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The Last House in the Village
By EE Reagan
Day was breaking over the eastern horizon when Miyan clamored up the ladder to the roof of her floating home as it drifted across the glassy surface of the Endless Sea. She gazed in wonder at the pinkish hues dotting the wispy landscape of a barely clouded sky. Standing atop her house with her parents sleeping two stories below, the young one scanned the west for gulls and satisfied that no thieves were skulking about nearby, sat down cross-legged again facing the sunrise. The 14-year-old removed a small rectangular cloth of woven plastic fibers from her sling pouch and unrolled the mat, placing it in on the cool roof. Next from her bag she took a piece of salted fish, then a handful of blueberries, and lastly a plastic cup of fresh water (with lid tightly screwed on). She arranged them all in front of her on the mat and was happy to have some privacy from the nasty gulls so she could enjoy her breakfast. Some minutes before, Miyan had been sleeping soundly and dreaming of a place she had never been that was filled with people she had never met.
In a massive stone temple with tall halls and colored glass windows Miyan danced with the boys and sang in a chorus of beautifully awkward angels. Then wonderful solid green ground stretched out beneath her feet, so she leapt and twirled in her gorgeous pink and white dress. Suddenly the soil melted away and she plunged into the cold black waters of the sea. She struggled to swim but her soaked dress wrapped tightly around her legs, pulling her down until she awoke.
In a way, awaking from the nightmare had actually been a blessing. Soon the sun would clear the horizon and begin to warm the mass of floating metal, wood and plastic beneath her. The village would come alive with the stifling heat that followed and all sorts of creatures and people would begin to crawl out of their nests and homes. Better to be up early with some time to oneself.
Miyan’s village contained some 80 houses attached more or less end to end in a train that sailed the Endless Sea. The houses varied widely in quality of design and material. Elaborate houses near the village center were architected to withstand high wave and pirate, whereas it was more common on the periphery to find a dwelling that could provide little more than protection against wind, rain and sun. More prestigious families employed the use of rare, fine materials inside and outside of their homes: carved wooden doors, glass windows, metal hardware and adornments forged by a blacksmith, walls and ceilings painted by traveling artisans, real wool rugs and window dressings, down filled pillows and beds. Several such houses were to be found the closer one came to the heart of the train. As the lifeblood of the convoy, the village branched off and around these large estates that exerted sweeping influence over politics and commerce and even determined the direction of the sails. Less affluent homes were crafted mostly from plastic provisioned from the sea. Plastic floors covered with woven plastic fibers or possibly wood if it could be scavenged, bartered for or bought. A wooden or metal frame and roof would create stability in the house if it could be afforded. Mostly plastic material was used in the walls and windows, and the black painted roof.
For those lacking the immediate means, loans to pay for more solid material could be obtained from the village council. Miyan’s parents had gone into considerable debt to pay for the solid metal frame, wooden floors and roofing for their house and had both worked for years to pay off the debt. They’d opened a small general store using space rented near the center of the village at considerable additional cost. It was a risk that paid off. By fishing for plastic and molding it into tools and other materials for use within the village, Miyan’s parents successfully repaid their debt and were now recognized as skilled artisans and important members of the community.
Though her parent’s standing in the community and wealth had increased, Miyan’ house retained its lowly location at the end of the train, surrounded on three sides by open ocean. The ends of the train were undesirable and inexpensive for obvious reasons: far from the protected center of the village, the extremities were exposed. Waves broke more harshly there because the houses lacked the interconnected structures that gave stability to those in the middle. Last season the house on the opposite end of the train from Miyan’s had capsized in a bad storm. It was also said that pirates would be more likely to attack at the ends, though Miyan had never seen any pirates at all and had begun to wonder if the stories were more myth and legend than reality.
