Title: The Choice
Author: Nes
Email: spitfireness@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: The Gilmore Girls and its characters are the property of Amy Sherman-Palladino, Warner Brothers, etc. Notice how I didn't name me?
Summary: Rory, the daughter of Luke and Lorelei and next Duchess of Gilmore has come of age. Who will she choose to marry?
Notes: I started writing this in May and never wrote more. But I will. Feedback would help. Half joking...
Prologue
Once upon a time in the duchy of Gilmore, a girl-child was born. Bright of eye and rosy of cheek, the girl was proclaimed an extraordinary beauty and fortunate this was, in truth, for she was the heir of Gilmore.
Gilmore lay in a traditional county and therefore her parents invited three good fairies from Under-hill to their daughter's blessing-day. The first granted Lorelei charm. The second lady granted Lorelei grace. The third fairy granted Lorelei a sense of humor. The final unorthodox gift surprised the duke and duchess, but they thanked the good lady in stride. Their daughter, quite appropriately, gurgled her thanks and smiled benevolently from her silk-draped bassinet.
The child grew strong and tall and true to all the promise of her blessing- day; beyond even, for Lorelei also proved to have a keen wit and sensible turn of mind. Misfortunately, from her mother's point of view, Lorelei also proved to be stubborn almost to the point of insubordinate. For instead of embroidering pillowcases for her trousseau or learning the most fashionable of court dances, she was inclined to run amok with the castle- children. Rare was the day when her dark ringlets did not resemble a thornbush or dirt smudges hide the silver seven-tined star on her brow that marked her a true daughter of Gilmore House.
Notwithstanding Lorelei's wild behavior, the duchy, even the kingdom, continued to prosper. The spice trade continued as did the wool-dye trade and gentle turn of the social season. Sixteen years passed and Lorelei was of an age to marry. To all astonishment of the duke and duchess, their daughter tendered no protest and only looked on mildly when the first of her suitors appeared. Given that Lorelei's dowry was constituted of the entire duchy of Gilmore and she herself was an accomplished lady of agreeable complexion, her suitors were of consequence. There were earls, barons, viscounts, and even the younger sons of princes.
The conventional quests and conditions were assigned to the many suitors and the date set a year and a day hence for the successful suitors to reconvene. On that day, Lorelei would choose from among those worthies the next Duke of Gilmore.
Months went by and soon the suitors reappeared at the castle step bearing their various flying carpets, golden apples, and phoenix feathers. On the appointed day, the whole court assembled to witness Lorelei's resolution and attend the ball following. Resplendent in silver-trimmed white satin with her dark tresses shining and tamed by a diamond tiara, Lorelei inspected her suitors and their respective gifts. After a scant two hours of close examination, she had seen them all. Joining her parents on their dais, she raised her head and said in a smiling voice, My chosen husband is Luke of Gilmore Castle.
A brown-haired young man stepped out of the back of the crowd where the castle-folk had gathered, his skin unmistakably tanned by ovens. An audible gasp flowed through the gathered crowd as they marked the shining rainbow-tinged salamander scales in his hand.
A salamander! How, the court wondered, did a cook's apprentice manage to acquire the scales of the small fire-dwelling creature?
"The ovens," Luke shrugged. "There are always salamanders in the bread ovens. I'm so used to the heat-"
Suddenly the Duke whooped with laughter, his body bent double. The court and the assembled suitors were astonished. The Duchess only looked at her husband in stern remonstrance. Yet it appeared, perhaps it was the light, that her mouth turned up at the corners.
The Duke regained his countenance and stood, "Our daughter's chosen has completed one of the set tasks. We acknowledge Luke of Gilmore as our heir." Then, to placate the disgruntled suitors he added, "Every suitor will return home with a salamander scale."
All discontent fled the Hall for a rainbow-tinged salamander's scale was valued at twenty-seven times its weight in gold. The suitors made merry and were happy to attend the immediate wedding. The accompanying reception was much lauded in coming years, most notably for the cheese danish prepared by the groom himself. Well pleased by hosting the social event of the season, the duchess was observed grinning from ear to ear.
Belly-full and glad, the dukedom prospered and the Gilmores lived happily ever after.
