THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to my wonderful friend for helping me with this! For the longest time i had it written, but never so beautifully! Editing and drafts are NOT my thing! Here it is if you wish to read!

BTW check out my lovely's Thursday Prompts! Excellent writings found there!



Calliope
By
Calliope Rabelle


A Story of Forbidden Love

Nothing ere life’s resolve
Will meet with lofty approval
Done through furtive devices
In defiance of unfair law

Once upon a time…


A long time ago, there lived an well-known and stable civilization of Rabbits. Their kingdom was well established with a castle wherein lived their monarch. He was a good and kindly monarch who watched over the farms gathered around his castle. His army of knights and nobles protected the farmers, and they, in turn, supplied the kingdom with food.

Of course, where there are laws and law keepers, there must also be those they guard against. The threat may only be perceived, but it is still treated as a threat and dealt with through force.

In this land also lived a wandering tribal civilization of the Gazelles. Not having roots to hold them to any one place, they came and left with the seasons. Suspicion by the Rabbits caused bad stories to be told of these people that were not true… and yet the stories were repeated so many times the Gazelles were only ever seen as evil and untrustworthy. When they passed by, the Rabbits would make the sign of the evil eye after shooing their children away to their house in fear they would be stolen.

The daughter of the king was never a difficult child. Her ears did not stand straight so she was not a wild rabbit. She was also very keen in her studies and never broke curfew. She always listened to her father and as his only child, was preparing to become the new leader of their kingdom when the time came the old King passed. Though her father had suggested such, and even arranged some meetings, the Princess did not desire a husband because she felt it took away from her focus in ruling. Her father, doting upon her as he did, had no argument for this point because the people loved her and respected her decisions. One night, while studying late, she had the urge to take a break lest she fall asleep upon her book. Walking out to the balcony, she looked up to the full of the Moon and said, "Hello my beautiful companion, your radiance shames anything I could call beauty. I do hope you are well tonight."

Only the poor and uneducated Rabbits still recognized Moon as a true deity. The nobles, in their arrogance, had turned away from the spirits, gods and legends that originally guided their people. In her position as the King’s daughter these same people had placed her upon a religious pedestal and near worshipped her as the old gods had been worshipped. For this reason, no one actually spoke to the Princess as a friend and she carried a loneliness with her that marked her existence deeply. To compensate for this, she spoke to the old gods, finding a close bond with them.

“Oft it is spoke how Conversations with thin air Apply no meaning to any ears,” her father told her once upon walking in on such.

“Through ears not seen The heart does communicate With the gods, Father,” she responded softly.

“They do listen, And they do smile Upon that which is good.”


This night the moon was as silent as ever but she did appear to offer warmth. The young noble smiled bigger and said "You are so kind to give light to darkness when the sun has gone to bed my friend."

In the Moon’s dim light the young doe moved to the bastion wall and looked out over the kingdom’s lands. In a field of the wilds beyond the walls, the moon lit the princesses' vision and she saw one of the Gazelle tribes running and jumping in unison through the field in silent dance.

At first she sneered at the savages in blame for the wars her people and the tribes of the wild had waged to the benefit of neither side. Her father’s angry words concerning the savages echoed in her head and she almost began shouting them as well. Then her eyes held fast upon one of the males of the tribe standing still while the others continued their dance to the Moon.

Over the distance, he too was staring right at her.

The Princess averted her eyes but the moon whispered "Look child, he smiles at you."

She looked back to where the stoic male stood and the Moon enhanced her vision. Because of this she saw even from this great distance that he was indeed smiling at her. She blushed deeply and quickly looked away.

“Only love can bridge The lifeless earth created By wars and anger,” the Moon whispered.

The Princess remained to watch the Gazelle tribe until their dance was done. Never once did she sound the alarm which would have roused he father’s sleeping army. When they’d departed, she did not sleep. The young Rabbit could only think about the silhouette of the strong male Gazelle standing so still just to see her. The next morning, the young noble was agitated easily and unable to focus on the people she was serving in her kingdom.

Her father came to her.

"What is wrong daughter? Morning’s Sun rises And you appear indifferent and cold Even unto your own people. What ails you?”

He asked this holding her face in his paws, looking into her eyes with deep concern and love.

"I did not sleep well father, I am very tired today. I am not ill."

She took his large paws in her smaller ones.

"I will still serve my people."

The king smiled softly and hugged his dearest one.


"You are so much like your mother That even when you have nothing left to give, You still give yourself."

He kissed her paws.

"Go now and rest. I will tend my kingdom today."

