Sir Brendan ap Iorwerth [Mieke Haveman]
Brendan walks about in the courtyard kicking at a pebble with his toes. Right now he feels terribly sorry for himself. His uncle has finally made him a knight and still the only thing his parents can think about is his elder brother. It's always Hawk this and Hawk that with them. It doesn't matter that is illustrious brother disappeared off the face of the earth for two straight years leaving his baby son Rhys with his parents. Brendan still gets angry if he thinks of all the anguish his elder brother put their mother through. Isa used to stare out of the window wishing for her son to show up or some word from him anything. And there was nothing for two years. And then suddenly Hawk turns up at the court of Dinas Dwr and both his parents go mad over that fact. They didn't even seem to bother that Hawk hasn't even taken the time to come home and see his son or his parents.
He kicked the pebble again and hits his toe on the wall and curses softly. Tears of anger sting his eyes.It's not fair! He Brendan who has always been there for both his parents is only a junior knight at his uncle's court. Not even considered for the important positions in his uncles realm and he doesn't even have any idea what to do about it. Secretly he wishes that the border would erupt again so he could seek some glory. Brendan thinks on all the stories his father Iorwerth told him. His father had the good luck to grow up on an unstable frontier and make a name for himself as his brothers warlord. Brendan so far hasn't had that luck. Sometimes he thinks of leaving and making his name else were. But he just isn't like his brother. He can't bear the thought of leaving home, leaving his parents or his uncle, even if they never seem to notice him.
So he goes on dreaming that something will change and he will have his chance to make a name for himself.
"First Things First"
Maelona Dossen
Outskirts of the city
Abertawe
A rooster crowed in the distance as the sun slowly peaked over the hillside. Galloping echoed from inside the forest and a wall of mist covered the path leading out of the woods. The noise began to grow louder and just like a ghost making himself appear, Maelona emerged from the fog. Hidden behind a deep green cloak, she leaned forward as her sleek black horse ran down the path towards Abertawe. She was knighted a few months earlier and she was now returning to the castle as a permanent resident.
Eventually she reached the outskirts of the city, which was just beginning to stir with activity. Mae climbed down from her horse and rubbed her muzzle, praising her for such a good ride. Guiding Glenda through the cobblestone streets by the reigns, she came across a church. She stood on the steps and looked at the detailed statues which stared down upon her from atop the structure. She pulled the hood away from her face and allowed her red hair to fall freely about her shoulders. Tying Glenda to a nearby post she walked up the stairs and entered the church. The smell of age and burning candles encircled her as she approached the front of the room and kneeled down. She gave thanks and prayed for a good half hour, rising she pulled the hood over her head and exited. Once again outside she mounted her horse and continued her trek to the castle.
"On to Abertawe"
Kirsten, Skald of Henroc, of the Clan of the Golden Serpent
A few hours from the border of Abertawe and Nethbo. Abertawe
The young woman moved alone upon the well-traveled road from the border to the capital. The traffic these days was less the common man and much more the soldier and Knight. She had passed the border garrison hours ago, and if it were not for her differences from the common folk, and as she claimed no allegiance to any Kingdom, she knew she would have had a difficult time crossing into Albertawe.
It was late morning and she now led a shaggy looking beast of a pony, yellow brown in color. The looks of the mount were deceiving to most, but he had been a sturdy companion for the last season.
The early afternoon sun had burned off the morning's mist as Kirsten crested a hilltop. The view was as breath taking as every other she had experienced since living in this strange land. Even with the beauty she saw she longed to be home, but her path lay in a different direction. Or so she had come to realize. With a slight smile the woman pressed on, after all she had news that she knew the rulers of Abertawe would want to know.
As the woman continued down the trail a song from home sprang into mind and with no hesitation she began to sing. Singing to Kirsten was both a passion and a life she devoted herself to. In her native lands she was respected and given a place of honor. Here in these lands she found it means to live and entertain. Hardly ever was it more. The simple life the woman had always desired was now a reality a fate rendered by the gods themselves. Or so she believed. Kirsten sang, loosing herself in the words and rhythm, but to any passer by they would not know the words she spoke and what she sang of. Only could they feel the meaning within.
