Perhaps it was because his parents called him Darius. Bearing the name of an ancient conqueror carries its own risks. At all events, Darry played a long game only he understood.
“Who does it harm?” he’d say when we questioned his project. For 25 years he quarried and shaped, assembled and carved. In secret, he overwrote the landscape of his extensive estates with temples and amphitheatres, statuary and canals.
“Darry,” I said to him one day, “this is a Disneyworld, a fantasy.”
“Now.” He nodded. “Sure. But in a thousand years, who’ll be certain?”
Darius was inventing a legend.
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here.
Neil MacDonald Author 
The most important aspect is it’ll still be there in a thousand years-if it will. Or will it simply be the stuff of legend?
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The most important thing to Darry is that it’s still there in 1000 years and that nobody knows what it was
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Someone may discover your blog in a thousand years and find out all about it! Nice one.
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Thanks, Keith. If my blog endure for a thousand years, yet people will say ….
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That is one great story, Neil.
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Thanks so much
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Dear Neil,
And he left no stone unturned in leaving behind his legacy. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle
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Nice one.
He is leaving a legacy Darry the builder. Historically there has been confusion about the ancient conqueror – King Darius. He is mentioned in the Bible as Darius the Mede. While others say that he was actually from Persia. It all goes to show that one man’s Mede is another man’s Persian.
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That was clever
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I relate to Darius. That’s pretty much how I spent my childhood, except my parents had no interest in asking me anything about it. Well done
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You built an ancient kingdom?
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In my mind
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‘inventing a legend’, pretty cool!
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Thanks CE. In a sense, of course, we all do that
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A lot of writers and artists have created legends. May we all be so privileged.
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In our own lives, perhaps we all do that a little
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I imagine that was what the original owner thought he was doing too.
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And the one before that one maybe
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Before the original?
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I love his passion. Great story
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At least he has a project
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What a great story, Neil. I really loved it. So clever. Well done. I hope his wishes are fulfilled.
xx Rowena
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Thanks, Rowena. We’ll know in a thousand years
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I love a long-term thinker. Particularly one who likes to leave people guessing as well. Nicely done.
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Thanks Sandra. The big thing in his favour is none of his contemporaries will be able to prove him wrong
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Assuming his ambition doesn’t come from phony pride, congratulations to him. He seems to expect to be a bit of an Ozymandias in another thousand years.
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Thanks, Larry. I think his ambition probably comes from owning too much land
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At least he can deal with it constructively
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What a great concept for your story! You tell it really well, too. I love the way you capture his friend’s exasperation with “this is a Disneyworld, a fantasy.” And yet his ambition is so overweening that even that comment doesn’t upset Darius in the least! Super story, Neil.
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Thanks, Penny. Darius has his sights set on immortality
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You can fault his commitment.
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Many other things, but not his dedication
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Oops! Just noticed the mistake. The ‘can’ should have been a ‘can’t’. Using the mobile app is a bit iffy.
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I can see the future historians arguing now. Where are the accommodations?
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oh he built an entire city. i just didn’t have enough words to describe it
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What foresight. He was having fun imagining all the ideas people would have 1000 years in the future 🙂
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some might think him a tad grandiose
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Maybe. I think he’s just full of imagination 🙂
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There are plenty of buildings around the world built to preserve a legend, but usually there are some actions to go along with it. Still, I like Darius starting point.
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Darius was very acti ve, if not wholly authentic
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The world will always love the visionary more than the truly successful… love his ambition to become a pioneer.
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Thanks, Bjorn
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That weird stone statuary caught my eye too. You took it to a wonderful place – and that’s what legends are made of. Well done.
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Thanks, Alicia. He’ll be a legend for a week anyhow
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Darius is leaving his mark on the world. He really is the stuff of legend! Great story, Neil!
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Thanks, Edith
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What a cool concept. Why didn’t I think of it? 🙂
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Becauase you would have stolen my thunder and you wouldn’ t want to do that would you?
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Ah, imagine the maintenance bill over the thousand years to retain the culture of the place. History in a bottle.
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I think his idea was that it would decay organically over the millenium. Some say that, towards the end of his life, he bought cannon and fired on his creation to speed the process
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I’m sure far future “experts” will assign great significance to his work!
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There will be endless seminars
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I admire his ambition, faith and dedication.
Wonderful story, Neil.
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Thanks so much. I had fun inventing him
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Creating for the future generations… a concept that we could all adopt, eh! Loved it!
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Thanks so much, Jelli. I’m not sure we’d do well to copy him
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I enjoyed this story which called to my mind a place called Portmeirion in north wales.
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Where The Prisoner was filmed? I like the association
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Liked your story very much – someone needs to initiate a legend. Impressed by Darrius’ self belief.
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Perhaps all legends start with a Darius
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A self-satisfied way of ensuring one lives on, one hopes.
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If you can afford the construction costs
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Indeed. Bricks and mortar are rather costly these days.
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Maybe he’ll have to scale back his grandiose plan?
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Well done Neil. Invoked quite the sense of legacy and self determination. He was determined to be remembered
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Thanks, Laurie. Yes he was, to the point of obsession
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Beautiful story.
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Thanks, Dawn
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good one. hopefully not pulling an Ozymandias.
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Thanks Joe, I think Ozymandias is probably a good comparison
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Wonderful story.
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Thanks, Neel. Glad you liked it
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It takes someone with insight and an eye to the long term. Love the idea of spending a life inventing legends for the future, or just wanting to fool some future archaeologists.
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Thanks, Sarah Ann. He’s crazy as a box of frogs, but I rather like him
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There’s a passage in Ecclesiastes where Solomon says (I’m paraphrasing) that the materials treasures we’ve accumulated won’t be considered precious by our heirs. We all want to create something that will last, but after we’re gone–who knows.
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Yes. Treasures don’t necessarily add to Gross National Happiness
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Love this – in a thousand years he could be right.
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Thanks, Liz. Of course, there’s nobody who can definitively say he’s wrong, which is the attraction of his project
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Great job, Neil. I liked the possibility of his name dictating his direction 🙂
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Thanks so muc. I like it too. Oddly, you’re the first to comment on that
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Great story … I like his expectations of it becoming a legend.
Isadora 😎
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Thanks, Isadora. Interestingly he has no desire to become a legend himself
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I wonder what the archaeologists of the future will think when they discover his fantasy world. Intriguing tale, Neil!
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Thanks, Fatima. So long as they recognise his Ruritania as a hoax, there will be no problem, But if they don’t, the past will be rewritten
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I liked the friendship name change, Darius to Darry. I’m envious of all Darry’s free time.
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Thanks, Dan. Yes, Darry as all the time in the world
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A well-told story of the human desire to be remembered somehow.
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Thanks so muc, Jan
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I love Darry’s ambition – making a legend that he will never experience. lovely stuff Neil
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Thanks, Lynn. I’m quite fond of his hubris myself
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He would make a fascinating character in a novel, Neil.
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A deep question and one impossible to answer. His parents named him correctly after all.
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Thanks. Perhaps his parents knew something
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