There was also a stigma among those in the middle about living on the outskirts. Some of the children in the village would give Miyan funny looks or whisper to their friends as she passed. Miyan couldn’t figure out why her peers could be so ignorant. Everyone knew that most houses had started at the end before another was built alongside. In the old days, it was practically a rite of passage to have lived on the end of the train. Lately more building permits were being issued in the vicinity of the village at the middle of the train with no new houses being built on the tail for 15 years. For all that time Miyan’s house had weathered the worst of what the sea had to offer and had passed every test. Though her parents occasionally argued about the home’s location and the idea of moving to the village, Miyam could never dream of living there.
She’d learned to fish from her father at a young age and had even crafted her own sailboat which she used to go out fishing on her own when she wasn’t getting into trouble. Her mother had taught her to forge all manner of useful tools and material from the things Miyam had fished up from the sea and brought home in her boat. Her older brother Marin had taught her to swim and together with their local friends they had spent countless days entertaining themselves among the floating village. Being far out on the tail actually provided a bit of escape from the unrelenting noise and politics of village life and there was so much more freedom in having her house surrounded by water. She sometimes wished her house was cut off totally from the train so that her family could be completely free to set their own sails.
The sun now strove higher into the sky, and as it wrested itself free of the ocean’s bonds and began to soar above, Miyan dreamed of doing the same. A bell began to ring. Miyan listened for the directions noted by the number of bell tolls and set her home’s sail accordingly. North west. Always north west in the morning. One day she would go south or east or wherever she desired. One day she would choose her own direction, set her own sails, and be free of the train.
Castle by the Sea
By CN Reagan
Princess Ofelia had been born in a castle by the sea. When she arrived, much to her parents delight, she was as pale as the moon and had been blessed with silver hair that sparkled like stars shimmering on the evening tide. Ofelia’s mother and father, the King and Queen, loved her dearly and she grew into a beautiful young woman.
Ofelia’s days were filled with the duties expected of a young princess, education in history and geography, proper manners and behaviors, but also, and more importantly, with fun and laughter. For it was that princess Ofelia hat not been delivered from her mother’s womb alone, she had a twin brother. Her brother although plump and blotched all over as if a touch of fever rested just beneath the surface of his skin, had an amiable personality and was equally loved by his mother and father as the two children grew together in love and friendship.
Shortly after Ofelia’s 17th birthday the King and Queen suddenly, to the great horror of all the kingdom, perished in a storm that overtook the vessel in which they had been travelling upon the sea. Soon after, Ophelia's brother was crowned King and as was customary he took a bride. She was a lovely creature with golden hair spun from the rays of the sun and skin the deep pleasant tones of the sand just wet from the morning tide. Ofelia and the new queen became immediate companions and enjoyed walking the rocky shorelines far beneath the shade of the mighty castle.
There were many creatures that called the shorelines home and Ofelia knew each of them. She delighted in the playful otters splashing and playing in the deep green kelp beds. She especially enjoyed how they twisted themselves round and round in the kelp in order to anchor themselves in place then drift up and down upon the rolling sea like little ships as they slept beneath the moonlight. There were clever porpoises riding upon the waves and yet larger darker shadows that swam beneath them. There was soft things such as octopus, jellyfish, and five and ten-legged sea stars in colors to varied beyond description. On the shore there were creatures that brought their homes with them as they moved about; snails, crabs of all shapes and sizes, and turtles that would arrive beneath the moonlight and leave their precious young to hatch among the dark sands of the beach.
Not only did Ofelia love these creatures that thrived in and around the sea, but also the creatures that soared above it. There were the fast hunting kestrels and slow soaring albatross. There were the gulls and pipers that ran up and down the shore in a game of tug-o-war with the restless tides and the herds of wild horses that would gallop through the shallow water sending the birds scattering to the skies; squawking their displeasure as the magnificent sea spray would drift through the air, glimmering as if the fading tendrils of a firework.
