Natalie Mitz

Отрывок из фэнтези “ ‘Musical Island’ ( Музыкальный Остров) ”

‘Unmusical’ Child

       If you’ve ever looked far across the ocean, you will have seen its endless expanse and implacable power. Its waters talk to us, sharing mysterious stories, and even secrets, from far beyond the shore. Some even claim that, at exactly the point where the ocean merges with the sky, there once existed a land where music was first born – a place called Musical Island.

The inhabitants of this magical land, the Musinomes, did not talk. Instead, they sang, like musical instruments. They looked just like us humans, although with some distinguishing features: their chubby bodies looked charming but funny, with small tails sticking up at their bottoms resembling a musical note. But the most unique thing about Musinomes was that it was not blood, but music that flowed in their veins, as their hearts were magical, pumped with musical tunes that sprang forth from nature, all around them.

Everything and everybody were enchanted with the magic of music on Musical Island, and newborns were always named after the first sound they made at birth, as their first sounds being so melodic! This is how Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, were named, who were some of the first Musinomes in the land.

As time went on, every musical voice was welcomed into a great big music family. Every new child was blessed by the friendly rulers of Musical Island, King Bass and Queen Treble, who lived at Harmony Palace.

However, one day, a girl came along who was born without making so much as a squeak.

It couldn’t be anything too out-of-the-ordinary, the midwife assured, ‘she’d be making her sound soon enough!’

But her parents patiently waited, and the room patiently waited.

And waited.

And waited…

But the baby girl made naught but a peep. An ominous feeling fell upon the room, as she stared up at them. It was almost as though the silence of the girl had infected the adults in the room, quieting them, too. No one knew what to do – this wasn’t something that had ever happened before on Musical Island. Eventually, though, the adults snapped out of it, and tried to continue with the naming ceremony. Out of ideas, but not wanting to betray their traditions, they named the girl ‘Silence’.

But word quickly spread of this event, even before the girl had reached the king and the queen for the traditional blessing.

‘What? Silence, you say?’ Muttered the king, pale, trying to conceal his dismay at the news.

His Musinome entourage were looking at each other with shared bewilderment.

The groaning and humming of the ocean waves were the only sound that filled the altar-room.

‘A storm is coming, it seems, ‘Queen Treble remarked, breaking the tension. ‘But, to the point – a child being… a little quiet… should not stop us from singing a welcoming song here, I believe. She’s still a new voice on the island… isn’t she?’ The queen hesitated out, exchanging glances with her husband.

‘Musical Island has always preserved its magic through song and sound from nature. We simply can’t welcome… silence… into our music family.’ The king wavered. ‘Silence will have to be declared… ‘unmusical,’ stated King Bass regretfully.

At that moment, everyone flinched at the roaring of thunder. It seemed nature was not happy about something.

‘We’ve always blessed every voice born on our island,’ mumbled Treble, turning a suspicious eye to the king. ‘Even annoying dissonances have gotten their own musical titles,’ she continued, frowning.

The king tried to avoid his wife’s gaze by peering out of the window, as if expecting something.

‘Silence will never belong to music,’ he whispered to the queen.

‘Well, what a regret…’ she sighed back.

‘This may be a threat, my dear. Our only choice is to play it safe,’ retorted the king, looking back to his Musinome assembly. Outside, the growing storm raged and flared.

What the rulers of Musical Island could not imagine, at the time, though, was that, many years later, events would make the king change his position – and music, its course.

CHAPTER 2

SPRING BALL

With my music on board, I’ll never be lonely

With my music on board my soul is soaring

With my music on board my heart’s beating louder

Cloudy mist disappears when music’s in power

After many years the incident with ‘unmusical girl’ had been forgotten. Silence’s parents hurried to leave the musical kingdom and went somewhere far down. No one ever saw Silence and her poor parents since. The watchmen said they may have gone to the very edge of the musical land, to some unknown wild area, where the sun never touched the ground. 

Meanwhile, Musinomes continued to live as one big music family bringing harmony to Musical Island and sharing their music to the entire world. Now, you could imagine, in the land of music, any event was marked by new rhythms, voices and music-styles that the people of the entire world would enjoy.

Spring Ball was one of the most significant events in Musical Island. It was a time of joy and nature awakening after the cold winter. Like other important events it was always led by King Bass and Queen.

However, one spring, the king decided to entrust this important, leadership-role to his talented son, Prince Major, the most cheerful young man in the kingdom.

‘Our boy has grown up. He is the leader of all happy music on the island. I can’t wait to see him leading this Spring Ball!’ said Bass, drinking slowly his morning tea with his wife, Queen Treble, while enjoying the music coming from the rehearsal hall.

‘I’m sure, Major’s uplifting tunes inspire everyone on our land to compose more new music and songs this spring!’ continued the queen, as she elegantly sipped her tea in agreement.

 Meanwhile Harmony Palace has been filled with Prince Major’s mischievous and lively singing till the late evening. He danced with self-admiration along its mirrored walls, imagining how all the inhabitants of Musical Island would be elated with his festive music.

‘Wow, this is the coolest song I’ve ever made! Ha, I bet… everyone will dance along till they fall on the floor at the Spring Ball when they hear it!’ laughed Major as he continued to dance, not noticing that the music had stopped playing.

‘You are a super musician, Prince!’ the backup dancers applauded.

‘You are a super singer!’ the music notes cheered.

‘It is true, indeed’ Major’s face bloomed with delight. ‘Comm’n, sing with me,’ he tapped around the music notes ensemble and sang loudly.

‘With my music on board, you have nothing to worry about!’

 Major waved his conducting wand carelessly, and the music once again started.

‘Oh, what music is this?’ Princess Minor thought in confusion, while watching her brother rehearsing through the keyhole behind the hall door. ‘It all sounds… a bit chaotic… the notes are all out-of-place and out-of-time… or maybe they’re just not to my taste… after all, I’m only good at sad music…’ Minor whispered, questioning herself.

Suddenly, the music was interrupted. ‘Sorry,’ bemused Major. His conduction wand slid out of his hands, ‘I’ll get it.’ He bent down to pick his wand up from the floor, only to have it fly to the front door and land there. ‘Silly wand!’ he shouted. Major tripped over awkwardly, again and again, trying to catch his magic wand.

‘Hahaha…’ the note Ti giggled. The other musicians began to laugh too.

‘Stop laughing!’ Major changed his tone abruptly, ‘You, all, are still not ready for the Spring Ball, out of position, delayed in rhythm,’ he got up and stamped his foot.

‘Right, Sir,’ obeyed the musicians and stopped laughing.

It was hard to imagine, but the sweet, happy smile of Major changed into an arrogant gaze instantly. ‘It’s only two weeks before the Spring Ball! You all know how important it is!’ yelled the prince.

The musicians immediately agreed with guilt.

But Major just continued to shout, ‘It’s the highlight of the year! It is my chance! I am….’

With these words, a draft of wind slammed the window behind them loudly shut. Everyone flinched. Prince paused, then continued clearing his throat. ‘Umm, I mean … Our chance to be the best!’

At the same time, his twin sister, Princess Minor, bounced off the keyhole, as she got scared from that rattling slam of the window. ‘Brother, be patient… your ensemble still needs practice… I would love to help you to practice.’ Minor mumbled with empathy. ‘But… I don’t know how, I just can’t help with my soft music at the Spring Ball,’ she sighed sadly, as she hurried to Piano Lake.

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