This is the first written record of The Great Black Wolf, Grilis. She who was born human and was reborn a new as the Mother of Wolves. Let those who read this learn her tale and grow from this knowledge. We will begin with from where she was born. In the reaches to the north of the great salt sea she was birthed to a woman and man who were simple farmers, they grew their crop and survived off the land. This area though was ripe with war so from time to time they would need to fend of from many a group of deserters and thieves alike.
One day while the man was off protecting his land from a group of thieves as the sun arose a small lone wolf no bigger than a small deer slumped its way into thier house with the now pregnant woman. Terrified the woman hid herself away up in the wheat loft so the wolf would not find her, but to her amazement and terror the wolf had found her. It did not attack though it did not move away either, all it did was look at the woman and her stomach then turned around and watch the door in a defensive stance as if it was protecting the woman.
The woman and wolf both stayed as they were until the man came home later that evening. To his suprise the wolf was there and so he took up a defensive stand one arm raised the other behind him holding his hatchet ready to strike. The woman shouted to the man to stop and told him, "Goli, dear this wolf is not here to harm us, I believe. It has stood there in that position watching the door since sun rise this day. I do not know why though."
Lowering his hatchet but keeping up his gaurd Goli slowly worked his way to the wheat loft to be with his wife. With a tired rasp to his voice he asked his wife out of worry, "Rogima, are you alright? You're not hurt anywhere are you?" Rogima nodded she was fine and Goli let out a sigh of relief. After assessing that the two were fine together, the wolf silently slipped out of the house and let out a soft howl to show its satification. As the wolf returned to the woods it turned and slipped through some brush ever so quiet like the wind through the trees and hunkered down in an old hollowed out fallen tree that was weather worn and covered in moss.
Weeks passed without any trouble till the night came of the fullmoon. On this night the child was born, her eyes a silver as bright as the night moon and cheeks flush red full of life. Upon her hip was a birthmark in the shape of wolf teeth that was a gentle grey tone mixed with the soft pale almound tones of her skin. Her mother lie upon the bed weak and covered in sweat as her father held her. Walking over to Rogima, Goli smiled showing her the child.
A tear fell down Rogima's cheek and she said, "Our sweet little Grilis has been born. May she forever be graced by the gods and let the moon guide her path." After she said this though she grasped her chest struggling to breath. Goli became worried and held her hand asking what was wrong trying to find a way to help her. But to Goli's dismay there was nothing to be done and Rogima passed away holding Goli's hand with a smile upon her lips having given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Goli placed baby Grilis on her mother's lap and silently cried at the loss of his love, but suddenly there was a scratching at the door a slight wimper.
Goli stood and moved to the door slightly opening it to look outside noticing the wolf from weeks prior there bowing its head to him. He let the wolf in out of respect for it protecting his wife and child before and it walked to the bedside sniffing the air. When the wolf reached the side of the bed it lowered its head and let out a mournful howl for the now lifeless woman. Off in the distance other wolves could be heard in return giving their howls as well and lifting up a song of life and beauty. A gentle glow began to form around the mother and child getting stronger as the wolves howls became louder and sounded more like actual words than just simple howls. The glow slowly began to take the shape of the woman alone and moved away from her body and standing there almost as if she was alive as the glow was Rogima clad in a silver and olive green dress with a crown upon her head.
The glowing shade of Rogima turned to Goli and smiled giving off a warm feeling of love and passion. She then turned to the baby and said, "I have given my life to bring into this world this child for she will one day be the true light for this land. Let not this act be in vain, guide her and protect her as you once did for me. Let the wolves come and guard you both for they are from the gods as their guardians of this precious life." Before Goli could say anything Rogima faded away with a smile and a tear rolling down her cheek.
Dropping to his knees Goli raised his hands to his face and sobbed, "I will my dear, I will do everything I can to make sure she grows to become a fine young woman who can stand on her own two feet proud of where she came from. I promise to not let you down."
Goli picked up Grilis and brought her to a small cot he had made in preparation for her birth and laid her down then slowly turned to Rogima. It was now time to put her body to rest. He walked over and picked her up and carried her corpse out side to the clearing in front of the house. He spent the whole night under the moon gathering wood and building a pyre for his once lively wife.
As the sun rose to the east Goli wiped the sweat from his brow and retrieved Rogima's corpse placing it upon the pyre. With tears in his eyes Goli kissed Rogima's cheek and said, "with the rise of the sun I send you off just as you did for your mother before you. Shall the gods forever protect your spirit and keep your belly fully." He stepped away and lit a small fire at the base of the pyre so it would catch and burn the body. For 2 nights and 3 days the fire burned and all the while Goli did not leave other than to care for the child now resting inside his house.
When the fire finally died down Goli collected the ashes in an urn and placed it inside an old oak tree that grew next to his house. The tree was ancient standing wide enough to build a small house inside of. It had been hollowed out centuries before by Goli's ancestors as a place to put the dead's ashes. As he entered the tree he was greeted by the familiar scent of moss, mildew and moist earth. Upon the walls inside the tree were shelves carved from the tree itself and on each shelf sat an urn for each family member who had passed by generation.
Goli walked until he reached the urns of his father, mother, and older brother all who died only a couple years back when they were on their way back from the village 3 days journey away. They had been attacked by a group who had deserted the wars in the land and were looking for easy prey from who they could steal food and wealth from. By the time anyone had found out what had happened the bodies were being feasted upon by the vultures and other scavenger creatures. No one truly knew how they had perished aside from the slashes on their carriage that looked as if they were from swords as well as an amulet that Goli's mother had wretched from one of their attackers necks as they were forcing them to the ground to take their live.
