragged away. Trevon-it had been he that had grabbed and now held her-spoke. “My Lady? Are you all right?” It was only then she realized she was trembling-had been, like as not, since the animal had looked at her. She squirmed free irritably; shaking off his restraining arms. “I’m fine Trevon.” She cast one last glance to the creature as it was
dragged away, then turned and marched back into the castle and up to her rooms.
She spent most of that night and the next day in the library; poring over all the old tomes and texts she could find or get her hands on, trying to find in the ancient yellowed pages some description or mention of what she was beginning to think of as ‘her’ creature. There seemed to be no knowledge of it though-not even obscure references. But at last, in a book so old the pages were beginning to crumble into dust, she found something-nothing more than a rough sketch and a few paragraphs-but it was enough. Though it was well past midnight-getting on to dawn-Alena suddenly felt an urge to visit the creature, to see it. Lighting a lamp, she donned a cloak and stole out of the castle to
where the creature was being kept until her father decided what he wanted done with it. No one was around to see her, or take notice of her presence, but the princess moved cautiously all the same; slipping through shadows like a ghost until she reached the enclosure where the creature was kept.
It was moving around restlessly, pacing to and fro. Broken bits of rope swung from its neck and horn, but the walls of the enclosure were too high for it to jump free. Again, Alena felt that sense of pity. Trapped, like me, she realized. Longing for freedom but unable to break free. Almost against her will, she moved closer. The creature’s movements fascinated her. So graceful and effortless, seeming to glide more than walk. All of a sudden it noticed her; throwing its head up with an alarmed snort, muscles rippling as it tensed. Moonlight glimmered along the length of its horn, its sharp point glinting. It watched her warily.
“I know what you are called,” Alena whispered softly. “It took me ages to find you in any books. You don’t seem to be very well-known.” Slowly, she edged closer, until, ultimately, she was right at the gate. The creature watched her, but did not back away. It seemed almost puzzled. “You are a unicorn.” The unicorn pricked its ears forward slightly at this and they stayed pricked as she continued. “I’ve never seen anything like you before and I wonder why I’ve never heard about you before. Maybe there is a reason there is no mention of you. The book I found you in was very, very old-beginning to crumble into dust.” She sneaked a glance at the unicorn. Its sculpted ears were still
pricked and its eyes were luminous and dark; gleaming with intelligence. Some of the tension had gone out of its body. “You’re so beautiful though. There should be songs about you.”
She stayed for well over a hour until some distant sound startled her into realizing that the first patrol would be making its rounds soon and the first thing they’d check would likely be the unicorn. She fled back to her room, but not before glancing back. The unicorn stood gazing after her with its deep, deep eyes. It hadn’t moved. A light wind stirred its forelock and mane. Almost Alena thought she heard something-a whisper, no
more, carried on the wind. Her name. Alena... With a shiver, she hurried back to her room; the unicorn’s eyes following her with the whisper. Alena…
‘The Unicorn’
Bored, the girl sat in her window seat and gazed out of her tower at the world below. She often did. She spent most of her time up here or in the library-out of sight and mostly out of mind. She preferred to be by herself-away from the glitter and glamour of the numerous social gatherings which she detested but was still occasionally forced, ordered or tricked into attending. It was inevitable, being what she was. King’s
daughter. Not because she had wanted it, but because she had been born to it, because it was what she was. She sighed. King’s daughter. The words were a curse to her. The
court wanted her to be a painted doll, a puppet princess; to act as they thought and dictated a princess should act. She just wanted to be left to herself with her books and imagination; lost in her own world-one far from the one she was forced to live by
necessity and fate.
Movement in the courtyard four stories below her window caught her attention. Soldiers of her father; returning from whatever business the king had sent them on. Something she had seen countless times before. Nothing new. Bored, she started to turn from the window with the intention of going to the library to read when something else caught her attention. The soldiers had not returned alone. There was something with
them. The princess’s sea-blue eyes narrowed but she could not clearly make it out. She caught a flash...of something, and heard a deep, trumpeting call-a wild, ringing challenge
to something or someone. A crowd was beginning to gather below around the soldiers and whatever it was that was there with them. That decided her. No way was she going
to sit up here when something exciting was happening. She wanted to know what was going on. In a rush, she left her rooms.
