Wreathed in Light
Wreathed in Light (Picks up where Deck the Mountain’s Halls left off) “Wait!” Ran cried, his need to complete things taking charge, “the wreath! It needs one more light.” One spot left on the e’er green, Advent ring; one dark place that needed to be made bright. Then the fairies’ spell could begin, Advent’s end with it bring; the waiting’s done and soon celebrations will ring with song, presents ‘neath the tree and laughter, the season’s boon. To move things along, Ran hurried to fetch Nolo, his son Nerule, Inari, his wife, Uncle Miren, Papa who catches him in a hug, gathering them all ’round the … Continue reading Wreathed in Light
Deck the Mountain’s Halls
Deck the Mountain’s Halls (Picks up where Fools & Farewells left off) Hot chocolate gone, cold gnawing on his skin, Sarn traded the terrace for the warm suite. He found his son affixing with frostin’, a gingerbread balcony to a sweet cookie mountain replete with candy trails. Sarn lay down joined by Ran and his stuffed bear. Sarn’s magic roiled and tortured him with wails. Three lights bobbed in air, alighted with care. “We three bring good gifts,” they sang one and all. Ran raised his head, blinked at the three fairies. “You can fix my Papa?” They nodded, all three moved, weaving fairy light and … Continue reading Deck the Mountain’s Halls
Fools & Farewells
The Fool (Picks up where The Longest Night left off) A red silk scarf slid through Inari’s hands, pooled in the drawer where it’d rested for years, when she’d traded it for a marriage band. Some days she liked to reconnect with years past, feel the silk against her smile and play once more the gypsy girl in a trader’s caravan with tarot cards, fated to play. She removed the deck, shuffled it; later she’d play the good god-fearing wife; right now she wanted assurance that Ran’s tearful prediction was false, that Sarn’s okay now and that his absence meant an eventful night, not … Continue reading Fools & Farewells
The Longest Night
Winter Solstice (Continues where Fairies Interrupted left off) Light cut through the mist rising off River Nirthal as the moon parted drifting clouds. It shone down on bare branches that shiver. Enchanted Forest sleeps and winter’s shroud falls flesh as secrets to cover its ground. The Nirthal’s tide washes ashore and breath hangs in clouds that break apart without sound. All is silent in the deep night e’en death’s hidden abyss calms, it’s cadence quiet. Sarn looked at the forest’s brooding profile spreading in an untamed jumble that let few pass unhindered as monks in a file process ’round twin circles of standing stones, chanting holy … Continue reading The Longest Night
Fairies Interrupted
Fairies Interrupted (story continued from A Fool for Christmas) The fairies crouched on a wardrobe, peaked through curving woodwork that crowned the heavy piece. A father and son slept on as they drew power once again from Christmas’ peace. Spinning a web from threads of holiday fun; winding in snow, mistletoe, presents beneath the tree; ho hos, cookie filled days, blended with carols, candle mass and sleighs… until the spell almost burst with good cheer. ‘Fore they could loose it, a voice insisted, a door opened, a man hurried in here. He shook awake the father, insisted that he rise, a lost … Continue reading Fairies Interrupted
graffiti
graffiti Words scrawled on the wall erode by magic, as it eats away at the paint, renders the writer’s message in tragic lines that blur, but don’t fade as the number of viewers rises to include a young man, illiterate, who sees only lines, takes away no meaning nor does his young son who’s tugging his hand, pulling out of line, not interested at this time in words written by adults on stone walls, left for people who don’t have adventures; forwards, he wants to go where there’s just canvas for life to paint fantastic landscapes, simple pleasures or destinies without ripples. ~ ~ ~ Inspired … Continue reading graffiti
Beloved and The Trouble with Magical Security
(this piece references events that take place in Shopping with Mages) Beloved Inari brushed her long hair, her thoughts winged to Mount Eredren, to her beloved but her eyes rested on her son who hanged on what Sarn said; he, a substitute thread in the tapestry of her family. Nerule no longer competed for time her beloved spent not with family but with the rangers, working overtime. No, her son’d found a naive substitute, one used to playing the role, and always glad to include her son in his pursuits. Her family was eroding away. She was on a family trip sent by her … Continue reading Beloved and The Trouble with Magical Security
Shopping with Mages
