View source for The Tale of Nissandar

By: Asara
Posted on: February 26, 2007


Let me tell a story true<br>
Of gallant pride and fair virtue<br>
Of festive meats with wines to drink<br>
And mortal charms of maiden pink.<br>
In empires deep where fins doth fare<br>
There lived a King of noble air<br>
Who ruled without a Queen, alas<br>
Though young, he let the years that pass<br>
Go by without distress and yes<br>
This merman strong and fortune blessed<br>
Was gracious as a king should be<br>
As regal ruler of the sea.<br>
A mighty King was Nissandar<br>
With riches besting Zanzibaar<br>
And wise was he despite his youth<br>
With fighter's fame and priestly truth<br>
With scales that shone like jewels bright<br>
His massive girth a cause for fright.<br>
Why should a merman such as this<br>
Not hold a wife and lover's bliss?<br>


One day did Nissandar proclaim,<br>
"A hunt today is what I'll claim!<br>
The mighty blessings Lupus names<br>
Will grant us triumph with our game.<br>
In fellowship, my fair support<br>
We shall not shy away from sport!"<br>
And so did warriors of his court<br>
Turned in their spears for javelins short.<br>
And mounted up with bridles gold<br>
On hippocampi swift and bold<br>
They spurred their mounts towards the east<br>
To help their king slay worthy beasts.<br>
Through coral mountains they did ride<br>
Kelp forests too, though they had tried<br>
To find a kraken or a shark<br>
They did not find a beast to mark<br>
As targets worthy of their hunt<br>
Or cause enough for lance tips blunt.<br>
And Nissandar, fair king is he<br>
On chariot pulled by seahorse three<br>
Did frown and say, "Fair lords, alas!<br>
Our present hunt falls short. Repass<br>
Back to the hills and we shall rest.<br>
We'll wait until the time is best<br>
To start the hunting once again.<br>
We'll have our good successes then."<br>
Thus company turned and back they went<br>
To rest at Nissandar's consent.<br>


But as the King lay down to break<br>
His mind the Dreamworld then did take<br>
And through the grey mists there he saw<br>
A lady fair, of worthy awe.<br>
Her hair a lustrous amber shade<br>
That fell in curls for this mermaid<br>
Her slender shoulders smooth and fine<br>
Her heart-shaped face and lips divine<br>
And tail of shining ruby's red<br>
That ends in flowing, graceful stead.<br>
So beautiful was she, this girl<br>
That Nissandar found love unfurled.<br>
So thus the King awoke with start<br>
And could not quell his beating heart.<br>
And home he went, Riparium<br>
To see what this dream shall become<br>
And no one knew why he did thus<br>
But knew it well not to discuss.<br>


A few days passed and mesmerized<br>
Was Nissandar. He realized<br>
That off to search the King should go<br>
To find the maid his dreams had showed.<br>
To ancient Scyros thus he went<br>
But no luck there for his time spent.<br>
And next to Phocia, land of war<br>
But found there knights and nothing more.<br>
To Aegos then, barbaric state<br>
But empty-handed was his fate.<br>
To Lothos too, Dardonos Bay<br>
'Cross chasms deep and Lemnos 'way<br>
To Borak's icy waters chilled<br>
His mission always unfulfilled.<br>
He marched across the Eusian Sea<br>
Through Caspia's gates and territ'ry.<br>
Yet years had passed and what he sought<br>
Was futile work and all for naught<br>
And soon the weary King grew faint<br>
He'd searched and searched without restraint.<br>
His sleep and food was shunned, despised<br>
The shallow gauntness of his eyes<br>
Accompanied his sorrowed state<br>
With fallowed face, like ashes pale<br>
A circumstance thus to bewail.<br>
"Woe to me who saw that girl!<br>
With lovely shape and eyes like pearls<br>
I shall despair and must distress<br>
And have no more of happiness!"<br>
And thus King Nissandar laments<br>
For lack of Mayan Providence.<br>


Riparium, the home of Kings<br>
Of serfs and knights and lordly things<br>
And there lay Nissandar abed<br>
With meat and drink and ample bread.<br>
Although his strength had regained slow<br>
His mind was distant, spirits low.<br>
But lo! A conch horn sounds from high<br>
And mermen scurry to comply<br>
To startling news that had swept back<br>
To him. The city's been attacked!<br>
Then up leaps Nissandar with ease<br>
To guard his people of the seas.<br>
"It's landwalkers! Those selfish swine!<br>
Uncouth and crude, and weak of spine.<br>
Here to rob with greedy hands<br>
We shall not bow to their demands."<br>
So out rode Nissandar by strength<br>
With mighty trident long of length<br>
The wicked gleaming of its tips<br>
A brilliant shield within his grip.<br>
But much to the young King's surprise<br>
They were not landfolk in disguise<br>
But other mermen, evil, foul<br>
Perhaps for loot they came to prowl.<br>
On charged Nissandar with speed<br>
Behind him mermic knights of deed<br>
And smashed they did on raider's heads<br>
Soon more than half of them were dead.<br>
He chased them past the city bounds<br>
Back to their lair of gold profound<br>
And slaughtered them with Shaitan's wrath<br>
Past sorrows fueling this bloodbath.<br>


