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countrymusiclover · 4 months ago

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5 - Definition of Justice

Princess Red Thief

Part 6

Tag list - just ask to be added @mystrey101 @melvia-ito @kmc1989 @tallrock35

Gold and Emma were inside the town police station while she uncovers a white sheet that was covering the objects that were sitting on the desk between them. "You're welcome. You were right – your men Moe and Jim ripped you off. It was all still at his place." Emma declared proudly.

"And the man himself?" Mr. Gold asked her.

She sat down in the chair behind the desk. "Closing in on him. Hey where's Eve. I'm used to seeing her always on your heels and this is the first time she's not been with you."

"You needn't worry, Ms. Swan. Ms. Royal may work for me but I don't need to know her whereabouts at any given moment. Although I am worried she hasn't informed me if she has opened the shop by now. She normally opens it for me around eight." Gold drew out his phone seeing no text from the girl he had a date with last night.

Emma tilted her head. "Does she know who Moe French and Jim Knight are?"

"She doesn't like to talk about Jim. Now let's back to the men themselves. You still don't have them in custody for stealing from me. So, job well 'half-done', then." He grumbled staring at his phone still seeing no response from Eve.

Emma was still confused at why he was so worried and annoyed. "In less than a day, I got everything back. Is something wrong?"

"You've recovered nothing. There's something missing." Gold scanned the desk seeing a bunch of things he could care less about yet he knew the safe was broken into inside his house keeping the one thing valuable to his heart ... .a gemstone ring.

"Sheriff Swan, I would like to report something." Archie's voice came through the phone so she put him on speaker on the desk phone.

"Go ahead, Archie." She responded to him.

Archie cleared his throat. "I am not really sure what happened...it was all so fast. But I saw this guy suddenly grab Eve off the street on her way to work and quickly take off with her somewhere. She didn't look like she wanted to go with him. ."

"Was he driving a white van?" Gold quickly asked.

The shrink answered him. "Yes, yes he did."

"Thanks for the information, Archie." Emma noticed that Gold was heading to leave the police station when she ended the call with the shrink. "I'll get it when I find him and Eve."

"Not if I find him first." Gold had his back turned to the blonde when his eyes darkened with the words leaving his lips knowing he would do whatever it took to find his girl.

Eve's pov

Rummaging around one of the rooms inside the dark one castle I was looking through the books that were filled to the brim around the room. Drawing out a book the ladder creaked before I heard Rumple's voice enter the room. "What are you doing?"

"I was just looking around. I expected that you didn't want to be interrupted while you were spinning straw." I answered his question by opening the book in my hands, seeing some random symbols inside of it, meaning it was some potion or something along those lines.

He made a noise moving his hands clasped behind his back. "That is a good thought."

"So what am I learning today?" I questioned him by putting the book back and jumping down from the ladder. My freehand reached up twirling the ring that I had on my right ring finger.

Rumplestilskin tilted his head to the side. "What have you got there?"

"Oh its my grandmother's wedding ring. She gave it to me before she passed away. If I'm lucky maybe one day I can have the man I love propse to me with it." I smiled sniffing through some tears that had welled in my eyes.

The dark one clicked his tongue. "So it is something precious to you?"

"Yes, it is." I replied to him.

Rumplestilskin crossed the room standing in front of me. His brown eyes focused on me with such intensity like he trying to read me for some information. "Have you told your parents recently? What we are doing together?"

"No I haven't. They just knew that I was talking with someone named Rumple." I sighed, still twirling the ring on my finger.

The dark one paused watching me. He had found himself wanting to get ro know the young witch in training. Little by little he had been pulling information from her. He reaches down taking my hand with the gemstone ring on it. "Perhaps you could introduce me to them."

"You want to meet my parents. Why?" Knitting my brows together I couldn't believe the words he just spoke.

Rumplestilskin nodded his head. "I'll make you a deal. You go and tell your parents to meet me. And afterwards I will tell you about my son that you asked about during our last lesson."

"I can do that." I agree squeezing his hand and rushing over to the main door and he watched me leave to find my parents back at our family castle.

A bag is yanked off my head where my hair got tousled in my face. It covered my vision until I blew it away seeing I was in a dark and old wooden cabin out in the middle of the town woods I had to assume from the looks of it. The cabin door creaked open where I could see a dark figure step inside. "Who the hell are you?" I spoke out the first words into the air.

The figure shut the door with their foot and stepping up where I could see their face in the moonlight coming from the window. "I would have thought you would still remember me after all this time, sweatheart."

"Dad, what are you doing to me. Let me go." I gasped seeing the familiar face of my father who I had left after my mother had left us in the middle of the night when he had disappeared for years. So the second I turned sixteen I ran on my own and managed to find work with Gold who didn't report me to the police.

My father Jim pulled out a chair in front of mine since my wrists and ankles were tied down with ropes. "I have been so worried about you. And now I find you working for that snake Mr. Gold through some hearsay by Moe French."

"He's not a snake. He's a better man than you are." I growled, turning my hands into fists at my sides. He had no right to judge him after he had abandoned me for years after my mother disappeared.

Jim got to his feet drawing out a piece of wood from the woods smacking me on my knees and I cried out through the pain. "I am your father and you have no right to talk to me that way."

"I didn't abandon my daughter after she learned her mother had died from a car crash." I sniffed through some tears.

My father got closer to me holding my throat in his hands beginning to choke me yet he didn't get the chance when someone yanked him backwards. Moving my eyes around the room I gasped seeing it was Gold who had kicked him to the ground and was now hitting him with his cane. "You are her father. You don't treat her that way."

"You've changed her, Gold. She's all I have left until you took her from me - ah!" Jim said until he got hit in the keg again.

Gold raised the cane about to hit him a third time till someone grabbed his wrist. "I didn't keep her prisoner. You wanted to take her from me but you're wife said she deserved love. This is your fault not hers."

"Stop...Eve are you okay?" Emma was behind him and took the cane from his hand coming over to undo the restraints on me.

Rubbing my knees that had gotten some beating I was sore but nothing felt broken which was a good sign. "Yeah I think so."

She had then called an ambulance that took my father to the hospital leaving me and Gold alone with her. I was leaning up against her car a few steps away from Gold when she came over to him. "So, I heard you managed not to break anything he needs. You're lucky, Mr. Gold."

Gold scoffed. "You got a funny definition of lucky."

"You have a funny definition of justice. What did he really do?" Emma asked but he didn't answer her. "That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets. I get that you would be upset he abducted Eve but I just want to know did you do this for her or for some objects?"

"That is something I don't have to discuss with you. Eve, did he hurt you?" Gold takes a step towards me.

Shaking my head slightly I was still shaken up. "A little bit but i should be okay."

"Let's get you to the hospital just in case." He touched my shoulder until he felt Emma staring at us. "No. I'm sorry, Sheriff. I think you heard that wrong."

Emma crossed her arms. "You really don't want to cooperate?"

"Look, we're done here." He attempted to walk away with me.

Emma grabbed his forearm drawing her handcuffs from her belt. "Actually, we're not. You're under arrest."

The next morning I entered the Sheriff station seeing Emma walk out with Henry. Walking up to the pair I laid bail money in her hands. "Here that should be enough to let him out. So just let him go."

"Eve, he was beating your father last night. I...I have to ask why would you help him?" She pulled me away from her kid to have the conversation.

Shrugging my shoulders I didn't understand her question. "I just know I owe him everything I have. Please just let him go."

"Regina is inside talking with him. I'll let him out when we come back with ice cream." She responded leaving with her son while I entered the police station. Almost opening the door I paused hearing the conversation between him and the mayor. She sat sitting on the end of the coach from what I saw, peaking my head around the corner.

