The Story of Leya, Goddess of Strength and Mercy, Part Two
As told by Morrin Cairwyn and scribed by Dame Deavon Laeren

You see Morrin Cairwyn the Sylvankind Bard. She appears to be in her 30's, has long, braided light brown hair, hazel eyes, and fair skin. She is in good shape. She is holding a tanik limb walking stick in her right hand and a very old battered leather journal in her left hand. She is wearing a circlet of green and gold oak leaves, a hooded wheat-hued spidersilk cloak, an ecru linen haversack, a tear-shaped amber pendant hanging from a delicate vaalin chain, a dark siena velvet tunic, a braided ivy vine girdle, some supple brown leather leggings, and a pair of soft doeskin boots fastened with gold pinecone clasps.

Deavon's note: I had almost forgotten my duties as scrivener, so surprised and delighted was I with the presence of the dear Morrin, and so totally unexpected when my "sister" and recently graduated apprentice, Kytaara, had invited me to attend one of the Amazons of Leya's quad-annular high holy worship day. The Festival of the Night, I do believe. Yet I have managed to capture the essence of the tale told and share it with you here. We pick up from where we stopped in Part One--with Kai having left Leya in the forest to await his return.

Leya spent the days waiting for Kai by practicing her martial arts, talking with the many animals that lived in the forest, and taking long rides and walks in the woods, often accompanied by her steed, Rigaetha. One day, she returned to her favorite spot, a pool near the barrier. Lying beside it was a young Elven lad, and Leya turned away at first, remembering the brash youths of her past, but his face was so beautiful that she could not help but approach, discovering he had been wounded. Leya knelt beside him and calling on the magick at the heart of the forest, asked for help in aiding the lad, covering his wounds with healing leaves. As he quickly mended and was well enough to travel, Leya brought him to her abode to allow him to continue to recover. He explained that he had been trying to enter an old mage's tower and was discovered, only to be casted at and injured. What he did not know was that the wizard took one look at the beauty of the lad and felt great remorse at having harmed him, then transported the curious Elven to the pool knowing that Leya would discover him.

His name was Egan, and he was a member of the House of Ta'Vaalor, and as he sat healing and watching Leya, his love for her began to grow. Leya would pretend not to notice his gaze on her, but she would slyly sneak a glance every so often herself. As much as he enjoyed spending time with Leya, he grew homesick and wanting to assure his family that he was still well and alive as his return was long overdue. So he made plans to head home, trying to convince Leya to come with him. Now, Leya knew that Kai had forbidden her from leaving the forest, and so she sadly refused to go. Instead, they arranged to meet in one moon's time at an arranged place. With a bittersweet parting, Egan left to return to his lands, and Leya continued to spend her days as she had before, but spent her nights dreaming about both coming reunions with those she loved.

Meanwhile, Egan has arrived back in his lands and finds much his friends and family much overjoyed to see him! They had thought him dead, so in their rejoicing they plan a great feast in his honor for his return. In the beginning he is lost in his double joy, the joy of Leya's love and the return to his loved ones. But as the celebration begins, he notices how worn and drawn with worry their faces are. He begins to ask what is the matter, but they shoo his worries with platitudes, saying only that it is nothing. This goes on for several days as the celebration continues. Finally one night, when he can bear it no longer, he confronts his father. Wearily the older man sighs and takes his son aside, away from where the others can hear. His father is torn, having listened to Egan boost of his love for Leya, so torn yet he can not stop himself from asking Egan to remain here. He can not lie to his son, but the Undead are massing nearby. Egan's father begs him to stay and fight.

Egan, being like any young man in love, hesitates at first, but then he thinks of how he could return to Leya with his glory gained from a good battle. Largely green and untested on the battle field, Egan agrees to stay on and fight, innocently thinking the war will be ended and he will still be able to meet Leya as they arranged. He thinks he'll be able to go to war and help conquer the enemy, with more than enough time to make his way back to the forest. And so, Egan marches off with the troops. The excitement of battle lures him and the wins of the first skirmishes thrill him. The morning of the big battle arises as they reach the front lines and as he pauses to think of his beloved Leya in his daily prayers, he realizes he is a day late in meeting her. He thinks, "I will finish this battle and rush off to her side," and then marches onward.

Leya has returned to the place of their meeting, waiting anxiously, nervous and yet excited to be rejoined with Egan. She waits all that day and night, and when he does not come, she lays beside the pool, drifting off to sleep. The next morning, just as the sun is about to rise, Leya wakes with a start. Tis rumored that Leya had a bit of her mother's gift for foresight, and she panics, sensing that Egan is in terrible danger! Leya glances down in the pool and an image ripples to the surface. She sees Egan, her beloved, surround by an army of elves, but they are vastly outnumbered by the horrible Undead surrounding them. She sees them marching over the lands, dark, like a plague rampaging, and fighting has broken out.

With a roar of anger, Leya rises up, mounting Rigaetha urging him forward towards the barrier of the forest. The pain of the crossing causes her to bellow in agony, but this does not stop her. Kai hears this and rushes towards the forest but he knows he is too late, as she has already broken through the barrier, and he is too far away engaged with the fighting of the Despana. Leya arrives in her beloved's lands, descending upon the scene like a whirlwind filled with her insane worry for her beloved and her hatred for the evil that threatens him. Without a thought of caution, she unsheathes Soulingen with a blood lust so strong that it awakens the mighty weapon. And the fury consumes her! And with this great force on their side, the elves won the day.

Now Luukos, he has arrived on the battlefield as Leya does, but before Kai can get to her. Luukos hides in the shadows, watching and laughing, and then sees to it that Egan is disguised in Leya's eyes to appear as one of the enemy. And as such, in her blindness, Leya slays Egan. Twas not her fault, but Leya does not know this. She does not know of Luukos' presence. And so she blames herself, as Egan's soul resides in Soulingen's blade Kai arrives in time to see the deadly scene, and watches as Leya grieves so deeply. Kai was set to confront her for betraying his wishes, but he can not do so when she is in so much pain. He does not wish her to blame herself more so than she does, so he withdraws and awaits a more appropriate time. Leya's grief so wracks her with sadness that her cried release the magick at the heart of the steed, Rigaetha, returning him to the snowy owl he once was. Leya decides that she will bring Egan's body back to the bluff where they were to meet, and bury him there.

Legends say that twas at this bluff, by the pool where they first met that Leya built his tomb. Torn by her grief and wracked by her sorrow, she completes the tomb, and throws Soulingen down on the altar, in horror at what she has done. Kai waited for Leya's sorrow to abate, but her never got the chance... Taking up her dagger, and dressing in simple traveling clothes, she headed out to walk the lands. Now, the rumor is that Leya got tired of walking one day, and she came upon a circle of shrouded modwir pines. And that is where it seems Leya remained.

© 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 Corp./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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