The Skald, as she was known to be in her lands or more commonly a bard in these, continued down the path as she had a mission to complete. But as the skies darkened she moved off the road and prepared to rest for the evening after traveling throughout the day. She gathered firewood and cooked what meager rations she had into a stew. Before she ate she gave thanks to the many gods from her homeland for another day of safety, another day of life, and of new experiences.
As she ate her meal, steaming form the dish, the mists began to cloak the land. The moon, a quarter full, rose in the west into the velvet sky. And all to soon the woman lay beside the embers of her fire, covered in her long cloak, fast asleep.
"Just Business"
by Thorsys ap Taran
***Thorsys' Provisions Shop, Abertawe***
"Be off with ye!" yelled Thorsys from the door of his store as he yelled at a young street urchin who was lurking outside his shop. "Lousy kids," he muttered, spitting on the streets. "Where their parents be, I don't have a clue. Blasted people should've thought before they dipped extra into their ale..." Cursing as he returned to his shop, he looked around at the interior. Abertawe was totally different from his small hometown. Thorsys was forced to downsize when he moved, so all the goods were a little cramped. Some bags and backpacks in a pile in one corner, wax tablets and writing implements stuffed onto a shelf with bottles of fish liver oil on a crudely-nailed wooden plank on top.
And the dust! Thorsys grumbled as he grabbed a broom and tried to sweep the dust away. The constant traffic of Abertawe's streets and customers coming and - of all things, BROWSING - made the floor eternally dusty. Sweeping wasn't Thorsys's best thing by any measure; instead of sweeping the dust, he mostly just brushed it into the air and caused him to sneeze.
The violent hurl of a sneeze welcomed the next man who entered the shop. This one was probably in his mid-thirties, with curly dark hair and commoner clothing. He was carrying a large basket filled with dried fish and looked around at the shop before yelling, quite cheerfully, "Dried fish fer Mr. Thorsys!"
"Bah! Just placed the fishies wherever. What do I owe ye?" asked Thorsys, dropping the broom and walking into the back room to find the store's money supply.
"Twenty-six crowns," mentioned the man as he examined a leather sac ornamented with beadwork.
"Twenty-six!? By the Druids, for dried fish? I could've waited by the shore and got them for free!" Thorsys's yell came from still in the back room, but to the delivery man, it was loud enough to be coming from right next to him.
"My master..."
"*I* am the master of this store," interrupted Thorsys, emerging from the back room. "I'll offer sixteen crowns for the lot, and no more. It doesn't even smell dried from here."
"Oh, my master warned me about this! You'll not get the best of me, Thorsys ap Taran. Twenty-three crowns..."
"Would you prefer going back to your master with a bunch of dead fish and not a crown to your name or sixteen crowns to give your master?" asked Thorsys. He made it seem like a threat.
The delivery man was speechless for a second. He was paralyzed with fear and from Thorsys's stony gaze. "I... I... I guess he'll understand. S-s-sixteen crowns is a f-f-fair amount..."
"Good," Thorsys replied, his demeanor softening - although by no means to make him appear friendly. *Especially since I only brought sixteen crowns,* Thorsys thought happily. He knew how the man would crack. Thorsys dropped a pouch filled with sixteen crowns into the man's hand and grabbed the basket and deposited it into a corner. The delivery man quietly left as Thorsys counted the number of fish in the basket. Twenty fish, all expertly dried. Grabbing a piece of charcoal and a wooden slab, he scribbled, "Dried Fish - Two Crowns Per Fish", and took some string to tie the slab to a wooden stake. Then he pushed the stake into the sea of fish and looked at it. "Twenty-four crowns of profit," he said with satisfaction, smiling at the completion of another business transaction.
The Gift of Fostering
Gwenwynwyn
Isa
Gwenwynwyn woke up with the noise of the servant stirring the fire. It wasn't quite as cold as it should be for the end of Fearn, but the fires were still needed in the cold of the night. It would have been luxery to lay there, it was so hard at times to get up of a morning without Elen at his side. He missed his beloved wife, even after ten years. Without Gwenhwyfar, times seemed near impossible.
