Hero of the Melodious Bride

In the quiet fishing village of Aaron-ford, a long time ago, there lived a shy boy with wavy auburn hair. Not too far upstream was the bustling city of Crysglen, which was home to a young woman with pearl gray eyes. Alisa had the loveliest voice in all of Ecura. She liked to dress in bright pastel colors and always wore a magnificent plume in her hair. Everyone in Crysglen gathered to listen when she sang, and to stare into her beautiful pearl gray eyes. All the young men in the city competed for her attention. But she didn’t have an eye for any of them. The Crystal Songstress longed for the quiet fisher boy named Sesar, who had wavy auburn hair.

On market days, Sesar would travel with his parents to the bustling city upstream. He felt so small walking through the front gate. Nothing Sesar had ever seen was taller than the gate of Crysglen — except the towering rocky crags of Mount Umbran, which served as the city’s northern wall. The western wall of Crysglen was surrounded by a sparkling blue lake, completely void of fish. It’s only purpose was to serve as a giant moat, which in turn created the demand for the small fishing village downstream.

Alisa loved that fishless lake and thanked Shway for it every time she woke. On market days she’d wake early and rush to the seafood booths to wait for the boy with wavy auburn hair to return. In truth, she never really liked the smell or taste of fish, yet never missed the chance to buy three fresh Fillies from her Sesar. Alisa would fill Sesar’s ears with all sorts of flirty smalltalk and he’d just smile and stare through his wavy auburn hair into her pearlescent eyes. For the rest of the day she’d think about how his warm hand had lightly brushed against hers as he’d taken the coins from her trembling palm. She thought about Sesar’s quiet smile, shy eyes, and wavy auburn hair — while her folks fried the Fillies for dinner — and decided she was gonna marry him one day.

When Alisa confessed her intentions to Sesar, he wholeheartedly agreed. After getting the formal permission of their mothers, the two lovers were pledged together and tattooed with each other’s family marks in the traditional engagement ceremony. With the vows of betrothal, the boy became the man with wavy auburn hair. Legend claims it was the purest and most joyous love in all the history of Ecura. Then, during the engagement period before the wedding, in accordance with life’s cruel tricks, something dreadful happened.

Some noble cronies in a faraway palace decided that Aaron-ford was now in the Kingdom of Kaepinary. Alisa’s father, being the reputable shoemaker that he was, forbade her to travel outside the walls of Crysglen. Her mother, always seeking favor with the noble court, called off the wedding. The Crystal Songstress was not to marry the fisherman with wavy auburn hair from the enemy kingdom and became known as the Weeping Betrothed. The gates remained closed to all foreigners. So the quiet man from the fishing village of Aaron-ford joined his king’s army and became a soldier with wavy auburn hair.

Sesar was as strong as he was quiet, thanks to the many sols he spent pulling up his father’s nets full of fish. In short time he rose through the ranks, thanks to his naturally keen prowess in battle. If you were to ask him from whence came his sudden talent for warfare, he would have replied simply that he was fueled by love. Soon he found himself right where he intended to be — as a captain serving in the very regiment ordered to capture Crysglen. He was determined to reach Alisa, by force if necessary, and free her from the city’s control.

After nine long sols, Crysglen still showed no signs of succumbing to the constant siege. No matter how many boulders were flung from the trebuchets, the walls of the city would not come down. No matter how many rotten carcasses were shot over the walls, the gates never opened. From the outside, Crysglen was living up to its reputation of being impenetrable.

On the inside, people were suffering from starvation and disease. Cannibalism and crime was rampant. The noble court was barely holding on to their power. They began to lose hope that their king would ever send food or troops to save them. In a bold attempt to gain their own freedom, the leaders of Crysglen challenged the besieging army to send a warrior to duel with their legendary axeman. Gorris was nearly twice as tall as any man, with arms larger than the entire bodies of most people in Crysglen — even before they were all starving.

In his early years Gorris was known as the Beast Slayer. He would travel between the local villages outside Crysglen and slay the Skrieven warlords wherever they popped out of their filthy holes. After the Second Uprising of the Skrievens had ended, Gorris became a blade for hire. With every duel that he won, every coin he lined his purse with, every tooth from the fallen he notched into his belt, he lost that much honor and dignity — yet gained twice as much in fame and might. Legends claim Gorris fought and won 805 duels in total.

With the champion of Crysglen chosen and the challenge accepted by King Arturious, the duel was set. The winning champion would secure a peaceful victory for their masters.

Sesar’s wavy auburn hair swayed in the breeze as he passed through the towering gate of Crysglen once more. He could smell the burning flesh and hair of the death pyre set in the city square, where the starved and diseased kept it constantly fed. The smoke nearly blocked out the light from Flora and Nuna, casting a shadow of death in its wake. Sesar couldn’t help worrying about Alisa, but he knew he had to focus on his sword — on besting his opponent.

As he walked solemnly towards the courtyard, Sesar noticed the lack of all things in the city. There were no bustling markets, no laughing children playing games, no clucking chickens looking about for bits of scraps, no horses swatting their tails from side to side at the hitching posts, and no singing Crystal Songstress as there was before. What the champion with wavy auburn hair saw as he entered the courtyard was a beast of a man.

Gorris stood, battleaxe in hands, at the far side of the courtyard covered in the teeth of his victims. One tooth from each fallen foe was notched into his leather belt and vest, strung as necklaces around his neck, and weaved into his thick dark dreads — 993 in total. Rumors claimed Gorris had gone mad from cannibalism. No words were exchanged. The two champions stood and stared silently at each other for what some people say seemed like an eternity. Suddenly, Gorris let out a beastly roar and began to charge at Sesar. He crossed the span of the courtyard with blazing speed and leaped into the air at Sesar, who stood without moving. In an instant it was over.

The champion became the hero with wavy auburn hair.

King Arturious’ army flooded the castle gates and brought with them mercy and salvation. People cheered in the streets for their victors. Food and wine was given out in every corner of the castle. The siege of Crysglen was finally over.

Sesar left his sword where it pommeled through the body of Gorris. He tore off his garments of war and tossed his armor aside. Straight for the home of his beloved he ran. The quiet man, for once, found his voice and called for Alisa at the top of his lungs. He found her at her father’s deathbed, her mother was long past.

Alisa was strong. Her frail body disguised her spirit. She jumped into her Sesar’s embrace and the two lovers were overwhelmed with their overdue reunion. At twilight, the two were finally wed and the Weeping Betrothed became the Melodious Bride.

Alisa went on to become the most famous poet and songstress in all of Ecuran history. Her smooth voice and powerful lyrics were known as far away as Kuniumi. Sesar, meanwhile, retired from his military life and never wielded a weapon again. He had always been a peace loving man and a fisherman at heart. Everything he had done was for his Alisa.

King Arturious went on to control all of Ecura and his royal family would rule for gene- rations. Meanwhile, as the Sols passed many people forgot the heroic deeds of Sesar, the Champion of Crysglen, Hero of the Melodious Bride.

Alisa became the noisy old woman, the hero became the old man with wavy white hair, and the two lived happily ever after.

The End