Kael and the Kaelna
By CN Reagan
Kael and his Kaelna, a group of warrior poets, roamed and roved from end to end of the Island, hunting and fighting, feasting and love-making. The Kaeln made legend everyday of their lives. New romance dawned for them with the drawing of each new day. Adventure and poetry marched with them, on either hand. They lived exciting history; they breakfasted with song, supped with entrancing story, and bedded with rare dreams of yesterday’s pleasures and the tomorrows daring. The Kaelna were led by Kael and his devoted right hand, Bronaugh. Kael was the most fearsome of all the Kaeln, as well as the author of over one hundred renowned sonnets and poems. His fame bore him pleasure and peace where henceforth he travelled. He had been raised lovingly by his beautiful aunt, Euiren, and Kael loved her dearly. It was then that when Bronaugh asked for Kael’s blessing to marry Euiren, for they had fallen deeply in love, that Kael was beside himself with pleasure.
Bronaugh, sweet to me is thy voice!
A blessing on the soul of Kaelna-
Let us relate to all the warbling of the blackbirds your choice!
O, my heart hears the clerics and the bells,
The murmur of the streams about the Cladnor,
The noise of the fawns around the dells,
The seagulls scream on upon the Lochnor, yonder.
The cry of hounds afar on the mountains;
The Wolves starting from their dens!
I accept to attend as thy host,
A great while bestowing gold,
and with the exultation of mighty men;
Find delight in your hearts hold.
With glowing heart Kael and his Kaelna threw a magnificent feast to mark the day of his beloved Aunts wedding. His only demand upon Bronaugh, was that should Euiren ever become unhappy, she would be released to again join Kael. Bronaugh agreed heartily and spent a year in newfound bliss with his bride; during which time she became wonderfully pregnant with twins.
The news of the famed couple swiftly spread across the whole of the Island, and in course, found its way to the ears of Leanna Sol, of the Soldelb. Leanna born of magic, and burdened by its power, had in time long ago been in love with Bronaugh; they had courted as children and had made unbreakable promises to each other. So it was that Leanna Sol, enslaved by her jealousy, left her wood and travelled across the heart of the Island until she reached Bronaugh’s hill and hearth.
Leanna Sol found Euiren alone upon the hill, her beloved Bronaugh was away, fighting alongside the Kaelna against foreign foes who threatened the Island. Leanna Sol approached Euiren and entreated for her to follow away towards the coast; her love and world, she said, was waiting, injured in battle, and in need of her calming love.
O, Euiren, peace and beauty to thee alone!
Listen, How the wolves do gnaw!
The waves lash upon the shores of Farglen,
In death’s hand lay thy poor Bronaugh,
As the grass bends to the wind,
So your love is soon to end.
As stone remains unmoved,
Steadfast must you resolve your course,
Euiren, of fairness and temper proved,
Entreat my lead and come to source.
Euiren, quickly, settled her needs taking consideration for the late term in which she carried her precious unborn twins. Euiren followed Leanna Sol into the forest; she knew she must attend to her fallen Bronaugh and see his health restored. Once in the forest, Leanna Sol produced a hazel wand and touched it to the back of Euiren, who howled in pain as she was transformed into a wolf. Leanna Sol, then tied a rope around Euiren’s neck and took her to the hearth of Craven, a cowardly man whom was known to fear all things wild and most of all carried a deep hatred for dogs. Cravens fear of wild things was outdone only by his fear of magic and those that knew its depths, so he took Euiren from the Soldelb in spite of his hate. Here in the home of a horrid man, Leanna Sol believed Euiren would live a miserable life.
When Bronaugh returned from battle to an empty home he wailed and wept, and left at once to find his love. After several years of searching for his love with no success, Bronaugh thought to visit his childhood love, a woman of magic, and entreat her aid in his search. Bronaugh came upon the wrinkled wood of the Soldelb. There he called to Leanna Sol, and shouted his need for her help.
Magic pour from cracked pitchers lip,
And enter unto me thy rivers,
For need has come upon this imp,
O, wild wood and dark deliver.
Leanna Sol, haunted child of earth!
In any house that demons or gods ever formed,
Who speakest the words of madness,
Misery attends me!
In conflict, in battle, or in might,
I have known not the sorrow of this night!
Thrash upon me like the wave of Alba.
O, Soldelb birthed woman of curse
Draw me against the ill design of Fate,
I beseech you find for me,
The woman for whom I am meant to be.
Leanna Sol soon appeared and told him she knew where to find his love. She told him she would bring Euiren back to the world as long as Bronaugh kept the vows made when they were children. Devastated, Bronaugh accepted her terms, for he would do anything to make sure Euiren was saved, even if it meant he longer could be with her.
