My Creative Writing Projects

Swansong

Once upon a time in a far away land, there lived a relatively regular townsman who had fallen deeply in love with the emperor's daughter. She, like the man, had fallen in love. But not with him, but his elder brother. In a short time, the emperor married off his daughter to the elder of the two brothers, and he became the new emperor.
    The younger brother, instead of being completely overrun with jealousy and anger, was instead exceedingly sorrowful. He ran out of the village and into the forest and never turned back. He ran until he couldn't run anymore. He then started walking for days, not having a destination, and only stopped when he couldn't walk any further. Collapsing against a tree, he cried for days upon days, large translucent tears sliding down his cheeks, nose and mouth. He cried so hard for so long, that eventually, a pond began to gather at his feet, and it quickly turned into a river. Finally, not being able to cry any more tears of sadness, the river he created swept him away from the tree and down, down, down through the forest.
    He floated this way and that, the river bending and curving whenever it pleased. Finally, the river turned into a waterfall and the man was sent over the edge. But right before he hit the water at the bottom, he sprouted wings and soared high into the air, having transformed into a beautiful, silver and elegant swan.
    He flew on for ages, finally letting go of the past and moving on from his broken heart. He flew everywhere and explored all the world, which soon stretched into years of searching and sightseeing. One day while flying over the bays of a tropical continent, the young man suddenly felt a deep sadness at being away from home for so long and missing his family. Finally deciding to return to his homeland, he changed direction and flew home.
    Once he reached his homeland, he flew over the palace. Tucking his wings, he dove within the walls of the palace and perched on the roof. Looking down into the courtyard, he spotted a young girl, frolecking through the flowers of the garden. Watching with great interest, the man carefully and gracefully flew down to more closely examine the young girl. Landing onto the marble pavement, he watched her intently as she sashayed back and forth, a crown of purple and orange flowers precisely placed into her midnight black hair. Her eyelashes were long and curved, and they looked familiar to the man. Watching her closer as she placed a bouquet into the fountain, he recognized more of her features and at once realized that she was the daughter of his brother and his previous love.
    Feeling a little saddened at the reminder but joyed overall, he didn't let it get to him and felt pleasure at seeing a healthy girl whom he was related to. She was beautiful like her mother and had a gentle smile like her father and the same hair.
    The young girl finally saw him and smiled to herself but didn't come closer. The man was a beautiful bird, and he knew he was. Approaching the girl, he carefully nuzzled her hand with his beak, and leapt into the fountain. The girl squealed in delight and immediately ran to get more flowers. Sighing to himself, the man felt happier than he'd ever been in a while and decided to live in the palace. Over time he developed a strong fondness over his young kin, and a strong desire to care for her at all times.
    One summer morning, while he was napping in the fountain, he heard a scream. Waking up immediately, he searched for the source of the scream. Finding his young niece cornered by a feral and heavily poisonous snake, he was devastated. Growing determined, he intercepted the large snake and began challenging. The snake hissed and snapped at him, trying in vain to sink his teeth in for a bite, but he never got his mark. The man battled him off and honked, backing him off. The snake went in for another bite, but missed yet again. Realizing there was no way to kill him while being a swan on the ground, the man made a rash decision.
    Flying forward, he grasped the snake in his beak and lifted him into the air. Flying far above the roof, he soared upwards, the snake struggling in his grip. Slowing as the higher he got, the man gasped as the snake finally sunk it's teeth into his neck. Squawking, he dropped the snake and watched it plummet downwards, ending with a large crash. Feeling his wings get faint, the man began to fall, the venom rushing to every part of his body.
    Landing with a crash, he let out a feeble squawk and opened his eyes as he heard running footsteps. His brother, his wife and the little girl were surrounding him, eyes wide and anxious. Feeling his life drain away, the man chirped softly and felt happiness as he realized he had saved his family.
    With a flash of light, he returned to his human form once again. His elder brother gasped as tears slid down his face, both shocked and relieved. But the poison was still in him, and he could feel his life leaking away. Reaching a hand up, he leaned forward and said to his brother, "I have fulfilled my duty."
    His brother chuckled softly, tears rolling down his face. With a glance at his previous lover, he than turned to the little girl and took her hand. Planting a kiss on the back of her hand, he dropped it and died.
    Light shown around his body and shaped into the swan he was once was. As soon as it had appeared, the light flew up into the heavens and was never seen again. The eldest brother had a funeral for his deceased brother and had a special pendant made of a special stone to remember him and his bravery carved in the shape of a swan. He wore it for the rest of his living days and passed it down onto his children.
    Down and down the line of royalty it went, and the young man's story has never been forgotten to this very day. Some say he is still watching from above, keeping his family out of danger for the rest of eternity. Only when he is forgotten will he finally and truly fulfil his duty.

The End