Category: Advent

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet16 Comments

Fairies Interrupted

Melinda Kucsera

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

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet23 Comments

Beloved and The Trouble with Magical Security

Melinda Kucsera

(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

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet41 Comments

Shopping with Mages

Melinda Kucsera

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

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet21 Comments

A Fool for Christmas

Melinda Kucsera

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

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet9 Comments

The Nutcracker

Melinda Kucsera

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

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet31 Comments

Seconds

Melinda Kucsera

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

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet17 Comments

Button Holed

Melinda Kucsera

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

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, prompt, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet38 Comments

The Rusted King and the Drum

Melinda Kucsera

The Rusted King and the Drum (Picks up where Between Dreams and Boats left off) Rusted nails twisted into a diadem. Three blood stones set in place of precious jewels. On a scrap heap he sprawled with a ripped hem. The King of Nimbledon, liege-lord of fools, price of thieves and bully boys–pay him heed all you creatures of the night, pickpockets, lock breakers, streetwalkers. Orphans bend knee to this tyrant, who reigns with a socket wrench for a scepter that calls all to order. His court of thugs, cheats and scruffy children wait to see who’ll be nailed to the girder. … Continue reading The Rusted King and the Drum

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet16 Comments

Second Thoughts

Melinda Kucsera

Second Thoughts (Picks up where Sparring left off) An open door framed the Christmas tree from where Sarn sat on the edge of his bed, his son’s head pillowed on his thigh, but from that angle what was visible instead, was not the silver fringe unraveled. The tree spoke of things unknown, begged questions with every hanging ornament and bell. Evergreen sprigs and wreaths–decorations that changed the familiar terrain leaving him confused at night, wond’ring where currents of this season would take him next, wond’ring if flight might’ve been best ‘fore his son learnt of this ‘Christmas’. The boy knew it existed, too late to file it away … Continue reading Second Thoughts

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet17 Comments

Sparing

Melinda Kucsera

Sparing (Continues where The Perfect Stone left off) Sarn spat blood, ignored the bright motes floating in the red stain, as he rose for round four. “Come on, stop defending. Start offending,” said his teacher for this match, a man four decades past caring and two past Sarn’s age. “Come on, Kid, hit me. No more defense try some offense now. I could hit at your age.” In a glance, Sarn saw the practice stave by the wall; he’d lost it in the last exchange. A flurry of blows kept him moving back, dodging, blocking but allowing no change to tactics criticized in this attack. A halt … Continue reading Sparing

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet13 Comments

The Perfect Stone

Melinda Kucsera

The Perfect Stone (Picks up where Light the Wreath left off) Seeking the perfect one, Ran touched the stones. “Make them glow,” he said; Sarn touched them; they lit, ’til he moved his hand away. “Pick one stone.” Ran piled the stones up and smiled for his bit. A voice cried out, “make a way for the Lord.” Again he cried, “make straight a path for God.” A ragged man passed, eyes afire for this ‘Lord’ with zealous light as he shouted for his God. Sarn shook his head, “I can’t afford that pile.” “Make more money,” Ran shrugged, the answer clear. Sarn shook his head; time to leave ‘fore the mild crowds, with the man … Continue reading The Perfect Stone

Advent, Fantasy, Holiday, poem, poetry, Shayari, Sonnet15 Comments

Waiting

Melinda Kucsera

Waiting (Picks up from Light the Wreath) In dark we stand about a candle slim. We light this Advent taper in caves deep, in castles old and forests bold. Though dim it stands this tiny flame to ward of sleep. We keep the watch and wait for the promise. In monasteries, the brothers’re chanting. Everyone’s waiting for the one promised. In Shayari, purple stones are glowing, in wreaths ringed around it, families are praying. They wait for the promise to come and his light shine, banishing the darkness there. For that promise they’ll wait, do kind acts from from the heart’s wish to aid, to … Continue reading Waiting

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet8 Comments

Light the Wreath

Melinda Kucsera

Light the Wreath (picks up after Faith ends) Ran cracked the door open, peered though to rule out mischief in the living room. Standing there Nolo, Inari, their son Nerule, in a small circle, with Nolo talking, “…livest and reignest forever. Amen.” Nolo nodded; his son hesitated. “Put the purple one in; we can eat then.” “I’m not the youngest child,” Nerule stated. He nodded to Ran who spied all this through a door cracked open. “Ran should do this now.” “What’re you doing?” Papa asked though he knew. Or maybe he didn’t ’cause he joined Ran now. Like a protective wall, he … Continue reading Light the Wreath