Book 1. Genesis (North and South Ed.)

CHAPTER I. The Sankin Kotai

CHAPTER I

The Sankin Kotai

"Long last we meet, only for me to leave hurriedly, for I could not recognize you, like the moon hidden behind the clouds." - Lady Murasaki, Heian poet

Lord Adam Bell, the Last Dragon Lord of Milton, is a very fortuitous man, the seventh son of a seventh son, he is truly thrice blessed.  As an Emissary of Milton, he travelled all the other realms negotiating treaties, managing supply routes and overseeing the payment of tithes and taxes required to support the war effort. On his travels, he fell in love with a beautiful and gentle commoner from London,  a sophisticated, cultured and fashionable Principality in the center of North and South. Lord Bell's family was very much opposed to the match. He is a mage after all why would he throw himself away to make such a vulgar union. A mage and a commoner? Simply not done. Better to make her a concubine or a handmaid but never a wife.  A commoner wife? Unheard of. Absurd. Why would Lord Adam, mage and dragon lord, even contemplate such a thing.

His family tried everything to prevent this disastrous match. They tried reason: "She can never understand our ways. As a commoner, a person with not one drop of mage essence within her, she has no idea what mages do and the rituals required to keep proficient at this craft. As a commoner, she will age much faster than you. She has no magic to sustain her life force and it will ebb away much quicker. You would live much, much longer. If you bond with her in matrimony, you will be a widower from your middle age to your golden years. We mages only bond once in our lifetime. Are you really ready to face a lifetime of solitude for this moment of joy? For she will most certainly die much, much sooner than you.  Can you really remain in love with someone who will wrinkle and age before your eyes while you yourself remain in the vigor of your prime?"

They tried guilt: "How can you do this to your brothers and our Clan, we will be disgraced. Do you NOT CARE for us? Your other brothers' and their children's chances for a good match will be ruined by this. How can you do this to the Clan and those you love? Do you truly LOVE US? For if truly you do, you will not do this to us."

They tried intimidation: "If you do this you will be a pariah, you can never return to Milton and if by some far chance you do, you can never hold your head up high amongst your people. Why bring yourself so low with this disgusting match. If you persist with this match, we will have no option but to disown you. YOU HEAR that Adam? Come Home and stop this foolishness AT ONCE!"

But Lord Adam paid them no heed. All else can hang, he would never give up his love. So, on a sunny summer morning, He married his lady love and he settled with her in Oxford then intellectual center of the south. They had a blissful marriage and begot 2 daughters, Anne and Mariah, much to the dismay and further disapproval of Lord Adam's family.

"I mean really. How can he further disgrace our Clan in this manner. There are plenty of "prevention spells" he could have used to avoid this humiliation. Half Breeds in the Clan. Commoner half breeds at that.... IN the clan. The indignity....What shame... What shame..."    

His family did not care to know that Lord Adam was very happy with his choice. Yes, he was detested by his family but his wife was a goodly and dutiful wife and she made his life complete. He was a loving and patient husband and a good and kind father. His beautiful, kind and delicate younger daughter, Mariah, married the ruler of the southern Kingdom of Helstone while his smart, gentle and robust older daughter, Anne, became the wife of Queen Hannah's brother, Lord Shaw, a healing mage.  Mariah settled in the Kingdom of Helstone, an agricultural and mining kingdom, where her compassionate and intelligent husband, Lord Richard Hale tended to his people and ruled in peace, prosperity and harmony.  Mariah was very happy indeed to be married with someone whom she loves dearly. Helstone might not be the richest kingdom in North and South but it is the most beautiful - the new forest, the majestic mountains, the verdant fields and teeming with flora, fauna and the best gemstones in all the 7 realms. It is truly a heaven on earth. A great place to raise a family. The Lady Mariah, soon gave birth to 2 children, an elder son, Frederick, and a younger daughter, Margaret, much to the delight of her husband, Lord Richard and her parents.