Prologue

The Tale of the First King and the Dragon of Time

Once upon a time, a man lived upon these very soils. He went by the name of Claude Molders and was known near and far for his wisdom and the gifts he had been bestowed with upon his birth. These gifts enabled him to talk with animals or to summon up rain in times of draught. Still, for all his power, there was only one thing this man was striving for – the prosperity of the land and its people. Aid for this endeavour, he found within his thirteen daughters and his only son.

One morning, when his youngest daughter, Claudia, a fair girl that just had reached the age of marriage, was out to gather herbs and flowers, she saw a shadow soaring above her in the sky. The shadow then descended atop a nearby mountain. The girl furrowed her brow because she had seen that it meant a great change to come.

So, the girl gathered her things and ran back home where she found her father staring out into the distance, looking upon the mountain. When he realized that his daughter had returned, a worried look upon her face, he smiled sadly.

"I know, my child", Claude Molders told her. "I know. Things will not be the same anymore."

That night, just as they were about to settle in for sleep, a knock was heard on their door. When Claude Molders opened it, he found two wanderers there asking for a place for the night. Claude Molders knew from the moment he laid eyes on those wanderers that they were the men that had arrived that morning on the mountain, the men that were to bring change. And though Claude Molders was unsettled by their presence, the law of hospitality that may never be broken demanded of him to grant their wish. Thus, he welcomed the strangers and had his daughters prepare some beds and a quick meal for them.

But as soon as the two wanderers had lain down to sleep, the man called his children to warn them; for he knew that one of the men was indeed a dragon, a powerful being that often brought along misfortune, a being that should never be challenged.

"Beware them!", Claude Molders demanded. "Beware them and do not get close to them! Always remember that time and fate are a fickle pair. More so, whenever they play together!"

The words of their father in mind, his children retreated for the night, while Claude Molders went out to consult with the stars. And what he found in them, only seemed to confirm his fears.

As dawn came, Claudia again went out to a nearby hill to gather flowers and herbs. And there, in the light of the rising morning sun, she was approached by one of the men who introduced himself to be Siegfried, new regent and first king of the land he had arrived in, a land he decided to name "Gedonelune".

"Forgive me, mylord", Claudia dared to say, "but this land knows no king."

"You are right", Siegfried answered her. "This land so far had neither rule nor lord. It only relied on your father's wisdom. But from this very day on, it shall be ruled and shall know its lord; for I, Siegfried, shall make it mine and lead it to a golden age, to prosperity and felicity that shall last for many generations to come." He then knelt down, continuing to speak. "But all this glory awaiting me, will be for naught, can I not receive what my heart desires most. My heart that was taken by your beauty." For Siegfried had fallen for Claudia the moment he had laid eyes on her the previous night and now she was all he could think of.

But Claudia, fearing the rule of a king, humbled herself, claiming not to be worthy of such attention and left Siegfried behind on the hill.

Many days went by, and Siegfried never tired in his attempts to court the beautiful girl. He would take her out across the land, show her everything she desired. He told her of his visions, his plans he had for these lands and how he would achieve them. He promised to always heed her father's word, he promised to honour her all of his life if only she was willing to become his wife. But no matter how he pleaded, Claudia continued to deny his wish. She still feared what Siegfried was meant to become; she still saw the worries in her father's eyes; and she had come to love the second wanderer, Hugo, the Dragon of Time. And though, her father had warned his children to be more than wary of him, she could not help falling for that man when he started to show her how to use the gifts granted to her, how she would be able to really see.

Thus, a year went by, and the two wanderers still remained at Claude Molders' side. The change that was feared, yet meant to be, did not take place, for Siegfried was not willing to purchase his plans any further if he could not obtain the blessing and consent of Claude Molders and Claudia as his wife. But since Claudia still refused all of Siegfried's pleading, it was Hugo who decided to resolve this situation.

Thus, Hugo went to Siegfried to take his farewell.

"My friend", he spoke. "The time for us to part has come. But fear not for I shall never leave your side or that of your kingdom. I will retreat into the forests nearby where I will turn myself to stone and thus will for times to come guard these lands and the past and future of those descending from you."

Siegfried was struck by the dragon's words. He never had fathomed to lose his wise friend; but no matter what he said he could not dissuade the dragon. And soon after, the word spread about the petrified guardian.

Claudia, upon hearing what happened, grew discouraged. She feared now more than ever for the inevitable to become true, when all she wanted was to return to Hugo's side.

And so, in the darkness of a new moon night, she ran away. She ran away into the forests until she found the stone dragon. Unable to bring him back to life, the girl fell to her knees and wept for a long time.

It was close to morning when her tears finally stopped flowing; and in the blue glow of the approaching dawn, Claudia set out to fulfil the resolution she had found. She was quick in gathering the herbs she needed and even quicker in brewing them into a potion to make her sleep through days and nights without end. The girl settled down at the dragon's feet and without hesitation swallowed the bitter liquid. As soon as the first drop grazed her lips, she sank down motionlessly.

This was the state she was in when Siegfried, coming to take a look upon his lost friend, found Claudia. He rushed to her side, but found he had no cure to warm her cool skin, to redden her pale cheeks, to deepen her shallow breathing. She could not hear his whispers, she would not answer to his shrieks; she remained like a corpse in his arms.

Thinking he had now lost not only his friend but his love as well, Siegfried knew he had to carry on, regardless of how much pain it would cause him, regardless that he felt the need to tear out his own heart. To carry on, to fulfil his destiny was the only way he could honour their sacrifices.

And honour their sacrifices he would.

Holding Claudia still in his arms, he leaned down to the maiden to kiss her lips, to take in this way his farewell and promise to her eternally the love that she had refused. The moment his lips parted from hers, Claudia drew in a deep breath and opened her eyes. It was in this moment, in the light of the morning sun that the girl realized that she had been wrong. Looking into Siegfried's eyes, seeing the sorrow and sadness on his face, she agreed to become his wife.

Soon after, they held their marriage and founded the kingdom of Gedonelune. Siegfried made Claude Molders his first counsellor. For their friend and guardian, the petrified Dragon of Time, they built a tower deep within the forest and put his stone body to rest on the upmost floor.

Up to this day, this tower is known as the Tower of Sorrow.

(From "Wondrous Tales of Gedonelune" by C.M.)