The sandman quest, a piece in 5 scenes by Wildfires

Casting (to confirm) :
Lupinus as Arya-na, a 7 year-old girl
*Princ Rhaegar* as Lung-shan, ruler of the land
Neno Veliki as Throng-dan, a mighty warrior
Wildfires as the story-teller

Introducing the cast
Lung-shan: I am Lung-shan, ruler of this land.
Throng-dan: I am Throng-dan, a mighty warrior. I have a full armor, a helmet and a sword.
Arya-na: I am Arya-na, a 7 year-old girl. I have a little duck and a little knife;
Story teller: And I am the story-teller.

Scene 1
Story teller: The sun is setting. The sky turns from purple to deep blue. People all around are preparing for bed time. An old wrinkled man wanders among them, throwing a thin dust to their heads. After being touched by the sand dust, people yawn and fall asleep.

Scene 2
Story teller: This is now a bright spring morning. Lung-shan and his whole court are gathered at the foot of a high moutain. Lined in front of him are an old wrinckled man, a mighty warrior and a little girl.
Lung-shan: My people, you all know me : I am Lung-shan, ruler of this land. As you well know, our sandman is getting old and wishes to retire. I ask for people willing to undertake a quest to becoe the new sandman. Who are you, you who answered my call ?
Throng-dan: I am Throng-dan, a mighty warrior.
Arya-na: I am Arya-na, a little girl.
Lung-shan: Thrang-dan, Arya-na, I will now set you a few tasks. If you complete them all to my satisfaction, you will become the new sandman. To help you, you are allowed a single handfull of sand dust. Throng-dan, Arya-na, to prove your speed and ability to run the paths of this realm, your first task will be to climb this mountain, the highest peak of this land. There, you will gather an ice-flower. You must bring it back to my palace before midday.
Story teller: The old sandman hands them each a little pouch.
Throng-dan bows and leaves at a fast pace.
Arya-na makes a staggering curtsy. She tries to catch up with Throng-dan without running.
Lung-shan turns around and leaves with his court.
Throng-dan: I am a powerful warrior, one of my steps reaches further than ten of yours. I will gather the ice-flower and be back before noon.
Throng-dan starts running and is soon out of sight.
Arya-na: I am only a little girl. I will never reach the top of the peak in time. But I know who will.
Arya-na opens her coat and lets out a little duck.
Arya-na: Fly to the top of the mountain, pick up an ice-flower and come back to me swiftly my friend !
Arya-na throws her duck high above her head and it soon disappears toward the sky.

Scene 3
Story teller: The sun is reaching his highest in the magnificent palace of Lung-shan. The whole court is gathered at the grand gates. Far in the distance is a cloud of dust. Sharp eyes can make out a small figure running where the cloud touchs the ground.
Lung-shan: Has any of the challengers completed the task I set them ?
Arya-na: Yes Lung-shan, I did.
Arya-na hands him an ice-flower, still covered with frost despite the warm air.
Throng-dan: I did, Lung-shan.
Throng-dan pants, covered with dust. He hands the ruler a dried ice-flower, brown with dust.
Lung-shan takes both flowers and places them carefully away.
Lung-shan: Now you will have to prove your ability to enter any place of this realm. My inner palace is out of bonds to any who does not belong to my court. In its heart lives my favourite servant. I want her to fall asleep before eve.
Lung-shan backs away with his courts and the heavy gates of the inner palace close behind them. Deadly-looking soldiers stand guard in front of them.
Throng-dan: I am a powerful warrior, one of my blow would send you over the walls of the inner palace.
Throng-dan laughs mockingly.
Throng-dan: But I will not help you so. I can fight my way to Lung-shan’ favourite servant before eve.
Throng-dan marches to the guards, unsheathing his sword.
Arya-na: I am only a little girl. Those guards would just have to sneeze to knock me out. I will never reach the favourite in time this way. But I know another way.
Arya-na walks around the walls and waits. Soon, a servant comes by with a bunch of laundry.
Arya-na picks up a white shirt about to fall in the dust and follows the servant inside.

Scene 4
Story-teller: A warm breeze blows trough the inner palace, moving the light silk veil hanging by the favourite’s bed ceiling. Her dark hair shines as a sunbeam caress her figure.
Lung-shan enters his favourite’s room and find her sound asleep.
Lung-shan: Which of the challengers completed the task I set them ?
Arya-na turns to him as she puts a sand pouch back in her coat.
Arya-na: I did Lung-shan.
Throng-dan comes in. His armor helds many scratches and he lost his helmet. He hastily sheaths his sword as he faces his ruler. Ashamed, he for once keeps his mouth shut.
Lung-shan raises an eyebrow and lifts a blanket upon his favourite’s lying body.
Lung-shan: Your last task will prove your strenght. It is up to you to decide what your target will be. You must reach as far as you can.
Throng-dan: I am a powerful warrior indeed Arya-na and your tricks won’t save you this time.
Throng-dan purposefully walks to the gardens.
Lung-shan follows with his court.
Arya-na runs behind them all.

