poemtry and prose

Everyone turned their heads and attention to the back of the room. Cassie had to stand up in order to see what everyone was looking at. There in the back, were six faeries. Some stood, holding pipes and strange guitar-keyboardish instruments. Others sat, hunched over large handmade wooden drums with animals carved into their bases or with tiny drums precariously poised in their laps. It was a band. Cassie leaped up and down, she was finally going to hear the music from Hazel's world.

They were all dressed like medieval court jesters. Two of the members had tall poofy hats on their heads that slouched down over their eyes. The hats were brightly colored, in black and red and orange with beaded spirals and moons and stars woven into them. One was holding a hand pipe while the other held the strange stringed and keyed instrument. They also wore white poet's style shirts tied with a belt over a pair of baggy, bi and tri colored pants. The faerie with the pipes wore purple and pink pants while the other's were green and blue and red. Another faerie, had a feather stuffed into her hair, standing almost three feet from her head. The plumage from the feather was an inch thick and changed chameleon colors from purple to green. Cassie was not sure what she had on. It almost looked like she was not wearing any clothing at all. More swirls and spirals and stars covered her body in bright colors. Without having gone forward and looking at the two closely, Cassie figured that it was either body paint or some sort of tattooing. Another faerie wore similar body paint or tattooing but had her hair standing spiked up with green and red ribbons tied to the tips. The fifth faerie, a male also had his hair spiked and ribboned, but what he wore almost sent Cassie into major giggle fits. The rest had ribbons woven in and out of their hair which was spiked or tied in knots positioned at weird angles on their head.

The last wore what appeared to be a real human ballerina tu-tu. He also held a set of hand pipes although his were smaller than the other player's set. Cassie quickly covered her mouth with both hands after identifying what that was. She did not want to be rude but the humor of seeing a man, human or fae, wearing a traditional female costume sent her body into spasms of laughter. Hazel turned at her when he saw her place her hands over her mouth, "You okay?" he asked, leaning over and whispering in her ear. She turned her head, her hands still covering her mouth and nodded her head empathically. She still was unable to speak without breaking out into a fit of giggles.

Once she finally regained her body, Cassie removed her hands from her face. She inhaled deeply, casting out all remaining thoughts of laughing. She then looked over at Stick who perched on top of Hazel's shoulders. Cassie wondered if her tiny little friend was going to go join them at some point during the night and sing her madrigals in front of the crowd. Stick smiled back at Cassie and nodded at her. It was almost as if she read Cassie's mind and knew that she was going to ask Stick to sing for everyone.

The lead, who ironically was wearing the tu-tu, stepped forward. He looked around at the gathering and paused. Almost ten seconds passed and then breathing deep, he stretched his arms out wide, "Ladies and Gents, Sire." his deep baritone voice boomed. "Welcome. We are The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band. Proud entertainers, fine musicians and merry makers. And we, the members of The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band are here to put on a musical show the likes you have never seen before."

As the faerie spoke that last line his eyes crossed the room over and met with Cassie's. It was for her benefit that his troupe were here and he knew it. Her face beamed with child-like amazement, her mind wondering what was going to happen next.

"And we are here to party. So, if it please the Court, we would like to decree that for the rest of the evening that everyone has a good time. That everyone makes merry, dances, sings and enjoys the performance," he cried out, his voice booming over everyone. Atim clapped his hands and nodded, sealing the decree and making it official. The room exploded with sounds of applause and howling. Cassie also clapped her hands, ready to see what the troupe could do.

A steady beat rose over the cheering voices. Thump, thump, thump, following the sound of a heartbeat. The two drummers on the floor shook the room with their beat. Then the fae holding the hand drum started beating a faster, higher rhythm, snap, bang, snap, bang bang, snap, bang. This went on for about two minutes. Cassie watched the fae around her, many had their heads bowed low, their eyes closed, swaying to the beat of the drummers. The elderly fae, returned to their seats and admired the ruckus from as far away as they could, However, their bodies could not escape from the music, for their feet had all started tapping to the large sounds of the drum beats.

