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lyrical trance & dark mythic/transgressive fiction by lilimist

the butterfly vow by lilimist

 

A romantic creation myth about a butterfly who wakes up from her cocoon too late and a star who falls to earth to save her.

{ first written & released by Vixen Phillips in 2004 }

So the lily acquiesced, and the butterfly drank her fill and then just a little, until the sweet syrup made her more than giddy. When at last the liquid had settled in her tummy, she fluttered down by the flower’s feet and let her voice ring loud and clear throughout the world, so that all waking things marvelled, and all those sleeping dreamt even more sweetly. And the star, still residing upon the rosebush’s leaf, felt every word and wept tears of joy, though her perfect recital made his heart ache for growing homesick.

At the song’s end, the lily smiled, and the butterfly curtsied, and they said their farewells to one another right cheerfully. And the butterfly set about finding her way back to her new love, though the potent nectar as well as her full belly made flying in a straight line a carefree impossibility.

Back through the foliage she spiralled and weaved, thinking only of how much more she might give to the star now her terrible hunger had been relieved, and she had only just taken up the thread of her lovesong without words once again as she fluttered between the trunks of two great snoring trees, when all of a sudden she came to a jarring halt, though her wings and her heart both yet kept up their beating.

For a moment or two she continued to push forward, her mind incapable of recognizing the situation she had found herself in, but then something sticky and glittering snapped and broke painfully across her cheek, and she realized in horror she had gotten herself caught in a spider’s web, despite the star having given her prior warning.

So she lay very still, and examined very carefully the cords which now bound her ankles and feet, for she knew, should she struggle, worse entrapment might follow — today of all days when she must be free!

Presently, however, came a soft scuttling sound, accompanied by a hiss of laughter, and the spider drew near to the centre of the web, showing her eight little fangs, all the while her eight little eyes gleamed greedily. Her belly was no longer round but gaunt; a web being of no use with no fluttering things awake to entrap themselves within. But here at last was the prize she had longed for, and with it, the chance for revenge. Clicking her spinnarets softly together, she almost purred as she spoke.

“Awake at last, little sister? How kind of you to come to me just after your own feeding. What a sweet meal you’ll make, as sweet as your song. But who in all the world, I wonder, will miss your melodies, after I am through with my feasting?”

Too much angered to be afraid, the butterfly gave her answer immediately. “My love would — the star — who taught me that song. He is all alone in this world but for me, since the rains fell so heavy, washing him away from his kin. All we have in this world are each other, and love, and song, and not even you can come between.”

And the web shook violently as the spider laughed, and put her front legs together in a mocking motion of clapping. “Very moving, little sister — quite melodramatic, but still touching.” Here she feigned to wipe a tear from her eye, while the butterfly hid herself somewhat with her wings, to cover from sight her fingers, which were hard at work on freeing her feet. But the spider was still laughing to much take any notice. “You silly little thing — did the angels, I wonder, spend the last of their strength on the patterns and colours of your wings, rather than investing you with a mind that could think? Stars don’t fall from heaven in the rain, you nitwit, they fall down to earth because of their own impurity. They can never become angels, so their kin cast them out, forever, else they might each become tainted likely.”

And the butterfly gasped, and cried, “That’s not true!” but the spider fixed her with a cruel grin.

The Butterfly Vow by lilimist   Page 11 of 16   writing

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