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The Stone of Truth - Part 2

The Lord was out for a morning ride, and Laetia had plenty of time until Lady Hialdan woke up. After last night her Lady was most surely tired. Not even the image of last night could dim the smile Laetia felt on her lips as she stepped outside of the blacksmith's and closed her eyes in pleasure.

It was good to be alive, if only to see such a beautiful morning in Rilngard. It was the middle of gentle Spring and the village sounded like a busy beehive. And if one believed the merchants who showed their things in plain sidewalk, one would feel a lucky mortal indeed.

"You grace my humble shop with your ladylike feet!"

"This fine silk is just fit for your beauty!"

Laetia just smiled and nodded. Yes, it was beautiful outside. If only her Lady could still come down to the village, she spent too much locked inside her room with only her thoughts.

She stopped to caress the piece of silk that was being so excitedly offered to her. It was green. She could sew it into a dress for her Lady, but green always made her hurt and faint. Laetia did not know why; she put it unto the Stone.

As she headed for the water fountain, Laetia caught sight of a small gathering. She approached to see what the fuss was for. The people were set in a circle around a small man with a lute. A minstrel! She jostled her way as close to him as she could.

"I was there when mighty Krall fell. Listen, crowd, to this song of the short war." He strung a chord of the lute. "Listen."

She perked her ears. She was never tired of hearing about the massacre at Krall.

"I will take you with me
to the place where the white bird flies always free,
where the fresh water feeds the lush and green plains,
where the boys are born men.
Mighty Krall was under siege by the ghouls
of the darkest Lord Ward on Voth, eater of souls."

Laetia shivered. The eater of souls. She could picture the Lord Ward with his dark hair in the wind, poised on his black steed, crushing dried human bones under his horse's demonic feet.

"The Lord Ward's soldiers had poisoned the water,
had poisoned the food, and the cattle and grain,
Krall's men fought each other until they died in pain,
and only the Knights of the Krall Guard remained,
the noble Sir Haelyn and the noble Sir Jade,
the noble Sir Grawbell and the noble Sir Frase,
the noble.."

Laetia's thoughts wandered. Such noble names. She pictured the Krall Guard as fair and long haired, blue eyed, tall and strong, all on white mounts. So handsome..

"..and Kilgar the Warrior and Zargoth the Wizard,
only these men stayed alive with the Queen.
The white Queen of Krallans was left by the Wanderer
sieged inside Krall and with no escape seen."

This part of the story always made her want to know more. Who was that Wanderer? Why had he left the Lady Corqurst? What had happened?

"So Lord Shrain Hialdan, the dark-haired and coarse,
sent her a message by arrow and horse.
Ride to me now, be my bride, Lady Cor,
and I will come fight on your side in the war."

The dark-haired and coarse, her Lord. Her. Lord.

"The Queen asked her Stone and she ran off alone,
to the dark of the forest to meet her new throne.
There they united before Haven and Hel
and there he kissed her and took off her veil."

Laetia closed her eyes and let the romantism of the moment sink into her body.

"And thus Corqurst Krallan, Hialdan became,
showing the same beauty inside her new name."

Yes, her Lady had beautiful hair..

"They hurried to Krall, to save it from gore.
Alack! The Lord Ward had been there before.
The burnt, silent houses and the unburied skulls
were all that was left from the beautiful Krall.
Corqurst Hialdan, the Queen with no land,
fell to her knees and wept for the end,
and the place where she cried is now called for her name,
the salty red river of a white maiden's shame."

So close the victory. So bitter her Lady must have felt the defeat. Laetia wiped a small tear. She could see other women wiping their faces with the aprons, crying for the Queen with no land. None had survived Krall except Corqurst herself.

The minstrel had finished his song.

Laetia stretched and headed for the fountain.

continue to part 3 >>

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