When Goli's parents had passed was about the time the raids on his family's land began and since then he has never had the proper chance to mourn any of his family. Now with Rogima he has one more to mourn but he also has someone who whole heartedly relies on him who he must protect and so the fire that was slowly dwindling over the last few days reignited and he would find it in himself to push his body past its limits.
He placed Rogima's ashes upon a shelf next to his family and left the tree heading to the house. From behind Goli came a high pitch whistling sound and then there was a thud in the wall of the house ahead of Goli. In the wall there now sat lodged an arrow with a note tied to its shaft. Goli retrieved the note read it to himself.
To the resident of this farm,
This is your notice to vacate the premise or you will forfeit your life as punishment.
Keep in mind this is not optional. We will come at sunset to recieve your reply.
If you have not left by then you will be killed on sight.
From,
The Grand Treachery
Goli rolled up the note and threw it on the ground stomping into his house. He knew that if he did not leave his daughter's life would be in danger but he could not leave the land of his kin so there was only one option he could take. Goli looked to the floor scanning and searching for the loose board that hid that which he seeked. There in the corner next to the bed he saw them and went to them pulling away the planks. When all the planks were removed Goli sat there looking at an old wooden chest. It looked as if with the simplest and softest touch it would crumble to nothingness but it still held strong through all the years. Goli pulled the chest out and opened it, inside sat an old chest plate and helmet. Both were made from iron and were dinged and chipped from many battles fought by his ancestors. The chest plate had fur on it that had been replaced by Goli's father and the inside of the helmet was filled with old leather pouches filled with duck down.
Goli sat there staring at the armor remembering his father, the scruffiness of his beard the deep boom of his voice. His father was the man he had looked up to growing up and he always wanted to be just like him. Every day he follows the same regiment his father did in front of him from the waking up and stretching to the evening work outs and log pulling. After having sat there for a while Goli stood up putting on the armor and grabbing his hatchet, he knew what had to be done and did not want to risk anything.
As he walked to the door he turned to the wolf who had stayed by Grilis' side and said to him, "watch her for me friend and should anyone but me come through this door take her and flee to the woods. She is my life now and she is also your charge. My wife trusted in you so now I must as well." The wolf yipped and bowed its head.
Leaving the house Goli looked back and silently stood there for a moment before heading into the fields to watch for those who wished his death. Watching from the window the wolf saw Goli walk into the reeds of wheat and let out a low howl as if to tell the rest of the pack of what was happening.
As sun set approached Goli sat there in the middle of the field eyes closed listening to the winds and the birds songs waiting for the sound of his foe. When the sun finally touched the horizon they appeared at the wood line clad in plated armor. Slowly the men of the treachery approached watching for traps and anything else that could be lying in wait for them till the came with in 100 meters of Goli. They then created a giant circle around him and drew their weapons. For what seemed hours the men stood there in their circle until one with a black and red hood stepped forward and said, "we have come as promised what say you? What is your decision?"
Goli opened his eyes and stood. "I will not leave the land of my ancestors for it is my home and is meant to be the home of my children and their children for generations to come. Leave now you have your answer," Goli stood there proud and stern like the old oak that held his kin's ashes.
The man with the hood stepped back into the circle and said, "then this shall be your grave." He raised his hand and all at once the rest of the men charged at Goli. Goli did not attempt to run though he stood his ground ready to fight even if he did not know what was to come in the next few moments.
Slowly the wind picked up and the wheat swayed with it hiding the encroaching wolves who were coming to aid Goli. Silently the wolves crept up to the men. When the wind finally died down a large Golden red wolf stood and gave a thunderous howl to signal the wolves attack. With in moment the screams and wails of the men being torn to shreds filled the air only to quickly go silent aside from one who was whimpering in pain and trying to crawl away. It was the one who led the men and Goli recognized this.
Slowly Goli walked over to him and lifted his head so the two of them were looking eye to eye. "I told you to leave. I knew not of these wolves coming but in the end it was me as was originally going to happen who stood victorious over you." Goli raised his hatchet to the man's throat and slowly opened his neck from one ear to the other. Tossing the man to the side he turned to the wolves and bowed his head, "I thank you for assisting me in this matter great one of the woods. I have little to offer as thanks but I will give you what I can as compensation for this act.
The golden red wolf's fur started to shimmer and shake as if it was falling out. The more furious the shaking the more the wolf's form started to change from that of a wolf to that of a human. After a few moment a woman stood before Goli, her hair was a long fiery red and it fell down to her hips covering her bare chest as to hide them from the world. "Do not worry about this Sir Goli. You are father to the one who will free us from the curse we have lain with since we began living in these woods. For you we will give our lives till the black one has risen to age and taken on the mantle to guide us all to freedom."
Goli looked to the ground not daring to raise his eyes from the ground between the woman standing before him. Not sure what to say Goli stood there quietly till he saw the woman's feet move closer to him. "I dare not look upon your bare skin great one. May I head back to my house and prepare for what is to come?"
"You need not ask but I and my pack will accompany you as your guard." Suddenly the woman turned back into a wolf and gave a quick yip to the rest of her pack and they then all encircled Goli in a 4 deep circle formation. Slowly they walked back to the house staying ever so quiet in case of others. When they reached the house Goli and the golden red wolf entered the house alone while the rest sat outside standing guard over them.
Comments (0)
See all