The next morning, Alfred woke up with great joy to a pile of chestnuts next to his bed and the end of the storm. After thanking the tree, the three of them had a super awesome time as Adain roasted the chestnuts. It was weird, apparently ghosts could eat if they wanted to! They just took all the flavor out of food, and, according to Aengus, it lost all its nutritional value. Alfred wondered if potato chip factories were infested with ghosts or something. He vaguely wanted to do some tests, but smiled, and reminded himself with an odd sort of acceptance that the rules here changed. So here there wasn’t such thing as normal, or of a controlled variable, or even a set of reasonable expectation, but that was okay, kind of! Oh, and Alfred’s curiosity was sated. Adain’s flame on this particular occasion was a pumpkin orange! Of course, that got him on the topic of pumpkin pie and Thanksgiving for a good part of the morning. Yes, it was completely necessary.
After that, they packed up and Alfred carefully pantomimed opening a door, and cautiously placed a palm on the tree’s wonderful walls. In an instant, he was outside the tree, as were Aengus and Adain. Oh a whim, Alfred hugged the huge tree as much as he could. “Thank you!” he whispered. Huh, he never took himself as a tree hugger. He laughed at his own pun. He loved puns, English was the best language for puns, in his opinion. Arthur thought his puns were horrible and groaned every time he made one, but thought they were funny all the same. See? Alfred was hilarious! Arthur laughter proved it!
There was a light tap on his shoulder, and Alfred turned to find the dryad standing there, pretty as ever. She scooped him up quickly in a hug, pecked him on the cheek. Alfred blushed from the roots of his hair to his fingertips as he felt her chest press on his. The monotonous ‘Arthur’ chants did very little good, so he was glad when she stepped back and presented him with a closed fist. She uncurled her fingers slowly, and there in her palm sat the most perfect chestnut he’d ever seen, wrapped in some sort of hemp type cord. Alfred smiled at her, confused. What was he supposed to do with this?
She rolled her eyes, and took the cord loop and threw it around his neck.
“Oh!” Alfred murmured. A necklace, wonderful. He squirmed uncomfortably, as he didn’t have anything to give her as well, and stuffed his hands into his pockets… oh!
Alfred pulled out the amulet, and examined it, going through the pros and cons in his head. True, it allowed him to see magic and spells and stuff, but down here, apparently even the mushrooms were magic if Lewis Carroll was to be trusted, and wouldn’t do him much good anymore. He hesitantly placed he talisman in her hand.
After an instant, she squealed, and gave him another hug, then disappeared back into her tree. Alfred smiled after, and wished her well mentally. She really was quite sweet.
He turned, and Aengus and Adain were giving him weird looks again. “What?” he asked, confused as to everything. Why was it whenever he did something, it was weird?
Aengus just shook his head resignedly with a broad smile on his face. “Nothin. Nothin’ at all.”
Adain flapped up to Alfred’s backpack. You’re breaking rules again.
At this, Alfred laughed, his wonderfully good mood restored after his night’s rest.
They set off towards the Fífeldór, their steps as light as the sun. Well, actually, millions of times lighter than that, because the sun was ridiculously heavy, but oh! Whatever, this was a new world, with new rules, and Alfred found, after much consideration, that he could accept that.
Hey everyone! This admittedly took a while. I was originally going to go in a slightly different direction, but it felt forced, and I looked at my notes and realized this huge important step that Alfred needed to have, and it came much more naturally.
In regards to my question: Derp, probably bulbous would have been a better word! I just didn’t think Alfred would immediately jumped to that word, as he isn’t very good with instruments he doesn’t know! But just for the curious, it was a mandolin. Thanks you three readers!
This chapter is very, very significant for the larger story. Speaking of larger story, it’s going to be four parts, in a style similar to LotR, so we’re going to have Alfred’s POV for a long, long time, but events that happen in other parts affect the current part, and vice versa. So after we reach the stopping point for this part, we’ll rewind the tape and view from a different camera angle, basically. Meaning yes, this is going to be a long haul. But I am ridiculously committed to this story, so I hope that’s okay!
I need a vote for Francis inclusion on this story. We’re going to see more of Matthew, Arthur, and all of his brothers, but Francis is optional for the storyline. So, yes or no?
With every new part this just keeps getting better and better! I love it! And I certainly don't mind a long haul! That's means there's more of this masterpiece to enjoy.
I love this story so far! I love all the little details you've included, like Adain's pride and the dryad not understanding spoken language. I'm very pleased at the way you're made the fairies powerful beings as thy are in the actual mythology, not just cutesy little critters with wings. Will we be meeting any of Japan's yokai or supernatural creatures from other traditions, since we've met one of Greece's dryads?
Your Alfred POV is great, and I was a bit sad at him wondering if there were footprints on the moon in this realm. He really is out of his depth here, and it was a perfect illustration of just how far from home he is.
I'm also intensely curous about what's happening to Arthur, curous about his brothers, and wondering what's happening back home while Alfred is away.