Author: Nes
Email: spitfireness@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: The Gilmore Girls and its characters are the property of Amy Sherman-Palladino, Warner Brothers, etc. Notice how I didn't name me?
Summary: Rory, the daughter of Luke and Lorelei and next Duchess of Gilmore has come of age. Who will she choose to marry?
Notes: I started writing this in May and never wrote more. But I will. Feedback would help. Half joking...
Prologue
Once upon a time in the duchy of Gilmore, a girl-child was born. Bright of eye and rosy of cheek, the girl was proclaimed an extraordinary beauty and fortunate this was, in truth, for she was the heir of Gilmore.
Gilmore lay in a traditional county and therefore her parents invited three good fairies from Under-hill to their daughter's blessing-day. The first granted Lorelei charm. The second lady granted Lorelei grace. The third fairy granted Lorelei a sense of humor. The final unorthodox gift surprised the duke and duchess, but they thanked the good lady in stride. Their daughter, quite appropriately, gurgled her thanks and smiled benevolently from her silk-draped bassinet.
The child grew strong and tall and true to all the promise of her blessing- day; beyond even, for Lorelei also proved to have a keen wit and sensible turn of mind. Misfortunately, from her mother's point of view, Lorelei also proved to be stubborn almost to the point of insubordinate. For instead of embroidering pillowcases for her trousseau or learning the most fashionable of court dances, she was inclined to run amok with the castle- children. Rare was the day when her dark ringlets did not resemble a thornbush or dirt smudges hide the silver seven-tined star on her brow that marked her a true daughter of Gilmore House.
Notwithstanding Lorelei's wild behavior, the duchy, even the kingdom, continued to prosper. The spice trade continued as did the wool-dye trade and gentle turn of the social season. Sixteen years passed and Lorelei was of an age to marry. To all astonishment of the duke and duchess, their daughter tendered no protest and only looked on mildly when the first of her suitors appeared. Given that Lorelei's dowry was constituted of the entire duchy of Gilmore and she herself was an accomplished lady of agreeable complexion, her suitors were of consequence. There were earls, barons, viscounts, and even the younger sons of princes.
The conventional quests and conditions were assigned to the many suitors and the date set a year and a day hence for the successful suitors to reconvene. On that day, Lorelei would choose from among those worthies the next Duke of Gilmore.
Months went by and soon the suitors reappeared at the castle step bearing their various flying carpets, golden apples, and phoenix feathers. On the appointed day, the whole court assembled to witness Lorelei's resolution and attend the ball following. Resplendent in silver-trimmed white satin with her dark tresses shining and tamed by a diamond tiara, Lorelei inspected her suitors and their respective gifts. After a scant two hours of close examination, she had seen them all. Joining her parents on their dais, she raised her head and said in a smiling voice, My chosen husband is Luke of Gilmore Castle.
A brown-haired young man stepped out of the back of the crowd where the castle-folk had gathered, his skin unmistakably tanned by ovens. An audible gasp flowed through the gathered crowd as they marked the shining rainbow-tinged salamander scales in his hand.
A salamander! How, the court wondered, did a cook's apprentice manage to acquire the scales of the small fire-dwelling creature?
"The ovens," Luke shrugged. "There are always salamanders in the bread ovens. I'm so used to the heat-"
Suddenly the Duke whooped with laughter, his body bent double. The court and the assembled suitors were astonished. The Duchess only looked at her husband in stern remonstrance. Yet it appeared, perhaps it was the light, that her mouth turned up at the corners.
The Duke regained his countenance and stood, "Our daughter's chosen has completed one of the set tasks. We acknowledge Luke of Gilmore as our heir." Then, to placate the disgruntled suitors he added, "Every suitor will return home with a salamander scale."
All discontent fled the Hall for a rainbow-tinged salamander's scale was valued at twenty-seven times its weight in gold. The suitors made merry and were happy to attend the immediate wedding. The accompanying reception was much lauded in coming years, most notably for the cheese danish prepared by the groom himself. Well pleased by hosting the social event of the season, the duchess was observed grinning from ear to ear.
Belly-full and glad, the dukedom prospered and the Gilmores lived happily ever after.