[A4A] The Many Faces of Koi

About the setting: This is classic fantasy setting with elves, dwarfs, orcs, etc. Each race lives in a separate part of the world and relations have gotten increasing tense in recent years. This story takes place on the eastern elven lands which have nearly been destroyed through a combination of conquest and poor political decisions. Most of the eastern elves have either been killed trying to defend the land or have left for the western elf kingdom. Various groups of human knight raiders frequently visit the east. Sometimes to aid the few elves remaining, but more often to take whatever riches they can find.

About the character: They have grown up watching the eastern elven lands be torn apart. Since they were given a curse that makes it impossible for them to look at another's face, they lived a very isolating life with only koi fish for friends. In this scene, the character is nervous that the raider might kill them. However, they are also eager to finally have somebody to finally speak with. Given their up bringing, they are naive, but also quite observant and whimsical. You're welcome to combine all of those elements together however you wish.

Feel free to add, subtract, or change lines as you see fit!  And feel free to change the wording to fit your own personality and delivery. The script does the describe the character as beautiful since I think that term should apply to all genders, but you're welcome to replace the term with handsome or something else if you wish.


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H-hello?

Who is there? Are you with human raiders?

I-I know that we are surrounded.

(pleading) I'm unarmed. I mean no harm.

H-here. See, look? Just come through the trees and see for yourself. I promise! I'm just kneeling next to our koi pond. I don't have any weapons.

See...? I'm right here.

I'm sorry. I can't look at you, but I promise that I mean you no harm.

It's not a trap. I would have no way trapping you. I was never trained.

I....? N-no, I don't want to fight.

No, that's exactly why I'm here. I'm not trained. I can barely even hold a bow. Had I fought, I would be long dead by now.

I wasn't hiding. There is nowhere safe to hide anymore. I've just always liked this pond. I'm quite found of the koi.

I didn't think that I would escape. I-I just wanted to spend a few last moments with my friends.

Yes, the Koi are my friends. They have been since I was young.

I don't see why it should have to be so strange? So what if they can't speak? Silence is wonderful company. You only really make friends in the moments when nobody is talking, anyway.

Yes, the koi taught me that. They are wiser than you would think.

Me? No, I'm not wise. (nervous laugh) Lonely, perhaps. But not wise.

I'm honestly not! Everything I've learned, the koi have taught me. I rarely speak with anybody else.

I've known the koi my whole life. They have lived here as long the elf clans, but it's clear they will outlast us. (scoffs) My family, with all their talk of blood purity, look at where it got them. Our numbers were low long before you even started raiding.

I don't blame you for that. We're a dying empire that made a lot of enemies. The writing has been on the wall for a long time.

The koi know better though. They aren't like us. They will happily accept any help you offer.

Here, watch.

(optional splash sound)

See? They don't care that this bread is coming from an outsider. They're just happy to have bread.

Oh? That one in the back is called Giles. Don't worry, he's not refusing to eat. He has just learned that, if he waits, I'll make sure that he gets extra at the end.

(laughs) I told you that they were smart.

They know better than to rely on me though. That's why they are so wise. They accept help where they can get it, but never grow to depend on it. Such a philosophy would have likely saved a great many empires. Don't you think?

It's why I don't worry about them. They can fend for themselves. I don't need to fret over what will happen to them once I'm.....

(nervous) Erm, once I'm gone.

Wait, why haven't you....?

I know that the Knight's Code forbids you from harming anybody that's unarmed, but you be surprised how few knight follow that code these days.

Yes, they all say it was for noble cause, but I'm not sure if anybody who had their blood spilt would agree with them. I certainly wouldn't if you killed me.

That's not your intention? If not, then what is your intention?

I-I can't look at you. Just tell me what you want.

There's not much information that I can give you. As far as know, any wealth we had was pillaged long ago.

Honestly, I don't know much. I only ever left my quarters to come here. You probably know this land better than I do.

Well, there wasn't anywhere else to go. You've seen it yourself, most of buildings are destroyed. And I was never one for playing in dangerous ruins. The koi pond was always safer.

(haughty laugh) Books? I've never seen a book in my life much less read one. I was told that we had grand library once. I'm not sure whether that's true or simply another lie for elven pride. Either way it would have been destroyed a long time ago.

