Braket's People a Tale Worthy of a Telling: Part 1 Arturo's Legacy

By Robert Crisp

Braket and his good friend Brambling journey south, with the Sage, from their northern heims in Ryeland. She was sent by Freyr, the High Lord of earth and aerthsky, to take them back with her to Farcledra-on-Moor, where her heim is. She is to teach them new ways. Ways that will change both their lives forever.

Brambling has to read from the Great Book of Freyr and become the second Sage of the age, whilst Braket must be transported through the holed stone in the center of the nineteen-stone circle on Mauldron Moor. During that transportation, he sees and hears much that he cant comprehend at the time, but when the time does come, then he comprehends. His destiny is the Sentinel.

As the Sentinel, he must face the dragon and try and help Ylfe of the Lost Light Elves. Ylfe has been searching for his people since the death of Grogan, the lizard that was slain by Arturo.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Apr 24, 2012
• ISBN: 9781468503487

Robert Crisp

Robert Crisp was an extraordinary man: a Test cricketer described by Wisden as "one of the most extraordinary men to play Test cricket"; a decorated soldier (DSO, MC); a journalist who founded the South African newspaper, Drum, and wrote for The East Anglian Daily Times and The Sunday Express; an author, a mink farmer, an adventurer, a charmer. In short, a man of many talents.

Book preview

Braket's People 

 A Tale Worthy of 

 a Telling

Part 1

Arturo's Legacy

Robert Crisp

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© 2012 by Robert Crisp. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 04/18/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4685-0346-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-0347-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-0348-7 (e)

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Contents

1.   The People and the Sage

2.   The Long Road South

3.   Kernow

4.   The Return of the Sentinel

5.   The Quest Begins

6.   The Quest Goes East

7.   The Prentice’s Progress

8.   High Regis

9.   A Meeting of Old Friends

10.   Arturo’s Blade

11.   The Lizard Returns

12.   In the Dragon’s Den

13.   Ylfe

1

The People and the Sage

A late storm in the season of awakening was giving Braket some problems. The snow had been falling on and off now for nearly two darkness’s and if it continued much longer he wouldn’t be able to get through. But he had to, at all costs, he had to. He just couldn’t fail. It wasn’t all that far to go now and he knew that Brambling was waiting for him and that he needed the medicine urgently. Braket was approaching the Rye and he knew that the sly one would probably be abroad. It was well known locally that the sly one that had taken the territory hereabouts was a canny, cunning old scoundrel who would eat you as soon as look at you. Braket had to be careful. The crossing was a simple bridge made of large flat stones resting on piles of support stones. This afforded crossing the Rye without getting wet, unless the river was running too high of course. It was considered safe passage and a place, in good weather, where local inhabitants regularly met to gossip as well as barter for their wares. This area was known as the Ryelands. It had its dangers though. The sly one as he was called by the People, was a very bad tempered grizzly and had always considered the crossing a good hunting area, and hunting meant people as well as anything else, but only if they were small enough or there were no more than one, or perhaps two at the very most. Once Braket was across and into the woods on the opposite bank he would be safe and almost heim. The light was starting to fade as the darkness approached, and as he neared the crossing, every fibre of his being was alert. Suddenly there was the unmistakeable sound of something coming towards him through the snow. He got down behind what would have been a tussock of grass had it not been for the snow turning it into an excellent hiding place. All his senses were concentrating on the sound of someone, or something, approaching from the open moors above the dale. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and feel the blood pulsing through his brain. Another soft shuffling sound, only much closer this time, and with the faint sound of someone sniffing the air, trying to catch a scent. It sounded as if they were almost within touching distance. Braket was ready to spring out at the sly one if he appeared from round the other side of his hiding place. He sensed that the sly one had halted and was trying to locate his prey. He couldn’t take much more of this suspense so he decided that the best thing for him to do would be to spring out and surprise his enemy and catch him off guard. Hopefully he could escape across the crossing before the sly one realized what was happening, and be away safely into the wood. He tensed himself, got a good purchase in the snow for his feet and was just about to spring when he heard a commotion from the edge of the woods across the Rye. His enemy also heard it at the same time and saw what it was before Braket could see it.

