Tale 188: Princess Enya and Moltres (Brock)

(real tale: The Story of Zoulvisia)

"They say that long ago, in the desert of Houen, travelers would often claim to see a high mountain covered with beautiful trees, and the glitter of foaming waterfalls could be seen in the sunlight." Brock begins. "In that clear, still air it was even possible to hear the song of the bird Pokemon, and smell the flowers; but though the mountain was clearly inhabited -- you could see small houses here and there -- none of the kings, princes, and adventurers who passed it on the road to what is now Fallarbor Town or Lavaridge Town ever went into its forests -- or, if they did, they never came out."

Ash swallows hard as Brock intones "In fact, so great was the terror caused by the evil reputation of the mountain that fathers on their deathbeds would tell their sons and daughters never to try to fathom its mysteries. But in spite of its infamous nature, a certain number of young men and women every year announced their intention of visiting it and were never seen again."

He smiles as he looks out on his friends. "Having said all of that, I can properly begin this tale."

With that,he goes on "Now, there was once a powerful king who ruled over a country on the other side of the desert, and, as he was dying, gave the usual counsel to his seven sons. Hardly, was he dead did the eldest, who had inherited the throne, announce his intention of hunting in the enchanted mountain. The old sages shook their heads and tried to persuade him to give up the crazy scheme. But their warnings were in vain; he went, but did not return; and the throne was filled by his next brother. The same thing happened to the other five; but when the youngest--we'll call him Aidan--became king, he too proclaimed a hunt in the mountain. Needless to say, riots broke out in the city--the people were concerned about who would rule the land when he too inevitably died."

"So did King Aidan listen?" Melody worries.

"Well,for a while he listened to their pleas, and the land grew rich and prosperous under his rule." Brock assures Melody. "But in a few years the flights of fancy returned, and this time he would hear nothing of the warnings and pleas. Hunt in that forest he would, and after calling his friends and attendants round him, he set out one morning across the desert."

"So what happened to King Aidan?" Ash wonders.

"They were riding through a rocky valley, when a Sawsbuck sprang up in front of them and bounded away." Brock explains. "King Aidan naturally chased it, followed by his attendants; but the Pokemon ran so swiftly that they never could catch up to it, and it wasn't long before it vanished in the depths of the forest."

After waiting for a beat, he goes on "Then King Aidan stopped for the first time, and looked around him. He had left his companions behind, and, looking back, he spotted them entering some tents dotted here and there amongst the trees. For him, the fresh coolness of the woods was more attractive to him than any food, however delicious, and for hours he strolled about as his will led him."

Misty swallows hard as Brock goes on "However, it began to grow dark, and he thought that the moment had arrived for them to start for home. So, leaving the forest with a sigh, he made his way down to the tents, but imagine his horror to find his men lying about, some dead, some dying. It was as clear as day that the wine they had drunk contained deadly poison."

As King Aidan, he sighs "I am too late to help you, my friends, but at least I can avenge you! Those that have set this trap will most likely return to see if it worked. I will hide myself somewhere, and discover who they are!"

As himself, he continues "Then he noticed a large walnut tree nearby, and climbed into its branches. Night soon fell, and nothing broke the stillness of the place; but with the earliest glimpse of dawn a noise of galloping hoofs was heard."

"What was it?" Ash asks, fearing the worst.

"Pushing the branches aside the king noticed someone approaching, mounted on a shining Ponyta. On reaching the tents the warrior dismounted, and closely inspected the dead bodies that lay around them. Then, one by one, he dragged them to a ravine close by and threw them into a lake at the bottom. While he was doing this, the servants who had followed him led away the Ponytas of the ill-fated men, and the courtiers were ordered to let loose the Sawsbuck, which was used as a decoy, and to see that the tables in the tents were covered as before with food and wine. Once everything was in place he strolled slowly through the forest, but great was his surprise to come upon a beautiful shining Ponyta hidden in the depths of a thicket.'There was a Ponyta for every dead man,' he said to himself. 'Then whose is this ?'

"Mine !" he announces as King Aidan. 'Who are you that lure people into your power and then poison them ? But you will do so no more. Return to your palace, wherever it may be, and we will fight before it!"

"I accept your challenge. Mount, and follow me. I am Enya." Misty replies--a subtle clue to the audience that he is a she.

"No sooner had the stranger said this, he was out of sight so quickly that King Aidan had only time to notice that light seemed to flow from himself and his steed, and that the long hair under his helmet was jet black like a river of stars." Brock goes on "Clearly, he was a she. But who could she be? Was she queen of a far away land? Or was she a bandit queen? She was neither: only a beautiful maiden."

He pauses before continuing "King Aidan remained standing beneath the walnut tree, long after Ponyta and rider had vanished from sight. Then he woke with a jump, to remember that he must find the way to the palace of his foe, though where it was he had no idea. However, he took the path down which the rider had come, and walked along for many hours till he came to three huts side by side, in each of which lived a fairy and her two guardians."

"Pini?" Happini asks.

"The poor king was by this time so tired and hungry that he could hardly speak, but when he had drunk some water, and rested a little, he was able to reply to the questions they asked him." Brock replies.

"I am going to seek Enya," he explains as King Aidan; She has slain my brothers and many of my subjects, and I mean to avenge them."

"What a pity we did not know!" Melody gasps. "Twice today has she passed our door, and we might have kept her prisoner."

"But though their words were brave, their hearts were not, for the mere thought of Enya made them tremble." Brock narrates.

"Forget Enya, and stay with us," Melody pleads. "You shall be our big brother, and we will be your little sisters."

