ã€ŠWonderous Tales of the Northern Kingdomsã€‹


 The Beggarâ€™s Horse

    Tilly limped through the still dewy grass. The weedy girl looked pitiful, her figure and clothes dirty and tattered. She was now eleven years old. Three years it had been since she had lost her home and her father, her last living relative, to a fire. Since then she kept herself alive for better or for worse with begging and odd jobs. She appeared accordingly. Dressed in old rags compassionate souls had gifted her, with felted long straw-blonde hair, haggard but still not losing the will to live from the clear blue eyes. Her skin was tanned, for it was summer soon and she lived out in the open. Currently the child¡¯s skin was laced with bruises because she was expelled with club blows from the nearby village of Heathton together with other beggar¡¯s pack as recently as yesterday. Sadly not the first time she had to experience something like this.

    After she had spent a night on moss cushions underneath a knotty old spruce tree, Tilly now set off again. She hurt all over though but the bit of money and food she brought with her in a small bag would surely not suffice for long. The next village, Cliffwood, lay beyond the shadowy woods she currently traversed, and from Heathton to Cliffwood it would take the girl three days or more for sure. Especially now, when she couldn¡¯t walk normally. At least Tilly¡¯s rags-wrapped feet were still sound. Even if it was already early May these days, it could nevertheless be astoundingly brisk in the morning, particularly as the frost of the previous winter could still be felt in April. Correspondingly, Tilly shivery coated herself further with her tattered rags.

    One step at a time the girl continued on her path. Only at noon the child took a break. The cold was already gone by now. Birds joyously sang in the branches of the green forest trees. A gentle wind bringing the smell of spring blew through the scrub. The surface of a larger forest lake a slightly broader creek was pouring in sparkled in the sunshine.

    Tilly currently stayed at the shore of the very same lake. After she initially had refilled her hose, she now allowed her travel-weary feet rest in the cool lake water. At the same time she chewed on a hard heel of slightly moldy bread which was her first meal of the day. Tilly had come not as far as originally desired due to her injury but that couldn¡¯t be helped.

    It¡¯s not like I had a horse or cart. she thought to herself. Her only trusty means of transport were her feet even though she once had learned to ride, back then on the stud owned by her father.

    She would have forgotten the ridiculous thought right away if she had not seen a lonesome grazing horse at the bank of the other lakeside when looking up randomly from her frugal meal.

    Tilly rubbed her eyes in surprise. The horse really was there.

    A big black stallion grazed peacefully on the shore beyond as if forgotten by the world.

    Excitedly Tilly crammed the bitten heel of bread back into her small bag, wrapped the rag binding hastily around her dripping-wet feet, and stood up as fast as her sore body allowed for. The straying steed was a unique opportunity for her! Not only could she try to reach Cliffwood faster on horseback ¨C of course in the hope that the animal was already used to being ridden ¨C she could also try to sell it to thusly fund her further life.

    Carefully the blonde girl scurried from shrub to tree to bush, always intent to not warn the mount too early of her presence but also not to lose it out of view. The animal, however, grazed unperturbedly even when Tilly left her cover and approached the black horse slowly with a calming tone.

    She had already neared the grazing horse except for a few steps when she was struck by an inexplicable shiver. Suddenly the old stories that the child¡¯s mother used to tell on long winter evenings at the chimney crossed her mind. Among them was also the story of the cruel water horse, the kelpie, that but waited for an oblivious person to sit on its back to carry him quickly into the depth of the water and devour him there.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t a kelpie, horsey, are you?¡± the girl asked with a hushed, shaky voice.

    The yet impassive steed quickly turned its head to the beggar child and looked at her with piercing eyes in a manner making the girl¡¯s hair stand on end.

    ¡°A kelpie?¡± the black horse asked in a dark voice that seemed to derive out of a deep abyss and snorted disdainfully. In the process he showed his teeth that, far from any kind of horse, consisted of fangs like a carnivore¡¯s. ¡°I am an each-uisge, please! How can anybody confuse me with something like a kelpie? Do I live in a river like a dim-witted kelpie? No, I live in a lake. I would be pretty stupid if I had to arrange myself with the stream current. What¡¯s more, an each-uisge is much more majestic than any kelpie! Honestly!¡±

    With paralyzed limbs Tilly stared at the presenting surreal scene. She had barely considered possible that she would hurt the pride of the water horse with her question.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Kelpies! They all only know kelpies!¡± the each-uisge complained ¡°Hardly anybody has ever heard of the proud each-uisge! Not to mention that nobody can correctly pronounce our name!¡±

    When the rant didn¡¯t abate even after a long time, the girl managed to regain her composure. This nagging water horse, though eerie, didn¡¯t seem nearly as dangerous as the man-devouring creature of the legends.

    ¡°Do you eat people?¡± Tilly even dared to ask.

    Surprised, the black horse stopped his lament and gazed at the child that now appeared to be no longer afraid of him.

    ¡°Certainly I eat humans!¡± the horse declared with a thundering voice as if it was a matter of course. ¡°Humans taste so much better than fish, ducks, and of course all the green stuff. Tender human meat! Who could ever get enough of this? Only human liver, it¡¯s disgusting. But I don¡¯t eat it though. Incidentally, such an each-uisge like me is much more skillful than any kelpie. No human that catches sight of us is able to survive the encounter.¡± so the steed proclaimed with a proud chest ¡°You also won¡¯t get away any better, girl.¡±

    ¡°But how shall people know the each-uisge when nobody is alive to report about it?¡± the girl wanted to know. She hoped to hold the impending death off her neck with this question. Had Tilly become aware again through the each-uisge¡¯s statements how dangerous he was, she knew at the same time that a maltreated eleven years old child never ever could escape a rested stallion.

    The unexpected question made an impact. Perplexed, the water horse began to think about it. At times he nodded; at times he shook his head so that his mane flew wildly through the air.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± the each-uisge admitted ¡°I¡¯ll let you run for once in order for you to tell the humans about the powerful each-uisge Domhnull.¡± Thus the black horse declared complacently. But as he watched the child in front of him the satisfaction seemed to wane though.

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re no real bite.¡± Domhnull commented ¡°Will anyone listen at all to such a scruffy brat like you?¡±

    Now it was Tilly who frowned. True, she really didn¡¯t look particularly favorable but one hadn¡¯t to rub that straight into her face. And then it¡¯s even a horse that talked about her derogatively. But the young beggar had always been a very shrewd child. At any rate she wanted to take care of it that the beast from the lake depth didn¡¯t consider otherwise and also to benefit herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Cliffwood. There they know me.¡± the girl declared ¡°But I don¡¯t know how well I¡¯ll get there. In the village from where I¡¯ve come, I and other beggars have been clobbered very badly. Look!¡± With these words Tilly turned around and exposed her back that was beaten black and blue.

    At this sight the each-uisge made a grimace as well as his equine facial expression allowed for. ¡°Something can be done about it.¡± he said.

    To her surprise, Tilly suddenly felt cold hands at her back. Startled she turned around.

    ¡°Hey, keep still!¡± Domhnull complained. The big black water horse still had the same dark voice but not the same shape. Instead of the ungulate there stood an elegant and handsome black haired young man, clad in a fine black costume like only the wealthy were able to afford. Out of dark eyes which appeared like fathomless lakes, the water monster that had become a man discontentedly glared at the girl. ¡°Do you want to be healed or not?¡± he asked gruffly.

    The girl said nothing and nodded simply. Who wouldn¡¯t gladly be healed?

    ¡°This ointment is mainly made out of eel fat which works wonders for a variety of wounds.¡± The now humanoid each-uisge explained and presented a small ointment potty. Then he began to carefully spread the thwacked back with the ointment appearing pleasantly cool on the skin. He also continued the treatment at the hurting legs of the girl. In a few days the bruises would have disappeared for sure. The view of the beaten and haggard child, however, touched the otherwise adamant heart of the water monster. No human child who had encountered him had ever looked as pitiful.

    ¡°Where are your parents, your family?¡± Domhnull wanted to know quite out of character.

    ¡°The gods have come for them.¡± Tilly replied ¡°For mother when I was still very young, for father three years ago. I have nobody else.¡±

    For a moment the each-uisge still pondered if he shouldn¡¯t simply eat this child which wouldn¡¯t be missed by anyone, but considered then otherwise after all. Too bony he thought, not quite honest with himself. Fact was that for the first time in his life he felt something like pity.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s it.¡± The water spirit declared and the young beggar covered her back with cloth again. Then she thanked the horse creature, collected her bag and limped her way, anxious to bring as much distance as possible between herself and the man-eating water horse.

    She hadn¡¯t come far yet when it thundered behind her back: ¡°Hey, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    With a face turned pale with terror Tilly turned around. ¡°To Cliffwood.¡± she responded with a thin voice.

    Domhnull, now in the shape of a horse again, trotted straight to the girl. ¡°As covered in scratches as you are you won¡¯t come far.¡° the beast declared ¡°Swing upon my back and we¡¯ll ride to Cliffwood.¡± At the same time the black horse uttered a loud snort to appear demonstratively uninterested.

    A conflict of doubt and hope was reflected in the little girl¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°Really?¡± she wanted to know ¡°You don¡¯t want to plunge me into the lake after all?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± the each-uisge barked ¡°You aren¡¯t even a worthy bite. Furthermore you shall report about me and my kind. Now get on.¡±

    Tilly nodded approvingly, more to encourage herself than to consent to the horse. Then she began to swing herself on Domhnull¡¯s back. Because of the unfamiliar movements and the height of the stallion who hadn¡¯t laid down to facilitate the child¡¯s mounting, a moan escaped from the girl¡¯s mouth even though she very rarely announced her pain.

    After the steed had noticed that his rider took a seat, by the way in a position looking skillfully, he spoke ¡°Hold on tightly.¡± before he broke into gallop. The young passenger had barely time to hold on to the mane of her mount before the voyage started. Although she could also hold onto the sides of the horse with her legs, but just to make sure. Just like that an unusual pair, a murderous water horse and a young beggar, stormed away towards Cliffwood and into an unknown future.

 An unexpected Encounter

    Shortly before sunrise, a small, deeply hunched woman as old as the hills left a subterranean earth chamber beneath a spreading hazel bush where she used to sleep bedded on soft moss. While she was shuffling her mossy feet over the soil, supported by a knobby cane, her long snow-white hair falling scraggily and disorderedly over her crooked back sparkled brightly in the light of the moon still up in the sky. In a tied up apron from undyed flax the little old woman, who was otherwise only clad in a deep-green dress from spun moss, collected brushwood for a fire.

    Of course, the lonesome granny was no ordinary woman living there in the middle of the deepest forest. Adalberga, such her name, was a buschweibchen, a female wood sprite. Since time immemorial, the hoary one lived in this forest, the growth and decay of which she always had witnessed. Only once every hundred years she repaired to outside of the leaf-covered realm of shadows she called her home. In this forest the buschweibchen spent her days in a calm rhythm as if nothing except for time itself could unsettle her. Only when the weather didn¡¯t allow for or when night fell she returned to her dark but homey dwelling which she had to renew several times over the last centuries and millennia.

    The reddish sunlight spread slowly through the woods when Adalberga appreciatively drank from her freshly poured caramel-brown coffee at her little fire. The hot drink was chicory coffee from roasted chicory root. Fitting for the bitter morning drink, the old woman ate her bread baked on the previous day or rather the soft heart of it ¨C she couldn¡¯t chew the hard bread crust anymore ¨C together with self-made wild berry jam. A smoke rose from the fire which the buschweibchen with the aid of the elements transformed into a dense fog wafting through the morning forest. This fog was Adalberga¡¯s protective screen against uninvited or hostile visitors.

    Only after the elderly woman put out the fire after finishing breakfast and after she sighingly rose from the thick root on which she had sat, the fog slowly started to clear away. Because it was a beautiful day in June promising to get warm, the granny planned to look for birch leaves, fir shoots, and the versatile blue flower neversore to concoct a medicine for her aching joints. During the hot hours of the day she would sit in a shadowy bush and there she would spin new yarn from fibers of tree moss on her spindle. Adalberga couldn¡¯t surmise yet that this shouldn¡¯t happen like that.

    At last the buschweibchen had found the flower neversore. The blue-blooming plant was very rare and could only be found at a few spots in the forest. Furthermore, for it was slightly early for the bloom of the medicinal herb, the blue blossom there showing itself to her was truly a godsend. The healing flower was surrounded by irrkraut all around though. This fern, appearing harmless by itself, released its spores if anybody stepped on it or shook it otherwise. Those spores had the nasty effect to confuse the unfortunate¡¯s senses so that he couldn¡¯t recognize his path or way. The seasoned Adalberga could indeed distinguish irrkraut from common fern with ease but had, stiff as she was, nevertheless problems to maneuver through the unloved herb without touching it. With much patience and attention she managed all the same. Carefully the old woman picked the coveted medicinal herb and placed it in her apron. After she finally had left behind the clearing covered with irrkraut, she wanted to address herself to the easier obtainable ingredients for her medicine before it got too warm for it. In the meantime, the sun was already well up in the sky.

    Suddenly the eerie sound of hunting horns rang out in the forest. Barking and calls like ¡°Yoicks!¡± and ¡°Hey!¡± could also be heard in the distance. An icy scare ran down Adalberga¡®s spine. In the deepest forest no human hunting party would ever be seen. Thus it could only be the wild hunt. This ghost army didn¡¯t preferably hunt some game of the forest but rather buschweibchens and other wood sprites which they had already brought to the brink of extinction centuries ago. The old woman, who had successfully escaped from the merciless hunters of past times, didn¡¯t want to fall victim to the demonic host in her later years. She rather didn¡¯t want to know why the wild hunt, contrarily to its habit, didn¡¯t chase through the forest at night but in the daytime instead.

    As fast as her old bones allowed for, the granny staggered away, supported by her knobby cane. Luckily, the wild hunt still appeared to be far. Adalberga didn¡¯t just run away heedlessly ¨C while her pattering locomotion hardly could be called running ¨C but looked for something very particular. There specifically existed certain places in the forest which the demonic hunters had no might over. They became, however, increasingly rare in the last five hundred years.

    Even if the sight of the moss-green eyes had dropped heavily over time, the buschweibchen knew what she had to look for. The old woman determinedly headed for thorn bushes without caring about the thorns scratching her skin and her dress getting caught up in them. In the midst of the thorns there could be found what she had looked for. It was a heavily weathered tree stump overgrown with moss and lichen the bark of which was engraved with certain symbols. Distressfully sighing, Adalberga dragged her scratched and aching body up on the stump. How good that she had seen this tree stump here some eighty years ago. At this consecrated place she was save from the wild hunt and was additionally protected through the briars from the gaze of the wild huntsman and his entourage.

    It didn¡¯t take too long then appeared a slim, tall woman. Clad only in a simple but elegant dress made of white fabric, she ran barefoot over the forest soil covered with fireweed, wood sorrel, foxglove, and geranium. Her long blonde hair blew after her like a golden veil. There was fear in her big amber eyes while she desperately pressed a bundle against her chest. The beautiful young lady looked around hurriedly and then turned towards the briars in where Adalberga had hidden herself. The buschweibchen¡¯s heart almost stopped in fright, had it appeared it to her that their eyes had briefly met. Still, the elderly woman moved no bit away from the tree stump she was on. The danger posed by the wild hunt was not over yet after all.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The human woman indeed pushed aside the thorny branches and approached the granny with an imploring gesture and a careworn beautiful face.

    ¡°I beseech you!¡± she spoke ¡°Take my child and hide it with you. His father wants his still young life.¡±

    The despair written all over the young mother¡¯s face touched Adalberga. Without asking any further she signaled to her opposite that she was willing to care for the child. She, who herself was no taller than a four or five years old child, received a baby wrapped in a cloth which was slightly less as half as tall as herself. A last time the eyes of the old buschweibchen and the young woman met; the green eyes quietly assuring that no harm would come to the child, the amber eyes filled with gratitude and wrench. Then the blonde lady disappeared from the brushwood as if she never had been there, leaving the peacefully sleeping baby with the old woman.

    The barking of dogs, blowing of horns, and hunter calls came closer and closer. Whip cracking and hoof beats too sounded through the air. Shortly afterwards, the demonic hunting party also came in sight how it broke through the tree tops with the wind. A large host of ghostly pale, sometimes even headless or all-bone riders moved along on black or white and sometimes even headless horses. They were accompanied by a yapping and whining pack of big black hounds with big fiery eyes.

    Ahead of all, a broad-shouldered giant rode on a fire snorting black horse, his feet in spur-wearing black boots, a hunting dagger at his belt, and a crossbow in his hand. On top of his long black hair sat a plumed hat and his dark eyes flashed viciously above his full dark grey beard. This giant, knew Adalberga who watched the whole event tremblingly from her hiding place, was no ordinary man but the wild huntsman Wode, leader of the wild hunt. Wode was actually a fallen god. Worshipped in mythical times as a god of war, of hunting, and of storm, his person, descended into the demonic after the war of gods, was only called upon by a few daredevils who committed themselves in body and soul to the wild huntsman to henceforth never miss a target again with their bows and crossbows. After their deaths those freeshooters then ended up as eternal participants of the wild hunt.

    It didn¡¯t take long before the demonic hunting party caught up with the fugitive woman. Surrounded by scornfully laughing hunters and growling hounds all around, the lady surrendered to her destiny.

    The wild huntsman stopped his steed only directly in front of the woman so that it initially seemed as if he wanted to run her over. The fiery sparks spraying from the black horse¡¯s nostrils ignited the young mother¡¯s gold blonde hair in some places. None of this appeared to impress the white lady though. In contrast to the desperate face that she had worn just recently when she had entrusted her child to the unknown old woman, her expression now looked calm, almost stoic.

    When Wode noticed that all this left the woman completely unfazed, he jumped down from his black horse and planted himself directly in front of her with all his superhuman height. Then he bellowed with a thundering voice: ¡°Woman! Where is the child?¡±

    Thereupon, the questioned woman burst into joyless laughter. ¡°You want to know where my child is?¡± she replied defiantly ¡°Not here. And I will never reveal you where. You will never get him!¡±

    ¡°I asked where my child is!¡± the giant railed.

    When the buschweibchen in the briars heard this, she flinched in alarm and took a cautious look at the bundle in her arms. Frightened from the roar, the child began to whimper and appeared not a bit different than other babies too. Quietly Adalberga rocked the little being in her arms and calmed him down. Given that she knew now who the malevolent father of the poor child was, by no means she wanted to call his attention to herself and the bundle with her.

    ¡°As if I would tell you!¡± the young mother screamed into the face of the wild huntsman ¡°You have abducted me from my parent¡¯s house, forced marriage on me, and raped me. That I can¡¯t change anymore. But that you want to butcher and roast my child, this I can and I will prevent as long as there is still breath in me!¡± Then she straightened up as tall as she could and stepped back a few steps without minding the snarling pack of hounds around her. As soon as she gained enough distance, she gathered all her disdain for her demonic husband and spit straight into his face.

    Boiling with rage, Wode raised his hand and gave a slap to the face of the young woman who had escaped with his child so boldly and, to his dishonor, had even spit on him. The wild huntsman might be a fallen god but the slap that he gave her with full power wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. Because the bride of the wild huntsman had nothing to oppose his brute force, it downright tore the head from her shoulders. Her head was sent flying through the air, surrounded by a billowing veil of long blonde hair. Her body, however, collapsed on the spot and was torn to countless small pieces by the present pack of hounds on the giant¡¯s order. When Wode then collected the deformed head of his bride like a trophy he was not spared even the last ridicule. The young woman¡¯s face, as far as still recognizable, showed an unspeakably satisfied expression in the moment of her death. Not only had the wild huntsman lost his wife ¨C no doubt he could and would likely rob a new bride ¨C but also the last trace of his child who was now forever lost for him, but likely would have been lost itself in his clutches. Ultimately, the leader of the ghost host mounted his black horse again and gave the signal to return. Somewhat quieter than it had come, the wild hunt disappeared again on the wings of tempest in the vastness of the woods.

    Adalberga remained even longer on top of the protecting blessed tree stump in the midst of briars, her heart full of respect for the anonymous young mother who had sacrificed her life for that of her child without hesitation. The buschweibchen once had been a mother herself and had raised several children, even if this was over three thousand years ago.

    When the child in her arms finally cried out with loud weeping, for the first time the granny really turned her attention to the bundle entrusted to her. Wrapped in white cloths, there lay a lovely little boy with the big amber eyes of his mother and the night-black hair of his father. Even if this might have been the child of the wild huntsman, Adalberga couldn¡¯t bring it to heart to leave the innocent little being to his fate and decided to accept him.

    ¡°Are you hungry, dearie?¡± she asked, her wrinkled face twisted into a languishing smile while the little boy sucked longingly on one of her bony fingers. ¡°Unfortunately, I am too old to give any milk but I know where to find a wisent cow that has lost her calf to wolves. I can try to milk her for you.¡±

    As if the child had understood the old woman, it smiled at her happily. Touched, she chuckled. Then she climbed down the tree stump, always holding the baby protectively in her arms, and staggered away, supporting the child but also supporting herself on her cane at the same time. She wished the poor dearie, who she had taken into her care, only the best. That expressed itself in the name she gave the boy later on and which much later should become widely known: Friedbert. Who shines with peace.

 When a Dagger shatters

    Dragomira wiped the beer froth from her mouth. Currently she sat at the bar of a small and smoky tavern somewhere in the narrow alleyways near the slums of Dulnitz. Her pale face was hidden in the shadow of a black hood. Generally, her figure wrapped in a long black coat was dressed consistently dark. This didn¡¯t protect her, the only woman present in the tavern who was neither a waitress nor a prostitute ¨C provided that even the waitresses often worked as casual prostitutes ¨C against the fact that she drew on herself the curious gazes of all present men, mostly drunkards and ruffians.

    Clatteringly, Dragomira put her beer mug on the counter and shouted with a disguised voice: ¡°Innkeeper, another mug!¡±

    The innkeeper, a burly bearded man with a fierce face and an apron bristling with dirt, grunted approvingly and filled a new mug of beer that he dropped roughly. He wanted to return to his place already when the customer spoke quietly: ¡°Do say, innkeeper, what are the newest rumors about, let¡¯s say, the Lord of this town?¡±

    The innkeeper audibly inhaled air through his nose and looked at the cloaked woman in front of him as if she were mad.

    Without saying a word she put a gold coin on the counter.

    The innkeeper still looked critically.

    A further gold coin joined the first.