She found the first floor a sea of confusion. People-servants and nobles alike-were scurrying in every which way; seeming lost. Some, either les busy or less confused than the rest gaped after the princess as Alena swept past them towards the great front doors- but she did not notice the incredulous stares. Her only focus was on getting out of the castle and seeing what all the commotion was about. Ducking out the doors, Alena wove
her way through the gathered throng, which was so tightly packed that making any headway was difficult. She was elbowed and trodden on more than once and her shrill,
indignant demands to move aside went unheeded and unheard.
“Make way!” A deep voice boomed out from out of nowhere and a broad-shouldered figure moved past her to bully a space through the throng. “Make way for the Princess!” Wincing in pain, Alena covered her ears to dull the volume of the shout. One of the guards, it sounded like-Trevon, the captain more than likely. Another deep voice spoke, but near her ears and considerably lower in volume. “Princess? Come along lady.
Trevon has cleared a path.” Another of the guards. Gratefully, Alena took her hands from her ears, and accepted the arm offered her. People parted hastily on either side as the guard led her to where Trevon waited at the ring of soldiers enclosing whatever it was that they had caught.
Alena imperiously strode up to the very edge of the soldiers’ ring, who, although as shocked as everyone else to see her, held their ring with superb discipline. “What goes on here?” she snapped at the nearest. Her voice fell high and shrill, as does the cry of a hunting hawk. Silence fell instantly all around her. The soldier she had singled out quailed under her bright gaze-her turquoise-blue eyes glinting like jewels. He spluttered
and stammered but no coherent reply came out. Alena sighed; rolling her eyes heavenward. Must her presence always have this effect, to strike people dumb? Gods above! Trevon stepped in smoothly, eyes icy. “The Princess asked a question,” he
snapped briskly. “Answer her!”
The soldier’s comrade stepped forward to cover for his friend. He met Alena’s gaze for only a instant, then dropped his eyes. “Milady, there is nothing to trouble yourself with
here. We are sorry the commotion has disturbed you. All it is is just a strange wild creature we caught on the borders. We shall hold it until we learn what the king wants done with it.” The soldier kept talking but Alena did not hear him. Instead she had
stepped past him and shoved her way through the ring soldiers; ignoring their shouts and Trevon’s call to stop. Once she had broken the ring however, she did stop-but out of awe, not obedience, awe for the strange, wondrous creature standing before her.
It had the general shape and appearance of a horse, but not so. It had an undeniable equine shape, yes, but there were notable differences. This creature was taller and had a more elegant look to it, yet, at the same time had a finer build than most horses possessed. And it somehow achieved the appearance without sacrificing strength-for every inch of the creature rippled with muscles taut with tension. But the biggest
difference Alena noticed was the horn. It spriraled up from the creature’s brow; thrusting up between its eyes like a silver sword. She was entranced by it. It sparkled and glittered, seeming to shine with its own light as well as reflect light back. It was unlike anything else she had ever seen before. After tearing her eyes from the horn she noticed the dark, luminous eyes, brimming with intelligence; the long forelock, parting around the horn as foam parts around a ship’s prow; the luxurious mane, reaching to its knees and the flowing tail that reached nearly to the ground. What it was Alena could not say,
but she could not take her eyes off it.
All of a sudden-as if it had just noticed her-the creature’s nostrils flared and it swung its magnificent head around to lock gazes with her. Deep, deep blue eyes met her own sparkling turquoise-blue ones. Alena’s eyes widened and her lips parted in a silent gasp as a rush of feelings swept through her- feeling them almost as strongly as if they had been her own.
Pain, defiance, pride, anger, isolation-all these she felt in an instant. Crippling loss and sorrow so deep and raw it brought tears to her eyes as she stood entranced. And beneath it all was an unbreakable spirit; wild, fierce and untamable-shimmering with a strange, haunting melody that was unlike anything she had ever encountered.