Then the unexpected happened. All the Chamber lights went out. Cassie hopped, a bit startled at the loss of the light. Just when her eyes began adjusting to the dark, two glowing balls appeared. They glowed bright green. Slowly, moving to every other beat of the heavy drums, they started to spin. Their tempo soon quickened, matching the faster and higher pace of the smaller hand drum. As the balls swung faster and faster the color of the spinning balls also changed, going from a neon green to bright orange. It was the last color change when Cassie realized something about the spinning balls. They were now on fire.

Cassie stepped forward towards the light. It mesmerized and captivated her. They spun tall, then grew short, making intricate circles around one another. Then, they snapped back to being long and wide and then they wove figure eights, all the while never missing a beat. She wanted to see who was behind the dancing, spinning balls of flame. Hazel followed, Stick still on his shoulder. The balls leaped and moved, their unseen faerie carrying them around the dance. The drums, continued to weave their hypnotic beat.

As Cassie crept closer she heard the whooshing sounds. The balls floated above an invisible head, one circling high, while the other circled around in front of the body. Magic was not causing the balls to spin, chains were. The balls were attached to chains and someone or something was holding them. And yet the glow from the flames did not expose the mystery dancer. It was like it did not exist at all. That it was Darkness itself holding onto those chains. Cassie was in awe.

Then suddenly, she heard more whooshing sounds behind her. She spun around and saw a second set of glowing balls appear, attached to another set of chains. These balls glowed bright blue and changed to red flames as they spun faster and faster. The first spinner walked over to where Cassie stood. They spun the flames around her, close but not close enough to catch her hair or clothes or skin on fire. Then they danced around her. Their fingers weaving trails of lights over and around and away from her. She felt like she was being bathed in a glow of flame, cleansing her and birthing her into a new world. The balls spun faster and faster as the drums continued to beat, climaxing in a flurry of sound. And then, when she thought she could not take it anymore. The balls burned out. Leaving everyone in the dark again. The drums absolutely silent. The song had ended, leaving Cassie breathless.

The audience started clapping and the candles relight themselves with a small poof sound. Cassie rejoined the members, still trying to understand what had just happened. The lead faerie stood forward again, and winked at her, "Ladies and Gents, Sire, we now would like to invite a court favorite up from the audience to sing a tale of love and sorrow. Hazel, would you be so kind as to bring your companion, Stick, up in front, we all would appreciate it muchly."

Hazel nodded and grabbed a nearby chair. He walked over to where The Fabulous, Gobble Rachet and Clanking Chains Band stood and set the chair down. Then he crossed his right hand over to his left shoulder. Stick hopped from her perch into his hand. He lowered the pixie down into the chair. "Thanks," she chirped.

The hand drum started beating out a slow dum, de dum, de dum beat. Both pipe players tapped their feet, getting used to the tempo and then they started playing a long and sorrowful melody. Five bars into their song, Stick closed her eyes.

More melody passed and then a high soprano voice rose from the little faeries chest. Stick started to sing. Instantly, Cassie recognized the song, it was one of her favorites, One Tin Soldier. While she did not want to hog the spotlight she also found herself mouthing the words while Stick sang the song.

"Listen people to a story
that was written long ago,
'bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley folks below.
On the mountain was a treasure
Hidden deep beneath a stone,
And the valley people swore
They'd have it for their very own.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of heaven,
you can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing,
come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after
One Tin Soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley
sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure
Tons of gold for which they'd kill.
Came the answer from the kingdom,
With our brothers we will share,
All the riches of the mountain,
All the treasure buried there.

Now the valley cried with anger,
Mount your horses, draw your swords
And they killed the mountain people,
So they won their just rewards
Now they stood before the treasure
On the mountain dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it--
Peace On Earth, was all it said.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat and friend,
Do it in the name of heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after-er,
One Tin Soldier rides away"

When the song ended, Cassie had tears in her eyes. But she was not the only one. Several other fae were also in tears. Lovers wrapped their arms around one another holding onto the love they shared. Again, everyone clapped as Stick bowed and turned to praise The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band and the lovely accompaniment they gave her.

Stick hopped down from her chair. A few fae gathered around Stick in admiration, shaking her tiny hand in praise. The band lead whisked the chair away as the band broke out into another set of songs. While most of the older fae still sat at their tables listening to the music, enjoying a night of partying, some of the younger fae took to the floor and started dancing to the music of The Fabulous, Gobble Ratchet and Clanking Chains Band.