Wattpad brings you a guest post from Charlotte English, author of Draykon:
Of Gems and Jewels and Fantasy Books
Throughout history, gems and jewels and precious stones have fascinated humankind. It’s not just the colours, though they are magnificent. It’s not just the rarity, though their monetary value is a big part of it. It’s got a lot to do with the way they shine and twinkle; the way a well-cut stone seems to have endless depths. That mesmeric quality has a strange way of speaking straight to the imagination.
Just about every conceivable power has been attributed to various jewels at one time or another. Examples include the power to heal sickness; to promote wellbeing; to confer protection; to attract ghosts; to raise the dead; to inflict misfortune or death and even to grant invisibility to the wearer. And that’s not even counting the host of magical powers attributed to jewels in fantasy fiction.
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In Draykon I wrote about a mesmerising gem, dubbed “istore” for its starry qualities. This mysterious jewel hides a powerful secret, and it has the power to change lives – which is exactly what happens when my protagonist, Llandry Sanfaer, discovers it by accident.
In connection with this story I’d like to share some strange and wonderful myths about jewels. Of the following six tales, three come from the myths and legends of the real world and three come from the pages of fantasy and mystery books. Do you know, or can you guess, which is which?
Let’s begin with…
Tales of Dark Curses
There was once an enormous blue diamond adorning a statue of an Indian god. Bought – or stolen – by a French jeweller, the diamond passed into the hands of the king of France where it proceeded to visit disaster upon all who wore it. The curse led to the banishment, poverty and eventual death of the French jeweller who had carried it out of India; the French king met a painful end; in fact, everyone who came into close contact with the jewel was later executed or murdered, or suffered some other grave misfortune.
Tales of Dark Deeds
History tells of another fabulous diamond which also adorned the forehead of a Hindu god. It was carried to England by an officer of the British army, and later given to his young niece. It was worn for only one night before it was stolen, in fabulously mysterious circumstances. This jewel was said to bring a curse upon all who tried to possess it; despite this forewarning, several murders were committed and multiple thefts staged by those determined to take the diamond.
Tales of Vengeful Kings
One day long ago, an enormous ruby was found in a river by a simple fisherman. When placed into a glass of milk, the ruby turned the milk bright red. The stone was given to the king, and was set into the royal ring, becoming a symbol of royalty. Many said that ownership over the ring granted the bearer the right to rule the kingdom.
But then a merchant arrived at court and offered the king another ruby, just as large and just as beautiful as the first. When put together, the two pieces fitted against one another exactly. The king concluded that the fisherman had betrayed him, and given him only half of the beautiful stone. It is said that the king ordered the fisherman’s entire village to be burned in retribution.
Tales of Witches and Magical Powers
Once there was a princess who was given, as part of her dowry, a magnificent pair of ruby ear-tubes. The beautiful red stones glowed with their own radiance, and were precious beyond compare. But when the princess arrived for her wedding to a foreign king, her husband-to-be clearly saw that the radiance of the rubies was due to the magical spirits trapped within. Thus revealed as a witch, the princess was sent home in disgrace. On the way back, she buried the ear-tubes in order to contain their magical powers…
Tales of Ancient Spirits
There was once a wandering hermit who stumbled upon an enormous, glittering sapphire gem. He spent many, many years working the jewel into the shape of a rose. An ancient spirit was trapped inside the stone, granting it remarkable magical powers: it was said to be able to cure disease, and even rumoured to cause death to any who touched it without the spirit’s permission. The gem became the property of kings and was passed down through many generations… until at last, it was lost.
Tales of Dragons!
A great jewel was once found beneath a vast mountain. It was worked into a faceted gem, pale and radiant and shining with colours under the light. As with many such jewels, it became an heirloom of kings; but its eventual fate was to become part of the jealously-guarded hoard of a dragon.
… And a New Tale
I leave you with one final picture: the beautiful star sapphire. It’s the closest approximation I can find to the stone that Llandry Sanfaer named “istore”, after the stars. If you’d like to hear the strange story of this particular gem, you can find “Draykon” in its entirety on Wattpad.
Check out Draykon, a suspense-filled fantasy fiction.