First of all, I was very happy to see my picture appear here. I’m curious to see what others make of it. Secondly, I won’t be able to do that much this week, since I’m out of town on a business trip until Sunday. I’ll have Internet and will try to find time to read some.
Copyright David Stewart
Sword Music
The first note hovered in the air like an orb-weaver hanging from the horn of the moon.
More instruments joined, the energy rising like a waking predator. It ascended, a frenetic dervish, around the musicians, touching the forest of upraised swords. The edges kindled, maddened to fury by the throbbing cacophony of raw power.
The music ceased, except the first lingering, arachnid note. The hungry light of a thousand blades was quenched in their sheaths.
“We desire peace,” the king said, “but you see our weapons. Go tell your people.”
The ambassador wiped his brow. “There will be peace,” he said.
The Green-Walled Tower 
March 25th, 2015 at 4:27 am
Before I even knew it was your photo I thought how lovely it was. Wanted to go wherever it was taken. Saw myself in jeans and a hoodie listening, sitting on the lawn on a blanket with my best beau.
Then if that wasn’t enough you wove this lovely tale. 🙂
March 25th, 2015 at 6:41 am
It does have that atmosphere, doesn’t it? I took it at an evening concert in a small Midwest town just as the sun was going down. It was a very peaceful place.
March 25th, 2015 at 7:30 am
It’s swell David.
March 25th, 2015 at 8:20 am
That is awesome that your picture was used! It is an idyllic place, if you like marches 🙂
March 27th, 2015 at 9:37 pm
Thanks, Melissa. Yeah, is very idyllic there.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:10 am
I like how you moved the story in a totally unexpected direction.. Somehow I think the way you describe the tenseness between the King and the ambassador in terms of the music pretty interesting.
March 27th, 2015 at 10:33 pm
Thanks Bjorn. If I had more words, I could explore that idea a bit more, yes. I’m glad that last part made sense to you.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:40 am
I kinda thought the music actually controlled weapons, silly me. But it still makes a powerful stuff that the music was kind of the weapon itself, and that it was so beautiful the ambassador could think of anything else but peace.
Hope I’m not too far off.
March 27th, 2015 at 10:34 pm
In my mind, the music enhanced the weapons, so yes it is kind of a weapon. The ambassador was intimidated by the music, so that’s why he agreed to peace.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:59 am
I love the turns of phrase here. The “horn of the moon” is just great.
Just out of interest, how does it feel when you read a story that uses your photo for inspiration? Particularly a story that takes the image and goes somewhere unexpected with it…?
March 27th, 2015 at 10:38 pm
I find it fascinating what other people pull out of a picture. Sometimes when I think of a story, I think everyone else must have gotten the same idea, but it’s rarely true.
March 25th, 2015 at 10:24 am
Wow! David, you outdid yourself this week! I’m not sure anyone else is going to be able to stand up to this standard, but I’m glad I read yours first.
All my best,
MG
March 27th, 2015 at 10:46 pm
Aw, thanks Marie Gail. I do like this one. Ironically, this is the one week I’m off on business and can’t read anyone else’s until Sunday. This is the first chance I’ve had to go online on my laptop since Wednesday and I probably won’t get another until Sunday evening. Glad you liked the story.
-David
March 25th, 2015 at 10:56 am
Ditto what MG said. The opening is beautiful, the words that follow grand. My story of escape and lust pales…. well done, David!!!!
March 27th, 2015 at 10:47 pm
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
March 25th, 2015 at 11:30 am
Great powerful stuff. Most impressive.
March 27th, 2015 at 10:47 pm
Thank you, Sarah. I’m glad you liked it.
March 25th, 2015 at 12:09 pm
Hmmmm…sounds like a concept I can get around. Sword music…Much better than Eini Kleinie Knocked Music…
March 27th, 2015 at 10:48 pm
You had them playing Kyrie by Mr. Mister, right? 🙂 I could see it. Or maybe a rock ballad from the 80s.
