"Aihylen chap 1" by Sofie Lidén

Chapter 1






- It is morning outside... Eglek yawned and shut his eyes in a small protest,

and laid his head back on a couple of the million silly cushions which seemed

to grow all over the crocheted clad room.

- But it is night in here, with me... Strinnea let her sprawled fingers run across Eglek's
chest and tried to catch his eyes.

He looked at the ceiling as he felt her amazingly hot breath against his neck.
He had to push her away, this was getting...

- Ridiculous!

- What is? His fiancé looked surprised, not that he could notice much difference between
that and her regular look.

- Nothing... I'm going down to the lake, Fertan said he needed some help with his boat.

He could hear her instantly sitting up and struggling with her mind, if she would to
nag on him, or go complaining to his mother later.

He sighed and flew out the window.

Just to come out of there, to breathe unforced.



Strinnea had been lovely. They met in the halls of her father's fortress.
His mother had introduced them. H'jel had taken Strinnea's hand and laid it upon Eglek's,
grinning almost madly with poorly hidden excitement.

"This is my cousin's only daughter, the last of his kin" She had said.

Pushed out in the halls, hand in hand, Eglek's well trained manners had been superfluous.
The gorgeous girl at his side ran the conversations.

Hours passed, caressing hands blurred their way in and out of his mind,

fondling green eyes... the sweet voice...

he was completely under her spell.

Years passed just as easily.

Eglek shook his head and dove through a couple of trees. He let the branches cut his skin.

"I have to tell mother, I'm leaving this."





Mists rose from the Seldun Lake and laid itself around the mesa that held the many halls
of Sindhann, Sindhavv's royal nest.

The sun had already surrendered behind the protective mountains and Sindhann stood as a
lurking beast in the vague light.

The trapped forest now gave off a stench of decided decay and the supposed fields of grass
revealed barren rocks.
Maybe H'jel and Eskartum had exaggerated in protecting their lair, but they could not risk
their kind being exterminated.


Inside Sindhann there was no foul smell, nor any signs of surrender. Torches gave the
tunnels well enough light to see the old colorful murals painted by a local self proclaimed
genius, the very first to have lived in Seldun, Toklir. He was known to strut around
and ingratiating himself among the royals, smiling with no teeth and pinching their
arms for attention. But he was immensly talented with the paintbrush

and the Queen liked him.
Further in, where the series of halls began, The Minia Maidens in their bright dresses were
talking and laughing. Their sisters' families had their rooms along the hallways,
and children ran around careless.

All spaces were lit up by fijnòrs, the ever burning flames, gifts from Aylen.

Carved in to the wall was the image of the Goddess, gazing out over the main hall.

By it stood H'jel with the King of Penna. Shadows dancing across H'jel's face as she
listened to his never ending mumble.

Apparently he was there trying to get her alliance which she had sworn never to give.
His pointless story telling was getting on her nerves.



"Excuse me... Sir!"

Eglek turned around halfway through the main entrance to Sindhann,

hurt his bare foot on a sharp pebble and bit his lip in frustration.

"What?" The Prince glared at the guard, annoyingly aware of what he was about to say.

"I'm sorry Sir, but I can not have you go in like that." The guard pointed on Eglek's clothless
body and lifted one arrogant eyebrow.

Actually the other one was pretty arrogant as well.

"My mother is in there Stenn, she has my clothes, you know how it is."

The Prince gave a childish smile and continued his fixed march in to the mountain.

"You know, I'm not buying that!" The guard shouted back at him. Eglek sighed and mouthed
the echoing sentence, imitating Stenn's endearingly stupid glance.

"He's a good mate, but I'm not in the mood. I need to free myself. I've been decieved all
these years.

Goddess help me if I find out that my mother knew about it..."