It was said that King Rhoen was an expert at wrestling and a most skilled bowman. He was also a true leader of men. He came from true leaders of men and his lineage was from that of the Earl of Rodham, known since earlest times as the bravest and the fairest in all kingdoms.

'sigh....my love...you are so good to me...how did you know that I love castles and dragons and tales of old? ...well of course...yes silly of me ..you already know that I love unicorns and fairies and elves of the forest...

Please. You must learn to be still my love...just lean back there, close your eyes, feel the warmth of the fire, ...don't interrupt...

you will learn of the realm of Shalon soon enough...

...now this was a long time ago and a long time changes many things. The earl of Rodham and his people fought bravely in many battles and defended the lands as bravely as any man on earth. They were able to keep peace and freedom alive in their youth...and then as they aged they were able to obtain help from neighboring kingdoms so that they proffered for many, many years.

It was not to be forever however they tried. They eventually could do no more and were run over by the tribes of the northern regions. It was during this time that the Earl and his son and wife were able to escape to Shalon where they were safe. Shalons then king was an old friend.

In time the Earl passed away and in time the king himself passed away. The kingdom of Shalon was without a ruler for a short time. The king did not have an heir. It was well known in the land of Shalon that the son of the fugitive earl was a good man and a worthy leader. Even at an early age it was apparent. It was at this time that something quite extraordinary took place. The people of Shalon came together and formed a consensus and from that time on they united under Rhone. This is how Rhoen became the king of Shalon. This is how King Rhoen became the great and truly worthy leader he became. He was not of chosen stock other than by that of the people. He and they all knew this and it made all the difference...but then as I've already said King Rhoen was no ordinary man. This story takes place in King Rhoen's early years as king. While he is in this story it is really about those people of his kingdom. It is of them this story is told. But then I will let Amayin begin this. It is her story too...

Amayin was ten years old at this time. She was from the village of Winan. Her townsmen were of the finest in Shalon. They were a noble people. The village of Winan sat on a wandering brook on the edge of a great forest which went off the north and east. This forest formed an important link between the kingdom to the north and that to the east for it was vast and heavily wooded and it had many hills and valleys. It was populated by a good people who were neither Shalonian or of the realms of the north or east, yet they could be trusted as alias to King Rhoen. It was known even to them of his charisma and his abilities. They chose the side of right and they were deemed important.

This was not so of the people to the west however. The people of the west kingdom were not so fortunate in their ruler. They were heavily taxed and they were a war like people who preferred to take from others as much as provide for their own.

They did not however, interfere with the kingdom of Shalon. They knew too well that this would be their downfall and not a wise move to make war with Shalon and its worthy king. They did not stay idle either however and there were times when the threat was there for trouble. This was a time, remember, when it paid to have a watch on the roads at night. A time when it was safer to be weary and to trust only your friends. This was as it was to the west.

As I mentioned Amayin was ten years old at this time. Amayin was not a shy little girl. She actually would go on to become one of the fairest ladies of all Shalon and many admirers would be hers, but that is another story. Amayin was at an age when the forest became a fascination for all children. A time when curiosity was more potent than fear. A time for wandering and a time for listening to an inner voice and not that of her mother. and Amayin was innocent too...

The day was well remembered as it was to be later recorded. It was a hot, cloudless, late morning. It was a time when the other children were shamelessly swimming in the stream and a time of reckless abandon. It was a time of fun and games. By midmorning after hide and seeking the lure of the forest and the coolness of it began to attract little Amayin. She was able to hide just a little too well perhaps and so when she was not being found she became distracted in her thoughts of the forest.

'What was it about the forest? Why were we not to venture there unattended? I see nothing here in the forest to frighten me. It is good and it is cool here. My parents perhaps have been mistaken about the forest. I think it is quite nice as a matter of fact. Oh, to see what is here and then I shall be paid more attention to. My friends will listen to me if I should tell them the forest is really not evil and I can prove it to them.'

'I'm going to see what I can bring back so they will know. There are things here that are quite interesting in fact. For example that butterfly over there. I have never seen a butterfly as pretty as that one. Maybe that is what I will bring back. Come here my friend. no... come back. I need you for just a little while...'

In chasing butterflies we sometimes chase illusion too...

As Amayin wandered farther and farther along chasing her butterfly she lost sense of the darkness enveloping around and the hills and valleys became one more attempt for capture of her prize. In the end she did manage to capture her butterfly and she was so proud and so happy for the chance to show the others what she had found. It was only when she realized that she didn't know her way back that she became a little concerned and frightened. She went back this way and then perhaps maybe it was that. ..or there? no. there. was that the way?

