The Storyteller Departs
The storyteller surveyed his silent audience. Some held goblets tight, a few bore grim looks, whilst others, befuddled by wine, sat with lolling heads, but no amount of inspection allowed him to discern if the muted response boded good or ill. Leaning heavily on his staff, he rose, and while those nearest him later said he groaned, they were mistaken.
Before him sat his bleary-eyed queen, resting her head upon her hooves, appearing to cling to the edge of consciousness with some difficulty. Then, without warning, her cheeks bulged, her lips straining to contain a most regal belch. They failed in spectacular fashion.
The court rained foul jeers down upon the old storyteller. With a theatrical swirl of his cloak, he turned and strode out, driven from the hall by their gale of mockery.
He sighed. No more could he do for them, for her. And what right had he to success? Her mother had been much the same, and his youthful quest to touch her heart had failed as well. The weight of fruitless decades descended upon him, mocking his foolishness and futility harsher than those surrounding could ever accomplish.
At last the grand wooden doors shut behind him, muffling the taunts with a thud, sealing his despair. In the vast outer corridor he stood alone and listened to the unearthly howl of the winds outside. It seemed even the elements sneered at him. And such odious weather these days. Why, had he not remarked that very morning how the winters felt longer and colder—utterly inhospitable—with each passing year? He grunted. Age, he told himself, nothing more than age. Yes, springtime comes sooner when one is young.
Youth! So disheartened he’d been, he had forgotten another generation existed, one yet unspoiled. And he wondered: Dare he? Glorious hope blossomed forth, spreading from his heart to his face. Yes! another generation, one last opportunity to restore the kingdom’s true eminence, but…
But the hour was late, and without a doubt the child was already asleep. He too was weary. Blessed sleep would serve him well.
So the storyteller went to retire that night, his spirit renewed. Up and up he climbed, navigating the steep stairway to his cell with care. He entered his modest quarters, latched the door, and prepared for another night of bitter cold. When at last settled, he extinguished his lone candle with a spell so practiced one might think the flame had departed of its own volition. Eyes open, he lay motionless in the dark, impatient for sleep’s arrival. And as he waited, he vowed most fervently that, on the morrow, even before he broke his fast, he would seek out little Princess Platinum and begin his undertaking anew.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Scyphi · 52k words · 105 3 · 1.3k views
- Shrink Laureate · 2.6k words · 56 2 · 1.1k views
- Sharman Pierce · 66k words · 39 1 · 1k views
- Radical Centrist · 72k words · 179 9 · 1.8k views
- FrostTheWolf · 7k words · 55 0 · 1.1k views
- Jack of a Few Trades · 127k words · 349 6 · 12k views
- Mykola · 1.4k words · 44 0 · 624 views
- Starglider · 545k words · 60 5 · 2.6k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.113 seconds
Total duration
916 users online
1,371,155 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Finished? Woo-hoo! Onto the kindle it goes!
9158608
Gridle? Oh... Kindle. Carry on.
So, you’ve been waiting twenty-three months to get started? I’m so sorry.
9158613
It's okay, I've had a few other things to read in the meantime!
This is... surprising in how it ended, and how it ended up doing something great: it actually managed to make proper use of new canon while giving it the love and adventure so many older stories have.
I really enjoyed this.
Sweet, it's finished. I apologize for the lack of comments of late, I've been waiting for this to complete so I could reread the whole thing from the start. That way, everything would be fresh for my review. Bet you forgot I'd promised you one, didn't I? It has been over a year, after all.
More so than a simple comment, a review implies critical analysis, both of a story's merits and flaws. I may be a bit, as I've never written a proper one on fimfic before, and I want to make sure it's done right, given how many other critics frequent these parts. So look forward to that.
9163440
The end, and what a nice finish!
I think you did really well with the message (hope), I really enjoyed the characters and their personal journeys, and I'm glad that for all the hardships, they managed to get their happy ending! Even the old storyteller doesn't know just what an impact he'll have down the road (great touch there btw). I'm really glad Celia's mother was able to break out of the orbs clutches. I was really wondering if she would be okay, even after doing so, but it sounds like she's alright, thank goodness.
Overall a really nice story! Thank you!
My review is live.
9187659
Thank you very much!
This was a fantastic story. Well done.
9296929
Thank you very much for spending your time on it.
PLEASE, I NEEED A SEQUAL. Just a one chapter fluf-fic of there beutifual life, that is all I ask!
I beg of u you good sir :3
Goddamn, I have no idea how this isn't ten times as popular as it is. Bravo. That was wonderful.
11550703
Thanks. It means an awful lot know that you enjoyed this.