Most of all, Ofelia loved the mystery of the small creatures that left their little shells lying in the sand. She would reach down with her pale hands and gently collect each unique piece. Her brother, the King, would tease about her collection of shells. He would say that she need not collect the discarded shells of others as she already had ten perfect little shells of her own; one on the end of each of her perfect little fingers.
After Ofelia’s sixteenth birthday, many men had come to ask for her hand in marriage, each time turned away by her father; for no man, in his eyes, was worthy of his little princess. After Ofelia’s father was gone and her brother made king, the suitors continued to come but now it was her brother that turned them away. Although Ofelia was ready and excited to marry, she didn’t mind her brother’s constant guardianship and was content to spend her days among the tide pools along the shore that she loved so dearly.
One morning a knight in glimmering blue armor arrived along with a company of hosts so large that no man who had previously visited the kingdom could have hoped to match. Her brother turned down his offer for Ofelia’s hand as he had each suitor before. This time however, the brave Blue Knight would not leave until the King agreed to his union. He camped his massive host outside the castle by the sea and sent daily envoys with mighty words to try and persuade the King. When this tactic failed, he began to send gifts to the kingdom. He sent chests of gold and trains of livestock, artisans to erect statues, and the gift of entertainment from far away lands. Ofelia greatly enjoyed the amusement of the men who ate fire and the amazing women that could fold themselves up so small as to fit into tiny chests and barrels. Yet through all this finery the King still refuted the knight’s offer.
The Blue Knight ever resolute, held magnificent games for all the kingdom to attend. There were grand tournaments of jousting, sword fighting, wrestling, races, and duels to the death. Ofelia loved to move about the opulent tents tasting the foreign foods and exciting in the clashes of steel, and the smell of gunsmoke. She began to think that maybe going to live with Blue Knight would be exciting. She wondered what he might be like, what he might look like, and if he was as wildly handsome as he was bold. When she finally spoke to her brother about the possibility of marriage, he took her soft hands gently in his and told her that no man could love her as much as her family and he would not let this Blue Knight from a far away land have her.
Slowly Ofelia let the idea slip away and retreated from the grand army at their gates and returned to her creatures by the sea. The Blue Knight, ever undeterred, saw that this silver princess, this daughter of the moon, had a deep love for the creatures of earth and so he brought her more, so many more.
Into the city he paraded great beasts of which Ofelia had never imagined; giant creatures with wild fur and wild hair. Creatures with claws and horns, winged beasts with breath of fire, wind, and ice. Creatures covered in scales both large and small. Creatures that could become men, and men that could become creatures. There were great carts filled with earth that bed creatures burrowing in and out of their depths, jars with slimy abominations, and adorable floating creatures that seemed barely there. Great ships towed still greater creatures through the sea and into the harbor, much to the dismay of the otters and porpoises that called it home.
Ofelia was overwhelmed and beside herself with joy at the sight of such wondrous things. She spent time with each creature, armored or soft, vicious or docile, and learned all she could about them. She would gently place her soft pale hands upon the wildest of beasts and they would calm at her touch. Again she spoke with her brother saying that such a man as could tame and find so many wonderful things must be truly worthy of marriage, but the King was callous and stood firmly in his decision that she remain with him in the castle by the sea. Eventually, even the Queen herself entreated her husband to let the princess marry the Knight. She spoke admirably of the knight and continued to advocate for the union after the King had expressed she be silent. Time and again she broached the subject until finally the King went into a rage. Blinded by his anger he took the Queen by her golden hair and dragged her to a small room atop one of the castle spires. He threw her in and locked the door shouting that she would learn the folly of questioning his commands. Likewise, he shut Ofelia into her room overlooking the sea, and forbid anyone from speaking of the princess and marriage.
The Blue Knight seeing his cause was truly lost, retreated in defeat; his mighty ships sailed away from the harbor, his encampments were torn down, and he went away in sadness from the castle. As the Blue Knight rode away on his mighty horse, he swept his gaze one last time towards the window by the sea and saw a glimmer of silver sparkling there, in defiance of the grey clouds slowly descending upon the castle by the sea.