Gold sat down on the bench in the cell. "So, you did put him up to it, then."

"I merely suggested, that strong men take what they need." She answered.

Gold rolls his eyes. "Oh, yeah. And you told him just exactly what to take, didn't you? It wasn't bad enough that you had him kidnap Eve. You had to steal her jewelry too."

Regina put her hands together in her lap. "We used to know each other so well, Mr. Gold. Has it really come down to this?"

"What is it you want?" He sniped at her.

She lowered her voice to a much darker tone. "I want you, to answer one question. And answer it simply – what's your name?"

Mr. Gold answered her. "It's Mr. Gold."

"Your real name." She spoke again while I was racking my brain around what she wants from him.

Gold still wasn't answering her. "Every moment I've spent on this earth, that's been my name."

Regina tilted her head. "But what about moments spent elsewhere?"

"What are you asking me?" He shook his head confused.

The mayor threatened him snarky and I swore I could recognize the threatening voice from somewhere else. I just wasn't too positive on where exactly. "I think you know. If you want me to return what's yours – tell me your name."

"Rumpelstiltskin...Now give me what I want." Gold finally declared, making me gasp sharply covering my mouth when my back hit the corner wall behind me. My mind was spinning with one thought in mind that Henry was right all along that there was something off about this town.

Sucking in a shaky breath I willed myself to look into the room they still remained in. Regina reached into her pocket tossing a ring into Gold's hands that I saw him hold in between his thumb and index finger into the light. "You can dream all you want but she won't love you. Her parents won't ever allow you to be together if my curse is ever broken."

"I'm the one with the power around here, your majesty. You do your best to remember that. As for my relationship with Everly you have no business butting in around us. Things are changing around here dear. You just wait, I might just be getting my happy ending before you ever get your true revenge." The pawnshop owner made his voice deeper and his eyes went darker but he carefully cradled the gemstone ring in the center of his palm terrified it might just break one day.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

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itstokkii · 8 months ago

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About Turkuzbek, do you associate them with any symbols or motifs? And also are there any au's for them??

symbols...hmmmmm

sometimes I call them the tea pair, because they both love chugging down that good good scalding hot black tea in the summer!

other than that.. not really? they do both have a crescent and star in their flags but like. so do a lot of other countries

aus..ok brace yourself for ALL the au ideas that popped in my head since shipping turkuzbek:

beauty and the beast au: takes place in a fictional world, but clothes + possibly palace is inspired off of 18th century ottoman empire. uzb is belle, turkey's the beast obviously, couldn't settle on a maurice so just made it her sibs, russia is gaston....??? I felt like the dynamic really works with them, my favorite movie for my favorite ship <3

cardverse au: ok so in this au uzb is a seamstress for the royal family of clubs. all of a sudden she finds herself between a rock and a tight place as she must spin straw into gold. enter turkey, a joker with no real loyalty to any of the main 4 kingdoms. he offers her help in exchange for something of hers, and helps her get the job done while also making small talk. she slowly finds herself laughing and having fun with this rando, and his occasional visits to her sewing room soon become the highlight of her day. she initially gives him her bracelet, necklace, any jewelry she has...

until she's given the ultimate task of spinning a whole roomful of straw into gold in one day. if she succeeds, she marries the king as his royal consort. if she doesn't she is executed. she hates both of these ideas and is freaking out, especially since she doesn't have anything to give turkey anymore. he helps her anyway, and then goes by the "if you don't have anything left to give, you can pay with your body" philosophy, and essentially asks her to elope with him. she agrees, and when the king opens the door the next day he finds a room full of gold and no royal consort-to-be.

college au: he's the business major to her fashion design major. he tried complaining about his workload once and she dunked on him for that. they regularly go on joyrides together. i was considering making them fiances? if it made the au more interesting...

if we're not going the fiance route, they both have a mutual friend(korea), who sneakily invites both of them to the campus's music and dance event on the basis of korea's club performing kpop dance. uzbekistan is so uncomfortable with the rave music and promises herself she'll stay for korea's performance and leave the moment it's over. she pulls her phone out to record korea and looks to her side and HER CRUSH IS THERE??? HUH??

so they both stare at each other like "what are YOU doing here??" turkey's even more confused since she's the last person he'd expect to show up to a rave and dance performance event. by the time the performance is over, korea pats them both on the back and goes "I'm so glad my 2 best friends showed up to support me!"

korea what a sneaky shipper....

monster high au: turkey's a werewolf(haha turan moment) and she's a werecat. they do NOT get along at first, but slowly their rivalry turns into something like romantic tension as they point tennis balls and laser pointers in each others' faces threatening to use them. next thing you know they're dating??? w,what

also important to mention: kyrgyzstan's an orange cat.

ever after high au: this was briefly considered, but I can see uzb being sort of like ashlynn "oh yea we gotta follow our destinies" and then dates the son of the huntsman(turkey) who is um. Not a royal

snow white au: so this was like a joke. she gets poisoned, he leans in to kiss her and then she immediately wakes up before he does the deed. "ASTAGHFIRULLAH YOU MUST REPENT WHAT WERE YOU ABOUT TO DO"

she marries him anyway

reverse snow white au: she's the prince, turkey's snow white, and the dwarves? 7 different azerbaijans.

non-country/human au: she gives me boy mom vibes. not like an unhealthy way, but it makes sense that she would have a son(??) also turkey definitely insists on having like 3 more kids.

uzb: first of all who's doing the giving birth part

and turkey as a dad defo gives me yusuf vibes from otoyomegatari

i...think that's it?? maybe I'll add more when i remember

#hetalia #aph uzbekistan #hws uzbekistan #aph turkey #hws turkey #turkuzbek #tokki answers #tokki writes #sadik adnan

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thetiniestkris · 2 years ago

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Never knew if you actually wanted to be with me.

That's not accurate.

I was always fairly certain that you didn't like me, but for some reason you forced yourself to be with me, because you had to.

No holding hands in public. No wedding pictures on the wall. "Stop kissing me in public." "What if the other women think I'm taken?" "I'm embarrassed to be seen in public with you."

I felt each word like a flog against my heart.

And you were surprised when we broke up. Well, you were, and you weren't. You pushed me to say the words, by picking fights about my body. Picking fights I couldn't look away from.

How many times did you tell me you never loved me before I let myself believe it?

No, you were surprised that when we broke up I stuck to it. You expected me to run back to you, but by the time I let you go I had given up all hope of us working it out.

I know it was toxic. And clingy. And codependant. Maybe the root of codependancy is undying optimism and a desperation to trust again.

Just hurts that you pushed me away, only expressed interest in me when you were horny, and now you've replaced me with someone who by all acounts could be another me, but better.

She's got higher education. A neglibly different job. A stable family home-life, with parents who give you space. She doesn't come from poverty like I do. She went to public school and had a normal life.

I don't know how to feel anymore. Is this a taunt? "Look what we could have been?" A sign that you did love me? Buried deep underneath? Or just a coincedence? My own insecurity spinning straw from gold?

If it wasn't obvious enough that I am insecure about this, I've written an entire post about it as I contemplate the end of our relationship together and lay on the floor.

Maybe you're right, that all I do is wallow in my misery. Maybe it just helps me process.

If you're reading this, tumblr do com user, it wasn't for you. Leave me alone.

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archipelagolago · 4 years ago

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And your heart beats to the death of the sun, the roll of the waves (+ sunday by Joy Oladokun)

÷÷÷

Ah ah ah (Mmm, mmm)

Ah ah ah

Billy used to dream of dandelion rich fields and soft pink sunbeams. He doesn't anymore. But he would like to again. Sometimes, he dreams of an endless subway station. Empty and dark like 4AM. That's the closest he ever gets these days.