Shopping with Mages (and why you shouldn’t EVER take a mage shopping…) [Picks up where Button Holed left off] Water swirled past, sails lay slack and gathered, rowers plied their oars moving the trireme down the River Nirthal. Winter withered what autumn left behind, a color scheme spare and dark where naked trees stood sleeping the winter’s sleep, dreaming of greening spring days. What the hell was he doing here standing ’round staring as trees slide by in a daze? Roped into a shopping trip despite doubts about the holiday they went to shop– “Do you know what this Christmas day’s about?” “No school that day,” … Continue reading Shopping with Mages
A Fool for Christmas
A Fool for Christmas (Picks up where Light the Tree left off) Nolo prayed, “O Lord, listen to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds…” More he said, things ’bout visits and affairs of grace, the rest washed o’er Sarn and couldn’t find a home, so its meaning got lost somewhere between man, prayer and ignorant darkness. Nolo’s wife added a brilliant rose stone to the advent wreath, but e’en that brightness couldn’t enlighten a darkness all his own. So Sarn stood there, as he’d done two Sundays prior, wondering what wreath, tree and waiting time betokened, what would Christmas day require? Some understanding would surely come, … Continue reading A Fool for Christmas
Star of Change
Star of Change Said the night wind to people standing there, do you know what glows, people, way up high? A star, a star, of change, shining right there. It’ll bring change where’er it’s light passes by. Oh star of wonder, star of night, royal star whose shining eye regards our abode. On that silent night, when long knives, their toil cease; their owners sleep; their rage, peace erodes. Like a dove, peace descends in radiant light on that silent night when all is calm, all is bright, to alight on aspirants who struggle for peace ’till it’s in their palms. For them that star shines, torches … Continue reading Star of Change
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker (Picks up where The Rusted King and the Drum left off) Three fairies perched on sainted heads; halos ringed their whispered conference; while below drum beats ceased as drummer boy and son, made slow progress to the doors, while echoes still hum. ‘Twas clear to the fairies that the duo had no a clue ’bout the season’s reason for celebration; they can’t let that go. Ignorance is a war that must be won! So off they floated after the drummer and his son through quiet halls of fortress, hiding in mosaic glow, their dimmer fairy light, they’d an … Continue reading The Nutcracker
Armadillo Dreams
Armadillo Dreams Armored shell enclosed, it digs and burrows. Rarely out at night, it’s nocturnal but My trusty Armadillo friend, sorrows. As he swings his tail, wishing he’s a mutt. Dragon wings, he’d have, the better to fly Into the sky, where clouds’ kiss, brush his snout. Like a beast of myth, he’d spit fire, fly high Let sunlight gild his scales and poems spout On moonless evenings with wizards and wights, Dreaming as they scheme of overthrowing Regents of evil intent, who hold light, Ever bright, captive in surreal drawings. Alas, but for an accident of fate– My armadillo’s dreams won’t be sated. … Continue reading Armadillo Dreams
Light the Tree
Light the Tree (Picks up where Seconds left off) Sarn watched his son hang button hearts on boughs. Assembled from fallen branches, it stood e’en with Sarn’s head, those once enchanted boughs. Still some magic left in their dying wood. Sparks of green winked in its needles and bark. Still a collection of dead things arranged and decorated with symbols, no part for him in this thing that was prearranged. “It should glow,” Ran said, hanging the last heart. “It can’t because the branches are dying. Not enough magic left to do its part.” Sarn shrugged; Ran didn’t find that satisfying. Neither did Sarn … Continue reading Light the Tree
Seconds
Seconds (Picks up where The Nutcracker left off) Nolo paused, caught half in, half out; a spy arrested by a scar, he’d come seconds too late to prevent; he’d saved the Kid’s eye, but not his face, too late by mere seconds. Yet just in time to save Sarn’s life, just so he could wreck it at sixteen by getting a girl with child. ‘Till that tree’s just so, that child is constantly rearranging. He was at it now though he’d enlisted help with the high branches and there they stood, young father and son, as the tree listed. A ball dropped, knocked … Continue reading Seconds
Button Holed
Button Holed (Picks up where Second Thoughts left off) “Between the shadow and the soul, I love you like a dark thing in secret,” she sang as flies buzzed around her head, while above, a boy sat making button hearts to hang. Sarn crouched down to see what his son had made. “For the tree,” Ran held a button heart strung with thread; Sarn took it and with a hug paid for its creation; hearing what was sung, and not liking its lyrics, he took his son into the suite and back to homey things suited to a child’s ears, only to run straight into … Continue reading Button Holed
Melinda Kucsera - USA Today Bestselling Author of Epic Fantasy Adventures 
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