The Redheaded Artist and the King’s Lessons

A piece of Alfredian fanfiction published under the pseudonym of Scarlett Inkwell.

Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there was a young girl named Maeve. She was a talented artist, with a passion for all things creative and beautiful. She had long, curly red hair that cascaded down her back, and bright green eyes that sparkled with mischief.

One day, Maeve was wandering through the forest, gathering flowers and leaves to use in her latest painting, when she stumbled upon a group of men dressed in strange, ancient clothing. They were gathered around a tall, imposing man with a crown on his head, who was speaking in a language Maeve had never heard before.

Intrigued, Maeve crept closer, until she was close enough to hear what the man was saying. His name was King Alfred, and he was teaching the men the ancient Ogham alphabet and the Anglo-Saxon Runes. Maeve was fascinated, and she listened intently as King Alfred explained the intricacies of each letter and symbol.

As the lesson went on, Maeve grew bolder and began to ask questions, interrupting King Alfred’s lecture with her curiosity.

King Alfred gave her a stern look. “Maeve, please pay attention. The Ogham alphabet is a very ancient and powerful system of writing. Each letter corresponds to a specific tree or plant, and each has its own meaning and significance.”

Maeve replied, “Wow, that’s amazing! So, what does this letter ‘D’ mean?”

King Alfred explained, “Ah, ‘D’ corresponds to the oak tree, which was a symbol of strength and endurance to our ancestors.”

Maeve was enthralled. “That’s so cool! Can we learn more about the meanings of each letter?”

As the lessons continued, Maeve’s cheeky behavior didn’t disappear completely, and sometimes she would forget to practice or make silly mistakes.

King Alfred noticed this and scolded her. “Maeve, I noticed that you haven’t been practicing your runes as much as you should be. You must take your education seriously if you want to succeed.”

Maeve apologized. “I’m sorry, King Alfred. I’ve been busy with my paintings lately, and I haven’t had as much time to practice.”

“That’s no excuse, Maeve,” King Alfred replied sternly. “You must make time for your studies if you want to become a skilled linguist.”

Maeve quickly learned to respect King Alfred and his teachings, and she worked even harder to impress him. Over time, Maeve became a skilled linguist, impressing everyone around her with her ability to read and write in ancient scripts.

King Alfred was proud of her progress and delighted to have such a talented student. “Very good, Maeve. You’re making progress. Now, let’s move on to the next set of runes.”

Maeve interrupted again. “Wait, I have a question. Why are some of the runes shaped like that? They look so weird!”

King Alfred explained patiently. “Those runes were designed to be carved into stone or wood, Maeve. The shapes had to be simple and easy to carve, while still conveying the necessary meaning. It was a practical system, not just an artistic one.”

As the years went by, Maeve continued to explore her artistic talents, incorporating the Ogham alphabet and Anglo-Saxon Runes into her paintings and designs. And whenever she looked back on her time with King Alfred, she smiled, knowing that his lessons had shaped her into the creative, intelligent woman she had become.