It seemed like she had been out in the forest a long time now. She wasn't sure at all of which direction to go anymore and she knew that her precious prize would never make the journey she had intended for it. With a last kiss she opened and lifted her hands and her beautiful butterfly was set free to fly. She watched with heavy heart as it drifted upwards on a beam of sunshine fading through the upper branches. ..and she was happy of what she did. She knew that at least one of them was now free...

Amayin looked down again. She was alone now. The forest didn't look at all right to her. It seemed a little more mysterious and she could not hear the birds chirping anymore. She couldn't even see the sky very well and she knew the sky was there. She became sad. She thought of her mother and her father. She thought of her friends, who she, just a short time ago was playing and having fun with... She thought of her mothers warning of the forest and she began to feel afraid...

It does not help to become afraid. Fear does not lead to good decisions and Amayin was to make the worst decision of her life. Little Amayin decided that if she just kept going that everything would be fine and she decided that she would do just that. It was not in the going that she erred but it was in the direction. Amayin did not think of the sun, and then perhaps she couldn't see it anymore. Amayin went deeper into the forest...

A long time passed. I don't know how long. It was never recorded. The day was in its latter stages however, and Amayin was dressed for the sunshine and the hot day. She was not dressed for the cool of the forest and she was not dressed for the evening about to enter on her. She felt a colder chill than perhaps she ever had before and she could do nothing to escape it. Her fear has gradually worn thin with her decision to move on. She knew that she was not going in the right direction now but she reasoned that she would come to the end of the forest soon. She was wrong.

She had gone for perhaps hours upon hours when she came to a meadow in which a stream wandered though. It was not a big meadow. It was a rather small meadow actually. A meadow is not a good word for it either, but Amayin did not really have a good word for it. Later she was to think of it as a clearing in which shorter trees spaced further apart and outcroppings of tall grass clung. This would be a more accurate description of what she now entered.

It was here she was to meet them. They were not of her village. They didn't even look like her people really. They were of darker skin and they were of a roughness that she was not accustom to. Yet she was very happy at seeing them. They were her answer to finding her way home. The two of them would be able to help her. and it was her second mistake...

How these two men came to the forest does not matter. They were here not to bring safety or peace. They were not good men. They had done very little good in their lifetime. They had become use to things that way and they too were of the kingdom to the west. This was perhaps as far as they themselves had ever traveled. They were a little lost also.

It was their lot to bring confusion and harm to the King of Shalon. They had been chosen to assassinate King Rhoen. They had plans to waylay the Kings carriage as it crossed the willow crossing further down this very stream. King Rhoens journey was known for some time by the people of the west. He always went this way on his trip to the festival of the Harvest. It always took place on the same day and it was always little escorted because of his trusting subjects.

They would have been there hours ago had they themselves not made a wrong turn in their way. They still had plenty of time however as the King would not pass the willow crossing till the next day and it would be then that they would be in waiting.

It was in this fashion that little Amayin came upon them then. It was in this clearing that good met evil and the very life and death of Shalon hung by a thread. It was perhaps this most single important event that shaped a destiny and to which men would look back to in years to come and wonder what would have been if...

These two men had their attention to the stream and they were pondering just where they were in relationship to willow crossing. As I mentioned they were coarse men. They didn't much go in for cleanliness and their language, if it was a language even, was not of the smoothest tongue. They were tired and they had traveled far that day coming all the way from the west. They had hoped to reach the crossing by dusk. They were concerned now that they might have to spend the night in this clearing. They were not expecting to meet anyone along the way and certainly not a little girl.

It was in this manner then that Amayin came up from behind them and in her initial greeting took them totally by surprise. It was a most unexpected shock in fact. It was a small, sweet voice that spoke in a language which to them was barely able to be understood. Yet they knew she was lost and could understand much of her words, if at first they were more amazed and puzzled at her and her appearance. It was not good to have someone there with them. It was not good at all.

None of this was apparent to little Amayin however. She saw goodness and she saw salvation. She forgave these men their appearance and she cared not their mean looks. She was yet an innocent little girl. and she was yet very trusting of strangers...

But she had not met or seen the men of the west before...

What to do? How were they to assassinate a King with this one at hand? Would they now kill another? Would there be others at hand also? Were they themselves in danger? What was this little girl doing out here so far and what Were they to do with her?

These were the decisions they had to face in rapid order and were not able to discuss when she came upon them. This was a most awkward situation indeed. They were here to accomplish a mission and She was an obstacle.