The Bard's Song

The Bard's Song

Far away, past the moon, in the Realm of the Immortals there is a king. This King's name is Iestyn. King Iestyn had no queen, but had a son, Iósua, Iósua ap Iestyn. They had had the kingdom for as long as there had been a kingdom there. King Iestyn would always rule there for as long as there was a kingdom, and there would always be a kingdom. This kingdom lived in peace. It's only enemies had long ago been banished or destroyed. Everyone in this kingdom was joyous, and everyone felt the love that Prince Iósua and His Bride, Caitlynn.

But it had not always been so...There had been war many years ago. A poet had lead an army against the King's men. He had failed, but both the Realm of the Immortals and the Land of Men felt it.

He was the chief minstrel in King Iestyn's court. His name was Baird and He took his job seriously, wrote his songs with pride. There was no king like Iestyn, he knew this. He wrote daily of the King's Justice, and Mercy. He knew well of His Grace and of all His laudable attributes, His Righteousness, Love for His people. He was a Holy King, Powerful and Meek, Worthy of all praise and Humble.

He knew all of this, wrote of it constantly. Ever since he had been a minstrel he was to write of the King. The King's Son was the same way. Both worthy of any praise that he could write. And he could write it well. And when he sang. Oh, the people were amazed! They FELT his words, knew them for truth! He could bring tears to the eyes of those listening, or, if he wanted, joy, peace. He could make them FEEL the song.

What would happen if he sang of himself? Would the people love him as they loved the King? More, perhaps? He often wished he had a bard to sing of his praises. Did he not deserve it? Once this thought occured to him, he was not the same.

He would stand in the court of the King, the people hushed waiting for his clear, pure voice to sing of the King, to FEEL the King's praise, to join in...And he would wish they were waiting to hear him for him! Not because he sang for the King! Resentment started building in Baird. He knew the crowds adored his song, but adored his song more because of their adoration of the King, the One Whom the song was about. So he wrote his own song. He never sang it around others, only when he was with himself. Ah, how he loved this song!..

One day he was singing this song to himself when he was approached by two of the King's guards. Captains both, one was Michael and the other was Bryan. He quit singing.

One of them spoke, "Baird, the King wants to see you."

Baird did not worry. The King was constantly wanting to see him. Usually it was so he could sing his praise. But what if someone had overheard his song? No! Impossible. They would have been captivated, he was sure of that! So he went with them.

He entered into the King's court and bowed before the throne. He looked up at the King. Iósua stood at His right. Both the King and His Son stared at him with melancholy eyes. What was going on?

The King stared at him and Baird knew in that moment that the King knew! He knew of the song! How could that be!

Suddenly, the King's eyes turned from melancholy to a flaming fury! He stood and with a shout shook the whole palace. Baird fell to his knees in fear.

The King spoke and it sounded like thunder, "I have heard your song, Baird! It sickens me and I cannot have you in my presence any longer!" His Voice rumbled on long after He spoke. "That which you will do, do quickly!"

Baird could not immediately stand. Michael and Bryan picked him up and escorted him through the court, out into the great hall, and then threw him into the courtyard. Baird still lay there, the King's voice resonating in his head. He felt sick.

Who did Iestyn think He was to throw out His chief bard? The people loved him and needed him! Well, if the King wanted no longer to hear his voice, perhaps someone else would.

So he sang his song for the people, for the King's men, for anyone who would listen, he sang, and this is the way of it...

I will ascend to the heavens!
I will set my throne above Iestyn's stars!
I will sit on the mountain of the Immortals assembly!
I will ascend above the highest clouds!
I will make myself like the Most High!

And he sang it so powerfully! It repulsed most of the Immortals who heard it, but there was a group that was wooed by the bard's song. It was a group roughly a third of all the King's men. They were lulled and wooed until the bard's song became their song as well, until they wanted to ascend as well, until they wanted what the bard wanted. Baird was their king and they loved him, or was it that they loved his song, made it theirs?

They were ready to fight, to war with the King! And so they did. The kings men went to war with the bard and his men. It would have lasted for eternity except that the Iósua ap Iestyn strode out onto the battlefield and met with Baird.

"You must leave.", he said simply.

The bard did not respond.

"You will go to world of men, there you may sing your song all you like. You will not take your name with you. You are no longer Baird the Poet, you will be Diabhall the Cursed. The Immortals you take with you will no longer resemble immortals, but will become cursed creatures that follow you. They will share your domain and they will be called Deamhon. If they like your song, they may swear allegiance to you. If they do, they are yours."

Diabhall stared at Iósua with dark eyes. He grinned a malevolent grin.

Iósua continued, "Somewhere in the land of men is my Bride-to-be. I warn you now, if you touch her, I will kill you myself."

And with that, Iósua ap Iestyn and His army cast Diabhall from the Realm of the Immortals and cursed them to walk the earth.

Several Years Later

Land of Men

They did listen to his song. Men and women loved it. They were struck by the beauty of Diabhall. He was tall and pale, he had fair hair and the deepest, bluest eyes. The sun seemed to shine off of him and nearly, NEARLY reflected some kind of glory....a perverted glory, but it appeared glorious to Man.

