Tales of Middengard - Prelude

Prelude

Mara

The guardian of earth looked down upon the weeping girl with compassion. She had chosen to appear as a woman, clothed in a beautiful garment of brown, the color of the earth. "Come lihta {girl}," she said, "It is time to stop your weeping and rise. There is much work to be done."

"Sh-she cursed me," sobbed the fremda {Fremde girl}.

The guardian sighed. "She cursed you not."

"I am brown, and wrinkled, and short...and old!" wailed the fremda.

"Mara," said the guardian patiently, "You are old not."

"Why?" sobbed Mara.

"You wished to be a mother," said the guardian. "And a mother you shall be. But it is for you to care for the earth, not the Fremde."

"H-how will I be a mother," cried Mara, "N-nae fremdo {Fremde male} will mate with me as I am."

"You will care for the earth and all of its creatures. I think you will find many who will come to you, who feel just like you do right now, like none would care for them. They shall be your children. And should you find a mate, you may have one lihta {girl}. For there can be only one mother of the earth...only one Mara. Should you grow tired and wish to rest, then you should mate, and allow lihtateu {your daughter} to be the mother. Now rise. There is much to be done. The price Laerahndseli'n {the guardians} are paying to save your world is greater than you know."

And eventually, when Mara had cried herself out she did rise. And she did listen to the guardian who was trying to help her. Unfortunately, many turns later, when she did grow tired, she forgot the first admonition of the guardian. She fell asleep, and there was none to insure her children were following her wisdom. And because she fell asleep, her children, though they were really trying to help her, accidentally unsealed the great evil that Mara and the guardian of earth had worked so hard to seal away. That evil escaped through the fire into the bellies of thirteen dragons that were feeding off the fire the evil produced. Those dragons bonded with thirteen Myende men, who though not completely evil, had evil in their hearts. And those thirteen Myende men sealed the void that had been used to save the world. The dragons died in the process.

One man survived, and made his way back across the mountain to become the first Emperor of Myencihn. The remaining 12 died, and their evil spread into the world.

When Mara awoke, she realized something was very wrong with her world. And she determined when she fixed this mess, whatever it was, which she blamed herself the most for, she was going to indeed going to find a mate and have a daughter. But where she was going to find someone who would be willing to mate with a very brown, short, wrinkled...and yes, old fremdaoghe she had no clue.

The Fremdesaelihta

Siurbu 13

Farina had grown to hate the box. It was barely tall enough for her to sit up in. She missed the water, the sea. Farina was a Fremdesae, with pointed ears and skin of blue, and when she put her feet in the water her legs turned into a fish's tail. But she had slipped off her father's back while he slept, and then had gone to the shore and seen a pretty fish that she had swum after. Now vastar {brother}, who had gone after her, along with his mate, were gone. She should have stayed on her father's back. She should have stayed near the water when vastar{brother} had gone in search for food for them after the great quake that trapped them here. Then the bad man wouldn't have gotten hold of her and trapped her in this box. And vastar{brother} wouldn't have gone to the water trying to save her. Because now she was stuck in this box, far away from her father, who seemed to be unable to hear her cries. Heartbroken, Farina began to weep again.

* * *

The Seer

Siurbu 31

Mara glared down at the young boy. "Mara is very busy," she admonished him. "There are a great many myendelihti {Myende children} and mundelihti {Munde children} who need help. Fremdelihti {Fremde children} have sanctuaries."

"Please," begged the boy, "You have to help her. Please."

"Who must Mara help?" she asked

"Farina. She is a fremdesaelihta {Fremdesae girl}. An evil myendo {Myende man} has her and he hurt her. I see her in my dreams. Vasda {Father} believes me not. Please, Mara. You are my only hope."

It dawned on Mara exactly what the child was telling her. He was a seer. Most likely THE seer she had been searching for. When she got hold of the Taronsel {High King} of the Fremde she was going to throttle him. However right now she had to get this child to safety. Not even the forests were safe for children in these dark times. She banged her walking stick on the ground and a cave entrance opened. "In," she said tersely.

The boy ran into the safety of the caves and Mara followed him. It would be several candlemarks before she got the full tale from the boy. But in the meantime, Mara decided she would have to do a great work of magic. There were just too many hurting children.

"From this moment forth," she said quietly, "any child who reaches their fingers into my earth will drop into my belly. Children in need of help will be taken to safety. They must eat in the rooms with food, swim in the pools, and lie down and watch Mara work in the rooms with mats to sleep upon. Any who attempts to harm another while in my belly will drop to the next level, where they will have to help Mara a bit before being showing to the level above. Children who need help not, or who may have been naughty and are hiding in my belly must do a good deed for Mara, and confess their misdeeds."

