The Tale Of Cedlan

[Black Iron Dong]

I know that i haven't been on in a while but you can't get rid of me easily, ha. i know that this sub board is rather nonsensicle but i've started writing a book let me know what you think. i'll post in chapters so it may be a bit between posts. Cheers mates!

[Black Iron Dong]

The Tale of Cedlan
By Caleb Fields

Chapter 1

Looking out across the recently plowed garden from the shade of his family’s orchard in the early spring day, a sandy haired youth sees a cloud of dust coming down the lane, and heads toward the small two story house. Outside of the polished river stone walk and fine detail work on the door latch no one would suspect that His aunt and uncle had many coins. The strapping young man took the steps leading up to the porch casually and headed to the door. The smell of roasting fowl mixed with rosemary caught him as he neared the door. He was within two paces of the door when it swung open. There stood a middle aged man with graying hair wearing a brown tunic and trousers.
“Cedlan!”
“Yes uncle Haren?”
“Oh, there you are, Cedlan… I thought I was going to have to hunt you down again. Salyna would have both our hides if you came to supper late again. She just sent me to find you supper is almost ready.” Haren turned back toward the sitting room before asking “What were you doing out there? It’s still too early for the trees to bear and much two early for the garden to need tending.”
“I was thinking” Cedlan replied.
“Of a certain young weaver, no doubt.” Haren said with a toothy grin.
“Perhaps uncle, But more so of the people heading down the lane, they should be here within a few minutes.” as Cedlan said this Haren’s Smile Vanished and his face grew taut.
“Get inside and tell your aunt that I’ll be in, in a few moments.” Haren said as step out on the porch and shut the door behind him.
The look on his uncle’s face was enough to tell him that whoever was coming was not going to be welcome, as well as the sense of sadness that emanated from Haren as he closed the door said that whatever news they brought did not bode well for Cedlan. Yet, Cedlan had entered the kitchen before he had any time to worry about who the visitors might be. He took in the sight of a middle aged woman wearing a blue summer weight dress and an apron as Cedlan step inside.
“Well… it’s about time you got here, Ced.” Salyna said as she retrieved a gray pitcher from the counter and placed it on the table next to the platters already there that were laden with roast fowl and potatoes in a cream sauce. “Where’s your uncle? I just sent him to find you.”
“He said he’d be in, in just a moment there were some riders headed this way.
“Oh, Light!” exclaimed Salyna and she hurried out of the kitchen. Ced was about to ask where she was going when he heard the front door open and shut. As he waited he decided that he’d better sit down since it was likely going to be a while and helped himself to the fowl and potatoes before they got cold. He wondered who might have taken the half day ride from Aldealm as he filled his mug with the ale and started to eat. The duck, as it turned out to be, was cooked perfectly and the potatoes were especially delicious, as he knew his aunt’s cooking always was. As he finished, he was about to rise to put his plate in the sink when he heard his name called from the outside on the porch.
Ced hurried through the sitting room and out onto the porch noting the livery of the riders were that of the Dae’heam. Ced knew that they had not been through this way for nearly a century or so he’d heard from the old patrons at the Golden Boar.
“Yes, uncle?” Ced asked.
“These men would like to speak to you. Just come back in after they’re through.” said Haren as he guided Salyna through the open door to the sitting room. What was left unsaid disturbed him.
“Yes, uncle.” Responded Ced as he stepped out to meet the riders.
Ced took in the four riders that were still mounted before him. The one who was clearly in charge was a man who seemed only a few years older than he was but had a presence of extreme age, and it he who spoke first.
“Cedlan, I presume?”
“Yes ser?”
“Do you know who we are?”
“Ser?”
“It was a simple question.” The rider stated smirking slightly
“I know that you are Dae’heam, ser, but as to what you do or why you are here I know not.”
“No I don’t suppose you would. Your aunt and uncle however have had some experience with us before. We are a most ancient order that works outside the laws and rules of the lands of the World. We deal with many matters that few know and fewer believe. And we recruit those of particular talents before they can be used or manipulated against the very being of the world. You, as you may now know are one of those few people to catch the eye of the Dae’heam.”
“Ser, You must be mistaken I am not talented in anything that I know of save archery and I don’t think I’m more so than most.”
“So you think for the moment, think on what we have said and meet us at the inn in two days time. Ask for Asmond. We await your answer, until then young Cedlan.”
Cedlan watched as the four riders turned and headed down the lane and vanished into the clouded night. Ced what have you gotten yourself into this time? He thought as he walked into the sitting room still puzzling about what the riders had said. Talented, ha, who would have thought…