Princess Ofelia and the Queen had been locked away in their rooms for what seemed like an eternity. So long in fact that the King, in his self imposed exile, had become very lonely. He slumped in his golden throne each day and would not entertain any of the nobles that came to call on him. He dismissed the royal courts and as his loneliness grew so to did his dislike of happy and cheerful people so he also dismissed his jesters and the royal chorus. Eventually, the only people left in all of the magnificent castle were the lonely king, the Queen locked away in the tower, and the princess in her chambers; various servants also roamed the castle lighting the candles, cooking the meals, and washing the clothes and tapestries.
One of the young servant girls had a very important job as handmaiden to the princess. The King would not let Ofelia leave her room and so it was the young girls duty was to bring Ofelia food, hot water for baths, and provide a small amount of human contact for the princess. The princess in her loneliness, stranded away from the sea creatures along the shore she loved so much, would sing a slow beautiful song each night by her window. All of the creatures below would gather on the dark evening sand of the beach to listen to her soft lovely voice; even the moon shone a little brighter each night as she sang. The servant girl, whom loved the princess very much, would always obey whatever the princess wished.
One evening as the king sat entrenched in his melancholy he fell into a deep and crushing loneliness that began to soften his hardened heart. The King decided to free his wife from the tower, confident she had learned proper obedience by now. He raced to the top of the tower and opened the door to the little room but no trace of his queen was to be found. He immediately decreed a massive search and every able bodied person in the kingdom to help find his missing queen. The stables, the rooftops, basements, cellars, and dungeons were all searched. The parks, sewers, inside of closets and under wagons were scoured for any sign of the golden-haired queen but she could not be discovered. It appeared the King had lost his Queen.
Like a child who had their favorite toy taken for misbehaving, the King was immediately remorseful and he sulked into the room where he had locked away his sister and wept. Ofelia took her brother’s head into her hands. For weeks he returned in tears as Ofelia continued to embrace and console him. One day instead of her brother, the young servant girl arrived with a large package. Ofelia could not think of who would send her a gift since she had been locked away without any considerations for so long. Upon opening the package a beautiful wedding gown was revealed. There was a note enclosed that declared she was to put on the dress and wear it to a feast the next evening. Ofelia was nervous at the implication, but was also excited to be finally allowed out of her room. Her servant helped her to dress and placed pearls into her shimmering silver hair. Standing among the moonlight of the window, princess Ofelia was the most beautiful bride the kingdom would ever see.
The next evening, as the princess entered the massive banquet hall, she was greeted by a full room; members of the royal court had returned dressed in fabulous robes and gowns, jesters danced and juggled, the royal chorus sang soft ancient hymns, and wealthy nobles from the kingdom feasted under the steam lamp lit collnades.
The night was a whirlwind of pleasure. Exquisite food, flavorful wines, and thrilling dances all took the princess on a grand evening of adventure through the forest of tables and torches. Finally, once no one could stomach another bite of food or sip of wine, and nobody’s feet could carry them another step, the King stood and addressed the room. The king’s eyes rested firmly upon Ofelia and marvelling at her beauty he announced he had decided she should finally be free of her loneliness and marry. Each person in attendance looked anxiously around the room at one another; who would be the lucky suitor? Then the King rose from his gilded throne crossed the room and knelt down at the feet of his sister. He declared that no man could love her as much as he and entreated Ofelia to marry him and in doing so take her rightful place by his side as queen.
Ofelia was horrified. She immediately refused her brother and fled the banquet hall and back to the prison of her room in tears. The King dismissed the astonished crowd and followed Ofelia. He banged against her shut and locked chamber door demanding she let him in. Ofelia refused and shouted for him to leave her be. The King angrily shouted that she would never marry another and would remain locked in her room until she ceded his demand. The princess tore off the wedding gown, threw it to the floor, and wept throughout the night.
