CHAPTER EIGHT
GWINEVA
Maeva, one-time
wife of Dadam, found refuge among people of Ardis where she gave birth to
Gwineva the Cuckoo child, but as the child grew it was seen that she had red
hair. Though all knew there were fair-haired and dark-haired people, none had
ever seen anyone with red hair. Also, Strange maladies had manifested in Ardis
for which the strangers were blamed; therefore, because of these things, Maeva
and her child were driven out. They came to a pool near the border of Krowkasis
and built a habitation of reeds, living there for many years. However, Maeva
was killed by a wild beast and Gwineva was left alone, but she learned much
from familiars who came to her, and so she became a sorceress.
Time went
by and the half-folk called Yoslings began to gather around her habitation and
they thought she was a goddess and worshipped her. As her fame spread, word
came to Herthew concerning the strange woman, so he sent men to find out about
her and report. Gwineva knew about Herthew, but he did not know who she was or that
any child of Maeva lived. When Herthew heard the report, he was intrigued and
sent men to escort her to him, and she came at his request. They brought her
into his presence wearing a cloak of feathers and a garment of doeskin, her
hair unbraided like that of other women, falling outside the cloak almost to
her knees. He was amazed at the cascade of red hair and his heart was stirred
by her beauty.
Herthew
gave Gwineva a bower and attendants, but she preferred to be attended by
Yoslings whom the people about Herthew despised. They gossiped about the
strange woman, for it was seen that Yosling men freely entered her bower, yet
her bearing was modest and maidenly, the Yoslings showing her every form of
respect. It was the season of fruitfulness and when Herthew went to the
gathering place he took Gwineva with him, but the Yoslings could not be taken
there. So, they remained behind, but the people removed them. When they arrived
at the gathering place and Gwidon saw Gwineva, he was startled, for he had seen
such a woman in the darkened waters; but he welcomed her and was surprised at
her wisdom and skill at sorcery. When the time came for Gwidon to prophesy and
all who came to hear him were gathered about, they became apprehensive, for his
coming forth was delayed and the moon began to disappear, eaten away by the
blackness of the night. Then, when they started to jostle and flee there was a
great shout and Gwidon appeared; as he did, a great fire sprang up on either
side of him. The people remained, for each was rooted to the place where he
stood.
Gwidon
spoke at length, telling them that the night sky sign heralded a new era. That
as the moon grew again in brightness, so should their race wax strong and
virile, spreading wide across the face of the Earth, driving lesser races
before them. That a son of Herthew would lead their sons out of Krowkasis, and
his sons and their sons would continue westwardly, towards Hesperis, meaning
Land of Spirits. That there they would meet their final destiny. He told them
that there would be a great bloodletting, when brother would fight with brother
and father with son, but that this would be the planting of the Centre pole
around which the framework for the structure of their race would be woven. He
said, "I shall go before the vanguard in spirit".
Later,
Herthew asked Gwidon to cast the omens ticks and read the ashes, as he wished
to know things concerning Gwineva. This Gwidon did, telling him that she was
his fate mate, one destined to be his wife; that she was indeed a true maiden
and he would not be for ridden. He said, "She acts as she does through
innocence and not through brashness". But what Gwidon told Herthew was no
more than a grain in the grain sack among all that which he knew and saw.
When
Herthew returned to his homesite he paid court to Gwineva and asked her to
marry him, and this she consented to do after one year. The people, hearing
what was intended, were displeased and murmured against the marriage, saying it
was unseeingly for their king to marry a sorceress and one strange in so many
ways. Also, there was a custom forbidding the intermingling of blood, but there
was no doubt as to what she was, some thinking she was one who could be
acceptable.
Gwineva
was not the bloodkin of Herthew, so as the marriage would not be incestuous
Gwineva decided she would say nothing of their relationship, for she was in
love with him and love is ever ready to make excuses.
