Back in the days when the earth was young,
and the world lay in one continent.
there was born a love tale now often sung,
of two souls who reached contentment.
A bold young man fresh from Deep Water,
a clerist known as Seal Breingiton.
Did ride forth from that cold place,
south to Althainia where sun it shone.
Deep Water was a cold harbour town,
with stone fortifications true.
Knights of the Mark protected it from enemies,
and it had never been subdued.
When Clerist Seal did arrive,
he found men to his liking.
Men who preached truth and love,
whilst evil they were fighting.
The Knighthood of Gareth Keep!
he did aspire to join its ranks,
Lady Kiery he petitioned strong,
and upon entry he gave deep thanks.
Upon joining Gareth he toiled long,
he trained until he was very strong.
Then a crusader's lance did he chose,
and that would be what he would use.
Back in the days when the earth was young,
the insidious Eclipse did dwell just west of Gareth.
And more of the enemy would come than the Knighthood could cope,
many Yinn crusaders arrived there with their combat leader Kerith.
Squire Seal fought there with his bold friend,
Sir Piergeron - outgunned and outnumbered.
Scattered to the winds they were upon the battles end,
Piergeron made it back to the Keep but Seal became hunted.
Past the guarded Keep he flew and sorely hurt he was,
whilst running hard north did he flee to forest Shalonost.
With five pursuers at his back deeper to the forest did he run,
till he could run no more he came upon a hollow log almost done.
He dived inside,
to try to hide.
When he heard a soft surprised moan,
quickly he realised he was not alone.
A surprised elven woman quickly recognised his plight,
and wove around the log a magic spell closing it up tight.
A mighty cry of dismay was shouted from without,
as they could not force a way within after Squire Seal's rout.
Seal groaned as he beheld the eyes which had surely saved him,
two shimmering almonds looked back to his within the darkness dim.
That darkness overcame him and unconsciousness did claim him,
a dilemma came to she,
of this strange human in her tree.
This elven maiden was just not any dancer from the forest.
But its Speaker and leader Pythia Shalonost.
Long she had dwelt and there in the log had stayed,
Now alone but not for long as once she was married.
Bold decisions she usually quickly made,
but in this instance she tarried.
With her long experience drawn of humans,
she knew they could not be trusted.
Their short lives gave no guarantee,
and yet she was getting flustered.
This hurt young man was close to death,
handsome and noble his features were.
His goodness to her radiated with every breath,
to save just any human would simply not occur.
Decision was taken without any consideration from her head,
instinct did prevail and she chose from the heart instead.
She applied her druidic craft to him and washed and dressed his wounds,
and her skill given to him returned Seal from his doom.
He regained consciousness thanks to her healing lore,
and she nursed him back to health beyond his bloody war.
While he was sleeping fondness grew for the feverish knight,
and when he regained consciousness it gave her quite a fright.
Long did they tarry there as he regained his health,
of everything did they speak and of about himself.
When at last they did depart there was magic in the air,
If he never saw her again life about he would not care.
And yet every tale ever told to him about love of elf and man,
ended in tragedy because of the difference in lifespan.
He quickly realised that this fate would be his,
but because of the love he felt for her,
he sought to end their bliss.
Worse still did he find that this was not just any elf,
but the Forest's Speaker Pythia Shalonost.
Whilst he was just a lowly squire what could to her he bring?
he thought about it quite a while and came up not with anything.
He offered to receive her not,
and she respected his desire.
But neither of them could stop,
nor suppress their ever-growing fire.
It so consumed them both so that they could not deny,
and both made roses many in number to simply blow away.
At last when he was Knighted he felt better of the match,
but many of her Senators disagreed with their Speaker's catch.
Not to mention tragedy which came of man and elf,
which neither of them wished upon him or herself.
Now they would meet again since he was now a Knight,
and long time they would spend together talking into the night.
Quickly did he rise in Gareth's ranks,
While fighting valiantly on all the flanks.
Holding officer commands in Shield and Lance,
before Knight of the Crown did he advance.
At arms length they always were as this was knightly proper.
Virtue demanded total code discipline or he would come a cropper.
Lady Krysten searched for a new Lord Knight,
and in Seal she found one which was right.
With all of Knighthood in his thrall,
he felt now worthy of Shalonost's hall.
So each of her Senators he did entreat,
to prove himself worthy when they did meet.
Many trials and tribulations did they set,
and each challenge put to him was met.
Through virtue, discipline and Knightly quality,
they gave him her hand in much frivolity.
Together they had much fulfilment, happiness and all along,
blessed with Aengus, Ohlivia and Baldwin Breigiton.
Much happy time was spent complete,
In the vallenwood's quiet retreat.
But the specter of tragedy did hang over their heart,
many times whilst together a cry for help and he would depart.
When Gareth's voice would often loudly call,
his loyalty to it was paramount to them all.
Placed in danger upon many occasion,
the mortality of men bore much persuasion,
to this elven maiden bold,
her fear for him would unfold.
At last fate said in the twilight of his life,
that he would fall in combat with Yinnae strife.
Ambushed between Serpantol,
and the village of Pan-toll.
Set upon in battle with his old squire,
a caravan of children was placed most dire.
The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder,
and the Yinn could not move them for they were bolder.
The fight went on till the children were safe,
but to Sir Seal and his squire came death's embrace.
Overwhelmed by superior odds,
There they fell as ordained by the Gods.
A train of knights did come to find,
last words from this fine soldier's mind.
He passed to Sir Kuldan what for wife to keep,
then slowly drifted into sleep.
The tragedy of love for elf is real,
Now she is without Lord Seal.
Now alone this world to tread,
without her love to walk instead.
But myths and fairy tales it provides the bard,
for they are held in high regard.
Other tales of tragic love seem quite pallid,
compared to Seal and Pythia's ballad.