She happily agreed and fell to her bed falling asleep quickly. In her dreams, she was standing before the shadowed body of the male who so consumed her thoughts.

"Who art thou?" she asked him.

"I am you, dear one."

The male spoke in such a deep and beautiful voice that she could not help but fall into his arms and bury her face into his wild fur.

She awoke with a start to find it was night again. Moon shone brightly this night, lighting her room completely with the blue that only the moon can give. Tossing her covers away, the Princess ran to her balcony and looked over the edge to find the field empty. Not able to fight the urge, she grabbed a heavy cloak and ran for the gates. With Moon’s assistance she snuck around the streets, dodging the guards who were weary with the night. Making the main gate she left silently through the courier’s portal for the guard there was asleep. The Princess then ran as fast as she’d ever run past the farms and into the wilds. Unerringly she made her way to the field of dance and stood in the middle of it before realizing it was lit almost as it were day, the moon shown so brightly that night. Looking about and around in the middle of the field she did not see a trace of the tribe or the male that so captured her heart. "Was it a dream?" she asked almost frantically. "Was he even real?"

Came a breath upon her neck and a voice never heard before but known, "I am very real Princess," he said with his strong tribesman accent. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, his scent wild and earthy. She trembled in fear of the unknown but closed her eyes and leaned upon his muscular frame.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am you, dear one," he answered in the same crooning voice he’d had in her dream. She turned and gripped him, burying her face in his fur. Being a gentle creature, he allowed for this moment. When it had passed, he took her paw and led her, saying simply, “Come.” The Moon danced in the heavens Lighting the path of love For the pair who embraced such Without question.


This young doe left behind her people, her father, and her home that night. She did not return. She lived among the tribe who welcomed her as one of their own for the male that held her paw was their leader. She lived with him and learned the ways of the tribe with him. Soon she became pregnant.

The young Princess’ name was Penelope.

The tribesman leader's name was Callius.

When the child was born, they saw it was a female with the hooves, horns, muzzle and tail of her father. It also had the ears, eyes, paws and body of her mother. Such a perfect and synergistic combination formed the name of the child in a perfect combination of the names of the parents: Calliope. The Moon looks down upon humanity Watching the nightly progression of life, Marking both joys and sadness Hoping for happiness, not strife.

When she sees naught but a rending Of garments and a yowling of voice Her light dims from bright And in the resulting darkness Bad things go forth into the night.

Since his daughter had gone missing, the King searched for her throughout his kingdom. He searched every house and recruited all of the males, females, and younglings of the entire province to search even more than that. He even hired one of the fierce Coyote Clan trackers, hoping he would find a trace of her scent. This he did, leading the King’s army over the mountains to the adobe winter village of the Gazelle tribe. This they surrounded; held at bay only by the meager defense offered by the people.

The King, who’d accompanied his militia, flew into a rage and drew his sword demanding his daughter be released. When this was not immediately done, he ordered his soldiers to advance into the village.

This they were about to do when Penelope ran forward yelling, "Father stop!"

His heart sank when he saw her painted in the savages' symbols and wearing only the scant loincloth material they used to cover themselves. Callius stood by her side with their child. When the King saw this, he could not bear it. Moving quickly and with no forewarning, he ran the Chieftain through with his blade narrowly missing the babe held in his arms. This single movement sent his army into a blood thirsty frenzy of killing. None were spared.

The King's beloved daughter had committed the ultimate betrayal. So obsessed as the King with this that he did not even hear her screaming at his feet. Nor did he see one of the other females of the tribe grab the babe and run with her into the forest, his soldiers close behind. Looking down upon what once was his pride and joy, he saw nothing more than another savage with no more right to live than the cockroaches in the darkest corners of his castle.
"You’ve betrayed me" he hissed with a heart so broken it could no longer feel. "You know the punishment for such treachery. Come back to me and your punishment will go unanswered." Penelope hung her head and gazed upon her now dead mate. Taking his paws in hers, she held them in much the same way she used to hold her father’s. The King, seeing this, saw nothing else. He stabbed his daughter repeatedly until he was totally winded. Seeing what he’d done, his numb brain understood only hurt and anguish. Reversing his sword, he fell upon it, choosing to die rather than live with what he’d done.

It was said of this day that the Sun shed tears of blood.

The young female who’d taken Calliope was shot several times by the soldier's arrows, but much as the people of the kingdom had loved their Princess, the tribe’s people more loved their Queen. She ran until her body was numb from the damage and the froth at her mouth turned to red foam.

"I will save you little one," she said as she ran.

