Re: The Whitetail Woods - Silverwood
The sun’s rays were just casting their warm glow on the treetops of the Everfree and the Whitetail Wood as the sleepy little town of Ponyville was pulling itself awake, but there was at least one pony who was already up.
A green-coated stallion stepped out of the large cabin that sat in the middle of the clearing atop the hill, and made his way toward his workshop. A hot, steaming mug of tea floated in front of him suspended in the unicorn’s white magical aura. As he reached the shop, he took the mug in hoof as he came to the locked door outside.
”Hmm…” Silver Bolt mused to himself. ”Today’s the day, isn’t it?” His white aura enveloped the lock and doorknob and a clicking sound was heard as his magic unlocked and opened the door. ”Opening day!”
He stepped into his workshop, and took stock of his merchandise. Small pieces of furniture, medium pieces of furniture, a few decorative pieces... Several books full of sketches of items he could make to custom specifications… But there was one corner of his shop that held a few more… interesting pieces. There were bows, arrows, wooden swords, spear-handles, and the like.
Silver walked over to the front wall of his shop, the one that faced the road, and used his magic to unlatch the wall from the floor and lift it up to form an open-air shop front. He had designed the building with this feature in mind, to make packing up shop for the day as simple as dropping the wall back in place and locking up.
Some might have considered him mad for putting a shop so far out of down and off the beaten path, but Silver loved the quiet, peaceful seclusion of the wood. And the fliers he had posted in town would help make sure the townsponies knew where he was located. Word of mouth didn’t hurt either.
With his shop open for business, and Pipsqueak up and getting ready for school, he was free to work on his projects until a customer arrived. He pulled a long oak stave from a rack full of staves along one of the fixed walls of his shop. He ran his hoof along the grain of the wood, already getting a feel for what needed to stay, and what parts needed to be carefully removed.
A low hum came from his throat as he set the stave on his work bench and clamped it in the vice. The hum built into a faint melody as he gathered his tools in his magic, and became a full-fledged melody by the time he first put his draw knife to the stave.
He went about his work, trimming pieces off the stave, piece by piece as he seamlessly shifted from quiet humming to a more enthusiastic rhythm. The tune was that of an old Shirish Folk Song that was well known throughout the regions of Shireland and Trottingham.
Before he knew what had happened, he caught himself singing the words as he worked.
One night as the moon did illumine the sky'
I first took a notion to marry
I put on me hat and away I did fly
You'd have thought I'd have been in a hurry
When I came to the place where I often had been
Me heart gave a leap when my darlin' I seen
I lifted the latch and I bade her Good E'en
Will you come with me over the mountain?
He paused long enough to trade his draw knife for a more precise hoof knife, making a few cuts before trading back and continue his work and his song.
What notion is this that's got into your head
You'll make me afraid to be near you
It's twelve o'clock and they're all in bed
Speak low or me mammy will hear you.
I'm using no magic, casting no spell
I'm an honest young colt and I love you right well
And if you'll not have me, dear girl, farewell
I'll go back alone o'er the mountain.
The piece of wood Silver was working was starting to take shape, and the craftspony traded the cutting tools for a planer, to gently narrow the point of the stave to the right angle. His song continued as he methodically worked.
If I were to make an elopement with you
I might find myself in great danger
The country would tittle and censor me too
My parents would frown and no wonder.
Let them all tittle and censor away
Consult with yourself for it's growing near day
What do we care what the country might say?
Come with me over the mountain.
She looked at me long and she looked at me hard
She trembled a little uneasy
Then wiping a tear that appeared in her eye
She said to me -- Darling, I'm ready.
Give me a moment t’ get t’ me hooves
Me heart gave a leap when I heard the glad news
I lifted the latch saying I hope you'll excuse
Me simplicity over the mountain.
Silver sat the planer back down before grabbing a fitted piece of wood to compare his work to. With a nod of approval, he grabbed a sanding block and began to smooth out the edges of the project, still singing as he went.
By this time the moon had gone down in the sky
And the morning star clad in her radiance
We both made the journey in greatest of haste
And we were wed at the altar of Cadence.
In peace and contentment we spend our days
The anger of parents was soon blown away
Often we smile when we've little to say
On the trip we took over the mountain.
As he finished singing, he continued to whistle the melody as he continued his work, content to do so well into the morning.
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This message was last edited by the player at 04:46, Sun 02 Mar 2014.