Everywhere he sang his song, men and women swore him allegiance. He sent his Deamhon's about with contracts and anyone who heard his song signed their contracts willingly and kept them. They never thought about them again after that, didn't care. They just wanted to hear his song. So he sang, the Deamhon's sang, and man sang.

The Land of Man had been a veritable paradise, but now it was fallen. Darkness covered the land, depression reigned, but men everywhere clung to the song of Diabhall.

And Diabhall rejoiced...but it wasn't enough. He was not worshipped as the King was, or even as Iósua was. He wanted more. No, NEEDED more! He was relatively happy knowing that Iósua's so called 'bride-to-be' was his now. He didn't know which woman it was, but there was no woman that HADN'T half killed herself in the rush to pledge herself to him, the fair haired beauty. Diabhall and his voice...they loved it.

Still...it just wasn't enough.

One day, a man presented himself to Diabhall in his court.

"Diabhall the Cursed! Your time is fast approaching." The stranger said.

Diabhall hissed. How did he know that name?

"Who are you to address me as such in my court? Bow to me when you speak, man!" He commanded the stranger, but the stranger made no move.

"BOW!" Diabhall's clear, pure voice distorted into something completely different.

Still, the man made no move.

Diabhall started to sing.

"Silence!" the stranger boomed. Diabhall was surprised to find himself complying.

"Who are you?" He asked. The stranger stepped forward into the light.

"Well, well...Iósua ap Iestyn. You surprise me by coming to the Land of Man to visit me. I'm flattered. Have you chosen a wife yet? I'd love to violate her. I probably already have." He smirked.

Iósua said nothing. He stared at Diabhall. Diabhall quit smirking and glared right back.

"I have chosen a wife. The woman called Morna. She resides here. She cooks and cleans." Iósua became quiet. He did not finish saying what else Morna did here.

Diabhall did, however. He burst out laughing, a pure laugh, nearly child like, but chilling. His blue eyes twinkled.

"The whore you mean?" He laughed again. "Morna!" he called. "Come here!"

A small woman seperated herself from the rest of the crowd that always gathered in Diabhall's Hall. It was a mixture of men, women, and Deamhon's, all of them there to hear Diabhall sing, to enjoy themselves with normally forbidden pleasures. And Morna was one of them.

She was beautiful, or so it seemed. It was hard to tell for her dark brown hair was in her face, she was dirty and in need of a bath, and her clothes were torn and dirtier than she.

"Come here, love." Diabhall cooed, in that beautiful, silk voice of his.

Iósua bristled, but said nothing.

Morna approached Diabhall smiling widely. She stood at his right and looked from Iósua to Diabhall. Diabhall stared at her for a moment then leaned over an licked her face. Then he kissed her full on the mouth. She kissed him back and greedily stroked his face with her hands.

Iósua looked away, saying nothing, his lip quivered either from rage or grief. One could not tell. Finally, he looked back at the woman he had chosen. She stared back at him. Diabhall was grinning.

"She listened to my song and liked what she heard. She has pledged her allegiance to me. However, I'll let her know what you want." He turned to Morna, "This man says He wants to marry you. What do you think of that?" Morna looked at Iósua, looked him up and down. He had not stepped out of the Realm of Immortals in resplendent beauty. He was plain looking, like any other man. Except his eyes... She turned back to Diabhall.

"Does he sing?" She laughed and Diabhall laughed with her. Then he leaned forward and kissed her again.

Iósua felt sick.

Morna looked back at him, the smile fading on her lips. She stared into his eyes. There was something about this man, something she couldn't see, but perhaps this man would show her. Iósua stared back at her without a word. She didn't look away, couldn't look away.

"I have chosen you. Will you be my bride?"

Morna suddenly realized in that moment that, yes, she did want to be this man's bride. Against all reason...She nodded. And then she was falling. Diabhall stood above her to strike her again, but he didn't.

"Go to your room, whore. You forget who you pledge allegiance to." He muttered. Morna got up, cast one more look back at Iósua, then fled from the court.

Iósua stared at Diabhall with dark eyes. "What will you take for the woman?"

Diabhall thought about it and said, "Return here tomorrow and I shall tell you my price."

So Iósua left. Night time came, the sun fell, cold came, the sun rose, and still it was dark on the land. Iósua showed up as promised.

"Have you decided your price?" He demanded of Diabhall.

Diabhall nodded, smiling darkly. "Yes. I have."

"Well, what is it?"

Diabhall spoke slowly, "If you want the woman you must become Mortal. Drop your chains of immortality and walk the earth for life. Then you may be with the woman."

Iósua looked down. He sighed and looked back at Diabhall with sadness in his eyes. "Let it be as you have said."

Diabhall looked gleeful, "Are you mortal?" he asked. Iósua only nodded.

Diabhall laughed, "Grab him!"

Instantly two of his Deamhon's were on Iósua and forced him to the ground.

"Iósua ap Iestyn, you are a fool! I never took you for a fool, but here you are in my hands as a mortal. And for a woman! No, a whore!"

Diabhall kicked him in his face as he bent over. Iósua gasped, blood pouring from his nose.