[Black Iron Dong]

Chapter 2


Upon entering the kitchen Cedlan noticed his aunt and uncle sitting at the table finishing what seemed to be rather small portions of the fowl and potatoes. Uncle Haren looked up as Ced sit down at the table.
“I suppose you know why the Dae’heam were here, Ced?” Haren asked in a low voice dripping with regret.
“They said that they wished to recruit me because I have some sort of talent, and that if I didn’t join them someone else would try to use and manipulate those abilities.” Ced replied.
“Yes others would if they knew what abilities you possess and if you knew you might be a danger to all those around you.” Haren replied. “I have a favor to ask of you Ced, it won’t be easy for you or us either, but I want you to go with them. No,” Haren said raising his hand “let me finish before you protest. This will be better for all of us, you see, I never told you much about your father when you asked all those times except that he died shortly before you were born. He was as you are now only a little older, he and your mother were very happy together when the Dae’heam visited him, but he ignored their request of joining them even though they told him that he may endanger his wife and child. He did that because he thought that he had no talents. Nearly a year went by with nothing strange or unusual happening and then when your mother went to the midwife to have you, their house exploded. The Dae’heam had warned us of that because they knew you would need a place to live, they knew that your fathers ‘talents’ would rebound on him eventually and hoped that you and your mother would not be present. When the midwife told us that your mother died in child birth we agreed to take you in and hoped that you did not inherit your father’s abilities. We raised you as our own and watched over you, dreading the day that the Dae’heam would come for you. Since you have no wife to worry about and your aunt and I have plenty we ask that you go with them and learn all that you can. We’ll miss you something terrible but you must do what you can. Please we’ve never asked for much, just go with them.” Haren finished biting back tears that he seemed unwilling to shed.
“Alright uncle, I will do as you ask not only for you but for myself…I figured that I would have to leave when I saw the dust down the lane and I want to know what abilities that they spoke of.” Ced replied knowing that somewhere down in the depths of his soul that he had to go with them. “What will I need?”
Over the next day Ced, Haren and Salyna gathered what he would need as far as travel gear and food. Haren bought him a new pair of travel boots of soft lamb’s hide and two new quivers of arrows as well as a riding jacket and cloak for wet weather. Aunt Salyna managed to fit three sets of small clothes, two shirts, two sets of trousers, a nice tunic, and an older tunic not to mention a bar of scented soap and a razor into his small pack. Ced saw his uncle step down from the second level of the small two story house into the sitting room holding a long thin package wrapped in oilcloth and a small pouch.
“Cedlan, these were the only things left from your father’s house when it exploded. Your parents would want you to have them.” Haren extended the long package first. As Ced unwrapped it he beheld a glistening darkwood stave with notches cut at both ends and a cow hide grip braided with a strange silver metal wire. The wood was cool to the touch but there was a deeper feeling of life within, almost resonating with in him. Ced had never seen or felt a bow such as this before. “Here are the strings and the last remnant of your father.” As Ced took the pouch he opened it and examined the contents with in. There were three bow strings that seemed to be braided with the same metal that was wound around the grip of the bow. Also were two small bracers that were of a material similar to leather but Ced knew they were more than what they seemed. Ced took the bracers and put them on. He felt a surge of feeling through his body as though his every sense was heightened and he felt that they were some how linked to him beyond just at the skin. Haren stepped back a pace. “I’ve tried to put them on before but they would never clasp shut even though they were bigger than what I use… try stringing the bow it wouldn’t work for me either.” Ced took the bow and one of the stings and felt the resonance increase. He bent the stave as though it were a light bow for children and strung it easily. “Oh!” squeaked Haren “Let’s step outside and see how you like it” Haren said as