An idea occurred to him. Iorwerth had a daughter of an age to foster, past age really... he could have her brought to foster here in Alban. He could spoil his niece as he did his Gwen when she was a lass.
Throwing aside the covers, he rose and dressed. He had a long day preparing for Imbolc. Isa would help out considerably, since she had come to aid Bronwen and himself to getting affairs in order. At this time of day, if they were out of bed yet, the two ladies were probably overseeing the kitchens for the day. Unusual as it was, he went down to the kitchens to seek them.
"Isa, may I have a word?" he asked in a gentlemanly way, though it was more of a command then a question.
Isa cocked one eyebrow at the command tone in his voice. It was not something she took to easily and her own husband grumped about that often enough. But seeing her brother-in-law like this stirred an interrest in her. She had been worried about him these past few months. Isa knew he had never really gotten over Elen's death. But with Gwen there he had a reason to live. When Gwen married and moved to Dinas Dwr it had seemed like something inside Wyn had died and he didn't seem to take a real interrest in anything he did these days.
"While certainly, your highness." She said formally, earning the startled looks of the cooks and her own daughters who had all excepted her to blow up in the kings face because of the way he had commanded her just now.
Isa followed the king out of the kitchen, to a place were they wouldn't be overheard. Wyn took a deep breath before starting.
"Rowena is eight, isn't she? I know that you don't approve of fostering all too much and she's still at home while past the age of proper fostering. I would like to have the honor of fostering her here at Alban. She wouldn't be too far from home and you are often enough here," Wyn added, hoping that she wouldn't take it too hard, knowing how it hurt to let a child go home.
Isa's eyes saddened for a moment. She had lost so many of her children to the world already and she wasn't that sure that an eight year old was ready to be without her mother. Isa came from the saxon culture herself were children weren't fostered and to her it was an alien concept she had never liked. Now she only had her two youngest at home eight year old Rowena and ten year old Goronwy. And Iorwerth had been gently pushing her to have the boy fostered.
And yet, when she looked at her brother-in-law she realised that this man needed her daughter even harder then she needed her. He had Bronwen there of course, but Bron was 17 hardly a child and more of a tomboy anyway. And she Isa awas at an age were it was normal to see her children go. There would be grandchildren soon. In fact she was already looking after her eldest son's two year old son.
Isa nodded slowly. "Wyn, you know I am not for fostering..." She pauzed for a moment. "But you are right, it's part of your culture and Rowena is a princess." The woman sighed. "Alright, you can have her. But I would like her to come home in the summer for a few months. And Wyn, I would like your permission to go to Dinas Dwr on a visit. I want to see Hawk."
"You hardly need my permission to visit Dinas Dwr. Thank you, Isa," he smiled warmly, thankful and happy for this gift. "Unless you need me for anything, I will leave you to your work. I have a meeting this morning with the Merchants."
"Have fun." She said, happy to see the bright light in his eyes again. It made losing little Rowena a little bit easier. Isa heaved a sigh and left for the kitchens.
Fostering
Isa & Rowena
After her meet with Wyn, Isa walked to her private quarters. She hated what she had to do now. Rowena was so small, and how could she make the girl understand. What if she didn't want to go. Isa took a deep breath. Would she really make the girl go if she didn't want to. Could she do that. Isa enterred the playroom and watched her youngest child for a while before she called her attention.
"Rowena, come here for a moment would you, cariad?" Isa said softly. After Hawk this one was her secret favorite.
Rowena was playing Knight and Lady with her dolls. She looked up as her mother called her. Bringing only the doll she was using to be the lady, she approached her mother. "Yes, Mother?" Rowena loved her mother dearly. She hoped to be as graceful and beautiful one day.
"Rowena. You know how uncle Wyn has been sad lately because he misses cousin Gwen?"
Rowena nodded. She really liked uncle Wyn, he always had some treat for her and he always made her feel special. "He should make Gwen come home!" stated Rowena with a child's simplicity.