He is contemplating the overlap between railroad tracks and dandelions from his spot on the floor. In the doorway between kitchen and sitting room. Half of himself laying on each side. Split between an intersection. Split between who he is and who he is expected to be.

And Steve will be here soon. Which is good. But overwhelming. Because Billy doesn't feel ready to see anyone right now. But. Perseverance and all that shit. So.

Mama says I'm up to no good again

Couldn't make her proud though I did my best

I feel like I'm a mess

I feel like I'm stuck in the wrong skin

I feel like I'm sick

But I'm having trouble swallowing my medicine

Ah ah ah

His mother's necklace weighs heavy on his chest, pressed against his collarbone. Heavy. Weighted full of all the disappointment he knows she would feel if she could see him now. She said she loved him. But she left. She said she loved him. But she left him with Neil. She said, she loved him. But, she also said, 'falling in love with boys will send you straight down to the devil'.

And this morning. While on the phone with Steve to confirm their plans for today. He realized. He realized, he's in love with Steve. Which he already kinda knew. But fuck. Now he knows.

Can't keep denying acknowledgment of the feeling at any level. After, over the phone, he told Steve, about how, he's been waiting since age 12, for Max to own up to feeding his secret stash of chocolate bars to the opossums in the alley beside their California apartment. And Steve laughed so hard. So so hard and loud and breathless until he gave himself the hiccups.

And that's when Billy knew beyond any doubt. That he had fallen in love with a boy. With Steve Harrington.

He honestly doesn't care whether or not that will send him straight down to hell. But he can't stop picturing his mother's soft face, turned dark and stormy and disgusted. And there's nothing, now, that he can ever do to trick himself into believing she might come back. She'd never come back for him now.

Which shouldn't hurt as much as it does. Because he doesn't really want to see her anymore. After everything he's gone through after being left behind. But it does hurt. A shit ton. Because even after everything, he knows he'd still run straight into her arms if she ever came back to hold them out for him again.

Sunday, carry me, carry me down to the water

Wash me clean

I'm still struggling

Ah ah ah

Steve's knocking, now. After some obscure amount of time. And Billy has no idea how long he's been lying here. Doesn't even remember moving down to the floor.

He should stand up. Go let Steve in. But... Steve has a key. Billy gave it to him the same day the government paid for his move to a homey townhouse just on the edge of Hawkins.

So Steve can get in by himself if he really wants to. Which Billy hopes he won't. Knows he will. And. If he's being truly honest, he hopes he will, too.

Steve does.

Sunday, bury me under the weight of who you need me to be

Can't you see

I'm struggling

Ah ah ah

Billy keeps his eyes held shut as he hears Steve's key turn in the lock. But hums low in response to Steve's questioning call of, "Billy?".

So Steve finds him easy. Stands still against the wall of the living room. Looking down at Billy. But only for a few seconds before he says, "Hey," and, "Is it okay if I turn on the light?".

So Billy replies, "You can, but. I wish you wouldn't."

He doesn't have to open his eyes to know that Steve is nodding as he carefully steps over Billy and into the kitchen. As he gets down on the floor and lays perpendicular to Billy. As he scoots to the side and lifts Billy's head up a little until it's resting on his lap.

Steve plays with his hair. Runs his fingers through it and works it into braids that he unravels seconds after finishing.

Mmm, mmm

Ah ah ah

After several minutes, or maybe longer, Steve asks, "You still wanting to go down to the river today?".

I keep God locked in a picture frame

So I feel a little better 'bout my numbered days

Yeah I confess

He asks simple. Like yes or no. Like Billy should say yes if he wants to and no if he doesn't. Like he should want what he wants. And Billy does want to go. He does.

He says, "Yes."

The questions and the answers seem to sound the same

I'm just like the rest

Standing tall pretending not to be afraid

Ah ah ah

Billy sits in the passenger seat of Steve's Beemer. He'd kinda wanted to sit in the back. Lay across the second row seats. Would rather be horizontal right now. But, he also wanted to be close to Steve. To grip Steve's hand in his own, between their seats. So Billy is sitting in the passenger side.

From behind the wheel, Steve asks, "Why did you hang up? Right after we were laughing about Max and the opossums?"

And Billy frowns, because, he doesn't remember doing that. Drowns, because, he doesn't want Steve to be upset. And then he just, says it like it is, says, "Sorry. I didn't mean to. I didn't even realize."

So Steve says, "oh," and nods. The way he does when he's trying to think. Trying to think too hard.

Sunday carry me, carry me down to the water

Wash me clean

I'm still struggling

The river is loud. Roaring. It's July, so. It's warm, too.

Steve doesn't say anything when Billy strips down to his boxers and wades right in. Billy finds a solid rock in the middle of the current, and sits on top of it. The water reaches up to his elbows. And the current isn't strong enough to drag him away. It's nice.

Billy only has to wait a few dozen seconds before Steve is splashing in after him. Fully dressed. In beige chinos and a long sleeved polo. Black socks and leather boots.

And Billy knows Steve will complain about his wet clothes later. But he'll still do this same thing next week.

Sunday bury me under the weight of who you need me to be

Can't you see

I'm struggling

Ah ah ah

Billy thinks he might cry. Because he can't stop going back to how, his mom thought he was an ocean. But he's always been a river. Fresh and not salt. Mud and not sand. Alligators, not sharks.

And her favorite animal was a whale. Blue whale.

And there are no blue whales in rivers.

Sunday come around, lift me up again

Never too proud for a helping hand

I've been feeling down

Can you hear me now? (Ah ah ah)

But. Steve's favorites are crayfish and frogs. He loves plucking them out of the riverbed and bringing them over to show Billy.

Steve loves Billy because. Not despite. He loves him fully clothed in an Indiana river.

Sunday come around, lift me up again

I'm never too proud for a helping hand

I've been feeling down

Can you hear me now?

And while Billy's been contemplating, Steve's been wandering. And now he's drifting back, hands held closed over something living. And when he gets over to Billy, he smiles wide all the way up to his eyes. All the way to shining.

Says, "Found a little dude," and, "wanted you to see."

So Billy holds out his hand. And he's smiling too now. Shining alongside his favorite of river dwellers.

Sunday carry me, carry me down to the water

Wash me clean

I'm still struggling

Ah ah ah

It's a crayfish this time. Smooth and hard and pissy. It pinches the skin between Billy's thumb and pointer finger as Steve passes the little guy over. Though it doesn't really hurt.

But Steve still says, "Shit," and is fast on his way to saying sorry when Billy starts laughing.

He's laughing low and heavy and full. Because it doesn't hurt, but, if he doesn't laugh he'll probably cry. Because he's really happy. Really. And he'd been thinking this illicit happiness should feel wrong. That maybe he gets to be happy, but he doesn't get to feel warm about it. But it's not wrong. He was thinking all wrong. Because Steve and his crayfish feel like embers and soft candle light. Like crackling fall leaves and drunken beach-side bonfires.

Sunday bury me under the weight of who you need me to be

Can't you see

I'm struggling

Ah ah ah

And yes. Billy's mom would glare. But Stevie is smiling and back to shining and then laughing here with Billy. So it's not enough to spin the gold back into straw. It's not enough to dry out the flow of the river.

