Fall, 268
After the Ulven treaty was finished, with his mate Fritha Stormjarl being instrumental in getting some sort of peace established between Clan Stormjarl and Clan Grimward, Thrand took some time to travel home.
The lands that his birth-family had lived on near the coast was in a territory that was conquered and then controlled by Clan Grimward for a long time. He suspected his family had been captured and taken as thralls to Grimward, expected to work the fields and tend to the settlement of the conquerors. With the treaty, Clan Stormjarl thralls were to be released back to their Clan should they wish to be. Fritha had been busy overseeing Stormjarl representatives making sure that all kept thralls were given the chance to return home and were not forced to stay under coercion or duress. While the treaty officially released all Stormjarl captives that wished to leave, it officially yielded the disputed Stormjarl territory known as “Haygreth’s Scar” to become Clan Grimward lands.
It was a painful journey; the remnants of settlements yet to be rebuilt from the conquest of Clan Grimward during the Ulven Civil War were visible along the way. Yet life carries on; with new settlements being built and considerable defensive positions being established on the Stormjarl-Grimward border.
It had been years since he had seen them, since he was honor-bound to be sent to Pack Longfang for service at Onsallas Outpost far north near the Dirge Swamp. Thrand arrived at the village and went to work finding his birth-family in an attempt to reconnect with them and tell them of his journeys, his stories of expeditions in the swamp, of standing against Clan Grimward, of conquering new lands for the Stormjarl people on the Stormborn Coast. He had many stories to share.
One story in particular was very recent and involved the treaty.
——–
“You can’t afford this fight.” says Thrand Stormjarl to Haygreth Grimward, Clanleader of Clan Grimward.
Taken aback, the Clanleader focuses in and gives his full attention to the Ulven before him. His recent comments were haughty; depicting Grimward as superior and that Stormjarl was “lucky” for this outcome.
“You really think we wouldn’t win if this fight continues?” says Haygreth in an inquisitive and condescending tone. His interest was peaked that someone would dare speak up to him like this.
“I didn’t say we would win. I said you can’t afford this fight” repeats Thrand confidently, before continuing.
“Your Clan may be larger and have more warriors, supplies, and land, but a fight to the end with my Clan would be the end of yours. You can’t conquer our people, you can barely hold what you’ve already taken, and Clan Stormjarl’s tenacity would cost you so dearly that you would be no match for any other Clan in the future and you would never recover. You would kill the cornered wolf… and then die from losing too much blood.”
Haygreth takes in these words for a moment, locking eyes with Thrand and sizing him up.
“Then I guess it’s for the best of both our Clans that we came to an agreement and a treaty this day” finally says the Clanleader deliberately.
“I guess it is then, for the best, so both our Clans have a chance at a future” replies Thrand before he turns and walks away.
———
“You should have seen the look on his face, father. I think he was at a loss for words that someone would question him and say something like that. Luckily, he didn’t notice how terrified I was!” laughs Thrand.
“Mother, you always taught me to look for the good in others and give them a chance. Some of my experiences have made that difficult. Ulven fighting Ulven, Colonists overstepping their bounds… it makes the world a complex place. But I promise I will try.”
“And Brother, I fondly remember the times we spent running the woods and learning to shoot bow and arrow and run along the grasslands watching the ships sail by the coastline. Who would have ever thought I would run with Pack Longfang, let alone train their warriors for battle.”
Thrand reaches out and touches the stone with reverence. On it, contain the carved names of over two dozen Clan Stormjarl Ulven. The large stone, and the smaller ones around it, is a small memorial honoring those that died in defense of the settlement during the Clan Grimward invasion. The memorial was all that was left of the village, the decaying lumber of burned buildings peeking through the overgrown grass.
“I will remember you all, of your bravery in defending our Clan’s home and the lessons you all taught me” says Thrand as he removes his hand from the memorial stone and turns to look North.
In the distance, barely visible, are the border flags marking the territory between Clan Stormjarl and Clan Grimward, the lands beyond now known as Haygreth’s Scar.
“Honor demands retribution.” says Thrand deliberately as he turns and walks away, heading South further into Clan Stormjarl lands.
END