Spindley Legs By Abigail. F Bedwell

Chapter 1, Part 1 The Beginnings' Beginning.

I have a very twisted tale to tell about a very twisted girl, in a strangley twisted town. There might just be a little giggle, tear or sigh, perhaps even a lesson in the telling, for you.
Once upon a time, in time quite similar to ours in a land not too different from the one we know; was a very sad and extremely unfourtunate village. However it was not always so.
In a time befor now this village was the place to be, to live, to visit, a true marvel to behold. It sat ontop of its hill like proud and pampered pet. Its pristine towering turrets glittered like sparkling teeth. Its golden gilded roof tops dazzeled the eye. The grandest estate stoodout like a proud head on the fat boodied beast of over flowing Shoppes and Vendors. Small but colourful houses and farmsteads spilled down the hill like a patchworked quilt.
Sadly however, like all pampered pets the village began to spoil. It turned upon itself slowly feeding off of greed and misfoutune. Until its hunger spread through the town and its people grew fat and selfish. They turned their noses in the air on neighbors and strangers alike. They fed upon themselves, their town, giving nothing back. Nowadays the beasts bones are exposed and its teeth are dirty and beared for all who dare to tresspass.
The villiage people were the poisonious blood of the beast, and shared the same rotton noxious character. They grew fat of its fame, and foutune. They took wealth from visitors robbing them blind, coaxing their money from them with smooth tounges and greedy hearts. They soon Began to Take from Each other, friends neighbors, lovers, strangers, all became Enimies. They stole from each other, self indulgent, mean spirited they feaster on others ineptitude and misery. They were no longer to share there hopes and blessings, no love, no generousity, no trust. The people gambeled, squandered, buried, hide and hoarded away there possessions, to protect and keep them forever. When ones closest neighbor feell upon hard times, former friends hide behind closed doors deaf to please for help, or else charity was shown to them with a knife in the belly and a lighter wallet to carry.

Part 2. A Greedy Heart.

As the years pass, the poison spread from the lowest begger to highest puplic figure head. Soon the most moneyed men lived poorly, and the poor barely lived at all. What wealth the town had once owned had been hidden, hoarded, guarded and forgotten. Now surely fame on its own is not enough to bring a great town to ruin? Surely some good, pure hearted person must remain unblemished by greed? It is possible that for a time some such good persons existed in a happy bubble of ignorance. But the malignant nature of this towns Mayor was so evil, so petulant, so currupt, so malicious any good was picked out a literally turned on their head. Leaders so abysmally bad, they would have the innocent persons stood on their heads until their skulls cracked like walnuts. A truly unfortunate and despairing village.
The Mayor of the this village was a very unfortunate women. A unfortunate greedy selfish and totally terrible woman. Terrible Tessa is how she came to been amoung the people, however it is likely that being known by such a name, would not have displeased her. Terrible tessa would rule her sad, sickly, village with very wicked tounge, a cruel taloned fist and heart of steel. The only thing in the whole kingdom that truly terrible women cared for was herself. As such she ruled on her own desires, so her power and splendor flurished. She grew fat off their harvest and rich off their labors while the town continued to dwindel into oblivion. Its magnificance grew moldly and tarrnished terrible Tessa cared not a twitch. If the villagers were the poisonious blood of the beast then truly Terrible Tessa was most certainly the heart that pumped the poison through the town, on its way to rot and ruin. But why was Terrible Tessa so terrible.
This beastly village was once just a modest mouse of a town, With nothing that put it on the map, nothing of great renoun . It is said that absolute power currupts absolutley, which is sadly true in the case befor you. A once sulking little nothing of a town, surrounded by a very dense, very dark forrest crawling with unusually strange beasties, and unusually smart creepy slithering things, was apart from any other town and miles away from its feuldal lord. It was not long befor it was forgotten. It grew into its own autonomy as one currupt greedy vicious leader stepped forward and yanked all power from the people. Then another, then another, until democracy no longer existed. Villiagers were silenced like like cattle, If bribs were refused then murder was always an option. The opposition vanished into dark alley ways nightly. While poor witnesses saw nothing as their pockets over flowed with coin.
Soon it was Terrible Tessas time inherite the throne of power. Her Unkles brief term ended after a tragic hunting accident, her father died in his first week of office, what was left of him was found in his golden bathtub, with fat silver fish cleaning off his bones. Her brother, her poor weak brother ruled for no more then a day. Nothing, not even family would stay Tessas hand from getting what it wanted. No body even suspected the evil she was capable of as Terrible Tessa black withered heart was concealed behind her terribly awsome beauty.