    With an inconspicuous movement, the publican wiped the money from the counter. Then he spoke with a hushed voice: ¡°You don¡¯t know it from me. When it gets out that I as the brother of the wife of the nephew of the cellarer in the Count¡¯s castle have divulged something, then I don¡¯t risk my neck alone. Yes, there are rumors about the Count and they aren¡¯t the best. I¡¯m well informed. I know what of it is true and what isn¡¯t. It looks like the Count is in cahoots with the King¡¯s younger brother. All the disappearances in Dulnitz and the surrounding area seem also to be on his head. No idea what he does with them but at night screams often can be heard from the castle¡¯s basement. Says at least my brother-in-law who has it from the cellarer in turn but he doesn¡¯t know much himself. The Count probably also rearms, buys many armors and weapons on the quiet. But that¡¯s all I know.¡±

    Dragomira nodded to express her satisfaction. Then she got up, flipped a silver coin covering a heavy tip beside the price for her two mugs of beer at the informative tavern owner, and left the drinking hole without having taken a sip from the second mug at all. She was very pleased. The information she had received confirmed and supplemented what she already knew. Just like that, the woman clad in black disappeared into the darkness of the night without a trace.

    Dragomira was no ordinary woman. The slim young woman whose age appeared to be seventeen was in fact already over two hundred years old. It was no wonder, for she was a vampire after all. Her former life and the name she had borne as a human she already could hardly remember but she appreciated the freedom that the eternal darkness of the night gave her. As a bloodsucker she was, so to speak, the arch-enemy of all mankind but there were people who didn¡¯t care about that and even aided her to quench her bloodthirst regularly without causing a stir. Those people formed the organization to which Dragomira herself belonged to. Known under the name of ¡°Night Dagger¡±, they formed the most famous and most notorious organization of assassins in the empire and the five kingdoms.

    The vampire currently was on a mission. Since Night Dagger was an organization for assassinations, the employers frequently changed. At the moment Dragomira was away on behalf of Fulrad, the chancellor of the kingdom of Waldbergen. He and his lord King Gunderich II suspected that Count Degenhard von Dulnitz conspired against the kingdom together with the King¡¯s younger brother Reginbrand and further men. Therefore, the Count, who was the most powerful among the conspirators not at last because of the rich profits from his mines, had to be eliminated. The only puzzling thing was what the disappearance cases had to do with the Count but that didn¡¯t interest the assassin any further. She only had to accomplish her task and could then disappear into the darkness of the night again.

    Grandly and in a certain way also macabre, the Count¡¯s castle towered in front of Dragomira. The castle full of Gothic pointed arches and built from dark local stone dominated over Dulnitz like a dark tyrant. Although it was deepest night already, sentries circled on the battlement. In doing so they lit the darkness with torches. But even a guarded citadel was no problem for the vampire. From a safe hiding place she kept an eye on the castle walls and used one of the few moments during which the walls sunk into the moonless night to climb over the battlement with superhuman speed.

    Arriving at the round path, the cloaked woman jumped down to the courtyard without bethinking herself and looked for her further way from there on. As a nocturnal monster, Dragomira could still see sufficiently to orientate herself without any problems even in low light. Using her eyes but also her highly sensitive ears, she successfully avoided the guard patrols.

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    Finally, the assassin found the Count¡¯s bedchamber. Before, she already had made a detour to the office of the Count¡¯s caste but she couldn¡¯t find any incriminating material. To find proof of the conspiracy was the vampire¡¯s second task in addition to the Count¡¯s assassination. Carefully she opened the heavy wooden door. She had already knocked out the valet next door using narcotics and she also hadn¡¯t to fear that women or children were present in the bedchamber ¨C Count Degenhard had no children and was a widower for the last ten years.

    Dragomira slowly sneaked up to the canopy bed draped with heavy black curtains. In this large bed the Lord of Dulnitz used to sleep. Gently, very gently she pulled aside the curtain with one hand while she already drew her dagger with the other. The edge of the weapon was laced with poison. The highly potent poison had no effect on vampires and other undead though. Thus the assassin could confidently drink from the blood of those whose throats she had cut with the poisoned dagger.

    When she reached out for the red velvet blanket that was pulled even over the head and lifted it cautiously, there she then saw ¨C a wolf lying. And that was no ordinary wolf. As big as a grown man, the black wolf sprouted golden brown wings from its shoulders and its tail was that of a serpent scaled bilious green.

    When the blanked was barely lifted from the wolf monster¡¯s figure, it glared with fiery eyes at the cloaked figure in front of it, opened its muzzle filled with menacing fangs, and without warning it shot an explosive flame from its throat.

    The dumbfounded Dragomira had barely any time to avoid it although her reflexes were many times better than a human¡¯s.

    Thereupon, a satisfied laughter rang out from a shadowy corner of the bedchamber.

    The room suddenly filled with bright candlelight blinding the vampire in addition to the previous flash. A downright lean man with sharp facial features and decreasing hairline scornfully gazed at the assassin from ice-blue eyes while his lips sneered at her.

    ¡°You will not be able to kill Us so easily!¡± Degenhard von Dulnitz declared with confidence ¡°Rather it is you who will soon regret your impudence. After Our good Vine had told Us about your hidden attack, We have been thinking on how to prevent your evil deeds. Our dear Marchosias will see to it that you receive your just reward for your deed.¡± In doing so, the Count pointed on one hand at a gigantic lion with fiery eyes at the other end of the room, sitting on the back of a black horse and entwisted by snakes, on the other hand on the winged wolf which stood on the bed now.

    When she heard this it gave Dragomira a chill. She knew the names Vine and Marchosias just too well, as they were nefarious demons that could be summoned by black mages after all. There was no doubt that the Lord of the castle couldn¡¯t be saved anymore because he had bought the demons¡¯ services with the price of his soul. Likely the missing people whose disappearance the innkeeper ascribed to the Count also served the satisfaction of the demonic helpers.

    The assassin immediately decided to abandon her job, consistent with the rules of the organization Night Dagger which stipulated that the life of assassins had priority when the completion of the task was unfeasible. As fast as she could she tried to put distance between the demons and herself.

    ¡°Not so fast!¡± Count Degenhard shouted and gave a sign to the wolf demon.

    Marchosias caused a veritable firestorm flowing out of its mouth which not only set the canopy bed and the room on fire but nearly annihilated the vampire by a hairbreadth too.

    As fast as she could she had jumped at the ceiling of the chamber and was now struck there. Since her hooded cloak had caught on fire, she had to let it go so that her figure became obvious. Dragomira was a slim but athletic woman with pale skin and long legs. She was dressed exclusively in black, wore men¡¯s trousers for the sake of flexibility instead of the usual women¡¯s dress. Her pointed face was characterized by a narrow nose and a pair of blood-red eyes. The long auburn hair was bundled into a ponytail.

    The Count of Dulnitz¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He had reckoned with a male and primarily human assassin. Nonetheless, he didn¡¯t plan to spare a female attacker.

    The demon Marchosias now spread its wings and attacked the vampire in the air.

    Dragomira found herself in a tricky situation. Since she had to hold on to the ceiling with her hands and feet so as to not fall down into the sea of flames, she also couldn¡¯t draw her dagger to defend herself.

    The winged wolf exploited this chance of course. With an open mouth it pounced onto its prey and bit into her calf with full power.

    The pain caused the assassin to yell loudly so that her pointed canines typical for a vampire became visible. When the power left her leg, she wasn¡¯t able to stay at the ceiling any longer and fell into the flames.

    Satisfied, Marchosias turned to its current master and wagged its serpent tail in a dog¡¯s manner ¨C a behavior which belied its high intelligence.

    Count Degenhard also appeared highly pleased with the assassin¡¯s demise. That half of his bedchamber caught fire as well and his retinue started to flap, he accepted it quasi as collateral damage. Wouldn¡¯t he call the luxurious bedchamber of a king his own anyway after he would have overthrown the king and disposed of his co-conspirator Reginbrand?

    Suddenly a burning figure dashed forward from the sea of flames, straight along underneath the steed of lion demon Vine, and plunged itself into the dark night through the lead glass window, the shards of which thus also fell into the depth.

    Startled, the Lord of Dulnitz had to assert that the enemy presumed dead still had more life in her than he had thought. Since the hurrying steps of the alarmed castle staff coming running with fire water could be heard in the distance at the same time, the demon summoner commanded the two infernal creatures that they should hide from human view. On the next day he would allow investigation about what became of the vampire, for she couldn¡¯t have come far. It should show that the Count was seriously mistaken though. Except for scorch marks and blood residue in the castle¡¯s courtyard nothing more could be found and even Vine¡¯s visionary power could only assert that the assassin was already located outside of Dulnitz and that she was still alive. Something denied further insight for the demon. It succeeded to take a look into the future though and announced that the paths of the assassin and the Lord of the castle would never meet again. Put at ease by those words, Degenhard von Dulnitz let the happenings of the previous night rest without losing a word about it ever again.

 World of Light

    The snowcapped mountain peaks glittered like gigantic diamonds in the sunlight. Although it was already July, the snow in the high mountains still refused to disappear. Blanchefeur was not a bit bothered by it. The f¨¦e alpestre strode overjoyed through the colorful bloom of the blossoming mountain meadow just beneath the snowline. She looked majestically how she ambulated there. A slim, gorgeous young woman clad in a long snow-white dress that glistened like finest silk. Ice-blue were the eyes in her spotless face as white as the edelweiss, her long loose hair so lightly colored that the blonde nearly became silvery. The young woman was the youngest of seven sisters who lived together in a crystal cave hidden in the slopes of Mont Neigeur. The favorite activity of the sisters was nourishing and cherishing the flowers and animals of the mountain. For the f¨¦es alpestres the blossomy mountain meadows were their spacious garden and the ibexes and chamois their herds.

    Today Blanchefleur had to care for the fairy garden. But that could only be alright with the tall mountain fairy because she loved to wander around out there in the open air, outside of the crystal cave with its coolly glistening splendor. In the extensive, blueish glistening corridors and spacious chambers in the inside of the mountain whereto no ray of sunshine could make its way she often felt downright captive, a sensation her sisters couldn¡¯t comprehend. As long as she could remember Blanchefleur had lived there with her six sisters. She couldn¡¯t nearly remember her father and mother like the majority of her sisters too, and Lucr¨¨ce, the oldest sister, stayed strangely tight-lipped concerning the topic of their parents. But Lucr¨¨ce, who was almost like as a mother to her younger sisters, never forgot to remind her siblings that they should keep away from humans though. Blanchefleur then only nodded and let the matter rest, for she didn¡¯t even know what those humans the sister cautioned them so insistently against actually were.

    Suddenly the young mountain fairy spotted a being like she never had seen before further down the mountain slope. It looked like her kind but also somewhat different. It was a young man with curly brown hair who dared the arduous ascent supported on a hiking pole. He carried a crossbow on his back. His grey eyes too widened in surprise when he saw a gorgeous young woman instead of the chamois he originally had hoped to find. He understood at first glance that the beauty was in no way human but that scared him not a bit.

    ¡°Greetings!¡± he hailed with his hand raised in salute.

    Surprised the f¨¦e alpestre blushed and hastily signaled the stranger, who was quite the handsome lad himself, to be quiet. She didn¡¯t know what her sister would possibly do to him should she detect his presence. Lucr¨¨ce in particular hated trespassers to the core.

    The young man made ¡°Oh.¡± in surprise and then he nodded as a sign that he had understood. After that he continued his ascent silently until he reached the meadow where the celestially beautiful mountain fairy stayed.

    ¡°Greetings.¡± he repeated again, this time with a lower voice.

    ¡°G-greetings.¡± Blanchefeur shyly replied ¡°My name is Blanchefleur.¡±

    ¡°Why are you up here so high in the mountains, Mademoiselle Blanchefleur?¡± the man who introduced himself as Odon, a resident of the village Fontaineclaire at the foot of the mountain, asked.

    ¡°I¡­ I live here.¡± the young fairy answered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t say!¡± Odon exclaimed with contrived surprise. ¡°I have never ever heard about it that there are human beings up here.¡±

    ¡°You are a human?¡± enquired Blanchefeur astonished.

    The young man nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m no human but a f¨¦e alpestre.¡± the beauty freely admitted. It was the first time for the mountain fairy that she encountered a human being. Admittedly she had had no clear idea of humans before but Odon didn¡¯t appear nearly as dreadful as she had thought, rather he was similar to her and her sisters.

    ¡°Oh really?¡± said the villager from the foot of the mountain and laughed joyously. This smile had appealed to the fairy.

    It didn¡¯t stop with only one meeting. After they knew about each other, Blanchefleur and Odon oftentimes met in the dizzy heights of the high mountains. The mountain fairy always signaled him with certain cloud formations around the mountain peak when it was safe to come and when her sisters, who he better shouldn¡¯t encounter, were out and about. Thus the young man often ascended the mountain and when he descended again, he brought back no hunted chamois but rare and beneficial herbs that he could sell in the village and the nearby town for some serious money instead. The routinely contact between the fairy woman and the human man lasted two years already before they knew it, although the young man stayed in his village in winter. Only during the warm seasons which admittedly didn¡¯t last very long in the mountain heights he visited Blanchefleur. As such, a sporadic contact gradually became friendship and friendship became love.

    At the moment the two sat again in the blossomy mountain meadow where there appeared to be no living creature except for butterflies and bumblebees flying from blossom to blossom.

    ¡°Voila! It¡¯s finished.¡± Odon declared and held up a wreath of flowers that he had made from alpine flowers.

    Blanchefleur applauded excitedly. ¡°So beautiful!¡± she spoke out.

    ¡°You are much more beautiful.¡± The brown-haired man asserted without a trace of prudency while he let his hand slide through her silky silver hair.

    Bashfully the f¨¦e alpestre blushed.

    Suddenly her companion put the freshly twined floral wreath on her head. ¡°It suits you.¡± he said.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Really?¡± she inquired, half bashfully, half excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, really.¡± Odon replied and leaned with his shoulder against his beloved ¡°But you are still the most beautiful flower of all.¡±

    Towards evening when the young man had returned home already, Blanchefleur too returned home to the crystal cave. Humming happily, she skipped over the sparkling floor and overjoyed she pressed the flower wreath against her chest.

    ¡°Blanchefleur, is it you?¡± a clear voice rang out.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Sister.¡± she answered.

    Shortly afterwards she encountered another f¨¦e alpestre, quite alike in face and stature, although with a somewhat sterner countenance. This was Lucr¨¨ce, the eldest of the mountain fairy sisters.

    ¡°What do you have there?¡± the elder sister wanted to know, her tone of voice gradually becoming stricter.

    ¡°A flower wreath. I have twined it today.¡± the youngest got by with a white lie. Nobody was allowed to know about Odon, especially not the human-hater Lucr¨¨ce.

    ¡°Useless kitsch!¡± the family head adjudged and wanted to wrest the wreath from her sister. The girl resisted though so that the fancy object eventually teared and the blossoms helplessly swirled through the air.

    ¡°There you have it for what something like that is good for!¡± Lucr¨¨ce asserted ¡°The flowers have short enough to live anyway and you rob them of this life for short-lived stuff like this!¡±

    Blanchefleur looked at her sister defiantly and with tears in her eyes. Then without saying another word she ran deeper into the cave to her own rock chamber where she would have a good cry for starters.

    ¡°And therefore I no longer have your beautiful flower wreath.¡± the young fairy told her human lover.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Blanchefeur.¡± he replied ¡°I can make you a new one again anytime.¡±

    ¡°My big sister is in the wrong anyway.¡± the beauty pouted.

    Odon shrugged, for he didn¡¯t know how he could have helped with the matter any further.

    ¡°Oh, now it occurs to me that you shouldn¡¯t come here during the next three weeks from end of May to early June.¡± the f¨¦e alpestre declared ¡°My sisters and I will be out and about on the whole mountain to assist the chamois and ibexes during childbirth¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the warning.¡± the young man responded ¡°I will abide to it without fail.¡±

    Two weeks later Blanchefleur and her sisters were out and about, exactly as she had said. Even if she had claimed they would help the animals with birth, the f¨¦es alpestres performed midwifery only in exceptional cases. It would be more exact to say that they watched the female ibexes and chamois during birth and only stepped in when it became necessary. Although it was a splendid sunny day, unnoticed by the mountain fairies a tempest began to loom at the foot of the mountain, albeit none in the meteorological sense.

    Suddenly the high cry of a f¨¦e alpestre rang out. Blanchefleur stood up with a start. She knew the voice, no doubt about it.

    ¡°Mireille, is it you? What happened?¡± the youngest of the sisters asked anxiously. Then she set off. Lucr¨¨ce, Mireille, Arlette, ¨¦lodie, Aveline, B¨¦reng¨¨re. None of her six sisters could be found anywhere. Instead she frequently spotted signs of a fight. With ever-growing sorrow and fear she further looked for her family.

    At last she found her sisters on the big flower meadow, the bloom of it distorted by fights and the blood of mother animals slain during childbirth. The eyes of five of the f¨¦es alpestres draped in filthy snow-white dresses were opened widely in terror but there was no life left in them. Heavily built men fumbled around with them and cut their silver hair that was very popular for wigs with the nobility. One of her sisters, Lucr¨¨ce, still struggled desperately against the attackers but she was subdued when she was surprised by Blanchefleur¡¯s arrival. Shortly afterwards the men had broken her neck too.

    ¡°What¡­ what is this here?¡± the youngest of the fairies asked horrified.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fret, Blanchefleur. You will soon be able to follow your sisters.¡± A voice known to her rang out but in such a cold tone like she never had heard before. To her dismay the mountain fairy had to find that Odon was among the attackers too. He smiled at her but his otherwise gentle smile was full of scorn and the otherwise affectionate eyes were full of disdain.

    ¡°Why, Odon? Why?¡± Blanchefleur asked in despair while tears streamed over her pure white cheeks. It felt as if somebody had torn out her heart from her chest with brute strength.

    ¡°Why?¡± the young man burst into coldhearted laughter. ¡°You love me, Blanchefleur, don¡¯t you? You surely want to make me happy, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s why, Blanchefleur, please die for me. With the money that I will get for your and your sisters¡¯ hair I can finally marry my fianc¨¦e who waits five years for this already, you see. But before you die for me please show me the legendary treasures beforehand that you f¨¦es alpestres are said to keep in the interior of the mountain. Wouldn¡¯t you please do that for me?¡±

    It is said there is only a thin line between love and hatred. When it dawned upon the fairy that she only had been used by the man she loved in all the years, the hot love in her heart turned into flames of wrath. While tears still gushed out of her eyes, she burst into a joyless laughter that proclaimed all her pain to the world with the echo. Then she looked at Odon with hate-filled eyes when a suddenly arising wind caused her white dress and her silver-blonde hair to flutter wildly.

    ¡°You want that I give you everything?¡± she asked with a hard voice ¡°Then I will give you everything! As much as I can possibly give you!¡±

    The wind grew into a full-grown gale. But that was not all. From one moment to the other the previously still clear sky was covered with gloomy storm clouds from which hail and snow fell onto the earth. The men were completely at a loss how to deal with the snowstorm in springtime. In the meantime Blanchefleur rose into the air, her ice-blue eyes solely eyeing the traitorous lover. Like a vengeful ghost she came over him, gripping him with snow-white hands at his neck. While the young man struggled and gasped because he couldn¡¯t breathe, the hailstones belabored him and the snowflakes made him freeze, she carried him higher, up and up. In doing so she whispered into his ear with a voice as bitter as the frosty winter wind: ¡°You want to have everything I can offer you. You shall get it. I gift you the most spectacular death you could ever imagine.¡±

    When he heard this Odon trembled with dread. He felt that he should never have gotten himself involved with the f¨¦e alpestre but now it was too late for regret. Meanwhile they had risen so high into the air that they were at eye level with the eternally white mountain top. The bluff rocky slopes spread out deep beneath them. With a last loving smile Blanchefleur looked at the young man who struggled more and more desperately although his limbs were already partly frostbitten. ¡°Farewell.¡± she whispered ¨C and then she just let him go. Odon fell without stopping or any footing into the dizzying depth beneath him and split somewhere on the mountainsides. His bloody scattered remains but also the carcasses of the butchered animals, the bodies of the ruffians frozen to death, the maltreated corpses of the mountain fairy sisters, and not at last the gorgeous bloom disappeared forever beneath a constant white mantle of snow that should cover Mont Neigeur for centuries. The village Fontaineclaire at the foot of the mountain was destroyed by an avalanche soon afterwards and was never rebuilt. And according to the legend somewhere in the eternal snowstorm up to this very day there dwells a lonely f¨¦e alpestre who lives in a large and magnificent but desolate crystal cave, consistently shedding tears for her first love and her sisters.

 Bleeding Roses

    ¡°Four¡­ three¡­ two¡­ one¡­ zero! I¡¯m coming!¡± the voice of a child rang out through the woods. It belonged to a nine year old boy who appeared like thirteen due to his body height, although his general build and his facial features were clearly still those of a child. His large amber eyes sparkled with pleasure when he looked around for his game partners. The boy who was called Friedbert played at a highly unusual time at an unusual place. Since on one hand this was the deepest forest into which no human had ever set foot ¨C aside from Friedbert though ¨C on the other hand it was approximately one hour before sunrise, even when the warm nights of August surely didn¡¯t make the child feel cold. The boy admittedly had spent his whole life up to now in the forest without ever catching sight of a human but he was by no means lonely. He even had many friends with whom he could play, hide and seek for instance, like now too. Friedbert had an unbeatable advantage at his side in playing hide and seek at this hour of the day though. He could find his friends with ease. Just like now.

    ¡°I can see you, Ava!¡± Friedbert shouted and purposefully had a look at a dense bramble. Underneath the thorny branches partially laden with fruits already, there hid a small blue flame with little hands and feet whose face was almost not recognizable in the bright light. The will-o¡¯-the-wisp, that¡¯s what it was, came out of hiding with a disappointed high sound and admitted defeat. Then the human boy continued his search for other little blue flames because the will-o¡¯ the wisps that were at home in the mire of the woods, they were his friends.

    ¡°Eppe!¡± ¡°Bodo!¡± ¡°Effi!¡± ¡°Wittig!¡± ¡°Eike!¡± ¡°Herdis!¡± ¡°Thedel!¡± ¡°Malchen!¡± ¡°Guste!¡± ¡°Turpin!¡± ¡°Lubbe!¡± ¡°Algis!¡± ¡°Imma!¡± ¡°Gosa!¡± In short intervals the names Friedbert had given his playmates rang out. Since the will-o¡¯-the-wisps were souls of children who had died before they could obtain their names, they were very thankful to their friend for that reason. They repaid the boy for his good deed through standing by his side as playmates. Not that they themselves wouldn¡¯t have had great fun in doing so.

