Once again the tears flow. Thanks for the report. Yasmeena Artemisia On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 02:31:01 -0000 "Edie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > > "What on earth are you doing", asked Osis of Jafar, as he wandered > into the throne room. > > "Oh, just playing with various hunting scenarios," replied Jafar, as > > he moved an archer from one place to another. "I'm thinking there > must be a safe way to do a bow and stable hunt. The problem is, the > hounds are so keen that they may break away from the fewterers and > become inadvertent targets for the archers." > > Osis bent over the board and peered at the small figures. "What if > one put a fence between the archers and the fewterers�..Hark! Is > that > the Horn that sounds?" he asked, as the notes of the "Retraite" > sounded, and yet sounded again. > > "Aye, it is," Jafar replied with pain in his voice. "It has been > many > months since we have heard its call. I was hoping�against hope, I > know�that we had heard its last peal." > > Master Johannes strode into the throne room. "Good Sires," said > he, "You knowest that, as long as Your Hounds abide on Earth and in > the Dream, that the Horn will continue to sound. For It is the sad > truth, that hounds' lives be measured in months, whilst those of > their keepers be measured in years. Thus was it ever thus: A good > fewterer may know many fine hounds during his lifetime, although one > > or two may stand out in his memory as beyond the best. Still, even > those best will not outlive him. This is the price one pays for > taking such noble beasts into one's heart." > > Jafar closed His eyes in pain. "Well doth I know this," he > replied, "for have not I lost everything I have loved in life, yet > be > condemned to feel My subjects' losses as Mine own?" > > "No less than Mine," retorted Osis, "although, My Kingdom being > newer > than Yours, My losses are not so great." > > "Nor mine," answered Johannes. "Although I was never a King, more > Meridian hounds have passed than from any other Kingdom. I say this > truly�each of us feels each loss as if it were our own, no matter > from which Kingdom it comes. The hounds that come this day, however, > > are none of mine." > > "Nor Mine," Answered Jafar and Osis, in unison. "They must come from > > one of the newer Realms." > > "Wherever they come from, they are Ours for the Keeping," Osis > said. "Let Us go and greet them, as befits true Kings." > > Nodding, Jafar and Johannes fell in at Osis' heels. As they made > their way to the Rainbow Bride, the rest of the Celestial Pack fell > in behind them. However, instead of Duncan, the pack leader, being > in > the vanguard, the forward position was taken by Sunni, Cutie and > Swift, followed closely by Lucy and Aiden. As they made their way to > > the meeting place, a thousand hushed voices seemed to echo, "NAM > MYOHO RENGE KYO", over and over. > > Suddenly, as if by magic, Sunni and Cutie appeared at Osis' and > Jafar's sides, each bearing a rabbit, untouched to all appearances. > > "Ah," said Jafar, having been through this before, "an offering to > the Gods. Take heed, Osis�yon rabbit will not be long by thee." > > Osis cradled the dead rabbit in His hands, as did Jafar, as they > approached the Rainbow Bridge. On the far side was a black > greyhound, > grizzled about the muzzle, and hunched over, as if in pain in the > belly. Behind her crouched a large brindle male greyhound, in > obvious > pain from a hind leg. > > "Whose are these hounds?"asked Johannes. > > "Not Mine." "Nor yet Mine," answered the two Kings. > > "Then it is to me that greeting them falls," answered the Master > Huntsman, striding across the Bridge. > > As Johannes reached the other side, the black gyp did not bow in > obeisance, but stood, as one equal to another. Smiling, Johannes > placed his left hand on her forehead, > > "Kievey," he said, "one of the first Hounds of An Tir. Be ye welcome > > here. There are already some of your comrades to welcome thee. And > your friend is�?" > > Kievey turned and nuzzled the brindle's shoulder. > > "Riley!" exclaimed Johannes. "Long have we wondered where you were. > I > do understand that the previous An Tiran hounds were not known to > thee. I commend thee for waiting for Kievey to join you." > > Johannes extended his hand to both the waiting hounds. Slowly