Goodbye Unkle

Part 3. A Pampered Princess

Terrible Tessa was the fairest maiden to behold, in the Village and perhaps even the world. Her figure was a striking slim but curvy silhouette of grand stature. She had a clear cammanding voice that carried like church bell over vast noisey crowds. With Eyes As Dark and deep as forrest pools. Being so fair and wonderful was was also terribly vain. Year by year her vanity grew greater, and her greedy heart desired more.
Hundreds upon hundreds of suitors made the long pilgrimage to call on Tessa. They traveled from far and wide, fighting robbers and beasties, extreme heat, and raging storms, to feast their eyes on her beauty. Men would break into a violent sweat as they pleaded for a maidenly favor. A smile, a touch, a token of affection or even a kiss from her sweet rose petal like lips. Some would beg for her hand in marriage, while others simply desired her to whisper their name, shivering as her breath touch their ear. They Hoped her sweet voice would carry their hopes and prayers up to heaven, as their heart fluttered fiercely in their breast.
Everything you could possibly imagin In your wildest dreams were given to Tessa. Gifts from armourous men, envious women, neighboring Lords and Ladies, Princes and Peasents. The lastest of fashions and fabric were shipped from the other side of the globe, new fangeled contraptions, modern inventions, pearls as large as your fist, and Jewels so bright they blind you. Animals of unusual beauty and extreme rarity. Trained animals that danced to harmonious melodies, and birds that recited sonates and sang songs of love.
She took all that was offered her and asked for more still. She took ,and took but made no promises in return nor gave nothing back. Instead she would seek out ways to amuse her bored evil mind. She would stare into their eyes to find their greatess loves and weaknesses, finding great pleasure in the power she had to bring then to their knees. Power was all her own black heart desired. She used it make them grovel, and beg, shattering their will. Terrible Tessa was truly Terrible.

Part 4. A tale of Two Hearts.

There was one such awesome display of such malevolence, such immorality that is remembered and whispered about still to this very day. A truly sad and terrible tale of two brothers. While two so unlike in nature; One small and dark, one large and fair, one shy, one brave, as different as day and night, as light verses the dark, the moon against the sun. No two brothers could ever have been, nor ever will be as close in each others hearts as these two were.
On the day the brothers came to throw their desires at Terrible Tessa feet, hoping on a favorable outcome, and perhaps a chance at her heart, was the day the last flicker os benevolence died in Terrible Tessa. It was the day that terrible Tessa stopped her guilty heart from feeling.
She lounged on her gilded Chez as she watched from the corner of her eye, as the first brother approached the dais. The lean dark child of the night was the first to step up. He stuttered, "M...My Lay...My Lady, I beg..I buh buh beg, I beg... I ask...Ask that, tha that you pluh pluh please.. wha wha will..." Terrible Tessa cruel laughter cut him off, and was soon joined by that of her entire court. The brother turned red in the face, yet still tried to confess his deepest wish, to the cruel gathering.
"Ple...ple.. please my my Lady, I would would tru, true, truely ask ask tha that..." He stopped with Tears of frustration in his eyes.
Terrible Tessa leaned towards him, crooning in a soft and gentle voice. " What? what is it your little heart desires from me? What is it you possibly think i would want to hear from a wormy little man like you? Hmmm?" She asked him, with a delicately raised Eyebrow. " What is it little wormy? Spit it out will you, what is it my magnificent self can do for a sad lowly thing like you?" She gave him her best devastatingly gorgeous smile, yet her continued to stare into him spreading a chill from toe tips to nose. Her court laughed, once more. " Crawl" she demanded. " Crawl over to me like the worm you, I'll even give you the honour of whispering your pathetic wants in my exquisite ear." Her soft voice coaxed him.
His knees collapsed beneath him, his small frame tumbling to floor. He dragged his belly across the cold ground, Up the cold marble steps, to grovel at her silken heels. Slowly she bent, pointing her long graceful finger down to him, Tessa lifted his chin up to her ear with the sharp tip of her finger nail. "Speak." she commanded of him, her voice now cold. "Ah ha!' She nodded, her delicate eyebrows raised them elves and fell back. "I see." She smiled as he finished his whispered request in her small bejeweled ear.
A weaker man might have broken down under such treatment, perhaps been intoxicated with his own desires, intimidated or entranced by such a lovely ear. However the small, darkly made brother was true to the deepest depths of his noble heart and manage to compose himself as his knees ached beneath him.
First she didn't answer him. She just bore into his soul with her cold ebony eyes. After many, many moments passed, she simply said, "Perhaps..." He crawled back to him brothers side. His brother, the golden sun child clasped the dark ones shoulder in a way of support then boldly stepped up to the dais. As his eyes were ensnared by those of Terrible Tessa it was almost possible to hear the sound of his will, shattering into millions of tiny pieces.
Like a cat on the prowl tessa leaned forward revealing the cleft of her ample bosom. She purred, " And what is it this pure golden beautiful specimen desires from my magnificent person?" Tessa drawled, lifting her striking figure off her chez, she glided towards him. " What is it you desire..?" she said as her hips swung from side to side."From me?" She came closer and closer.
"You, my Lady." He answered.
She pressed herself against him, hands on his chest she traced circles around, and around his wildly beating heart.
"You," he continued. " To be yours now and forever, to bask in your glory, beauty, your splendor until the end of my days. To feel the glow of your love.Forever."
"My love?" she questioned him. Her pretty head cocked to one side, pursing her lips in thought. "and what would you do for my love? What would you do to DESERVE my love?" he was trapped like a rat in a house cats claws, prey at the mercy of the beast. The room was silent, the mob seemed to sense what the love stuck brothers were oblivious too.
In the mind of the golden man, no one else existed. The world belonged to him and Tessa alone. " Anything" he choked.
"Anything?"
"Anything, my house, my horse, my heart, you can have them all, Ask it and its yours."
"He'll do anything." She cackled, Her court of coarse followed her cue. With a smirk on her beautiful lips she whispered her instructions in to his ear, her musky perfume invaded his nostrils, clouding his mind. As quickly as she was on him, as abruptly she was gone. Back up the dais, in her chez she no longer saw him. The brothers looked at each other, heartsick, pained, defeated. Like a cloud that masks the sun they faded into the crowd.

