The Witcher: Aethan of Cidaris

Chapter 14: Pilgrimage to Skellige, Part 3 - Finale

(AUTHOR’S NOTE:

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THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DIVINE AND ESOTERIC ELEMENTS THAT COULD OFFEND OR CONFUSE SOME PEOPLE, JUST KNOW THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

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(Forests of Hindarsfjall, Hindarsfjall, Jarldom of Hindarsfjall, Skellige, Isles of Skellige, The North, Witcher World, Witcher-Verse)

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(King Aethan I Jaenerys of Cidaris POV)

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Untamed.

That is how King Aethan would describe Skellige. It was a wild and cold place, inhabited by people who were survivors at their core. These people glorified their forefathers and, as such, held honor be it personal honor or familial honor - in extreme importance.

But there was something else.

An often overlooked aspect of Skellige culture, that was very important. That particular aspect was a respect and a reverence for nature and the gifts and curses it provided. The wisest Jarls knew that protection of one's lands was more than just about defense during war. It was ensuring that the land and all that called it home were protected as much as they were utilized. Resource management was critical for any Jarl, and the safekeeping of their lands against threats both seen and unseen, thought minor or thought major, and obvious or subtle that truly distinguished who was the wisest.

Now, Aethan did not believe that Donar an Hindar was not the most cunning or fearsome of the Jarls of Skellige. No, he was shrewd and wily. He understood that Hindarsfjall was the most sacred and holy isle in Skellige. That meant that its land had to be safeguarded.

From what he'd seen so far, Donar was very careful of what he allowed in the way of industry or sacrifice on Hindarsfjall. Because as teaming with life and game as the forests of Hindarsfjall were, they weren’t overfilled with them. The forests seemed - as wild and untamed as they were - to be a healthy mix of old and young trees, which meant Clan Heymaey took the protection and harvesting of lumber very seriously. These were seafaring and raiding people, so more often than not the objective was gold, food, luxuries, or women. But the Skellige folk knew how to make things last, so they likely also stole lumber when there were not enough old trees to cut down. Keeps their forests from dying out. But clearly, the Heymaey folk also took livestock since, on his way through with Donar, they had a great deal of livestock available, which made sense when Aethan looked at the Game in the Forest.

They’d spotted mostly young deer so far and, at his and Donar’s insistence, had left them be. But not just out of common sense, there were reports of a far greater prize in these woods. A White Stag, Skellige folk tradition held that whosoever slew a White Stag was to be respected as Tyr’s chosen, for he had slain Freya’s elusive guardian.

Tyr and Freya were married, and one of the trials Tyr had to undertake in order to prove worthy of her hand was to slay her Stag.

Tyr failed.

Time and time again, until finally nearing the end of his mortal life, he stopped chasing it and simply sat down. The Stag came to him now, and he spared it. Declaring he would let another who was younger and wiser slay the beast. Freya deemed him worthy of her hand for his valor, mercy, and his wisdom.

Throughout the ages, only a handful of Skelligers had slain a White Stag, and all of them, barring one, became Konung of Skellige. The last two to slay a White Stag were, ironically, Bran and Eist Tuirseach. Now, obviously, Eist hadn’t become King of Skellige, as he had become King-Consort to Calanthe. But that ought to tell you how important the people of Skellige held the slaying of a white deer.