Leanna Sol took Bronaugh to the the home of Craven. Upon their arrival they found that Euiren had given birth; two young wolf pups, Hrolf and Lupin , lay beaide her. Bronaugh wept at the sight of the pups, though not human, he knew the twins were his blood; they betrayed a quiet understanding, and a reserved familiararity in their canine faces. Leanna Sol once more produced her hazel wand and placed it upon the fur of Euirens back. Euiren howled and writhed; at once she became a beautiful fair skinned human as she had been brought into this world. The two pups however, remained wolves, for this is how they had been birthed. Leanna Sol then drew Bronaugh, defeated yet determined, comforted by the knowledge his family would live in peace, into the wood of the Soldelb.
Euiren, in turn, led her pups, Hrolf and Lupin, away from Cravens hearth, and across the Island into the camp of her nephew, Kael and his Kaelna. There, Kael wept at the tale of his aunt her two wolf children, whom blessed with human understanding, he would not abandon but raise as his own.
O, cursed land, Fates unbridled hand!
How the vale does cry at magics misdeed,
The crops wilt upon fertile seed.
My vow the Heavens must endure,
As companions now and evermore.
No, stone thine hand can cast will land,
In halls the deep valleys secures,
Hear how callous my heart despair;
My blood! My love to care.
In wood and wild streams of Cladnor,
Two wolves my life does forfeit,
For care and risk be all forgotten,
Their breath will breath forevermore.
Kael and his Kaelna from henceforth kept Hrolf and his sister Lupin as loyal companions and members of the Kaeln, and in turn were blessed not only by their cunning, but the fierceness with which they took to field and battle. Many stories are yet to be told of Kael and the two wolves that, for all their days, served as loyal companions to the great Kael and the legendary rovings of his Kaelna.
Maelstrom
By EE Reagan
Fawnmouth made his way down the game trail that led from Set Hall, at the heart of the island, to the coastal waters where marram grasses gave way to rocky beaches and the ferocious waves of the maelstrom. From there the path crossed the vast bridge that spanned the raging, circling waters and bore through the mountains before ending at Master Grace’s outpost. The dog's phrygian cap was adorned with the purple leaf of a protector, and his tanned jerkin was adorned with a variety of teeth, claws, beaks and all manner of other ornaments of the various bandits that had not survived an encounter with the guardian during his tenure on the watch. The dog walked slowly along the trail stopping from time to time to listen and deeply breathe in the smells on the wind before continuing. He had no need to rush for it would take all night to cover the ground of his patrol. As the hours passed and the moon drew closer to the horizon, Fawnmouth realized there was probably no animus to be found this night. All but the smallest of animals would be sleeping soundly in their beds, safe from the mischief makers. The guardian smiled wryly as he imagined Master Grace sitting in the large lounge chair with those ridiculously shaped feet propped up and soaking in the warmth of the fire. The dog’s mouth watered and his skin itched at that thought of a warm brew and good back scratching.
The salty sea smell intensified as Fawnmouth approached the bridge, and as he stepped onto it the rushing waters and swirling winds were almost unbearable. “Give me howling fiends, and mangled flesh, but curse this ocean,” he growled. As a pup he’d been seduced by the raging waters and the mystery of the two sister islands that circled them, but in time he’d realized that no good had ever come from it, only death. Nothing that entered the maelstrom ever returned from it, friend or foe. Fawnmouth gritted his teeth as his crossed the long metal bridge. The bridge had stood for as long as history could remember. Its origin and purpose were a mystery to all, but that didn’t prevent most from speculating. Indeed a small number of religious sects had sprung up to worship the mysterious bridge, and every once in a while some fool even tried to swim across it. Some believed Master Grace had something to do with connecting the two islands, for he was older than all animals and his legendary deeds were known to all. Along with his equally legendary muzzle loader, Master Grace had turned the tide of the Falcon War and single handedly exterminated the murderous gryphon. He was a hero to all, and a god to some, but engineering and building the bridge? No, Fawnmouth knew better. The man was much younger than most suspected, and there was no way he could have built it.
The dog was preoccupying his mind with these and other things as he crossed the bridge that linked the two islands. His fearful journey was only half complete when a shot rang out through the warm night air. The blast, echoing from the direction of the outpost could only have been Master Grace’s famous muzzle loader. Fawnmouth broke into a sprint at the sound. The weapon had long ago taken its place above the fireplace mantel, unpolished and collecting dust. Master Grace would not have used it lightly.