The Legend of Lord Randall Castle (updated)

I just went back and changed the original post to reflect my current draft, and I have written more than what is here, but I just want to make sure everyone sees this. I am really not sure how much longer it will take to write, as I am having issues with my computer AND I have recently begun courses to learn and begin "life coaching."

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this updated version of the book's prologue. Please let me know what you think.

Long Ago…

After the death of the Great Alfred, scholar and king of the unified Anglo-Saxons; and during the reign of Edward the Elder, who was Alfred’s second son (for the older son had perished during his father’s reign),  on the isle of Saint Mary in the archipelago of Scilly, there lived a noble king and his wife. This king, a practical man named Charles, was blessed with two children. It is of his younger child, Elspeth, that this tale is told.

To relay Elspeth’s story, the peasant with whom she fell in love must first be introduced. His name was Darragh. A slim young man, raised in the city of Ui Liathain in the county of Munster on the great isle of Hibernia, he was the only child of a hard-working peasant handyman. When Darragh’s father died of old age, he left no worldly possessions or means of support for his wife or their son. Thus, Darragh’s mother, Goneril, sold what little her husband had and went to live with her brother. For her keep, she gave to her brother half of the money she received from the sale of her husband’s belongings. The other half was given to Darragh, whom she sent with a kiss into the world to find a future.

This is how Darragh found himself with a pocketful of freedom as his inheritance, walking along the Ui Liantain pier two weeks before his 18^th birthday. That freedom was the best his poor father could leave him and Darragh determined that it would be put to good use. Bright blue eyes gleaming in anticipation of high adventure, a blanket bundle of clothing on his back, a few coins in his other pocket and a future to determine for himself, he intended to use his inheritance to seek his fortune as a Viking sailor.

It so happens that docked in the harbor on that day were three ships. Two were the Viking drakkars that appealed to the youth of the day and upon which Darragh intended to serve. A fearsome sight, he was glad to know that he would be behind one of those dragonhead crowned stems instead of facing one!  (Or, at least, that is what he thought.) A chill shot up his spine just to see the long boats so close to where he walked.

When he approached the first drakkar to join its crew, the seaman recruiter snorted, announcing, “too skinny.” Deeply creviced skin weathered by years of salt air pulled apart to expose half of what might be considered a smile. The stench of rotting flesh washed over Darragh with the old sailor’s breath. Trying to hold down his breakfast, he turned away as the old man growled after him, “Vikings don’t have cabin boys.”

Not to be daunted, Darragh hefted his bundle of clothing higher onto his shoulder and walked directly to the second drakkar. That ship’s recruiter did not even comment. He just motioned Darragh aside with a wave of his hand through guffaws of laughter.

Shoulders slumped and head bowed, Darragh stepped away from the line of hopeful Vikings. He looked at the third ship. It was a Roman-style vessel from Scilly. Much different from Viking ships designed for speed and plunder, this vessel was built for sailing distances over deep water. Tall sail masts towered over a deep belly designed to transport goods and people. It did not look at all adventurous. It looked boring.

The pier was virtually empty near the Carthaginians as they were not recruiting. They had sailed in for trade purposes. Still, Darragh was determined to become a sailor. Sailing was his best chance to create a profitable future and he desperately wanted a better life than his father had made. He needed to get on a ship, any ship, to begin learning seamanship and his chosen new trade. So he swallowed his pride and stopped one of the ship’s neatly trimmed dock-hands to ask for the recruiter. The sailor took him to the quartermaster, who took him to the captain.

A slender and tight-muscled man, Captain Barwick took an instant liking to young Darragh. He was so impressed by the skinny, auburn-haired lad’s determination that he decided to take him aboard. The youth could earn his passage as a swabbie until they got home to the port at Scilly, where he could join the Navy if he remained so disposed.

That is how Darragh, an Hibernian, came to join the service of King Charles of Scilly. Being from Hibernia and, therefore, unfamiliar with Scillian royalty is why he did not recognize Elspeth as the king’s daughter when he saw her with her brother on the Naval training grounds. Being unaware of her lineage is how he came to pursue the princess’ affections.

Why she paid attention to him is a mystery. Perhaps it was his rusty colored hair or, possibly, his persistence softened her heart. More likely, it was teenage hormones of first-time infatuation or the fact that she did not want to marry Duke Maxime which caused her heart to wander from the narrow path dictated by her noble birth.

Nevertheless, stray she did and so the king’s firstborn child fell in love with a commoner whose primary interest was himself.

Copyright 2013 Beth Durkee

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