by Jake Yaniak
There, under the impenetrable shadows of the ancient forest they embraced one another and swore to the stars of heaven their eternal love and took vows of marriage with the mighty trees as their witnesses, and with the animals of the forest as their attendants.
When news of this reached the ears of Dynamis, he wept and lamented, knowing that his brother would never return to the forest of Noras.
Island
After they had spent a month in that place, building for themselves a small cabin and planting a garden, they were suddenly assailed by a band of men from Titalo, who had spied out their abode from the north, having seen the smoke of their chimney rising above the trees. Some twenty strong men armed with axes and daggers came and demanded that Daryas release the woman into their possession. But eleven of these men were made to feel the sting of Aevangelu, which Daryas still carried with him. The others fled in terror, clambering over one another to escape, finding their own blades helpless in contest with with that of the son of Galvahir. Rumors began to spread and the fame of his blade and the beauty of his bride attracted the attention of the lords of Titalo, who do not suffer any to dwell in their domain who have not sworn fealty to their Council.
After he had fought this last battle, Daryas said, 'I wish never to bath myself in the blood of men, so long as I live. Yet if we remain in this forest, we shall have need of many red washings. For my soul's sake, we must away from these evil folk.'
'What shall we do, then? Where can we flee now?' Leonara asked, fearing that they would lead a life of travel. 'For we cannot live always running from place to place.'
That night, the vision of the island once more returned to Daryas' mind, but now it was cleared of all things fearful and dark; for all such things had been the work of Pelas. A place of healing it seemed to him, and a place where no man could find nor trouble him.
The very next day he went alone into Hunlu, which is a village south of Titalo, and purchased two horses with the gold his brother had given him. Novai he sent alone into the wild, to find his way back to Noras, as he had done so many times before. These two horses they used to carry what little possessions they had into the west where they traded them for an old wooden boat.
There on the western edge of the world they could see the isle that the pirates called 'Dedge Isle', which, in the tongue of the Knarse, simply means Island of Ghosts. There it was believed that all manner of devils resided. No man had set foot thereon, for the waters were treacherous, and every attempt was met with calamity. But Daryas knew those waters well, and, recalling his dreams, he navigated them with great ease, finding at last a rocky shore on which to land.
He drew up the boat from the water and they lay themselves down upon the shore, free at last to rest in security.
There they built a home for themselves, and a little farm, using seeds they had carried from Zyprion. In due course, Leonara gave birth to three children: their sons, whose names were Galvar and Dyne, and Marima their daughter. There they were content to dwell, untroubled by the world without, and free at last to let their hearts heal.
Dynamis
It was not until eight years had passed that any clue was discovered regarding the whereabouts of Daryas and his bride. Two months after his disappearance that Novai finally found her way back to Galva-la. But nothing could be discovered regarding their abode. 'You would not have returned so fat and content, had your rider met an ill end,' he said as he patted his old horse. 'It is a pity that for all your cunning and your prudence you have not yet learned to speak.'
Nevertheless, the return of his horse gave him peace for a time concerning his brother's safety. That winter, on the eve of his brother's birthday, he married Lyris of Marin in a small ceremony in Peiraso. The speech, which was traditionally given to the groom's brother, was left unspoken, and an empty place was left at the table for Daryas. 'I will suffer no man to take his place,' he said to his bride, 'whether this breaks with tradition or not I am not concerned. For it is time for all the old ways to come under scrutiny.'
The marriage of Dynamis brought hope to Noras and great joy to the Galvahirne, but the sadness of his parents seemed only to grow with each passing day. He noticed for the first time, nigh on the anniversary of Daryas' departure, that his mother Marima ate even her favorite foods very sparingly, and his father's laugh was ever mingled with worry and sorrow. When a second year had gone by, his wife came to him and perceiving that he too was greatly grieved, she spoke to him thus, 'Beloved,' she said, 'it is not the way of the Galvahirne to languish in sorrow. Lift up your face, and seek out your brother, lest you grow old with regret for an overlord.'
The words of Lyris gave him a new resolve, and he began in that hour to conceive of a plan whereby he might bring his brother back to the forest of his birth.
After two and a half years had gone by, Revere, under guise as one of the Schoolmen of Dadron, appeared in Ramlos and was permitted to speak before the Council of noblemen. He bore with him a large bone (the leg bone of a goblin), which he convinced them by many subtle arguments to be the bone of the daughter of Vulcan their Queen. With a great show of false tears the noblemen announced the hope of her return to be vain, buried the goblin's bone with honors, and set about the arduous task of choosing from what wealthy man's household a new king should be chosen. Of the squabbles, rivalries, and sophistries of that period I have no desire to speak, but in the end Ramlos had for itself a new king, whose name history will no doubt soon forget.