Yet,
despite her knowledge and wisdom her heart was full of fears because of her
background, but she displayed none of her anxieties. She did not feel at ease
among the people, but never asked that the Yoslings be allowed back. She tried
to become acceptable by ministering to the sick with simples and remedies, but
the more she cured and healed the more people feared her, and fearing they
shunned her, except they were in dire need of her help.
However,
Herthew remained firm in his resolve to marry, though many advised that if he
simply took Gwineva as a concubine or as something less than a wife, it would
be more acceptable. They said, "None would object if she were treated as a
woman with no standing, mate but do not marry, for marriage would grant her
undue status, and is marriage so necessary? Does a wise man buy the pie whereof
he can freely eat at any time?" Such sayings enraged Herthew, for he knew
Gwineva to be a woman reserved for marriage, and this he tried to tell the
people, but they laughed, saying, "She has bewitched you, put her to the
test". But he replied, "This is unworthy, for it displays doubt and
distrust; a virgin is a virgin, whether named so by horn or wand and remains so
whatever the conjectures of carnal-minded men who are more familiar with women
of lesser repute". Yet whether the marriage bar applied was still a thing
of doubt in the minds of many, for none knew the lineage of Gwineva, nor did
she enlighten anyone, though it was customary to recite this at the betrothal.
But Herthew and Gwineva remained unbetrothed, though the forthcoming marriage
was made known.
Now, the
nephews and kin of Idalvar nurtured seeds of discord among the people and
because it was a time of peace, when the skills of a warchief were not needed,
many heeded their words. So, it developed that there were those for Herthew and
those against him. Then Herthew said to the people, "Let this not be
something to cut people apart, but something which can be decided at the next folk
fest".
The seed
sowing time had passed, but it was not yet harvest-tide and the young men held
spear-throwing contests and tested each other in many manly skills. At such
times, seated on a platform against the palisade, Herthew gave judgement and
awarded merits. Inside the palisade was a walkway and places from which great
stones could be hurled, and from one such place came a murderous weapon which
cut down through Herthew's head to pierce the shoulder of his shield arm,
striking him to the ground. Immediately there was a great tumult and confusion,
fighting broke out and men died, but Herthew was carried to safety in the bower
of Gwineva. There he was protected by his retainers, but within the palisade
all was taken over by those hostile to Herthew. Before the cowardly blow, those
for Herthew had been more numerous and powerful, but after he was so sorely wounded,
they were less, and of these many were inclined to waver, for such is the
nature of man. But to contrast with the frail reeds who wavered those who
remained loyal were resolute, for this too is the nature of man. Now, when
Gwineva and the wise men attended to Herthew they saw that while the shield arm
had been injured it was not unfeeling, for it grasped the hand of Gwineva, but
this the sword arm could not do, though it was uninjured. Therefore, they knew
the slaughter-bent weapon had been charmed and no woman could remove such
enchantment, nor could the wise men, for they were unblooded. In the days that
followed, the enchantment caused demons to enter through the wound and take up
their abode, so Herthew was tormented and his body wracked before subsiding
into the quietness which precedes death. The demons had abused Gwineva and
called her foul names and cried out in loud voices against people, so that they
should abandon their king.
The place
where Herthew lay was near the lakeside and in the lake was an island called
Inskris, meaning Isle of the Dead, where those about to die were taken, as well
as the dead, before being consigned to the waters. For the people believed that
those given into the lake went straight into awareness in the Otherworld, while
anyone buried on land was only half aware upon arrival and remained half awake
and half asleep for many years. So those loyal to Herthew carried him down to
the boats and accompanied him and Gwineva to the Isle and they were not
molested, for none interfered with those mourning the dead. On the isle were
priests and nine holy maidens who attended to the rites while other women
ministered to the newly dead, but Herthew was dead, though halfway across the
threshold.
When
Herthew arrived, he was placed in the hospice house where Gwineva attended to
him. Gwidon opened Herthew's skull where it had been cleft and let out the
demon which had taken up habitation there, and he brewed powerful potions which
removed the enchantment. When, after many days, he departed, Herthew was no
longer at the door of death, though weak and in many ways like a baby.
