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[[Category:Bardic Runners Up]][[Category:2005 Bardics]] | |||
By: Jerenii | By: Jerenii | ||
Posted on: December 30, 2005 | Posted on: December 30, 2005 | ||
There is, as any Siren worth her voice knows, a difference between the stories | There is, as any Siren worth her voice knows, a difference between the stories | ||
that are told by men and those told by women. Often enough, a single tale | that are told by men and those told by women. Often enough, a single tale | ||
transforms when passed from the lips of a Satyr to a Siren. Sometimes they | transforms when passed from the lips of a Satyr to a Siren. Sometimes they | ||
seem like two stories instead of one. | seem like two stories instead of one. | ||
It is said in Tasur'ke that the Garden of Whispers was born of the love of | It is said in Tasur'ke that the Garden of Whispers was born of the love of | ||
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madness by the voices of the Gods and threw herself from a cliff to escape | madness by the voices of the Gods and threw herself from a cliff to escape | ||
them. | them. | ||
This is not that story. This is a version of the tale told amongst the Sirens, | This is not that story. This is a version of the tale told amongst the Sirens, | ||
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generations since the true events were forgotten. This story is not about | generations since the true events were forgotten. This story is not about | ||
Darius at all, but about Niliana, sweet Niliana, and her descent into insanity. | Darius at all, but about Niliana, sweet Niliana, and her descent into insanity. | ||
It is said that Niliana was a Siren, of a particularly quiet disposition. | It is said that Niliana was a Siren, of a particularly quiet disposition. | ||
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those days, was naturally hard of hearing, and this flaw made her shy of | those days, was naturally hard of hearing, and this flaw made her shy of | ||
crowds. | crowds. | ||
It came, then, that Darius stumbled across Niliana one chilly Aeguary evening | It came, then, that Darius stumbled across Niliana one chilly Aeguary evening | ||
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of her voice, and he loved her as men love Sirens. Yet even then, when he | of her voice, and he loved her as men love Sirens. Yet even then, when he | ||
approached her, she started like a young deer and hid within the house. | approached her, she started like a young deer and hid within the house. | ||
Thus it came to be that Darius prayed to the great Sarapis and built his | Thus it came to be that Darius prayed to the great Sarapis and built his | ||
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slumber, and fewer butterflies would come to keep her company. That winter was | slumber, and fewer butterflies would come to keep her company. That winter was | ||
especially lonely for her, though she knew not the reason. | especially lonely for her, though she knew not the reason. | ||
During the month of Mayan, Darius finished his gardens, and the town scheduled | During the month of Mayan, Darius finished his gardens, and the town scheduled | ||
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quietly to the Gardens, though with so many voices, she always felt lost, | quietly to the Gardens, though with so many voices, she always felt lost, | ||
unable to distinguish any single conversation. | unable to distinguish any single conversation. | ||
And Darius saw her there and took her by the hand, and when he spoke, his voice | And Darius saw her there and took her by the hand, and when he spoke, his voice | ||
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touched her flawed ears and allowed her to hear someone clearly for the first | touched her flawed ears and allowed her to hear someone clearly for the first | ||
time. | time. | ||
It seemed, then, to the townspeople that Niliana blossomed with the spring | It seemed, then, to the townspeople that Niliana blossomed with the spring | ||
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quickly into a pure form of love, deep and genuine. They were married in less | quickly into a pure form of love, deep and genuine. They were married in less | ||
than a year, and their marriage was truly happy. | than a year, and their marriage was truly happy. | ||
Then came a time when Darius was called away to Shallam, to consult with others | Then came a time when Darius was called away to Shallam, to consult with others | ||
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people of Tasur'ke also tell the story, she grew too proud of her husband's | people of Tasur'ke also tell the story, she grew too proud of her husband's | ||
work, and her thoughts offended the Gods themselves. | work, and her thoughts offended the Gods themselves. | ||
Niliana's ears were opened fully, and the normal, quiet sounds of the town were | Niliana's ears were opened fully, and the normal, quiet sounds of the town were | ||
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own mother and sisters. Darius was sent for, and he raced home on a fast | own mother and sisters. Darius was sent for, and he raced home on a fast | ||
horse. | horse. | ||
Niliana cried with delight when she saw her husband, and they embraced, but | Niliana cried with delight when she saw her husband, and they embraced, but | ||
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to no avail. The afflictions of the Gods were not to be cured by the medicines | to no avail. The afflictions of the Gods were not to be cured by the medicines | ||
of mortals. | of mortals. | ||
Time again passed, and it was another chill Aeguary eve when Darius, exhausted | Time again passed, and it was another chill Aeguary eve when Darius, exhausted | ||
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voice could not. She ran to the Gardens where she had been so blessed and so | voice could not. She ran to the Gardens where she had been so blessed and so | ||
cursed. | cursed. | ||
Niliana moved through the garden like a ghost, her eyes haunted, and touched | Niliana moved through the garden like a ghost, her eyes haunted, and touched | ||
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for compassion to be given her, for the joy that she had before her impious | for compassion to be given her, for the joy that she had before her impious | ||
thoughts led her to madness. | thoughts led her to madness. | ||
And then, only then in her deepest despair, Niliana was struck completely deaf. | And then, only then in her deepest despair, Niliana was struck completely deaf. | ||
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cliff, her tattered mind barely able to grasp the sudden and somehow comforting | cliff, her tattered mind barely able to grasp the sudden and somehow comforting | ||
silence. | silence. | ||
Trying to put her hazy thoughts into coherent order, Niliana paused, swaying on | Trying to put her hazy thoughts into coherent order, Niliana paused, swaying on | ||
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woman reached for the butterfly, stepped towards it…and found her peace below, | woman reached for the butterfly, stepped towards it…and found her peace below, | ||
in the embrace of Caspian and the hereafter. | in the embrace of Caspian and the hereafter. | ||
It is said amongst the townsfolk and the Sirens alike that Darius followed | It is said amongst the townsfolk and the Sirens alike that Darius followed | ||
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that she and a man loved each other so purely that their lives depended on | that she and a man loved each other so purely that their lives depended on | ||
being with the other, hearing the other, living or dying with the other. | being with the other, hearing the other, living or dying with the other. | ||
And Sireni mothers whisper this tale to their daughters as a lesson in the | And Sireni mothers whisper this tale to their daughters as a lesson in the | ||
purity of true love, the love that Sirens desire and often do not find, merely | purity of true love, the love that Sirens desire and often do not find, merely | ||
because their very mien and voice cause men to love them. | because their very mien and voice cause men to love them. | ||