Diabhall leaned down and peered into his face, "You will pay for your love with your life!" He spat on him.

"Nail him above the court doors! I want everyone to see him as they come in to sing." Diabhall grinned menacingly.

And so it was done to Iósua as it was commanded. The two Deamhon's dragged him over to the tall arch and drove great spikes through his hands into the wall. He dangled there, his feet hanging just into the doorway, gasping for air. Diabhall smiled. At last, now he was feeling glorified. He would make him listen to him sing for as long as he lived. And that wouldn't be too much longer.

People came and went. They sang as they came and they sang as they went. They ridiculed the hanging man. The smacked his feet and they spat upon him. Until one morning they came in and his body was still.

Diabhall grunted, he hadn't lasted as long as he had hoped. Perhaps he would just leave his body there for a little while longer. First things first though. He looked around the court until he spotted what it was he was seeking out. A spear. He hefted, stared at Iósua for a minute, then shoved it into his heart. Blood spilled out and soaked his clothing, poured over his body, and onto the spear. Diabhall dropped it before it could get on him. He stood there for sometime just watching this dead man bleed. Once immortal, the son of a great king, often sung about, was now in his hall, dead.

Diabhall left.

Diabhall sat in the tallest tower several days later. He was composing another song, a song about the death of an immortal. He had accomplished the impossible! Men would hear of this and laud him as the Immortal King! And suddenly he wanted to see the body again. So he got up and wandered down the steps, singing as he went, his pure, clear voice paving the way for him.

He stopped singing as he entered the court. There was no body here. Morna was here as well, she was looking around just as confused as he.

"Morna," he called,"where is the body?"

Morna didn't say anything she merely shrugged.

"Has no one seen the body of Iósua ap Iestyn?!" He screamed. He had made a mistake! Something was going on that shouldn't be going on, and he didn't know what! And then he saw him. He was standing in the doorway, glowing, exuding a brilliance. His clothes were still horribly bloody, but he himself looked no worse than the day he had showed up in Diabhall's court.

Diabhall's lip quivered in fear, sweat rolled down his face.

"You made a mistake, Diabhall." Iósua said, "I don't belong to you. I'm not yours to do with that you will. I deserved no death."

Diabhall saw Morna and lunged for her. He was stopped by two glowing Immortals.

Iósua approached Diabhall. Diabhall backed up until he fell and was scooting backwards across the floor. Iósua kicked him onto his back and peered down at him.

"You cannot touch her. You have already done with me whatever you wanted and have lost your right to do with her whatever you want. She is mine now, and you...you have broken our agreement." Iósua smiled, "Do you know what that means, Diabhall? It means you die, and I win."

Diabhall's face contorted with anger. He screamed. His fair hair caught fire, and his blue eyes turned red. He lost his glow and turned ashen, then turned dark. His beauty fell from him and his voice became hoarse. He yelled anyway.

I will ascend to the heavens!
I will set my throne above---

"Silence!" Iósua roared. Diabhall fell silent. He sat running his hands over his dark skin, his cracked, dirty finger nails flitted through his stringy burnt hair. He started sobbing.

Iósua walked over to Morna who was staring at him. Iósua started glowing more. "Morna, you are no longer his. Your death is mine and now my life is yours. I chose you, I bought you, I love you. Will you be my Bride?"

Morna nodded vigorously, she was crying. She had lived a life of pain and didn't realize it until this man showed her kindness. She lived a life of guilt but didn't know it until this man offered forgiveness. She was dirty.

"I have seen who you were Morna. But I see that no more." He dipped his hands into the blood on his clothes. He wiped a streak on her forehead, both her cheeks, and then her chin. "All I see is my death and your life. You are no longer foul, you are no longer his. You are mine and you are beautiful. For that, I call you Caitlynn" He embraced her.

When they finally let go he marched over to Diabhall. He glowed ever brighter and brighter the nearer he got. Diabhall turned his eyes, he could not stare at Iósua. He was too bright!

Iósua leaned down to Diabhall and whispered, "I told you if you ever touched her I would kill you." Diabhall started whimpering.

Iósua yelled, a guttural cry for the pain that Diabhall had inflicted on Caitlynn. A crack formed in the ground and it ran the link of the room. With the horrible sound of rock being rent into two, the floor slid apart to reveal a huge, black fissure, a chasm into nowhere. Diabhall whimpered more.

Then Iósua drew back and kicked Diabhall into the gaping hole. Diabhall screamed as he fell. His scream continued long after he was lost from sight. Then suddenly there were more than just the two Immortals. There were hundreds! Those who had pledged allegiance to Diabhall fought alongside the Deamhons, but they were simply not powerful enough.

Michael yelled, "Go mbeire an Diabhal leis thú!"

At this cry, the Immortals glowed brighter than ever and rushed the enemy into the pit, until they fell alongside Diabhall. And there they remain to this day, falling for eternity.

No one remained in the room except for the Immortals, Iósua ap Iestyn, and Caitlynn.

Iósua walked over to Caitlynn, embraced her, and whispered, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." And then they stepped from this land into the Realm of the Immortals.

The End.