A Gift of Heart

A gift of Hurt. Chapter 1 part 5

The next day dawned, and the golden brother returned, alone. The sun had clearly left him, his hair was dull and limp, his face was swollen around his blood shoot eyes, and his hands were stained in red. The crowded court parted for him, as he made his way toward Terrible Tessa on her gilded throne. He placed at her feet a golden tray. What lay on it, was concealed by a scarlet cloth.
Tessa eyes fluttered as she glanced at the vast crowd, her eyes settled on the grim man in front of her. Her beautiful mouth twitched in disgust.
"My love." he croaked. He eyes searching her for the fire he saw in them on there last meeting. " I have it, I have what you asked of me."
" I asked of you something? I don't think i would ask anything of you." She turned her head, clearly bored of the Dirty man before her.
" Yes, yes my love, my darling remember... Yesterday?" Hope briefly flickered in his poor wretched face, dwindling as a cruel realization slowly dawned upon him.
Tessa raised her hand in a bored gesture, slowly fingering the mountain of delicacies, and sweets beside her. She gave him the slightest of nodes as she popped a sticky tart into he perfect mouth. " Well go on then," she yawned. " I do have other wretched creatures after you, every body wants something from me."
The now tarnished man, face was streaked with tears as he removed the cloth from the tray.
The court gasped, as those in the front whispered to those behind.
On the tray lay a quivering, dripping, scarlet heart.
" I have done what you asked of me, the impossible cruel feat you asked of me, and i did it because you asked it of me, because i love you, you above all things." He eyes hungrily searched for hers yet still she would not look at him.
" I have sacrificed one love, for a greater love. My brothers heart as proof of my love and devotion to you." Even as the words Flowed smoothly and clearly from his mouth, his eyes shinned with the tears he shed for his brother, for the pain of the guilt in his soul. He got to his knees, bowing before his great and terrible mistress.
Silence. Not a soul in the room coughed, sniffed, The silence was so great one could swear the people stopped breathing.
Terrible Tessa smiled, then the smile spread to a giggle the giggle lead to a chuckle until her laughter echoed around the court hall. She laughed and laughed so hard and loudly the chandeliers shook. Finally, she turned her evil smile upon the broken man kneeling at her feet. At last he had her whole attention, and now he was afraid.
"Do you know? " she started. " What that wormy little brother of yours dared to ask of me?" She leered. " He asked me, if you can believe this, He asked for me to love you, With as much compassion and devotion as you, YOu sad pathetic excuse for a man, loved Him? " Like a fox full of chicken she grinned." You loved you brother did you? You who would serve his brothers heart on platter? I think not." OH how she preened. "Now," she approached him. His head bowed, shoulders shaking savagely as he realized how foolish he was. "I being so wise, compassionate, and generous shall now grant both of your requests, this is my decree. YOu shall live as guest in my house, in your own room, Though it might be a touch dark and damp for your liking. You shall live in your shinny new steel fittings, where you can think on, and bask in my good will and beauty until the day I shall come for you. On that day I will have your beating heart ripped from your chest and feed it to my beloved pouches on the same platter that once held your brothers. Your body will never be interred to the ground, but it will remain Mine forever, as will your wretched soul." She smiled and spread her arms like a gracious hostess," But first, let us have a treat." She retrieved a knife From her waist belt, and carved the severed heart into many pieces. A whistle called forth her precious puppies from the sleeping places, throwing them selves on the chunks of meat with a starving, savage frenzy.
The golden Man was never seen again, though it was whispered around town of a night when you could hear raw screams drifting down from terrible Tessa mansion. They continued all night long until the screams were replaced by the snarls of terrible tessa , terrible terriers. When the snarls faded into a erie silence a song was carried down on a breeze to the sleepy towns man, it went. A heart for Tessa, a heart for me. What's theirs is mine, and what's mine belongs to me!