The March to the Ripeaen
Lam Needeli
I write to review what I have seen,
for it is of a sea of green.
A black, appalling goliath spider,
and a beautiful golden Faerie rider.
Though many I saw, yet for little time,
whence they came, there was no sign;
deftly with many a sword and spear,
they slew the beast, and we did cheer.
Yet little did they think of such,
for the lands away they rode in rush.
We simply carried on our way,
through the lands we dare not stay.
Camped upon a lonely hill,
we lay upon the quiet glade still.
Yet little slept, for eyes were in gaze,
thinking of the former days.
Their minds awake as if in light,
yet asleep in a dream with little sight.
Time again I thought to sleep,
but my eyes closed I would not keep.
And so I simply wandered in doubt
in pondering and such throughout
my troubled mind and baffled heart,
for I knew not where to start.
Back when my time was merry still,
or when a monster did I kill?
But not a monster, was it? I thought,
Perchance, a man that evil wrought,
for I had seen his mellow youth,
in with the monster was in truth,
a troubled child with much at hand
his master dead and in a foreign land.
Or was he true, not evil in heart,
or was he to blame for his deeds, not in part,
for true, he killed in mass unnumbered,
his love in heart, evil had sundered.
Sadly, in truth, he is now dead,
but my life he would take, if I did not instead.
If, truly, I spared the man's poor life,
which surely would not have saved him from strife,
but given him more, for he would have lived on,
and killed but more, from dusk till dawn.
In truth, however, naught can be done,
for who can raise the dead, but none?
Rum Donnall
I account of what we did do,
as we crossed the forest through,
the dangers that we were brought upon,
our awe, the Faeries surely had won.
We hearkened to Dermy’s father,
and he told us nay to bother.
For, said he, without any distress,
“the wood is not a deadly process,
the needled wood is not to be worried,
for the creatures here seldom scurried,
whence we came about this path,
none came about with mighty wrath.
For we wandered forth with little strife,
but still have lost many a life,
for the tempest of the evil grows
and gives us all unhappy woes.
For armies have come about our lands
and slew us with their horny hands.
My people, thank the lord, are still guarded,
by my fortress in lands uncharted.
Still, however, some have died,
and such is why we all have cried.
We thank you for your act of bravery,
yet we will soon be brought to slavery.
Too soon for you to save us from,
this evil that to our lands has come.
And so when you arrive at our fort,
we ask for you to evil thwart.
So stay not long at our land,
save but a time to soon understand,
why you are needed, and so greatly loved,
by our people, by whom you are beloved.”
The path grew longer, longer still,
till lo! We espied a sight of thrill.
For land awry from the path,
lay a gate that gave us a bath.
Bathe we did in the sight of the fort,
“most fair is it,” was my only retort.
The houses’ green walls and golden roofs,
The beautiful walls… the heart it moves.
“Say it ain't so, that this is your lair,
for it is so great that we must stare,
at the lovely walls, tall and fair,
and the green houses all up there,”
said I, as I bathed still in awe,
my eyes agape and open jaw.
The green trees that patterned the land,
drew forth gaze and clapping of hand.
For, said I, “the trees are bright,
and though they take from us the light,
when they brightly gleam, in this glade,
they look to me like a painting made,
of a landscape of heaven above,
for the branches and leaves, I do love.”
Truly, Truly, the beauty of the wood,
had been obscured by the darkness that stood.
The Aesweli ran to hug their wives,
others chopped game, with their knives.
Although crowded with foreign folk,
the roads were nice, and merry they spoke.
Despite the mellows of the time,
the Men of Donnall were merry in mind.
And too, their faces shone with light,
As if they sundered evil with might.
For they were happy despite their life,
being brought upon with dreadful strife.
Still inside, they held to hope,
And this I found a climbing rope.
For it helped me climb the steep hill,
through the troubles of my will.
Kim Merna
To the gate, we were brought.
Nourishment we sought,
for naught had we eaten proper,
since the Halls of Ringrose’ supper.
The metal gate glowed like starry light,
the glare not unlike a moonlit night.
And soon did the gate open,
And in we came, bellies a hopin’,
for a meal fit for a king,
a feast, and a time to sing.
Ecstatic were the Men of the fort,
whatever they were doing they did thwart,
and ran to Donnall many did,
and to us gifts did they bid.
Some were happy of our coming,
others stayed back, not running,
but mourning still, behind closed hands,
wishing not to bring sorrow to their lands.
I suppose, perchance, they hid themselves,
In fear that other would lose their spells,
of happiness if they looked upon,
the faces that grief had won.
What they mourned I knew not of,
but I now that I think, I know thereof.
They sought their father and husbands alike,
but alas, they had been killed in the fight.
These sorrows I did also share,
but my dampened heart did they repair.
For their desire not to woe the day,
gave me a spark of happy say,
for inspiration to hope, not worry, they did give in quite a hurry.
The Aesweli did speak to Donnall,
With words that sounded to be hopeful,
for though their speech I knew not of,
their jumping manner showed thereof.
Donnall quieted the crowd,
And announced with a voice, loud,
words! Although we did not know,
But a translation is what I will show:
“welcome the saviors of the world,
the crown of death they will have hurled,
by the ending of our days,
for they will fight the deathly haze.
Save us, likely they cannot,
but the world, yes! For naught,
can evil win over them,
for they will go through the fen,
bent, glade, and rocky glen,
to defeat the fell king of death,
and brake, in his dying breath,
the crown at which he gains his power,
and save the people from the hour.
Worry not for the fate of the lands,
For it is held in mighty hands!”
And so the crowd cheered upon,
us, the six, they looked theron.
And so with pride we did smile,
Their cheer and hope did to us beguile.