Isa sighed. It was hard to explain to an eight year old. "He can't dearheart. Cousin Gwen has a husband now. Like I have your daddy and she belongs with him. Like I had to leave my mother and father when I married da." She took a deep breath. "But because uncle Wyn is so lonely he has asked me if you could live with him for a while." She watched how the girl would react to that. "Bronwen and Brendan will be here, and so will I most of the time, and you would spend the summer holiday at home."
Rowena's face showed a myriad of emotions. Her first thought was that she would get to live with the King. But immediately following that was her concern for her friends and her parents. "How come Bronwen doesn't make uncle Wyn happy?" Rowena's face showed concern. "If Bronwen and Brendan live there and I go too, who would keep Daddy happy?" Rowena didn't mind leaving home so much if her mother came often, but she didn't understand how she could help if Bronwen couldn't. She was a lady grown and Rowena was just a little girl.
"Well." Isa said with a smile. "your sister is about a grown woman." It was sometimes hard to admit that and Bron didn't always act the adult either. She and Wyn got along just fine, but the king saw her as a grown woman now and not a child he could pamper.
"Honey." Isa said. "Uncle Wyn longs for a little girl. I am sure he would spoil you silly. Bron is grown as you said. And she has her own life to lead. She will soon find a young man of her own and start her own household. And don't worry about daddy and me. We will miss you very much and come to visit you as often as we can. But you know that daddy was talking it was time you were fostered anyway. And I don't think you could stay with a better man then uncle Wyn." She held her daughter close now.
Rowena held onto her mother tightly. She was not afraid to live with uncle Wyn. She just knew she would miss home very much. "Can I take my horse?" she asked, letting Isa know that her daughter had already moved on to more simple matters as only a child can.
Isa smiled. "Of course you can, dear heart, and the dogs and cats and anything you want." She gave the girl a kiss on the top of her head. "Do you want to come with me to tell uncle Wyn of your decision?"
Rowena looked up at her mother and smiled, "I want to tell him. Can I tell him?" Rowena was warming up to the idea. "Mother, does that mean I will be a princess?" Rowena had always dreamed of being a princess.
"You are a princess already, dumpling. Your father is a prince. And yes, I will come with you, but you can tell unlce Wyn yourself." Isa felt a small pang of regret that Rowena took so little convincing. But then chided herself, she was glad the child liked the idea.
Rowena's face lit with glee. She was going to get to see her older brother and sister. She was a princess and she was going to live with Uncle Wyn. Plus, she could take what she wanted with her. Rowena gave her mother a big hug and then stepped back. "I am glad I will be fostered with Uncle Wyn. I would not want to be sent somewhere I didn't know anyone. Plus, I will still see you. Can we tell uncle Wyn now?" Rowena grabbed her mother's hand and pulled her towards the door.
Happy Uncles, Sad Mothers
Rowena
Isa
Gwenwynwyn
Rowena chatted gaily at her mother as they sent to find uncle Wyn. She told of her the bird's nest she had found that morning. She told her about the new puppies in the stables. Everything that crossed the little girl's mind as she strove to walk like a lady beside her mother. Though occaisionally a small skip was still detected in her walk, giving away her natural exhuberence.
When she finally spotted her uncle, she let go of Isa's hand and went running up to him. "Uncle Wyn!" She ran up to him and threw herself into his arms. "I have something to tell you!" She looked up, her eyes sparkling with exitement.
Wyn swung her up happily. "What pray tell do you have to tell me?" He was smiling and his eyes dancing with happiness.
Rowena looked into his eyes very seriously. "Mother says I am a princess and I can come and live in your court. I can come to make you smile." Rowena hugged him tightly. "I can even bring my horse." Rowena looked back at Isa for confirmation of her announcement.
"And the puppy and the kitten, pumpkin." Isa smiled seeing both the child and her brother-in-law so happy. How could she feel jealous if it made her beloved friend so happy?
"Of course you are a princess," He squeezed her in a hug. "Do you want to come and make me smile?"
