The Mirror Worlds: Tales of Gods, Wights, and Otherworldly Things: Fantasy Short Stories Inspired by Folklore & Myth by Malone Jason

Author:Malone, Jason
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2023-12-03T00:00:00+00:00

Wistlere and Folde bid Gladwin farewell the next morning under a bright sun and clear skies, with the promise that they would be back in a week’s time for the wedding. Gladwin then returned to Herewald’s keep to ask for his king’s blessing.

Herewald simply laughed. “It would be cruel of me to approve of this union.”

“Pardon me, Lord King, but I gave Wistlere my word,” said Gladwin.

“I am rather irked that you even thought to give that pair hospitality after I turned them away, but I suppose it was your prerogative. Yet to marry that woman? Gods…”

“If I may interject, My King,” said the priest, who stood beside the king at his throne, “but even a slave’s word is binding. If Gladwin has agreed to marry that beggar’s daughter, it would be unwise to prevent him from keeping his word.”

Herewald frowned. “I see,” he grumbled. “Fine. Slave, you have my blessing to marry that girl, though I will not think ill of you should you change your mind. Offa, you will solemnise this wedding outside my keep and any temple in this town.”

“Yes, Lord King,” the priest said. He bowed, then smiled at Gladwin.

Gladwin bowed too. “Thank you, My King. Wistlere said he will return in one week.”

“Very well. Now, do you not have work to do?” Herewald said.

Gladwin nodded and then hurried off to his duties after thanking the king once more. He was glad Herewald did not have him tossed from the hall, but part of him wished the king had turned him down.

Gladwin spent the rest of the week as he always did — working in Herewald’s hall. With each passing day he regretted more and more the offer of hospitality he gave to Wistlere and Folde, until at last the day he dreaded came.

Gladwin begrudgingly crawled out of bed and dressed himself in his best clothes. He also wrapped himself in a thick hide cloak, because by some coincidence a terrible storm raged outside. The rain battered the town like a hail of arrows and thunder rolled overhead like a great horde of horsemen. Still, the wedding was to go ahead.

Gladwin made his way to the town centre where a small crowd of those who knew him gathered. Most of the town chose to remain indoors that day though, for good reason. Gladwin was soaked to the bone just three steps from the door, and the walk to the wedding was miserable. The ground had become a quagmire and he was walking in mud almost up to his knees in some places. He never imagined his wedding day would be so dreary — he could not even look forward to the wedding night.

Wistlere and Folde were already standing with the priest in the town square when Gladwin arrived. They, too, were drenched, but Wistlere wore a smile that would make one think blue skies stretched above and the sun beamed down upon them.

Folde’s face was still concealed by a hood and although she had tried to dress nice, her status as a beggar was still made obvious by her thin frame and ragged cloak.

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