Scene 5
Story-teller: In the gardens, the sun is setting in a crystal clear sky.
Throng-dan: Do you see this bird high above ?
Lung-shan nods approvingly. His court mimicks and nods.
Arya-na blinks. The bird is barely more than a dot in the cloudless sky.
Throng-dan draws his bow and carefully chooses an arrow. He aims, holds his breath and looses.
Lung-shan watches the shoot rise until he can not tell the bird from the arrow. He makes a step back and an eagle lands at his feet, pierced by the warrior’s trait.
Throng-dan laugh and watches the little girl with a smirk.
Lung-shan impassively turns to her.
Arya-na thinks “I am only a little girl but I will show them I have more brain than this warrior has muscles !”
Arya-na draws her little knife and throw it above her head so quickly no one sees what she aimed at or where it landed.
Throng-dan barks a laugh, sure he just won the contest. He speaks scornfully.
Throng-dan: What did you throw that little knife at, little girl ?
Arya-na : What I aimed at is very far away. You must wait until my knife reaches its purpose, and then you’ll see.
Story teller: As the sun sets above the horizon, everyone watches expectantly, trying to guess what was Arya-na’s aim. Throng-dan boasts more than ever, sure to be the new sandman. As the dead of night approachs, the moon rises.
Arya-na bows to Lung-shan, gesturing to the slim crescent.
Arya-na: Now you see Lung-shan Ruler, my knife took away a piece of moon.
Throng-dan stares at her, eyes bulging, roaring with laughter.
Lung-shan chuckles with more dignity and nods to Arya-na.
Lung-shan: This was my last test and you, Arya-na, proved to be wise enough to be sandman of my realm. I hereby name you officially to this charge.
Lung-shan turns sternly to Throng-dan.
Lung-shan: As for you warrior, though you are not fit for this place, I see you are strong and know no fear. I hereby name you a soldier of my private guard.
Story teller: The whole realm was filled with joy and many celebrations took place. The old sandman retired, a new soldier took his oath and the realm drifted in a peaceful and well deserved sleep every night ever after.
The end

Hunting of the Fair Lady, a tale by Wildfires

(Warning : Any ressemblance to real characters is purely coincidental...)
Once upon a time, there was a Prince and a fair lady who were deeply loving each other.She was the youngest member of a society of women.As such, she had to prove her dedication to that society by giving some of their guardians a smooch.She did as she was asked, carefully smooching the men’s cheeks so as not to upset her love. Even though, he was horrified with her behaviour.(Here, I must had that she used a whore-red lipstick to do so, which left traces...)She felt the prince become more and more distant, less and less present until one day, he left for a long journey.He was supposed to visit some places as part of his duty as a Prince but he left her without a goodbye.As she felt him backing away from her, she thought he didn’t love her anymore and she ran away, crying her despair.Far and far she ran, her eyes blind with tears, caring not where she wandered.She visited dark places and still she fled, soreness seeping through her bones.One fateful day, her path led her to the guarded entry of Loreroot.The prince used to take her to the wild lands of Loreroot in the days when their love was strong.As she believed that love was dead, she threw herself at the guardians, hoping to die in her attempt to pass the gate they guarded.Meanwhile, the Prince had been told by faithful friends of her desperate fate.Remorse filled his heart and he dedicated himself to find her.Far and far he went, almost killing his black stallion by riding days and nights.Remembrances of his travels in Loreroot with his fair love led him to the entrance of the wild land.As he came by Mapple road, he saw a body lying on the ground.He forced his black horse to a last effort, his heart sinking as he made out the long fair hair that floated in the warm breeze.The mighty guardian of Loreroot had contented himself with kicking her unworthy ass once more and the Prince found her so, half collapsed at the guardians’ feet.He carefully pulled her to his chest, patting her as she cried her heart against his shoulder.His shirt was soon damp and finally her sobs eased but she clutched him as if her life depended on it.(Which it did really.) He lifted her in his strong arms, helping her up his gelding and took her to their home where she finally fell asleep.Never did she ever let go of him, holding him even in her deepest sleep and he was happy to let her and clutched her even more fiercely.I don’t know if they ever had children but as you probably guessed, they lived happily ever after and nothing parted them ever again.