Knowing the soldiers were closing in, she wrapped the little one tighter in her blanket and hid her in a forest hovel she knew of, spreading her own blood over its dirt floor as if she’d rested there. The soldiers came, and the Coyote was given the girl as a reward for a job well done. He ravaged her as the others watched and then then ate her dying body as she stared un-screaming towards the hovel where the child was hidden; desperately willing the young one to make not a sound.

When it was done, the soldiers and the tracker returned to a dead King lying in the middle of a dead village, and there celebrated this great victory. Already the Rabbit nobles were arguing over who would be the new King. Much drinking, and two deaths later; it was decided.

I sing an ode to the dead King And all he represented In what he could do for me.

I sing a pledge to the new King And all he represents In what he can do for me.

The King is dead, Long live the new King.

It was now night and a light snow fell as the end of autumn marked the end of the Gazelle tribe. The child remained silent in the forest hovel for a long time.

The day was done and Moon came out, only to see the destruction wrought to a love she knew was of the purest kind. That night she wept a meteor shower after finding her friend and believer slain and left for the scavengers. The Moon franticly sent out her wisps to find the child she’d witnessed born in her light. The wisps searched the forest and found the dead and eaten female. They then heard a small cry as Calliope protested the coldness of the night’s air. A fresh coat of snow covered the hovel as one of the wisps called to her sisters and her mother Moon to see the child was alive. Peering into the hovel, this god of the night found the child to be a simple tan color as her father was with his stripes on her muzzle. Small nubs of horns protruding from her head.

The wisps beseeched their mother to allow them to do something to save the child from freezing, because normally this sort of interaction was forbidden. Moon, understanding their plight, and facing much the same obstacle in her own abilities to help, gave them permission to bless the child with her light and magic.

The wisps then danced and chanted around the youngling turning her color to that of their mother's light so she would always know who saved her, while the magic tattooed her fur with the markings of the mist they kicked up during their dance. The symbol of magic in this world is a swirl, and such was made on the palm of her right paw so she would know how she was saved. The Moon and her wisps, concentrating as much as they were, did not see an old tortoise watching the blessings. He was a traveling mystic and vendor of magic items, and in the forest this night only searching for the bark of a specific tree. He’d watched in awe the dance of the fae and then witnessed a forbidden Halfling be blessed by the Moon herself.

Coming slowly into the clearing where the hovel was, he bowed to Moon and her wisps. "If I may,” he said with the utmost of humility, “By the great powers of the world, I would like to offer a gesture because of your kindness in this obvious time of need?"

The wisps looked toward their mother who came fully down to the Earth in the form of a beautiful white deer dressed only in the blue of her light. "You have worshiped us all good tortoise for your 238 years of long life,” she replied for them all. “This youngling has no family. Her mother was...my friend." Moon almost sobbed with this pronouncement. "She needs someone to care for her until she is able to walk alone, will you do this for me?"

The tortoise bowed even more deeply at this honor. "I will my lady Celeste; my goddess of the night." he said reverently. "Any friend of my lady is a brother or sister to me." He looked at the child who was staring at him through golden eyes. "Or in this case, she will be like my own daughter." The wisps handed him the child who did not cry but touched the old tortoise’s face much like her mother touched the face of her father and smiled at him. His heart melted and he hugged the little one close. "She will not come to harm with me my lady," he swore, "I will protect her and raise her knowing the truth of her beginnings." He thought for a moment. "Forgive my ignorance my most beautiful lady of the night, but what IS this child's story? I have never seen the likes of her kind in my travels. She does not actually appear to belong in this world." The moon told him the story and the old tortoise cried as he held the child close. "My lovely lady," the mystic told the god, looking horrified as he spoke, "I do not know if I will be able to tell such a horrible thing to such a beautiful child."

The moon looked kindly at the old reptile. "Your cold blood does not mean you have a cold heart does it my reptilian friend?" She smiled kindly. "She will dance with me nightly for comfort, but she MUST know her story. Tell her the beautiful parts of the story and how she is made because of it."

Moon kissed the old male’s forehead and started to ascend. "My lady!" he called after her. "What is the child's name?"

The god smiled sadly as she again took her place as the light of the night sky. "Her name is Calliope."
The moon ascended completely now as the sun started to show its light on the horizon. As his light became stronger, her light became lesser until she finally vanished from sight.

The old tortoise took the babe back to his cart on the road. From that day he raised her as his own, telling her his story, and her story many many times.

She grew up kind as was her mother but strong as was her father. Through the Tortoise’s tutelage, she also practiced majick and danced naked in the moonlight with her sisters the wisps, singing with her savior the Moon.

Her life continues as such now.