The Story of Leya, Goddess of Strength and Mercy, Part One

In the age of elven supremacy, the Arkati walked the Lands, mixing with the races and interacting with the Great Houses of the elves. Thus it was, the Arkati known as Kai, always a favorite guest due to his personal charm, noticed a young elven woman while visiting among the Ardenai.

She was both beautiful and bright, the only child of a noble and ancient family. Possessing admirable skill with the bow, she was as adept at the hunt as she was blessed with wit and social graces. She was the pride of her doting parents. One other ability was hers, a rare one among the Ardenai elves (or any of the other great Houses, for that matter) - she was gifted with the ability to 'soothsee', a talent regarded as descendant from the Arkati themselves.

When Kai beheld her, his interest in other women was said to evaporate like the mists of daybreak. She was, not surprisingly, as taken with him and their mutual admiration quickly ignited into the fire of love. He courted her for a season, taking her for his own as soon as elven traditions granted him leave. In due time, the lady conceived and as the child grew within her, Kai's existence was measured by his lady's smile.

It is said that this consuming passion was its own nemesis, the very thing that caused the eventual tragedy. Other Arkati (some of a darker nature), learning of Kai's obsession with the elf, were resentful, regarding it as an insult to the Arkati code. Love the mortals, yes, they admonished. But such affairs should be kept as no more than a dalliance. While no suspicions of evil intent were ever proven as fact, Kai's alliance with the Ardenai didn't last the year.

The child came to term, and after 3 days of decimating labor, the mother produced a daughter, beautiful from first breath. However, the struggle to accomplish it had taken too much of the Ardenai's life reserves. As she gazed lovingly at her newborn daughter, dismay clouded her eyes. Beside her, the despairing Kai - seeing her life flame flicker and fade despite all he tried to help her - heard her whisper, "I fear not death, but the dark that will someday harm our child."

Kai had known that he would one day see his love pass through the Veil between life and death. He was not prepared to see it happen in such a short span of time. They say that as he saw all his efforts to staunch the steady and relentless ebbing of her vitality come to nothing, he went half-mad with desperation. Midwives present at the bedside later claimed they saw the hazy form of Lorminstra appear during the woman's last moments, perhaps to prevent any interference from her frantic husband. Another version of this tale paints the insubstantial figure seen in the bedside shadows as Luukos. Whatever the case, all the powers Kai possessed were unable to save his bride. Legend holds that, at her passing, Kai's cry of sorrow robbed the birds of song for weeks thereafter. He departed the Ardenai the same day, leaving the infant in their care. They called her Leya, named for her mother Leirya.

Years passed. Kai wandered, finally giving over his grief to time and gradually, the light of living was rekindled within him. In the meantime, the child grew, blossoming with all the promise her initial beauty had foretold. It became obvious, early on, that she had great talent in anything to do with physical activities, for the child ran almost before she learned to walk. She was tall and long of limb, with a lithe grace that was often likened to a deer. She was, in short, a natural athlete.

Eventually, Kai returned to the Ardenai, drawn by a Festival of Games held every spring to celebrate the solstice and attended by representatives from the majority of the Great Houses and common folk alike. The games were tests of skill in swords, ranged weapons and mounted jousts. The competition was brisk, featuring the most accomplished athletes from the seven Houses. Kai, as an honored guest, was seated on the royal dais and accorded the privilege of judging the tourney and awarding victory garlands. Nothing was mentioned of the tragedy by his hosts, nor did Kai broach the subject, for all were delighted that, at long last, the Arkati could rejoin them in joy and merriment.

The elven youths that competed displayed enviable skill and strength, and the bountiful festivities surrounding the contests reflected the field's splendor. Gradually, the champions garnered their victories and the field was narrowed down. Kai, conversing and applauding among his friends of the elven nobility, began to notice a tall young woman who won every match in which she was entered. Her sword arm was strong and her skill with a bow was as impressive as Kai had ever witnessed even among the Arkati themselves.

Finally, the day's awards were all given out, save the final event between the Ardenai woman and an exceptional warrior of Ta'Vaalor. The fight was with rapier, and judging by the crowd's boisterous cheering, the rivalry between the two Houses was fierce. As the two young elves circled, thrust and parried, suspense mounted. Many say that no rapier contest since has equaled the skill exhibited in the ring on that glorious spring afternoon.

The Vaalor youth was stronger and taller, but the Ardenai lass was quick and had unparalleled mastery of the rapier. Again and again, her lightening-fast response to his maneuvers seemed to turn the tide of the battle. Suddenly, as the woman parried a thrust, a hare ran pell-mell through the ring and became entangled with the Ardenai's footing. Only a moment later, it recovered and dashed away, but in the heartbeat or two it took for the woman to recover her balance, her Vaalorian opponent had cut under her blade and beaten her.

