The Teardrop Charm
by:Lady Earth
prologue
The old women sat rocking by the fire. An afgan, with stitching so fine that even the most gifted seamstresses couldn't portray, hung lightly over her shoulders. Her red velvet dress suggested warmth of the most splendid kind, a shield for the women against the frigid cold in the one room cabin she was in even the fire could not rival. Her skin looked stark white against the glow of the smoldering logs.
But,oh, this women was anything but ugly. She contained such beauty in her old age that when she was young, she must
have rivaled even the
gods. Her cheekbones were high and firm, her lips full and pouty. Her chin had a defiant look about
it, as though anyone who tried to through her would surely be put down, and her nose so straight in the center of her face. But
as most people say, the eyes are usually the most wonderful, and this women was no exception.
Her eyes did not have a certain color. They were almost like a mood ring, so black in the reflecting of evil, so very golden in the reflecting of goodness.These two tiny eyes made this women special, for they could help a person in need. Some so needy that they would track all the way across the great white mountains, to the very end of there country to the place where this women lived, just to glimpse her eyes.
There was one such person coming on this special day. You see, it was Christmas. Since the women did not have any family, she often stayed home during any type of holiday. The women's only company was a black tabby cat with bright blue eyes. Some say the cat has magical powers as well. It sat on the braided rug in front of the fire, it's tail twitching in anticipation.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the old wooden door. The cat and the women exchanged a glance. The cat seemed to nod it's head slightly. The women did the same in return. The women got up, and walked to the door with the grace of a dancer, quite odd for a women of her age. She opened the door.
As she had expected, there stood a young women of no more than twenty. She was of average hieght, and wore dark robes, which was the style of clothing in this time period. She had long, dark blonde hair that shimmered in the falling snow and what was left of the fading evening sun. She had beauty in her face as well as her eyes, which were a light blue. The old women gestured for the girl to come inside.
She walked over to the fire, sitting in a straight-backed chair directly opposite the old women's rocker. The cat jumped in her lap. She patted it absentmindedly. The old women joined the pair by the fire.
" What have you come for, my child?" ask the old women kindly, even though she knew the answer.
The girl sniffled a few times, obviously fighting back tears. She had come here before, enjoying the old women's kindness, but it was time to move on. She had to face her fears. If only Auror could help her in her quest...
" I am tired of waiting Auror. I need to know if he is the one I am destined to be with."
Of course Auror knew what she was talking about. Elar had been in love with one boy for over 4 years now, but did not know how to confront him. He was of the most stubborn sort of boy, and completely ignored the young girl's advances. Auror had comforted her many a times as this boy had again and again put her down.
" I know that he is the one you are destined for," Auror told her firmly. " It has been sealed since before you both were even born. You are ment to be together."
" But you've said that time and time again!" Elar cried, startling the cat in her lap." If we really are ment to be, then why aren't we together? Why must he always cause me so much pain? Is that how love is suppossed to be?"
" It is not like that, and you know it." Auror said, dropping down in front of the girl's chair and grasping her hands firmly. " You know what love really is. You must now teach him."
" Don't you think that I have tried?" Elar whispered, tears glistening down her pale cheeks. " He probably doesn't even know what love is, let alone how to feel it."
Auror let go of the girl's hands and gingerly stood up. She stared silently at the fire. She knew what she could do, she just didn't know if she should. Love was a tricky thing, not to be dealed with lightly. But then she looked at Elar,and thought of all the things this boy had put her through. She knew that the time was right. She knelt again next to Elar.
" Listen to me, my dear," Auror started," I am getting on in years. I have watched over you all of your life. It is almost my time to go. This will be the last time that I see you."
" No!" Elat tried to stand up, but Auror held up a hand to stop her.
" I wish to see you off with one last gift. You must learn to use it wisely."
She held out her hand. A faint glow started on her palm. Elar watched in wonder as slowly, a silver necklace started to appear. A small silver chain, no thicker than a couple milimeters, came to be. A diamond in the shape of a teardrop was held on it. The tiny diamond reflected off of Auror's eyes, which were slowly starting to lose their life.
" Understand this Elar, you must use this gift wisely. It is not something to be trifled with, for it could cause chaos in the wearer's life. This is the Teardrop Charm. It is part of me, my mother, my grandmother, and so on, right up to the start of my family. It has special magical powers. Once a girl puts it on, the boy that she has interests in seams to see her in a new light. But it must be used by someone with a good heart, who only loves one, and who could never love another. A girl who uses it just for attention could cause fighting that could even lead to a war."
" A long time ago in the ancient world, lived the beautiful Helen, wife to the King of Sparta in Greece. Many men coveted her as a goddess. The women evied her beauty. But Helen was not always true to her husband. She had many different male suiters. Helen was looking around in an old cottage behind the her castle one day, a day that would change her life forever. The house had at one time belonged to a relative of my family. She was the most evil person, jealous of the beauty that she did not have. She stole the Teardrop Charm, and had fled from Athens, the capital of Greece and my family's resting place, to Sparta. She live in the old house until her death. She had many men, none of which loved her, who were just following her around because of the charm. After her death, not a single person cared for her, and her house went unnoticed for years, the Teardrop Charm hidden in a single box on the ratty kitchen table. Helen found the box that day she went looking, and the note hidden inside the box, telling of what it does. The foolish women put it on, knowing full well that she was already admired by many men. Later that very same day, she was walking on the beach when a young prince from the city of Troy saw her. He immediantly fell for her, his interests hightened by the necklace's power's. He took her back to Troy with him. She didn't mind, as she was getting tired of the stuffy, old King of Sparta. But he did mind, and sent armies to break her out. Many a men died on account of this evil woman."
Auror finished her story and sat down in her old rocker. Elar just stared at her.
" How did your family get the necklace back?"
" One of the fighters for Sparta was my great-grandmother's brother. He returned it to her."Auror sighed. " Do you understand now, the power of the necklace? You cannot stand to start a war. But I know that you will be careful with it. You should go now, my dear girl. I haven't much life left in me."
Elar nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. The cat jumped from her lap as she walked over to Auror. Kissing her on both cheeks, Elar walked out the door, the teardrop charm safely clutched into her hand. She only looked back once as she clambered down the snowy hill. She saw in amazement a golden light surrounding the old cottage, then it suddenly disappeared.
Elar smiled sadly. She hooked the charm around her neck. It shone in the light.
"Goodbye, my good friend. Goodbye."
Yes, Elar did get the man she loved. They lived out a long life together, until she too passes the teardrop charm onto her daughter. It went on this way thoughout history, until people started to forget about its powers. It was hidden away in the little box it had originally been in, its tattered story laying hidden under cardboard under the charm. It found its way to an old attic in a mansion in Europe, waiting to be found by its true heir, Relena Peacecraft.
Lady Earth: well, tell me what you think. This is only part one, so I promise that it will get better.I had one story beginning all ready to send, but my