Notes on a Fairy Tale

Okay, I'm continuing with my fantasy story, no matter what. It's not one of those things you'd put down on a list-of-things-to-do-before-you-die and then flake out and never do them. This non-existent story has possessed me for a good 7 to 8 years now, and if I have one madman obsession, it's this. Yes, it was born from the desire to imitate Tolkien. But when it's ready it won't be. And if it is, oh well. I have to do this. I've thrown around a lot of different ideas, but ultimately I just can't settle on anything. However, these basic elements remain throughout:

1. In the world which this story takes place, there is a Great Kingdom (the name is undecided). It's basically the Roman Empire of this place. The story begins as its reign begins to crumble. Their monarch, King Frey is deathly ill and nobody knows how to cure him, he will not appear in front of his people or even govern, for that matter. He's been reduced to a something of an old fool (not unlike King Lear, at least in outward appearance). his advisers have been governing the country for him, and many believe they are corrupt, though few will speak it. The arena for much of the first part of this story takes place in this Kingdom. It is both the problem and the solution. A mighty ally to have on anybody's side.

2. Wizards and Witches. They have been banished from the kingdom. Official royal policy is that they are traitors. Magic is treason. Witches and Wizards will be either killed or exiled. Anybody caught assisting or harbouring them will be arrested. People fear their power. Many Witches and Wizards have gone into exile, and some remain in hiding. I haven't decided for how long this policy has been in place, but it has made long-effects on many peoples' lives.

3. Witches and Wizards are mortals who wield extraordinary powers, which they must never use for selfish gains. There was a rogue wizard who did however, and as a result, sullied the name of these individuals and made them an enemy to the Kingdom, with him as their ringleader. The truth is he is not the leader at all but he was close to the Chief of Wizards and Witches, and many people believed the Chief was in kahoots with him; nobody has seen this "rogue" for years. He might not even be alive anymore and is just used as an ever-present all-encompassing "enemy" used as propaganda to mobilize the people. It's the idea of him that frighten them more than anything.

4. Fays. Not unlike Nordic Elves in appearance, I'm not gonna lie. But their fate is FAR different from anything in Tolkien's or scandinavian legend. Rather, it more closely resembles that of the Fays/Fairies of Celtic legend, and they're integral to this story. They have remarkable healing powers, and it was the Queen of the Fays who taught the Wizards everything they know. Basically the children of Gods. They're believed to be extinct.

5. One of our protagonists: Ganny (short for Ganimen). Don't ask why this name. I came up with it when I was about 10 years old, actually for a story I was writing before I even read the Hobbit. It doesn't mean a thing, but it stuck for some reason. Generally I've made him the same age that I was whenever I tried writing the story again (started at 10, then went up from there). But I want to keep no older than 12. I don't want him much older. The manly hunk of a protagonist is a bit cliche for me. I want part of his struggle to be the fact that he is a child, who gets caught up in something much larger than anything he's ever known. I've always liked child protagonists, like Oliver Twist, Charlie Bucket, Harry Potter, etc. In spite of this, this story is not meant to be for children. Not only children, anyway. Nevertheless, Ganny is a stubborn, willful and imaginative boy, who longs for adventure.

6. Our other protagonist, and Ganny's best friend in the whole world: Aeas (Aias?). She's his childhood friend, possibly sister (but if so, only adopted). I've toyed with the idea of her being a little older than Ganny, certainly more mature anyway. She can often be rough with him, but she cares for him like a big sister, whatever their direct upbringing is. The precipitating event, the catalyst for the entire story is the discovery that she is the only living Fay left. There are huge ramifications to this. There might be a way to bring them back, and prevent a country from falling apart. She is the compass. Some people start to see her as a saviour, which she absolutely hates. Nobody could be more reluctant than her, and nobody could be more envious than Ganny.

7. One final ingredient. What would a fantasy novel be without an all-pervading, diabolical force, hellbent on destroying everything our heroes hold dear? This beast will lurk in the shadows for the first part, letting the mortal men and beasts quarrel amongst themselves. This monster is quiet, a calculated predator, and its heart, of course, is a bottomless pit. I've toyed with the idea of this role being split between a dark-lord-satanic-saurony-darth-vadery character, who is in hiding, being nursed back to health by his wife/consort, a figure no less monstrous. While he is in hiding gathering his strength and military might, she is out among the land, deceiving mortals of all kinds, spreading word of a King who can restore their country to prosperity if they follow her. She is a pied piper in a sense. She's a bit like Morgan Le Fay meets Lady Macbeth. The dark lord I'm considering basing loosely on Oberon, King of the Fairies, as in he was once husband to Laleith, Queen of the Fays, until he turned rotten, and he would stop at nothing to efface Laleith and her children and any who take her side. Long ago there was a war between him and Laleith, which eventually ended in an impasse that lasted several hundreds, if not thousands of years. While I'm intrigued by the idea of this whole story being the result of a long-standing domestic dispute on a divine scale I've been hesitant to go with it because it doesn't directly involve the people who have to deal with it, the mortals never asked for any of it, and they just get dragged along whether they like it or not. This seems too loosely put together for me. If mortals get involved, it has to be through their own doing, so when the time comes, they will be the ones to clean it up again. I dunno. I might go with the first notion; it would nicely mirror the helplessness that I imagine little ones like Ganny must be feeling. But there's a lot of unsatisfactoriness in that. Everyone involved must be responsible. There must be no bystanders. If any child suffers it is from the sins of his or her father, not a god. That I'll need to give more thought.

But basically these are some of the things that have been stewing in my mind for the past few years. It might be a long time yet before it's ripe, but it won't get anywhere unless I do something about it. I'm putting all this down because I need your help. If you have any ideas to help me string this stuff together, please share them. Yes, it's dangerously close to following a tired formula. But I just don't care anymore. Besides, Shakespeare stole other peoples stories all the time. Tolkien did, too. It's the details that will make a story good. So, any help would be appreciated.