Sion
When it was officially decided that Queen Leonara thasa Ramlos had been kidnapped and slain, Dynamis summoned the great eagle Maru and sent by him a message to his brother, a message which took nearly six years to find its recipient. It was not until some controversies in Lavri-la brought the absence of Hassan Lavrilirne to his attention that some means of finding his brother was discovered. Some relatives of Cheft Burrin were attempting to drive Ingra, the daughter of Cheft Grendas, from her seat in the lands that were, for a time, ruled over by Sion, the companion of Daryas. In all such matters, the Galvahirne were now looked to for counsel. Again Revere's subtlety was called upon, and he was sent, this time, to Titalo and Rinin to seek out news of the step-son of Cheft Ponteris, who had not been seen since the raid upon Cebrost.
In due time the sagacity of Revere led them to Sion, who had been making his living among the sailors of Titalo. Thus Revere learned of the island which had appeared at times in Daryas' dreams. Sion directed him to the maps of the Knarsemen and showed him where Dedge Isle might be found. 'But no ship can sail there,' he warned, 'for no ship can know those waters save for those that have been broken apart by them.'
When he learned of his friend's exile and of the troubles facing his wife, and when he learned of how his step-father had met an end, he grew very somber and sent Revere from his presence, refusing to say anything more to him.
Nevertheless, some two months later he appeared in Noras in the attire of a Captain of Titalo, and took up his seat in Lavri-la. He refused, however, to be called 'Cheftan', and so began the slow dissolution of the old ways. Some unhappy men tried to fight against it, but it was clear the the age of the Cheftans was passing. The doctrines of the Nihlion also, for the first time, entered into the lands of the Omnion, and the whole land of Galva-la, Vivlir-la, Cossa-la and Lavri-la gave up the name Pelas and turned their attention to the mysteries of the Eternal One.
Reunion
One day, as Daryas looked out over the rocks atop a great hill on Dedge Isle, he heard a cry such as no bird in that region makes. Looking below he saw, rising upon the winds, the mighty bird Maru with a tattered scroll bound upon its talons. The bird alighted upon Daryas' staff and the Galvahirne greeted him warmly, though with great concern regarding the urgency with which he had arrived. As soon as Revere had returned from Titalo the elder son of Biron called for the lord of birds once again, and sent him at last to summon home Daryas Galvahirne, the savior of Noras. The message informed him that 'Ramlos cared no longer
to search for their Queen, being fully convinced by many proofs that she had been slain in the wild'. Moreover he learned of his parents' dwindling health, and of their growing despondency. Long he remained in that place, overlooking the western sky, wondering if he might, after all that had transpired, return to Noras. 'I can return to Noras,' he told his love, 'but I cannot return to myself. For though the forest remain as it has always been, everything within me has been changed.'
On the fifteenth day of Morest, in the forty-second year of this century, a small wagon rolled gently up the hill to the front gates of Peiraso. It was unheralded and unexpected. Its driver had a long beard and a dark hood, and what was hidden behind these could not be discerned. Snow was falling, and it was looking as though another cold winter was in store for Noras. But great warmth greeted the traveler as the doors were pulled back and opened before him. Running to greet him was the lady of the house, Marima, who now seemed so frail with care that it troubled him to see her exert herself so. 'Daryas!?' she said, her voice breaking as she wrapped her arms around him. For a very long while she could do nothing but weep in his arms. Then with great excitement, wiping the tears flowing from her eyes, she greeted at last her grandchildren, of whom she had known nothing, but toward whom she immediately bore all the depth of love she possessed. When she saw at last the beauty of Leonara and the sorrows behind her blue eyes, she wept and embraced her, leading her by the hand into the house. There they were greeted by Cheftan Biron, who seemed to have grown even more wise in the time that Daryas had been gone. The children were soon united with their cousins, the daughter of Dynamis and Lyris, who was called Elnay, and their young son, who was called, in deference to his uncle, Daryas.
There under the trees of Noras was the Queen of Ramlos, who by right might have borne the Dual Crown of her father, but rather chose a life of exile and simplicity. There she was called Anadora, and she cropped her hair in the manner of the Noras, taking their ways for her own. Yet she brought with her the nobility of the kings of Amlaman and Ramlos, and her voice was such that none in the land of Noras could rival. At times she would wander the woods, walking the ancient paths and trails, singing to herself of her sorrows and her joys, sending the mysterious beauty of her voice into the forest air. This soon gave rise to a great many tales and myths, which now come to mind with great ease to those who hear the name of that land.
As I write, even as the length of my own life draws nigh to a close, the very wind in that forest is now called, when it rustles the leaves and whistles through the branches, the Siren's Song, and it is a song both sad and magnificent.
Rahdmus
When the chaos at Sten Agoni had at last been sorted out, and when the burial of the King of Amlaman been finished, Rahdmus remained for a short time in Amlaman, seeing to the succession of Lenatho in Japhrian. Through all this time he was never questioned concerning the murder of Voltan or the plotting of that failed war in Dadron. He enjoyed almost the same honor and esteem that he possessed in the days of King Vulcan, who learned only too late how wicked were the ambitions of his advisor.
After Lenatho was crowned and after his kinswoman Leonara, during her short rule, had sent an envoy to the south to acknowledge his sovereignty, Rahdmus departed from Amlaman, coming to Dadron for a while. There his tale was related in full before Lord Akellnarva and, I might add, within my own hearing.