A group of his friends carrying makeshift spears, bows, knives, stones and all other manner of weaponry that they could quickly come up with, were out looking for him because Brambling had had a bad feeling, a sense of something being not quite right, was what he’d said to them. Their timing was perfect, they’d arrived at the crossing just in time to rescue him, although they hadn’t realised it yet. Braket slowly rose from his hiding place just in time to see the sly one slinking off towards the moors and his friends coming over the crossing. They didn’t know he was behind the tussock grass, and when he suddenly appeared in front of them, they didn’t know who was the most surprised, Braket or his rescuers. After a good deal of cheering and stone throwing at the departing figure, the little band of friends turned for heim. The going from here was much easier because they were now travelling through their own tracks and not through deep virgin snow. Also they were in much higher spirits now that they’d found Braket safe and well.

When they got back to the warren, they lived in underground dwellings they called warrens which had been fashioned long ago by their ancestors and improved over the seasons. There were several such warrens scattered across the dale. Many lives ago they were just scrapes in the hillside as shelters from the elements, but now they were, as the People liked to think, magnificent, as they’d made them deeper, bigger and much cosier. The warren had a big Central or main thoroughfare, with runs leading off it, usually at right angles, along which they’d, tunnelled out their individual heims. They were all snug and warm being so deep underground. As I was saying, when they got back to the warren, Braket went straight off to Brambling’s heim to give him his medicine and see how he was. Brambling was so excited to see Braket safe and well that he forgot that he was supposed to be ill and jumped out of bed and tried to rush over to his friend and hug him, but his body let him down. He was still too weak and he fell to the floor in pain. Braket bent down and picked him up from the ground, he was so frail and light that it wasn’t hard for Braket to lift him and carry him back to bed.

You’ve got to take it easy Brambling, at least till you regain your strength Braket told his friend. I’ll go and make a pot of sweet herb tea for us both.

The roots he’d brought back from the moors were soon put in the pot, along with a few other herbs that Braket usually carried round with him, and the sweet herb tea that he was famous for was soon ready. The People always kept the kettle above the burning, just in case visitors happened to pop in, which they often did. And so hot sweet herb tea was poured into mugs and taken in for them to enjoy. After drinking it all down, Brambling was soon fast asleep with a smile on his face and softly snoring. It suddenly dawned on Braket that he too was exhausted after his escapades, and so after clearing up and washing the mugs and spoon and putting them away, he too fell fast asleep in Brambling’s big chair. He slept for a long time and when he did eventually wake he heard Brambling still softly snoring. Good, thought Braket, he must be on the mend. In the hearth, Braket made some broth with vegetables and herbs and some more of the roots he’d brought back from the moors. When it was ready he took it in to Brambling, and after gently waking him, made sure he ate it all. After eating his broth, Brambling, still tired, insisted on hearing Braket’s account of his adventure to the moors in search of his medicine. So Braket decided to tell his old friend his tale in the hope that it would keep him from getting fretful and that he might rest, and hopefully, drop off to sleep again.

I set off just before the sun came up and turned the Greta Stones pink. Six darkness’s ago, started Braket, wondering just how much he should tell his oldest and dearest friend. "I knew the best place to get some mortleberry root was way up on the moors, which meant I would be away for a couple of darkness’s or more. There was no hint of the late season returning so I set off with a light pack and no bad weather gear really. I know I should’ve been better equipped; I’d be the first to tell any medians or youngers who were going out of the warren on an expedition equipped like that, not to be so silly. But hey ho! Anyway, off I set heading north towards the moor with what looked like a very nice season of awakening day ahead of me. On most other expeditions like this I’d have left the warren with a happy heart and whistling like the birds, but on this trip, because of the reason for my journey, I had a heavy heart, not a happy one.

I’m so sorry about this said Brambling quietly. I’d do anything to be well again and go out on the moors with you.

Don’t worry old friend replied Braket. After the mortleberry root works its magic on you, and you’re fit and well, then we’ll be up and away again. Anyway, as I was saying, I set off and sometime after leaving the crossing behind I could see the Greta Stones, tinged pink they were by the sun’s early rays. It wasn’t much longer before I came across that old lane up there, you know, the one that runs from High Stonesdale to Kearton. The sun was on my shoulder by now and I was across that old lane like a Jack, and on my way again. Anyway, as I was saying, I was on my way again and ready for a mug of sweet herb tea by this time. Now that’s a good idea Brambling. Would you like another mug of tea?

Brambling looked at him with a smile on his tired looking face and said "I wouldn’t mind one if you don’t mind please Braket. I’m feeling a bit drowsy but another