Aah, ah-ah-ah

Aah, ah-ah-ah (Ah ah ah)

Aah, ah-ah-ah

Aah, ah-ah-ah (Ah ah ah)

The crayfish had swum away sometime between the "shit" and the flooding of Billy's riverbank. And Steve has stepped closer. Billy wraps his arms around his love's waist. Pulls him further in. Steve reaches up, cradles Billy and his stubble in his palms. Leans forward until their foreheads are colliding. Softly.

But then he gasps. And whispers, "Wait. Billy, don't move."

Billy doesn't entirely listen, tilts his head down to follow Steve's gaze. And there it is. A spring peeper sitting in the curve of his right elbow.

The frog chirps a baritone melody. But it's a chorus frog. Can't reach a symphony without the rest of its choir.

Harmony. Billy gets it now. Why there need to be layers of sound.

So, "I hung up because, I've never been in love like this before."

Steve gives another one of his nods. Follows with a soft, "I know."

Billy can't help the harmonic smile or the single tear as, "Because, I do. I love you, Stevie."

And Steve keeps the crack in his voice with, "Well. I know I've said it before but, I love you too, Bills."

It makes sense now. It does. The months trapped in a parallel universe. The connection to a monster-forged body. The dying extension of self. The living reality. The asthma and the trauma and the phantom pain. And no. It doesn't make it worth it. But it helps it make sense.

Everything makes so much damn sense when Steve guides Billy's head to the curve of his neck and hums softy in tune with the lone spring peeper. Harmony.

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with-love-from-hell · 3 years ago

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Vermillion Skies - Q&A #3

Thanks for all the love on the series!! Here is another Q&A post for the series, along with some general headcanons! If you have not read the series yet, be aware there are spoilers ahead! Read under the cut! This one is tailored primarily toward parts 15-24!

CW: Somewhat graphic discussion of past events in the series thus far [sexual violence, blood/gore/violence among characters, jealousy/romantic rivalry, PTSD, etc...]

>> Though I have a Masters Degree in Psychology, I am not your therapist. If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, assault, or harassment and are in need of help, please utilize the RAINN sexual assault hotline or online chat service, or find additional help using the NSVRC website. <<

Read all of my work related to Vermillion Skies here

Namely the reason I began writing this fic was catharsis for me and my own experiences with sexual violence. While I have gone through therapy and have worked on it immensely, I find that spinning a narrative in my experience and including parts in that narrative where there is support given in a realistic way (while still fictionalized) is helpful for healing. In the same way that painting can be an outlet for trauma, I use writing- and VS is a good example of that.

Originally, I had only intended for there to be 5 parts for that purpose. But because of all the love I had on it and the fact that the creative parts of my brain took over and gave me a million more ideas of how to enhance the story, I kept going with it. I was still writing it namely for myself- creating a story that related to my experience and provided catharsis while writing and reading back, but its also something that yall really enjoy, so I'm writing it for your catharsis too. I cant tell you how many DMs I got where people talked about the brutal mauling scenes being so satisfying, haha.

Anyways, I suppose that's where my overall motivation comes from. Something I enjoy, plus the support from you guys. I know some blogs hound people not to like and to reblog everything, but that doesn't matter so much to me. Its always nice to get a reblog, but for me, a like means you took the time to read and leave a little kudos- even if it doesn't do anything for visibility- thats not the main reason why I'm writing, so im not going to hypergixate on it. Overall, I love writing and interacting with people who like my work and have feedback on it! Thats part of the reason why I do the Q&As.

Here are some general headcanons for how I view Michael in my head:

He is about the same height as Diavolo, though not as built in terms of muscles. he’s relatively slender, but does have pretty broad shoulders.

Wears glasses. idk why but I imagine him as kind of like “light” version Lucifer.

He’s got pretty long hair, but not like...super long. He mostly wears it down but has to tie some of it back because he doesnt really know how to take care of it all that well. It’s only long because he doesnt have the time to spend getting it cut consistently, so he’ll usually wait until it hits about his mid-back, and then chop it down to the tip of his ears, and let it grow again. His hair is like the texture of straw and hes got lots of split ends. its atrocious, really.

Overall very intimidating. Always grouchy looking, kinda like how Lucifer is. Also, like Lucifer, he wears gloves all the time, though his are white and gold to match his uniform.

He has a much more conservative uniform as an angel, kind of like how Lucifer did but more military-looking. Shoulder tassels along with ranking patches are on it for sure. He also wears these very intimidating army-looking boots that are white and gold, and it is the only part of his uniform he will let catch any dirt or grime- mostly because its a display of power.

This is how I see him in-game too- not just in this fic. Here’s a picrew I referenced: https://picrew.me/image_maker/458801

Also, yes. That was Raphael. I tried to describe him vaguely because he isn’t really gonna be featured much at all in the rest of the story, but wanted to give a nod to his character since Michael probably would have taken him with to sort things out with Simeon.

The inspiration I got for his general demon form was from @tiaxreii on Twitter... Specifically the piece she did of Simeon with wings of bone HERE! Tia is an amazing artist- go show them some love!!!

I also referenced this gif (CW: BLOOD, BODY HORROR) when writing the scene where Simeon’s demon form is transformed. I wanted to try my hand at writing body horror, since I do love that genre of artistic expression- but also I wanted to try to detail how I see the process of “falling” working.

In regards to clothing- I didnt detail it much as of now because he's in transformation mode rather than having stagnant demon form "attire" but generally I think the demon form @Cenipaii on Twitter created would be more or less what I could picture him in. HERE is a link to their post detailing Simeon's demon form (they also have done a few pieces with this specific look so go show their art some love as well!). I will probably detail it a little bit in Melancholia when his demon form is fully flushed out!

Please don't repost either artist's art without permission, btw!

You got it!

So with Melancholia, It is going to be picking up where I leave off with Simeon's fall (e.g. the aftermath of part 24 and the bits explained in 25 during the finale). So there will be some vague references to the fact that the reason Simeon fell was because of his overall corruption detailed in VS that manifested as a result of the forbidden attraction and obsession with a human, distancing from the celestial realm, and engaging in "sinful" behavior. I wont spoil anything in detail for the finale, but there will basically be a trial taking place to determine if Simeon’s status as an angel is worth salvaging, or if he should be cast out. Melancholia will begin after this “trial” is completed.

Overall, Melancholia is going to be primarily angst focused around Simeon being an 8th Avatar of Sin- the sin embodied then being Despair, which I will def get into more in the newer fic. It will be way less triggering in regards to content so people who enjoy my writing and want to read some angsty shit can enjoy it without risking their own mental health. I’m glad y’all are excited for it!

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Q&A part 3 continued

#vermillion skies #q&a #obey me!#obey me #shall we date: obey me #obey me swd #obm #headcanons #obey me headcanons #obm headcanons

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themousefromfantasyland · 3 years ago

Text

THE GIRL WHO PRETENDED TO BE A BOY

What about a transgender fairy tale for Pride Month?

This variant is a English translation by Andrew Lang of a Romanian fairy tale called Ileana S��nziana. In this long, but fun tale, a powerful new Emperor wants in his court all the male heirs of the Emperors who he already dethroned. Knowing her father doesn't have any male heir, the youngest daughter of an old Emperor decides to dress as man and goes out in a journey.

In the end she is "cursed" to be a man, becoming Făt-Frumos, here translated as Fet-Fruners, a stock Romanian character in folk tales, a knight hero similar to Prince Charming. Făt-Frumos can be roughly translated as handsome infant or child or handsome boy.

Once upon a time there lived an emperor who was a great conqueror, and reigned over more countries than anyone in the world. And whenever he subdued a fresh kingdom, he only granted peace on condition that the king should deliver him one of his sons for ten years' service.

