Melancholia

Remnants 3 - Everwind

Everwind
by: Sam Dnimret

Once upon a time, there was a girl called Eberwein. She was an orphan. Her parents had both died from an incurable disease and she was put in an orphanage. There, she worked for the orphanage owners.

One day, when the prince of the kingdom turned eighteen, the king held a big celebration, inviting all to enjoy. Eberwein, naturally, as a teenager, wanted to join the festival. However, she was poor and had only rags to wear. So, she visited her godmother, Melas, who lived in the woods.

That day, the curfew and the work were called off in support of the celebration. So, Eberwein had lots of time that day. She went to the woods, to a small but modest cabin that her godmother lived in.

"Knock-knock," she knocked on the door. "Godmother Melas, may I come in? I'm Eberwein."

"Sure, do come in, darling."

So she went in.

"What are you doing?" asked Eberwein.

"Knitting. What are you here for? I have not seen you in a long time, my dear child."

"I would like to ask for a favour," she replied.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Could you please give me a dress? I'd like to go to the ball tonight."

"The ball? Don't you have curfew?"

"No, Godmother Melas. They called it off."

"I see. So... You want a dress, don't you? I have just the right thing."

Melas then went into her room and took out a pair of bluish-white gloves, a pair of high heeled shoes, a white frilly dress, a comb and some hair ornaments.

"This should be enough."

"Yes, thank you Godmother."

"Before you go, I should warn you, if you don't return these items to me before 12 o'clock midnight, you will be punished, young lady."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind."

And so she thanked Males and left. Later that evening, she was prepared to go to the ball. She looked simply stunning in her new attire. The other orphans were jealous of her new clothes.

She could finally go to the ball. At seven o'clock, she arrived. The ball had just begun.

"It is in the honour of our prince that we hold this celebration. Let the celebrations begin!"

So they danced and feasted. They danced in pairs, changing partners regularly. Eventually, she found herself dancing with the prince. By God, he was handsome. "A noble in his finest white suit, his face mature yet sweet, oh was he good!" so she thought.

So she asked him if he would marry her, anticipating the answers as in the fairy tales. He said yes, causing her to blush in bliss. She was going to ask him for a kiss but then they changed partners again.

Another girl asked him the same question and he yet again agreed. It seemed that to him, Eberwein wasn't anybody special. She was disappointed, and went to feast instead. Soon, without noticing, she fell asleep.

When she woke up, it was nearly twelve o'clock midnight. So she rushed. She rushed to Melas' house. The moon was bright, the woods in darkness. She failed to return in time, and suddenly she lost consciousness, in the woods, all alone.

When she woke up, she found herself standing on a red hexagon box, with a key attached to it. She looked around and it was in her godmother's house. She tried to step down from the box but her legs were stuck in place.

"What time is it?" a voice boomed.

"It's..."

"It's beyond midnight, Eberwein. And as such, you must be punished."

Suddenly, Eberwein found herself changing. Her hair grew long and blue, reaching her waist. She also lost control of her body, unable to move on her own will. Instead, her limbs moved by them self to a certain position, guided by her clothes. It seemed that the clothes Melas gave her were magical, controlling and restraining her. Her body tilted slightly, she was frozen in that position. Her eyes became glassy, just looking in front, though it seemed it had emotions, the longing, the yearning of being free.

Melas turned the key on the box and music started to play, the circular platform on which Eberwein stood started to spin. Soon, her arms started to move, every movement causing either a "crack" or a "pop".

Even after a while, Melas started to sing, "What do you see? You people gazing at me? You see a doll on a music box that's wound by a key..."

Funnily enough, Eberwein was controlled to dance along and to lip sync to the song. "How can you tell, I am under a spell. I'm waiting for love's first kiss...", she lip synced with arms open wide.

After the song finished, the platform stopped spinning and the dance was completed. Eberwein thought,"Is my punishment finally over?"

"It's done," Melas said. "This is your punishment."

"Yes, I'm finally free," Eberwein thought.

"To stay as a doll on a music box until someone frees you. Of course, I won't tell anyone the reverse spell, it's theirs to try, haha!"

And so, Eberwein was left as a decoration in Melas' house, eventually retiring to the shed. Now named Everwind, she just stands there in the late Melas' old worn out shed, waiting for someone to save her.