March 28th, 2015 at 12:55 am
Well, considering that my main character in a story we both know of uses music for that effect…XD
March 25th, 2015 at 1:01 pm
[…] try to catch up when I can. In the meantime, here’s this week’s story, based on David Stewart‘s photo prompt. Your comments are very welcome (even when it makes a while to […]
March 25th, 2015 at 1:04 pm
Great photo, David – thank you! As for your story; that first line takes me right into the world you’ve created without ever turning attention from the story: quite the skill, to my mind. Then you carry us through a climactic scene with the same strength of description, action and world-building throughout. Brilliant stuff!
March 27th, 2015 at 10:54 pm
That’s high praise, Jennifer, thank you. I was quite happy to see my picture up this week, even if I’m gone all week on business and don’t have time (yet) to read the other stories.
March 25th, 2015 at 3:58 pm
I took it that the music conveyed the true power of the people and their desire for peace, not the swords which were “quenched in their sheaths.” It should be that way.
March 27th, 2015 at 10:55 pm
You could take it that way, that’s pretty much what I was intending.
March 25th, 2015 at 4:00 pm
The photo used is very calming, but the story is electrifying!
The description of the music and battle is wonderfully written, and inspires many magnificent images.
March 31st, 2015 at 9:54 pm
Thank you, Francesca for the kind words. Glad you liked it.
March 25th, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Wow, such a tense moment. I saw and heard like the start of an almost-battle scene from some epic film.
March 31st, 2015 at 9:53 pm
That was the image I was going for, the army ready, the musicians conjuring magic over them. Glad you captured it too.
March 25th, 2015 at 7:23 pm
There is some music that makes me unsheath my sword too. But seriously – love the atmospheric tale. Gormenghastian in its language. I love ‘arachnid note’. I feel like the hairs on a spider’s leg have brushed across the back of my neck.
March 31st, 2015 at 9:51 pm
Great word, Gormenghastian. 🙂 I have volume of the three Gormenghast novels looking at me from my shelf right now, in fact.
April 1st, 2015 at 5:12 am
I am fey. 🙂
March 25th, 2015 at 9:24 pm
Have you ever seen Fantasia? This is what came to mind when I read this.
March 31st, 2015 at 9:50 pm
Someone else mentioned old Disney animation in regards to this. I have seen Fantasia; I hadn’t thought of it, but I can see it now that you mention it.
March 25th, 2015 at 10:37 pm
Dear David, Loved your picture and your story. I enjoy your offering each week and you are very talented. Nan
March 31st, 2015 at 9:49 pm
Thanks, Nan. 🙂
March 26th, 2015 at 12:14 am
the picture is very peaceful! sometimes people have to show that they are not rabbits but tigers, they are not begging for mercy but asking to be treated with utmost sensibility!
March 26th, 2015 at 12:14 am
a professor on a business trip, eh?
March 31st, 2015 at 9:45 pm
Pretty much. 🙂 I’ll post about it soon.
March 26th, 2015 at 2:23 am
Dear David,
I have never done this before… I read your first sentence and fell in love with it to the point that i had to stop and comment on just it and it alone. I don’t think I’ve ever read a better first sentence and I am so jealous of you for writing it. (Now I am going to go read the rest of the story.)
Holy &%$#! This is soooooooooo good, David. I have never read the like in three years of Friday Fictioneers. It is fantastical yet realistic, exciting yet chilling, innovative yet classical… I could go on and on but to do so would take away from the moment.
Going to read the comments now. I bet they’re over the moon, too. Well done.
Aloha,
Doug
March 31st, 2015 at 9:44 pm
Doug,
I’ve been away at a conference for most of last week and so I’ve just gotten to read your comment now. I’m glad I waited until now since today was a pretty crappy day and your comment truly made my night, especially because I value your opinion so much. I might print it out and frame it. 🙂
That first line is my favorite too. It came to me suddenly and just stuck in my mind, in such a clear, vivid picture.
-David
March 26th, 2015 at 4:56 am
Dear David,
I’ll add my wow to the cacophony of the other comments. I felt the power and heard the music.
Shalom,
Rochelle
March 31st, 2015 at 9:44 pm
Thank you so much, Rochelle. I appreciate it.
March 26th, 2015 at 4:59 am
Powerful and very stirring. Such an unusual idea – loved it.
