The Argulax

Both wind and weathering the stout ship saw,

in its travels from bay to bay,

it went grand.

The best captain known rigged his ship for one,

"Fare thee well",

bid the crowd to Tlecian Grey.

The wind was stiff, too much so was said,

the great storm had been brewing for days.

At a point in time legends are put to the test.

Some curse, some fear, some laugh at their deaths,

Tlecian quietly prayed.

The noon sky darkened to that of a starless night,

the winds might wanted to be known.

Dipped and bobbed had the Argulax,

in the froth and swell,

ten fold over the the sail rose the waves;

yet plotting a course was a necessity not,

the good captain lost all control.

The storm approached with all of it's rage,

thunder, lightning, rain spewed forth with out end;

many times over the ship should have sunken beneath,

to the depths of a still water home.

Two and a half day had gone by,

through the storms maw he went,

the Captain with out food or sleep was worn.

Way back in his mind a thought had stuck;

the storm was for him,

the doom was there,

mistake it not,

for the future looked very dim.

Indeed.

My Argulax, my Argulax",Tlecian called,

as the mast buckled and main sail tore.

He shed a tear and started to cry,

"To die alone", he sighed, "to die alone..."

Then rallying forth, in a blink of an eye,

he moved to make a stand;

"This is Tlecian Grey", he called out

at the top of his lungs; he called again, "ma fay!"

Now the sea's turn to answer would come.

A wind swept drift from across the deck,

through it's force Tlecian stood firm.

O' how he look, truly as if;

a glory of light, had shown from his eyes.

And standing there a model to be,

defying the call, form those lost at sea.

While stepping across to secure a sail,

with footing unsure he fell forth.

His head spun 'round for the mast it hit,

so still on the deck he lay.

"Many thanks to you", spoke burgomaster

Haught Hough of Orff,

"for the vermin you have slain, saved our town."

"All hail Tlecian", the adventurous one,

all hail Tlecian Grey."

"Glory Tlecian", came from Nordrok.

"Praise to the Grey", from Braum.

Honor, gifts, countless cheers of his undying deeds,

still the storm did gage as he dreamed;

the little boat tossed by the savage waves,

would be without captain lost.

In two the pencil mast was snapped,

the washcloth sail was torn;

water filled the Argulax deck,

as the mighty ship went down.

A soft hand touched his head as Tlecian woke,

it was Delain his betrothed,

for who he came.

He laid there a moment to regain some strength,

then finally sat up to speak.

"My Love, my Love I came here to wed thee,

to do so I had faced near death.

From now on my life will be changed,

for a lesson I have learned on the way to Tahr;

I will remember it well through my days.

No more rambling and gallivanting about,

the hero's life lives for fools;

a simple life together,

we will always live.

And through it I will be next to You.

To forget all the war and discovering lands,

I shall give up all honor and fame.

For my teacher unseen,

has given me this chance:

To go back and reform my life,

change and model as I see fit;

to be free and walk through..."

"My Dearest I mean not to interrupt you so",

said Delain in most tender of ways.

An expression which carried such

great concern was was masked by her beauty,

that stilled Tlecian's tongue.

Those eyes of hers were large deep black,

her fur so soft and gray;

a tuft ear would wrinkle with coming smile,

and tail so sleek it lay.

"I am a shamed for I had not come to meet thee,

it was by chance I found you in the sand";

then turning away, shed a bitter tear,

for she had not the nerve to face him.

"You are Tlecian Grey all you say is true,

what you do with your life is yours;

your mark is made and quests are done,

none will question an action by you.

But I am a coward of the weakest kind,

when MY test of courage came I ran;

hiding in a bush at the top of a hill,

as my village was besieged in war.

From the grasses it came, that so silently lay,

a serpent so great and fierce;

the battle raged on unto this time,

only two in my hamlet are left.

The choice is yours for which to take,

to kill me or leave me I care not";

then she burst forth in tears, the worst of her fears,

to be left by a running foot sound.

Though she stopped for a moment to hear a voice,

whose call was from a far.

A wondrous thing she now would hear,

a wondrous thing indeed.

"This is Tlecian Grey you deal with serpent,

and I fight in my beloved's place;

a gift from God is not cast away so,

be you either mice or men."

Epilogue

Of course the serpent faced a fearsome death as Tlecian regained his nerve. Soon hosts of villagers appeared in Tahr, for all but a few had fled. When all had returned there was not time to fuss and fight. Of who ran first and who had stayed. Nor idle chit chat, and nice to see you alive parties would have to wait; for a wedding was to be held grand. the hustle and scurry had all paid off, the wedding was a magnificent affair. Tlecian looked so dapper, and Delain never so fair. But the surprise of surprises was about to unfold from Aber Doth the local wood work. That Tlecian let out out a squeal from across the bay; that some said they heard something on that warm summers day. The Doth's found the Argulax, while fleeing there home. Working day and night to repair the ship, as a token of gratitude and love.

The couple sailed off with a life together, of adventure and daring deeds; and settling down at a ripe old age on the Isle of Atretti, for Tlecian's promise he finally did heed.

SO if by chance you meet a mouse,

who stands so bold and quick;

you would fair much better to leave him be,

for the blood of the Grey runs thick.

Told by:Tlecian Alixas Grey VI