View source for Tale of Inicarwu and the Sulde Taala (book)

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==The Tale of Inicarwu and the Sulde Taala==

Inconsiderate and brazen was [[Inicarwu]] from the moment of  
his birth.  As his mother lay dying in the spent blood    
of his coming, it is whispered [[Zuzetu]] Zalbaldur gazed     
ruefully at the screaming flesh that had signed her       
death warrant and squandered her last allotted breath to  
name him true.                                            
                                                          
Perhaps if [[Zuzetu]] had survived his coming, this unruly    
seedling might have been molded into softer ways.         
Without the love of the mother, [[Inicarwu]] grew hard and    
crooked within his soul.  Despite the reprimands and      
guidance of the circle of elders, he improved not,        
seeing no reason not to take what he fancied as it        
suited him.                                               
                                                          
As often happens with those who worship at the altar of   
the self, [[Inicarwu]] ruthlessly sculpted his flesh into a   
most handsome facade that hid his ill-begotten, miserly   
spirit.  He prided himself on the perfect muscular swell  
accenting his lean body, the immaculate sheen of coppery  
hair, the angularity of his decisive jaw, and the         
clarity of his grey eyes.                                 
                                                          
He also prided himself in feats of the flesh.  No other   
among the woods was as fleet of foot as [[Inicarwu]], none    
other possessed the uncanny accuracy with which he        
loosed his flights from his longbow.  The rare bow he     
might consent to sell commanded exorbitant fees, and      
hunters lusted after any arrows he created, as all were   
reputed to fly far distances straight and true.           
                                                          
Not only his prey fell in surprised death at the deadly   
impact of his whispery arrows, but also the maidens of    
the clan fell in almost bewildered fascination to his     
wiles.  Heart after heart he collected and shredded,      
emerging unscathed from each brief entanglement.  He      
never spared even a parting glance behind at the weeping  
and lamentations of the maidens he cast aside until one   
day when his uncle demanded his presence.  [[Inicarwu]]       
lounged before him insolently, initially disregarding     
the fury raging hot in his uncle's glance until the       
heated words flung at him penetrated his complacence and  
brought him to startled attention.                        

The unmated daughter of the chieftain's bloodline had     
presented herself before the high counsel, petitioning    
them to force acknowledgement of the child carried        
beneath her heart.  She named paternity on Inicarwu and   
demanded justice for the life within her.  The council    
had decreed that he be sought out, bound helpless and     
brought before the full council to resolve the matter.    
                                                          
Not wishing the chains of mate or child upon him,         
[[Inicarwu]] fled rather than face the disgrace of being      
dragged to judgment.  Behind him, the enraged roar of     
pursuit followed as his feet sped over the soft needle-   
strewn pathways of the forest.  In desperation, he burst  
forth from the sanctuary of the cool trees to flee like   
an exiled criminal into the unknown lands of the          
highland plateau.                                         
                                                          
The blazing sun above seared his skin with hot            
retribution as he fled, darkening his skin to the glow    
of burnished mahogany, the copper of his hair bleaching   
to streaks of shimmering sunshine.  Still hearing the     
faint cries of pursuit, his legs continued to piston      
relentlessly through the tall grasses whipping across     
his thighs, his muscles tightening and hardening to       
bands of steel rippling beneath his burnished hide.       
Reflecting the sapphire sheen of the sky above, his       
vision clouded towards vision, the cries of those who     
hunted him naught but a faint memory.                     
                                                          
As if in response to his solitude, a white mare appeared  
over the horizon, her alabaster mane and tail flying in   
a free silken banner as her hooves danced beguilingly     
over the grasses beneath her.  Her graceful dance         
swerved to bring her closer, pacing Inicarwu teasingly    
for several long moments before she tossed her head,      
bored of the game.  Inexorably, she began to pull away    
from him, her supple grace far superior to his own.       
Within his chest his breath wheezed harsh with a frantic  
urgency to regain his place beside her, but even with     
all his native talents, Inicarwu was no match for the     
mare in a race.                                           
                                                          