No, I can't read much like I've never learned to hold a bow. Nobody ever had the time or resources to bother to teach me. Well, except for the koi. They have all the time in world. But I'm pretty sure that they can't read either.

Not they need to. They can pass down all their stories through silence. It's another craft we still haven't mastered. I suppose that's why we need books.

Hmmm....I guess, in fact, the two are quite similar. Books only tell their stories to those who are willing to read them. And the koi only tell their stories to those who are willing to listen to them.

Keep in mind, listening isn't the same as hearing. Anybody can hear, but listening requires you to want to understand. The koi know the difference. They would never demand to be heard. They will only tell you something if you really want to understand it.

I-Er, sorry, I'm rambling. It's just nice to be able to finally speak. That's the one drawback to all your friends being wiser than you; you never get the opportunity to explain things to anybody.

Oh, not that you aren't wise! I assume you are at least, although we've only just met. I-I've just imagined that I would tell somebody about the koi for a long time. When I was lonely, I would replay the conversation again and again in my mind for company.

Although, I'm not sure if it was supposed to go exactly like this. In my imagination, you were an elf who had come for dinner-not a raiding knight who might killed me.

I know, you said wouldn't. But you can't blame for not trusting you, especially when I can't even give you what you ask.

No, I can't look at you.

Oh, please stoping insisting. I can't.

It's not about trust or anything! I just can't.

(sighs) You don't understand. It's not that I'm afraid to look at you. It's not even that I don't want to look at you. It's that I physically can't look at you.

No, there's no problem my neck. Well, except that it was born into a particularly jealous family.

You see, many years ago, my sister started keeping the company of a Dwarven trade merchant. This was back before the bloodwars when interracial trading was common. She became so taken with him that she followed him back to Dwarven lands. It was the last we ever saw of her.

My parents were furious that their eldest had runaway with an outsider and wanted to ensure that it never happened again. They ordered an enchantress to place on spell on the rest of us. I don't know exactly what they asked her to do, but the results were horrific. I can no longer look at anyone's face. My head will turn away any time I try and no amount of force will make them turn back.

I don't know what sort of magic. I was too young to question it at the time. I just know that the spell is binding no matter how hard I try to resist. And believe me, I've tried.

I can barely even remember what faces look like anymore. It's been so long since I've seen one. I think I've forgotten how most emotions must appear by now.

Thankfully, at least the koi faces don't count. I think the spell only applies to humanoid faces, although that's only a guess.

Believe me, if I knew how to break spell, I would have done it by now. The enchantress left a long time ago, so it's not like I can ask.

No, my parents didn't care. They felt I was better off this way. I would never be tempted to leave. And even if I was tempted, who would want to spend anytime with somebody who can't look them in the eye?

Anyway, I haven't heard from them in ages. Either they left for the far west kingdom or they died defending our lands. It doesn't really matter. They aren't coming back.

I have no interest in looking for them. Not after being made to suffer under this miserable spell my entire life. Besides, even if I wanted to look for them, it would be a lost cause. I have no idea what they even look like anymore and my memory of their voices is too faint to be reliable.

Everybody I care about lives in this pond. It made sense to stay here. Besides, the roads teeming with robbers and I'm of no use with a crossbow. Even if I trained, it's a bit hard to shoot when you can't look at your enemy.

(harsh laugh) I-i can't even look at my own face. Any time I catch a glimpse of my reflection, I'm forced to turn away. I still imagine myself as a child with chubby cheeks and shy grin because that was the last image of myself that I ever saw.

Of course, I know that I'm not a child anymore.

Huh? Oh, um thank you. Nobody's ever called me beautiful before. The few elves that are still around mostly just ignore me.

(laughs) Sorry, you just reminded me of my dream that I would I tell somebody about the koi. You were an elf in that dream, but you still told me that I was beautiful. I kind of hoped that you actually would.

Although, I'll never have any way of knowing if you were just being polite or not.

You're right, I guess I could ask the koi. I don't think they see beauty as something physical though.

I suppose that I oughtn't see as something physical either. I'll never know physical beauty except maybe as it occurs in nature. But I don't think that nature's beauty is the same thing.