Now on the borders of his kingdom lay a country whose emperor was as brave as his neighbour, and as long as he was young he was the victor in every war. But as years passed away, his head grew weary of making plans of campaign, and his people wanted to stay at home and till their fields, and at last he too felt that he must do homage to the other emperor.

One thing, however, held him back from this step which day by day he saw more clearly was the only one possible. His new overlord would demand the service of one of his sons. And the old emperor had no son; only three daughters.

Look on which side he would, nothing but ruin seemed to lie before him, and he became so gloomy, that his daughters were frightened, and did everything they could think of to cheer him up, but all to no purpose.

At length one day when they were at dinner, the eldest of the three summoned up all her courage and said to her father:

'What secret grief is troubling you? Are your subjects discontented? or have we given you cause for displeasure? To smooth away your wrinkles, we would gladly shed our blood, for our lives are bound up in yours; and this you know.'

'My daughter,' answered the emperor, 'what you say is true. Never have you given me one moment's pain. Yet now you cannot help me. Ah! why is not one of you a boy!'

'I don't understand,' she answered in surprise. 'Tell us what is wrong: and though we are not boys, we are not quite useless!'

'But what can you do, my dear children? Spin, sew, and weave—that is all your learning. Only a warrior can deliver me now, a young giant who is strong to wield the battle-axe: whose sword deals deadly blows.'

'But WHY do you need a son so much at present? Tell us all about it! It will not make matters worse if we know!'

'Listen then, my daughters, and learn the reason of my sorrow. You have heard that as long as I was young no man ever brought an army against me without it costing him dear. But the years have chilled my blood and drunk my strength. And now the deer can roam the forest, my arrows will never pierce his heart; strange soldiers will set fire to my houses and water their horses at my wells, and my arm cannot hinder them. No, my day is past, and the time has come when I too must bow my head under the yoke of my foe! But who is to give him the ten years' service that is part of the price which the vanquished must pay?'

'_I_ will,' cried the eldest girl, springing to her feet. But her father only shook his head sadly.

'Never will I bring shame upon you,' urged the girl. 'Let me go. Am I not a princess, and the daughter of an emperor?'

'Go then!' he said.

The brave girl's heart almost stopped beating from joy, as she set about her preparations. She was not still for a single moment, but danced about the house, turning chests and wardrobes upside down. She set aside enough things for a whole year—dresses embroidered with gold and precious stones, and a great store of provisions. And she chose the most spirited horse in the stable, with eyes of flame, and a coat of shining silver.

When her father saw her mounted and curvetting about the court, he gave her much wise advice, as to how she was to behave like the young man she appeared to be, and also how to behave as the girl she really was. Then he gave her his blessing, and she touched her horse with the spur.

The silver armour of herself and her steed dazzled the eyes of the people as she darted past. She was soon out of sight, and if after a few miles she had not pulled up to allow her escort to join her, the rest of the journey would have been performed alone.

But though none of his daughters were aware of the fact, the old emperor was a magician, and had laid his plans accordingly. He managed, unseen, to overtake his daughter, and throw a bridge of copper over a stream which she would have to cross. Then, changing himself into a wolf, he lay down under one of the arches, and waited.

He had chosen his time well, and in about half an hour the sound of a horse's hoofs was heard. His feet were almost on the bridge, when a big grey wolf with grinning teeth appeared before the princess. With a deep growl that froze the blood, he drew himself up, and prepared to spring.

The appearance of the wolf was so sudden and so unexpected, that the girl was almost paralysed, and never even dreamt of flight, till the horse leaped violently to one side. Then she turned him round, and urging him to his fullest speed, never drew rein till she saw the gates of the palace rising before her.

The old emperor, who had got back long since, came to the door to meet her, and touching her shining armour, he said, 'Did I not tell you, my child, that flies do not make honey?'

The days passed on, and one morning the second princess implored her father to allow her to try the adventure in which her sister had made such a failure. He listened unwillingly, feeling sure it was no use, but she begged so hard that in the end he consented, and having chosen her arms, she rode away.

But though, unlike her sister, she was quite prepared for the appearance of the wolf when she reached the copper bridge, she showed no greater courage, and galloped home as fast as her horse could carry her. On the steps of the castle her father was standing, and as still trembling with fright she knelt at his feet, he said gently, 'Did I not tell you, my child, that every bird is not caught in a net?'

The three girls stayed quietly in the palace for a little while, embroidering, spinning, weaving, and tending their birds and flowers, when early one morning, the youngest princess entered the door of the emperor's private apartments. 'My father, it is my turn now. Perhaps I shall get the better of that wolf!'

'What, do you think you are braver than your sisters, vain little one? You who have hardly left your long clothes behind you!' but she did not mind being laughed at, and answered,

'For your sake, father, I would cut the devil himself into small bits, or even become a devil myself. I think I shall succeed, but if I fail, I shall come home without more shame than my sisters.'

Still the emperor hesitated, but the girl petted and coaxed him till at last he said,

'Well, well, if you must go, you must. It remains to be seen what I shall get by it, except perhaps a good laugh when I see you come back with your head bent and your eyes on the ground.'

'He laughs best who laughs last,' said the princess.

Happy at having got her way, the princess decided that the first thing to be done was to find some old white-haired boyard, whose advice she could trust, and then to be very careful in choosing her horse. So she went straight to the stables where the most beautiful horses in the empire were feeding in the stalls, but none of them seemed quite what she wanted. Almost in despair she reached the last box of all, which was occupied by her father's ancient war-horse, old and worn like himself, stretched sadly out on the straw.

The girl's eyes filled with tears, and she stood gazing at him. The horse lifted his head, gave a little neigh, and said softly, 'You look gentle and pitiful, but I know it is your love for your father which makes you tender to me. Ah, what a warrior he was, and what good times we shared together! But now I too have grown old, and my master has forgotten me, and there is no reason to care whether my coat is dull or shining. Yet, it is not too late, and if I were properly tended, in a week I could vie with any horse in the stables!'

'And how should you be tended?' asked the girl.

'I must be rubbed down morning and evening with rain water, my barley must be boiled in milk, because of my bad teeth, and my feet must be washed in oil.'

'I should like to try the treatment, as you might help me in carrying out my scheme.'

'Try it then, mistress, and I promise you will never repent.'

So in a week's time the horse woke up one morning with a sudden shiver through all his limbs; and when it had passed away, he found his skin shining like a mirror, his body as fat as a water melon, his movement light as a chamois.

Then looking at the princess who had come early to the stable, he said joyfully,

'May success await on the steps of my master's daughter, for she has given me back my life. Tell me what I can do for you, princess, and I will do it.'

'I want to go to the emperor who is our over-lord, and I have no one to advise me. Which of all the white-headed boyards shall I choose as counsellor?'

'If you have me, you need no one else: I will serve you as I served your father, if you will only listen to what I say.'

'I will listen to everything. Can you start in three days?'

'This moment, if you like,' said the horse.

The preparations of the emperor's youngest daughter were much fewer and simpler than those of her sisters. They only consisted of some boy's clothes, a small quantity of linen and food, and a little money in case of necessity. Then she bade farewell to her father, and rode away.

A day's journey from the palace, she reached the copper bridge, but before they came in sight of it, the horse, who was a magician, had warned her of the means her father would take to prove her courage.

Still in spite of his warning she trembled all over when a huge wolf, as thin as if he had fasted for a month, with claws like saws, and mouth as wide as an oven, bounded howling towards her. For a moment her heart failed her, but the next, touching the horse lightly with her spur, she drew her sword from its sheath, ready to separate the wolf's head from its body at a single blow.

