The Stars, Like silent messengers

Called out for her soul to fly.

"Tell me, sage," she said at length,

"What the future holds in store."

"That which your heart desires," he said,

"lies on a distant shore."

"But sage, I know not what I want,"

She said, with a wistful eye.

"You'll know it when you find it,"

The sage said in reply.

"The stars say you'll be needed here

Before the end of the moon,

So go and find what's calling you,

But hurry back here soon."

"Here's your flask," the sage went on,

With the potion to give you speed.

Remember, too much will kill you,

So drink only what you need."

Then the sage gave her directions

To a kingdom by the sea,

And the next day Kree-Lah started off

In search of her destiny

On her black horse, known as Thunder,

Shield and sword hung at her side,

She caught the eye of all she passed

Across the countryside.

And many cheered as she rode by,

For wide had grown the fame

Of this mighty princess warrior

With a war cry for a name.

Day after day, she traveled on

To lands where she wasn't known.

Men started taking interest

In this woman who traveled alone.

Said one, "That's too good a sword for a girl.

Did you steal it from your brother?"

She sternly replied, looking him in the eye,

"Run home, little boy, to your mother."

With an oath, he reached up and grabbed her arm

And pulled her from Thunder's back.

Cat-like, she landed on her feet,

Drew her sword, and began her attack.

Like lightning, her silvery blade lashed out,

And severed the belt at his waist.

His weapons fell useless to the ground;

The pallor of fear filled his face.

She held her blade at his throat, and said,

"You're in trouble, little man.

You have dared to touch Princess Kree-Lah;

For that you will lose a hand."

"I'm a father," said he, "With three mouths to feed."

"In that case, your hands will be spared.

Here's a scar 'neath your eye to remember me by.

In the future, treat strangers with care."

That night, as she camped by a stream in the woods,

A stranger rode up to her fire.

Kree-Lah said, "Have a seat, and something to eat.

You look to be awfully tired."

"Thank you," said he, climbing down from his steed,

"I feel I've been riding all night."

His hair, she saw, was black as coal.

His eyes were blue and bright.

His horse was exhausted, his clothes were torn,

There was blood on the hilt of his sword.

He wore weapons and clothes of the quality

That only the rich could afford.

"You shouldn't be traveling alone," he said.

"May I offer you my protection?"

"From the looks of your clothes," she said with a smile,

"It's you who could use the protecting."

"You should see the ones who lost the fight,"

He said, returning her smile.

"But where are my manners? My name is Vangar,

Prince of the western isle."

"And I am Princess Kree-Lah,

Daughter of Ironstone.

Tell me, what can be the reason

That you travel so far alone?

"Our kingdom has long been at war," he began,

With this country to our east.

I traveled here, in all good faith,

To hear their terms of peace.

Their king suggested a marriage would help

Bring peace to the countryside.

So I was to wed their princess,

And rule this land by her side.

"Princess Lita and I were quick to agree,

As they say, it was love at first sight.

But it wasn't to be, it was only a trap,

The plan was to kill me that night.

Princess Lita, having learned of this,

Led me out by a secret way.

And I promised her, when we said good-bye,

I'd return for her someday.

"I'm an enemy in this country,

Attacked from every side,

And it's only through luck and daring

That I've manged to stay alive.

The king has soldiers everywhere

And a bounty on my head

Of a thousand silver pieces

Whether I'm taken alive or dead."

Suddenly, three warriors

Attacked from out of the night.

No doubt they thought that three to one

Would be an easy fight

But, they'd reckoned not on Kree-Lah

When they started their attack,

And they now faced Prince and Princess,

Weapons ready, back to back.

The three men laughed, to see a girl

Standing ready, weapon bared.

"Drop your sword," their leader spoke,

"And your life will be spared.

We only want the bounty

That's on the prince's head."

In answer, Kree-Lah's sword lashed out

And dropped their leader, dead.

The other two rushed Vangar.

He dispatched the first with ease,

While Kree-Lah skewered the second one

As neatly as you please.

"By God! You fight just like a man!"

Cried Vangar with surprise.

"I've heard the minstrels sing your song;

I'd thought it naught but lies."

As Kree-Lah looked upon him,

She knew the sage was right.

"You'll know it when you find it."

And it was right here in plain sight.

as she gazed upon his jet black hair,

And blue eyes, bright as day,

He said, "I need a favor."

She said, "Anything you say."

"Day after next, I rendezvous

With the ship that will take me home.

I'd go and fetch the princess first,

But my face is too well known.

But you, a visiting princess,

You'd be free to come and go.

Meet the princess, take her riding,

We'll be gone before they know."

Kree-Lah's heart was torn.

How could fate be so unkind?

The man she wanted

Had another princess on his mind.

Still . . .

She didn't have it in her heart to tell him no . . .

So, she'd help him win his princess,

Then, regretfully, she'd go.

That night, she hardly slept at all

As she lay beside the fire.

She watched Prince Vangar, as he slept;

Her heart filled with desire.

She rode, next day, to the castle gate,

And told the guards her name.

They laughed, and asked, "The one from the song?"

She said, "The very same."

They laughed again. Her sword lashed out,

And flicked the weapons from their hands.

"Take me to the princess."

No request, but a command.

"We apologize," one guard said.

"We thought it but a song."

They showed her to the princess,

But somehow . . .

something felt wrong.

