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From the Waters of the West I Come

RedPiggy

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FROM THE WATERS OF THE WEST I COME
Chapter 1

Far to the east,
Live such ugly beasts,
Who dance
And prance
Alongside their remarkable king.
In due time,
And perhaps with rhyme,
You’ll learn
To spurn
How the owl grew his wing.

‘Til then the tale I tell,
Shall cast upon you a diff’rent spell,
A wat’ry crown,
Far underground,
Will certainly be mine for the taking.

A night sky, black as the darkest swamp mud, filled the young female’s view. Each star was a beacon, blinking rhythmically, all to enchant her, to entice her with promises of everlasting glory. She sat in a thin gown of sparkling silver which flowed over the crystal bench beneath her. After the sun had shone for a few hundred days, the time for the coronation would begin. Her long white hair was tied intricately in braids, suggesting Celtic knots on the sides. Her face decorated with the soft white paint of the ruling family, with pale blue eyeshadow inviting one into her pleasant gaze. Upon her coronation, she would receive the jewelled tattoo of a water drop leading from her bottom lip to her chin, a small but powerful design she chose herself.

A firm male voice, instantly making one feel the presence of a raging river, interrupted her silent gazing, “Have you been to the aviary?”

The female smiled gently and turned. “Father, forgive me, but I find birds to be such unclean things. Shall I litter my gown with feathers instead of stroking the glimmering scales of lily creatures?”

Her father smiled and tenderly stroked her hair. “My fairest Mizumi, the next incarnation of the Cup of Moraine, would you deny your father the bonding required of our race?”

Mizumi frowned and stood. “Father, there are peacocks in the aviary. They do little else but strut with their overabundant tails, flashing blue and green to any onlooker, as though they should be admired.” She turned her head in disgust. “They are such vain, stupid creatures.”

Her father laughed, nodding, sitting beside her on the bench as the moonlight made them both shimmer. “There is something to be said of proper appearances, but there are other kinds of birds in the aviary that might be more to your liking. The Cup of Moraine must choose a glamour fitting the heart of the coming reign.”

Mizumi turned to face her father, who had since transformed into a black heron, its wings arched around it, forming a stark umbrella. It was nearly invisible in the night sky save for the shimmering of its feathers in the moonlight. She watched as he transformed back into a tall, lean, wizened old man with frost sprinkled over his short gray hair. He had a jewelled tattoo of a river winding over his face.

“From the time of my coronation, I chose the black heron for its penchant of surrounding the prey with its entire body. I search the edges of the Lake of Moraine, protecting it from harm,” he told her. “You, too, must find a bird that captures the heart of your coming rule.”

Mizumi smiled softly and stared at the floor, twisting back and forth playfully with her hands clasped behind her back. “And if no bird can contain me?”

Her father leaned forward. “Oh? Are you so certain your aspirations can reach so high? Do you desire not a kingdom, but an empire?”

Mizumi fell to her father’s feet and clenched his knees pleadingly. “Oh, father, I will not have just Moraine but every lake, every river, every stream … even the oceans shall heed my calls.”

Her father sighed and patted her on the head. “My precious Mizumi, take care, great care, that by connecting so many bodies of water you do not poison the lake you call home.”

She stood, placing her hands on her heart. “Father, I will make you proud. I will not venture forth until I am aware of my surroundings. I shall not obtain new kingdoms until I have protected this one.” She turned and bowed to him. “I am no fool, father. Under my care no place in the universe shall invite ruin.”

Her father stood and smiled, nodding politely. “May your cup overflow with prosperity, my loving daughter.” He chuckled. “Prior to your universal conquest, however, you must learn the strengths of the Kingdom of Moraine. I entreat you to be at my side come dawn.” He bowed slightly, a gesture returned by his daughter, and left the princess to dream of tomorrow’s shore.
 

The Count

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Yay! *Loves how you weave the worlds together like this. Hmm, 3 points to the Moraine. 3 is a magical number you know, and the number of birds aluded to in this opening shot.
*Chuckles at the connotation of peacocks. Yeah, that's probably why Lucius's lawn was littered with white specimens.

More please?
 

RedPiggy

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Yes, other than a recurring guest star coming much later in the story, most of the Comeback King references, hopefully, will be so subtle as to be unimportant for the understanding yet a nice Easter egg for long-time readers. As I have to wait until DECEMBER for the Jareth prequel comic, I thought I'd flesh out the Kingdom of Moraine in a prequel of my own. I find its portrayal fascinating and I hope to delve deep into its history and culture.
 

Twisted Tails

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Yes, other than a recurring guest star coming much later in the story, most of the Comeback King references, hopefully, will be so subtle as to be unimportant for the understanding yet a nice Easter egg for long-time readers. As I have to wait until DECEMBER for the Jareth prequel comic, I thought I'd flesh out the Kingdom of Moraine in a prequel of my own. I find its portrayal fascinating and I hope to delve deep into its history and culture.
Oh RedPiggy, I would love some Muppets back or Red Fraggle.She is always into fantasies ands adventure. Also, maybe some of your OCs back if possible. Let me know if you bring a Fraggle or Muppets back. Great start with the first chapter of Labyrith. Thanks!
 

RedPiggy

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Well, in the first few chapters of the Comeback King Saga, we learn of a Fraggle Rock character who apparently lived in Moraine before living where we see him now. (Is that vague enough?) As much as I'd like to use Red, etc ... I'm not certain they'd be alive yet. I tend to be very meticulous about my Comeback timeline, as seen here. I haven't quite decided when this story takes place, but in Return to Labyrinth Jareth makes the Goblin Kingdom/Labyrinth well after (very well after) he and Mizumi meet, and she's already the queen of Moraine by this point.
 