When all this was done he departed again, heading into Coronan to seek the cabin in which he had first encountered that spirit Paley, who had exercised so great an influence in all that had come to pass in Weldera. But he could find no sign of the place wherein his wounds had been healed.
He climbed up again to the cliff from which he had been cast down, and looking out over the edge, he shook his head.
'There was a time,' he said to himself, 'when my words were bold and strong. Looking into the face of the world I saw only evil and trouble, not purpose and meaning. Who was it that told me, 'Nature shall teach you the paths of righteousness?' Why should she? And what can man know of purposes that come before him, and designs that come before the world even? Can he pretend to see that which lies beyond sight? It is an easy thing for the rich to look upon the earth and say, 'It is good, all of it is the will of the gods.' But the blackness that meets the peasant, and the sorrows that plague the broken hearted say, 'The world cares not for you at all!' But both of these are mistaken! Why should the luxury of the rich prove the goodness and care of the gods? Why should our sorrows show their neglect? Pain, joy, misery and happiness; these are goods to man, and why should we expect them in this world at all? Why should we expect the gods to fill the world to the brim with pleasures for us? And why should we call it unjust for them to fill it with hurts and troubles? What do we know of the will of God, save for that which we find in our own wills? Our own wills! What sorry judges of truth! What sorry templates for a creator!
'The folly of those who follow superstition, believing what they have not cause to believe, is no greater than the folly of those who deny that which they have not the power to deny.'
He sat down upon the edge of the cliff and let the cool wind blow through his silver hair. He shut his eyes and listened to the sounds of the mountain, until at last the sun sank beneath the western hills, leaving him under the silver light of the moon.
'I have labored these past years in vain,' he said with tears in his voice. 'It is said among the people of Noras, and indeed, in all countries, that there is a god who holds in his hand a great scale of perfect measure. Upon the left is placed our righteous deeds, and upon the left, are placed the wicked. Who can hope to tip the scale in his favor? There was a time indeed when I laughed at such a thing, calling it a nursemaid's fable.
'I asked myself the very same question the King of Amlaman proposed, why should I choose right? Of course, all men ought to choose right, but why would they want to? On the path to wickedness lies all pleasures and dainties, all rewards and luxuries, and if there be no such scales, and if the deeds of my life bear no consequence, then it is better for a man to live in injustice, even as I formerly believed. To what end shall I seek the rough path, the selfless path? Why should my self be unselfish? Is that not a contradiction? What gain is there in righteousness for the man?
'Truly, if there be not a life to come, then he who shuns the world and its riches is the most foolish of men, and he who does the greatest injury for his own pleasure the wisest. If I am to die this moment, and my life be snatched away, what does it matter whether my last act be good or evil? I perish all the same, and my death is the same as the rich and the poor, the saint and the devil!
'Cruel!' I might accuse, but I know that such words are empty. Your world belongs to you, and if evil accompany me every day of my life, and trials abound, and I am broken by the way, then what of it? What right had I to anything else? If I must suffer, then suffer I must. We do not have to like this world. But if it so happens that good comes to me, and times of wealth and pleasure, then I ought acknowledge this to be a gift, and not anything that I deserved.
'But what can be done for a soul such as my own, when it has laid up for itself centuries of evil for every moment of good. Shall the scale tip and dump me beneath the lowest hell? Am I utterly undone, though I have learned at this late hour that I have been a fool? Oh would that I had perished with my family in the north, and never come to live in this place!'
Suddenly Rahdmus sensed that he was not alone atop the mountain. He turned, but saw nobody at first, but heard what seemed to his ears to be the sounds of a child, weeping.
As the starlight shone upon him, he saw by some trick of light, the shape and form of a little boy. His elven eyes, along with his father before him, had the power to see the spirits of the Northern world, though to almost all other men they were imperceptible. 'What is your name, spirit?' he asked, taking pity upon the sorrowful soul. 'And why do you weep?'
'I am weeping for my mother,' he said, covering his face in his hands.
'And w
hat are you doing in this place, of all places?' Rahdmus asked.
'I have come across land and sea to find you, for with you walks a mystery that I have long sought to uncover. But as you spoke, my thoughts went back to my mother, who has perished in the distant east.'
'What is your name child?' Rahdmus asked, the hairs of his neck standing on end.
'I am Duri,' he said, lifting his face from behind his hands.
The heart of Rahdmus rose and then sank, recognizing in this apparition, the son he had not seen in many ages. Tears burst from his eyes and he made as if to embrace him, but fell to the ground on his face, knowing that he could not touch a spirit.
At that moment, a great storm arose and swept across the mountain, from the midst of which emerged Paley as if he rode upon a bolt of lightning. 'What are you doing here, Rahdmus?' he asked kindly, but sternly. 'What did you hope to find here?'
'A hint perhaps, of the cause of all my trials; and hope, if it be possible, that I am not utterly lost.'
'There are none, Rahdmus, who are with more hope than you. For had you not been accepted already, you would not have been granted the great responsibilities you have been given.'