Title: A Story for the Children
Author: Elly
Character: Faramir, Éowyn, their children
Rating: G
Notes: Ficlet for the Ringprov “Scary Story” challenge. This is so very strange. It's less of a scary story and more of a story about a scary story. I blame watching The Storyteller for this.
|
The story was frightening, all full of danger and evil and strong princes falling prey to wicked witches disguised as beautiful queens. The children shuddered in the telling, gathering close to their father and trying to remember they were safe- their mother was there, her sword ready, and their father was there with gentle smiles and a strong hand to tuck them in. It didn't really help. But that was the point of asking for a scary story, wasn't it? The storyteller crouched over in his chair by the fire, weaving words the way the lasses wove rugs, but with the opposite effect. Rugs stopped bare feet from catching chills- the story chilled them from the head down. This one was especially frightening. Darkness for days on end, fell beasts fly the skies and people die. That didn't usually happen. Oh, sometime the wicked witch caught her end, or the princess was an orphan. But no one important died. Until now, in this story. Being caught in the story as they were, they did not see the glances between their parents- their mother's lips pressed tightly together to hold back the memories brought on by a story that was too close to home. Later, the story finished and the prince saved by his love, the children pad off to bed. Snuggled down, safe and warm, the fright passes and they slip off to sleep. Faramir looks to his wife as she tucks the children in bed, favoring one arm. He, unlike the children, saw her face as bits of the story stirred memories in each of them. She shrugged it off, of course. It was a silly story, meant to entertain the children, designed to be frightening. But he knows the truth of a horror tale. The thing to remember with stories is that horror lies mostly within the truth. |