The Trials of Hallac- Part I: The Beasts

Left I her mumbling company,
Determined to find my escape
And my way back to my father.
Only in returning to Farlein would I be able to get
That which I desperately need:
Answers to questions from my kin.
Why did my brothers want me dead?
Had I made some offense grievous,
An error that angered them so?
Did they perhaps fear I had gained our father’s preference
And would therefore receive the crown?

I made my way then to the mouth,
Thinking it would be the best way
To find an exit from this place.
The mouth was closed tight, and I saw
Not like I’d thought. The beast had teeth
That were not sharp as they had seemed,
But made of stiff hairlike brushes,
So stiff and strong they could break wood.
These clamped closed teeth did I prod hard
With the broken butt of my spear,
In hopes that it might encourage the beast to open up for me
That I could then swim my way out.
At my prod, though, it did not move,
Nor open even the slightest,
Though it did let out an unhappy grunt, so that I knew it felt
Upon its insides what I’d done.
Undulations I did then feel,
And knew the squid-whale was moving.
Then did I notice moving air,
Felt it gently upon my face
And looked around to find where from
That stream of moving air did come.
Above my head, on the mouth’s roof,
A goodly way out of arm’s reach,
Was a small hole, deep in the flesh
No doubt used for the beast’s breathing.
The air did move from and to there.
Wondering, I poked that too with the jagged end of my weapon
And was rewarded with a pained squeal from the monster, and with,
More importantly, a narrow opening of the creature’s mouth!
Then could I not help but grin wide,
Brace myself, and thrust not the butt
But the point of my spear hard into the air-moving opening.
There was a high vibrating scream!
I was spewed out of the great mouth,
Broke the water’s surface, flew an uncounted number of arm-lengths,
And landed back in the water
With a splash that made me cry out,
So painful was it when I hit.
Once I surfaced, seeing the sweet sunlight-- for all of the morning
I had been inside the creature--
Turned did I, to see the retreat
Of the fins and tentacles of the monster’s body, submerging
And going away from my place.
So was I free, still in one piece.”

Silence filled the room,
The chamber where Hallac was telling his danger-filled tale.
Not a breath stirred from those gathered
As they stared raptly,
Intent on the storyteller.
Socestrian, too,
Fair and wise monarch,
King with years of hearing stories
Far-fetched and detailed,
Was bound, enthralled by his nephew
And the tale he told.
Faces in the wall tapestries
Seemed entranced also,
With the words from the princeling’s mouth.

As was his privilege as King,
Socestrian stood
And proclaimed aloud,
“Believe I that everyone tires
And is in dire need of peaceful rest,
For your recounting of thy travels,
My most arduous royal nephew,
Are wearing to the body and mind.
Doubtless every soul in the room
Empathizes with thy grand story,
Each man and woman must feel as worn
As thou didst when the monster squid-whale
Spewed you from its mouth to the water.
Tired must thou be, too, bold Prince Hallac,
For thy tale seems quite far from done;
Doubtless you need rest more than any.
Bid I now all to adjourn. Retreat.
Head to thy homes and thy chambers, all,
That we may meet again in the morn’
To continue hearing Hallac’s tale.
So to bed now must we all withdraw,
Sweet sleep to my fellows and kin.
Meet we on the morrow. Farewell all!”

The Trials of Hallac- Part I: The Beasts

Deeper in the dark ocean depths
A creature, even greater than
The serpent in strength and power
With mouth like a whale but with the form and tentacles of a squid,
In size, about like a village–
A small one– the beast that massive!
This new beast eyed the serpent as a hungry man eyes nearby food,
And in the blink of an eye, struck!
The battle between the two began, though the serpent still held me.

Taking advantage of the serpent’s distraction,
I repeatedly thrust
The point of my spearhead
Into its tail, weakening its hold upon me.
Between my attacks and
The attacks of the beast, which was fierce by itself,
The serpent’s blood flowed fast,
Staining the water red.
With the serpent’s thrashing
Was I thrown about, and occasionally I
Broke the water’s surface,
Taking quick breaths of air.
So very abruptly, the serpent’s movement ceased.
The monster was deceased;
The larger set to feed.
Bite by massive bite the whale-like squid did devour
The serpent, until the waters were full of chum,
Bits of serpent floating.
Still caught was I, afraid,
Struggling to come free.
The huge open mouth neared,
As I hacked at my bonds,
Unable to get loose.
Drawn into gaping jaws,
Trapped by my leg’s bondage,
The last of the serpent’s body swallowed-- with me.