The beast saw the sword, and shrank back, which was the best thing it could do, as now the girl's blood was up, and the light of battle in her eyes. Then without looking round, she rode across the bridge.

The emperor, proud of this first victory, took a short cut, and waited for her at the end of another day's journey, close to a river, over which he threw a bridge of silver. And this time he took the shape of a lion.

But the horse guessed this new danger and told the princess how to escape it. But it is one thing to receive advice when we feel safe and comfortable, and quite another to be able to carry it out when some awful peril is threatening us. And if the wolf had made the girl quake with terror, it seemed like a lamb beside this dreadful lion.

At the sound of his roar the very trees quivered and his claws were so large that every one of them looked like a cutlass.

The breath of the princess came and went, and her feet rattled in the stirrups. Suddenly the remembrance flashed across her of the wolf whom she had put to flight, and waving her sword, she rushed so violently on the lion that he had barely time to spring on one side, so as to avoid the blow. Then, like a flash, she crossed this bridge also.

Now during her whole life, the princess had been so carefully brought up, that she had never left the gardens of the palace, so that the sight of the hills and valleys and tinkling streams, and the song of the larks and blackbirds, made her almost beside herself with wonder and delight. She longed to get down and bathe her face in the clear pools, and pick the brilliant flowers, but the horse said 'No,' and quickened his pace, neither turning to the right or the left.

'Warriors,' he told her, 'only rest when they have won the victory. You have still another battle to fight, and it is the hardest of all.'

This time it was neither a wolf nor a lion that was waiting for her at the end of the third day's journey, but a dragon with twelve heads, and a golden bridge behind it.

The princess rode up without seeing anything to frighten her, when a sudden puff of smoke and flame from beneath her feet, caused her to look down, and there was the horrible creature twisted and writhing, its twelve heads reared up as if to seize her between them.

The bridle fell from her hand: and the sword which she had just grasped slid back into its sheath, but the horse bade her fear nothing, and with a mighty effort she sat upright and spurred straight on the dragon.

The fight lasted an hour and the dragon pressed her hard. But in the end, by a well-directed side blow, she cut off one of the heads, and with a roar that seemed to rend the heavens in two, the dragon fell back on the ground, and rose as a man before her.

Although the horse had informed the princess the dragon was really her own father, the girl had hardly believed him, and stared in amazement at the transformation. But he flung his arms round her and pressed her to his heart saying, 'Now I see that you are as brave as the bravest, and as wise as the wisest. You have chosen the right horse, for without his help you would have returned with a bent head and downcast eyes. You have filled me with the hope that you may carry out the task you have undertaken, but be careful to forget none of my counsels, and above all to listen to those of your horse.'

When he had done speaking, the princess knelt down to receive his blessing, and they went their different ways.

The princess rode on and on, till at last she came to the mountains which hold up the roof of the world. There she met two Genii who had been fighting fiercely for two years, without one having got the least advantage over the other. Seeing what they took to be a young man seeking adventures, one of the combatants called out, 'Fet-Fruners! deliver me from my enemy, and I will give you the horn that can be heard the distance of a three days' journey;' while the other cried, 'Fet-Fruners! help me to conquer this pagan thief, and you shall have my horse, Sunlight.'

Before answering, the princess consulted her own horse as to which offer she should accept, and he advised her to side with the genius who was master of Sunlight, his own younger brother, and still more active than himself.

So the girl at once attacked the other genius, and soon clove his skull; then the one who was left victor begged her to come back with him to his house and he would hand her over Sunlight, as he had promised.

The mother of the genius was rejoiced to see her son return safe and sound, and prepared her best room for the princess, who, after so much fatigue, needed rest badly. But the girl declared that she must first make her horse comfortable in his stable; but this was really only an excuse, as she wanted to ask his advice on several matters.

But the old woman had suspected from the very first that the boy who had come to the rescue of her son was a girl in disguise, and told the genius that she was exactly the wife he needed. The genius scoffed, and inquired what female hand could ever wield a sabre like that; but, in spite of his sneers, his mother persisted, and as a proof of what she said, laid at night on each of their pillows a handful of magic flowers, that fade at the touch of man, but remain eternally fresh in the fingers of a woman.

It was very clever of her, but unluckily the horse had warned the princess what to expect, and when the house was silent, she stole very softly to the genius's room, and exchanged his faded flowers for those she held. Then she crept back to her own bed and fell fast asleep.

At break of day, the old woman ran to see her son, and found, as she knew she would, a bunch of dead flowers in his hand. She next passed on to the bedside of the princess, who still lay asleep grasping the withered flowers. But she did not believe any the more that her guest was a man, and so she told her son. So they put their heads together and laid another trap for her.

After breakfast the genius gave his arm to his guest, and asked her to come with him into the garden. For some time they walked about looking at the flowers, the genius all the while pressing her to pick any she fancied. But the princess, suspecting a trap, inquired roughly why they were wasting the precious hours in the garden, when, as men, they should be in the stables looking after their horses. Then the genius told his mother that she was quite wrong, and his deliverer was certainly a man. But the old woman was not convinced for all that.

She would try once more she said, and her son must lead his visitor into the armoury, where hung every kind of weapon used all over the world—some plain and bare, others ornamented with precious stones—and beg her to make choice of one of them. The princess looked at them closely, and felt the edges and points of their blades, then she hung at her belt an old sword with a curved blade, that would have done credit to an ancient warrior. After this she informed the genius that she would start early next day and take Sunlight with her.

And there was nothing for the mother to do but to submit, though she still stuck to her own opinion.

The princess mounted Sunlight, and touched him with her spur, when the old horse, who was galloping at her side, suddenly said:

'Up to this time, mistress, you have obeyed my counsels and all has gone well. Listen to me once more, and do what I tell you. I am old, and—now that there is someone to take my place, I will confess it—I am afraid that my strength is not equal to the task that lies before me. Give me leave, therefore, to return home, and do you continue your journey under the care of my brother. Put your faith in him as you put it in me, and you will never repent. Wisdom has come early to Sunlight.'

'Yes, my old comrade, you have served me well; and it is only through your help that up to now I have been victorious. So grieved though I am to say farewell, I will obey you yet once more, and will listen to your brother as I would to yourself. Only, I must have a proof that he loves me as well as you do.'

'How should I not love you?' answered Sunlight; 'how should I not be proud to serve a warrior such as you? Trust me, mistress, and you shall never regret the absence of my brother. I know there will be difficulties in our path, but we will face them together.'

Then, with tears in her eyes, the princess took leave of her old horse, who galloped back to her father.

She had ridden only a few miles further, when she saw a golden curl lying on the road before her. Checking her horse, she asked whether it would be better to take it or let it lie.

'If you take it,' said Sunlight, 'you will repent, and if you don't, you will repent too: so take it.' On this the girl dismounted, and picking up the curl, wound it round her neck for safety.

They passed by hills, they passed by mountains, they passed through valleys, leaving behind them thick forests, and fields covered with flowers; and at length they reached the court of the over-lord.

He was sitting on his throne, surrounded by the sons of the other emperors, who served him as pages. These youths came forward to greet their new companion, and wondered why they felt so attracted towards him.

[Quick pause. This is a very funny trope that I keep finding in very old cross-dressing stories. The male characters find themselves mysteriously attracted to the female character pretending to be male. Think of Li Shang from Mulan.]

However, there was no time for talking and concealing her fright.

The princess was led straight up to the throne, and explained, in a low voice, the reason of her coming. The emperor received her kindly, and declared himself fortunate at finding a vassal so brave and so charming, and begged the princess to remain in attendance on his person.