Rowena looked back at her uncle to see if it was really okay to bring all the things that she held dear. "I do want to make you smile. I want to bring, Allyn, too if that is okay?" Her face was very serious as she looked up at her uncle.
"You can bring whomever and whatever you want, Princess. You can stay in your cousin Gwen's old room, decorate it how you want. We can find a place in the stable for your horse and something for your kitty and puppy to sleep on." Wyn looked over at his brother's wife, "Thank you Isa. You have made me so very happy."
Isa smiled through tears she hadn't even noticed. "That makes it all worth while, Wyn. It's not easy letting her go, but seeing you happy again." She couldn't go on for a moment. "Take good care of her will you?" Then she had to rush out of the room because she didnt want Rowena to see her tears.
Rowena was a very perceptive smile and her face grew very grave. "When will we leave? I think I should spend time with my mother, she didn't look very happy."
"Why don't you go keep her company then?" He also noticed Isa's feelings so close to the surface. "You help her okay? She needs your help." He set her down and gently patted her on the back towards the door.
Rowena headed for the door, right before she left she turned to her uncle. "Uncle Wyn, I think I am going to love living in your castle. I can't wait to show it to Allyn." She then skipped out the door in search of her mother.
Lady Isa
Lord Iorwerth
"Conclave"
Isa had told her husband after she had promised Rowena to Wyn. That might not be the way to go about things, but Isa was usually we the one who had final say in family matters anyhow. Iorwerth had listened and nodded.
"Wyn needs a child around him, it should do him some good." He said gruffly. Iorwerth was a man with little patience. He was a fighter first and foremost with no liking for politics what so ever. That was why he had always told his brother that he didn't want to be his heir. Wyn needed someone with a good on his shoulders to succeed him should something happen to the king. Iorwerth was not stupid but he was not king material and he knew it. So when his eldest son Gwalchmai came of age, Iorwerth had pushed to have his son named successor. He was sad that females were not allowed to inherit if their were male relatives. Gwen, Wyn's daughter had a pretty good head on her shoulders, but she was married into another kingdom, making it double impossible. And Gwalchmai was a good choice. The boy was smart and a good fighter to boot.
"Iorwerth." Isa went on. "I told Wyn that I am going to Dinas Dwr for a while. I am worried about Hawk." That was what they called their eldest son affectionatly. Gwalchmai had lost his young wife Rhonwen two years ago in childbirth. And since that time he had wandered the land fof two years, making no contact. His parents had heard that he had finally selected to settle down at the court of Dinas Dwr with his cousin Gwen. Isa had been happy about that, if anyone could heal Hawk it was Gwen. But the latest reports about their son hadn't been that good. It seemed he had been severely injured in a fight to save Gwen's life. And Isa felt more then ever that she needed to be with her boy.
"You certain?" Iorwerth said. The region wasn't entirely stable and he didn't relish the fact of his wife going out on her own.
But she nodded. "Yes."
"You do what you must do." He had learnt long ago that he couldn't make his tall saxon do anything she didn't want herself. "Go but be carefull."
She nodded again and embraced him swiftly. "I will, my dear husband. Now if you will excuse me. I must make preparations for my journey."
"Invaders Within"
Kirsten, Skald of Henroc, of the Clan of the Golden Serpent
A few hours north of Cylidd
Albertawe
Kirsten had made good progress thus far on her journey toward Alban, Albertawe's capital, but she still had several days travel before her. The news she carried from Nethbo would aid in the defense of the kingdom and hopefully save many lives.
Even though her trip was an urgent one, Kirsten had taken a short side trip to visit in on an old friend in a small Hamlet north of Cylidd. Sedric, usually a grump of an older man was who she was to see a tutor and friend who had accompanied her on her journeys through the southern kingdoms of the great isle. He too was a bard, older perhaps, but someone who taught her much in the short time they traveled together. It was only a few months ago she had received word that the man had settled in Merindale, the pains of the road finally catching up with him.
