My entire life has
been turned on its head. Ever since I
was a child, I have been living in the warm embrace of my family and clan. But as I have learned during my few years in
midgard, war changes many things.
Including people. Hrothgar is a
gentle man—caring, loving, respectful, and above all, immeasurably dedicated to
the well being of his people. But once
he straps on his breastplate and gauntlets, he becomes Hrothgar King of the
Danes and Lord over the great Heorot and the people of the realm. The time of gift giving is over. The drums of war thunder once again. But the roar of Hrothgar’s mighty army drowns
out even those. This is the way of men
and the gods. The only explanation for
this phenomenon is the phenomenon itself.
It has always been this way, and always will be. The only way to exist in this land is to play
the game. We are all chess pieces on the
board of war. I can move forward,
backward, sideways, and diagonally—the most powerful in the contest—yet I feel
as if I have the least power of them all.
I
began my new life in Hrothgar’s kingdom quiet and afraid. But I soon grew used to the customs and habits
the clanspeople. Although I, of course,
miss the camaraderie and friendship of the family I had grown up with, it is
for the best. Sometimes one has to give
up her dreams for the best of those she loves.
I am a sacrifice to our way of life, and a necessary offering to
preserve the safety of my family and people.
I willingly take on this position.
Honor above all else is what matters in the end of time. When the armies of all lands meet one last
time for the final battle of Ragnarok—when all men are brought to their knees
at the point of Odin’s spear—that is the time when all that one does in her
life comes to fruition. I may now live a
hollow husk of an existence, as I smile through my teeth and fill the goblets
of brutish men, but when my time in midgard finally comes to a close, I will
once again be in the warm embrace of my family.
Sometimes I wish that savage demon had
torn me limb from limb.
I really enjoyed how you established what feelings were to be displayed throughout the piece early. It set up the key phrases and thoughts that you wanted to portray very nicely! I also appreciated the comparison and contraction of Hrothgar, the gentle and kind soul, versus the warrior and defender of the Danes. Good work!
ReplyDeleteYour piece was so organized and professional. I liked how you turned an internal monologue that could potentially be messy and chaotic into a streamlined piece of work. While making sure your entry made sense, I appreciate that you took the time to include such descriptive add-ons (my personal favorite was "as I smile through my teeth and fill the goblets of brutish men"). You are a really talented writer!
ReplyDeleteThis piece really shows Grendel's mental struggles. It's just so honest. The comparison of men to chess pieces was a great way to explain his feelings. I loved it! Not to mention it was so well written. Great job!
ReplyDeleteSweet chess analogy.
ReplyDeleteShe accepts her position willingly but still wishes at times the monster had taken her life. A good way to get at the inner conflicts of the queen. Nice post, and a good series so far.
ReplyDelete