With the point of his weapon at her heart, she flashed a dazzling smile to the crowd and shouted, "Bravo to Nelito! A fine contest, my friend!" Her rival raised his weapon in a salute to her and, as the crowds roared their appreciation, the athletes embraced and strode arm-in-arm to the victory dais.

Kai startled as he realized he'd been holding his breath. He exhaled and leaned back in his chair. The vision of the Ardenai woman's brilliant smile had come near to stunning him, for there in her fine features he had rediscovered his beloved Leirya. As the two contestants approached the dais, Kai stood up and gazed down upon the girl. Then, after raising the garland high, he lowered it upon the Vaalorian youth's brow and praised his victory. While the crowd thundered in delight, he leaned forward and whispered next to the girl's ear, "And to my daughter, I give my eternal patronage and love, if she will but forgive her unworthy father for his absence in her life until now."

Saying that, Kai straightened and gazed into her eyes, until a moment later, her friend swept her away to answer the well-wishers beating impatiently at the arena gate. Kai watched their progress, his face glowing with pride and affection as she cast confused glances back at him over her shoulder until the crowd enveloped her.

Leya had never been told about her parents. When she asked her aunts and grandmere as a child, she was told only that her mother had died expressing her love for the newborn daughter and that her illustrious father had been pulled from her side by matters of state. Leya grew up surrounded by love and affection, missing her parents only because of her desire to share her love with them.

When Kai came to her later, in the privacy of her quarters, she embraced him and it was as if the years that had separated them had never been. Kai's joy was surpassed only by his love for the girl and it is said, behind the Veil, the spirit of Leirya knew and rejoiced.

That night, a feast was held of lavish proportion, and there, Kai announced his reunion with Leya. The assembled multitude delighted in Kai's obvious happiness with his accomplished and beautiful daughter. Later, as Kai pondered the events of the day in the light of a solitary candle, the words of his beloved came back to him. "I fear not death, but the dark that will someday harm our child." Remembering Leya's sweet smile, full of integrity and warmth, he was filled with fear for her and vowed to himself that he would protect her from any ill fate.

Once the week of festivities ended, Kai told his daughter that it was his wish - if she desired - that she accompany him, and he would school her in the arts of combat and teach her of her Arkati heritage. Although she was young, she knew not fear, and accepted her father's invitation with alacrity. For from the moment of hearing his first whispered words, a sense of homecoming and content had awoken within her, and her love for her father had blossomed. With tears of joy for her happiness and regret for her absence, her Ardenai family bid the girl farewell.

Leya passed the coming years at her father's side, delighting in their shared company and surpassing her former skill at combat day by day. Kai watched his daughter's skill grow, nurturing and guiding it and reveled in her guileless smile, sweet nature and ready wit. As they passed through the lands, staying now with the Ta'Nalfein, and the following year with the Ta'Vaalar -- each year or season moving on -- the girl's reputed skill at combat was only over-shadowed by accounts of her beauty. Many were the princes and noble young elves who lost their heart to her. But in Leya's affections, only Kai could claim a place of honor.

Old stories tell that Kai and Leya journeyed to the distant lands of the halfling folk, who, in those long-past days, were never seen wandering far from their shires and homes, as is common today. The travelers arrived after many weeks in the wilderness, and the wee ones known as 'halfling' took the visitors in and threw a month-long feast in their honor. Kai was a welcome and anticipated guest, for the halflings delighted in his story-spinning. Soon, they grew likewise fond of the daughter, treasuring her open-heartedness. Although she was considered as 'gaunt' as her father, she was pronounced 'less uncomely' than most other non-halflings the merry folk had encountered (not-withstanding the fact that the sum total of these non-halflings were decidedly few.)

The months spent with the endearing people were pleasant ones. Leya taught the adolescents archery and wrestling, delighting in the gales of giggles that, more likely than not, accompanied any action one of them attempted. They returned the favor by teaching Leya tricks of throwing blades, for their proficiency at this skill surpassed any she had seen.

Finally, Kai decided time had come to bid their hosts farewell. He had kept in touch with the elven lands via messenger-birds sent to a close confident among the Nalfein, who had forwarded disquieting news. The Nalfein had heard tales of a terrible fortress that emanated darkness and fear, tales that had become too worrisome to ignore.

As a parting gift, the mayor of the halfling shire -- a small, wizened fellow of great age and magic - gave Leya a blade of great beauty, reputably possessing an unknown magic as well. The halfling handed the halfling sword, more a dagger in size, to her and told her 'to keep it close, for some day she would find a need for its friendship'. In the following years, she came to cherish the blade more as a sentimental reminder of the halflings and time spent in the company of her father than for the beauty of its strange and elaborate carvings.