Sudden rage blazed through his being at the thought of    
being vanquished in any contest of will as she pulled     
ahead.  Almost without thought, he reached back over his  
shoulder and slipped his favorite longbow from his        
shoulder.  His legs continued to churn high through the   
grasses as the arrow was nocked, aimed, and loosed with  
deadly intent.                                            
                                                          
[[Inicarwu]] laughed aloud with pleasure as the mare fell,    
the shaft of her undoing standing bright from the ruin    
of her left eye.  Ribbons of dark blood streamed,         
marring the pristine perfection of her white hide as      
Inicarwu dropped to his knees beside her, drawing the     
razor-edged knife from his belt to spill her lifeblood    
from the jugular.                                         
                                                          
The remaining dark eye turned to regard him with grave    
sorrow as the mare trembled, helpless before him.  His    
hand fell to her shoulder as she began to sing, the song  
of her bloodlines filling the air around them in          
melancholy melody as the shape of the mare shimmered,     
transmuting to the form of a woman clad only in a         
diaphanous robe of stardust.  Inicarwu wasted no time     
marveling at the transmutation, for his breath had        
already quickened with infatuation at the sight of the    
maiden and his resolve hardened to take her for himself.  
                                                          
"Mortal, should you grant me my life, I will repay you    
well.  Your name shall live forever in the annuals of     
your people in song and deed."  She gazed up at him       
earnestly, her slender shape trembling beneath his        
restraining hand.                                         
                                                          
"Lady of the plain, I would grant you your life gladly,   
should you grant me also the boon of mingling your blood  
with mine," [[Inicarwu]] replied insolently, casually         
stroking the flat of his blade over her shoulder.  His    
hot gaze lingered over her, leaving little doubt about    
the true meaning of the ancient words of polite           
courtship he had uttered.                                 
                                                          
She fell silent, her gaze dropping to the bright edge of  
the blade lightly tracing along her fragile collarbone    
while she considered his offer, the silence falling       
heavy around them.  When she finally spoke, her voice     
was chill and distant.                                    
                                                          
"Mortal, you have already the obligation of mingled       
blood upon you.  Should you desire the bloodlines of the  
[[Sulde Taala]] to run with yours, you must render to me the  
hearts of the fruit you have already sown.  Return to     
this place upon the full turning   of the seasons with    
such and our fates will indeed be intermingled for all    
eternity."  Her dark eyes searched his, the ruin of the   
left only causing her beauty to be more acutely           
realized.                                                 
                                                          
[[Inicarwu]] laughed heartily.  As he stroked his fingers     
possessively through her hair, several of the long blond  
strands from the cascading waves clung to his             
fingertips.  As his husky voice uttered agreement to the  
terms, they shimmered, braiding into a circle of          
shimmering moonlight that nestled in silent oath around   
the smallest finger of his left hand.                     
                                                          
Startled, he dropped his hand, a sudden unease tickling   
faintly along the edges of his mind of old tales of       
mortals who thought to bargain with the unearthly and     
bound himself unwittingly to a fate far different than    
what was intended.  But the unease has little time to     
take root, dispersed by the quickening breeze that        
swirled about the clearing in sudden rapture.  Dazzling   
motes of light swirled, leaving him alone in a trampled   
clearing edged in a thick ring of lush wind feather,      
each brilliant plume dusted in a silvery dust.            
                                                          
When the crowd of pursuers reached him, he stood in       
silent bemusement, idly twisting the slim braid of a      
silver ring gleaming softly around his fingers as though  
he considered removing it.  He offered no resistance or   
cry when he was bound and dragged back in full dishonor   
to the circle of elders.                                  
                                                          
