With hints from Alex (many thanks) this should be mime free <crosses
fingers. Genuflects to nearest deity>
Red Ulvar's End
Red Ulvar was troll-cruel & reaved through the Far Point, killing as he
went.
Up to his elbows in blood he was & ninety was the score of his taken lives.
Not a soul would meet him knowing his whereabouts -- but he was a'most as
clever as a troll at the lurking, but never caught or robbed a Gowking*.
They's too clever for him, & that he couldn't abide.
Kill as he went the ogre* did: man, woman, or little child, but the though=
t
that he can't catch a Gowking was a challenge & irked his pride.
He hated they a'most as much as he hated Amad Waterbourne, who cut off his
right ear with its gold ring he had from the Sun Priest of the Princeros &
led our folk clear of his raids when we fled the death of Kasdarni. But the
Gowkings just pull back into the Gors & Red Ulvar lost his earing & swore
he'd pay Amad, but he'd have to think how.
For Amad had a Silky, who cleaned the hearth, devilled & punched lazy house
thralls, & kept Ernalda's peace. They'd hear her skirts rustle & glimpse he=
r
yellowy hair & they didn=B9t wait to see more.
Silky had a tree out of the gates, & she went out there of a night & sat
there all shining like a cold mbet, & if any came near that was friends
she'd let them pass & they'd come to the hall all of a cold sweat. But if
any comes as are not friends, Silky she strangles them.
Red Ulvar be well aware of this & he keeps a key mile or more off, for his
reavers won't follow into the high Gors. They're as afeared of the spirits
of Far Place as Ulvar be of Amad's Silky. But Amad still fills Red Ulvar's
mind, for he owns a fine grey as none can ride but himself. Many have tried=
,
Gallanini among them, but the horse will abide none & full eighteen men has
he killed, Gallanini some of them. All the ill of Far Place be in that
horse.
So theres the two villains, Red Ulvar & the grey. & Red Ulvar be near mad
with the need to ride the grey, but for fear of Silky. So harsh he becomes
that the whole of the hill country goes in bands for fear of him. Even the
ploughing be done by groups of men & still Red Ulvar raids the Anrathi &
kills Red Skali, chops him down as he's ploughing.
And Anrath cooks up a vengance for his murdered brother. He calls Uldlath
the Kolating, his eldest brother, in from his haunts in the galt & has him
send his spirit out to Ulvar sitting alone by his fire. Red Ulvar holds off
when he sees a man just appear before him, mayhap he knew it for a spirit.
And Anrath said to Red Ulvar "You'll never be slain by a mortal soul, nor
will any beast throw you. In token of the truth of this Conla Elmalvoice ha=
s
stolen away Amad's grey & has him tied at The Toe but they dare not back
him. He has killed the two fine Elmali lads as got the ropes on him. Now
take him from them & ride him if you can." With that Anrath returns to his
body & Red Ulvar leaps up & off & the Anrathi scatter from his coming &
listen to him gallop into the night.
The grey was off. Away down the Boot & over Hares Knob; & the cut halter
rope flapping about its neck. He gallops through the Vale of Wild Roses,
never minding the flowers he tramples, & over the Keeper=B9s House. The Old
Lady takes on at this & at his trampling her grandaughters flowers
underfoot. So the halter rope flicks up & wraps his wrists, tighter than an=
y
Tarshite manacle, & the grey thunders on. Straight back to Amad Hall. And
there he stops. Under Silkie's witch tree. And two long, cool hands come
down. And two long, cool hands cicle his thick neck. And two long, cool
hands tighten. Slowly. Gently. & Red Ulvar kicks the grey till its flanks
bleed, but it moves only a little half step.
As Elmal drives back the dark the grey comes to the door of the hall, with =
a
strangled man on its back.
There be no evidence that Red Ulvar was anything other than an excessivly zealous Yelmalian. Certainly he was not an Ogre. Canibalism was not among his traits.
Darvall.
Madamx_at_mikka.net.au
>From quiet homes & first beginnings,
Out to the undiscovered ends,
There's nothing worth the wear of winning,
But laughter & the love of friends. Hilaire Belloc
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Another story</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=3D"#FFFFFF">
With hints from Alex (many thanks) this should be mime free <crosses finger=
s. Genuflects to nearest deity><BR>
<B>Red Ulvar's End</B><BR>
Red Ulvar was troll-cruel & reaved through the Far Point, killing as he wen=
t. <BR>
Up to his elbows in blood he was & ninety was the score of his taken lives.=
Not a soul would meet him knowing his whereabouts -- but he was a'most as c=
lever as a troll at the lurking, but never caught or robbed a Gowking*. They=
's too clever for him, & that he couldn't abide.<BR>
Kill as he went the ogre* did: man, woman, or little child, but the though=
t that he can't catch a Gowking was a challenge & irked his pride.<BR>
He hated they a'most as much as he hated Amad Waterbourne, who cut off his =
right ear with its gold ring he had from the Sun Priest of the Princeros & l= ed our folk clear of his raids when we fled the death of Kasdarni. But the G= owkings just pull back into the Gors & Red Ulvar lost his earing & swore he'=d pay Amad, but he'd have to think how.<BR> For Amad had a Silky, who cleaned the hearth, devilled & punched lazy house= thralls, & kept Ernalda's peace. They'd hear her skirts rustle & glimpse he= r yellowy hair & they didn=B9t wait to see more.<BR> Silky had a tree out of the gates, & she went out there of a night & sat th= ere all shining like a cold mbet, & if any came near that was friends she'd = let them pass & they'd come to the hall all of a cold sweat. But if any come= s as are not friends, Silky she strangles them. <BR> Red Ulvar be well aware of this & he keeps a key mile or more off, for his =
reavers won't follow into the high Gors. They're as afeared of the spirits o= f Far Place as Ulvar be of Amad's Silky. But Amad still fills Red Ulvar's m= ind, for he owns a fine grey as none can ride but himself. Many have tried, = Gallanini among them, but the horse will abide none & full eighteen men has = he killed, Gallanini some of them. All the ill of Far Place be in that horse=- -<BR>
with the need to ride the grey, but for fear of Silky. So harsh he becomes t= hat the whole of the hill country goes in bands for fear of him. Even the p= loughing be done by groups of men & still Red Ulvar raids the Anrathi & kill=s Red Skali, chops him down as he's ploughing. <BR> And Anrath cooks up a vengance for his murdered brother. He calls Uldlath t=
he Kolating, his eldest brother, in from his haunts in the galt & has him se= nd his spirit out to Ulvar sitting alone by his fire. Red Ulvar holds off wh= en he sees a man just appear before him, mayhap he knew it for a spirit. And= Anrath said to Red Ulvar "You'll never be slain by a mortal soul, nor will = any beast throw you. In token of the truth of this Conla Elmalvoice has stol= en away Amad's grey & has him tied at The Toe but they dare not back him. He= has killed the two fine Elmali lads as got the ropes on him. Now take him f= rom them & ride him if you can." With that Anrath returns to his body & Red = Ulvar leaps up & off & the Anrathi scatter from his coming & listen to him g=allop into the night.<BR>
kes on at this & at his trampling her grandaughters flowers underfoot. So th= e halter rope flicks up & wraps his wrists, tighter than any Tarshite manacl= e, & the grey thunders on. Straight back to Amad Hall. And there he stops. U= nder Silkie's witch tree. And two long, cool hands come down. And two long, = cool hands cicle his thick neck. And two long, cool hands tighten. Slowly. G= ently. & Red Ulvar kicks the grey till its flanks bleed, but it moves only a=little half step.<BR>
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