Tyre’Negoth:A Tale of Honor

All agreed the gallant knight’s tale was amazing indeed,

Yet before any had time to ponder, a second solider

Of noble Andaras’ troupe chimed in with jesting tone:

“If you think that tale anything more than idle prattle,

Than you’ll be delighted by my tale of Andaras in battle,

For while Vergent, here, has for nought burst a lung,

I shall paint with ease a true tale in eloquent tongue

That you’ll believe me a God of haunting song and word

That you’ll count yourself blessed for all you’ve heard!”

Vergent and all laughed at the second’s hum’rous speech,

Then listened closely to the tale as the bright sun set.

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Tradition has long endured in Curia’s many lands,

That those who sought the lord’s daughter’s hand,

Would enroll in a tournament of sword-play and skill,

Only those of speed, cunning, and an iron will

Would earn her lovely hand, for courters numbered many,

More this year than before, for the girl, sweet Elkeny,

A goddess with golden silk-spun hair like the sun,

And azure eyes that shimmered like the flowing ocean,

Was more beautiful than any rose upon the earth,

Thus men from afar arrived to prove their worth.

One more than most, a balding chap of waning age,

With gritty, dirt brown beard, this man was fit to rage,

And aptly named Igren the Brute, skilled with blade

Was this swine, who’d served on many military raid

As a civilian trooper he had served, taking his pay

While all were busy and eyes were turned away.

Favored was he for the young Elkeny’s worthy hand,

For he’d not been bested by a single man in the land!

But Igren was arrogant and full of boastful pride,

Many jested that his arrogance made him swell so wide!

Soon the tournament arrived and it was my intention,

To place my sword into the ring for contention.

As we gathered, waiting for the tournament to commence,

Andaras had come with royal arms to watch at the fence.

Igren, being observant for such a foolish ape,

Let out taunts to him, his tongue lashing, mouth agape:

“Ho there, stop hiding behind that flimsy fence and come,

Throw your sword in with us fine soldiers you stupid bum!

I’ve never seen such a dainty soldier serving this land,

Look how he sways as he walks, he barely is a man!”

Now Andaras’ had been stung by this foolish swine,

So through the gates he marched and with divine

Motion tossed his sword into the circle and then spoke:

“You’re words are sharp but I shall make you choke

Upon them you stupid ox, then we’ll see whose a man!”

Igren laughed pompously, “You’ll do the best a lady can!”

With that the judge of games appeared and forewarned,

That any forms of trickery or cheating would be scorned,

With that the games then began with great intensity,

And I’ll admit, my weakness was used against me,

And the foe I battled had patience to make my rage flare

Thus he disarmed me within a second, without a care!

It’s a shameful thing to be brow-beaten with such ease,

Yet none shall poke fun at me nor mock nor tease,

For I have story still to tell, and I shall return

For soon as you can expect, it came to the two men’s turn

To duel, for Andaras was now the last man still in,

Save the gigantic and skillful ox I call Igren!

The two entered ring and Igren lunged with rage,

Yet Andaras moved with effortless speed fitting his age,

Blows were traded but not one landed on either man,

For an hour the two fought to find the upper hand,

Til Andaras while blades locked with the foolish thief,

Offered a proposition that offered some relief:

“Apologize to me for the heated insults slung,

And I’ll give in, or else I’ll cut your tongue

From your very mouth you lumb’ring, stupid ass,

I’ve been hardly fighting for this last hour passed!”

Stung in pride old Igren was, and thus he yelled,

“I’ll not apologize until there’s ice in hell!

We, young lady, shall see which of us comes to harm!”

Swiftly, Andaras swung and caught Igren’s arm,

Igren’s blade fell as he toppled down with shocked cry,

I jest not, dear gents, that I saw a tear in his eye!

Then Andaras drew his sword to the hog’s thick throat,

Yet the words he spoke with humility to the old goat:

“I’ve served for years with faith my great homelands,

Thus my honor orders I leave no doubt that I’m a man!

You dunder-headed sot, think next time before you talk,

For wrath and Fate strike as fast as hunting hawk!”

All applauded, save Igren whose face grew beat red,

For the brute’s pride was clouding his thick head,

He rose in force and drew a dagger from a hidden place,

But Andaras with swift turn arrived, face to face

With the arrogant cow, his sword blade pressing hard

Against the chin of that stupid tub of lard!

Igren dropped the dagger with angry heart and mind,

Yet did nought til night when he drank til blind.

He knew from a loose-lipped guard of Andaras’ bed,

Sneaking through the camp with ill-intent in his head.

Yet Andaras had long had faith, but not in man,

So Igren stabbed and stabbed as best a drunk man can,

Only to find once the woolen sheets were pulled away,

He’d never kill Andaras if he’d stabbed night and day,

For no man slept within the quickly butchered bed,

Igren gave a shout, not at the shock but at his head,

Which had been struck with the steelly flat of blade,

He collapsed in drunken pain and there he laid

Til morning came and he awoke to find himself in jail,

And all friends were so ashamed none paid his bail.

As for Andaras, he earned Elkeny’s rose-petal hand,

And now you know he is prince of all the Curian land.

I’ve seen them sleeping underneath the orchard trees,

Him singing softly, (what a voice), putting mind at ease,

Thus I readily volunteered to guard him with my life,

To see that they shall marry and be happy man and wife.

Now my story is at an end, for sleep clouds my mind,

But I hope that I have helped to pass our journey time.