he regained his composure and stepped outside. Ced followed after claiming his quivers from the settee. “See that gourd from last year that Salyna wanted to be a bird house… that’s about fifty yards and if you hit it I won’t have to work it.” Haren said the last part just loud enough for Ced to hear, with a mischievous grin. Ced drew an arrow and nocked it and as he did the bow resonated even more than before. He drew the bow and the resonance melted away and the bow felt almost as if it were not there but just an extension of his own body. He took aim and it was as though the gourd was going to be hit no matter if there was a violent gust of wind or something in the way. He released the string and the arrow disappeared and then there was a small gout of green light as the arrow rematerialized and the gourd had vanished leaving an arrow sticking out of the ground where there once was a gourd. Ced retrieved the arrow and returned to the momentarily speechless Haren. Ced waited until Haren recovered before suggesting that they go in and eat because he was going to have a long ride that night if he wanted to make sure to get there before the Dae’heam left.
As they entered the kitchen together Ced was dumbstruck at the feast that lay before him. The table was covered except for three place settings. The smells were almost enough to drive a man insane he glanced over the spread before him and he marveled that he could pick out each scent for each dish. He frowned slightly. I never could do that before. He thought then remembered the bracers and took them off. There was only a slight diminishment of the scents but he found that he could still pick out the individual smells of the dishes before him. One of my talents, ha, how could that help any thing? He thought to him self as his aunt put two pitchers on the table one he sensed held a pale lager the other an excellent wine. He took a goblet of the wine and sipped lightly. Very excellent wine. His aunt and uncle seated themselves and his uncle grabbed the first platter of orange and mint glazed lamb tenderloin and took two pieces and gave Salyna two before handing the platter to Ced. He took two pieces as well along with a small portion of the squash and potato in a velvety chive cream sauce and a quarter of the thyme roast chicken. As they ate, they talked about the food and how excellent it was, to which Salyna’s reply was “Isn’t it always” flashing a very false scowl at which Ced and Haren burst into laughter and Salyna joined in slightly later. After they finished up Ced helped with the dishes and then retrieved his pack from his room along with his cloak and jacket and headed back down into the sitting room where he met Salyna and Haren waiting to say goodbye. He walked up and hugged Salyna and thanked her for the everything, as he withdrew from her she held out a rather large satchel filled with what he knew was food. He took off his pack and tied the satchel to the top. After he replaced the pack on his back, he thanked her once again and turned to Haren. “Follow me.” Haren said and step out on to the porch, Ced followed. Uncle Haren led him to the small stable and Ced saw a horse he did not recognize, already saddled and ready to mount. “This is yours Ced, I picked him up today. I hope you like him, he’s a good horse and he’ll treat you well.” Ced didn’t know what to say. He had ridden his whole life on the old plug but he never had a horse of his own. Suddenly, Haren stepped up and hugged him, “Be safe and learn all you can” and with that Haren had retreated to the porch and aunt Salyna. Ced mounted the gelding and rode to the yard “Goodbye” was all he could manage and wheeled the mount toward the lane he could feel his aunt and uncles eyes upon him till he was to the bend that was carrying him toward Aldealm and towards whatever fate awaited him with the Dae’heam.

[Viking Dong]

I dig it, man. It moves pretty fast, and some spots are a bit amateurish I guess (that's to be expected, though, obviously lol), but other than that and the iffy grammar in a few places it's pretty cool.

I'd go into more depth but I'm tired right now lol, later though. Keep on writing and posting dude. I wanna read more.

[Black Iron Dong]

sweet, glad to hear it and besides you know grammar was never my strong suite, any way i'll try to finish chapter three and post it over the weekend. may have an interview tomorrow so i may not get to work on it till saturday.

[egyptiandong]

Its kool man. Im into it. I kinda agree with Jim on the grammar issue in a few places but thats an easy fix.