While
Herthew lay so sorely stricken, the kinsfolk of Idalvar were disputing among
themselves, and this led to fighting and battles. But none came near the isle
to harm Herthew, because it was a sacred place and gave him sanctuary. When it
came to the time of the folk feast there was a great battle at the gathering
place and Gwidon was slain. There came a day when Herthew, though still not
whole, could move about and then he and Gwineva departed with those who
remained with them. They were married before leaving their isle of sanctuary.
They fled to a place afar off where, as the years went by, Herthew became whole
again and Gwineva gave birth to sons and daughters. It was a good place,
fertile and well-watered and so they prospered. But there came a time of
drought when the waters dried up and their flocks died. So Herthew sent men to
Krowkasis and these came back saying that there, too, the land was stricken,
and the people distressed. He also sent others to the West and they returned
saying that there the land was not stricken, but the people would not accept
them except with spears.
Herthew
then sent men back to Krowkasis to tell the people there of the plenty which
lay to the West and they came back with a warband led by Itilis, and many
people followed. Herthew could no longer bear weapons and his sons were as yet
young and unblooded. Therefore, he gave his two sons who were of sufficient age
into the keeping of Itilis, so they might learn the art of war, and they
followed him loyally, becoming men of valor in the conflict which ensued. Many
people left Krowkasis and settled in the land lying to the West, and Herthew
and Gwineva also settled there.
Time
passed and Herthew became renowned for his wisdom, and Itilis king of Arania, honored
him with lands and servants. Herthew's two sons, who had followed the king and
were twins, married the king's two eldest daughters who were also twins. This
caused problems, for the king, though having three wives, was sonless,
therefore the twin sons of Herthew became his heirs. The king was perplexed,
for the two men could not rule together and both were of equal standing in his
eyes. Yet it was the king's duty to nominate his heir and proclaim him to the
people so there should be no division after his death. Therefore, Itilis
consulted Herthew as to how the judgement should be made, and Herthew said,
"Let fate decree who shall be king".
In Arania
the people gathered four times a year for the folk feasts. At such times it was
customary for new laws to be proclaimed, judgements given, and all contentious
issues settled. So, before the next folk feast Herthew prepared a manmade stone
from sand, clay and other things, and while it was still soft, he set the hilt
of his great sword, Dislana the Bitterbiter, into it and when the stone was
hardened Dislana was fast. The sword-implanted stone was then set down near the
place where the king gave judgement. Around it was drawn a wide circle bisected
across.
On the day
when the people were first assembled to hear his words, Itilis told them of his
perplexity over the problem concerning the twin sons of Herthew and his
daughters, he said, "So the people are not divided, and the kingdom rent
by strife, it is well this matter be settled now. Therefore, I am setting a
fair test involving no men other than these two whom I hold equally dear.
Whichsoever of them shall remove their father's great weapon from this stone,
so he frees it and grasps the hilt, shall become my lawful heir, with the other
being to him as a younger brother. They will each try in turn during the
duration of the fall of a feather, the first trier being he who casts his
bracelet over the blade. Then each of Herthew's sons was placed in a spot where
the bisecting line joined the circle, so they stood opposite each other, and
each had three bracelets. They threw until one encircled the blade with his
bracelet.
Then this
one tried to withdraw the weapon with his hand but could not, because of the
sharpness, the other tried by placing his two palms on each side of the blade,
then pressing them together while lifting, but he could not move it either. The
first one tried again, copying what had just been done more powerfully, so the
stone almost lifted off the ground, but the sword did not leave the stone. Then
the other approached the stone, but this time he put his hands under the edges
of the stone, so he could lift it in his arms and he dashed it down over a rock
which was nearby, so it broke asunder. He then picked Dislana up by the hilt
and brandished it over his head. The people acclaimed him while his brother
grasped his arms in congratulations. Thus, by wisdom was the problem overcome.
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