Wenceslas, the Hawk Chapter I

[OsmanEmpire 90]

 

WENCESLAS, THE HAWK 

 

This story is a literary work of the Reinmarian culture. A fairytale told to children to teach them moral lessons and give them a bigger consciousness on Reinmarian culture. Wenceslas, the Hawk is a modernized version of a former tale spread from mouth to mouth. 

 

Chapter I. 

 

There begins our tale. A people, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been. In the small village of Karnitz along the Rheindahl river, lived a miller’s boy of little relevance. Labouring through the daily grind for survival and ignoring the rabble from those around him. 

 

“Ohh!” spoke the tavernkeep he passed by “Some of us are converting to Canonism! What would our gods think!”

 

“Our gods never help us when the river floods our town or the snow ruins our crops.” the miller boy replied as he walked on “what matters their abandonment?”

 

“Woe is our folk!” the tailor screeched down the road “The Lord is of old age - and his children squabble for power. The future is unclear!”

 

The miller boy rolled his eyes “Lords come and go but your shop and family remains. Why worry about things above you?”

 

Everyday the miller boy responded cynically to the people in town. Why did these people care about what stands too far or too above them? If the Gods and Lords care nay for us, why must we care for them? And so he worked for months only caring for family and the mill. When the lord died and his eldest son Lord Erich took over, Wenceslas slept with no concern. 

 

On one fateful day he saw the watchman’s daughter wandering about in fine garments. Braided red hair and freckles plenty. The miller’s boy became smitten by that sight. He approached her with a sly tongue and clumsy charm to ask her for a night in the tavern. 

 

But alas, for the love of miller’s boy Wenceslas was not to be. The new Lord arrived by horse, gilded by the finest garments as he towered over them on his steed. “Begone peasant! For the lass will be mine.” And thus Wenceslas was forbidden to approach this unnamed maiden once again. 

 

Furious by his powerlessness, Wenceslas now joined the townsfolk in their woes.

 

“The Lord has taken all the grain. We may starve during winter!” the smith’s wife cried. 

“May the Gods curse this swine for his greed.” Wenceslas proclaimed to the cheers of the tavern. 

 

“Those foreign priests charge coin for their services. If the Lord converts, we will be the ones to pay!”

“Then we must reject the heathens and pray at our forefather’s graves everyday!” Wenceslas raised his cup to the crowd agreeing. 

 

He then saw the lord slowly throttle his steed onto the street. His unnamed maiden carrying his blade as she walked besides him. Emboldened by the crowd and furious by love, Wenceslas stepped out of the tavern to confront the new Lord. 

 

“You let the lady walk as you ride on a fine saddle and a strong steed, a lack of chivalry that is expected for a Lord” Wenceslas challenged “Must you mistreat a lady like this? Do not claim what you cannot take care of!”

 

“She is mine and I treat her as I like, peasant.” the Lord Erich sneered “how dare a lowborn speak of morality and degrade His Lord. Grovel and beg for my mercy, or you shall lose your head.”

 

“No!” the woman of red locks yelled in tears “M’lord, do not slay this miller’s boy. Or I will die from heartbreak!” 

 

“Silence, wench.” the Lord sneered as he steered his steed towards her “Who told you to speak? Your weeping taints the moment.”

 

“I beg you Lord.” the woman cried with Wenceslas looking at her in fury “Spare him and I will be yours fully. Heart and all.”

 

That swayed Lord Erich. Instead of slaying he banished Wenceslas from the town leaving him with nothing but the clothes on his body and a heavy heart inside. With no destination in mind - Wenceslas contemplated revenge. 

 

{{Hey guys, I just joined the server and wanted to try my hand at writing for my friend's group. What do you think?}}