    When Friedbert finally had found all of his fifteen friends, he also had to hide himself and his little friend Ava had to seek. Gently like a whispering wind, the will-o¡¯-the-wisp floating up and down in front of a big beech tree counted from twenty downwards.

    The black haired human child quickly looked around for a good hiding place. An old hollow oak tree close by appeared promising. Without hesitation Friedbert squeezed into the narrow tree hole, not caring about it that some creepy-crawlies surprised by his sudden presence scurried away over his body. The boy chuckled quietly and waited.

    Suddenly Ava¡¯s agitated call resounded, soon accompanied by those of the other will-o¡¯-the-wisps. Therefore, he now left his hiding place himself. The little fire spirits had gathered on a small clearing where very many ripe strawberries were growing, which not only the birds but also the friends snacked with pleasure. In the circle of blue light there lay an unconscious figure covered in burns all over. Cautiously, the boy leaned over the motionlessly lying person which turned out to be a woman upon closer examination. With a few medical methods that were known to him, the child tried to make sure of the unconscious person¡¯s condition. To his confusion no pulse could be felt whereas a sight breath was noticeable. Since he was at his wit¡¯s end, help had to come.

    Promptly Friedbert turned around and ran into the opposite direction.

    ¡°Grohla!¡± he shouted at the top of his voice ¡°Grohla, an emergency!¡± Grohla, that was how the boy called his grandmother, the old woman who had raised him.

    She currently sat at a little fire surrounded by thick fog and brewed her chicory coffee. The old woman herself was not taller than a four or five years old child, therefore much smaller than her grandson, though she wasn¡¯t human but rather a buschweibchen, a female wood sprite. When she heard the ruckus, the deeply hunched woman as old as the hills slowly rose from her spot. In doing so she supported herself on a knobby cane.

    ¡°What is all the fuss about?¡± she wanted to know with a rasping voice and dissatisfiedly shook her head covered with long snow-white hair.

    ¡°An emergency, Grohla!¡± An emergency!¡± the boy repeated and tugged agitatedly at the green sleeve of her dress consisting from threads of moss. He wore trousers and a shirt from the same material. ¡°At the clearing, there is a half-dead woman!¡± A half-dead woman!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, dearie. I understand.¡± the granny replied and slowly staggered with mossy feet along the way the boy lead her. Before, however, she still had brought a selection of the most important medicinal herbs from her subterranean dwelling and put it in her tied-up apron.

    Soon afterwards they approached the still unconscious woman. The will-o¡¯-the-wisps made way respectfully but stayed close out of curiosity. That could only be fine with Adalberga, how the buschweibchen was called, because the sun still hadn¡¯t risen. She too noted that the unconscious person paradoxically had a breath but neither a pulse nor a heartbeat though. In contrast to her grandson, however, she understood it.

    ¡°A vampire? Here in our forest?¡± she murmured in bewilderment.

    ¡°Grohla, what¡¯s a vampire?¡± Friedbert who crouched directly next to her wanted to know.

    ¡°A creature that feeds solely on human blood.¡± The elderly woman explained with ambiguous feelings. What did a vampire appear for in the deepest forest were no people could be found far and wide? Well, except for her grandson.

    ¡°Human blood?¡± the boy asked in amazement. He couldn¡¯t quite imagine why someone would want to feed on blood.

    ¡°Enough chatter!¡± the buschweibchen decided ¡°If I shall save the vampire, then we need to bring her to our earth chamber before dawn. Vampires can¡¯t tolerate the sun at all, you see.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Friedbert understood the unsaid instruction and, with the help of the will-o¡¯-the-wisps, loaded the woman who was a little more than a head taller on his back. He then followed after his grandmother, leaving the legs of the unconscious person dragging over the soil. The little fire spirits lighted the way in the meantime before they would retire before sunrise.

    Startled, Dragomira jumped awake and promptly hit her head. Her whole body hurt terribly. Confused she looked around. Although she happened to be in nearly impenetrable darkness, her blood-red eyes could still see exquisitely. At the moment she lay on a bed of moss, covered with a too short blanket which was in all likelihood made from the same material. Her resting spot was located at a side wall of a dark chamber composed of soil that, excluding the moss-covered floor, enclosed a shelf roughly timbered together from sticks and branches containing dishes and storage vessels from clay in addition to dried and fresh foods and green balls of moss yarn, and bunches of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling spreading their spicy-tangy odor in the subterranean dwelling.

    Confused, the vampire tried to remember what had happened. She, who was a member of the infamous assassin organization Night Dagger, had failed her last mission miserably and had barely been able to save her own life. In the course of this she had been blazingly engulfed in flames though. She couldn¡¯t remember any further. However, it was to expect that there wasn¡¯t much left of her previous beauty, especially of her long auburn hair. Surprised the assassin found that someone had taken care of her wounds because all her burns and other wounds had been medically treated.

    Even if the assassin stayed on guard, she felt a wave of relief washing over her. At the same time the hunger for fresh human blood became noticeable since the red lifeblood was able to speed up her self-recovery many times.

    A little bit later a stooped boy stepped into the low room. When he discovered that the woman on the sickbed had awoken ¨C she supported herself on her arm to sit up a bit ¨C he turned around immediately and shouted: ¡°Grohla! She is awake!¡±

    Not long after a small granny staggered inside and examined the patient attentively and somewhat critically as well from moss green eyes. ¡°You are doubtlessly conscious again.¡± she remarked dryly.

    Dragomira replied no more and watched the old woman warily. There was no doubt about it that the buschweibchen had tended to the heavily injured vampire, were the wood sprites considered highly competent at healing after all. That a human child was in company of the healer though, that was something completely uncommon.

    ¡°Really remarkable that you have regained consciousness with such heavy burns after half a day already.¡± the elderly woman said ¡°You are welcome to rest with us as long as necessary, but I warn you! Should you put even one finger on Friedbert, then I know ways and means to cause you suffering which will let your previous injuries appear like a gentle spring breeze.¡±

    The threat was unmistakable. Even when the boy was a tempting food source for the undead, he was taboo for her. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time that the assassin has to manage famished without a meal of blood for a long time while there are people right under her nose. Dragomira signaled that she had understood with a nod of her head, for her throat was still too sore to speak after all. Subsequently, the old woman let her grandson come in. He brought a bucket of fresh water with which the patient refreshed herself initially before her wounds were bathed with it before ointment and bandage were renewed.

    The vampire¡¯s recovery progressed surprisingly fast. Even without any human blood. After no more than a week she could already leave her bed and perform simple mobility exercises, although still hurting all over. When the sun had set she already joined Adalberga and Friedbert at the campfire for short periods of time. Dragomira soon had understood that the buschweibchen and the human boy were no danger for her, likewise the boy¡¯s will-o¡¯-the wisp friends who had swarmed around her as soon as she had left the subterranean chamber hidden below a hazel bush for the first time. The child who was younger than initially thought turned out to be a real pain in the neck though who downright drilled her with questions in his curiosity.

    It was like this too one evening when Friedbert inquired: ¡°Say, what¡¯s your name and where are you from?¡±

    ¡°That is a secret.¡± Dragomira replied with a still coarse voice.

    ¡°You have no name?¡± the boy naively asked ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you one. Ava, Eppe, and the others have their names from me too. Fine, Grohla told me many names she knew before but I chose them. Ah, I know one! Rose! We¡¯ll name you Rose! Grohla has said that you once must have been as beautiful as a rose. Therefore Rose.¡±

    ¡°All but that!¡± the assassin moaned but the name stuck. From this time on she was only called Rose by everyone and the will-o¡¯-the-wisps never forgot to remind her how thankful she had to be to Friedbert for her name. She admittedly could have rid herself quickly from the unloved name by disclosure of her own name but that she didn¡¯t want to and couldn¡¯t do. Why she didn¡¯t state an alias, who knew?

    In late September when the nights got cooler again and the trees started to lose their colorful leaves, Dragomira had recovered so far that she could go her own way again. Adalberga had assured her that, at the rate at which she recovered and with her self-healing power, scars likely wouldn¡¯t remain. As for the matter of her hair regrowth, it would take quite a long time. Since her clothes hadn¡¯t really been useable as well, scorched as she had been, the assassin was now clad into a dress of green moss cloth that the buschweibchen had gifted her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, Rose!¡± Friedbert complained with a long face. For him the vampire was a rare new friend from a foreign world, even if she hadn¡¯t really told him of the world outside.

    She, on the contrary, was quite happy that she wouldn¡¯t have anything more to do with the annoying and at the same time temptingly delicious child. Soon she would dive into the shadows of the underworld again to which she belonged as an assassin, and there she would report about the information she had found during her mission. Consequently, the mission hadn¡¯t failed completely.

    ¡°I will certainly not say ¡®See you again¡¯.¡± the granny declared with an ironic smile on her wrinkled face ¡°Since we will hardly ever meet again. Nevertheless, I wish you all the best in your world while we will stay in ours.¡±

    The undead, taciturn until the end, bid goodbye with a short nod before she turned around and resolutely stroke out so that she soon disappeared into the darkness of the night.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, dearie.¡± the old woman said to her grandson when she gently took his hand ¡°Like we have our life Rose has hers, and it is surely for the best that she can return to her old life. I don¡¯t think that she would have been happy here with us in the long run.¡±

    The boy nodded pitifully, tears in his eyes.

    ¡°You know what?¡± his grandmother continued ¡°Since you have been very brave today you deserve a big slice of cheesecake.¡± She had baked just this morning since she could somewhat predict the situation. And really: The prospect of sweet pastry slightly dried the child¡¯s tears. Hand in hand they turned towards their home where they surely would pass many more interesting days.

 Adventure in the Inn

    ¡°Here it must be.¡± Tilly spoke. On the road between Oakham and Whitbury there was only a single inn and on this dark, rainy evening in November its lights were hardly to miss far and wide. The fourteen years old girl covered in a long brown hooded cloak rode a big black horse.

    ¡°About time!¡± the animal grumpily piped up with a dark voice ¡°I can¡¯t stand this pouring rain already.¡± Indeed, the stallion was no ordinary horse but an each-uisge, an actually highly dangerous, man-eating water horse that traveled around together with the young woman on his back for some mysterious reason.

    The each-uisge who was called Domhnull had met Tilly for the first time a little more than three years ago. Back then the girl wasn¡¯t much more than a haggard begging orphan. Somehow the child had melted the merciless heart of the water monster. Thus the steed had volunteered to bring her out of the wilderness and to the next settlement if she spread the legend of the each-uisge in return. They had reached their destination but didn¡¯t part there; rather they continued their journey together from there on. Thanks to the stallion, the young woman had been doing much better ever since than during her begging days because he was able to provide money for her life. That enabled her and him to afford sufficient food, good clothes and a good saddle respectively ¨C Domhnull had prohibited bridle and reins though ¨C and lodgings. Rumors had that wherever they passed by time and time again the fat livers of fraudulent merchants, cruel bandits, and heartless moneylenders swam on the water in the morning, and the legend wanted to know that an oddly righteous each-uige had his hand in this.

    With still some distance from the appealing tavern, Tilly descended from her mount that made use of the darkness of the night to take human shape with what he was skilled at as well. As such, an elegant black-haired young man of about twenty years whose hair and fine black garment were nonetheless as soaking wet as the fur of his horse shape strode alongside the girl.

    Squealy the tavern¡¯s door from oak planks opened. Each-uisge and human girl stepped into the flickering light of the chimney fire lighting up the main room. Now stepped out of the rain, Tilly threw back her hood and exposed a partly still girly, partly already feminine face with clear blue eyes whose brownish complexion bore witness of constant travels. Her long straw-blonde hair looked neat and was braided to a comely plait.

    Domhnull for his part looked drenched but still with a certain grace as he let his dark eyes gaze through the taproom. The tavern was full of guests who had searched cover from the wet thunderstorm and were forced now to spend the night here. The town gates of Oakham and Whitbury were closed at this time anyway.

    ¡°What can I do for the gentleman and the young lady?¡± the innkeeper asked, a chubby, sturdy man with grey beard and bald head who dried his hands with a towel. He had apparently decided to greet the newly appeared guests because especially the appearance of Domhnull looked wealthy although a little watered.

    ¡°Food, drink, and a room for the night.¡± The each-uisge in human shape demanded with a deep voice.

    ¡°Very well, Sir.¡± the publican replied ¡°How is a warm soup to warm your damp bones?¡±

    The water monster nodded affirmatively. Thereupon, the landlord lead them to a table were there were still two free seats and then returned behind the counter to inform his wife that she should get two dishes of soup ready.

    Soon afterwards, two plates with steaming vegetable soup and two mugs of mulled wine stood before them which they consumed quietly. Tilly and Domhnull conversed as little as possible in presence of other people because even if the water horse was able to take human shape, his monstrous origin could still be heard from his dark voice. Besides, their table companions, three heavily built and unrefined men, were loud enough already as they bawled how they would be rich and able to bath in beer every day soon.

    At last, one of the boors took a look at Tilly. ¡°Yer a pretty lass.¡± he spoke and burped complacently ¡°Whaddaya say? Wanna sleep a night with me? I¡¯m gonna show ye joys ye can¡¯t even imagine.¡±

    Disgusted, the girl jerked back.

    ¡°C¡¯mon! No need to be shy!¡± the ruffian said without bothering about it and reached out to her with his chunky hand.

    Then Domhnull grabbed the man at his wrist so that his bones cracked, and growled: ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to! Can¡¯t you see it?¡±

    The brute and his comrades regarded the black-haired young man who got in their way with rather unfriendly eyes but turned away from him and Tilly after all. The guy who had made approaches grimly rubbed his hurting wrist at the same time.

    Later Tilly and Domhnull lay in their beds. They had gotten a small room with two beds but it had costed considerably. Three gold coins to be exact. Although this price seemed similar to highway robbery, but at a crowded evening like today a place to sleep was not easy to get, especially since they didn¡¯t want to risk getting a community room together with those brutes. The girl surely shouldn¡¯t lose her virginity to an obscure uncouth klutz.

    So they lay on pricking straw mattresses in wooden bed frames, covered with bug-ridden wool blankets but that was better than nothing after all. Whereas gentle, even breaths could already be heard from the young woman¡¯s bed, the each-uisge still lay awake, although with his eyes closed. He was afraid that their table companions could try to get revenge for the suffered disgrace under the cover of night.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    And really the room door soon opened quietly. Domhnull stayed alert. Faint steps pattered over the floor and turned to his bed.

    Suddenly something heavily pressed on his chest.

    The water monster cast up his eyes and jumped out of the bed.

    The noise made Tilly wake with a start. She looked around with blue eyes opened widely and asked: ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± When she rose, she only wore a modest but not unstylish brown dress embroidered with a hem of flowers that wasn¡¯t able to completely hide her budding femininity.

    ¡°That¡¯s up!¡± the each-uisge answered and pointed to a small figure rolling over the floor. The oil lamp lit shortly afterwards revealed the sight of a small, unspeakably ugly, grey-haired little man, barely taller than a human ankle, who was clad wholly in green. The attacker was not at all what the girl and the water horse turned human had expected. The midget pulled himself together again, flashed his eyes fiercely at the two others and shouted harshly: ¡°Let them go, you scoundrels!¡±

    ¡°Let who go?¡± Tilly asked confused.

    ¡°Say, do you play dumb?¡± the old man asked snappily ¡°I talk about the pixies that your three cronies have caught, of course. I¡¯ve seen you eating together after all.¡±

    Now the scales fell from the two¡¯s eyes. It weren¡¯t they at whom the tiny being¡¯s wrath was directed but the three boors who had sat at the same table. Domhnull felt how the rage slowly boiled in him. He hadn¡¯t to put up with something like this after all, especially when he was innocent.

    The young woman, who realized how her companion felt, immediately tied his hands. The each-uisge¡¯s rage was something she didn¡¯t want to witness anymore if possible.

    ¡°Let me settle this.¡± she spoke. Consequently she explained the old man patiently how it really was. The grumpy midget initially didn¡¯t want to believe her but was persuaded at last too.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± the elderly man reluctantly hissed with clenched teeth. Then he explained upon request that he was a spriggan. His name was Moriud. He worked as a bodyguard for a prestigious lineage of pixies like everyone in his venerable family. The seasoned bodyguard served the triplets Eldoc, Benli, and Categirn for some time. They had decided two days ago to jaunt to watch the hustle and bustle in the human towns. Moriud had pressingly discouraged them to do so, cautioned them against the viciousness and treachery of humans but they ignored his opinion and then they departed with the bodyguard in their wake ¨C he couldn¡¯t let them go alone after all. When the three cocky pixies explored a seemingly deserted camp they got caught and abducted by the same three scoundrels whom the spriggan had followed to this tavern. They planned to sell the three midgets to the highest-bidding noble, an audacity the old bodyguard had to prevent by all means.

    Touched, Tilly decided that she wanted to help the poor little beings. Domhnull took the view that they and the old spriggan didn¡¯t deserve this ¨C ¡°Pride comes before a fall.¡± he said ¨C but he still backed down after Moriud had promised to reveal to them a treasure buried nearby, should they help him. Apart from being bodyguards spiggans in particular also were known as guardians of hidden treasures.

    Shortly afterwards the young woman, her nonhuman companion and the pixies¡¯ bodyguard stood in front of the three abductors¡¯ room. That those three had rented their own room, they had learned so from the publican¡¯s account books they secretly had gained access to. It was no wonder because flaunting the pixies in a community room was as good as shouting dozens of pilferers directly into the face that they carried the proverbial golden goose ¨C although, during dinner they hadn¡¯t quite stayed inconspicuous.

    Domhnull kicked open the door of the room without much ado. He had to pick a bone with those three because of their advances on Tilly anyway.

    Woken up by the noise, the ruffians immediately jumped at attention. The notorious rowdies were less than delighted that they were given an unexpected nightly visit. The water monster wasn¡¯t bothered by neither the nasty looks and filthy insults nor the fierce threats or the angry fist attacks and knife assaults greeting him. He avoided the attacks masterfully.

    One.

    Two.

    One of the pixies¡® abductors got the each-uisge¡¯s fist in the stomach and crumpled moaning onto the floor. The monster¡¯s fist admittedly was less hard than his hooves but there wasn¡¯t much difference.

    Three.

    Four.

    The smallest of the three men who appeared to make up for his lacking height with additional width ¨C consisting solely of muscle mass ¨C was lifted into the air by Domhnull at his brown-haired ponytail at the back of his head. He screamed in pain when the hair roots pulled at his scalp.

    Five.

    Six.

    The man lifted at his hairs was hurled straight into the face of his last standing crony. Together they flew to the wall in the rear were they were left lying unconsciously.

    ¡°Young Master Eldoc! Young Master Benli! Young Master Categirn!¡° Moriud shouted loudly. Thereupon, muffled but agitated voices rang out from beneath one of the beds. The spriggan rushed there immediately but had to find that the three pixies were captivated in a wicker birdcage.

    Now it was Tilly¡¯s turn. With her slim arm she caught under the bed, fetched the birdcage veiled with a dirty cloth, and liberated the captives from it. Those red-haired boys clad in green with the little red caps on their heads were not a bit taller than their bodyguard, rather they appeared even more delicate. They also had to put up with a well-deserved sermon from him. The three rowdy pixies gave Tilly their thanks quite well-behaved, their faces with the upturned nose and the pointed ears blushed with embarrassment, but they didn¡¯t do so to Domhnull though, whom they seemed to fear. Indeed the triplets, who, like all of their kin, liked to go for a ride with other people¡¯s horses at night, had once had negative experiences with a water horse, albeit a kelpie.

    Still under the cover of night they all skulked off from the inn. The each-uisge and the girl had paid for their room beforehand anyway so that the innkeeper surely wouldn¡¯t suffer a loss. Fortunately the rain had stopped in the meanwhile and even the waxing moon could be seen from between the clouds.

    Like promised, Moriud showed his prot¨¦g¨¦s¡¯ saviors a treasure hidden nearby. In fact it was an old earthen pot full of copper and silver coins that was buried in between the roots of the old lime tree in front of the tavern. Eldoc, Benli and Categirn were very hurried to return home thereafter. The pixies likely had enough of adventures for the next time. Although the spriggan still grunted moodily, he also didn¡¯t seem to be unhappy with the conclusion of the whole matter.

    Despite the cold night, Tilly and Domhnull too weren¡¯t unhappy, as they had made no insignificant sum of money after all ¨C at the expense of their sleep and a warm lodging though. After Domhnull had taken his horse shape again he felt considerably more comfortable with, he and his rider trotted off to Whitbury that would open its gates for them in the morning.

 The Slaveâ€™s Freedom

    ¡°Otaspes, the documents about the contract closing with Sivert Koggner from Watthaven please.¡± a mellow, good-humored voice rang out.

    ¡°Very well, Master.¡± Otaspes replied. The lanky thirteen years old boy stood at the moment in the archive with shelves full of contact parchments and tick books that adjoined the study of his Lord and Master. The boy was a slave whom his Master had acquired quite spontaneously on one of the empire¡¯s bigger slave markets six years ago. Since it became apparent soon afterwards that Otaspes was a clever fellow, his Master suddenly made him his assistant and taught him writing and calculating, accounting, and several languages among other things. The boy was extremely thankful to his buyer that he had released him from the hell of the slave cages and saved him from a worse fate. He was, since being exceedingly discrete, deployed even there where the Master of the house didn¡¯t trust his apprentices or even his own sons. The Master was but one of the few who treated Otaspes normally too, for the panotian already extremely contrasted the people around him just with his appearance alone after all. Pale like a piece of chalk, the unruly curly hair as red as fire, eyes like two gleaming gold coins, that was his appearance. What distinguished him the most from others though ¨C except for his extremely rare golden eyes ¨C where his large ears, typical for a panotian but abnormal for people of this part of the world, that drooped down to his elbows and were so wide that he could have easily covered himself with them.

    With the requested document in hands Otaspes returned to his Master¡¯s study. The man expected him already, standing at a writing desk made of reddish beech wood. The slave boy¡¯s Master was Rigaud Lunoir, the probably most significant long-distance merchant in the whole kingdom of Sucellie. Even the royal family regularly obtained his goods and also belonged to his debtors because Master Rigaud acted as moneylender too, since he possessed a significant fortune. And yet it was less a matter of receiving interest for the merchant but rather of establishing a web of contacts and connections that could be of use to him. For such an impressive personage Rigaud himself appeared hardly impressive ¨C except for his corpulence because he was a big friend of delicacies. Dressed not too extravagant but also not too shoddy, he appeared like an ordinary, cheerful man in his late fifties, a big hazel mustache and a big bulbous nose in his face, with dwindling hairline and pleasurably narrowed green eyes.