Twisted Tails

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Well, in the first few chapters of the Comeback King Saga, we learn of a Fraggle Rock character who apparently lived in Moraine before living where we see him now. (Is that vague enough?) As much as I'd like to use Red, etc ... I'm not certain they'd be alive yet. I tend to be very meticulous about my Comeback timeline, as seen here. I haven't quite decided when this story takes place, but in Return to Labyrinth Jareth makes the Goblin Kingdom/Labyrinth well after (very well after) he and Mizumi meet, and she's already the queen of Moraine by this point.
Okay, you're right! It's your story, so I don't mind a Fraggle Rock character I never heard of at all. Thanks you for the advice!
 

Lola p

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Wow, this is good.

*puppy dog eyes*

Please ma'am, may I have some more?
 

RedPiggy

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Chapter 2
The golden light caressed Mizumi’s face, waking her. She opened her closet and chose a sleeveless blouse. It was white with a ruffled collar tight around her neck, lace cascading from her neck across her chest and back and flowing over her hips, like a rushing waterfall. She added a flowing skirt so pale a blue it was almost as white as her blouse. She placed a thin net around her hair, forcing it into a bun shape. She fastened it with a heron-shaped blue diamond jewel.

As she walked gently down the giant corridors of the castle, she found many metallic objects with water flowing through them, creating a complex yet simple melody, like hearing the lonely drips dripping from the edge of a roof during a torrential downpour. She paused for a few moments to let the sounds inundate her like a spring rain.

“Impressive, no?” asked a young courtesan woman with a wide smile and a twinkle in her eye. Her robe shimmered in the light, creating a rainbow of colors. She nodded toward the musical devices. “I knew a young human male centuries ago named Hero. He lived in a quaint time where only a few advanced kingdoms existed. He was a pious male who wanted to honor the gods.” She giggled. “I came to him at night and we,” she coughed, “deliberated for hours, inventing clever devices that run on steam and water. He could even make religious tourists gape in awe as the sacred fires were lit, opening the temple doors as though the gods themselves were inviting them inside.” She sighed. “He was such a clever male. I like them clever, don’t you?”

Mizumi frowned. “Humans do not interest me,” she replied sourly. “They have only distant memories of power. They never have it themselves.”

The courtesan woman shook her head and caressed the device. “Milady is preparing to become the Cup of Moraine.” She smirked and winked at the princess. “The Cup can hold more than one drink, you know. Do not let your father’s pride blind you to the pleasures to be derived from all the flavors in the universe.”

Mizumi sighed. “The advice is duly noted. I must leave you and find my father, whose policies you seem to hold in less esteem than I do.”

She shrugged and began to leave. “The river flows downhill always, princess. No matter how unpredictable its route, some things simply do not change.”

Four hours passed as Mizumi left the main wings of the castle and floated down a waterfall in a conch-shaped carriage. The Castle of Moraine consisted of many wings on numerous boulders resting in the middle of a lake that stretched to each horizon. Each wing was connected by rushing waterfalls generated in the bowels of the main wing on the largest boulder in the center. Most citizens traversed between the wings in different types of carriages that floated up and down the waterfalls. As Mizumi landed, an athletic young man with frosted black hair met her and bowed deeply. He wore a tight armor that appeared to consist of black tar, which pulsated as he moved. He had a squared jaw and piercing eyes. “Milady, your father awaits you in the basement.”

Mizumi’s left eyebrow rose. “The basement of this wing?” She nodded and brushed past him coldly.

He followed. “Milady, is there to be a king as well?”

Mizumi walked without looking at him. “I am to be the Cup of Moraine. There is to be no other.”

He stood in front of her, making her grimace in frustration. “Milady, if it please you, a gift.” He held out a palm and ice began to form in his hand, creating the small image of a fish with mouth wide open. He smiled. “May all fall into the mouth of the Cup of Moraine.”

Mizumi snorted and pushed him aside. “Cretin, my attention this day is for my father. Your attention this day is for the fungal infection of the carriage. Polish it well.”

He kneeled as she left, his eyes burning toward the ground. “As you wish, milady.”

At long last, and content to be free of that boot-licking servant, Mizumi knocked on a large set of mother-of-pearl doors at the bottom of a long staircase. They opened by themselves and out strode the confident, if dishevelled, form of the courtesan woman, her face beaming as she adjusted her blouse.

Her father stepped into view, the river tattoo on his face swirling briefly before settling into its normal position. “My dearest daughter, welcome to the bottom of the river.”

“Indeed,” snapped Mizumi curtly.

He lunged forward and slapped her. “Do you think I asked you here to comment on my dalliances?”

Mizumi rubbed her stinging cheek. “You are the one who advised me not to poison the waters of Moraine,” she grumbled back.

Chuckling, her father nodded. “Indeed.” Sighing, he continued, “Still, what you see as a flaw of your father’s heart is but a sign of his unending compassion. Only the royal line can manipulate the states of water. This is all well and good in times of peace, but in times of war, every citizen must be equipped for battle. Only fools let soldiers fight unarmed.” He clasped his hands on her shoulders, ignoring her revulsion. “Mizumi, I am the river that feeds the lake. Without that nourishment, the lake would dry out. I brought you here to remember from whence your meals come. When you become the Cup of Moraine, I expect you to remember to feed the waters yourself.”
 

The Count

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Thank you for posting a new chap Kelly. Dunno if the Hero you're referencing is from the myth of Hero and Leander, and if not that's okay, enjoyed who Mizumi met in rollin' down the river.
 
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