The Sentinel, for Heliopausa.

[nfe-gremlin.livejournal.com]

The Sentinel, for heliopausa. Written by tantella.

A lonely light shines through the darkness, a single flickering candle’s humble offering of brightness and warmth against the winter’s chill. Its glow cuts through the quiet stillness of the wood, the valiant, unfailing flame burning as it has since the First Days. The iron sentinel waits alone as always, but this night is different. Hope, a weak and tiny flame itself after a century of ice, shines in the darkness as the faint singing of the long-silent Stars whispers down through the snow-heavy trees. The sentinel’s long watch is nearly complete; something wonderful is coming with the breaking dawn.

Original prompt: I want: something gentle, refreshing to the spirit and/or happy.

Comments

[vialethe]

This is beautiful, and so unexpected. Poor brave, lonely lamppost, waiting all that time as a light in the darkness!

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

What a lovely, evocative, otherworldly story! -- the cold iron holding strong through years and through centuries, its flame burning against the cold and the dark -- the flame against the dark a foreshadowing of the starsong against the silence ... and then the mysterious, heartstopping sense that 'something wonderful is coming'. (I love the sense of unknowing in that 'something'.) This is a beautiful Christmas card -- thank you very much!

[autumnia]

Beautiful and though a bit sad it seems, the lamppost is a beacon of hope for a frozen land and it'll be the first thing a little girl shall see when she enters Narnia and starts the fulfillment of a prophecy.

[snacky]

Oh, this is amazing! I love it! How creative, making the lamppost the center of the story. Well done!

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Oh this was just perfect. All about the lampost and the use of light which is of course so symbolic in this season across so many faith traditions. Lovely.

[tantella.livejournal.com]

Thanks, vialethe! I'm glad you liked it!

[tantella.livejournal.com]

Exactly, autumnia! Thank you for your review; that was exactly the emotion and imagery I was hoping to evoke!

[tantella.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, snacky!

[tantella.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Ruth! I was hoping to do something that would evoke a feeling of Christmas-y peace, but could also be interpreted or appreciated no matter what the reader's faith tradition. I'm so glad that worked for you!

[tantella.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you liked your Christmas card, helio! It was my pleasure to write it, and I loved your prompt! Thank you!