She was, however, very careful in her behaviour towards the other pages, whose way of life did not please her. One day, however, she had been amusing herself by making sweetmeats, when two of the young princes looked in to pay her a visit. She offered them some of the food which was already on the table, and they thought it so delicious that they even licked their fingers so as not to lose a morsel. Of course they did not keep the news of their discovery to themselves, but told all their companions that they had just been enjoying the best supper they had had since they were born. And from that moment the princess was left no peace, till she had promised to cook them all a dinner.

Now it happened that, on the very day fixed, all the cooks in the palace became intoxicated, and there was no one to make up the fire.

When the pages heard of this shocking state of things, they went to their companion and implored her to come to the rescue.

The princess was fond of cooking, and was, besides, very good-natured; so she put on an apron and went down to the kitchen without delay. When the dinner was placed before the emperor he found it so nice that he ate much more than was good for him. The next morning, as soon as he woke, he sent for his head cook, and told him to send up the same dishes as before. The cook, seized with fright at this command, which he knew he could not fulfil, fell on his knees, and confessed the truth.

The emperor was so astonished that he forgot to scold, and while he was thinking over the matter, some of his pages came in and said that their new companion had been heard to boast that he knew where Iliane was to be found—the celebrated Iliane of the song which begins:

'Golden Hair. The fields are green,'

And that to their certain knowledge he had a curl of her hair in his possession.

When he heard that, the emperor desired the page to be brought before him, and, as soon as the princess obeyed his summons, he said to her abruptly:

'Fet-Fruners, you have hidden from me the fact that you knew the golden-haired Iliane! Why did you do this? for I have treated you more kindly than all my other pages.'

Then, after making the princess show him the golden curl which she wore round her neck, he added: 'Listen to me; unless by some means or other you bring me the owner of this lock, I will have your head cut off in the place where you stand. Now go!'

In vain the poor girl tried to explain how the lock of hair came into her possession; the emperor would listen to nothing, and, bowing low, she left his presence and went to consult Sunlight what she was to do.

At his first words she brightened up. 'Do not be afraid, mistress; only last night my brother appeared to me in a dream and told me that a genius had carried off Iliane, whose hair you picked up on the road. But Iliane declares that, before she marries her captor, he must bring her, as a present, the whole stud of mares which belong to her. The genius, half crazy with love, thinks of nothing night and day but how this can be done, and meanwhile she is quite safe in the island swamps of the sea. Go back to the emperor and ask him for twenty ships filled with precious merchandise. The rest you shall know by-and-by.'

On hearing this advice, the princess went at once into the emperor's presence.

'May a long life be yours, O Sovereign all mighty!' said she. 'I have come to tell you that I can do as you command if you will give me twenty ships, and load them with the most precious wares in your kingdom.'

'You shall have all that I possess if you will bring me the golden-haired Iliane,' said the emperor.

The ships were soon ready, and the princess entered the largest and finest, with Sunlight at her side. Then the sails were spread and the voyage began.

For seven weeks the wind blew them straight towards the west, and early one morning they caught sight of the island swamps of the sea.

They cast anchor in a little bay, and the princess made haste to disembark with Sunlight, but, before leaving the ship, she tied to her belt a pair of tiny gold slippers, adorned with precious stones. Then mounting Sunlight, she rode about till she came to several palaces, built on hinges, so that they could always turn towards the sun.

The most splendid of these was guarded by three slaves, whose greedy eyes were caught by the glistening gold of the slippers. They hastened up to the owner of these treasures, and inquired who he was. 'A merchant,' replied the princess, 'who had somehow missed his road, and lost himself among the island swamps of the sea.'

Not knowing if it was proper to receive him or not, the slaves returned to their mistress and told her all they had seen, but not before she had caught sight of the merchant from the roof of her palace. Luckily her gaoler was away, always trying to catch the stud of mares, so for the moment she was free and alone.

The slaves told their tale so well that their mistress insisted on going down to the shore and seeing the beautiful slippers for herself. They were even lovelier than she expected, and when the merchant besought her to come on board, and inspect some that he thought were finer still, her curiosity was too great to refuse, and she went.

Once on board ship, she was so busy turning over all the precious things stored there, that she never knew that the sails were spread, and that they were flying along with the wind behind them; and when she did know, she rejoiced in her heart, though she pretended to weep and lament at being carried captive a second time. Thus they arrived at the court of the emperor.

They were just about to land, when the mother of the genius stood before them. She had learnt that Iliane had fled from her prison in company with a merchant, and, as her son was absent, had come herself in pursuit. Striding over the blue waters, hopping from wave to wave, one foot reaching to heaven, and the other planted in the foam, she was close at their heels, breathing fire and flame, when they stepped on shore from the ship. One glance told Iliane who the horrible old woman was, and she whispered hastily to her companion. Without saying a word, the princess swung her into Sunlight's saddle, and leaping up behind her, they were off like a flash.

It was not till they drew near the town that the princess stooped and asked Sunlight what they should do. 'Put your hand into my left ear,' said he, 'and take out a sharp stone, which you must throw behind you.'

The princess did as she was told, and a huge mountain sprang up behind them. The mother of the genius began to climb up it, and though they galloped quickly, she was quicker still.

They heard her coming, faster, faster; and again the princess stooped to ask what was to be done now. 'Put your hand into my right ear,' said the horse, 'and throw the brush you will find there behind you.' The princess did so, and a great forest sprang up behind them, and, so thick were its leaves, that even a wren could not get through. But the old woman seized hold of the branches and flung herself like a monkey from one to the others, and always she drew nearer—always, always—till their hair was singed by the flames of her mouth.

Then, in despair, the princess again bent down and asked if there was nothing more to be done, and Sunlight replied 'Quick, quick, take off the betrothal ring on the finger of Iliane and throw it behind you.'

This time there sprang up a great tower of stone, smooth as ivory, hard as steel, which reached up to heaven itself. And the mother of the genius gave a howl of rage, knowing that she could neither climb it nor get through it. But she was not beaten yet, and gathering herself together, she made a prodigious leap, which landed her on the top of the tower, right in the middle of Iliane's ring which lay there, and held her tight. Only her claws could be seen grasping the battlements.

All that could be done the old witch did; but the fire that poured from her mouth never reached the fugitives, though it laid waste the country a hundred miles round the tower, like the flames of a volcano. Then, with one last effort to free herself, her hands gave way, and, falling down to the bottom of the tower, she was broken in pieces.

When the flying princess saw what had happened she rode back to the spot, as Sunlight counselled her, and placed her finger on the top of the tower, which was gradually shrinking into the earth. In an instant the tower had vanished as if it had never been, and in its place was the finger of the princess with a ring round it.

The emperor received Iliane with all the respect that was due to her, and fell in love at first sight besides.

But this did not seem to please Iliane, whose face was sad as she walked about the palace or gardens, wondering how it was that, while other girls did as they liked, she was always in the power of someone whom she hated.

So when the emperor asked her to share his throne Iliane answered:

'Noble Sovereign, I may not think of marriage till my stud of horses has been brought me, with their trappings all complete.'

When he heard this, the emperor once more sent for Fet-Fruners, and said:

'Fet-Fruners, fetch me instantly the stud of mares, with their trappings all complete. If not, your head shall pay the forfeit.'

'Mighty Emperor, I kiss your hands! I have but just returned from doing your bidding, and, behold, you send me on another mission, and stake my head on its fulfilment, when your court is full of valiant young men, pining to win their spurs. They say you are a just man; then why not entrust this quest to one of them? Where am I to seek these mares that I am to bring you?'

'How do I know? They may be anywhere in heaven or earth; but, wherever they are, you will have to find them.'