All in the clan were amazed when Inicarwu not only        
returned in dignity despite the bindings of disgrace,     
but also freely offered to wed the chieftain's youngest   
daughter.  Secure in her belief that this crisis had      
forced a maturing and caused the scales of selfishness    
to fall from his eyes, she eagerly assented.   Although   
the circle of elders had reservations about the wisdom    
of allowing the mating to take place, the fact of new     
life stirring prompted a reluctance acceptance and the    
couple united during the auspicious aspect of the         
fullness of the triple moons.                             
                                                          
Astonishment was great within the circle of wisdom as     
they watched over the clan and observed [[Inicarwu]]          
transform into a considerate mate and a good provider     
for his small hearth.  His new responsibilities appear    
to be no burden upon his broad shoulders.  His step was   
light and proud with a quiet happiness as his mate        
rounded large with his fruit and in the fullness of time  
produced a healthy twinning of daughter and son.          
                                                          
The clan rejoiced at the new life flourishing in their    
midst, and smiled with kind regards to the young family.  
Only [[Inicarwu]]'s mate felt a strange twinge of unease at   
times when she would glance up and catch him unaware,     
his gaze upon the babies ecstatic and almost crazed as    
he unconsciously twisted the tarnished silver about his   
finger.                                                   
                                                          
As the new year unfolded into spring blossoms and the     
Night of the Moon Dance approached, [[Inicarwu]] casually     
confided to his mate the time approached where he must    
take the babes by himself to a place of his ancestral     
beginnings and dance the blessings so they might be       
joined to the heart of his kin.                           
                                                          
Misgivings crystallized in her heart as she saw the       
smoldering flame in his eyes, and reluctant were her      
hands as she allowed him to take the peacefully           
slumbering children.  Moments after he left, she hastily  
slipped into a cloak of nightshadows and set off to       
follow him, all unseen and unsuspected.                   

Arriving at the clearing of wildflowers, a broad fairy    
ring of gently swaying snowbells embellished and          
emphasized the depression where the mare had lain.        
[[Inicarwu]] took three deep calming breaths before           
unwrapping the babes and laying them within the center    
of the fairy ring.  No sooner had he done so than the     
mare appeared, silently entering the ring from the        
southern point.  She stopped before the sleeping          
infants, gazing down at them as hidden nightwinds         
ruffled her alabaster mane and stardust shimmered along   
her gleaming hide.  In the shadows, the mother of the     
babes raised a sudden hand to still her gasp as the       
stardust shimmered and spiraled about the mare and the    
women stepped from the transformation, her black eyes     
intent upon [[Inicarwu]] as she hugged the sheer robe of      
stardust around her curves.                               
                                                          
"I bring you the fruit of my loins, my Lady," [[Inicarwu]]    
whispered, sliding his hand up along her arm              
possessively.  She laughed, a gay cascade of musical      
notes, her eyes never leaving the infants as she          
casually stepped from him and shook back the fine blonde  
silk of her hair back over her shoulders.                 

"Foolish one, did you think possessing me would be so     
simple?  I have already told you that if you would have   
our fates run as one, you must also freely render to me   
their hearts."   Inicarwu laughed, a wild note running    
through his voice as he tangled his fingers in the soft   
mass of the mare-woman's hair to claim her lips with his  
own in agreement.                                         
                                                          
"Let it be so.  By all the gods above and below, bear     
witness to my vow.  I render to the [[Sulde Taala]] the       
hearts of what I have sown now and for all the tides of   
time," [[Inicarwu]] said forcefully, dropping to his knees    
and withdrawing the wickedly sharp skinning blade as      
resolve hardened in his eyes.                             
                                                          
However, no harm befell the innocent lives lying before   
him despite his intent to stain his hands with the blood  
of kin.  From the shadows of the clearing, a vengeful     
whirlwind screamed, darkness flying from the shadows to   
swirl around him as long fingers clawed at his face,      
tearing the sight from him as his knife found and         
twisted deep in the entrails of the vengeance visited     
upon him before pawing frantically at the darkness        
surrounding him.                                          