Yeah, the koi have different patterns, but none more pretty than any other or at least I don't think so. Each pattern perfectly suits its fish. None is any better or worse.

Besides, their real beauty comes from them all swimming together. Their colors mix together with such balance and harmony. It's like the perfect song. (laughs) I get so lost watching them.

Here, toss some bread into the water. You'll see what I mean.

I promise, they won't bite.

Go on.

(optional splash sound)

(laughs) See? It's beautiful to see them swim like that?

(whispers) It's just like magic. Do you think?

I-erm. Well, I don't imagine human beauty is anything like this?

Sorry, I guess that's a pretty difficult question to answer. I just never thought of humanoids as capable of harmony, but to be fair, all I've ever known is war.

Yes, I've heard that it's different elsewhere. It's just hard to believe it's true when I'm surrounded by so much hate. Harmony comes so naturally to the koi. For us, it's always bitter work.

What? You don't think so.

What makes you so sure?

I-erm. I don't even know if this is possible, but can you show me?

Alright, I-I'll take your hand, but promise you won't hurt me?

I'll try my best to trust you.

Erm, although that would be easier if you told me what you were doing.

Dancing? But there's no music.

Do you always dance without music where you're from?

Well, I have no way of knowing! It could have been possible.

I guess it could still be fun without music. Keep in mind that I'll only be able to look at your feet though.

(feel free to add optional music)

Alright, it's best that you lead. I'm a bit rusty. I never tried dancing with anybody after I stopped being able to look at faces.

Thank you, I appreciate you going slowly.

No, this is nice. It's the closest I've been with anybody in a long while.

(shy teasing) Is this harmony? Show me.

(soft laughing)

I am doing alright?

Good.

(sighs)

Oh, can you spin me around? Like we're koi?

(loud laughing)

Oh, this is amazing.

I don't think I've ever danced like this before.

(sighs) Maybe you're right. Maybe we can have harmony too.

Thank you, that was beautiful.

Yes, as beautiful as the koi.

Wait, this what physical beauty is like? Is it like dancing?

Sorry, that was unfair again wasn't it? It's fine if you don't know the answer. I doubt it's the sort of question that even has one.

Erm, could I ask a favor though? Be warned, it's a bit odd.

Would it be alright if I touched your face? Of course, I will understand if you say no. I just haven't seen one in so long. If I could feel one, it would almost like seeing it. Does that make any sense?

(sighs) Thank you for understanding

Here, guide my hand. I want to make sure that I don't poke you in the eye.

Yes, I'm ready.

Oh, there is your eyes and nose. It's good to know they are still where I imagine them to be.

And there's your ears. (laughs) I can tell that they are human ears because the ends are rounded.

And there's your month. Hmm, the corners of it are turned up. Are you smiling?

Well, I'm glad this is amusing to you. I suppose it's not everyday that a cursed elf asks to touch your face.

Oh, it's been so long since I even been able to notice to if somebody was grinning at me.

No, it feels good to know that I made someone smile even if the circumstances are a bit unusual. The koi are wonderful, but they can't smile.

(softly) Part me wishes that you could stay here.

Oh, I didn't mean that as an actual possibility. I know you have duties else where.

What will I do? I guess just stay here until next raider comes along, though they likely won't be as nice as you.

Well, no, there's nothing keeping me here except the koi. But I can't travel alone.

(suspicious) Wait, why are suggesting that I go with you?

I already told you. There is no easy way to break this spell. Any such quest would be a fool's errand.

(laughing) You're quite persistent.

(pause)

Alright, I will accompany you on two conditions.

First, I'm allowed to leave any time I want. I hardly think this is good plan, but you're right that it's better than staying here and trying to avoid being killed. I'll only come along if I can leave when I find a better use of my time.

Oh, good. I'm glad that's reasonable.

Second, please allow me a few minutes to say goodbye to the koi? I know they'll be alright on their own, but they are only friends I've ever known. Leaving them isn't easy.

Thank you. I'll met you by the gate in a few moments.

(laughs) You are a good knight, you know. Who knows maybe you'll be my first friend who doesn't have gills.

(sigh) I'll meet you in a few moments and we'll see where the road takes us.