The Voice and the Statue

The story I will tell was told to me by her, my Joy. She left this place following one of the many roads that here surrounds. I wanted to say “No”, to hold her and make her stay. But I knew I couldn’t. On her eyes I could see, how much she desired to go. Her curiosity took her away. I wanted to say, “I love you”, because I did, but I refrained to do so. I did not want to hold her back. So I keep it for myself and my writings, trying to protect her from such anchors. 1

I remember when she returned, her face a bit dark with dust, using boyish clothes and hugged me and said gently : “there is some cruel people in this world”. 2

She took a bath and returned, now using her normal outfits and I noticed she was pale and a little thin. That was when she told me what she did after she left, following the road and leaving me. She traveled as she said, many days for a road that was all about safety! She was bored and then decided to, despite any good advice, enter into the forest! 3

Well, she was probably right, after all in few seconds she saw a bonfire and a bag with some contents scattered on the ground. Near there she saw a horse and heard a voice of a man. She noticed that was a knight horse and decided to disguise herself. She bruised some dust over her hair, legs and arms. She cut her hair and put some extra clothes to disguise her body. Then she waited. A few minutes later a rich clad knight approached and with him he carried a perfect statue of a woman. 4

She hasn’t seen anything as beautiful and lively…for a statue. The knight gazed her and shrugged. He was too big to be afraid of her. 5

She said he offered her food and water, but when she moved her hand to touch the statue he grinned darkly and she stopped daunted. But that Knight, strong and handsome, was a lord, a nobleman of shorts and have been alone for too long. So, he talked. Talked a lot and explained to her what that statue was. 6

- Not long ago, I traveled with a mage from the Western Europe, and he talked to me about a princess of the southern nobles. He told me she was alluring, the most divine face he ever saw. I wasn’t interested but then he told me she would marry in three days and he would go to the wedding and kidnap her, I considered the option as I was not much friendly with those nobles. So we rode together and finally arrived on our destination. It was not hard to come near without being noticed, he used a magic word to turn us invisible. And then I saw her. And she was indeed beautiful. And I saw her face was sad. There were small tears she cleaned when her father looked. I decided finally to rescue her and more, not allow her to fall into the mage’s hand. When she got alone I chased and captured her. Running I jumped on my horse and escaped. I saw the mage following me and using his spells to keep the guards behind. But when we are safe, he jumped and said: Give me the wench. I said no and I put my sword straight on his face. He shrugged, the coward and moved away. You should not have done it, for I was always friendly with you. Is this damsel worth of my enmity? She won’t be anything. You won’t have her. And your sword will not save you. And with that move he cursed, both of us. During the day she is this statue. And during the night, she is flesh again. But I ? I turn into words, pure sound. I can just follow her. And then he comes, during the night and torture her with his hand. And all I can do, is talk…7

She was touched by that knight and princess’s fate. She offered to throw stones against the mage, but the knight just laughed. She said she would be helpful. But he laughed even hard. She promised. He refused. 8

- What would I be, if any ragged boy’s promises I would believe? 9

She was frustrated and she said she would go with him and show her value. He then accepted but with one condition: she had to follow his instructions and not try to do anything by herself. She accepted and he explained his plan : 10

- No matter what you hear, keep yourself well hidden. When you see the sunrise coming close, I will distract the mage and you can attack him. But not before nor later, because he will leave as soon as I start to change back to my shape. 11

- I agree, but you have to give me some weapon to attack him, or he will just curse me also. 12

He accepted and tried to show her how to use a sword, but she was not big enough and he, a bit disappointed, gave her a hunting knife. 13

That night, she told me, she was hiding when she saw the wind talking with the knight voice. And the statue started to walk. Bewilderment kept her quiet when she saw descending from skies a tall and sinister man. The voice cursed him and the woman begged for help. She could barely withstand. That was a terrific night, the cruel and mocking laugher of the mage, the despair of the woman’s screams and the heavy and bitterness voice of the knight haunted her dreams for days. She was shaking when told me this and I was glad to hear that she kept those things away thinking of me. But the night started to come to her end and sneakily she moved behind the mage. The voice shouted higher, distracting him. Then her knife blazed with the fading moonlight and she backstabbed the mage who screamed. Quickly she jumped over him and pressed the knife against his throat. 14

- Now, Now! Who is about to die ? – Said the voice sneering with anger. 15

- No! Do not do it, lad. I will give you riches and anything you want. – The mage offered to her, but she only answered: 16

- Turn them back! 17

- I can not do it. I need materials…18

- List it! List it! – Said the voice. 19

The mage listed a number of materials, not hard to find. The voice then commanded: 20

- We wait until morning, when I sift back to recover it all. 21

She agreed, she said. Foolish, she said. When the morning arrived she saw the woman sitting and shifting into a statue again. And despite her effort to mimic the last’s day pose, she was clearly in a different position. The knight was now back and pressed his sword against the mage’s belly. 22

- Go and fetch his components. - He said. 23

She left and it was not hard to find what the mage listed and after a few hours she was back. The mage, all the time watched closely by the knight, performed a ritual. She waited excited. Many things happened and it was late when the mage said: 24

- Finished. – At that moment the sunset happened. They waited and all of them watched the night. The moon was high but the knight was there still. 25

She then turned to talk with the woman but the statue remained.  26

- But…wait! Do not let him go! – She said – The woman still cursed! 27

Then the knight frowned and answered: 28

- I asked him to keep that way, boy. She is too beautiful. I can not risk losing her to any other man. 29

She lived other adventures, some certainly she preferred to not tell me. But that was the first one she shared, with her face burried on my chest, telling me. “There is many cruelty.”. There she remained and when I enclosed her with my arms, I knew she was there, but not for long…30