Tale 90- The Encounter of Magic

 As the Traveler arrived in the city centre, the previous quiet was interrupted by the loud anger of several citizens, and the sound of stone. Moving closer to the source, the Traveler peeked round a street corner to see something frightening- a young girl, perhaps around her age or even a little younger, was being stoned in the square, bloodied and bruised and lying there on the floor. As the crowd continued to pelt her, they labelled her an unwanted daughter and a disgrace, words the Traveler became furious at. What right did any of them have to decide another’s worth?! It was one’s own decision to judge their worth and what they believed themself to be deserving of, and the judgement of another would have no power over oneself if they just had confidence and believed in themself. As the Traveler stared upon the girl curled up on the ground, she felt an intense pity, and watched the rocks beginning to slow as the crowd got bored, leaving the beaten girl face down in the street to be claimed by whoever wanted her, if anyone. Approaching her, the Traveler put her sleeve into her cloak and raised it, the girl being surprised but allowing the Traveler to gently wipe her face and take the blood away, the Traveler putting her hand over one of the wounds to try and stop it bleeding. As she did so, the girl asked her if she wanted to hear why she was stoned, and the Traveler nodded, knowing this was both a tale to write and an opportunity to allow the girl to speak her mind, even despite everyone else trying to silence her. And thus, the beaten girl told the tale of ‘the Encounter of Magic.’

‘Not so long ago, there lived a young girl who had a mindset made of magic and idealism, one which challenged the status quo and everything the town she lived in stood for. Her idealism stood out, as she discovered magic in the world one day and watched as the forest made flowers bloom, the swamp became full of monsters and a star fell in love with a bird. As miracles bloomed around her, the girl tried to tell others what she saw, but they refused to listen and even harmed her for her belief in the intangible magic of the world, pushing her view down and trying to silence her. And yet despite it all, the idealist wouldn’t be silenced, continuing to claim to see the joy and beauty of the world even when she was screamed at or injured. And yet, she faltered eventually, as she began to question if they were right, if her mindset and worldview were only to bring others pain. And even with rocks pelted at her, the questioning hurt far more.’

The Traveler reached and put an arm around the girl, who leaned into her. Noticing the scar on the Traveler’s face, she silently wondered whether the Traveler, too, had gone through hardship, and thus took comfort in the Traveler’s embrace. “If you want my view, I believe you are doing good…” the Traveler whispered, the girl looking up at her in surprise but unable to help a tiny smile forming even despite her bruised and bloodied face. As the Traveler helped her up, she watched a frightened boy approach her, gently lifting her up and taking his sister home to their parents, to tell them what had happened. Now sure the girl would be okay, the Traveler couldn’t help but rejoice as she sat on a barrel and wrote. There were only a few tales left.

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