Story Night #2

Admiomino’s Submission

Adiomino’s Story Submission:
A vast mountainous region where the heather and lavender are spread out among other wild flowers across the landscape.

A large waterfall hidden by tall oak trees, roaring water flowing down to the blue rocks at the waterfall’s base.

And thistle bushes laid out on the forest floor.

The beautiful lands produced a beauty itself. Heather, who was named after the flowers themselves, was born in these lands.

A beauty in distress was this lass. Heather trudged past the bushes without allowing herself to admire the landscape, her shadow followed behind her, and her shadow dragged across the forest floor.

She studied not the flowers, not the animals, but stared blankly at the dirt.

Have you felt a forsaken soul? – One who cannot help herself may wander endlessly into oblivion without a goal to achieve. To rack your brain without knowing what you’re thinking about is truly a hopeless cause.

Winter draws near to her land and she and her father, Leorius, have not the rations to survive it. A cold winter beats down harder on those that are unprepared for its might and that is a fact known well to them.

They’ve a supply of blackberries, and dried out meat, and nuts. But Leorius must also endure a sickness while the winter storms weather down on him. His wife and Heather’s mother already died of sickness during wintertime a few years before that.

A divine being may have seen this beautiful girl and pitied on her, for on her obscure path he laid three houses. One of cold stone, one of brick, and the last was of raggedy oak wood.

The diving being came to her in an intangible form and spoke down to her, “Continue on this path to reach 3 houses. Each of the houses with a man and one of these houses help for you and your father. The only people worthy of aid are those that can first help themselves. Ask only one of the men for aid. And the “right” man may help you in return for your hand in marriage. The first part of helping yourself is knowing where to find help..”

Heather was a desperate soul and she continued walking straight upon a crooked path filled trees and thorny bushes. Her legs brushed against the thorns of bushes, her only resolve was to continue forward and find the three houses.

She came upon the first house of stone and was bid welcome to come inside by a young gentleman. He was well dressed and on him were fine robes of silk and wool. But his house was bare and dark. He seemed like a kind soul but there was nothing he could possibly offer her.

The divine being’s words rang in her ears as she recalled what she was told, “..The first part of helping yourself is knowing where to find help..”

Arrival at the second house of brick came soon after leaving the first one. This time she was greeted by a stunning young lad. His beauty struck her heart but in his house she saw nothing but brick. She was quickly disheartened and left him without a word for he was nothing but an illusion.

The third house she came to was ugly and was built out of rotting wood. When she saw the man inside her face twisted. He was an ugly, bearded man wearing tattered rags. But she was bid welcome inside his abode and she saw inside a plethora of rations for the winter.

A banquet of wonderful food and silverware was laid out on an ugly wooden table. But to her, the food was a glorious sign. Heather cried to him for his aid to her and her sick father.

And a beautiful transformation came upon the old man’s body. He appeared to her as a lively and handsome young man who’s stunning beauty far surpassed that of the person in the second house. And he was clothed in majestic robes that flowed across the room as he walked to her.

The house was destroyed and out from the ground a house of gold and stone enclosed around the two.
Heather knew that this was no doubt the divine being that spoke to her before.

And the divine being spoke to her. “You are wise. For you have picked me out of the others you saw before me. And you shall be rewarded for it. You will become my wife and we will live here in this wonderful house and your dad will be healthy.”

When choices are laid out to you, choose not what the soul wants, but what the soul needs and be wise in your decision making. Those that are worthy receive help only after they prove they can help themselves..