One other gift did the halflings give to their Arkati friends. Many years before -- countless years, the passing of which had erased the details of its arrival -- a sword was given to the shire's elders to guard. The thing was beautiful beyond compare, yet feared, for it sang a haunting and terrible keen, heard sometimes on moonless nights by those close to death or the dying. The elders decided to give the thing to Kai in the hopes that it would come to aid if the dark rumors were based on any fact. Much better to give the sword into his keeping, they had decided, than to risk such a weapon falling into hands guided by a malevolent heart. The weapon, known as 'So'liengin' (later translated to 'Soulingen') was given into Kai's trust with solemn warnings about 'its dark and dangerous talent'.

The two Arkati's return to the elven empire was slow, hampered and harangued by raiding parties of orcs and trolls. Roads that had been safe for eons had changed in the few months they'd spent with the halflings. The highways were now plagued with raiders and bandits, and the settlements where Kai and Leya passed the nights were barricaded after dark. The inhabitants huddled behind their doors in fear and dread. Rumors of a growing threat became more and more frequent as they traveled, substantiating the stories Kai had been sent while with the halflings.

At the borders of the first of the elven Houses, the marauding abruptly stopped. In fact, when Kai brought up the subject during the next Council Court, the news was dismissed as rumor and exaggeration among the peasantry. The complacent council members assured the worried Kai that any bandits he had personally witnessed were certainly nothing more than an isolated incident. For it was inconceivable that any faction could mount a serious threat to the might and authority of the Seven Houses.

Some of the members of that Council would live to rue their words. The others experienced an abbreviated version of the famed elven longevity.

Leaving Leya in the comfort of a Faendryl palazzo after the rigor of the long months of travel, Kai journeyed on to a mountainous region east of Faendryl lands. There he sought council with Koar. It is said that the 'Oldest' visited Kai in the form of a small, winged lizard. Time has obscured what was said, but it is believed that Kai's suspicions were confirmed. Thereafter, Kai pondered the implications of all he had learned for a moon, then began work on a great and complex magic. When it was finally accomplished, the Arkati rested only long enough to recover from the debilitating fatigue of the 'working' before making his way back to the city of the Faendryl and Leya.

When Leya saw her father's deep exhaustion, she bade him rest and recover in her care. He put aside her concerns and told her that he wanted to depart again immediately, to take her back to the mountains from which he'd just returned. Despite her objections, they departed soon after.

Kai and Leya traveled to the edge of a seemingly impenetrable forest. That it was filled with magic was obvious, for the wood seemed to sing with a vitality that pulled at the edges of consciousness. It was as if the trees were sentient and watched all that neared their boundary. Leya, with the gift of seeing given her by her mother, felt the forest's prescience and quailed in the face of such power. But Kai reassured her and showed her the almost indiscernible sigils that were the signature of his magical working. As soon as she recognized them, the wood became nothing more or less than a magnificent, old-growth forest.

Before crossing into the shade of the lofty oaks, Kai counseled his daughter, telling her of the growing threat and his need to venture off alone, in an effort to discover the cause and measure of it. There, in the forest, he explained, she would be safe. Therein she could hunt and practice her combat skills in peace and safety until he was able to return to her. He asked her to vow to him that she would stay within the magical boundary he had created, leaving him free of worry to pursue the dangerous mission he needed to shoulder. And she, loving him and desiring his happiness, was happy to pledge her promise to dwell within the beautiful trees until he returned to her.

Kai was pleased and much relieved. Seeing a great owl flying overhead, he lifted his hand and power flowed from it, encircling the bird. The owl plummeted to earth, alighting upon the ground with a thunder of hooves. Seeing the owl transformed into a magnificent, white steed with dark eyes and flowing mane, Leya was delighted. She embraced the beast's powerful, arched neck and called him 'Rigaetha'.

They entered the wood together, the two Arkati and the enchanted stallion, and as they did, it was as if a door had closed behind them. That night, they camped beside a clear pool, and as the girl drank of its water, the magic was sealed.

Seeing Kai's preparations to leave her, Leya was sorrowful. Kai was dismayed at her unhappiness and asked if there was anything he could leave with her as a reminder of his affection. She answered, saying there was one thing only she desired other than his companionship. She had admired the beautiful weapon given to him by the halflings and longed to wield it.

Remembering the warnings sent along with it, Kai was reluctant. Then, observing the girl's sad expression, he was loath to deny her anything. Telling himself that nothing could harm her within the protection of the wood, he placed the beautiful blade in her hands and asked her to keep it sheathed and to use it sparingly.

Kai regretfully left soon after, comforting his daughter with assurances he would hurry back to her as soon as possible. As the days turned into months and then years, Leya dwelt within the forest, hunting and riding the steed called Rigaetha, safe within the embrace of the ancient oaks.

© 2001 Marsha H. Levine. All information contained within the Shrine of Leya website is copyrighted. Permission to use/reprint must be obtained from me and attributed to the (Simutronics Inc./GemStone III) Leya Quest. Please feel free to link to this site. For more information about this website and the Leya Quest, send an escroll to: Dame Deavon Laeren.

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