An unfortunate turn of events had transpired

When Vangar slipped away.

Among the men who'd given chase

Was Lita's brother, Prince Rene.

When they'd tried to capture Vangar,

Prince Rene was killed in the fight.

Vangar had never met Rene

Before that fateful night.

After all the formal greetings,

When at last they were alone,

Kree-Lah said, "I have a message

For your ears and yours alone."

Princess Lita was in mourning,

Dressed all in robes of black.

Kree-Lah thought she mourned for Vangar,

And said, "Soon you'll have him back."

"How can I have my brother back?"

Lita buried her face in her hands.

"He's gone; been killed by Vangar . . .

Oh! To think I loved that man!"

Kree-Lah's face betrayed her

In her moment of surprise.

Princess Lita looked upon her,

And quickly realized . . .

"Why, you're a friend of Vangar's!"

Cried Lita in dismay.

"Guards!" she called, "Come quickly,

Before she gets away!"

"Fickle wench!" thought Kree-Lah,

As the guards burst in the room,

"If Vangar didn't love her,

I'd send her quickly to her doom"

Inspired, Kree-Lah grabbed the Princess;

Looked her in the eye,

And told her,

"If those guards don't leave,

You'll be the first to die

With Lita for a shield

Kree-Lah made her way outside;

Told the guards to fetch their horses,

And they mounted up to ride.

"I'll slit her pretty throat

If I see we're being chased!"

Kree-Lah warned the guards,

Though she knew it was a waste.

She knew the guards would follow,

Staying safely out of sight,

And try to sneak up on her

Under cover of the night.

When they rendezvoused with Vangar,

Before Kree-Lah said a word,

Lita called him every vile name

You've ever heard.

Vangar was dumbfounded

Until Kree-Lah could explain

That Lita's brother was among

The men that he had slain.

"Then she'll come along as hostage

If she won't come as my bride,"

Vangar said disgustedly

As he saddled up to ride.

"Fate can be so cruel," he said.

Kree-Lah said, "Indeed."

He looked at her inquisitively,

Then understood why she agreed.

"I suppose, in time, I'll get over her,"

Vangar said, with a knowing smile.

"Don't wait too long," Kree-Lah advised,

"I'll be going home in a while."

They camped that night in a quiet cove

Where they'd wait for Vangar's ship.

Princess Lita fell asleep,

Exhausted from the trip.

The cool night air was filled with fog

The sky was an endless cloud.

"How could I fall for that fickle wench?"

Vangar wondered aloud.

"I wondered the same thing," Kree-Lah said,

"The first time she spoke to me."

He looked in Kree-Lah's eyes, and said,

"Let's go for a walk by the sea."

"But what of our prisoner?" Kree-Lah said,

"She'll awake, and run away."

"She's probably afraid of the dark," Vangar said

"And so tired, she'd rather stay."

So they walked beneath the clouded sky.

Vangar's arm stole 'round her waist.

She leaned upon his shoulder,

Reached up and caressed his face.

The moon slipped through the curtained sky,

And sparkled in the mist.

That surrounded prince and princess

As they embraced and kissed.

He laid her down upon his cloak,

And held her to his chest

Until the sun rose in the east,

And his ship approached from the west.

A longboat from the ship came in,

And pulled up on the sand.

Vangar helped his hostage in,

Then took Kree-Lah by the hand.

"Marry me, my Princess.

Sail with me across the sea."

"Alas, I can't," Kree-Lah replied.

"My people have need of me.

"I'm an only chid," Kree-Lah went on,

"It's my duty to take the throne.

But I'll marry you, if you'll come and share

My kingdom as our own."

Before he spoke, Kree-Lah had guessed

What Vangar had to say.

"Until this war is over,

I cannot go away."

"I'll be waiting," she said, "When your war is over,

Come and call on me."

"I'll come," he replied, "though I don't know when.

Take this, to remember me."

He removed a chain from around his neck,

And placed it in her hand.

"I'll wear it always," Kree-Lah said.

"Come to me as soon as you can."

Kree-Lah watched the longboat

Pulling slowly towards the ship.

Dazed by the recent turn of events

She let her defenses slip.

Daydreaming, she saddled Thunder,

And mounted up to ride.

She rode right into an ambush,

Surrounded on every side.

She knew that these were Lita's men,

And she knew what they had planned.

A hostage trade with Vangar

Once they had her in their hands.

Eight men, she counted . . . too many . . . unless . . .

Her hands flew to her flask.

"Take her alive," their leader spoke.

Those words would be her last.

She swallowed quickly; drew her sword;

Lopped off their leader's head.

"Bless that sage," she thought to herself

As she dropped another dead.

The air itself seemed warmer

From the friction with her blade.

Bones would crunch, and flesh would fly,

With every stroke she made.

Her opponents had never seen such speed.

One by one they died.

Until there was but one man left,

With a scar beneath his eye.

"We meet again," she said with a smile,

"Throw your weapons to the ground.

I'm letting you live, to tell this tale

To the minstrels in your town."

She rode on towards the rising sun;

Back towards her family and friends.

She wondered how long it would be until

She saw Prince Vangar again.

She was willing to wait an eternity . . .

But somehow, she knew in her heart,

That two souls that felt as close as theirs

Couldn't long be kept apart . . .

Copyright 1989 Randolph J. Sadewater





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