    ¡°Here, Master.¡± Otaspes spoke as he handed his Master the required documents. The man received the parchment, looked at the flame of the beeswax candle illuminating the study, and then he said: ¡°You can already retire, Otaspes. The sun has set long ago and I won¡¯t take much longer too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± the panotian replied and bowed. In doing so his big ears drooped from his head like two banners.

    Master Rigaud generously smiled at the boy. He had never treated the young slave inhumanely, the more so as his helpfulness soon became apparent. Generally, the long-distance merchant belonged to those people who treated their servants well as long as they didn¡¯t do anything wrong. That was nowhere near the standard though.

    After he had pulled the door to the study shut, the red haired boy set off. As quietly as he could he walked on the creaking floorboards of the hallway. The moonlight falling through the little leaded windows of the merchant¡¯s house shone on his lanky figure. Although a slave, Otaspes couldn¡¯t say that he lacked anything. He wore simple trousers and tunic from woolen fabric as recommended for the month of February. His feet were in simple leather shoes. Food, drink, a place to sleep, what more do you want?

    After a long day of work, the boy who was still too awake to lie down to sleep was drawn to his favorite place. There he was already expected. The rustling of straw beneath his feet, the gentle snorting of the horses in his ears, the panotian comfortably took a seat in a heap of straw.

    ¡°Well, are you here again?¡± a voice rang out from the fodder-loft. Then a small figure slid down the ladder bar. Illuminated by a blue shining lantern, a chubby little man no bigger than a rooster showed up. He was clad in red, had red hair, and a red beanie on his head. Of ugly appearance, he had fiery eyes, claws as hands, cloven hooves, and a long rat tail. This peculiar creature was Gossouin, a follet and the groom in Rigaud Lunoir¡¯s house. Since Gossouin had little use for the money of humans, he was already satisfied with board and lodge. His bed stood in a corner of the fodder-loft and he also got his meals brought to the stable. In return he took great care of the animals entrusted to him which didn¡¯t lack anything. Not anybody could rate such a capable stable spirit among his servants because the follet nonetheless had strict criteria regarding his lodging, sustenance, and also the lordship in general.

    ¡°Hello Gossouin.¡± Otaspes greeted. The slave boy was friends with the little groom and his prot¨¦g¨¦s. In fact the slave boy was closer to the follet than anybody else in the long-distance merchant¡¯s house, and was it the Master of the house himself.

    ¡°Will you play something today again?¡± Gossouin wanted to know.

    ¡°That I had planned.¡± The panotian confirmed. Then he took out his auloi from their hiding place in the stable. This double oboe was the only thing the boy could take along from his former home and former life. The aulos was a flute-like looking instrument that was played with both hands and in pairs. Otaspes put the auloi to his lips and began to play. While his fingers danced over the pitch holes, he coaxed sonorous timbres from the instrument which floated through the stable with a foreign melody. The mounts and pack animals didn¡¯t let themselves be disturbed any further. They were used to the young slave¡¯s music since long ago. The follet listened with half-closed eyes, letting himself be brought on a musical journey by the sounds of the auloi.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    While the panotian still was playing music in the stable, somewhere else a figure clad completely in black and enveloped by a long hooded cloak gained entry to Master Rigaud¡¯s house. The backdoor, which was leading to the backyard from the kitchen of the house now deserted by the Mistress of the house and her maids, quietly opened. Unseen, a shadow darted inside before the door closed as silently as it had opened before. The intruder had a mission. Beneath the dark cloak there was a young woman ¨C although with over two hundred years the vampire only looked young. Dragomira, such she was called, was an assassin belonging to the famous and notorious assassin organization Night Dagger and she had come here for the accomplishment of her assignment. Client was a certain spendthrift lower noble called Payen de Grouville who had lent money from the long-distance merchant but was neither able nor willing to pay it back. Therefore he had payed Night Dagger an exorbitant sum to get rid of creditor and debts for good. Who was in the right didn¡¯t mean stuff at all to Dragomira. She was only interested in executing the mission the leader of Night Dagger had given her as desired by the client.

    What the client desired was a merciless massacre. The vampire intruded all rooms; no matter if maids or menials, handmaiden or apprentice, children and grandchildren too, even the Master and Mistress of the house were not spared. Not the poisoned dagger Dragomira carried with her was used though but a certain incense the scent of which had a deeply narcotic effect. Nobody who was fumigated with this incense mix only known to members of Night Dagger would be able to wake up in the next few hours. The vampire was protected against the effect of the drug by a scarf she wore over mouth and nose. Since she expected nobody there, the assassin didn¡¯t resort to the somewhat outlying stables. That was Otaspes¡¯ and Gossouin¡¯s luck. At any rate she hadn¡¯t heard the slave¡¯s playing of the auloi. Then Dragomira set the merchant¡¯s house on fire at several places, among them also the study and archive, and then she disappeared again in the darkness of the night. The next morning nothing more than ash would be left of the creditor, his potential heirs and the debt documents but also of his various and precious goods in stock.

    Suddenly the smell of smoke penetrated the stables. The first to notice were the horses that were prancing up and down unsettled in their boxes. Soon afterwards Otaspes and Gossouin too noticed the menacing smell. The young panotian immediately stopped his playing of instruments.

    ¡°Fire?¡± he asked startled.

    ¡°Looks like it.¡± the follet replied ¡°You go looking if you can somehow help with extinguishing the fire. In the meantime I will bring the horses to safety outside.¡± For the groom his animal prot¨¦g¨¦s had priority, not the people. But that way of thinking wasn¡¯t exactly uncommon for follets.

    The slave boy nodded affirmatively, poached his auloi, and hurried out of the horse stable. On the other side of the backyard the main house was blazingly engulfed in flames and it was only a question of time when the flames would spread to the stables still spared. For a moment Otaspes thought about it if he should heroically plunge into the flames to save people trapped there but then saw reason though and stormed through the yard gate to the cobblestone street. Then he made a racket that it echoed in all alleys: ¡°Help! It burns! Fire! Fire!¡±

    Awakened by the warning cry, the neighbors, despite the late hour, stuck their heads out of the window. When they saw that the merchant Rigaud Lunoir¡¯s house was aflame, they ran out of their houses and assiduously bucketed water at the wells to extinguish the fire. They were less worried about the trader and his family although he was well-liked in the neighborhood, but rather about preventing that the fire would spread to their own houses. On a nearby tower the fire bell was rung so that soon even more helpers flocked to them.

    Gossouin brought the horses to safety like he had announced. The four steeds, two mounts and two pack animals, to the surprise of everybody stormed panicky out of the yard of the merchant¡¯s house and along the alleys, throwing the crowd of fire fighters into disarray. From the back of a horse the tiny groom gave an apologetic smile to the panotian still busy with firefighting operations before he was carried into the distance by the scared animal. For a moment Otaspes blankly gazed after them before he addressed himself again to the more urgent task.

    When the sun finally rose it became apparent that although the fire was successfully put an end to insofar it didn¡¯t spread any further, that Master Rigaud¡¯s house with all its greed-arousing riches, however, was burned down to the ground. The horse stables too were only a burnt-out ruin in danger of collapsing. Regarding the Master of the house, his relatives, and his servants, only the charred corpses could be retrieved. The silently carried out burial for the victims of this fire disaster was paid from the long-distance merchant¡¯s own money deposited outside his house and the rest of the sum was used to settle receivables of the deceased. The young panotian found himself on the street from one day to the next, his life up to now a pile of shards. He hadn¡¯t seen Gossouin and the horses again since the night of the fire. Who knew to where the ungulates had run away with the follet. The boy himself was free now. His Master was dead and there was nobody who would have wanted to claim him as his slave, the more so as the system of slavery widely spread in the empire wasn¡¯t actually used in Sucellie. As a slave of the long-distance merchant he had actually been significantly better off than now, free indeed but without food, money, and a roof over his head, shunned because of his strange appearance bordering the monstrous. As such Otaspes involuntarily began a new life with uncertain future, with a new freedom that should taste him bitterer than his previous bondage.

 Hunting the Dullahan

    Oswin held his nose into the evening breeze. Except for winter cold and mustiness there wasn¡¯t much to smell. Possibly there also was a waft of coming snow in the air but that was hardly something unusual in January. Then the calf-sized shaggy black dog let the gaze of his fiery eyes drift through his surroundings again. The church grim stood on an abandoned fog-shrouded graveyard. All of the tombstones were densely overgrown with moss or lichens, their inscriptions so weathered by wind and weather that nobody was able to read them anymore. Where once well-tended graves were located, now weeds uncontrollably grew rampant even if their activity was heavily limited in winter. In the center of the forgotten graveyard towered an enormous vault in sinister splendor. This burial vault too was helplessly exposed to the ravages of time. But the thin lines of a magic seal could still be perceived on the heavy stone door locking up the entrance to the vault. Oswin¡¯s duty was to guard the graveyard, less against grave robbers and other evildoers who were after the remains and grave goods of the deceased ¨C although this also had happened once already ¨C but more the dead man banished into the vault forever who the gods themselves feared. Since time immemorial, the church grim pursued this assignment entrusted to him by a god. Or was it a goddess? The black dog could only remember very fragmentarily. No wonder, since he attended to his duty faithfully for centuries if not for millennia after all. The buried on this graveyard and the place of their interment had already disappeared from the heads and chronicles of humans since time immemorial. No mortal still remembered the ghost who was able to terrify the gods themselves both in life and death, let alone the ordinary dead that had found their eternal rest here. Oswin was by no means bothered by it. He pursued the assignment entrusted to him. If the graveyard was visited by many relatives or if it slowly fell to ruin in the twilight sleep of time like now too, it had nothing to do with him. Finding food had actually become even easier for the black dog through the centuries because by this time the forgotten graveyard was located in the middle of a forest whereto no human strayed but wherein there was ample prey for the church grim.

    Soon it should become apparent that Oswin should have attached more importance to the gradual dilapidation of the graveyard. As a dog what he could contribute to the maintenance of the graveyard was indeed more than limited, but even so. That the man-made works of stone, becoming brittle through the centuries, could crumble through the smallest influence, the church grim was already used to that. Therefore it didn¡¯t interest him any further when a sound bide the disintegration of a piece of masonry art riddled with holes by wind and weather. Rather bored he looked into the direction where the sound came from.

    How Oswin¡¯s hairs stood on end when he noticed that the impending collapse didn¡¯t apply to one of the many tombstones like every so often but to the vault itself. As fast as he possibly could he ran into the direction of the mausoleum but he came too late. In front of his fiery yellow eyes opened widely in horror, the magical seal, bleached out through the centuries, on the vault door crumbled into dust.

    Shortly afterwards the sound of a roaring wind in the depth of the vault rang out. All of a sudden a violent gust of wind pushed open the stone door wings ¨C although it would be better to say that it downright took them off their age-worn hinges. At the same time a mad laughter arose that appeared to literally come from the depth of the tomb, followed by the words: ¡°Finally! Finally I am free! Now the time has come that the great Eorpwald takes back what the great Eorpwald deserves!¡±

    Then a man clad in mothy archaic garments stepped out of the tomb. He was a heavily built and unrefined looking giant without equal. In life he would even have been a good deal taller because instead of wearing his head on his shoulders, the ghost carried his under his arm. It was a pale faced head with fiery eyes that wildly shone from beneath the black locks, and a wide mouth seemingly reaching from one ear to the other. In the hand of his free arm the undead held a whip which turned out to be a human spine upon closer examination. When the dullahan stepped out of its prison ¨C albeit stepping wasn¡¯t quite the right word for in doing so the giant sat on an equally gigantic white horse that had no head ¨C he gazed around with sinister satisfaction. Although Eorpwald saw the church grim he paid absolutely no attention to it. The state of the ruinous graveyard too didn¡¯t seem to interest him any further. After that he cracked his macabre whip and stormed away on his mount into the forest gradually covered in nightly shadows.

    For a while Oswin still stared into space aghast. Then he pulled himself together, set up a loud howl and chased after the escaped dullahan. The black dog wanted to and had to capture the death demon and banish it back into its prison or even directly put an end to it, cost what it may.

    Doderic was as cool as a cucumber. Although the fourteen years old boy had been separated from his companions and found himself alone with his trusty steed in the darkest woods, he didn¡¯t panic. At first view the youth wasn¡¯t particularly remarkable. Somewhat smaller than his contemporaries but of athletic stature, the tanned face full of freckles, with shoulder-length dark red hair, and attentive light brown eyes. He carried a short sword on his belt and the simple clothes of a squire that belied his abilities though. Doderic was actually a genius in dealing with weapons and in fighting in general who had beat many experienced knights successfully in spite of his young age. He was no ordinary boy in other ways as well but the little brother of Gamelyn I, former Duke of Gorgewell and King of Seathornia for a year now. Doderic himself would become Duke of Gorgewell when coming of age.

    The Dukes of Gorgewell were a branch of the royal dinasty of Seathornia. After the main branch of the royal family had ceased to exist last year with the death of childless Archibald IV, subsequently the throne fell to the only twenty five years old Gamelyn of Gorgewell who was crowned as king in the capital Thuneriver just two years after he had succeeded his father in the position of Duke. However, Foulques III too claimed the throne of Seathornia. This man was the King of the neighboring kingdom Sucellie and the spouse of Eglantine, the only sister of deceased King Archibald. King Foulques primarily aimed for Seathornia¡¯s prosperous ports but also for the military power of the peninsula kingdom that he wanted to use for his political goals. The nobility of Seathornia for the most part backed up their new King, as they wanted to prevent that Seathornia lost its independence after all. They didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Foulques III who lusted after the lands and subjects of Seathornia from far away Couron.

    Doderic had to separate from his companions since they got unexpectedly surprised by Sucellian knights. King Foulques¡¯ troops had invaded Seathornia in the previous summer already and had conquered the bigger part of the peninsula¡¯s Southern counties. Now they had obviously aimed for the brother of the, in their eyes, false king to use him as hostage against the latter. But even when Gamelyn I surrendered the crown of Seathornia to Foulques III for the sake of his brother, Doderic¡¯s life likely wouldn¡¯t be safe. It didn¡¯t even enter the boy¡¯s mind to fall into the henchmen¡¯s hands though. On the contrary, he wanted to chase the occupiers out of the country but even as adolescent fighting genius it was a likely impossible endeavor for a single person.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Suddenly it cracked in the undergrowth. Doderic on top of his dun horse looked around in surprise. He likely had startled but not too much, for there was hardly something that could throw the battle-hardened youth off track. What then appeared though took him completely aback at first. In the twilight of the late-night bald forest trees, the figure of a headless giant on his headless steed showed itself soon afterwards. Very gruesome was the sight of this gigantic figure that raced past him like a tempest, leaving the boy and his horse behind like petrified.

    Sometime later a calf-sized black dog came out of the underwood, its tongue hanging pantingly from its mouth. With its fiery eyes it looked at the red-haired boy in front of it.

    Has he passed by here? a mellow voice that woke the young man from his trance sounded in Doderic¡¯s head Has Eorpwald passed by here?

    The King¡¯s brother looked around in astonishment and caught sight of the church grim whose inauspicious figure gave him a real scare. Who had not heard about the black dogs that made an appearance to herald the impending death? Doderic couldn¡¯t know that this was just a superstition without any substance.

    Has the dullahan passed by here? the dog asked again.

    ¡°Oh, umm, yes.¡± the boy responded ?A headless horseman has passed by here.¡°

    What direction? the church grim wanted to know If I don¡¯t catch up with him soon, then the whole peninsula is doomed!

    That indeed scared the heck out of Doderic. For a moment he reflected upon what he should do. Then he abruptly dismounted his horse and lifted the seemingly exhausted dog on the back of his mount. The horse of course was not really delighted that it was suddenly saddled with a calf-sized mutt. And Doderic too, who was somewhat small but fairly strong for his age, was surprised how much the animal weighed.

    What do you do, boy? the church grim asked, barking discontentedly I have no time for games!

    ¡°I am called Doderic, not boy.¡± the squire corrected ¡°You are obviously exhausted. If the dullahan really is so dangerous then I will bring you to him.¡± He said, swung up on his steed and off they went in gallop.

    Thank you, Doderic. The black dog now meekly replied I am called Oswin. Somehow he felt the necessity to disclose his name too. Then he explained in a nutshell what it was about the dullahan. When he even got a helper, the latter should at least know what he let himself in for.

    Doderic impelled his horse to the highest speed it could reach with the church grim as additional burden. At it the dun horse was still faster than most other horses because this mount that the boy had nursed from foal age onwards had also been raised into one of the best steeds in the whole of Seathornia by him.

    Soon afterwards the gigantic apparition came in sight. The dullahan made his whip fall repeatedly on his horse like a madman. This ruthless behavior caused Doderic and Oswin to grimace sympathetically. It could only be hoped that the white horse, since dead, couldn¡¯t feel pain anymore.

    Try to overtake him! the church grim demanded.

    The youth nodded as a sign that he had understood and made his steed hurry up further. It didn¡¯t take long, there the King¡¯s brother and the dullahan rode alongside each other. Eorpwald, who had ignored the boy on horseback in the forest before, now glared at him from fiery eyes. Who dared to compete with the great tyrant Eorpwald?

    Doderic didn¡¯t allow himself to be intimidated and did what he had to do. With a hazardous maneuver, he launched to overtake and with his trusty dun horse he utterly fearless obstructed the way of the ghost.

    The headless ghost horse ¨C in whatever way it was able to perceive its surroundings ¨C was so heavily surprised by the sudden appearance of the still living member of its species that it started to balk.

    Oswin gathered his remaining strength and jumped from the back of the steed that had carried him over the horse rearing up directly at the ghostly rider.

    Eorpwald shouted out in anger and surprise when he was catapulted out of his saddle by a calf-sized dog. In the process his head also slipped away from his grasp and rolled over the ground.

    Doderic, who had followed the events descended from his horse, boldly walked up to the dullahan¡¯s head lying on the ground that gave him thundering curses and blazing gazes, and drove his sword straight into the head of the undead right in between the eyebrows. The giant began to scream and howl that it deafened the ears. The downright unhuman sounds echoed through the whole nightly forest. At the same time eerie black flames lightlessly illuminating the darkness burst out of the monster¡¯s head. Although the flames made his sword red-hot and also licked at his hands, the young man didn¡¯t let go. Had he turned around, he likely could have seen that the dullahan¡¯s gigantic body writhing in pain also burst into black flames that nearly threatened to devour the dog.

    All of a sudden it was over. Head and body of the ghost went up in smoke as if they never had been. Doderic and Oswin who saw themselves exposed to hotly licking flames hadn¡¯t even a single burn. The twisted Eorpwald¡¯s headless white horse powdered into countless small light particles wafting off towards the sky on the quiet. Only the ordinary short sword the youth had used wasn¡¯t anymore. Instead a sinister looking black scythe was found that alone was already as long as Doderic was tall. Considering that, it was uncommonly lightweight, barely heavier than a common spear the boy knew to use.

    This is a gift from the grateful gods. explained Oswin who silently and inconspicuously came up to the young man still gazing at the scythe dumbfounded and warily. Just a moment earlier he had received a divine revelation. The first since time immemorial. The gods thank you for annihilating the evil spirit they themselves couldn¡¯t deal with. Don¡¯t misunderstand. With their power the gods likely had been able to annihilate Eorpwald but that would have cost countless innocent lives. As replacement for your sword melted in the flames of death, they have given you this scythe the black fire¡¯s power is inherent in. This power of death that creates new life is not evil in itself but also not good. It simply is. With that said, so that you won¡¯t be seduced to evil by this power like Eorpwald, the gods have entrusted to me to accompany you and to have an eye on you. Since I now don¡¯t have to guard the dullahan anymore, I am quite alright with it.

    Doderic had listened to the church grim attentively. At first he got a big scare that such an enormous power should be entrusted to him but soon he became happy because this power gave him hope to expel the Sucellian invaders from Seathornia once and for all. Then he showed a beaming smile on his freckled face that even somewhat seemed to light up the darkness of the nightly forest, and spoke: ¡°I¡¯m glad to be in your care in future, Oswin. Let¡¯s be good friends.¡±

    The fiery yellow eyes of the dog widened in surprise. Friends? he said astonished and, how the wagging tail gave away, also pleasantly surprised I had no friends as of yet. Only duties. But I¡¯d love to try that, being fiends.

    Doderic nodded affirmatively. Then he again mounted his horse that was obviously given the creeps by the scythe, and rode away accompanied by a calf-sized black dog to find his companions from whom he had been separated. As of yet he couldn¡¯t surmise that he should chase the Sucellians off the peninsula just a few months later, dreaded and revered by friend and foe as Grim Reaper of the Battlefield who came over his enemies relentlessly with the scythe of death and the black dog heralding death, and whose mere existence should secure the rule of his brother Gamelyn I and his descendants for generations.

 A Rendezvous doesnâ€™t come alone

    ¡°Domhnull, where are you?¡± Tilly asked. It was a mild night in late April. Caught off guard by dusk on their journey, the slim sixteen years old and her travel companion had set up their camp in an abandoned, quite dilapidated hut at the wayside. When the girl woke up later in the night, the long straw-blonde hair still disorderly from sleeping, her companion was nowhere to be seen. This companion surely enough wasn¡¯t quite ordinary. He was an each-uisge, a demonic water horse that was able to speak with human tongue and also to take human shape. When the young woman couldn¡¯t see Domhnull anywhere, such the water monster was called with whom she travelled through the country since nearly five years already and who had become family to her by now, she felt a certain unease rising within her and left her bed to look for him.

    She found him soon in a grove nearby, shone on by the silvery light of the full moon. The big black stallion had taken human shape ¨C he appeared as an elegant and handsome black-haired young man clad in black ¨C and he wasn¡¯t alone. With him was an almost superhumanly beautiful woman. Long curly red hair, a flawless face with distinguished pale complexion, a voluptuously curvaceous body, in addition merely dressed sparsely-lasciviously.

    When she saw how such a beauty flung her arms around the each-uisge¡¯s neck, Tilly sensed how her heart was cramping painfully while flames of rage were flaring in her blue eyes that couldn¡¯t even be extinguished by the tears that flowed down her cheeks without her will. The young woman didn¡¯t quite know how she felt. She was jealous but hadn¡¯t quite experienced this emotion before.

    Following a sudden impulse the girl stormed out of hiding, her blonde hair fluttering in the wind like the snake hair of the furies.

    ¡°Domhnull, you¡­ you horndog of a stallion! You idiot! You traitor!¡± she shouted before she ran away utterly precipitated, leaving the water monster and its nighttime date far behind her.