She continued, "Those above the age of reason needing the help of Mara must enter the trees and beseech them to guide them to safety. They will be shown the way to a cave, where they will be safe until Mara may come and speak with them."

She banged her walking stick on the ground, setting the magic in place. It was done.

* * *

The Disobedient Myendelihto

Siurbu 2148

The young Myende boy Kaiadon, watched from where he had sneaked into the trees as the leader of The First House, the one who by right should be Emperor of Myencihn, strapped his mate and his young young son to two stone tables. Nearby, a young rider of a black dragon lay bound on the ground.

The dragon rested nearby, seemingly oblivious to the fate of her rider. Kaiadon had no doubt she was among the dragons still eating the tainted meat that kept them docile. The boy watched in horror as the man cut the heart out of his mate's live body. He shuddered, hearing her screams, too terrified to move. The man walked over, putting the heart into a large pot. He approached the second table, beginning to do the same to his son. There was a great quaking of the earth then. The child was screaming, but suddenly the screams ceased as a great tomb of earth covered the child.

The elder mage was knocked off of his feet. The pot he had placed the heart in tipped over, and suddenly there was a great flash of light. Kaiadon fell to his knees, blinded. 'Dracaneu!' {my dragon} he called in his mind.

'Stille,{hush}' his dragon said. 'Sit quietly,' she advised, 'and I will come for you when darkness falls. I will take you away from this land.'

Kaiadon didn't know how long he sat, unable to see, too afraid to move. But suddenly he felt himself being lifted and knew his dragon was calling him to her back. He sighed in relief when he was seated, placing his hands on her. "I can see not," he said sadly.

'It may pass,' she said softly. 'Speak not, in case there are others near.'

Kaiadon obeyed, falling silent. Soon he fell asleep, safe on his dragon, knowing she would not let him fall. When woke the air was quite a bit warmer. "Can I talk now?" he whispered.

'Aye,' she said softly in his head. 'We are well away.'

"I can see a little," he said to her, though everything seemed fuzzy and shadowy.

'We will arrive soon,' she promised.

And soon he felt her making the lazy circles that meant she was descending. As soon as she landed, he rushed to slide down. He faced her to relieve himself, fearful to go any further away.

"What do you think you are doing?" asked a voice.

Kaiadon froze. The speaker sighed. "Finish," she ordered.

Kaiadon blushed, but obeyed, quickly raising his breeches when he was done. He turned. "I can see not," he whispered.

"Not at all?" the voice asked.

"Everything is shadowy," he whispered.

"Tell me why you have come to Puethion'n," the voice ordered.

Unknown to the boy, he was speaking to The Empress of the Sands herself. She listened gravely as the child related what he had witnessed. "If you wish to remain with me," she said gravely when he was done, "You shall show your willingness to obey. Break your wand."

The boy whimpered, but obediently did as he was asked. She grabbed the child's arm, tapping the black band on his wrist. "What does thus mean?" she demanded.

"I am the heir of Fifuhus'n {the fifth house}," the boy whispered.

"And your name?" demanded the Empress.

"Kaiadon," the boy whispered.

"Well, Kaiadon, heir of Fifuhus'n, you are now in Puethion'n, and that black band you wear means not a thing here. I am Wicahndon'n {the Empress of the Sands}, and I lead all. I see from your dragon you have the magic of fire. There are none with more might in fire than those of Puethion'n. Should you submit, I shall see you learn the magics of old, and none shall be able to harm you as that you witnessed. And mayhap," she ended softly, "You may be a great deal more."

* * *

The Seer of the Age

Siurbu 2150

In the Fremde sanctuary of Fremfuer, Thanion watched grimly as his father continued to redden the backside of his younger brother Faeron. "You will stay over my knee," promised the King, "until I hear the truth from you. Who chose to use the sleeping powder?"

"M-Me!" the boy finally cried out.

The King stopped smacking and began to rub soothing circles upon the backside he had just reddened. "Who threw the sleeping powder?" He asked.

"F-faelon," came the subdued answer.

"And why," asked Elessar, "Did my twin boys decide to throw sleeping powder on Paldir?"

"I t-told Faelon w-we sh-should take Eldrith t-to pl-play in t-the t-trees, but P-Paldir w-would let us n-not."

"Is that what you really planned to do with Eldrith?" asked the king.

"N-nae," admitted Faeron.

"What were you planning to do Faeron?" asked the king sternly.

"I-I th-thought if...if I t-took him t-to Wyneu' {my mother's} tree, it w-would t-take Eld-drith and g-give back W-wyneu {my mother}."