And as the last foul merman fell<br>
Came king upon a stunning belle<br>
With amber hair and royal grace<br>
And utter hatred on her face.<br>
King Nissandar then withered pale<br>
When he saw her great crimson tail<br>
He sank down deep in misery<br>
And saw the dream mermaid was she.<br>
"You vile pig! And cry you should!<br>
You killed my blood and livelihood!<br>
I thought you were a cordial king<br>
And so I've heard what muses sing<br>
But merciful and is what they croon<br>
Not cruel and brutal, selfish tunes.<br>
I'll kill myself with mine own hands<br>
Unless you suffer my demands!"<br>
Thus Nissandar did comprehend<br>
His hasty acts to condescend<br>
And out of character was he<br>
Than what he was supposed to be.<br>
He said, "My lady, shame on me<br>
My rage did get the best of me<br>
Dishonour I do thus avow<br>
Beseech of you, I do, right now<br>
To tell me what you'd like begun<br>
And with my pow'r it shall be done."<br>


Then tears streamed down the lady's face<br>
And all was silent in that place.<br>
Then through her lashes she did peek<br>
And opened up her lips to speak,<br>
"I hope these deaths are rectified<br>
Make penitence for those who died.<br>
Admit your shameful deeds to those<br>
Who worship you at home and chose<br>
To follow you in act today.<br>
And for my family, I pray<br>
You give them pardon too, for while<br>
I don't condone their actions, sooth<br>
You've done the worse, and that is truth.<br>
And what will now become of me?<br>
To live alone within this sea?<br>
Your honour you've to yet restore.<br>
Refrain from these acts evermore."<br>
Then Nissandar knelt down to her<br>
And humbly proffered to confer,<br>
"My gentle maid, I offer you<br>
My dignity and kingship true.<br>
Once long ago I had a dream<br>
A woman held in high esteem<br>
Was what I saw, and striking too.<br>
But it was only a preview<br>
Of what I see now here with me<br>
Her countenance so beautifully<br>
Reflects the splendour she portrays<br>
And honour that she speaks, conveys<br>
I vowed that with me she'd abide<br>
And soon to marry as my bride!<br>
But years I searched to find her, all<br>
My efforts were in vain. Downfalls<br>
And sorrow I did suffer, yes<br>
Confessed I did under duress<br>
That if I'd stop, perchance, thereby<br>
Until I found her, I would die!<br>
So now I offer unto you<br>
My kingship for your good purview<br>
I give you my home to be yours<br>
To justly rule in peace and wars.<br>
My vision told me you are apt<br>
My subjects shall not suffer trapped<br>
In lying motivation or<br>
A lack of food or sovereigns poor.<br>
And in this while I'll place myself<br>
Upon the mercy of thyself.<br>
I'll be flogged daily in bold view<br>
And fast 'til I am bone, tissue.<br>
Until I satisfy your due<br>
I'll stay in prison. Your fam'ly<br>
Will travel home with you and me.<br>
I'll grant a noble burial<br>
With eulogies so aerial<br>
Or if I may be granted rights<br>
I'll seek out Sapients day and night<br>
For those who have devotion's gift<br>
To resurrect, or grove rez swift.<br>
I'll brave the dry land up above<br>
To find these wielders and your love.<br>
And though I'll risk myself I say<br>
That my respect utmost today<br>
Is what you'll have forever more<br>
From deepest sea to shining shore<br>
If you'll accept my offer here<br>
And of myself to you endear."<br>


And so the lady answered thus,<br>
"If you do all these things discussed<br>
And fully without coming short<br>
I will come with you to your court.<br>
But know that pow'r won't buy my trust<br>
And broken words will earn disgust.<br>
My blood restored, my honour gained<br>
So prove yourself despite your fame<br>
For essence great or good karma<br>
Or me - my name is Takliea."<br>
So back they went and twelve long years<br>
Did Nissandar do penance drear.<br>
Yet afterwards for the deceased<br>
In Sapience he found a priest<br>
Who back to life by powers great<br>
Restored her fam'ly; gone her hate.<br>
And both by her and his decree<br>
Was peace promised and thus agreed<br>
For those past robbers. And surprise<br>
It is (or not) that King did win<br>
Takliea's heart and did begin<br>
A reign of great prosperity<br>
For 'parium under the sea.<br>


Or did he? With his chosen lot<br>
Infallible are mortals not.<br>
The Queen Takliea, reminisced<br>
Of dying lover Fyanthis.<br>
And bitter Prince Nishir who learns<br>
Of magic sinister to earn<br>
Great glory, like the landwalkers<br>
Who plague the depths like crazed stalkers.<br>
And the Nerai always around<br>
The politics of seafolk bound<br>
For doom, or greater destiny?<br>
Slow time will only let us see.<br>
But if you wish to learn some more<br>
Divulge in exploration, lore<br>
Go visit our vast eastern sea<br>
Partake of great discovery<br>
And find that though my tale ends here,<br>
There's more beyond the deep frontier.<br>