Into Something Rich and Strange for snacky

[nfe_gremlin]

Title: Into Something Rich and Strange
Author: edenfalling / Elizabeth Culmer
Recipient: snacky
Rating: G
Content/Warnings: Nothing major, but this might not be the best story to read if you are claustrophobic or particularly afraid of either drowning or the dark.
Summary: "The siren is a creature of reflections, born of lightning on the winter sea," the mer-woman

Comments

[rthstewart]

I loved this story so much. It was wonderful to have really great Susan story. And though Susan does not like adventures, wars, and fighting, still she faces this creature, because she must and because she promised. I find the inversion of light and dark really fascinating. Usually the light is, of course to combat the dark.

This whole pasasge is just fascinating:
"The siren is a creature of reflections, born of lightning on the winter sea. ... Cold and light feed its power and no being born of the sea can gainsay its command, though we who are female can at the least resist its lure. You are a Daughter of Eve, born of dreams and flesh. Your power comes from the warmth of blood and the darkness of the beating heart; the siren has no strength against that magic. You must close your eyes and dream the enemy into the final dark."This is utterly unique and an inversion of so much of the usual -- that dreams are the danger and the lie, that dark is to be feared, that the heart is not to be trusted. And the Siren takes all these

[edenfalling]

Thank you!

I like inversions in general, and also taking binary systems -- light vs. dark -- and making them non-absolute. Sometimes darkness is good and light is not! Which can be as simple and obvious as seeking shade on a blindingly hot summer day, but it rarely seems to get into stories on a metaphorical level.

I also feel, I guess, that if Narnia is based on Christian mythology -- which it patently is -- then I might as well play around with that. While Adam was created from earth and air, mirroring the Talking Beasts of Narnia (born literally from the earth), Eve was created from life itself, and from Adam's wish for companionship, and that is a very different proposition. Obviously this must have effects, and one of them is -- surprise! -- power invoked via dreams/desires, through the medium of blood and bone and all the darkness and interiority and complexity of life (rather than the easily molded 'purity' of base elements

[snacky]

Oh my gosh, thank you so much! This is so wonderful! I love how Susan had to find her courage, and how she was reluctant, but gave her word. I loved her fighting against the siren, and what the siren used against her, and how the source of Susan's pain could also remind her of her word, and help give her the strength to fight.

And I loved the glimpse of the mer-folk's city, and the lore behind them - how they were conected to Narnia through Aslan, and how Susan could become their anchor.

This was just perfect, exactly what I wanted. Thank you so much, it's made me so happy!

[edenfalling]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked the story!

Susan does not like confrontation, but she has a very strong sense of responsibility -- which I think comes partly from her place in the family hierarchy and partly from her base personality -- so of course she continued through despite her reluctance. I also liked making her distaste for war and longing for her mother something that could be both a weakness and a strength.

I want to write more about the mer-folk now, when I'd never really thought about them before receiving your prompt, so thank you for that! One thing I love about this exchange is the way every year it opens my mind to so many new possibilities inherent in the Narnian universe.

[heliopausa]

Oh, wonderful! Terrifying. And we were drawn down so cleverly, too, from the first harmless, playful-seeming references to the cupola by the sea, and how people there could enjoy the seawater, or the spray, down into horror-story, where even the mermen had been left as torn shreds.
I loved the first appearance of Susan, in her simplicity, and the truthfulness of the story-telling which acknowledges what a burden she carries (especially in being left alone, holding things steady) and how she fears.
I like the seriousness and completeness of the worldbuilding concerning the merpeople, and their relation to Aslan and to land-Narnia - also, the passing, so-lightly-sketched world-building and stories, of pearl-fishing,and wind-weaving. And especially I loved Susan as resolute and true, and having those qualities as her sole weapons against the nightmare-deception. (Wonderful that she saved so much by being utterly herself!) And I also loved the coda - stronger than she would wish to be - yes, indeed, but this Susan takes it on.

[edenfalling]

Thank you! I didn't deliberately intend the transition from the description of Cair Paravel's architecture down to the tattered bones underwater as a transition between normality and horror, but I'm glad it worked that way for you. :-)

I really want to come back and do some more work with the mer-folk someday -- specifically their cities, their relationship to Aslan, their bargains with the people of the land -- and with the little bits of world-building about the islands. This is Susan's story, so that stuff is mostly here for background color and verisimilitude, but there is always more to explore in the Narnian world.

I'm glad to hear my characterization of Susan rang true. She is resolute and practical and has a lot to carry -- staying home while your family is at war is NOT the easy option, especially when you are responsible for an entire country -- but she has the strength to manage even if she wishes she didn't need to.

[autumnia]

Loved this story! There was so much adventure in so short a tale and I love that Susan was the brave one here. She kept her word even though she was afraid and was almost taken in by the siren's spell. And in the end, her bravery was rewarded with such a wonderful gift for Narnia. And though her siblings were elsewhere during this time, the gentle Queen had to fight a battle right at home and she won without the help of others.

And I nearly forgot to add that I love all the visuals as well. The descriptions of the wonders both above and below the sea were wonderful.

[edenfalling]

Thank you! I'm especially glad to hear that the visuals worked, since I always doubt my ability to write sensory description. And yes, staying home rather than heading out to fight in battles doesn't mean Susan lacks courage or resolve, and while she may not seek adventures, she will carry on if and when they come to her.

[redsnake05]

A beautiful story, well worth reading for way you played with the darkness and light, and explored Susan's character as a Queen and as a woman. I loved the way she faced her fear and the respect both she and the mermaid showed one another.

[edenfalling]

Thank you! I always enjoy playing with binary systems, particularly inverting them and/or making them pointedly non-absolute, so once I decided the siren was a creature of light, it was obvious that Susan needed to fight it with darkness. I am glad her respect for the mer-woman (and the mer-woman's respect in return) came through on the page.