Story: The Rape of the Lock: Ariel the Tour Guide
Characters: Ariel, Belinda, the sylphs
Rating: K
Summary: This is a prose version of Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock with a focus on Ariel and the sylphs. For fun I added in the aspect of Ariel possibly giving a tour when all of the hullabaloo surrounding Belinda and her fate breaks out. If you actually managed to find this short story then I commend you as another Pope fan.
Moi: This was actually written as an essay alternative for a class of mine and I can guarantee you that if you try to use it for that purpose, your sins and your instructor will find you out. Be inspired but no stealing.
Ariel the Tour Guide inspired by The Rape of the Lock
It was a small group, barely reaching the count of twenty, all huddled together, excitement written across their tiny faces, awaiting the presence of their guide and instructor. Tiny notebooks they clutched in their fragile hands, along with pens derived from the delicate feathers of hummingbirds' wings. A sylph like no other floated into their midst, an azure wand in his hand and his purple pinions fluttering on a mystical breeze.
"Ariel is my name, a watchful sprite who keeps guard over this sweet nymph," he gestured toward the maid in their midst, "warning her constantly against the wiles of men. You are about to embark upon a journey, learning from our most constant care and attention how to protect your own charges once you have earned them. For, ignorant young sylphs, it is no simple matter to guard one as Fair as our Belinda."
Stalking amongst the group, gaze meeting the dewy and eager eyes of each anticipatory sylph in training, Ariel waited for them to be sufficiently cowed in his presence. "Danger lurks around every corner. Even now, can you not sense the black omens that threaten our brightest fair creature? Some evil approaches, and we know not what."
One naïve sylph piped up, "Whatever could harm this fairest creature, oh Ariel?"
Self-important even in his concern, Ariel replied pompously, "It is impossible to prophecy what misstep may occur. It could be a sacrifice of her chastity . . ."
At which the sylphs all gasped.
"Or something might stain her new brocade . . ."
The gasps heightened.
"Or perhaps she is doomed to miss a masquerade."
A sylph wobbled faintly.
"Which, young sylphs, is why you see here preparations to safeguard our fair creature." Ariel gestured toward Belinda and the sylphs turned as one.
The fair creature in question sat at her mirror while a maid combed out her locks, guided by the hands of countless sylphs. Her curls manifested themselves into a beauteous arrangement by the sylphs' expert touch. Oohs of appreciation slipped from the sylphs in training as Belinda was transformed into the fairest nymph they had ever seen. Sylphs manned every aspect of Belinda's personage, from her pristine diamond earrings to the fan held loosely in her hand to the fifty sylphs fighting to keep her petticoats and whalebone tamed.
With a wave of his wand, Ariel commanded the attention of the sylphs readying Belinda's beauty. "Listen well, sylphs. Whatever careless spirit neglects his post or leaves the side of our fairest nymph, be full warned that vengeance shall sound find him out. Whether it be wedged in the eye of a needle or tied to a mill wheel over a vat of hot chocolate or a thousand other horrors I can devise, you shall suffer if our nymph suffers due to a mistake."
If the sylphs had been haphazard in their care before, they now descended on Belinda like a whirlwind. Hanging from the diamond pendants in her ears, clinging to and protecting the mazy ringlets of her hair, and with trembling one and all they await the birth of Fate.
With Belinda so carefully prepared, the sylphs in training follow Ariel behind her, forming yet another entourage to the one she already possessed. Nervously nibbling on the end of his wand Ariel leapt when a sylph at his elbow inquired, "Oh mighty Ariel, what if the maiden . . . Oh, how shall I put this . . . What if she . . ."
Ariel snipped, "Yes?!"
The sylph jumped, his nervousness enhanced.
"I was just supposing, what if the nymph . . . loves?"
Ariel gaped.
"What then, mighty Ariel?"
Ariel could conjure no answer. Stopped dead in his tracks, sylphs bumped into him from behind and Belinda continued through the door without them.
"What would make you suppose that she loves?"
The sylph coughed self-consciously.
"It is only that the supposition is natural, oh high one. If your fair creature should fall would it not be at man's intervention?"
Emitting a shrill shriek that had all the sylphs in his entourage cringing, Ariel fled as fast as his wings could propel him, back to Belinda's side. Exchanging fearful glances, the sylphs swept behind him.
Tiny heart pounding, Ariel studied Belinda fiercely as she played at cards after arriving at the party unscathed. Heroes surrounded her and other fair nymphs, but Ariel's eyes sought only his charge. Even the nymphs in his entourage had been forgotten, some perching on the table's edge, others peeking at the fair creature's hand, and still others resolutely remaining at their post with Ariel. His wand tip nibbled into ragged edges, Ariel waited.
Face paling as the Knave of Diamonds wins the Queen of Hearts; Belinda trembled at the approaching ill of her game, fearful at a horrendous loss. Yet she won her hand when the King fell upon the Ace and reclaimed his queen, and so exulting Belinda shouted to the sky. Ariel breathed a sigh of relief. The game was safe. It was not written by Fate's cruel hand that she should lose and thus succumb to tragedy.
Wiping perspiration from his tawny brow, Ariel shakily turned his attention back to the impatient sylphs at his command. But upon so doing, he spied a man, the Baron who had long admired Belinda and desired her attentions, creeping near. Gleaming in his outstretched hand, a pair of scissors lurked, their metal extending towards Belinda's slender nape as she reveled in her victory, inhaling steamy vapors of freshly milled coffee.
It was the lock of hair he sought, oh sweet Fate spare us, Ariel prayed. Frozen as he was in horror at the sight, Ariel could still reach into the fair creature's mind with anxious warnings. Her nape exposed as she bent over the fragrant steams, Ariel's frantic efforts at warning went unheeded. Thrice she peered over her shoulder and thrice the Baron paused. Then, just as he sought to breach her fair mind, Ariel noticed a horror more disheartening than the looming loss of the lock. He sensed, lurking within her breast, an earthly lover. His greatest fear realized, Ariel passed before Belinda's eyes, waving his tiny arms, shrieking fair warning into her thoughts, all unheard and so Ariel's power over his fair creature expired.
The sheers closed around one of Belinda's glorious locks, severing it.
The sylphs all fled.
Ariel could see in the eyes of his sylphs-to-be that they doubted his ability. So haughtily had he greeted them for their tour and now he could only watch as Belinda yielded to the ill humors that only Gnomes and the Goddess of Spleen could bestow. She begged and pleaded of the Baron, threatened and cried, but to no avail for the Baron turned a deaf ear to her wailings. The heroes and heroines all chose sides and the room erupted in chaos while the Baron spoke, "Trust me, dear, good humor can prevail when airs, and flights, and screams, and scolding fail. Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul."
Belinda shrieked to Ariel's shame, "Restore the Lock!"
But her efforts were in vain for the lock, now released from the Baron's grip, floated heavenward, sparking as it went into beautiful flame witnessed by all the sylphs. Those who had possessed the fair Belinda watched in relief as it progressed through the skies to become one with the stars. All was not lost, although perhaps lost to them. For never again should a sylph maintain the coquettish Belinda, she was claimed by the Baron who so fondly had stolen her lock and now declared, "All that I dread is leaving you behind! Let me still survive and burn in Cupid's flames – but burn alive."
Belinda had been won and Ariel drooped, all his hope for glory undone. It would not do for a sylph's charge to be lost to love. Those in his entourage glanced at one another surreptitiously and then the one sylph who had so cautioned him before patted him sympathetically on the back, saying, "Oh mighty Ariel, do not consider yourself at fault. We are not given dominion over the heart."
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