Summary:
Everyone knows the story of The Late Rose Summer Wars, and of Cluny the Scourge's attempts to takeover Redwall. Now I invite you to follow this rewrite of the first story, starting before the war and ending after it, throwing in the element of a rough mousemaid villain in his horde who strangely has no dreams of conquest on her mind.
(Edit: I'm going to rewrite this story, and start from the beginning of Violet's story)
Violent Violet Prologue "The Trio's Tale"
A rodent stepped up to the group that had gathered. Because of his height the group of peaceful woodlanders had nearly mistaken him for a small rat, but in the light of the fire saw him to be merely a tall mouse. They nearly laughed at themselves for their folly, for aside from the height the dark furred mouse bared no resemblance to a rat.
The mouse turned to his companions, a mole a bit older than him in blue semi-formal attire and a hare much older than him in a ragged purple cloak, "Ready guys?"
Both nodded with a smile; the mole began to play a reed flute that seemed odd compared to him, and the hare started rhythmically pounding two leather drums with his paws. The mouse smiled and started to play the harolina he carried. The traveling group of bards (though the weapons at their sides suggested they were more than they seemed) continued to play for a few moments before the handsome, exotic-looking mouse began to singing.
"Come now all ye, young and old.
Hear the tale that's 'bout to unfold.
Of battles fought and blood spilled Of love sought and love killed.
Young life, confus'd and lost,
Full of trial and evil, with innocence the cost.
But not all in vain, hope within sight,
Holding out for the dawn after cold, harsh night.
So sit now sit, open ye ears,
Bury your doubt, cast off fears.
For this tale you'll hear tonight Is nothing but truth, a mousemaid perilous plight."
As he finished, he looked at the crowd and added, light eyes twinkling with amusement, "I'd like to add, I was not the one who wrote that. Take any complaints to the hare."
"Hmph!" said hare wrinkling his nose and whiskers, "little rip has no appreciation for fine music."
"Ironic he's the singer, inn't it?" the mole said with a smile, not speaking in the normal mole dialect except for a tiny slip at the end.
The conversation was causing a great deal of amusement amongst the crowd that had gathered to listen. They had heard of the traveling group of amusing bards that told a tale of great tragedy, horror, romance, and life changing events. They had heard claims that the story was true, but also that it had an unexpected hero and villain in it that made it rather unbelievable.
Once they were done with the friendly banter, the mouse turned back to the crowd, "Sorry folks, you're not here to listen to us jabber on about nonsense. You want a story, don't you?"
A cheer rang out among the little ones. The mouse smiled indulgently at them, "Alright then. To start with, who here has heard of Cluny the Scourge?" The three played a harsh tune at that for dramatic effect.
A tense and frightened silence followed amongst the adults, while the children squealed in terrors. The three bards winced.
"I'd say they heard of him," the hare said.
"Me too," the mole agreed.
The mouse nodded in agreement, "Right, Cluny the Scourge. The most terrifying rat to ever curse this world. A rat bigger than most and twice as ugly. Legends would spread about him, some exaggerations, some not nearly as bad as the real thing." Settling the harolina on his lap, he looked at the children, "Now, how many have heard of Violent Violet?" Again came the dramatic harsh sound.
There wasn't as much reaction from the little ones, but the tense silence remained among the adults.
"Ah, I see I have a story to tell now," the mouse smiled, "she's indeed not as well known as Cluny the Scourge by name, but if you've heard of all the trouble Cluny the Scourge has caused, you want to guess who was at the forefront of his horde, serving him faithfully and slaughtering the innocent at the whim of her Chief? That'd be Violet, known also as both Snakecharmer and The Bloody Mousemaid of the Battlefield, Violent Violet."
"Or Violent Violet for short," the hare added.
"A little mousemaid in Cluny's horde?" one mousebabe asked in disbelief.
"No way!" another agreed right away.
"Oh it's very true," the mouse nodded assuredly, "every word of it. And many creatures soon grew to fear her. Which was a shame, for no one knew the true Violet, who she really was, how a young mousemaid like herself had come into Cluny's horde, what hardships she'd been through, what had made her so hard, cold, and distant."
All the creatures now had their full attention on the mouse's story.
"Now, let's start right at the beginning. To understand Violet's story you must understand where she came from, and her life before Cluny and his horde."