and > painfully, they came and stood by his side. Supporting both of them, > > he recrossed the Bridge to where Osis and Jafar stood. > > "My Lieges," said he, "I bring you two of Your Hounds. Kievey, who > coursed for many years on earth for the glory of An Tir. And Riley, > who was the First Hound of An Tir. Unfortunately, his people lost > sight of the Dream. He, however, has found his way to Us, and wishes > > to be part of the Celestial Pack." > > Osis and Jafar traded a quick glance, then Osis stepped forward. > > "We welcome you," he said, "for all the hounds that have coursed for > > the Dream are welcome here." > > Suddenly, the rabbits that Osis and Jafar held leapt back to life > and > ran off, with no hound pursuing them. > > "The exchange has been made," said Johannes. "A life for a > life...these hounds have been ransomed by their comrades," > > "Hounds of the Celestial Pack," asked Jafar, "will thee come forth > and welcome your new Packmates?" > > One by one, the hounds of the Celestial Pack came forth as their > names were called: > > > > > "Aces High, of Midrealm" > "Aiden, of Calontir" > > > "A-Me-Go, of Midrealm" > "Ariel, of Meridies" > "Belle, of Ansteorra" > "Belle, of Midrealm" > "Bernie, of Meridies" > "Blackout, of Atlantia" > "Bo, of Midrealm" > "Brodie, of Atlantia" > "Browning, of Meridies" > "By Choice, of Meridies" > "Carl-Ten, of Meridies" > "Chris, of Meridies" > "Colt, of Meridies" > "Cutie, of An Tir" > "Damon Fox, of Meridies" > "Digger, of Trimaris" > "Dixie, of Meridies" > "Duncan, of Midrealm" > "Emily, of Atlantia" > "Erromani, of AEthelmearc" > "Et Cetera, of Meridies" > "Frankie, of Midrealm" > "General, of Midrealm" > "Gryphon, of Midrealm" > "Harmony, of Meridies" > "John Moore, of Meridies" > "Lookin, of Trimaris" > "Lucy, of Calontir" > "Madeline, of Artemesia" > "Magic, of Meridies" > "Missy, of Meridies" > "Muskrat, of Meridies" > "Myra, of Ansteorra" > "Pat-C, of Midrealm" > "Pattycake, of Atlantia" > "Pest, of Artemesia" > "Ross, of Meridies" > "Scooter, of Meridies" > "Seeger Rock, of Meridies" > "Sha-Kar, of Ansteorra" > "Sheba, of AEthelmearc" > "Sissy-B, of Midrealm" > "Splash, of Meridies" > "Storm, of Meridies" > "Streaker, of Ansteorra" > "Stumah, of AEthelmearc" > "Sugar Sweety, of Meridies" > "Sunni, of An Tir" > "Swift, of Midrealm" > "Tasha, of Midrealm" > "Tucker, of Meridies" > "Velvet, of Midrealm" > "Zima, of Ansteorra". > > As Zima, the last hound, touched noses with the two newcomers, they > grew in stature: Riley's cancerous leg became whole and strong, and > Kievey lost all signs of the cancer that had ravaged her intestinal > tract. > > As Riley stood and stretched the leg that had failed him in the end, > > Jafar laughed in gladness. > > "A happy day it is, to see Our hounds made well and strong again," > he > said. "I know your people on earth grieve for thee, but if they > could > only see you run here, they would cry in joy. For here, Thee art > made > young and strong again, and so wilt thee be until you meet again > with > the ones who loved you best." > > And HOWL, O Hounds!! Howl unto the Heavens, for the passing of an > era. The two First Hounds of An Tir have come to join their comrades > > in the Celestial Pack. Here they will sit at the Gods' Great Table, > and prepare for us a place for the time when we join them. > > THL Samira Umm' al Harith > October 25, AS XXXIX > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > --------------------~--> > Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. > Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! > http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/PJ_qlB/TM > --------------------------------------------------------------------~->
> > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > Mu'allemah Yasmeena, OL, OP, Cd'O, etc. "The Equestrian Mistress" Minister of the Royal Stables of Artemisia Mounted Companion of the Lance of St. Anne http://lanceofstanne.homestead.com/yasmeena.html ________________________________________________________________ Speed up your surfing with Juno SpeedBand. Now includes pop-up blocker! Only $14.95/ month - visit http://www.juno.com/surf to sign up today! ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/PJ_qlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCA_Coursing/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