    Tilly didn¡¯t know how far she had run. At last she sunk down between the roots of an elm tree, cried her heart out and then she fell asleep exhaustedly. When she woke up the next morning, the sun was already in the sky and the birds chirped in the green branches and twigs high above her. At first she was confused but then she remembered what happened the last night. Half ashamed and half angry, she stubbornly decided not to return to the old hut and to the water horse for the time being ¨C and that although the food supplies that could have appeased her hunger were still in the camp. With a growling stomach she headed off to find something edible if possible.

    Soon she came on a path to the sides of which fields extended, but as it still was April though the seed likely might have germinated but there were no crops yet. Tilly followed this path until she came to a solitary well. With the help of a bucket attached to a winch she could at least treat herself to a cool drink like how the field workers did who used this well. After the worst thirst was quenched, she sat down on the stone edge of the well and began to think once more about what had happened last night.

    Suddenly a voice rang out from behind. ¡°What does such a pretty Miss like you do at this remote well?¡± it wanted to know.

    Surprised Tilly spun around. On the other side of the well there stood a sturdy, handsome man with enticingly dark eyes and hair as red as fire. That he wore just a simple but clean smock frock did no harm to his appeal.

    ¡°Pardon, I didn¡¯t want to scare you.¡± the man assured and gave her a gallant smile.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do so.¡± the young woman bashfully replied. She was still in a complete mess from the last night. How could she be called a pretty Miss then?

    ¡°Something seems to depress you.¡± the stranger stated. He came over and sat down next to her on the edge of the well. ¡°If you want to you can tell me everything. Admittedly we don¡¯t know each other but you can be certain that I won¡¯t divulge your secrets.¡±

    The girl felt impelled by something to open her heart to the handsome unknown man. Thus she told him of all what had occurred the previous night. The stranger who had introduced himself as Sechnassach was a surprisingly good listener. He kept quiet were silence was due, agreed where Tilly hoped for affirmation, and inquired where it seemed appropriate.

    The more she told, the more irrelevant her sorrows appeared to the young woman and the more she felt attracted to the red-haired man. It was a longing unknown to her that filled her heart.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Gradually Tilly lost herself in the farmer¡¯s alluring smile. Very slowly she leaned over to kiss her listener on the lips ¨C then loud hoof beats sounded in the distance, approaching with lightning speed.

    Suddenly a big black horse stood in front of the two and snorted directly into the girl¡¯s face.

    ¡°Have you really taken leave of your senses?¡± it asked in a dark voice.

    Then he turned around and delivered the redhead a tremendous kick. Sechnassach flew high through the air and came back to the ground extremely ruggedly.

    For the young woman it was as if she had woken up from a long dream. Confused she looked back and forth between the each-uisge in front of her and the farmer lying on the ground.

    ¡°That¡¯s a ganconer, Tilly.¡± the steed warned ¡°He has aimed for your life essence.¡±

    The words were barely spoken, then the ganconer sat up as straight as a pole, looked very angrily at the water monster, and then he melted into fog as if he never had been there.

    The girl¡¯s shock didn¡¯t last long. Instead the rage of last night came over her.

    ¡°And what was with your nocturnal rendezvous?¡± she asked dead serious.

    Suddenly the black horse burst into laughter. As a result, Tilly¡¯s rage just increased further.

    ¡°That was a baobhan-sith.¡± he explained ¡°She mistook me for a human wayfarer and was after my blood of which she was very keen to suck me dry. It took me half the night to get rid of her.¡±

    Now the young woman chuckled. ¡°Serves you right.¡± she said ¡°What do you just have to be so misleading?¡±

    After they both had laughed, the bad mood was completely gone and they started back to the camp of last night were they had left their belongings.

    Two days later Tilly and Domhnull reached the port city Eastport. The big, cosmopolitan settlement was the most important trade center in the kingdom of Seathornia. Numerous ships from the five kingdoms and the empire landed in the harbor famous far and wide. A bustling crowd was pouring through the city gates of the trade city surrounded by an extensive wall of white limestone from the cliffs. Amid these people there also stood the girl and the each-uisge, the latter in human shape for convenience. Since they didn¡¯t really stand out they could get into the city without further objection.

    They were drawn to the city¡¯s big market. The bustling open space where merchants from all around the world had installed their stands and pitched up their tents wasn¡¯t far off the docks. Between the purchasers and vendors were not only humans from all over the world but also members of non-human peoples, such as elves and dwarves, fairies and lutins, urisks and tylwyth teg, kobolds and domovoys. Also the one or other ?otek and even a blemmy bearing its face on its chest that had arrived from far-off places could be seen.

    The voices of traders and barkers advertising their goods sounded loudly. They shouted: ¡°Fish! Fresh fish from the Northern Sea! Taste the unique bl¨¢-g¨®ma.¡± ¡°First-rate wool cloth from the famous markets of Sucellie! The colors are as bright as the sun!¡± ¡°Relics from the Sacro Imperio! Let the grace of the Almighty be with you!¡± ¡°Sweet, sweet honey from the dark woods of Waldbergen! It will melt in your mouth!¡± ¡°Ebony from the land of the himantopodes! Such a dark wood you¡¯ll have never seen before!¡±

    To not lose sight of each other in the crowd, the blonde young woman and the each-uisge held hands. While it didn¡¯t mean much to the latter, the girl felt how her heart beat faster.

    From the corner of his eye Domhnull saw that the face of his companion was slightly reddened and that she looked a bit more excited than usual. He believed that Tilly, who had already lost her parents at an early age and had kept herself alive for years as a beggar, was spellbound by the variety of goods.

    ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to buy?¡± the water monster asked and looked at her patronizingly with his dark eyes. ¡°You only need to say so. But it mustn¡¯t be too expensive!¡±

    The young woman fidgeted bashfully. Although she had wanted nothing specific, having rather been with the handsome man next to her in her thoughts, but when she got such an offer now, why not seize the opportunity?

    ¡°Umm, probably a little pot of Waldbergian honey.¡± she said. Tilly was mad about eating sweets but she didn¡¯t get around doing so very often.

    The each-uisge nodded affirmatively and then he brought her to the honey merchant. At his booth there was a big variety of different kinds of honey: golden yellow blossom honey, greenish lime honey, and dark pine honey. Tilly decided on a little pot of bossom honey that costed Domhnull a silver coin. The golden sweet was surely worth a mint. Then they still strolled over the bustling market for some time ¨C the girl pressed the bought article against her chest delightedly ¨C before they headed off to find lodging for the night. It should be good of course but not overpriced as common in busy cities such as Eastport. The small hostel where they ultimately found accommodation for a reasonable price was out of the way of the important main roads but that was no problem at all for the two travelers.

    At night Tilly lay on her bed that had one of the usual straw mattresses and gazed at the ceiling lit up by the entering moonlight. She had every reason to be pleased with the past day, as she had the feeling of having been brought quite a bit closer to Domhnull after all. At that time she wasn¡¯t aware that she gradually developed feelings for the each-uisge who regarded her only with something like paternal affection. The future would show what would become of the sprouting young love. For the time being the young woman felt blessed. That also showed in the satisfied smile that still was on her lips when she had already fallen asleep.

 The Mystery of the missing Children

    Friedbert took a deep breath. For the first time in his life he would leave the forest in which he had grown up. But it was only natural that young birds spread their wings. Friedbert was no bird of course. He was a young man of sixteen years. He only knew the deepest forest, that realm of shadows covered by treetops in which no other man ever had set foot.

    Gratefully he looked at the old woman who had taken him in as a baby and had raised him. This woman as old as the hills who he affectionately called his grandmother or rather Grohla was a buschweibchen, a wood sprite. Adalberga, such she was called, had taught the boy everything he knew and now she released him into a new life, with melancholy indeed but willingly nevertheless.

    Those two, who had spent the last sixteen years together, at first glance looked as different as only possible. At one side there was the deeply hunched elderly woman, wrinkly, supported by a knobby cane, her feet mossy, the long disorderly hair as white as snow. Also she wasn¡¯t taller than a four or five years old child, but despite her old age and her numerous afflictions her moss-green eyes still sparkled with love of life. On the other side was the amber-eyed young man. Strong, broad-shouldered, the hair bundled into a ponytail of black color. Of gigantic build, he was two and a half heads taller than an average man; he nevertheless had a gentle nature. What the two got in common was that they walked barefooted and that they wore clothes of spun green moss ¨C Adalberga a dress, Friedbert trousers and a shirt.

    ¡°You will always have a home here.¡± The buschweibchen declared in a voice stifled with emotion. The granny was the only one who saw her grandson off. The will-o¡¯-the-wisps with whom the boy used to be friends as a child had, redeemed by him, been sent to the afterlife long ago.

    ¡°Thanks, Grohla.¡± the giant replied, no less emotional.

    ¡°You surely have thought of everything?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I have.¡± he assured and pointed to the deerskin bag that he carried on his shoulder.

    ¡°Take care, dearie.¡± the old woman wished.

    ¡°Oh Grohla!¡± the grandson moaned. He surely knew that she meant no harm but being referred to as dearie to this very day was nevertheless too embarrassing for him.

    After they had kept silent for some time again, Adalberga said: ¡°Now go ahead and get going! Elsewise we will still stand here the day after tomorrow.¡± Her broken voice revealed that it was difficult for her to choke back her tears but she wanted to see him off with a smile, not with tears. No matter how often she let children she had raised set out into the world in the last millennia, it always pulled heavily at her heartstrings.

    ¡°Yep, I¡¯ll be off then.¡± Friedbert spoke now embarrassedly before he left with big steps. On the range of hills he turned around once more, the red and golden morning sun of a nice June day in his back, and waved for the last time at the elderly woman who stood in front of the hazel bush beneath which her subterranean dwelling was located. She returned the waving. Then the youth continued his way, now for good, and headed for the rising sun like for a promising future shining on him.

    The dark town walls of Dulnitz rose high into the clear sky. The town that had become prosperous through mining showed everyone from afar that it also knew to defend its prosperity. Since Count Degenhard von Dulnitz, the previous Lord of the town, had lost his title, his seigneury, and his life for conspiring against the crown and black magic seven years ago, a new golden age had dawned upon the capital of the previous county under the rule of royal governors. The crowd of people who were drawn to the rich town was accordingly large. If nobody stood out entirely the guards at the town gate simply waved him through. Even Friedbert ¨C on his way in the kingdom of Waldbergen since several weeks and thus used to the sight of other people by now who altogether just reached up to his chest at most ¨C was allowed in without objection in spite of his eye-catching build. Probably it was because he literally looked like a backwoodsman as he gazed at the town¡¯s fortifications with an open mouth. The hustle and bustle within the town walls impressed him no less.

    Finally the giant remembered what he had intended to do. He needed money to find lodging. His grandmother had explained to him that money was of utmost importance with humans. Nobody accepted the few ancient coins she had given him as travel money though. They simply were out of use for centuries and thus invalid, even when they still could be bartered for their value as raw materials. As such the young man had earned bread and lodging as a healer while he travelled through the countryside. He had learned the art of healing from Adalberga who was very proficient with it as a buschweibchen. His skills and knowledge had even convinced those doubters who didn¡¯t want to believe that the brawny giant was actually a healer.

    In town, however, Friedbert at first chose another method of money raising which the old woman advised him to use too. He entered an apothecary ¨C whereat he had to stoop deeply to pass through the low door frame at all ¨C and walked up to the counter.

    ¡°With what medicine I can help you?¡± an old grey-haired man with a big drooping mustache wanted to know.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to buy but to sell.¡± the youth declared.

    The gigantic young man was eyed skeptically by the apothecary.

    Friedbert preferred to let his goods speak for themselves. He reached into his deerskin bag and fetched three blue flowers which he handed to the man behind the counter.

    The man¡¯s eyes dilated in disbelief. ¡°That¡­ Isn¡¯t that by any chance¡­?¡± he stammered.

    ¡°The blue flower neversore.¡± the giant answered the unfinished question.

    ¡°Where?!¡± the apothecary shouted in shock ¡°From where have you got this?¡± He never had thought to ever be able to hold the legendary medicinal herb in his own hands.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°From the deepest forest.¡± Friedbert replied.

    The elderly man appeared to be hardly able to believe what he heard. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five, no, seven, no, ten gold coins!¡± he exclaimed. No offer seemed to be high enough for him.

    The youth accepted the trade immediately. He didn¡¯t know how much ten gold coins were worth but he knew that gold counted as more valuable than the copper coins he had to deal with up to now.

    Both the old and the young man were pleased when they parted. Friedbert couldn¡¯t surmise yet that he had found an important ally for his upcoming days as a healer in Dulnitz. The word of old Ortwin counted for much with the healers and apothecaries of the town.

    Friedbert had been living in Dulnitz for three weeks now. June gave way for July. The young man lately was a lodger at the place of a grocer¡¯s widow with two children, a ten year old daughter and a six year old son, and had already gotten a certain reputation as a healer. His ointments and tinctures made in the manner of a buschweibchen oftentimes were more effective than all what human arts of healing were capable to do.

    One evening there was a commotion in the house of Friedbert¡¯s landlady. Her son, the little Willebrecht, had vanished without a trace by day. His big sister Dietlinde who was at the pond with him during the day only had noticed the accident when it already had happened. The grocer¡¯s widow was shocked to such an extent that she was too far gone to do anything. The girl had withdrawn to the attic with grief and self-reproach. Admittedly Willebrecht was nowhere near the first child who had disappeared without a trace never to appear again.

    When the gigantic healer learned of the misfortune, a thought struck him immediately. ¡°Mrs. Hildegunde.¡± he approached the widow ¡°I guess I know what happened to Willebrecht. I almost experienced something of the sort when I was small. If we hurry we may even still be able to save him.¡±

    Of course there was great joy with mother and daughter.

    Soon afterwards they stood at the bank of the pond where the boy was seen for the last time. The waterbody, which was popular on hot summer days especially with the children, was situated still within the town walls in an area used rather agriculturally. Here many families of Dulnitz had their vegetable gardens and chicken coops, as widow Hildegunde and her children had too.

    When Friedbert took a look at the pond with its bottom completely covered with a dense forest of water plants, his suspicion grew stronger. He stripped unashamed, only keeping on his underwear, and jumped into the water without hesitation. The wet element still was comparatively warm after a long summer day even if the evening sun didn¡¯t contribute much to its temperature any longer. The youth was glad that he had learned to swim as a child, albeit not from his grandmother but his will-o¡¯-the-wisp friends. Deeper and deeper he advanced into the tangle of lake plants. The stalks of waterlilies and water-crowfoot obstructed his path, hornwort and water-milfoil wound themselves around his legs but he didn¡¯t let it stop him.

    The destination gradually came in sight when the giant was beginning to lose his breath. Amidst the proliferating green underwater forest towered a palace built from transparent crystal that wasn¡¯t necessarily big ¨C more a kind of larger house with turrets and bays ¨C but exceedingly grand instead though. Friedbert approached this building glowing by an inner power. The gate was wide open and so the young man entered freely. Inside of the abode there was breathing air he inhaled gratefully. It wasn¡¯t his first time in such an underwater palace. Thus the healer knew pretty much what he had to look for. As quietly as possible he sneaked through the corridors of this flamboyant residence glowing in cold splendor. He didn¡¯t want to catch the attention of the Master of the house earlier than necessary.

    Eventually he came to a large room in the center of the building. A big, well-burning masonry heater with numerous covered little pots on its mantelpiece could be seen through the transparent walls. In those jars, Friedbert knew, the Master of the palace stored the souls of his victims that he needed to keep up the barrier with which the water was kept outside and the air kept inside the palace. On the floor of the room there lay a boy unconscious at first glance, the chestnut-brown hair drooping with water, the freckled face oddly pale. A green-haired little man fumbled around with him. Friedbert who identified the boy as Willebrecht stormed into the fireplace room without further delay and grabbed the small man at his long green hair. The vodn¨ªk, for it was that kind of water sprite, looked in surprise with big green eyes at the unexpected intruder before he began to scream bloody murder. Lifted at his hairs by the giant he looked no different than a jumping jack though. Generally, the vodn¨ªk seemed to prefer the color green. Thus his stockings and frock-coat were also of a color as green as the rushes. From his right coattail dripped water which formed a little puddle on the crystal floor over time.

    ¡°Who are you and what do you want from me?¡± the water sprite complained.

    ¡°Not much.¡± Friedbert replied ¡°I only want to take back my little fiend Willebrecht over there. Leave me, the boy, and his family in peace in the future and you won¡¯t ever see me nor hear of me again. Unless you require my services as a healer. Should you have already taken the soul from the boy though, then I will promise you that I will turn your home into a pile of shards.¡±

    ¡°He still has his soul!¡± swore the vodn¨ªk with his hands waving about ¡°As true as I am called Radoslav, the boy still has his soul. Take him and go. I won¡¯t take revenge.¡± Although he was otherwise of a more irritable temper, Radoslav didn¡¯t dare to rebel against the giant. There was something about the young man that made his blood run cold. He couldn¡¯t know the young man was the son of the wild huntsman Wode, a powerful and malicious fallen god. Even Friedbert had only learnt about it just before his departure. This half divine, half demonic heritage explained why the youth could do a lot which was beyond the capabilities of ordinary people.

    With a pleased nod the gigantic healer took note of the vodn¨ªk¡¯s acceptance, dropped him carefully ¨C he had no further reason to behave hostile to the water sprite any longer ¨C took the unconscious boy in his arms and started back. Radoslav still remained taken aback and only after a long time he managed to regain his composure. Even many years later this short event should still send shivers up and down his spine.

    Hildegunde and Dietlinde hardly believed their eyes when the giant emerged from the clear pond water with the missing son and brother in his arms. Friedbert immediately put down his pale load at the water¡¯s edge and started resuscitation procedures. They were successful. Willebrecht began to cough and to vomit water before he finally opened his eyes like after a long sleep. The chubby red-haired mother and her slim brown-haired daughter lunged upon the boy come back to life straight away and downright buried him in hugs and kisses while they nearly drowned him a second time with their tears of joy.

    The successful rescue had brought Friedbert luck too, for Hildegunde made him pay only the half sum of rent in future out of gratitude ¨C she couldn¡¯t do completely without the rent though because as a widow she needed every possible source of income. Thus the gigantic healer kept staying as a lodger in the household of the grocer¡¯s widow where he was welcome, and could also await a bright future jobwise, especially as the story spread that Friedbert had brought back Willebrecht from the brink of death. So this rescue only had brought good for the gentle giant in the end.

 Cold Beauty

    Otaspes looked for a good place for the night. The seventeen years old youth was admittedly used to the life in the open but since it was early October already he preferred a more sheltered place to sleep for the night though. The young man in particular couldn¡¯t depend on it that compassionate souls would give him lodging for the night because whoever caught sight of him recoiled like with a leper. What was more was that it wasn¡¯t even the case that Otaspes would have been disfigured by illness or injury, no, the panotian who, originating from far-off places, once had come into the county as a slave simply looked strikingly different. Of a lanky, somewhat skinny build and a skin color as white as chalk in spite of constantly dwelling under the sun, he had fire-red curly hair and attractive golden eyes. The most striking, however, were his ears which were, as common with his kind, so long that they reached his elbows and furthermore so wide that he could cover his chest with them without problem. The former slave surely was a strange sight but what bothered him more than the rejection he experienced because of his strangeness was the rumor going around that panotians would eavesdrop on all secrets with their big ears. This rumor was first and foremost spread by the church of the Almighty that used peoples enslaved in the empire ¨C the church was the state religion of the empire that thus surnamed itself very modestly the holy ¨C as allegories. With the gradually increasing influence of the imperial church corresponding prejudices came to the Northern kingdoms too.

    Nevertheless, the boy wasn¡¯t that bad off because he could gain his livelihood on one hand as a musician ¨C he was skilled at playing the foreign double oboe known as aulos ¨C on the other hand as a hired scribe, for he had mastered the local script and language. That also became apparent in his clothing: tunic, trousers and shoes from simple but durable fabric and leather respectively. Only, the youth was soon chased out of the settlements he passed and the landlords didn¡¯t want to give him a room even for hard money because of the rumors. But not everybody faced the panotian as superstitiously. Thus half a year ago a long-distance merchant, who he had warned about nearby waiting bandits that he had discovered perchance, had gifted him something out of gratitude what he himself had purchased on a marked in the Orient on a whim. It was a xingxing, a big brown monkey from the farthest East that had white ears, red eyes, and a long tail. The xingxing that listened to the name Xiaozhong was a highly intelligent animal that was even capable of flawlessly learning the human language. But since it wasn¡¯t a very long time in the kingdom of Sucellie yet, it didn¡¯t particularly master the local language yet. At first Otaspes wondered what he should do with the monkey but he soon was happy to have the new travel companion, not only against loneliness but also since Xiaozhong¡¯s dance to the melody of Otaspes playing auloi was able to draw many onlookers that gave donations to the musician and dancer. The monkey creature again quickly came to appreciate the panotian because he freed it from its chains and also treated it better than all its previous owners, some of which even had planned to sell it as a delicacy.

    ¡°Otaspes! Xiaozhong is hungry, is tired!¡± the xingxing complained with a sharp voice.

    ¡°Just a bit longer.¡± the youth consoled it, a tired smile on his lips himself. ¡°When we have found a good camping place, then we can eat.¡± It really didn¡¯t take any longer. Soon a not insignificant cave in a steep face came in sight. The cave likely could protect them somewhat against the inclemency of the weather. Thus they made camp there.

    After finishing his meal Otaspes lay against the cool cave wall with closed eyes while a small fire burned in front of him that drew bizarre figures and flickering shadows on the rocks. Xiaozhong had headed off in the meantime to explore the interior of the cave. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far.¡± the young man had advised the monkey beforehand.

    Suddenly the xingxing came running on its hind legs. Normally it moved on all four legs. It cried at the top of its voice so that it echoed through the entire cave: ¡°Otaspes! Snake! Big snake!¡±

    This announcement of course didn¡¯t delight the panotian. As a precaution he put all his belongings in a shoulder bag and then he ran in the direction of the cave entrance. Outside he waited for the monkey. How bad could it be? Although the youth had to admit that he was reluctant to spend the night with a potentially venomous snake.

    It came as bad as it could. The big snake Xiaozhong had spoken of was a full-grown vouivre. The leathery wings widely spread, the gigantic serpent shot out of the cave. The xingxing was barely able to avoid it. Otherwise it surely would have been roasted by the flame shooting from the vouivre¡¯s mouth. The scaly monster gleaming like glowing iron wildly threw its head about looking for the escaped intruder. At the same time a gemstone located in the middle of its forehead produced a bright light that it used as a searchlight.

    It didn¡¯t take long until Otaspes and Xiaozhong found themselves in the light beam of the diamond. Panicky they ran away when the serpent creature took up the pursuit again.