The woman rode at a steady pace as she neared a cliff-face that overlooked the small hamlet. It was then that she felt that something was very wrong. She halted her mount and looked down upon Mirendale to see if she could see what was wrong. Nothing at first stood out but as she waited and the sun's angle changed she saw a glinting of sunlight off something reflective. Then there were several other until she caught sight of armored men moving about the hamlet. It was odd that soldiers or knights would use the out of the way hamlet when Cylidd lay a few hours south.
A rustling in the bushes to her side told her that someone approached. She dismounted and took up her stave and waited. It was not long before a small boy raced from the bushes and into the clearing. Seeing the woman before him he yelled, "Hurry! Hurry, get help soldiers have…"
"Come here boy!" a man yelled cutting the boy's warning off.
The boy looked back once and then ran past Kirsten into the trees behind her as three armed people emerged from the bushes that the boy had just come. There were two men and a woman in light armor and carried short swords. They all came to a stop seeing the woman before them. Looking the three over, as they did her, she immediately recognized that their colors were of Nethboian soldiers.
"Well, well what do we have here?" the shorter of the two men asked.
The woman answered with a sneer, "One of them druids perhaps?"
"I think not," the other man stated as he swayed from side to side and then continued, "Lets get her for Gerald. He'll like questioning this one."
Kirsten watched the three gauging how they were without saying a word. If the three had not all been in some state of intoxication she would have been in some real trouble. She spread her feet out and held her staff out before her as she readied for an attack.
"Come peacefully now and no one will get hurt," the woman said as the three spread out to flank the woman before them.
Kirsten looked to the heavens for a moment and asked of her gods to aid her in this battle. As she leveled her eyes upon the man straight before her, she stepped forward and swung her weapon at the man.
He blocked the staff with his short blade and backed up a few steps from the force of the blow. Kirsten turned upon the other man and blocked his thrust, pushing it out and way from her, and then ducked the woman soldier's slash.
Now squatting she swung from the end of her weapon and hit the woman in the back of her legs, dropping her to her knees. She then dove past the woman and rolled as the two men came at her. She came up standing and staff at the ready once again.
The larger man came straight for her as the shorter helped the woman to her feet. The man thrust in at her intending to pierce her belly but Kirsten just nearly escaped as she backed up and sucked in her gut. She then came up with a blow that hit the over extended man square in the jaw. With an audible crack the large soldier took one step forward intent on slaying the woman before him, but then crashed the ground unconscious.
The smaller man looked to the woman, his mouth open in awe. The woman limped to one side and readied for attack. She called out to her comrade to get his mind out of the fog that had enveloped it, "Borden! Pick up that sword you olf!"
The man shook his head and focused on Kirsten as he moved forwad. The skald looked on, unimpressed with the three soldiers before her. She did not want to fight, she had to warn those of Albertawe that they had been invaded. To help acomplish her escape and further strike fear into the hearts of the Nethboian soldiers she backed up a little and the twisted the staff. Foot long blades sprang forth from each end of the weapon she held, as she looked on with determination at the two soldiers before her.
The woman looked to the man and vice-versa at the foe before them and wondered what they had just gotten themselves into. As they turned their gazes back to Kirsten each was pelted with a stone, and then another, and another. The soldiers wanting no more turned and ran back down towards the village.
Kirsten smiled for a moment and then turned to see who had come to aid her. What she saw were several children who were now emerging form the bushes, each with a sling in hand. The boy she had helped not moments before was amount the youths.
"Thank thee fer yer aid," Kirsten said with a nod of her head as she twisted the staff once again and the blades retracted.
The boy who the soldiers were chasing stepped forward and said, "It is I who should thank ye."
Kirsten nodded once again. She then asked the youngsters about what was happening to Mirendale. She quickly came to realize that a small force of soldiers had taken the small hamlet as a base of operations as they waited for a larger force from Nethbo. The children were from Mirendale but had escaped the soldiers and fled into the forest.
As much as Kirsten want to aid those townsfolk trapped within the hamlet
she knew that a larger force would soon know of her presence and there
would be no chance of a single person helping anyone. She had the boy come
with her as she planned to return to Cylidd to hopefully return with a
much larger force to free Mirendale.