The Epic of Balwyn - Part 14

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Quickfooted hunters quit the Room to quell the disturbance, others went to the town’s quiet quarters

Balwyn tried to aid the town against the trouble, but, not knowing what to do,

He instead remained immobile, asking the pilferer’s identity and past instances of their ignoble crimes.

An elder mildly answered they once were men, made mad by want in the wilds, who march into Jaarvi

One time brothers, only now in open war with the old settlements for refusing to offer them help.

For the conditions were crowded in the concentrated settlements, town leaders deciding to cast out

All who opposed their authority and had any anger against them.

The woods were filled with wanderers who would regularly enter a town for a blood-letting.

Balwyn brooded over this, becoming aware that this may have been why he had come back.

So upon their return, Balwyn unleashed his uncommon fury—uttering strongly against their undertaking

–You wrong your brothers and youths by yanking their lives from them; you force them to yield to death

–think about the thousand things you could do instead of take their lives.

–So I solemnly state: the next one who seeks to kill an innocent will suffer.

A deathly silence descended on the doers of the damage, as well those who merely desired the deeds

–Visitor, vanquisher of Vilkai, victor over the North, be our champion in this vile situation

–And you will reap a reward rich beyond reason as well as our respect—forever, they said.

Gladly Balwyn got to work, guiding the people in their tasks; Gaal had not gone three passages

And the plan was prepared—large pins constructed of pine—prisons for the pilferers.

Every captured pilferer entering one was examined, given extra clothing, and offered something to eat.

This created much chaos for the concerned townfolk—who considered it a catastrophe to use rare food

Balwyn’s order only overcame their opposition by force of fear and threats

Especially when the wild wanderers began entering the pins willingly, without violence.

Soon the pins filled, the inhabitants fighting fiercely for food.

Balwyn faced the riotous rabble with a roar, rendering a rare silence to speak

–Listen long, for these may be the last you hear: you will labor for your keep, or you will be led to die.

–Half will head to Gaal’s Beginning, half will head South, hacking down trees hurriedly the whole way

–Before Klara’s Kiss, you must be finished, with new paths and buildings built.

In that very instant the pin inhabitants threw themselves into the task, no hand was idle.

Though the task was slow and the woods thick, the pilferers made progress.

In an octagen of passages they reached Balwyn’s objectives, one to the sea, one the open grassland

Never had they known how narrow their world was til they were not in it—making them nauseous

As Klara’s Kiss came near, Balwyn taught his kin the kindnesses of the new land in their keeping.

He taught the dwellers by the sea the different ways to design craft and draw creatures from the deep.

Those living in the open land learned how to locate and catch herds of the leaping Fadl.

How to grow grand crops under the stronger glow of Gaal, and how to brew good drink.

With great pride the pilferers put their lessons to use, piling up plentiful amounts of food and stores.

Then Balwyn ordered them to offer over to the old towns what they had obtained as a thanks.

Every pilferer in the settlements excitedly argued to end this extreme burden as a bad example.

Most had never met such wealth, and their hearts desired much more to make themselves happy.

But fierce Balwyn, bending his eyes towards every brute, eventually made them blanche,

And as Klara laid claim to the land in Gaal’s absence, anything the old settlement needed, arrived…

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