As the mouth closed with me inside,
I heard a snap of breaking wood.
The teeth had caught my spearshaft’s end,
Biting right through the hardened oak
Phierine’s craftsman had made it from
So that the spear kept its good length
But ended in a splintered way.
Finally able to catch my breath, for the water was low here,
I stayed in the mouth cavity,
Slashing and hacking at the tail
That was still wrapped around my leg.
I freed myself, severing it,
Releasing the deathgrip it had had upon me when it had died.
Then did the great squid-whale swallow,
And I was washed to its stomach.
As I said before, it was likened to the size of a village
Wandering this cavernous gut,
Exploring as I would the wild,
To my surprise I came upon
A person’s hut! All made of bone.

‘Who is that there? Who is approaching?’
From in the hut came a woman,
Wearing ragged remains of clothes
That might have once been quite common.
Her hair was unkempt, her eyes wild,
And she gave a sense of madness.
Spake she well, though, like a learned one.
When I asked who she was, her answer she gave, that I disbelieved.
‘A woman of adventures, was I,
And known through a great many countries,
As a doer of deeds and slayer,
Mercenary to causes noble.
A name had I then, I was Jaldest,
Heroine of wars and of battles!
How came I to be here, you will ask,’
Said she, though spake she to the air
As much as she did speak to me.
‘’Twas a job paid me by King Banserfe,
To eliminate a sea-bound threat
That took down ships and many sailors.
Out on his largest ship did I go,
With all manner of weapons in hand
Meaning to find and kill my quarry.
So surprised was I and the ship’s crew
When we were beset by this monster,
The ship capsized, and most men eaten.
Some drowned, others simply stopped trying,
But I will not give my life over!
A year, two, maybe more than two years
Have I been in here, still living strong.
For two more years, even more than that
Will I keep up and never lose hope!’

After this did her words turn from coherent to soft mumbles
And she went about her hut, busying herself in checking things,
I suppose for strength and firmness.
Not convinced of her saneness was I,
So back away did I slowly,
Leaving her to her work and words.
Surely of Jaldest heroine
You have heard, my royal uncle
For her tales are told across lands,
Throughout kingdoms great and those small.
Believe that woman to be the hero, I most certainly do,
Though raving she was, her eyes told
Of battles and of horrors seen,
Killing and all manner of things
Such as a heroine would see.
It is known that Jaldest vanished
Some time ago, she disappeared.
Who is to say she is not still alive and in the belly
Of a monstrous seabound creature?

The Trials of Hallac- Part I: The Beasts

I rushed at her and tried to wrest
My spear from her malicious hands,
Though I made no attempt to kill.
I am not a murderous fiend!
And evil or not, she was still of royal blood, and a woman--
Both are never meant to be harmed.
Disarming her after a handful of seconds of struggling,
I resolved to take my leave from her so-called hospitality.
In the hall outside the room,
I knew there would be men, soldiers--
Who she could call to stop me and would do so in a heartbeat’s time--
That could overwhelm me quickly.
Spied I then the window and made to it, looking to the moat.
The moat of the castle is in all reality a river,
Which had been diverted decades ago and been split onto two paths
That surrounded the castle on each side, then joined back up after.
Without hesitation, I leapt
Throwing myself out the window,
Plummeting into the rushing churned river waters far below.
As I fell, I remembered the words my patron goddess told me,
Warning me of Cludawal’s rage.
Knowing I would lose ground fighting,
I swam instead with the current,
Following the river through the nearby port and to the ocean.
As I paddled for the shoreline
And its eventual safety,
Currents from the river kept picking up and pushing me more out.
Desperately I tried to get my feet underneath me, searching
For the floor and footing and ground,
But before I gained full balance,
Something wrapped around my submerged ankle and pulled me to the sea.
All underwater I was dragged;
Holding my breath, I twisted ‘round
And saw my assailant: monstrous!
A great massive ocean serpent,
Twenty times as long as a man--
Perhaps more-- and thick as a tree!

Green and blue it was scaled,
Tail crushing my ankle,
Many-toothed mouth agape,
Ready for its next meal.
No plans had I to be a meal to a serpent,
Or to anything else,
And struggle did I much,
Twisting, writhing, pulling,
As what air I had managed to take in was spent.
I even tried stabbing,
Thrusting its tail with spear,
But it would not be pierced.
My strength began to fade,
The serpent saw its chance,
Began to wrap itself in tight coils around me.
It squeezed me so tightly
I like to lost all breath.
As it was, I knew that I was well defeated.
I could not escape this.
The gods, though, disagreed,
And thanks to their mercy
The serpent released me,
Though still held mine ankle.
Soon I saw the reason.

