Undine

09-07-09

FP


Adonis Rep


I was rudely awakened this morning by my editor's shrill voice coming through the magic pool. I knew there was a reason I kept that thing covered most nights. . . I tried to roll over and feign deep sleep, but persistence is a common attribute of employees of the Fantasy Press, so I reluctantly presented my worm trailed and baggy eyed face.



His news proved just the pick-me-up I needed. An interview! And with a knight, no less!



I enacted a spell of mist over my vanity disc and allowed my new bubbling fountain to further wake and refresh me. The rest of the morning was a hurried wyvern egg breakfast and final preparations for the world leap I'm about to make. I was, however, careful enough to pack goblin repelant, as my editor kindly warned me that my destination was crawling with the little buggers.



At last I was prepared, or so I thought. I straightened my robes one last time, then turned the sparkling green Ring of Portation to open the gateway between my home world of Aubrus and the wooded land where my interview was to take place.



Splash!



I could have sworn I stepped through the portal to a patch of green turf beside a babbling brook, but there I was smack dab in the middle of the dang thing. And more. . . what I had taken for a lazy woodland stream turned out to be a swolen, white, swirling, current rife river. I was struggling to keep my head above water.



At one point in my fight against the undertow I thought I saw a tall white bearded man, standing above me and nodding. I reached out for his aid, but I must have imagined him, because all I could see around me was more white foamy water, and a good distance away, the green shore.


You don't get to be a reporter of my caliber without a dazzling array of skills (yes I do say so myself). Some quick thinking on my part, and a hastily munched packet of buoyancy pellets, and I was finally able to drift my way to dry land. Even with the magic pills it was hard work.



There was no sign of the mysterious white bearded stranger, so I found a sunny rock on which to dry myself before my interview showed up.



Too late. . . Out of the woods came a beautifully armored knight astride a muscular white war horse. The knight's purple, gold embroidered doublet was accented with a scarlet mantle. His red and violet plume bobbed atop his gold colored helmet, in time with his horses cantering stride. Huldbrand von Ringstetten appeared the proverbial knight in shining armor--albeit a few moments too late to rescue yours truly.





H: You're all wet.


AR: So my readers tell me.

H: Shall we postpone our engagement?

AR: No. A little water never hurt anyone. I'll be fine.

H: Well, good sir, water can be quite mischevious in these woods. I am at a loss, however, to imagine how you got so thoroughly soaked in this meager streamlet.

AR: Streamlet!? Ha!

Note: At first I thought the good knight was joking, but when I turned to look at the mighty river which had nearly drowned me, I flinched in surprise. It was hardly more than a limping brook. I mumbled something to the effect of "must've hit a deep spot." But as far as I could see there wasn't a drop off to be found. I doubt I could have fully submerged myself if I tried.

AR: I'll dry out eventually. But in the mean time, Sir Huldbrand, I'd like to interview you on the subject of your recent marriage, and the unusual circumstances leading to it; not to mention your rather remarkable wife.

H: Ah. Undine, my wife, is remarkable indeed. But to begin with, it was water trouble, perhaps similar to yours, which lead me to the fisherman's cottage, and my beautiful bride.

AR: Do tell.

H: I had just left the Free Imperial City, sent on a quest by a fair lady named Bertalda. Through this wild wooded land I ventured, but at every turn I was harried by goblins and a tall white bearded man dressed in white robes.

AR: The man with the white beard!? I saw him myself!

H: I'm sure you did. His name, I recently discovered, is Kuhleborn, and he is the uncle of my dear Undine, and quite intimately related to the water in these woods. I really wouldn't doubt if it was he who is responsible for your soaking.

AR: Hmm. Well, we'll talk more about Kuhleborn in a moment, but back to the events that led you to Undine.

H: Escaping the mischeif of Kuhleborn and the goblins, I found myself in the company of a simple fisherman, who turned out to be the adopted father of Undine. The connection between we two was nearly instantaneous, and by another happy chance, a priest was soon along to marry us.

AR: Ah, but this is where it gets interesting. Your beloved Undine had a secret to reveal; did she not?

H: Oh, indeed! Ha ha! Her name, Undine, actually means mermaid, and she is one. She doesn' t have fins or anything like that. She's closer to what you or I would call a Naiad, a water nymph. She was separated from her elemental family and adopted by the good fisherman and his wife.

AR: Did you feel cheated when you found out she wasn't human? Did you reconsider your love for her?

H: Not for a minute. I felt a little bad that she'd kept a secret from me, but after all we'd known eachother such a short time. . . But no. Undine is my one and only.

AR: Recently, another strange twist has been added to your lives. Tell us about Bertalda.

H: Ahh, the lovely Bertalda--the very same maiden who sent me on my recent quest. It turns out that Bertalda is none other than the long lost daughter of Undine's adopted parents. Undine thought that Bertalda would be glad to know her true heritage, but it's taking longer than anticipated for her to warm to them. In the meantime, though, Undine and Bertalda are getting along famously. The three of us are almost always together. It's been wonderful.

AR: Yes, well. . . I'll be in touch to find out how that all plays out. I'm sure it will be great. Nothing bad ever happens when one man and two women are involved.

Well, that's about all the time we have for today. Is there anything at all you'd like to say to your fans back on Aubrus.

H: What fans? What's an aubrus?

AR: Never mind.

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Check out Undine, by Friedrich de la Motte Fouque

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=undine&x-14&y=20

Adonis Rep interviews are created and written by Tim Worsham

If you are an author or a fan of genre fiction and would like to see one of your favorite characters get interviewed, contact Tim at tcworm@hotmail.com


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