    ¡°What have you done?¡± the panotian asked angrily. He got no answer of course. While the shadows of the night slowly but surely spread over the land, only lit up by the light of a full moon already slowly waning again, two helpless figures ran over hedge and ditch, through shrubbery and water, always closely chased by a glary light and a flame burst occurring in regular intervals.

    The youth and the monkey didn¡¯t quite know where they had hurried all over the place. Finally they found themselves completely surprisingly in a snowstorm ¨C at the beginning of October, mind you! The vouivre had already abandoned the chase sometime earlier. It knew that its anger wasn¡¯t worth it to risk going into the incessant roar of the storm and the never-ending snowsquall.

    Since they didn¡¯t know the way back, the young man and the xingxing took the bull by the horns. While icy winds tore at their clothes or fur respectively and their limbs became stiff with cold, they advanced further and further. They couldn¡¯t see much in the dense snowfall but the incline of the terrain suggested that they moved upwards.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Suddenly the wind settled and the clouds tore open. The last snowflakes fell onto the closed snow cover that was sparkling silvery far and wide in the moonlight. On an elevation there stood a gorgeous tall woman clad in a snow-white dress. Her spotless face as white as the flowers of edelweiss appeared inapproachable, stern the look of her ice-blue eyes. Her long silvery blonde hair majestically glistened in the moonshine. ¡°Turn back, you miserable, or you will regret it!¡± she shouted with a clear voice.

    Thereupon, Otaspes and Xiaozhong started back, seizing the moment, but the youth couldn¡¯t get the sight of the young woman standing there on her lonesome out of his head. In the villages at the foot of the mountain he heard that she was the f¨¦e alpestre, the mountain fairy, who trapped the Mont Neigeur in an everlasting snowstorm. It was said that she was called Blanchefleur but that wasn¡¯t for sure. That the snowstorm shortly settles like the boy and the monkey had experienced wasn¡¯t witnessed in centuries.

    The panotian decided to stay in the area of the eternally snowy mountain for the time being. He even found an abandoned shepherd¡¯s hut nearby the mountain massif covered in white. The building admittedly was drafty and leaked in every nook and corner, partly even ramshackle and generally showed that it wasn¡¯t maintained for a long time. After some repairs though ¨C Otaspes and Xiaozhong took the material for it from the forest, the tools they bought in the village ¨C the little hut was inhabitable again and in any case better than everything the youth had had as lodging since he ended up on the streets. The interior was not furnished if one disregarded the fireplace framed with stone above which hung a rusty old pot. That was no problem for the new inhabitants though. The only thing they really wanted was a good bed and that they simply made from a thick layer of straw.

    After he had settled down in the shepherd¡¯s hut, Otaspes often was drawn to Mont Neigeur. Of course he prepared himself accordingly after the first experience, clad himself in many layers of warm clothing that he bought beforehand. Over the years he had gained a good sum of money especially as scribe for hire but he couldn¡¯t spend it because he was usually quickly chased out of the settlement by superstitious people. Now it was time to use the savings he carried with him. During later ascensions of the mountain the snowstorm never ceased ¨C the villagers didn¡¯t think of him as suicidal for no reason ¨C but that didn¡¯t hinder the young man in love. In the same way as it didn¡¯t hinder him that he had never set his eyes again on the Lady of the mountain after the first time. Xiaozhong on the contrary stayed back to house-sit or to explore the area.

    One day when the panotian fought through the snowstorm again, the f¨¦e alpestre appeared before him.

    ¡°Why do you struggle in this storm, stranger?¡± she asked with a cold voice. ¡°What is the use of it that you risk your life again and again?¡±

    ¡°I have already what I wanted.¡± The youth answered ¡°I wanted to see you again at all costs. Since I¡¯ve seen you for the first time my heart is passionately in love with you.¡±

    ¡°Love? Ha! You fool!¡° the beauty laughed mirthlessly. ¡°Give it up, your love. Eventually love only brings regret and pain, nothing more. Because of something like ¡®love¡¯ I have lost my sisters forever. They had to die because I fell in love with the wrong man. I won¡¯t ever be able to atone for my sin. Therefore give up, stranger. One last time I¡¯ll let you go. If you return nonetheless, it will be your end.¡°

    Genuine concern was mirrored in Otaspes¡® face when he listened to the mountain fairy¡¯s story. Nobody should have to bear so much bitterness in their heart. Therefore he even did what the young woman never would have expected. Instead of turning back he stepped up to her and ¨C gave her a hug.

    The ice-blue eyes of the embittered fairy widened in surprise. She hadn¡¯t experienced something like interpersonal warmth for ages. Then her eyes started to fill with tears. At first only a few tears fell but then, as if a dam had broken, they came in torrents. With heart-melting sobs Blanchefleur wept the century-old regret, grief, and self-damnation out of her heart. At the moment where the emotional chains broke which had held the f¨¦e alpestre captive for such a long time, the eternal snowstorm collapsed too. The gorgeous woman sobbed without restraint while the youth held her deeply embraced as long as she required it.

    After that everything had changed. Blanchefleur, freed from the burdens of her past, opened her heart to the world again and was now ready to start a new future. The unapproachable Mont Neigeur was history ¨C except for winter of course when heavy snowfall was the rule. With the help of Otaspes she finally gave a proper burial to her sisters whose corpses lay buried beneath the snow for the whole time. After the dead were honored like this, the mountain fairy wanted to live without forgetting her lost family but also without getting trapped by it.

    The panotian didn¡¯t accomplish completely what he had intended. He hadn¡¯t been able to win the beauty¡¯s heart¨C after the betrayal she had experienced in the past, she wasn¡¯t willing yet to believe in love again. She offered him her friendship though. The young man was already overjoyed with that result too because what started with friendship could become more after all.

    For Xiaozhong, its life essentially didn¡¯t change. The monkey was quite happy to have the fairy as a new friend ¨C she understood profoundly better to groom its fur than Otaspes did ¨C but that was already all. Otherwise the xingxing continued its life like it was used to.

    When spring had come to the country, Otaspes and Blanchefleur sat together in a colorful flower meadow high on the mountain and let the spring sun shine onto their faces. Xiaozhong, however, preferably stretched out contentedly in the sun in the valley below. It was a small miracle that this bloom thrived so well in the mountain heights because where the plants grew there had been snow for centuries. When her sisters still were alive this had certainly been the favorite place of the f¨¦e alpestre. Blanchefleur told her friend of the joys and sorrows she had experienced on this mountain. The panotian listened patiently. When she had finished her story, he immediately leaped up and disappeared somewhere in the valley, leaving the beauty behind alone dumbfounded. Only after the sun had wandered a good distance across the sky he returned.

    ¡°Blanchefleur, you¡¯ve told me how the man who betrayed you has gifted you a wreath of flowers, haven¡¯t you?¡± he said with his return.

    Astonished, the mountain fairy confirmed this with a nod.

    Thereupon, a broad smile appeared on the youth¡¯s face. He now showed what he had hidden behind his back before. It was a wreath of fir sprigs.

    ¡°This wreath is for you.¡± Otaspes declared ¡°In contrast to the flowers whose short life withers so fast, the fir tree is evergreen. Equally permanent shall be my friendship and love for you. I promise you to always be there for you.¡±

    With these words he put the fir wreath on her silver-haired head.

    In return Blanchefleur gave him a touched smile. ¡°Thank you, Otaspes.¡± she said.

    Then the young man sat down next to her in the sea of blossoms again and both of them believed somewhere deeply in their hearts that this relationship would last.

 Rescue in the Mining Tunnel

    In the old apothecary of Dulnitz at the moment two men who couldn¡¯t be more different faced each other on both sides of the counter. One of them was a slender, slightly shriveled old man with sparse grey hair, brown eyes wise from age, and a big drooping mustache. This man was Ortwin, the longest-serving apothecary in the mining town. Opposite of him stood a young, strong, and broad-shouldered giant, two and a half heads taller than an average man but only sixteen years old. He had bundled his long black hair into a ponytail and his amber eyes shone with wit. Even if Friedbert, such the youth was called, instilled awe with his gigantic brawny build, in reality he had a gentle temper. Since the young man had come to Dulnitz half a year ago he was well-known in the whole town. Namely Friedbert was a healer who was skilled at the practice of the traditional healing arts of the buschweibchens, wood sprites believed to be extinct that were considered to be unsurpassable healers.

    ¡°Yes, I still have loosestrife in stock. Dried, of course.¡± Ortwin declared. The old apothecary could hardly serve with fresh plants, for it was December these days and therefore deepest winter.

    ¡°What luck!¡± Friedbert rejoiced. Because he had surprisingly run out of hemostatic loosestrife gathered earlier in the year. With what he would buy from the old Ortwin today he would have to manage until loosestrife was available again. The old apothecary always made a fair price.

    Suddenly the door to the apothecary was pushed open and an eleven years old girl clad in dense winter clothes entered. The slim brown-haired child was Dietlinde, daughter of the grocer¡¯s widow Hildegunde with whom the gigantic healer lived as a lodger.

    ¡°How good that I¡¯ve found you, Friedbert!¡± she shouted ¡°You must come quickly! There was a big accident in the mine and the dwarves drum up all healers.¡±

    Friedbert furrowed his brows worriedly. A mining accident was something you had to always reckon with in a town like Dulnitz that had become prosperous and was still flourishing through mining. It was a matter of course for the young man that he would do his best to help. Just that the wintery circumstances didn¡¯t quite add to facilitate the rescue of the injured.

    ¡°I understand.¡± the giant declared with a deep voice while he paid the apothecary and received the bought goods. ¡°Just let me shortly return home to fetch the necessities.¡± Then he stepped out on the street covered with white snow ¨C although not without having to bend down in the low door frame of the apothecary. Outside he drew himself up to his full height and strode hurriedly. Some who caught sight of him got a chill because, despite the cold weather that caused long icicles to sparkle on the eaves, he wore nothing more than moss-green trousers and a shirt of the same color. For a change he had wrapped his big feet with cloth. Otherwise he used to go barefoot.

    Friedbert¡¯s destination was located somewhat outside the town walls of Dulnitz, not far from the mine shafts were the miners went down and came up again. In the vicinity of the mine there lay a settlement surrounded by a palisade trench where the diggers lived with their families. In contrast to the population of Dulnitz which consisted predominantly of humans, the hewers, foremen and other mineworkers were dwarves who, expelled from their old home, had settled here nearly a century ago with approval of the Count of Dulnitz at the time, and who exploited the riches of the mountains that benefitted the town of Dulnitz and its Lord ¨C since a few years a royal governor because the last Count had fallen into disgrace. This settlement of dwarves, called Dvergastadr ¨C place of the dwarves ¨C by its inhabitants, was called Zwergendorf ¨C village of the dwarves ¨C by the Dulnitzians.

    ¡°Friedbert, how good that you¡¯re coming!¡± an agitated voice with unmistakable accent shouted. Owner of this voice was a hunched dwarf with a grey-white beard so long that it nearly dragged over the ground.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Radsvidr.¡± The giant tried to appease the old dwarf. The village elder of the dwarves was completely distraught with anxiety. ¡°Are all casualties retrieved yet? Where have you brought them?¡±

    ¡°Many of our people have gotten off lightly and only have minor injuries.¡± Radsvidr who still had panic in his eyes reported. ¡°It is still unclear how many are still missing but one thing is for sure: Among them is the Princess¡­¡±

    Abruptly Friedbert realized why the dwarf elder was so panicky. It was the biggest news of the last days: Princess Himiltrud von Waldbergen visited Dulnitz for several days to get an idea of town and province. The highly intelligent young woman was the only child of the second marriage of King Gunderich II. Sixth oldest of eight children, she was often shunned and excluded in contrast to her five brothers and two sisters. To blame was the blood she had inherited from her mother and which made her an alp, that creature which brought nightmares to people, often compulsively. Accordingly she was popularly known as Princess Nachtmahr ¨C at least since her fianc¨¦ broke off her engagement because she was an alp. But now today the very same Princess Himiltrud had gone down into the tunnel for the mine¡¯s inspection and was buried alive by an accident.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    After the healer had made sure that none of the rescued injured were in a serious condition and then had left them to other healers for treatment, he was guided to the collapsed mine shaft by the dwarves. The passageway had been buried by a big rockslide. At first appearance it looked hopeless, in particular as nobody knew how much air to breathe was left for the ones trapped in the depth of the mountain.

    Friedbert didn¡¯t get discouraged by this though. ¡°I think I have exactly the right thing for this situation.¡± he said. Deep in his herb bag there was an unusual plant he had found in the deepest forest and whose fabled effect was now the last hope. He took out this plant known as springwort and laid it on the rock mass. The giant hoped devotedly that the magical herb and the power of the elements would work. And sure enough: The root had barely touched the disastrous boulders, then they burst with a loud bang. The all-bursting power of the springwort had proved itself.

    No sooner than the rocky obstacle was out of the way, then multitudes of dwarves flocked into the darkness of the mine¡¯s passageways to rescue the buried. Soon afterwards three dwarves, two royal guards, the Princess, and another man could be brought back to the light of day. Fortunately there were no fatalities but one of the dwarves had lost his leg through the rockslide. Princess Himiltrud was even unharmed except for some grazes and scrapes. Her pale complexion and the blueish lips had nothing to do with the suffered shock but branded her as an alp like also the eyebrows convalescing above her nose bridge. That the sky-blue dress had become dirty and the fancily braided chestnut-brown hair had become untidy, didn¡¯t seem to matter to the fifteen years old girl in contrast to ordinary aristocratic daughters. Instead the Princess looked with sorrow in her blue-grey eyes at the unconscious man lying nearby on the ground. He was a very big guy with a full black beard. The foreman N?fi, a dwarf with a flowing red beard, identified him as Leszek. This Leszek was no miner but a skarbnik, a mountain sprite, who had already dwelt in the mountain depths around Dulnitz before the dwarves had settled here with his consent.

    ¡°A healer, please!¡± Himiltrud begged ¡°This man has shielded me from the falling boulders. Please save his life!¡±

    ¡°I am a healer.¡± Friedbert declared. At the sight of this brawny giant, not only the eyes of the Princess opened in disbelieve, but the locals backed the youth¡¯s statement and even labeled him the best healer in all of Dulnitz. He immediately gave prove of that when he kneed down next to his patient and examined him thoroughly.

    ¡°Just some broken bones but that¡¯s nothing that couldn¡¯t be set.¡± the young man announced the surprisingly slight findings. Then he addressed himself to the first aid of the seriously injured. Only after this had happened, the adolescent healer allowed carefully transferring his patients to Zwergendorf. In the dwarf settlement Friedbert eventually cleaned the wounds of the King¡¯s daughter who had insisted that all those who had more severe injuries should have priority. Ultimately the accident ended without a single fatality, even without any later deaths as a result of wounds, and the brave skarbnik who had risked his life to save the Princess but still had gotten off lightly opened his red eyes on the same evening already. Leszek firmly declined the reward that Himiltrud promised him of out of gratitude. He rather wanted to return to the realm of the subterranean rock passages as soon as possible. Everything else was unimportant to him.

    ¡°Therefore, I would like to suggest to you that you return to Herrburg with me as my personal healer.¡± concluded the Princess. The decisive conduct and also the medical skills of Friedbert made her desire to fill the currently vacant position of healer in her entourage with the giant. Her butler, Dankmar, who was experienced in many areas, had confirmed after careful consideration that the youth¡¯s healing arts might be without equal even among the healers of the royal palace. The young healer himself who had no idea why the King¡¯s daughter had summoned him was completely surprised by the unexpected suggestion.

    ¡°Pardon, Your Royal Highness, but I don¡¯t quite know what I should think about your proposal. In all honesty, that has completely surprised me now.¡± Friedbert replied after a longer silence. He was taught the correct address immediately before the meeting.

    When Himiltrud heard this she cheeringly smiled at her guest. ¡°There is no rush for now.¡± she said ¡°I will be staying in Dulnitz for four more days after all. Should you wish to accompany me to the capital please report on the evening before my departure at the latest.¡± With those words she dismissed the young man who thought about what he wanted to do in future on the way home.

    Quietly some snowflakes fell from the sky when the followers of the Princess gathered to travel back to Herrburg, capital of the kingdom of Waldbergen. Friedbert stood slightly apart, a big deerskin bag on his shoulder. Around him there assembled all the friends and acquaintances he had made here in Dulnitz in the last half year, among them many of his patients and healer colleagues. Present were his landlady Hildegunde and her two children, the eleven years old Dietlinde and the six years old Willebrecht, but also the old apothecary Ortwin and Radsvidr, village elder of the dwarves, to only state a few names. Cheering and encouraging words could be heard but some tears flowed too, like with little Willebrecht who should lose again the much longed-for big brother he had found in Friedbert so soon. With mixed feelings the giant accepted the gratitude and affection he was given.

    Suddenly a voice rang out that said: ¡°Mr. Friedbert, it is about time.¡± It belonged to Dankmar, the butler of the Princess.

    The giant thanked the gathered friends for a last time and then he followed the other man to the carriage of the King¡¯s daughter where he took a seat on the coach box since he was unable to ride a horse. From the coach he waved at the gathered people for the last time before he set forth on a journey to an unknown future that would bring him many new adventures and experiences.

 Guests of the Queen

    A cool wind blew through the trees and caused the colorful leaves to shake. In late September this was nothing unusual. Shivering, Tilly pulled the brown cloak closer to her body. The slim eighteen years old girl with the long straw-blonde hair and the clear blue eyes at the moment passed through a sunken road covered with trees on both sides. The young woman wasn¡¯t alone. In her company there was a big black stallion with clever dark eyes from whose back she had dismounted because her bottom hurt from hours of riding to say the least. This steed with which she traveled cross-country over the whole peninsula of the kingdom of Seathornia since more than seven years was no ordinary horse though. No, the beast known as Domhnull was an each-uisge, an actually man-eating water horse that wasn¡¯t only able to speak human language ¨C at least the one common in Seathornia ¨C but also could take human shape.

    ¡°Tilly, come here and stay absolutely quiet.¡± the black horse demanded with a dark voice. He appeared to have sensed something that worried him.

    Tilly didn¡¯t talk back and followed the instruction. In their years together she had learnt to trust the each-uisge who would have posed a deadly threat for every other human. Soon steed and rider squeezed themselves into the shadow of the sunken road, anxious to attract as little attention as possible.

    Suddenly the trees cracked in the distance. A gigantic, heavily built figure nosed itself through the spruce trees at the wayside, dragging several trees splintering to the ground in the process. The abhorrently hideous face of this creature had a big mouth full of sharp fangs. For a short moment the monster lingered and audibly sucked air through its big nostrils. Then it moved on though, to Domhnull¡¯s and Tilly¡¯s complete relief.

    ¡°Good gods!¡± the each-uisge exclaimed ¡°Of all things an ogre! There¡¯s no way I would have expected one here.¡±

    Tilly still heard her heart beating like crazy in her ears. The girl was absolutely happy that the ogre had moved on, for tender young girls like her were its favorite food as is commonly known. She seemed to have completely forgotten that Domhnull was a man-eater himself. Soon the two friends continued their way as they wanted to reach the next place before nightfall if possible.

    After the almost-encounter with the ogre everything seemed like it was jinxed. The more the water horse and the young woman tried to leave the forest, the more they got into it. Soon afterwards they didn¡¯t quite know anymore where they came from and to where they wanted to go. In the meantime the sun had nearly set beyond the horizon and with the incoming darkness the cold of an autumn night spread over the forest. By that time the two estrays resigned themselves that they likely had to spend the night in the woods and had proceeded to look for a good resting spot for the night, but that too didn¡¯t seem so easy to find.

    Suddenly in short succession a capital stag and an elegant white horse broke forth from the undergrowth. On the steed there sat a gorgeous woman in a long green dress, a quiver with arrows on her back, and a bow in her hand. Her flowing golden blonde hair framed her spotless fair face like a veil of golden weave and her forest-green eyes appeared to know countless mysteries. The most conspicuous, however, surely were her long pointed ears that revealed the lady doubtlessly as an elf. Surprised, the two steeds and their riders looked silently at each other for a while, and then the beautiful stranger burst into a high, clear laughter. In the meantime the stag escaped unimpeded.

    ¡°Domhnull, that I would meet you here!¡± the elf said with a broad smile ¡°How long has it been? Eighty years? A hundred years?¡±

    ¡°Nicnevin, just my luck.¡± the each-uisge replied who didn¡¯t seem to share the excitement of his acquaintance.

    ¡°Oh don¡¯t say that, Dommy!¡± Nicnevin complained poutingly.

    Domhnull demonstratively turned his head away from her.

    After she realized that her discontent had no effect on the black horse, the elf did as if nothing had ever happened. Only then she really seemed to notice the human girl on the back of the water horse.

    ¡°You don¡¯t say!¡± the elf woman exclaimed ¡°I never would¡¯ve thought that I would ever see the day you wouldn¡¯t treat humans just as food, Dommy.¡±

    Meanwhile Tilly who didn¡¯t like the obvious closeness between the stranger and the each-uisge observed the whole occurrence. Since the young woman had more than just friendly or family feelings for the black horse, she felt the worm of sorrow and jealousy gnawing away at her heart. But it was quite difficult to not fall for the water monster that had not only given her a new life but also was also downright attractive in its human shape, for he appeared as a handsome black-haired man of about twenty years dressed in a fine black garment.

    Finally Nicnevin turned to the girl, who remained completely as observer, and spoke: ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Nicnevin. Dommy here and I know us quite a while. If he should¡¯ve wronged you, for instance making you his walking fresh meat stock, don¡¯t hesitate to confide in me.¡± At the same time she gave the girl a radiant smile that seemed to strongly dazzle her even in the twilight of the evening forest.

    ¡°I¡­ I am Tilly.¡± The human woman introduced herself, overwhelmed by the elf¡¯s friendliness and excessive familiarity. ¡°You have a misunderstanding. Domhnull is my savior!¡± No sooner than Tilly had said that, she blushed embarrassedly.

    ¡°Tilly then.¡± the elf acknowledged with an exaggerated nod ¡°My mistake, my mistake. I knew it that old Dommy was a good sort inside. You also don¡¯t need to be so stiff, girl. Just speak with ease. Now it crosses my mind¡­ What do you two actually do in the woods at this time? Somewhat brisk, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re lost.¡± Domhnull hissed with clenched teeth as if it was the biggest imaginable disgrace.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re lost!¡± Nicnevin exclaimed with a broad grin, happy to be able to rub it in to the water horse as well. She knew the each-uisge¡¯s pride just too well. ¡°Well, then come to my place. I insist!¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°If you say your place, are you thinking of Elfame then?¡± the black horse inquired warily.