March 31st, 2015 at 9:45 pm
Thanks, Margaret. I’m glad you liked it.
March 26th, 2015 at 5:40 am
Music that calms the savage beast. I have to agree with Doug, this is one of the best I’ve read in over 3 years of riding this train. Outstanding.
March 31st, 2015 at 9:29 pm
Thank you so much, Russell. That means a lot.
March 26th, 2015 at 6:11 am
Very powerful imagery in this piece, very nice! And great photo 🙂
March 31st, 2015 at 9:28 pm
Thanks on both accounts. 🙂
March 26th, 2015 at 6:54 am
This is a great picture, thanks for letting us play with it. I love the power in your story, the way you describe the music transported me right into the scene.
March 31st, 2015 at 9:27 pm
I’m glad to hear that. I was hoping for an effect like that. It was a fun story to write.
March 26th, 2015 at 7:08 am
A fantastic photo which proved to be very inspirational. Love your story, the imagery was wonderful 🙂
March 31st, 2015 at 9:27 pm
Thank you Heidi! It seems to have caught on with people. I’m so glad. 🙂
March 27th, 2015 at 2:08 am
Dave, I think you’ll be reading some very tender stories this week. There’s something about it that just took me to bitter sweet places.
It is always so fun to tune in and see your photo… reading the stories is icing on that cake. Nice choice!
March 31st, 2015 at 8:23 pm
Thank you so much, Dawn. Ironically, I was out of town most of this week so I haven’t had any time to read many stories. I’ll have to go back slowly and catch up when I get time.
April 1st, 2015 at 1:45 am
It’s harder and harder to read them all, David… and throw in a trip, or time away and it’s nearly impossible! No worries. 😉
March 27th, 2015 at 10:19 am
[…] March 27, 2015 ~ Sonya (c) David Stewart […]
March 27th, 2015 at 10:23 am
Your story made my heart pound. Beautiful writing!
Oh, and thank you for the great photo prompt 🙂
March 31st, 2015 at 8:20 pm
Thank you, Sonya! You’re most welcome too.
March 27th, 2015 at 2:18 pm
Thank you for the photo prompt David. Very nostalgic.
March 31st, 2015 at 8:20 pm
Thank you, Tracy. I took it last summer at a evening band concert in Ohio. It was a very peaceful sort of time.
March 28th, 2015 at 12:00 pm
Thanks for that picture that led to so many good stories this week, David. You made a different and very creative use of it as music in back of a drama playing out. Well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
March 31st, 2015 at 8:18 pm
Thank you, Suzanne. 🙂
March 28th, 2015 at 4:39 pm
“…orb weaver hanging from the orb of the moon” WOW! A totally unexpected but beautiful interpretation David. I love the photo too.
March 31st, 2015 at 8:17 pm
Thank you, Madhu. I don’t know where the image came from, but that was the first thing I thought of when I was coming up with a story for this. 🙂
March 28th, 2015 at 10:18 pm
Thank you for the picture this week, David.
I love your powerful description of the music! But I have to ask, what is an “arachnid note”?
March 31st, 2015 at 8:15 pm
Thanks Jan. The line about the arachnid note just referred back to the metaphor in the first line, about the note hovering in the air like an orb-weaver, just hanging there, persistent and patient.
March 29th, 2015 at 5:01 pm
Thanks for this week’s photo! I love your story–it feels powerful and a bit frightening! Though it also reminds me of a very old Disney cartoon about a war of musical weapons–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBKmkbRLXGM
March 31st, 2015 at 8:13 pm
Thanks for the link. I hadn’t seen that before. I often try to think of a story that is very different in mood from the picture and since one seemed very idyllic, I wanted to go another way.
March 30th, 2015 at 10:02 am
Powerful and unexpected, I like it.
March 31st, 2015 at 8:08 pm
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it.
March 31st, 2015 at 7:50 am
Powerfully written, loved that opening sentence.
March 31st, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Thank you. The first sentence is my favorite too.
March 31st, 2015 at 7:44 pm
A really powerful story with some great images, David. I particularly liked ‘the energy rising like a waking predator’
March 31st, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Thanks!