Ancient Banahgarian Chronicles

YEARS FOUR TO SEVEN

YEAR 4

In this year there was strife in the Dall, and men took up swords and spears, and girded themselves with armour.

With no King to give rings and be the shield of the nation the brothers ruled in their own way, and sought to extend their own domains and to ensure riches for themselves and their followers.

And in the Dall, the holdings of the twins Haell and Bran were abutted. And each had envy for the land the other possessed, and wanted to be master. And so they gathered thanes, and armed them with bright iron, and brought their armies close to the border.

There was a camp made in a wide vale, each brother gathering their own forces on either side. And they met often, they could only state that the other should surrender and stand down, and neither would back away. And so the anger of each grew and the men of their armies sharpened their blades and readied themselves for battle.

And the lines were drawn, iron-rimmed shields on each warrior's arm. And at dawn on a certain day they did advance, swords and spears held to shed blood on the green grass. In the centre of one line was Haell, Hnefifehk shining in his fist. And opposed him was his brother Bran, his own sword Hierdunskreff eager for the blade-clash.

As the lines drew near each other, when they were barely more than a spear's throw apart, a cloaked and hooded figure pushed through the well-armed ranks. They had come from afar on the eve of battle and no man knew their name. They advanced to the very front rank of the shield-wall and burst through. All the warriors were astonished as this figure dashed out between their two mighty leaders. They cast back their ragged hood, and lo! It was their mother, the King's widow Rhiannwaen. And she boldly stood before both armies and did cast back her robes. And her breast was bare to the open sky. And the warriors looked away and Haell and Bran were astonished and halted their march.

And her voice was strong and full of fury, though she was old and wizened now, and she spake thus:

"Haell my son, Bran my son. Look! Look now at the body that bore you in tearing agony! Look now at the body that nourished you as babes and helped you grow to manhood. Look at the hands that fed you as bairns and clothed you when you were young. Will you think of how I laboured and worried to keep you healthy and make you strong? Will you think of the worry in my mind when I heard of your desire for war with one another? Can you not imagine the grief in my heart if you slay each other on this field? A screaming, raging grief that will consume me? This war is borne of the same envy and pride you have always had against each other, you both know there is no good cause. I am your mother and with all I have done for you in mind I beg you to end this now."

So she spake, her robe around her waist but no trace of shame in her face or bearing. And the brothers were amazed, and abashed. And they heard the truth in her words and felt the love in her anger.

And Bran, always the quickest to see peace, sheathed his famous blade. The sound of his army following their leader and putting down their weapons was like the roar of a rushing beck. And he crossed the gap between the armies towards his brother.

Haell was yet uncertain, and stubborn, and he fought with himself and his impulses. But he looked again at his mother, lowering herself and revealing her fragile humanity to all, and he too put up his weapon. And the brothers embraced and their armies stood down and there was no war.

Rhiannwen then went to Ostrebrost, and was received with great honour, and was given a seat at the witan.

And that autumn the harvest was rich, the grain was stacked high and many mighty Aurochs were slaughtered and there was feasting.

YEAR 5

And in this year Kell wandered still, and he was seen in the high lands by many folk, but they dared not speak with him as he mourned, and he did not come down to Ostrebrost. And many men and members of the witan wondered at this and muttered that Leowrac's son had spurned them.

And many children were born this year, and were fair and without blemish, and survived long from their mothers' wombs. Rissa was gifted a daughter by the gods, and she was named Kjellfrid, and joined two brothers Egal and Frasur in his fine hall Domgreind. And Thord and Bjarn both had sons, who would grow to be mighty men in their time.

YEAR 6

With the spring's snowmelt came an assault on Banahgar's northern fences by wild and unknown dwarf tribes. They were primitive but ferocious and there was battle near the mountain villages of Kalbaek, and Harklif, and Hoytoft, and many other settlements were assailed. And there was slaughter and burning, and the people despaired.

Thord, and Bjarn, and Norgan gathered their thanes and fought the Stobyvar along the northern fences. The dwarves were dismayed at the great strength and valour of these men and fell back wailing, and many were slain or lost in the mountains.

YEAR 7

The Stobyvar came again this spring, in great force. Their army was led deep into Naen-Giata and many villages were razed. And the lords of the north raised their armies once more and formed a great shield-wall outside Wihtgar. On that site was a great battle. And the grass and rocks were red with blood. And the men of Banahgar raised their spears and swords in victory as the sun set, and no Stobyvari escaped the field. But there was much loss and the women wailed and children cried for husbands, sons and fathers who never returned.

At the start of Autumn the three northern brothers marched to Ostrebrost, with a host of thanes, well-armed and in gleaming mail. And they came there and made a great clamour on the riverbank where the broad Ostre flowed past the town. Thord came forward and his great voice boomed out.

"We have defended Banahgar from invasion. We have fought terrible and bloody battles in the far north while you were safe here. We have been bloodied and many great thanes, brave warriors lie under the grass. We demand glory, we demand a share of the wealth of your soft land beside the river, we demand to be known as lords of the land!"

So sayeth Thord and his words carried across the town and across the land. And Njall gathered his thanes to defend the town, and he was joined by his noble brothers Rissa, Janni and Culain. And the armies were arrayed across many fields, and their iron was bright and cold in the morning air. The threat of battle and war was in the air.

And then Kell came to Ostrebrost. He had wandered long in the land and the hue and cry at the river brought him back. And he made peace with his brothers, and gave credit to Thord and Norgan and mighty Bjarn. And he summoned a witan, and all came. Bran and Haell came from the Dall, and they came together as friends. And Hogarl came from his wide domain in the south. Rissa, Culain and Janni were there also. And the King's widow Rhiannwen was there. And last of all came Narin, and sat at Kell's right hand in the witan. And all who saw him marvelled and were astonished at the change in him.

And Kell saw him, after a long time sundered across the land. And he saw him fully as if lit by a shaft of broad sunlight. His brother was full of peace, but also ready. There was calm balance to his bearing, but in his hand was strength. He was humble, but on his brow was wisdom. And in his eyes were determination, but he was filled with mercy. And Kell looked at his brother and he saw all this and knew how much his brother had learned.

Then before the whole witan, mighty Kell, respected by all, did turn to Narin, and knelt before him, and said the two words that were to change everything. He said:

"Teach me."