    ¡°Elfame? Of course!¡± the elf replied ¡°Where should we go otherwise if not to Elfame?¡±

    ¡°Oh please not!¡± Domhnull moaned. But he still had to submit to his acquaintance¡¯s vigor. He surely wouldn¡¯t name her a friend.

    While the each-uisge and the human girl followed the elf on her white horse ¨C the latter was incidentally just an ordinary horse, probably slightly faster and more nimble-footed than one of human breeding but far from the water horse¡¯s higher intellect ¨C the former explained some things to the young woman on his back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised.¡± he spoke ¡°Elfame, where Nicnevin is bringing us, is the big city of the elves which is hidden here in this forest. Elfame is surrounded by a barrier confusing the senses which also might be the reason why we couldn¡¯t find our way anymore. That I didn¡¯t think earlier about it! Well, now is too late anyway. Be that as it may, Elfame is inhabited by the elves. Like the name already tells. And those elves have a Queen who is nobody else than our frivolous Nicnevin up ahead. A little more majestic behavior couldn¡¯t hurt her. I¡¯d rather not tell you how we¡®ve met. Believe me, I am very reluctant to remember it.¡±

    Tilly was flabbergasted. Never ever she would have thought that the cheerful elf could have been somebody of such importance. And that their destination, Elfame, was the legendary city of elves, left her speechless no less. It hadn¡¯t happened very often that the nation of elves, preferably living among themselves, invited a human to its realm. How often this had happened in the previous millennia could easily be counted on two hands if not one hand alone was already enough for this.

    Soon afterwards Elfame came in sight. The city was surrounded by a high palisade trench but even so it could easily be seen that many big trees stood inside of the enclosure. The guards opened the gates willingly for their Queen and her guests. The spacious premises of Elfame were characterized on one hand by big green hills, on the other hand by the trees visible earlier already, the trunks of which were significantly thicker and higher although they belonged to the same species as other trees spread in Seathornia too. According to their respective preferences the elves lived either deep down inside of hills or high up in tree houses. Elegantly curved pathways spread between dwellings and elaborately arranged orchards and vegetable gardens. The horses and cattle of the elves were allowed to graze wherever they liked.

    A horn signal announced the return of the Elf Queen. Nicnevin had gone for a ride to hunt for several days. Generally this somewhat special ruler liked to shirk responsibilities. Relieved, the elves came along to welcome the returning Monarch. Tilly was stunned by the view. The elves mostly clad in green but also in grey or brown were ¨C except for some old people ¨C really as beautiful as proverbially known. Nicnevin¡¯s guests who strode along behind the Queen¡¯s white horse ¨C Domhnull had taken human shape to adhere to respect and walked alongside Tilly now ¨C were welcomed favorably despite the ambiguous relations the elves had with humans. Even so the one or other elf pointed whisperingly at Domhnull. The each-uisge was well-known, no question. The inconspicuous, for human standards likely pretty but in presence of the elves plain looking girl drew less attention.

    Later Nicnevin, Domhnull, and Tilly sat at a wooden table and had dinner. They had roast hare that the elf hat shot and cooked herself. She was indeed no orthodox Monarch. In addition there were various roots plus wild vegetables and as drink warm mead from the honey of forest bees Nicnevin had brewed herself. The dinner table of the Elf Queen at which a hundred men could comfortably sit on benches but where only three people sat at the moment ¨C Nicnevin was single and went without the attendants that were actually due to her ¨C stood in a large subterranean hall illuminated by a green magical light that didn¡¯t seem to have a source. This hall was the stateroom of the royal abode which lay beneath the largest hill of Elfame located in its center. From the hall, further corridors branched off leading to the kitchen for example or to the private chambers of the Queen.

    During the meal the house-owner grilled Tilly about her adventures. The young woman told about her happy childhood on a stud, how she had lost the mother early already and the father some years later, the latter in a big fire that also destroyed her home. She reported about how she had kept herself just about alive with begging and odd jobs, how she had met the each-uisge, how he had made a better life possible for her and how they had traveled through the country ever since.

    ¡°Poor you!¡± Nicnevin said, tears in her eyes. ¡°So young and already suffered so much!¡± Then she turned to the water monster with a stern countenance. ¡°Honestly, Dommy!¡± she scolded ¡°How dare you to misuse such a young child as an emissary for your objectives? What the girl needs are regular conditions. I know, why don¡¯t you simply keep living with me?¡± she suggested Tilly ¡°Here you are save from all dangers, have a roof over your head, a soft bed for the night, and food and drink all you like. Then you can hang up the vagrant life for good.¡±

    ¡°As if I would consign Tilly to your care!¡± the each-uisge replied sarcastically ¡°I can hardly entrust her to such a fickle person like you!¡±

    Angrily the elf let fall her silverware, leaped up and suddenly embraced Tilly from behind, taking her under her wings more than just symbolically. ¡°So says the one who thoughtlessly condemns a child to years of restless wanderings!¡± she riled.

    ¡°Oh yes?!¡± Domhnull shouted, got up as well and pulled on one of the girl¡¯s arms to wrest her from the control of the elf. ¡°What should I have done otherwise then, Miss Smart-aleck? Letting Tilly live with me in the lake is absolutely impossible and to simply leave her with strangers who could later treat her who-knows-how is also out of the question. If nothing else, Tilly had never complained that she would be unhappy with me!¡±

    Only then the two squabblers realized that they pulled on the reason of their quarrel as if they tugged a rope although it was a living person. Immediately they let the girl go whose hair and clothes got completely muddled up. In spite of her pitiable sight the young woman was able to get a smile on her lips.

    ¡°I never was unhappy while I¡¯ve traveled with you, Domhnull.¡± Tilly declared ¡°Or if, then it was likely something I would¡¯ve been just as unlucky about on my lonesome as well. In fact you have given me a new better life and therefore I am very grateful to you.¡± At these words the water monster looked at his rival with a satisfied but mocking smile. ¡°But it is certainly true that I sometimes have wished that I could settle down somewhere.¡± Here the elf now stuck out her tongue provocatively at her opponent. ¡°But above all I often have asked myself if you really are fine, so far away from your natural element. Don¡¯t you really need the water as a water horse?¡± This touched both the each-uisge and the Elf Queen. As if on a collusion, they retreated to consult with each other. Tilly remained alone completely baffled, unsure if she had said something wrong.

    The decision Domhnull and Nicnevin made was that they wanted to offer Tilly to settle down in Elfame. Admittedly the young woman wouldn¡¯t be among her kind but she would be welcome. A friend of the Queen was a friend of all elves. The girl, when the proposal was presented to her, accepted gratefully, especially since the water horse she had feelings for after all declared he wouldn¡¯t let her alone with the fickle elf. So began Tilly¡¯s life in Elfame, the legendary city of elves, a new life that surely would bring many new adventures and experiences.

 A surprising Proposal

    On top of the sill there sat a chestnut brown mouse with beady blue-grey eyes. It listened how the busy servants that hurried through the corridors of the royal castle of Waldbergen talked about the imminent arrival of the delegation of the kingdom Seathornia in the capital Herrburg. In fact the Seathornians already were somewhat longer in the country but since the capital of Waldbergen was located inland the delegation arriving with a ship still had to cover the distance from the coast to Herrburg.

    Suddenly a brawny giant who was two and a half heads taller than an average man appeared in the hallway. The nineteen years old broad-shouldered young man had long black hair that he wore as a ponytail and attentive amber eyes. He was clad in the traditional long frock of a healer that didn¡¯t consist of undyed woolen fabric in his case, however, but of a green cloth he personally had made from moss and that successfully hid that the giant walked around barefooted. The young man whose name was Friedbert had come to the royal court as healer of the second Princess Himiltrud three years ago. This Friedbert was quite an unusual man, not only concerning his build but also his origin and demeanor. The youth had been raised far from any semblance of civilization in the deepest forest by one of the buschweibchens believed extinct and had learnt his incomparably effective art of healing from this ancient wood sprite. Accordingly, when he had left the forest he had known his whole life three years ago the human society had been completely foreign to him, not to mention the court ceremonial. That was but all the same for the Princess who had accepted him to her entourage. She cared about his unsurpassable art of healing, not possible weak points in his demeanor. Of course Friedbert had to learn a modicum of ceremonial and decorum to keep the face of his Mistress but that was another story.

    When the giant walked through the corridor the other servants scattered. Some of them were afraid of him due to his strangeness and hugeness, others avoided him because of his Mistress. Friedbert didn¡¯t get bothered by it though and specifically stepped up to the stucco sill close to ceiling level were the mouse cowered. He seized the animal, which complained with a loud squeak, carefully at its tail and dropped it gently on his big palm. Then he spoke ¡°Royal Highness, it¡¯s no good idea to secretly eavesdrop on the servants. You know how the maidservants react to mice. Incidentally, Dankmar and Odilgart urgently expect your return.¡± before he started back to the private chambers of the Princess. The rodent was indeed his Mistress, Princess Himiltrud. It wasn¡¯t as if she had been changed into a mouse by an evil sorcerer though. No, far from it. The sixth of the eight children of King Gunderich II was like her mother too an alp, that creature that compulsively brought nightmares to the people. As alp, the soul of the King¡¯s daughter infamously called Princess Nachtmahr could leave her sleeping body in changing shape and walk around independently, although she was often compulsively drawn to a human at night on whose chest she lay down as a heavy burden and whom she brought disturbing dreams. Thus no wonder that Princess Himiltrud was rather avoided.

    In the Princess¡¯s chambers in the castle¡¯s east wing the gigantic healer and the Mouse Princess were already expected by two people. One of the two was a silver-haired man in courtly attire with a thin mustache whose face, characterized by a distinctive chin, was disfigured by a big scar over his nose. His bearing and demeanor were flawless though. The other was a sturdy dumpy woman with arms as thick as those of washerwomen, curly brown-grey hair and a fat pimple on her bulbous nose. These people were Dankmar, the butler of the Princess proficient in many areas who also served as bodyguard, and his wife Odilgard who actually was Himiltrud¡¯s wet nurse but also took on the tasks of a chambermaid since the girls who originally served the Princess as handmaidens usually made themselves scarce again after only a short time. Together with Friedbert who had joined them three years ago, Dankmar and Odilgard already formed the complete entourage of the Princess. But her three attendants and her milk-sister married far away were also rather a kind of surrogate family for Himiltrud because she had no considerably close relationship to her five brothers and two sisters, not to mention her always busy father and her step mother who stayed rather indifferent to Princess Nachtmahr.

    ¡°There you are at last!¡± Odilgard grumbled but Friedbert knew that the old wet nurse¡¯s heart was much better than her grumpy exterior let surmise. Dankmar just nodded shortly and then he opened the door to the Princess¡¯s bedchamber. In the room lit up by the fire of a chimney there stood a big canopy bed, behind it a clothing chest, a spinning wheel ¨C still a rarity in Waldbergen ¨C a low table and a soft armchair in which sat the motionless body of the alp. The eighteen years old Princess clad in an elegant but relatively simple pale yellow dress had long, neat and fancily braided chestnut-brown hair. The pale complexion, the blueish lips and the eyebrows coalescing above her nose bridge revealed her easily as a nachtmahr. In her lap there lay a frame with a piece of cloth on which Himiltrud had embroidered flower and vine motives before she had fallen asleep.

    Friedbert stepped up to the motionlessly sitting Princess and let the mouse in his hand cautiously glide into her open mouth. It didn¡¯t take long, Himiltrud then opened her blue-grey eyes. ¡°I am back.¡± she stated dryly.

    ¡°Welcome back, Royal Highness¡± Dankmar spoke ¡°A short while ago a messenger of His Majesty was here. He passed on that you shall be present in the throne room in an hour.¡±

    ¡°The arrival of the delegation, I suppose.¡± the Princess said and nodded ¡°Dankmar, Friedbert, you can withdraw. Odilgard, I leave myself completely in your skillful hands.¡±

    She had barely spoken, there the men left the room while the wet nurse proceeded to get the Princess ready for the audience.

    Nearly an hour later Himiltrud turned up in the throne room at the requested time, draped in an elegant red dress according to the occasion, a delicate tiara on her head. The court was already present to a great extent. Ahead there sat King Gunderich II and Queen Aubr¨¦e from Sucellie, the sovereign¡¯s third wife. Most of his children were present too: Crown Prince Reinhold, the twins Prince Renwart and Prince Nandung as well as fourth Prince Ermeran. The first Princess Malwine was already married and thus absent, the third Princess Richmut and the fifth Prince K¨¹nzel still too young to take part at the audience. Nearby the royal family there also stood chancellor Fulrad, the likely second most powerful man in the country after the King. Without losing many words the second Princess joined her siblings. When it didn¡¯t come to official occasions like these Himiltrud often didn¡¯t see her siblings for months.

    The blaring of fanfares announced the arrival of the delegation from Seathornia.

    ¡°The envoys of His Royal Majesty Gamelyn I of Seathornia¡± the voice of the herald echoed through the room and the doors swung open. Ten men dressed in courtly attire came in sight, with a somewhat smaller but all the more athletic man with tanned freckled face, shoulder-length dark red hair, and attentive light brown eyes leading the way. At his side there walked a calf-sized shaggy black dog that partout didn¡¯t want to leave the side of its Master. But at the least through the appearance of this uncanny animal all people present became clear about who was the leader of this delegation there. It was no less a figure than Duke Doderic of Gorgewell, the only brother of the Seathornian King Gamelyn I himself, who had set forth on the long journey to Waldbergen. The twenty three years old duce had become famous in the empire and the five kingdoms when he had expelled the troops of the King of Sucellie from his home country at just age fourteen. Since he fought with an oversized scythe and was accompanied by a church grim regarded as bringing death ¨C precisely the black dog here also present ¨C he got the sobriquet Grim Reaper of the Battlefield, particularly as he came over his foes like death incarnate. The same Duke Doderic thus appeared now as an envoy in front of the King of Waldbergen and kneeled down in front of the Majesties¡¯ thrones together with the rest of the delegation.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°I greet Your Majesty Gunderich von Waldbergen.¡± spoke the leader of the delegation in Waldbergian language, with a strong accent though but still quite comprehensible.

    ¡°Welcome, envoy from Seathornia. You may rise.¡± the ruler replied with a benign nod of his head. ¡°What occasion brings you to Us from beyond the sea?¡±

    ¡°I have come by order of my Lord and brother, King Gamelyn of Seathornia, but, if I may, in a sense also on my own account. Majesty, my King Gamelyn desires to establish closer contacts to you and Waldbergen, if nothing else to let flourish the trade between our countries. He wants to pass this alliance with a marriage. Since His Majesty is already married though, I want to beseech you in his like also in my name to give me the hand of your daughter, the honorable Himiltrud.¡±

    Himiltrud¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Never would she have thought that the envoy from Seathornia would ask her hand in marriage. It was indeed known that Duke Doderic was still unwed in spite of his twenty three years ¨C the potential brides seemed to fear the belligerent reputation of the Grim Reaper ¨C but Himiltrud too with her eighteen years had already reached an age with which she was considered a spinster in aristocratic circles and therefore had assumed that she would stay unmarried all her life. The more so as the fianc¨¦ she once had had broken off the engagement to the then twelve years old Himiltrud since he didn¡¯t want to marry an alp. This went around and as a result the Princess wasn¡¯t able any longer to find any suitor. It seemed to be all the same to Doderic though, Himiltrud to even be his first choice ¨C at any rate compared to her only seven years old sister Richmut.

    King Gunderich accepted the marriage proposal straightaway, had he long since worried about it how he should yet still marry off his daughter, unless he hadn¡¯t already given up on it in his heart. Thus the offer from Seathornia was truly a godsend for him, for such a catch overshadowed all the others by far.

    After the audience, when Himiltrud already had returned to her chambers, she still speechlessly stared into space. What had dazzled her so suddenly was less the fact that she would leave the country of her birth forever but more the fact that she should marry, that she still could marry at all. Because the princess appeared so spaced out, Friedbert had at first examined her for possible discomfort but couldn¡¯t find anything. Only through patient and lengthy asking Dakmar, Odilgard and the healer had found out what had happened at the reception of the Seathornian envoys. When the secret finally was out, especially the wet nurse overjoyed congratulated her prot¨¦g¨¦ to the future wedding.

    Sometime later a servant reported in who delivered the message to Princess Nachtmahr that her future fianc¨¦ wished to meet her. Of course not alone, for that would have been indecent. Himiltrud decided to be accompanied by butler Dankmar. As meeting place a small pavilion in the castle garden was designated. This shadowy place was well chosen because on one hand it was able to allow in the warm summer air, on the other hand it was able to keep out the blazing sun of August. When Princess Himiltrud then arrived Duke Doderic was already present, accompanied by a member of the Seathornian delegation, a courtier of the Waldbergian court, and of course his church grim.

    ¡°Pardon me, Duke, that I have kept you waiting.¡± She spoke apologetically as greeting.

    ¡°It is the honor of every chivalrous man to wait for a lady.¡± he replied ¡°I likewise want to beg your pardon that I have asked you to this meeting so surprisingly. I didn¡¯t want to miss the chance to also exchange a few words with my future bride. Beforehand though, should you loath the thought of marrying me because you fear me, please don¡¯t be afraid to make it known to me. Our marriage may indeed be politically motivated but nothing is further from my mind than wanting to ruin the future of such a young lady like you.¡±

    That completely surprised the princess. ¡°Why should I fear you?¡± she asked in astonishment.

    ¡°You know that I am the Grim Reaper of the Battlefield, don¡¯t you?¡± Doderic inquired.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Himiltrud replied ¡°As long as the Grim Reaper stays on the battlefield I have no objections at all against the Duke of Gorgewell as my spouse, and your shaggy companion there also appears less terrifying than the rumors want to know. On the contrary I have to ask you if you really agree to wed an alp like me. I am sure you know what it means when somebody is an alp or a nachtmahr.¡±

    ¡°I have heard about it.¡± The Duke confirmed ¡°In Seathornia we have no alps or nachtmahrs. Your affliction doesn¡¯t cause me any superstitious fear, be assured. This is no problem for me. That you, with all due respect, are also already over the appropriate age for wedding, that should not worry you because isn¡¯t it even more true for me?¡±

    Thereupon, the Princess so avoided in her homeland had to smile. There was no love in this marriage, was it of purely political nature after all. That didn¡¯t mean of course that that couldn¡¯t change later on. Himiltrud was more than happy that she could still escape the destiny of a spinster that appeared so firmly established. But it wasn¡¯t only her alp blood causing the lack of suitors but also the fact that the highly intelligent Princess was so studied that she even overshadowed some of the more famous scholars of Waldbergen. It was the sad truth after all that men preferred women who were dumber than themselves so that they could look better in comparison. That wasn¡¯t the case with Doderic though. He preferred a smart wife who could look after the business of his estates while he went to fight in the King¡¯s name. Thus the two future fianc¨¦s decided that they really wanted to enter the following marriage for the mutual good.

    It was early September when the delegation from Seathornia went back to its homeland. The number of people, however, who would ship over the sea to travel to the peninsula kingdom had more than doubled. In the company of the Seathornians there namely also was the delegation of Waldbergen that left for the return visit lead by no less a figure than Crown Prince Reinhold.

    Himiltrud too had joined the delegation that served as bridal escort at the same time. In doing so she was accompanied to her new home by her whole retinue, for it was nothing unusual that a Princess brought a few trusted servants into the marriage. Since she only had Dankmar and Odilgard as attendants though, both of them came with her of course. She had left it to her healer Friedbert if he wanted to retire from service and stay in Waldbergen or accompany her to Seathornia. The giant, however, had declared that he would like to see more of the world and thus would stay at the side of his Mistress. With a part of melancholy but also positive excitement Himiltrud set off into a future that was so different from all she had imagined before, but she had no sorrows in that regard. After she had come to know her future husband Doderic better, she had the impression that she could at least become good friends with him if not more, and already with certain anticipation awaited the wedding that should take place in the royal chapel of Thuneriver, the capital of Seathornia. Whatever the future might bring her, she would welcome it with open arms.

 In the Heart of Night Dagger

    Dragomira strode through high stone halls. The buildings driven into the rocks in Gothic splendor were nearly deserted. Here and there a few people in black hooded cloaks walked around but then that was it already. The subterranean halls and corridors formed the headquarters of the assassin organization Night Dagger that was famous and notorious in the empire and the five kingdoms if not even beyond that. Eight hundred years had passed since this society of assassins had been founded. Founded in the little mountain village Pascolomonte not far from the Northern border of the Sacro Imperio to the kingdom of Sucellie, the organization had grown enormously in the underground not only concerning its members and branches but also its headquarters, to some extent even literally. And yet the inhabitants of the village Pascolomonte above ground mostly didn¡¯t know anything about it that the headquarters of the infamous organization Night Dagger was located in or rather beneath their drowsy herdsman village.

    Dragomira who wasn¡¯t veiled by a hood at the moment ¨C why should she, was the headquarters the place she called her home after all ¨C was the assassin being involved the longest in the present Night Dagger. That she looked like seventeen belied her merits and true age. In fact she was an over two hundred years old vampire who had spent the majority of her immortal or rather undead life as an assassin. Accordingly the contract killer was a figure younger assassins reverently looked up to. But not only were her skills first class but also her appearance. The vampire completely dressed in black was of a slim but athletic build, with attractive long legs in men¡¯s trousers. A narrow nose and a blood-red pair of eyes characterized her pointed face that showed a pale complexion like the rest of her body too. Her figure was completed by long auburn hair bundled into a ponytail.

    The undead planned to hand in the proof for her last successfully completed mission to the organization¡¯s own scribes in charge of that, and then to withdraw to the little chamber that was her private room to then devote herself there to the maintenance of her weapons, especially of the poisoned dagger she used as a rule. Dragomira¡¯s room was nothing special. A plank bed, a footstool, a narrow workbench, a clothing chest, a water bucket, and as light source an oil lamp. That was already all. But the vampire was also satisfied with few things. After she had finished her duties she stretched herself out contentedly on her bed. Although the bloodsucker could sleep practically everywhere but nowhere else she felt so save and secure as here. Even when the most members of Night Dagger were humans, they didn¡¯t hunt her as a bloodsucking monster but even inconspicuously supplied her with fresh blood. In return the vampire assaulted nobody but people approved for it.

    Suddenly it knocked at the stone doorframe to Dragomira¡¯s chamber. The doorway itself was covered by a floor-length curtain like practically everywhere in the subterranean headquarters. It was like this so the assassins could at all times storm out of their rooms in shortest time in case of an emergency. Even the moment it took to open a door could already cost a life in case of doubt. Of course there were also ordinary doors in the stone building complex but they were limited to storerooms, archives, prison cells, and other restricted rooms.