“Princess!” Trevon’s shout cut through the strange silence; shattering the dream-state that Alena had fallen into when the creature had looked at her. Someone seized her and pulled her bodily back; hauling her out of the way. Just in time, for at that very moment the horned creature reared high with a squeal and deep trumpet of wrath. Soldiers rushed forward, seeking to catch hold of the ropes encircling its neck-but it fended them off;
scattering them with its hooves and horn. Desperately, the soldiers closed in around the creature in a tight ring; casting more ropes about its neck until they were able to contain it. A few, struck by its hooves, fell and were replaced promptly by others.
Alena desperately tried to squirm free of whoever held her; watching as the creature, snorting fiercely, reared again with a deep trumpet; ears laid back flat against its skull. It lowered its horn and charged one side of the ring-lashing out with hooves-but was pulled up short as the soldiers on the other side tightened their ropes. She felt a strange sense of pity and empathy as the creature-with much effort and cursing on the soldiers’ behalf-was dragged away. Trevon-it had been he that had grabbed and now held her-spoke. “My Lady? Are you all right?” It was only then she realized she was trembling-had been, like as not, since the animal had looked at her. She squirmed free irritably; shaking off his restraining arms. “I’m fine Trevon.” She cast one last glance to the creature as it was
dragged away, then turned and marched back into the castle and up to her rooms.
She spent most of that night and the next day in the library; poring over all the old tomes and texts she could find or get her hands on, trying to find in the ancient yellowed pages some description or mention of what she was beginning to think of as ‘her’ creature. There seemed to be no knowledge of it though-not even obscure references. But at last, in a book so old the pages were beginning to crumble into dust, she found something-nothing more than a rough sketch and a few paragraphs-but it was enough. Though it was well past midnight-getting on to dawn-Alena suddenly felt an urge to visit the creature, to see it. Lighting a lamp, she donned a cloak and stole out of the castle to
where the creature was being kept until her father decided what he wanted done with it. No one was around to see her, or take notice of her presence, but the princess moved cautiously all the same; slipping through shadows like a ghost until she reached the enclosure where the creature was kept.
It was moving around restlessly, pacing to and fro. Broken bits of rope swung from its neck and horn, but the walls of the enclosure were too high for it to jump free. Again, Alena felt that sense of pity. Trapped, like me, she realized. Longing for freedom but unable to break free. Almost against her will, she moved closer. The creature’s movements fascinated her. So graceful and effortless, seeming to glide more than walk. All of a sudden it noticed her; throwing its head up with an alarmed snort, muscles rippling as it tensed. Moonlight glimmered along the length of its horn, its sharp point glinting. It watched her warily.
“I know what you are called,” Alena whispered softly. “It took me ages to find you in any books. You don’t seem to be very well-known.” Slowly, she edged closer, until, ultimately, she was right at the gate. The creature watched her, but did not back away. It seemed almost puzzled. “You are a unicorn.” The unicorn pricked its ears forward slightly at this and they stayed pricked as she continued. “I’ve never seen anything like you before and I wonder why I’ve never heard about you before. Maybe there is a reason there is no mention of you. The book I found you in was very, very old-beginning to crumble into dust.” She sneaked a glance at the unicorn. Its sculpted ears were still
pricked and its eyes were luminous and dark; gleaming with intelligence. Some of the tension had gone out of its body. “You’re so beautiful though. There should be songs about you.”
She stayed for well over a hour until some distant sound startled her into realizing that the first patrol would be making its rounds soon and the first thing they’d check would likely be the unicorn. She fled back to her room, but not before glancing back. The unicorn stood gazing after her with its deep, deep eyes. It hadn’t moved. A light wind stirred its forelock and mane. Almost Alena thought she heard something-a whisper, no
more, carried on the wind. Her name. Alena... With a shiver, she hurried back to her room; the unicorn’s eyes following her with the whisper. Alena…