Stumbling, his mate fell from him, one hand attempting    
to staunch the flood of lifeblood spilling from her       
belly as the other reached futilely toward the babes,     
the tips of her left hand just grazing the plump arm of   
her firstborn daughter.                                   
                                                          
Above her, the mare woman's eyes blazed as her flesh      
rippled, the stardust robe puddles on the ground as the   
mare rose up upon her hindquarters in majestic splendor,  
the alabaster of her front hooves slicing the air as she  
screamed and then lunged forward, her hooves descending   
to crush [[Inicarwu]]'s ribs as though snapping dry kindling  
before impaling his heart in the same way she might kill  
a venomous snake.  Thrice she rose and fell, the dark     
ruby of his life staining her front hooves as his heart   
exploded.                                                 
                                                          
Disdainfully, the [[Sulde Taala]] tosses back her mane in     
the quickening breeze as she turned from the broken ruin  
of the male.  The soft black of her sorrowful eyes gazed  
mournfully upon the dying woman before her, two tears     
brimming to fall upon the brow of each babe as she spoke  
quietly.                                                  

"I told the traitor to his blood I required the hearts    
of what he had sown.  He takes upon himself his own fate  
of kinslayer, for never once was the death of his flesh   
required.  Let his name be remembered only with           
abhorrence for the choices he has made when the song of   
the ancestors is sung."                                   
                                                          
"But you have done naught to deserve the death upon your  
brow, mother of the bloodlines that will run with mine.   
Although I cannot stop time, nor is it my place to        
staunch the lifeblood that runs from you, yet one gift I  
can give to one who sacrifices her own life that her      
children might live."                                     
                                                          
The [[Sulde Taala]] reared high, the blackened front hooves   
thrashing the air as she called out shrilly, her scream   
echoing from the heavens.  Below her feet the babes       
woke, their sudden cry stifled as their limbs began to    
lengthen and grow.  Within the span of a few moments,     
brother and sister stood before the dying mother, tall    
and golden in the moonlight.  Once again the horse-woman  
screamed forth, the remnants of the star-dusted robe      
rising to form about the children, clothing each in a     
shimmering rainbow of stardust, the tear of the           
horsewoman a brilliant crystal implanted precisely in     
the center of each brow.                                  
                                                          
With soft cries, the children knelt to touch their        
fingertips to the dying woman's lips, the soft kiss of    
her farewell kiss upon them before her spirit fled.  The  
mare lowered her head, nuzzling the cold cheek in         
farewell before stepping lightly back and allowing the    
children to take their rightful place upon her back       
before springing into the quickening dawn wind rising     
from the east.                                            
                                                          
Where the mother's body had laid, the ground was covered  
in a lush covering of what the elves of the plains call   
"[[motherheart]]", clusters of pansies with heart shaped      
petals of deep wine deeply dusted with silvery flecks     
that is widely sought for use in amulets fashioned to     
guard children from evil.  And where Inicarwu had         
fallen?  Naught remained but an evil black liquid, which  
eventually seeped back into the cleansing earth.          
                                                          
Thus were born the Elvenkind of the Wind from the giving  
of the hearts of the first siblings to the [[Sulde Taala]].   
She who rides lightly upon the back of the [[Sulde Taala]],   
her hair swept back in the winds of their passing, takes  
the title upon herself of the Lady of the Eleven Winds.   
Her consort in power, The Catwalker, is usually her       
brother and quite frequently also her twin.  He paces     
alongside, surefooted and silent.                         
                                                          
Elves of the Wind are alone among the Elvenkind in their  
tradition of having the dual faces of brother and sister  
guiding the affairs of the clan.  It is said this         
tradition, as well as the unusual frequency of twin       
fraternal births, was the first gift of the [[Sulde Taala]]   
to the children of the steppes she wards.                 
[[Category:Book]]