    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± the vampire asked, sitting up and quickly neatening her hair.

    Then a completely cloaked figure came in. His continuously grey clothing characterized the visitor as an intern messenger from Night Dagger. Many assassins began their career as messengers or similar handymen before they rose to assassins and finally could wear the much longed-for black assassin attire.

    ¡°The leader summons you.¡± the messenger declared.

    ¡°Understood.¡± the assassin replied.

    The messenger retreated as fast as he had come.

    Not bad. Dragomira thought to herself The boy has good prospects if he passes the aptitude test. But what does the leader want of me again? Then she stood up, obviously annoyed, and set off. Even the vampire whose successes exceeded those of all the other assassins by far couldn¡¯t oppose the leader¡¯s order. The leader ¨C his correct title read ¡°First and Foremost of the honorable assassins of the unyielding Night Dagger¡± but because of the length it was frequently abbreviated to leader ¨C was the highest authority in the whole widely branched assassin organization and had unconditional sway at his disposal although he rarely made use of it. Even the council of elders, the second highest authority in Night Dagger, had to grovel in the dust in front of him. Barely anybody had ever seen his face or heard his voice. That applied to many of the elders as well as the messenger before who likely had been given his order in written form. Dragomira belonged to the few who had had personal contact to the leader ¨C and on top of it so regularly that she saw him several times a year. This unparalleled honor didn¡¯t seem to delight the vampire though but instead to downright bother her.

    ¡°Dragomira here.¡± the vampire announced herself. She had been allowed to pass without objection by the leader¡¯s guards who were interestingly all of female gender. Too common was the coming of Night Dagger¡¯s best assassin for somebody to still object it.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Come in, come in.¡± a seductively low voice called. Dragomira, however, cared little about it and without any ceremonial and any excitement she stepped through the cloth covered archway that to the end still had separated her from the leader¡¯s private chambers. Whatever the ordinary members might imagine about the leader and his realm, for instance an old man of unspeakable age completely cloaked in black velvet who lived in a grot like an ascetic, produced new poisons with alchemic devices and wrote down his memoirs at a writing desk sparsely illuminated by a twilit tallow candle, or a brawny muscle man who lived for fighting and the maintenance of his weapons alone ¨C none of this could be any further from the truth. In fact the leader¡¯s private chamber was lavishly illuminated by beeswax candles and not a trace could be seen as well of a writing desk or glass equipment. Yes, there was nothing like writing tools or chemicals, never mind something other which had to do with the work of the organization. Weapons or training objects one would possibly have expected for a master of fighting also couldn¡¯t be found. Instead the room was nearly completely filled with a gigantic bed covered with velvet and silk. On it a superhumanly handsome man with an athletic build covered with nothing more than a transparent silk blanket over hips and legs stretched out contentedly. His blond hair shone like pure gold in the candlelight, his spotless skin seemed to be made of marble or ivory, and his dark eyes appeared like two bottomless ponds in which everybody sunk who caught sight of them.

    ¡°How nice that you have come.¡± the Adonis said with a beaming smile that showed his pearl-like teeth.

    ¡°Enough empty phrases, Barbiel.¡± Dragomira replied harshly. It couldn¡¯t be said that the assassin held the leader in high regard. Rather the contrary seemed to be the case. ¡°Tell me what you want from me so that I get away from here as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Oh Dragomira!¡± the leader complained with a bitter smile that would have deeply grieved all women and likely quite a few men too. All except for Dragomira. ¡°You know that you are the dearest for me, don¡¯t you?¡± he continued ¡°You are the only companion who hasn¡¯t left me in the last two hundred years.¡± Barbiel too, the leader of Night Dagger shrouded in mystery, wasn¡¯t actually human. No, he was an incubus, a demon who fed on the life substance of his victims through intercourse. For reasons only he himself knew he had come from hell to the world of mortals a long time ago and had stayed here. In fact it was Barbiel who had founded Night Dagger eight hundred years ago and had watched over the organization as the leader ever since. The assassins who he selected as his guards at the same time served as his partners in bed and thus also as food source. In return for their life essence of which the incubus took even the last drop, an incomparable pleasure was in store for the women. Only Dragomira was able to defy the demon¡¯s seductions, for she admittedly had no life force the incubus could take from her. Instead she herself was a robber of human life essence which she took in with the blood of her victims.

    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± The vampire replied snappily ¡°It just remains a mystery why.¡±

    ¡°Because you are the only one who doesn¡¯t go and dies so quickly.¡± Barbiel answered with tears in the corners of his eyes that made absolutely no impression on his opposite though.

    ¡°That could be because I¡¯ve been dead already.¡± she said unmoved.

    ¡°Dragomira, you¡¯re so unromantic!¡± the leader complained. That only achieved to coax a scornful ¡°Ha!¡± from the assassin.

    ¡°Pray tell, what do you want from me?¡± she demanded brusquely.

    ¡°Dragomira, I want¡­ you!¡± the incubus declared with a seductive smile.

    ¡°Out of the question!¡± the vampire warded.

    ¡°But I wait for more than two hundred years already!¡± Barbiel whined. In the presence of the undead he had not even a touch of the dignity he essentially should possess as the leader of Night Dagger. With no one else he was so much himself like with the bloodsucker.

    ¡°Then you can wait well even more than two thousand years.¡± Dragomira decisively explained. That she didn¡¯t want to have amorous adventures couldn¡¯t be held against her though. Even if she could no longer remember much from her previous life as a human including her former name, she could remember too well though that she had been raped in the cruelest way in the night before she had met that man who had turned her into a vampire. That put her thoroughly right off intercourse even still centuries later.

    The incubus, himself well-informed about the bloodsucker¡¯s tragic past, didn¡¯t want to wait any longer though. With a speed that overwhelmed even the superhuman reflexes and senses of a vampire he appeared in front of the recusant beauty and threw her on his bed. He pressed the struggling vampire into the sheets and whispered into her ear: ¡°I promise you that I will let you forget all your bad memories.¡± Then he sealed her lips before she was even able to utter a word of protest. About that what happened further we shall now cast the veil or rather the transparent silk blanket of silence.

    After that night nothing was like before. Dragomira was able to get over her trauma of the past and she visited Barbiel in future with increasing regularity and even willingly from herself. After twenty seven years she vanished as suddenly into thin air as the legendary founder of Night Dagger before, and the vampire assassin became a legend that should be told in the assassin organization even centuries later. Barely anyone knew that the leader had a hand in it because the incubus turned out to be a surprisingly possessive lover who didn¡¯t want to risk losing through a failed mission the bloodsucker whose heart he had won only lately and with many troubles. Dragomira too was fallible after all. Demon and vampire should spend many centuries if not millennia together in their love nest, and the undead hadn¡¯t to worry about a stock of fresh blood, her significant other had already taken care of that. But Barbiel too got to experience many a surprise, just like that his beloved was surprisingly jealous of the women whom he deprived of their life force for diet through intercourse¡­

 Extra: A short Description of the Northern Kingdoms

    When talking about the Northern kingdoms the term ¡°empire and the five kingdoms¡± can¡¯t be ignored. It is a general term for the Sacro Imperio and those nations under its more or less strong influence. The kingdoms associated with the empire are separated on one hand in the Northern kingdoms Seathornia, Sucellie, and Waldbergen which are culturally influenced by the empire. On the other hand there also are the two Southern kingdoms that are not only culturally but also politically strongly dependent on the empire.

    Seathornia is the Westernmost of the three Northern kingdoms. It is located on a peninsula in the sea and borders Sucellie in the South. The origin of the country¡¯s name lies in the fact that the peninsula appears like a thorn in the side of the sea, as which it is also interpreted in the founding myth.

    Seathornia¡¯s capital is Thuneriver, located in the Mideast of the country. The Kings of Seathornia reign over their kingdom from a castle which is located at the banks of the river Thune, thus giving the settlement forming around the royal castle its name.

    The second most important city after the capital is doubtlessly Eastport, a major port and trade city at the East coast of Seathornia. It is one of the major trading hubs in the Northern kingdoms and as such internationally accepted. Another town with at least a lot of prestige is Gorgewell, capital of the duchy with the same name in the Midlands of Seathornia known for its deep but narrow gorges where rivers are flowing through..

    There are also a lot of normal towns in the kingdom, two examples of which would be Oakham and Whitbury in the country¡¯s Southwest. Two typical villages are Heathton and Cliffwood in the North of Seathornia.

    Seathornia is, as the rest of the Northern kingdoms too, full of various myths and legends. One of them tells of an ancient abandoned graveyard in the midst of the woods somewhere in the country¡¯s Midlands. But it is unknown if such places really do exist or if they are just stories after all.

    What is known, though, is that humans are not the only intelligent inhabitants of the country. Seathornia is full of magical beings, most of which have a humanoid appearance. The largest group of those is known under the term ¡°fairy¡±, a word that denotes a variety of humanoid beings not only in Seathornia but also in Sucellie. In Seathornia it is most commonly used for tiny winged beings, albeit not exclusively.

    Some types of fairies can only be found in certain parts of Seathornia. Among them are the tylwyth teg, gorgeous fairy creatures living underground or underwater in the West of Seathornia, or beings such as a pixy or a spriggan. The former is a tiny fairy creature with a tendency to archness and nocturnal rides, the latter another tiny fairy creature that works as a bodyguard for pixies or as a guard of hidden treasures. Both can be found in the county¡¯s Southwest.

    Other fairies can be found in all of Seathornia. Some of them are dangerous to humans such as the baobhan-sith, an attractive fairy woman sucking young men dry of blood at night, or the ganconer, an equally attractive fairy man who feeds on the life essence of young women. The most famous fairy creature, however, although hardly ever seen, is the elf. It is a gorgeous fairy creature primarily inhabiting forests and generally known as a talented archer. The elves also have a big city hidden in the forest, Elfame, located in Northeastern Seathornia.

    Other magical beings are rather close to humans and their settlements, such as the church grim, a calf-sized black dog spirit that guards graveyards on behalf of the gods, or the dullahan, a ghost of a headless horseman.

    Quite ambiguous is the urisk, a half humanoid, half goatish household spirit and water sprite found in the North of Seathornia.

    Others are rather dangerous, such as man-eating water horses. Two distinct species are known in Seathornia, one being the kelpie living in rivers, the other the each-uisge living in lakes. Both are said to be able to use the human language and to take human shape.

    Another man-eating creature of Seathornia is the ogre, an ugly gigantic monster, that can occasionally be found not only in Seathornia but also Sucellie and the Sacro Imperio.

    This leads us to the second of the Northern kingdoms. Sucellie is the second Northern kingdom. It borders Waldbergen in the East, the Sacro Imperio in the South, and Seathornia in the Northwest, touching the sea in the West and in the North. Its capital is Couron, located in the Northeast of the country. According to the founding myth its royal family is said to be descendants of the pagan god Sucelle.

    The border to the Sacro Imperio is located in a mountain range. One of its highest mountains is Mont Neigeur. It is said that at the foot of this mountain there once was a village known as Fontaineclaire which was destroyed by an avalanche though. The mountains in the South of Sucellie, especially Mont Neigeur, are commonly inhabited by a kind of fairy known as f¨¦e alpestre, a gorgeous mountain fairy seen as the guardian of alpine flowers, ibexes, and chamois.

    Two other examples of humanoid magical beings in Sucellie found all over the country are the lutin, a diminutive household spirit, and the follet, a stable or household spirit that offers its services for board and lodge.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Occasionally the country is terrorized by the vouivre, a gigantic fire-spitting winged snake with a shining gem on its forehead.

    As the Sacro Imperio was already mentioned before we shall shortly look at it or at least at its relevant border regions. The Sacro Imperio is the empire known from the often used term with the five kingdoms and is the mightiest nation on the continent. It uses a system of slavery and has declared the church of the Almighty its state religion, with the Almighty being the only deity worshipped. As such is the case it literally calls itself the holy empire.

    In the mountains of the Northern Sacro Imperio there is a little shepherd village known as Pascolomonte. It is the site of the subterranean headquarters of the assassin organization Night Dagger, a famous and nefarious organization active in the empire and the five kingdoms.

    The last of the Northern kingdoms and the only one yet to describe is Waldbergen, the Easternmost of the three Northern kingdoms. It borders Sucellie in the West, the Sacro Imperio in the South, the deepest forest in the East, and the sea in the North. Its capital, Herrburg, is located in the Midwest of the country whose name literally originates in the fact that it is has a lot of forests (Waldbergian: W?lder, sg. Wald) and mountains (Waldbergian: Berge). The Southern border is formed by a continuation of the same mountain range already separating Sucellie and the empire.

    While Herrburg is the most important of all cities in Waldbergen politically and culturally, others are of more importance economically. The port town Watthaven in the country¡¯s Northwest is Waldbergen¡¯s gate to the world and an important trading hub, although its importance pales compared to Seathornia¡¯s Eastport.

    Dulnitz, however, is a prosperous mining town in the East of Waldbergen, not far from the deepest forest, and the capital of the county, now governorship of the same name. The miners responsible for Dulnitz¡¯s prosperity live in Zwergendorf, a miner settlement near Dulnitz called Dvergastadr by its inhabitants living there in exile. Every inhabitant of Zwergendorf is a dwarf, a diminutive humanoid earth sprite from the high North, known to be especially skilled in mining and blacksmithing.

    Another similar humanoid magical being found only in the East of Waldbergen is the skarbnik, a big mountain sprite that inhabits the interior of the mountains.

    More common in Waldbergen is the kobold though, a diminutive household spirit that can be found all over the country but shouldn¡¯t be confused with the likewise humanoid ?otek, a diminutive household spirit that can only be found in the Southeast of Waldbergen.

    A very special kind of creature is the alp, also known as nachtmahr, for it is basically a human who has the often inherited ability enabling his soul to leave his sleeping body in variable shapes. Its downside, however, is that an alp in this form compulsively brings its fellow human beings nightmares. Nachtmahrs can only be found in Waldbergen.

    Already partly outside the realm of Waldbergen is the vodn¨ªk, a humanoid water sprite that lives in the rivers and lakes of Eastern Waldbergen and in the deepest forest. It inhabits crystal palaces and drowns people to acquire their souls.

    The deepest forest bordering Waldbergen to the East is a nearly boundless woodland unspoiled by humans. It is a natural treasure trove, for the most unusual plants are growing there. The most famous among them is the blue flower neversore, known in the Waldbergian language as blaue Blume Nimmerweh, a rare medicinal herb that helps against all kinds of pain. Also quite useful is the springwort, a plant with the power to open all locks, doors, and obstacles. The irrkraut, however, is a nasty fern with spores causing confusion to wayfarers so that they hopelessly go astray.

    The deepest forest also is inhabited by all kinds of magical beings. One of them is the buschweibchen, a supposedly extinct kind of humanoid female wood sprite known to be an expert in healing arts.

    The reason why buschweibchens are thought to be extinct is the wild hunt, a host of demons and ghosts hunting them and other wood sprites at night in the deepest forest. The leader of this host is the wild huntsman Wode, a fallen god who also abducts and impregnates women.

    There also is a chance to see a will-o¡¯-the-wisp in the deepest forest. This is a fire spirit, namely a soul of a child who died namelessly. It can also be found in all Northern kingdoms, albeit comparatively rarely.

    Further East of the deepest forest, there already lies the territory of the grand duchies, a land the inhabitants of the Northern kingdoms now nearly nothing about. Quite famous though is the domovoy, a diminutive humanoid household spirit found in the grand duchies. Better known, however, is the vampire, a bloodsucking undead who originally comes from the grand duchies but has long since spread far and wide in the empire and the five kingdoms.

    Nonetheless the inhabitants of the Northern kingdoms still have heard from far off places and their curious fauna or locals. A being from far off that sometimes may find its ways to the markets of the Northern Kingdoms is the bl¨¢-g¨®ma, an inexpressibly ugly fish from the Northern Sea that is considered to be inedible. The panotian, a humanoid being with big ears from far-off parts of the world in the Northeast, is comparably rarer to be seen if not for the slave markets of the empire.

    A mysterious region also is the far-off parts of the world in the hot South. There, so it is said, one can encounter a blemmy, a humanoid headless being with its face on its chest, or a himantopode, a humanoid being with thin, strap-like limbs that moves wriggling like a snake. It is said that ebony trees grow in the land of the himantopodes.

    A creature nobody had ever heard about though is the xingxing, a monkey creature from the farthest East that is capable of learning the human language.

    Finally there also are beings from another completely different realm of existence such as demons from hell. Mentionable is the incubus whose kind is known to steal the life essence of women through intercourse. Other famous demons are known individually by their name such as Marchosias, a winged wolf demon capable of spitting fire, and Vine, a lion demon who knows hidden things and secrets as well as the past, the present, and the future.

    This concludes the description of the Northern kingdoms.

 Extra: Profiles of Important Characters

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Tilly

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Human (Nationality: Seathornian)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Female

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    145 cm (¡Ö 4¡¯9¡¯¡¯; age 11)

    160 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯3¡¯¡¯; age 14)

    164 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯5¡¯¡¯; age 16 and older)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Straw-blonde

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Blue

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Domhnull

    An asset-backed life

    Travels

    Sweets

    Pixies

    Nicnevin

    Her parents and the stud of her childhood

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Poverty

    Lack of shelter

    Ruffians

    Everybody who makes approaches to Domhnull

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Domhnull

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Each-uisge

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Male

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    173 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯8¡¯¡¯; withers in horse shape)

    182 cm (¡Ö 6¡¯0¡¯¡¯; height in human shape)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Black (both fur in horse shape and hair in human shape)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Dark

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Human flesh

    Lakes

    Tilly

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Kelpies

    River current

    Human livers

    Nicnevin

    Everybody who makes approaches to Tilly

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Nicnevin

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Elf

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Female

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    166 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯5¡¯¡¯)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Golden blonde

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Forest-green

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Cooking and roasting

    Brewing

    Mead

    Hunting

    Rides

    Individuality

    Domhnull

    Tilly

    Elfame and the elves

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Royal responsibilities and obligations

    Excessive court ceremonial

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    FriedbertIf you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Demigod/Demidemon with a good part being human

    (Nationality: later Waldbergian)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Male

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    51 cm (¡Ö 1¡¯8¡¯¡¯; age 1 month)

    157 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯2¡¯¡¯; age 9)

    226 cm (¡Ö 7¡¯5¡¯¡¯; age 16 and older)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Night-black

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Amber

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Gathering herbs and berries

    Cakes

    Spinning and knitting

    Healing

    Children

    Travels

    New experiences

    Adalberga

    The will-o¡¯-the-wips

    Dragomira

    Apothecary Ortwin

    Grocer¡¯s widow Hildegunde¡¯s family

    Princess Himiltrud

    Dankmar and Odilgard

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Chicory coffee

    Irrkraut

    Vodn¨ªks

    Low buildings

    Court ceremonial

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Adalberga

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Buschweibchen

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Female

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    108 cm (¡Ö 3¡¯6¡¯¡¯; appears even smaller through crooked stature)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Snow-white

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Moss-green

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Gathering herbs and berries

    Baking

    Chicory coffee

    Bread heart

    Wild berries jam

    Cake

    Spinning and knitting

    Healing

    Children

    Friedbert

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    The wild hunt and the wild huntsman Wode

    Irrkraut

    Bread crust

    Infirmities of old age

    Influences from outside the forest

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Otaspes

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Panotian

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Male

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    164 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯5¡¯¡¯; age 13)

    186 cm (¡Ö 6¡¯1¡¯¡¯; age 17)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Fire-red

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Golden

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Feeling of security

    Playing auloi

    Horses

    Blanchefleur

    Xiaozhong

    Gossouin

    Master Rigaud

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    War

    Slavery

    Firestorms

    Prejudices

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Blanchefleur

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    F¨¦e alpestre

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Female

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    172 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯8¡¯¡¯)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Silvery light blonde

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Ice-blue

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Alpine flowers

    Ibexes and chamois

    Her sisters

    Otaspes

    Xiaozhong

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Crystal cave

    Betrayal

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Xiaozhong

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Xingxing

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Male

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    92 cm (¡Ö 3¡¯0¡¯¡¯; without tail)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Brown fur, the ears white

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Red

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Exploring

    Sunbathing

    Otaspes

    Blanchefleur

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Snakes

    Hunger

    Cold

    Tiredness

    People who want to eat him as delicacy

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Himiltrud von Waldbergen (Sobriquet: Princess Nachtmahr)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Alp (Nationality: Waldbergian)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Female

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    158 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯2¡¯¡¯; age 15)

    161 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯3¡¯¡¯; age 18)

    10 cm (¡Ö 4¡¯¡¯; soul in mouse shape, without tail)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Chestnut brown (both hair and fur in mouse shape)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Blue-grey

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Traveling

    Books

    Knowledge

    Spinning and embroidery

    Secret eavesdropping in mouse shape

    Dankmar and Odilgard

    Friedbert

    Doderic

    Leszek

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Rock slides

    Prejudices

    Being shunned

    Aristocratic flamboyancy and hubris

    Her ex-fianc¨¦

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Doderic of Gorgewell (Sobriquet: Grim Reaper of the Battlefield)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Human (Nationality: Seathornian)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Male

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    155 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯1¡¯¡¯; age 14)

    169 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯7¡¯¡¯; age 23)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Dark red

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Light brown

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Horses

    Rides and travels

    Fights and tournaments

    Various weapons

    King Gamelyn I

    His dun steed

    Oswin

    Himiltrud

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    King Foulques III

    Sucellian invaders

    Dullahan Eorpwald

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Oswin

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Church grim

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Male

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    92 cm (¡Ö 3¡¯0¡¯¡¯) withers

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Black fur

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Fiery yellow

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Guarding places, objects, and persons

    Hunting game

    Doderic

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Dullahan Eorpwald

    Riding horses

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Dragomira

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Vampire (no nationality, member of the assassin organization Night Dagger)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Female

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    168 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯6¡¯¡¯)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Auburn

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Blood-red

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Freedom

    Night

    Blood

    Barbiel (later)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Sunlight

    Demons

    Friedbert

    Rape

    Barbiel (in the beginning)

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    <table width="640">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Name

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Barbiel

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Species/

    Ethnic Group

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Incubus (no nationality, leader of the assassin organization Night Dagger)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Gender

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Male

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Height

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    181 cm (¡Ö 5¡¯11¡¯¡¯)

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Hair Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Golden blond

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Eye Color

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Dark

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Likes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Human life essence

    Intercourse

    Dragomira

    </td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td width="121">

    Dislikes

    </td>

    <td width="520">

    Loneliness

    Loss of beloved persons

    Hell

    </td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>