The Immortal Gazette: The Golden Bird
A warm fire crackled softly in the corner, casting flickering shadows along the stone walls. The usual group of immortals sat around the hearth, a calm and peaceful evening hanging in the air. Alice lounged comfortably, her feet dangling over the edge of a cushioned chair. Loki, ever the mysterious, leaned back with a knowing grin, his fingers once again toying with his ever-present coin.
Rumplestiltskin, however, had a look in his eyes. A gleam. An excitement. A twist was coming.
Loki raised an eyebrow. “Oh, look at you. What’s got your twisted little brain working overtime, Rumple?”
Rumplestiltskin grinned, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “It’s a story of treasure, magic, and a very unusual bird.”
Alice’s interest piqued, and she leaned forward. “Go on.”
Loki’s grin widened. “A golden bird, you say? Tell me more, rumor mill.”
The Golden Bird: A Tale of Adventure and Greed
Rumplestiltskin settled into his chair, the firelight gleaming off his sharp features. “Ah, this one is quite an old tale, originating from the heart of Germany.” He paused for effect. “The tale goes by many names, but it’s most commonly known as ‘The Golden Bird.’”
Alice raised a brow. “Let me guess—the bird is actually the key to some insane fortune, and everyone loses their minds over it?”
Rumplestiltskin laughed. “You’re not wrong, Alice. It is a tale of greed and lust for riches.”
“So what’s the deal with this golden bird?” Loki asked, intrigued.
Rumplestiltskin’s grin stretched wider as he began. “Once upon a time, there was a king—a foolish one, as they all tend to be in these kinds of stories—who had a garden with a tree bearing golden apples. But there was one small problem: each time the apples ripened, they would mysteriously disappear. And so, the king declared that whoever could find the thief would be richly rewarded.”
Alice snickered. “A golden apple mystery? So cliche, but tell me more.”
Loki shrugged. “Hey, sometimes it’s the simple things that make for the best stories.”
Rumplestiltskin nodded. “Indeed. And so, a young prince—unnamed, of course—decided to set out to find the culprit. Along the way, he meets a golden bird—which, by the way, wasn't just golden for the sake of looking shiny. This bird could sing, and when it did, it could entrance anyone who heard its melody.”
Loki raised an eyebrow. “A hypnotic bird? Now that’s interesting.”
Alice leaned in, clearly invested. “And what does this bird do?”
Rumplestiltskin continued, his voice rich with intrigue. “Well, the prince follows the trail, only to discover the bird was stealing the apples to build its nest.”
Alice frowned. “So, the bird was the thief all along?”
“Not exactly,” Rumplestiltskin said with a dramatic pause. “See, the bird didn’t want the apples for itself. The bird was acting out of duty—it was being forced to steal the apples for the King's daughter.”
Loki blinked. “The princess? Why does she need golden apples?”
“Well,” Rumplestiltskin said, “it turns out that the princess had made a terrible deal with a wicked sorceress who cursed her, saying that she would die unless she possessed these apples. The bird was under the sorceress’ spell, stealing the apples to save the princess.”
Alice crossed her arms, her eyes gleaming with interest. “Of course, it’s never simple, is it? There’s always some backstory, some hidden truth. So, what happens next?”
The Prince, the Princess, and the Golden Bird
Rumplestiltskin settled into his storytelling tone. “Well, the prince—being quite noble—decided to help the bird, but of course, things aren’t as simple as that. He must face the sorceress, who’s no stranger to deception and tricks herself. The prince learns of the curse and the bird’s tragic fate, and the story becomes a battle of wit, courage, and manipulation.”
Loki smirked. “A classic adventure tale.”
Rumplestiltskin nodded. “Oh, but here’s the twist. The prince succeeds in breaking the sorceress’ curse, but not without sacrifices.”
“Sacrifices?” Alice asked, intrigued.
Rumplestiltskin’s smile grew. “Yes. In the end, the prince loses his connection to the princess—she’s freed, but they’re no longer bound by fate. And the golden bird?” He held up a finger. “The bird, seeing its duty fulfilled, takes flight, never to return.”
Loki chuckled softly. “How poetic. A bird flying away after doing all the heavy lifting.”
Alice leaned back, pondering. “So, the moral of the story is that sometimes the golden things we chase can be more trouble than they’re worth?”
Rumplestiltskin looked pleased. “Exactly. Greed is often the poison that twists a seemingly simple desire into something much more dangerous.”
“And don’t get me started on sorceresses,” Loki added with a smirk.
Rumplestiltskin narrowed his eyes at him. “Right.”
Suddenly, Alice’s face lit up with mischievous glee. “Wait—did the prince and the bird ever get together? I mean, this story is way too complicated not to have a happy ending somewhere!”
Rumplestiltskin sighed, shaking his head. “I hate to disappoint you, Alice, but there are no romantic trysts between the prince and the bird.”
Alice pouted. “That’s it? No happy ever after? What kind of story is this?!”
Loki let out a soft laugh. “Sometimes, not all tales have the neat endings you expect. Gold may sparkle, but it doesn’t always bring the happiness you think it will.”
Alice snorted. “Tell that to all the rich immortals in the room. Right, Rumple?”
Rumplestiltskin shot her a dry look. “It’s never that simple, Alice.”
She smirked. “Yeah, but it’s fun watching you squirm.”
And with that, the fire flickered and crackled, the warmth of the hearth a stark contrast to the cold, elusive truths woven into the tales they so loved.
🖋️✨📜🖤
