Favorite stories of Amber...

... by our heroes. During the voyage out from Gleamingrose on the Morning Glory, the adventurers took turns closing the evening with their favorite myths of ancient Amber. Sometimes the stories had ulterior motives, such as Starwind's parable of fatal jealousy and Delve's cautionary tale of the limits of soothsaying. Sometimes not.

Index of Stories

• The Tale of Cane and Able - Fisher
• The Tale of Three Cities - Delve
• Behemoth's Tale - Behemoth
• The Tale of the Knight of the Rose Sword - Starwind
• The Tale of Fish and the Wyrm of Cain - Turtle
• The Tale of Dovehawk, Raven and Eagle - Seeker

The Tale of Dovehawk, Raven and Eagle

by Seeker

"All right. This story is from a nomadic people who live in a place they call 'the vastness'. They're right. It's an expanse of arid land which stretches on virtually forever, supporting only the sparsest of vegetation from which these people gain their sustenance. Anyway, this is a dead giveaway that their stories are a genuine part of the Amber cycle, because the Amberites in them live in a castle and travel through forest, both totally alien concepts to these people. In fact," Seeker looks around and notices the eyes starting to glaze over. Skipping ahead a few pages in his mental notes, Seeker starts over.

"Right."

Maybe a few more mental pages.

"Now, it should be common knowledge that one of the great king Orphan's wives was Faithful, and that she bore him three children, Eagle, Raven, and Dovehawk, during their time together. Eagle and Raven were everything a man could ask for in a son, strong, quick of body and mind, great hunters, and beautiful to look upon. No other man in the tribe had sons like these, and as they grew towards manhood, it became clear that they would be the best in the tribe at what ever they tried."

"Orphan looked at his sons, and was proud of what they were and what they would become, but he was also afraid for them. He knew that the time would come when he was no longer able to lead his people and that one of his sons must take his place. But he worried that with nothing to challenge them in their youth, they would not know how to deal with challenges when they must rule his people. For Orphan knew there would be challenges. He had worked long and hard to provide the good life his people now enjoyed, and he knew better than any just how fragile a thing it was."

"Now it occurred to Orphan that there was someone who could challenge each of them, that being their brother, but the love between the two brothers was so strong that neither would allow himself to be seen the better. So, in spite of, or because of, the love Orphan felt for his flesh and blood, Orphan sought for a way to create a rivalry between them."

"The thought then came to Orphan one night, as the youth of the tribe danced under the light of the full moon to impress the young girls. Who better to touch the heart of a young man than a young girl, and who better to reach two brothers than the sister each of them loved better than the other. And so the great king began to work his subtle magic."

"It was with many misgivings, and a great anguish in her heart, that Dovehawk was finally convinced of Orphan's wisdom. For their own good, and the good of all her people, she began slowly to turn her brothers against each other."

"It took many years, but Orphan never failed to remind her of the consequences of failure. Little by little she turned them against each other. She made special prizes for contests, telling each one secretly she had made it specially hoping he would win. She told each in private she loved him more, despite their failing to the other in some minor way. She made sure stories got around, none of them attributable to her, comparing one brother to the other quite unfavourably. She did her best to insure the tribe would have the most capable leader possible when her father finally could rule no more. She cried to herself to sleep all too often."

"As the youths grew into men, so their rivalry grew into hatred, and the seeds of tragedy took root. Raven would win a race, running a day and a night and another day to fetch a Fire Lily from a distant mountain peak for the midsummer festival. Eagle would by himself hunt down and kill a Sand Leopard which had taken the lives of five other hunters. Each would seek to woo any lady which Dovehawk hinted might be attracted to the other. Dovehawk would wildly praise their victories, and privately chastise them for their failures. For Raven, Dovehawk had Orphan's hunchback artisan, Dwarfkin, forge a sword from starlight on an anvil of basalt reaching to the core of the world itself. Eagle, she told should need no special crutch, that Raven envied his superior skill. Eagle, she wove an exquisite shirt. Raven she told should need no special ornamentation as an aid to attracting the ladies. Still she cried, but told herself it was for the good of her people."

"Finally came the day when Orphan failed to return from one of his holy retreats. Soon after, scouts brought back disturbing news. A rival tribe, banished in the early days of Orphan's rule, had returned. Eagle and Raven, as had become their custom, argued over what best to do, finally challenging each other for right to rule. Dovehawk, fearing one might die at the other's hand, hid Raven's magic blade after obtaining Eagle's promise to let his brother live. Their fight was terrible to behold, but in the end Eagle banished Raven to the wasteland."

"Raven never knew who had taken his sword from him, never tired of blaming his brother for it. He also never forgot the exile he had been forced to endure, as he was reminded of it every day. Four years he wandered the wasteland, gathering around him such other exiles and refuse of humanity as he came across. Finally his wanderings brought him to the ancient forests of his home again."

"Eagle, for his part, made an excellent leader of his people, although events conspired to make it a troubled reign. The old enemy had been beaten back, but not driven out of the land. No less than three times had Eagle led his warriors to defend his people against their incursions. Now, the scouts and reported the enemy gathering again, when Raven made his return. There could be no reconciliation this time, and the two fought each other as their mutual enemy drew close. Dovehawk could only look on in horror."

"The fight was long and hard. The enemy were upon them while the two brothers had eyes only for each other. The years in the wild had sharpened Raven's skill, while Eagle had been seeking the wisdom to lead. At last, Eagle faltered, and Raven's blade struck home. Eagle collapsed to the ground, which eagerly soaked up his life's blood. Dovehawk, agonized by what she had done, ran off into the wilds."

"At the sight of his dying brother, Raven's hatred flowed out of him. He fell to his knees, begging his brothers forgiveness. Eagle gave that forgiveness with his dying breath, for each of them realised that they still truly loved each other. Then, filled with anger over what he had done, Raven rallied his people and drove forth against the enemy. His people won the day, and the ferocity of Raven's attack was such that the enemy has still not returned to this day."

"When the morning sun rose over the battlefield, Raven paid his last respects to his dead brother and prepared to set forth again into the desert. The people begged him to stay. With Eagle and Orphan gone, there was no one left to lead them. Raven would hear none of it. His thoughts were only for his sister, whose flight into the desert were caused by his own killing of their beloved brother, whose overwhelming feeling of guilt was completely unknown to him. He would search for her, and not return until he had found her, should it take him to the ends of the earth."

"Without anyone to lead them, the tribe eventually wandered off, abandoning the ancient castle which had been their home. Eventually they broke up, becoming small wandering clans. The powerful tribe they had been eventually became only a memory."

"And thus, love destroyed that which it most wanted to preserve."

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