Elessar sighed. He pulled his young son to his feet then drew him to stand between his legs facing him. He took Faeron's face gently in his hands, and then looked deeply in his eyes. Faeron trembled slightly as he was judged by his father. Afterwards, the King planted a firm kiss on his forehead and took a few minutes to comb his son's unruly hair away from his face.

"What am I to do with you?" the King asked gently. "I am very tempted to put you upon my back, and there you will stay for the rest of your days. I am very sorry Wysdateu {your mother} is no more. Nothing will bring her back. When we go to the trees, Faeron, it is forever."

Faeron began to sob even harder and the Elessar drew him into a deep embrace. After a few moments, he stood and said, "Leandrow, you will accompany us."

He held out his hands to Faeron, and when the child took hold, he swung him in a great arc until the boy landed on his back. Leandrow, eldest of his sons, rose to accompany them. Leandrow was typical of the Fremde race, tall and lean with pointed ears and blond hair that flowed to his waist.

They walked in silence out to the tree that held the spirit of Elessar's wife. Elessar knelt down so Faeron could slide off of his back. He drew his son to stand in front of him facing the tree. "When it was time for Wysdateu {your mother} to leave us," he said very softly, "I brought her here. Her spirit has already joined with this tree, and when it is my time, I shall join her. Then, in time, our spirits will meld with that of it and this tree and it will awaken."

"However," he said, "I believe her spirit is here, and that she can hear us even now. So I wish for you to tell her this thing you have done."

"Nae!" cried Faeron.

"Aye," said Elessar gravely. "You will tell her. Wysdateu {your mother} loved all her children, and would be grieved to hear you wished any of them harm, would she not?"

"Aye," admitted Faeron softly. After a few moments, Faeron finally began to speak softly, admitting to his mother that he had tried to use his brother to bring her back. By the time he had finished, he was again sobbing.

"And now," said Elessar gravely, "You will go with Leandrow, who will speak with you as Wysdateu {your mother} would were she here, and we will see an end to this."

Leandrow stepped up and held out his hands. Faeron looked apprehensive, but obediently held out his hands so Leandrow could swing him to his back. Then Leandrow calmly walked away, his brother clinging tightly to his neck.

Thanion, who had followed and watched the entire scene stepped up to speak with his father. Elessar looked at his son gravely, "You really must go?" he asked.

"Aye," said Thanion, "The dreams increase, and I must seek the wisdom of the Fremdemyr {Fremde of the air, another race upon Middengard}."

"Should you not stay here where what you see may aid us?"

"And will you listen?" asked Thanion bitterly.

"Did I not this day?" replied Elessar. "I will admit," he said more softly, "I find it difficult to fathom a Casari {Emperor} across the mountain that is without evil, but I will attempt to open my mind to the possibility."

"He will come," said Thanion firmly. "And when he does, he will need our aid. Do you not think it strange, that you have had six children, when most Fremde find it difficult to have one? The time for us to fight the great evil is at hand. Just promise me this one thing," he said fiercely, "If you come across a small myendelihta {Myende girl} with hair the color of blood, you will take her, and keep her safe, not sending her on to the Northern Academy as we normally do. Much rests upon her safety."

"Does she have great might?"

"I have not seen that," said Thanion softly, "though there are many who will believe she does. She is born teinusiu'n {of the thirteen}," he said gravely pausing for a moment, "and she is the Casari's child. The fact that we have kept her safe will aid in his trust of us."

"I would see no child come to harm," said Elessar firmly, for he knew that often the children born at such times were said to have great power, whether they did or not. "We will keep her safe," he promised.

They turned to walk to the stables, talking of inconsequential things. As Thanion tacked up the steed he planned to ride, Elessar asked, "Need I be concerned of the darkness that has touched Faeron?"

Thanion paused for a moment, and Elessar could tell he was choosing his words carefully. "The darkness that has touched Faeron is not the darkness of Endolan, though it surely originates from him. It is as if a dark voice is speaking to him, telling him he is not cared for, amongst other things. In my visions," he continued softly, "You had not discovered the misdeeds of this day and it haunted him. In telling you so that it may be dealt with, I hope to have given him some peace. The time will come when the Fremdesae overcome the Evil of the Sea. If he is still suffering then, I would say to see their wisdom, for I believe they can aid him."

Elessar nodded gravely, then drew his son into a deep embrace before finally planting a firm kiss on his forehead and holding him at arm's length, "You will send word?" he asked softly.

"As oft as I may," promised Thanion.

As Elessar watched his son ride off a tear fell down his cheek. Thanion was only the first he would see leave him. And although he knew it had been right to allow the fremdo {Fremde male} to go, he still grieved. Finally, he turned, and made his way back into the castle. Little did he know that Thanion was going on a much longer journey, changing the face of the future.