Chapter 2: Rough Seas and Strange Greetings- Civilization

A Story by Ilerah

Dwen find people on the once thought uninhabited island of Hafen.

Dwen walked into the forest, seeing nothing but trees and vegetation. Not much different than the woods at his relatives house. He thought about his being stranded here, how would he ever get back? Finally he found a small clearing, with a pond. He sat down by it, taking a drink and then stretching. After a few minutes he got up, and continued along through the forest. He had nothing, not a plan, not a thought in his head of what to do. All he knew was that he had to continue walking, till he found someone. It was a big island but he had to try, try to find some sort of civilization.

Dwen walked through a few bushes when he saw in the distance a path. He started running, almost dropping his bags. He ran through the rest of the trees, till he found the path. Made of stone, was heading west and east. He decided he would take the road east, he hoped, just hoped he would find someone. A path meant people, and people meant he had a home and possible a way to go back to his parents.

The path was nice, well cleaned and maintained, a little moss at the sides, some shrubs along the edge. The farther Dwen walked the nicer it got. Before he knew it some apple trees had been planted along the path side. He turned around a bend in the road, when he saw in a clearing of trees a massive castle, one higher than the bell tower in Brendomin, and as large as five town blocks.

Dwen stood in awe looking at this massive castle, lines with giant walls. Catapults, and long bows, lined the stone walls as a defense, archers positioned beside them, and in the keeps at the corners. Dwen stared in such awe that be barely noticed the patrol of soldiers coming down the road towards him. Once he noticed them, he put his bags down and waved to them, then grabbed his bags off the ground and started towards them.

The patrol, running along quickly got to Dwen quiet fast. The lead man wore dark armor, not chainmail like the rest but a chest plate, and a helmet. His armor was made of iron, but yet a darker iron than most. He had the emblem of a two swords crossed with the helmet of a knight in the middle. He helmet matched the one worn by the soldier, with a flowing cape behind him. He carried a sword at his side and a shield on his back.

The rest of the men bore helmets with no face protection, and no plume. They had chainmail armor on, with a garment of black with the emblem on it over top. They bore swords at their sides, shields on their backs, and spears in their hands.

Dwen walked towards them with a smile on his face, glad he had found someone. “Magnificent castle you have built there, sorry to bother you, but one I thought of as a friend has left me stranded here. All I wish is maybe a ride back to the main land.”

The knight came up to Dwen face to face, while the other six men surrounded him. “We will escort you inside, where you will be detained and thrown in prison while we check your belongings. Then if we find anything offensive in your bags, you will be detained for three to five years. If we do not find anything offensive while searching, you will be brought to a village to live in, but not allowed to leave this island.”

The rest of the soldiers formed beside Dwen and took him along the path towards the castle. Dwen was so surprised that he guessed that this was not a paradise, or they were very protective of their island. The soldiers ushered him inside the castle where he found that the inside was just as nice as the outside.

Banners of the emblem of this island were hanging along the walls, with the odd painting beside them. The halls where lined with guards, carpets along all the hall ways. The soldiers led him over to the right, were he was brought done some stairs into the prison area. It was not as nice as the upstairs, but nicer than he thought.

The soldiers took his bags and searched them. Tearing through all of his belongings, finding nothing offensive, tearing through both his bags, clothes fell on the floor, and he could do nothing about it. They had found nothing offensive, except his fathers knife.

“What is this, do you threaten us with this, or is it for house uses?” asked the knight.

“It was given to me by my father, for house work, and defense against animals I guess.” Dwen replied.

“Animals or humans? Throw him in a cell; give him two pairs of clothes. Put the rest of his belongings in a chest for when we release him.”

The knight gave the order and left, the soldiers grabbed him and threw him in the nearest cell. They took his belongings away.