The Trials of Hallac- Part I: The Beasts

Slept I well that night, assured that soon I would return to Farlein,
Though wakened was I by the sound
Of an intruder opening the door of my borrowed chamber.
The stranger crept in the nightly darkness toward the bed where I lay;
I saw then, glinting in faint light,
A blade like that on a dagger.
This intruder had in mind to slay me whilst I remained asleep!
Jumped from the bed quickly, did I,
Striking out with fist, since spear would be difficult in this close space.
The killer and I grappled fierce,
He trying still to stab my chest,
I simply aimed to stay alive.
Finally did I manage to use my regained and throw him,
Whole bodily, to the flagstones
That made up the bedchamber floor.
The dagger was dropped, and he stunned.
Dared I then to light a candle
And shed light on my assassin.

‘Twas the Queen!
My hostess, the widow Phierine!
As I had lighted the candle,
She’d sprung and took hold of my spear.
‘I demand an explanation!’
Said I as she eyed me, searching for her next opportunity.
‘Why hast thou tried to kill me now,
When I have been thy guest so long?’
Sneered she at me, her face twisted
With hatred and her eyes burning.
‘A message came to me,
Bargain from thy brothers.
Etseon’s words offered
Thy brother Lestrian
In marriage as a husband, that I may be twice queen
To Farlein and Rinelderal, both together,
For the price of your head.
‘Tis time your life ended,
Wretched, dreadful bastard,
At the point of thy spear!
Thou shalt not leave this castle of mine whilst thou still live!’

The Trials of Hallac- Part I: The Beasts

The journey was calm and easy.
We reached Rinelderal’s city
Without incident, and I was greeted warmly by Her Highness,
Fair Phierine, since though I am base
And was born to a peasant maid,
I am still of a royal line.
As a welcome, she made a feast
At which I was introduced to her daughter, of an age with me:
Gralise, whose fairness surpassed even that of her royal mother’s.
Seated next to her, was I then,
She asked how I came to be lost,
In need of rescue by their ship.
I replied in telling her all
I have so far told you, Uncle,
And asked her of her thoughts on the lot she had been given in life.

‘I will be Queen after my mother’s reign ends--
Gods send her a long and fruitful queenship--
But it may not extend as long as she wants.
With my father already in the next life,
Our rule states that she has but three years to rule
Without a husband. With her first year near gone,
In two years my mother must needs marry, else
I take the throne in her stead, and a husband
Will be chosen for me. ‘Tis a sacrifice
I am willing to make for my countrymen,
Though if I find a husband myself ere then,
I believe I will live much more joyfully.
Hope I to find a strong husband, hale and good,
A warrior as my father was, ‘fore his death.’

Then was our conversation cut,
As the good queen did wish to speak with me alone and directly.
Offered she to keep me as guest
Until word could be sent to my father, telling him where I’d come.
Thought I of Senaru’s warning,
That my eldest brother Lestrian prayed for my early demise.
Fearing he might intercept a message sent to my dear father,
I gave my thanks to the good queen
And instead asked that the message might be sent to another kin:
My second. brother Etseon.
The message was dictated by me to a scribe, and then sent off,
Making way for my good brother.

During the wait time for reply,
The days ‘twould take for its travel,
I remained in the palace as guest to Her Majesty the queen
And of her beautiful daughter.
A weaponsmith of their own did they set to repairing my spear;
The blade and point were still fine, though he had to replace the whole shaft.
Wondered I again if it would keep the blessings the gods had gave.
Not a day went by I did not converse with the fair maid Gralise,
Hours we spent talking ‘bout all,
Subjects from life to farms and hopes,
Wishes and commoners and such.
Oft she came to the yards to watch,
As I did continue my work
In training the spear, newly fixed.
Near a month passed, then came reply
Paper sealed with Etseon’s sign.
‘Remain in the castle,
If you will be allowed,
As guest of the good queen.
Our good father’s soldiers are still abroad with the war,
Though I am pressing to arrange for an escort
Of men to travel there
To Rinelderal’s city
And retrieve your person.
You are well missed at home;
Father is eager to have his youngest son returned.
But wait for now, brother
Until men can be spared.’