And I vote yes for Francis to be included, if he won't make things to complicated for you, author-anon! I'm cool with whatever you want to do.
I am loving this! Every single part is just fantastic, and it keeps getting better. You're right, if you had used the word "bulbous" I would have guess mandolin right away. I should have anyway, though, because I don't think violas are used much in folk music (mostly in classical). I can see him thinking of a mandolin as a really weird hybrid between a guitar and a violin. Anyway!
I'm not so sure about Francis, I guess there is a reason you might want to include a section with him. I vote indifference as far as he's concerned. He's not one of my favorites--but that all depends on how his character is handled.
How much is it going to effect things that Alfred just gave away the amulet? What is going to think? Will he need it later on? I can't help but think about these things. You write so well, you get my mind really going during the story--kind of like Alfred's. By the way, I love how Alfred's mind works!
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Crowe 8g/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-17 05:52 am (UTC)(link)After that, they packed up and Alfred carefully pantomimed opening a door, and cautiously placed a palm on the tree’s wonderful walls. In an instant, he was outside the tree, as were Aengus and Adain. Oh a whim, Alfred hugged the huge tree as much as he could. “Thank you!” he whispered. Huh, he never took himself as a tree hugger. He laughed at his own pun. He loved puns, English was the best language for puns, in his opinion. Arthur thought his puns were horrible and groaned every time he made one, but thought they were funny all the same. See? Alfred was hilarious! Arthur laughter proved it!
There was a light tap on his shoulder, and Alfred turned to find the dryad standing there, pretty as ever. She scooped him up quickly in a hug, pecked him on the cheek. Alfred blushed from the roots of his hair to his fingertips as he felt her chest press on his. The monotonous ‘Arthur’ chants did very little good, so he was glad when she stepped back and presented him with a closed fist. She uncurled her fingers slowly, and there in her palm sat the most perfect chestnut he’d ever seen, wrapped in some sort of hemp type cord. Alfred smiled at her, confused. What was he supposed to do with this?
She rolled her eyes, and took the cord loop and threw it around his neck.
“Oh!” Alfred murmured. A necklace, wonderful. He squirmed uncomfortably, as he didn’t have anything to give her as well, and stuffed his hands into his pockets… oh!
Alfred pulled out the amulet, and examined it, going through the pros and cons in his head. True, it allowed him to see magic and spells and stuff, but down here, apparently even the mushrooms were magic if Lewis Carroll was to be trusted, and wouldn’t do him much good anymore. He hesitantly placed he talisman in her hand.
After an instant, she squealed, and gave him another hug, then disappeared back into her tree. Alfred smiled after, and wished her well mentally. She really was quite sweet.
He turned, and Aengus and Adain were giving him weird looks again. “What?” he asked, confused as to everything. Why was it whenever he did something, it was weird?
Aengus just shook his head resignedly with a broad smile on his face. “Nothin. Nothin’ at all.”
Adain flapped up to Alfred’s backpack. You’re breaking rules again.
At this, Alfred laughed, his wonderfully good mood restored after his night’s rest.
They set off towards the Fífeldór, their steps as light as the sun. Well, actually, millions of times lighter than that, because the sun was ridiculously heavy, but oh! Whatever, this was a new world, with new rules, and Alfred found, after much consideration, that he could accept that.
Hey everyone! This admittedly took a while. I was originally going to go in a slightly different direction, but it felt forced, and I looked at my notes and realized this huge important step that Alfred needed to have, and it came much more naturally.
In regards to my question: Derp, probably bulbous would have been a better word! I just didn’t think Alfred would immediately jumped to that word, as he isn’t very good with instruments he doesn’t know! But just for the curious, it was a mandolin. Thanks you three readers!
Crowe 8h/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-17 05:53 am (UTC)(link)I need a vote for Francis inclusion on this story. We’re going to see more of Matthew, Arthur, and all of his brothers, but Francis is optional for the storyline. So, yes or no?
Re: Crowe 8h/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-17 05:43 pm (UTC)(link)And I cast a vote of yes for Francis.
Re: Crowe 8h/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-19 04:58 am (UTC)(link)And I vote no for Francis. :P
Re: Crowe 8h/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-19 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)Your Alfred POV is great, and I was a bit sad at him wondering if there were footprints on the moon in this realm. He really is out of his depth here, and it was a perfect illustration of just how far from home he is.
I'm also intensely curous about what's happening to Arthur, curous about his brothers, and wondering what's happening back home while Alfred is away.
And I vote yes for Francis to be included, if he won't make things to complicated for you, author-anon! I'm cool with whatever you want to do.
Looking forward to the next part!
Re: Crowe 8h/?
(Anonymous) 2012-08-19 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)I'm not so sure about Francis, I guess there is a reason you might want to include a section with him. I vote indifference as far as he's concerned. He's not one of my favorites--but that all depends on how his character is handled.
How much is it going to effect things that Alfred just gave away the amulet? What is going to think? Will he need it later on? I can't help but think about these things. You write so well, you get my mind really going during the story--kind of like Alfred's. By the way, I love how Alfred's mind works!