"So King Aidan took from his pocket a ruby, a sapphire, and a topaz, and gave one to each of the fairies, saying..." Brock then switches to his 'King Aidan' voice. "Though I may not give up my vengeance I accept your friendship, and therefore leave you these three gems. If any of them glow, know that my life is in danger, and, in memory of our promise, come to my aid."

As himself, he continues "The fairies agreed to the promise, and the king mounted his Ponyta and set out along the road they showed him. Just as the moon was rising that night, he saw a splendid palace, but, though he rode twice around it, he could find no door. He was considering what to do next, when he heard the sound of snoring. He looked down and saw an old man lying at the bottom of a deep pit, just outside the walls, with a lantern by his side. 'Perhaps he may be able to give me some counsel,' thought King Aidan; and he carefully climbed into the pit and laid his hand on the man's shoulder.

"Are you a Fletchling or an Ekans that you can enter here?" he asks as the old man

"I am only a mere mortal, and I seek Enya." he replies as King Aidan.

"Enya? The world's curse?" he gasps as the old man."'Out of all the thousands she has slain I am the only one who has escaped, though why she spared me only to condemn me to this living death I cannot guess."

"Help me if you can," he pleads as King Aidan..

"Take heed then to my counsel," he replies as the old man. "Know that every day at sunrise, Enya dresses herself in her jacket of rubies, and climbs the steps of her crystal watchtower. From there she can see all over her lands, and see the entrance of either man or demon. If so much as one is detected she utters such fearful words that those who hear her die of fright. But hide yourself in a cave that lies near the foot of the tower, and plant a forked stick in front of it; then, when she has uttered her third cry, go forth boldly, and look up at the tower. And go without fear, for you will have broken her power."

Ash leads the applause as Brock continues as himself "King Aiden did everything as the old man had told him, and when he came out from the cave, their eyes met."

"You have conquered me," Misty interjects as Enya, "and are worthy to be my husband, for you are the first person who has not died at the sound of my voice!"

"Enya let down her jet hair, which she used to pull the king to the top of the tower like a rope." Brock goes on. "Then she led him into the throne, and presented him to her household, where they were married right then and there."

"Ask of me what you wish, and I will grant it to you," Misty adds as Enya.

"King Aidan asked her to set free the old man that helped him, and to send him back to his own country." Brock narrates.

"I have finished with hunting, and with riding" Misty replies as Enya. "The care of providing for us all belongs to you now."

"She turned to her attendants and told them to bring the shining Ponyta before her." Brock narrates.

"This is your master, O my steed of flame, and you will serve him as you have served me." Misty coos to an imagined Ponyta as Enya.

"The Ponyta looked for a moment at the young man, and then bent his head, while the king patted his neck and smoothed his tail, like they were old friends." Brock goes on. "Then he decided to go on a ride, but before he left, Enya gave him a case of jewels."

"What was so special about them?" Ash is curious.

"He rode along for some time, without seeing any game to bring home for dinner. Suddenly a fine Sawsbuck dashed from the brush, and he quickly gave chase." Brock replies. "On they ran, but the Sawsbuck twisted and turned so that King Aidan had no chance of a shot till they reached a river, when the Pokemon jumped in and swam across. King Aidan fitted his bow with an arrow, and took aim..." He pantomimes aiming a bow to emphasize his point. "but although he succeeded in wounding the Sawsbuck, it had enough strength to reach the other bank, and in the confusion, he never noticed that the case of jewels had fallen in the water."

"Pika?" Pikachu asks.

"The stream, though deep, was fast, and the box was swirled along miles, and miles, and miles, till it was washed up in another country." Brock explains. "It was picked up by one of the royal waterbearers, who showed it to the king. The workmanship of the case was so curious, and the jewels so rare, that the king could not decide to part with it, but he gave the man a good price and sent him away. Then, summoning his chamberlain, he bade him find out its history in three days, or else."

"And then?" Misty wonders.

"But the answer to the riddle, which puzzled all the mages and wise men, was given by a wise woman, who came up to the palace and told the chamberlain that, for two hundred pieces of gold, she would reveal the mystery." Brock intones. "Of course the chamberlain gladly gave her what she asked, and in return she informed him that the case and the hair belonged to Enya. The chamberlain told her to bring her to that land, and she would be rick beyond her wildest dreams. The wise woman replied that she would try her best."

The tent is silent as the small audience wonders what will happen next. "She went back to her hut in the middle of the forest, and standing in the doorway, sang....

Gran zirtan vin fangan miti... Melody sings.

"Suddenly, the dead leaves on the ground began to move and to rustle, and from underneath them there came a long line of Arboks." Brock intones "They wriggled to the witch, who stooped down and patted their heads, and gave each one some milk in a red earthen basin. When they had all finished, she turned one into a cane and another into a whip with the same spellsong. Then she took a stick, and on the river bank changed it into a raft with that spellsong, and set sail."

"How did King Aidan react?" Ash asks, worried for the king.

"All that day she floated, and all the next night, and towards sunset the following evening she found herself close to Enya's garden, just at the moment that the King Aidan was returning from hunting." Brock goes on. "he asked the woman what she was doing there, and the woman told him the most heart wrenching tale Of course,King Aidan felt sorry for her and he promised that he would bring her food, and that she should spend the night in his palace. When they got there, he told the witch to rest herself, and he would bring her anything she needed. But Enya his wife grew white as Gastly when she heard who the guest was."

[This is boring...] a Meowth interjects.

Brock musters a embarrassed grin. "You're right--I picked one a bit too long, didn't I?"

"Don't worry--you can think of a shorter one--or a long one that doesn't ramble too much--while Ash and I take my turns." Misty assures him as the Pokemon laugh.