The next morning the King came again to the door of Ofelia and implored she marry him. She finally, through broken breaths, asked what is was that made her brother even consider such a thing. The King responded she was the most beautiful woman in the world and that her moonlit hair and pale skin could never be matched by another. He spoke mostly of her soft hands and that they were what he loved about her most of all; that he longed to feel them grasped in his own, for within their grasp no man could ever feel loneliness and under their touch no man could ever be displeased. The princess was disgusted and after her brother had gone away she fell asleep in a rage. While asleep she dreamt of painful and sinister things.
The next morning she awoke with dark intentions and bade her servant retrieve a cleaver form the kitchens and bring it to her. The small servant girl, always obedient, did as she was told. When the girl arrived, Ofelia began to tell her a story of lies. She told the girl, the King had said he would return to her chambers only once more and that if she denied him again he would have her put death; for if he could not have her then no man shall. The servant girl, who loved the princess more than anything, began to weep. The princess took the girl gently in her hands and explained she had devised a plan to spare not only her life but avoid the unholy union of her and the King. She told the girl that if she took away the thing the King wanted most in the world then he would have to leave her be. She explained that to save her life, her and the girl would use the cleaver to remove both of her hands at the wrist. The servant was terrified. After refusing over and over, the calm in Ofelia’s voice, the softness of her touch, and the resolve in her eyes convinced the simple-minded girl that this was the only way to save Ofelia’s life.
The servant and Ofelia spent the next few hours dressing the princess back into the wedding gown and again placed the opalescent pearls in her hair. Once again Ofelia was truly the most beautiful daughter of the moon. Then Ofelia took her soft pale hands and gently brushed a tear from young servant girls cheek; she ran her fingers through the girls hair and tapped her on the nose with a smile. Then Ofelia ran her palm across the smooth blade of the cleaver and finally grasped the rough hewn wooden handle. She passed the silver object to her servant and calmly sat at her window looking out towards the sea and the brilliant moonlight illuminating the foamy crests of the rolling waves. Her fingernails sparkled in the moonlight like smooth alabaster shells and she breathed deeply. Then she placed her wrists on the cool stone of the window sill and without speaking a word the servant lifted the cleaver in a menacing arc as Ofelia began to sing.
When the king arrived at Ofelia’s door that evening he pounded hard against the upright timber as usual and before he could call out in anger, the force of his knocks swung the surprisingly unlatched door open. He entered the room excitedly thinking his sister had finally come to her senses. As he crossed the moonlit room room he found his sister sitting calmly at the window, as pale and lovely as ever, wearing the beautiful gown he had given her. His optimism turned to confused terror as he realized her arms had been cleaved at the wrists and where her beautiful gentle hands had once been, there was now only two grotesque stumps crudely stitched, bandaged, and dripping crimson blood, sparkling in the moonlight, down the folds of the snow white gown.
The King wailed and shouted at Ofelia, imploring her to tell him what fiend had defiled her perfect hands! The king rushed to Ofelia and embraced her, he exclaimed that whomever had committed such an evil and hateful act would be cast from the castle and into the sea. As he wept Ofelia’s face twisted into a cruel smile; she explained that she was in fact the mastermind of the aberration, that she had cast his beloved hands into the sea. She viciously described that if no man could have her, other than her own brother, then he would never feel the love of her touch.
The King became outraged! He called the royal guard and ordered they take this detestable creature that had stolen the beautiful soft hands he desired. He ordered the villain Ofelia bound and chest be brought to her chambers. The King declared he would not marry this deformed beast and that although he could not bring himself to kill his own sister, he instead meant to banish her from the kingdom. He then had the princess with the silver hair forced into the chest and the lid nailed shut. Then, with barely a thought, he had the chest with Ofelia curled up inside, thrown out the castle window and into the moonlit sea.