The princess bowed and went to consult Sunlight. He listened while she told her tale, and then said:

'Fetch quickly nine buffalo skins; smear them well with tar, and lay them on my back. Do not fear; you will succeed in this also; but, in the end, the emperor's desires will be his undoing.'

The buffalo skins were soon got, and the princess started off with Sunlight. The way was long and difficult, but at length they reached the place where the mares were grazing. Here the genius who had carried off Iliane was wandering about, trying to discover how to capture them, all the while believing that Iliane was safe in the palace where he had left her.

As soon as she caught sight of him, the princess went up and told him that Iliane had escaped, and that his mother, in her efforts to recapture her, had died of rage. At this news a blind fury took possession of the genius, and he rushed madly upon the princess, who awaited his onslaught with perfect calmness. As he came on, with his sabre lifted high in the air, Sunlight bounded right over his head, so that the sword fell harmless. And when in her turn the princess prepared to strike, the horse sank upon his knees, so that the blade pierced the genius's thigh.

The fight was so fierce that it seemed as if the earth would give way under them, and for twenty miles round the beasts in the forests fled to their caves for shelter. At last, when her strength was almost gone, the genius lowered his sword for an instant. The princess saw her chance, and, with one swoop of her arm, severed her enemy's head from his body. Still trembling from the long struggle, she turned away, and went to the meadow where the stud were feeding.

By the advice of Sunlight, she took care not to let them see her, and climbed a thick tree, where she could see and hear without being seen herself. Then he neighed, and the mares came galloping up, eager to see the new comer—all but one horse, who did not like strangers, and thought they were very well as they were. As Sunlight stood his ground, well pleased with the attention paid him, this sulky creature suddenly advanced to the charge, and bit so violently that had it not been for the nine buffalo skins Sunlight's last moment would have come. When the fight was ended, the buffalo skins were in ribbons, and the beaten animal writhing with pain on the grass.

Nothing now remained to be done but to drive the whole stud to the emperor's court. So the princess came down from the tree and mounted Sunlight, while the stud followed meekly after, the wounded horse bringing up the rear. On reaching the palace, she drove them into a yard, and went to inform the emperor of her arrival.

The news was told at once to Iliane, who ran down directly and called them to her one by one, each mare by its name. And at the first sight of her the wounded animal shook itself quickly, and in a moment its wounds were healed, and there was not even a mark on its glossy skin.

By this time the emperor, on hearing where she was, joined her in the yard, and at her request ordered the mares to be milked, so that both he and she might bathe in the milk and keep young for ever. But they would suffer no one to come near them, and the princess was commanded to perform this service also.

At this, the heart of the girl swelled within her. The hardest tasks were always given to her, and long before the two years were up, she would be worn out and useless. But while these thoughts passed through her mind, a fearful rain fell, such as no man remembered before, and rose till the mares were standing up to their knees in water. Then as suddenly it stopped, and, behold! the water was ice, which held the animals firmly in its grasp. And the princess's heart grew light again, and she sat down gaily to milk them, as if she had done it every morning of her life.

The love of the emperor for Iliane waxed greater day by day, but she paid no heed to him, and always had an excuse ready to put off their marriage. At length, when she had come to the end of everything she could think of, she said to him one day: 'Grant me, Sire, just one request more, and then I will really marry you; for you have waited patiently this long time.'

'My beautiful dove,' replied the emperor, 'both I and all I possess are yours, so ask your will, and you shall have it.'

'Get me, then,' she said, 'a flask of the holy water that is kept in a little church beyond the river Jordan, and I will be your wife.'

Then the emperor ordered Fet-Fruners to ride without delay to the river Jordan, and to bring back, at whatever cost, the holy water for Iliane.

'This, my mistress,' said Sunlight, when she was saddling him, 'is the last and most difficult of your tasks. But fear nothing, for the hour of the emperor has struck.'

So they started; and the horse, who was not a wizard for nothing, told the princess exactly where she was to look for the holy water.

'It stands,' he said, 'on the altar of a little church, and is guarded by a troop of nuns. They never sleep, night or day, but every now and then a hermit comes to visit them, and from him they learn certain things it is needful for them to know. When this happens, only one of the nuns remains on guard at a time, and if we are lucky enough to hit upon this moment, we may get hold of the vase at once; if not, we shall have to wait the arrival of the hermit, however long it may be; for there is no other means of obtaining the holy water.'

They came in sight of the church beyond the Jordan, and, to their great joy, beheld the hermit just arriving at the door. They could hear him calling the nuns around him, and saw them settle themselves under a tree, with the hermit in their midst—all but one, who remained on guard, as was the custom.

The hermit had a great deal to say, and the day was very hot, so the nun, tired of sitting by herself, lay down right across the threshold, and fell sound asleep.

Then Sunlight told the princess what she was to do, and the girl stepped softly over the sleeping nun, and crept like a cat along the dark aisle, feeling the wall with her fingers, lest she should fall over something and ruin it all by a noise. But she reached the altar in safety, and found the vase of holy water standing on it. This she thrust into her dress, and went back with the same care as she came. With a bound she was in the saddle, and seizing the reins bade Sunlight take her home as fast as his legs could carry him.

The sound of the flying hoofs aroused the nun, who understood instantly that the precious treasure was stolen, and her shrieks were so loud and piercing that all the rest came flying to see what was the matter. The hermit followed at their heels, but seeing it was impossible to overtake the thief, he fell on his knees and called his most deadly curse down on her head, praying that if the thief was a man, he might become a woman; and if she was a woman, that she might become a man. In either case he thought that the punishment would be severe.

But punishments are things about which people do not always agree, and when the princess suddenly felt she was really the man she had pretended to be, she was delighted, and if the hermit had only been within reach she would have thanked him from her heart.

By the time she reached the emperor's court, Fet-Fruners looked a young man all over in the eyes of everyone; and even the mother of the genius would now have had her doubts set at rest. He drew forth the vase from his tunic and held it up to the emperor, saying: 'Mighty Sovereign, all hail! I have fulfilled this task also, and I hope it is the last you have for me; let another now take his turn.'

'I am content, Fet-Fruners,' replied the emperor, 'and when I am dead it is you who will sit upon my throne; for I have yet no son to come after me. But if one is given me, and my dearest wish is accomplished, then you shall be his right hand, and guide him with your counsels.'

But though the emperor was satisfied, Iliane was not, and she determined to revenge herself on the emperor for the dangers which he had caused Fet-Fruners to run. And as for the vase of holy water, she thought that, in common politeness, her suitor ought to have fetched it himself, which he could have done without any risk at all.

So she ordered the great bath to be filled with the milk of her mares, and begged the emperor to clothe himself in white robes, and enter the bath with her, an invitation he accepted with joy. Then, when both were standing with the milk reaching to their necks, she sent for the horse which had fought Sunlight, and made a secret sign to him. The horse understood what he was to do, and from one nostril he breathed fresh air over Iliane, and from the other, he snorted a burning wind which shrivelled up the emperor where he stood, leaving only a little heap of ashes.

His strange death, which no one could explain, made a great sensation throughout the country, and the funeral his people gave him was the most splendid ever known. When it was over, Iliane summoned Fet-Fruners before her, and addressed him thus:

'Fet-Fruners! it is you who brought me and have saved my life, and obeyed my wishes. It is you who gave me back my stud; you who killed the genius, and the old witch his mother; you who brought me the holy water. And you, and none other, shall be my husband.'

'Yes, I will marry you,' said the young man, with a voice almost as soft as when he was a princess. 'But know that in OUR house, it will be the cock who sings and not the hen!'

#fairy tales #romanian folklore #pride month #trans pride

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