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Enter a world of high elves and low beings, where not all enemies are
evil, and not all allies can be trusted.
In The Morretain Prince, a half-elven child (a morretain) is called
upon save his parents and unborn sister from being the next victims of
an ancient blood feud. The story begins when the title
character,
Prince Elerosse of Cuhulaiin, is mortally injured after pushed from a
tree by his twin cousins. Elerosse’s parents, the
human
King Elemmire and elven Queen Kieren, discover their son’s
“accident” was actually a deliberate attempt on his
life. Kieren accuses her brother Javad of kinslaying, and
swears
vengeance should Elerosse not survive.
Kieren, desperate to save her son, makes a blood bargain with the
Morraugh Gods and sells the soul of her unborn daughter in exchange for
her son’s life. The healer Raneurin reveals that
Kieren’s own mother had once made a similar bargain to save
the
life of her daughter.
Elerosse overhears his parents arguing about the bargain and runs away
from home, determined to find someone to save his family. He
sets
out into a world he has never known, and finds danger all around
him. Nearly killed by a pack of wolf-like creatures, an
orphaned
cub becomes his unlikely travel companion. As he travels
farther
into the wilds of Estranoth, he sees first-hand the hatred between the
elves and humans in this world, and how wars from the past are still
being fought.
Weeks of being lost, cold, and hungry finally bring him to the elven
city of Vainamon, where he meets Dagrun. Elerosse learns that
Dagrun was once his mother’s best friend, but the two had not
seen each other in ten years. Elerosse believes Dagrun is the
one
who will help his family, and convinces the elf to return home with him.
Meanwhile, after discovering their son’s disappearance,
Elemmire
leads the search for Elerosse. His riding party travels to
Vainamon to seek the seer Mireleth. She shows the king three
visions of the future. First, he sees the safe return of his
missing son. Second, he is shown a brutal attack on his
wife. The final vision shows Elerosse, screaming, as the boy
is
taken away upon Elemmire’s orders. Disturbed, he
returns to
his lodgings—the home of Dagrun and his two younger
brothers. Dagrun arrives with the bedraggled
Elerosse in
tow. Father and son are joyfully reunited as
Elemmire’s
first vision predicted. The elves, humans, and young half-elf
journey back to Cuhulaiin when they are given a warning of trouble in
Cuhulaiin. Elemmire leaves his son in Dagrun’s care
and
races home.
Remaining home because of her pregnancy, Kieren is diagnosed with the
Fade, an affliction elves suffer when their inner Light begins to
dim. Struggling to maintain her health, as well as that of
her
unborn child, Kieren is poisoned. When the attempt fails to
kill
the elven queen, Kieren is confronted by the assassin—her
brother’s wife, Laerwen. The psychotic elf sites
the
humans’ genocide of her people centuries ago as her rationale
to
see the end of the Kingdom of Men, starting with the royal
line.
Laerwen attacks Kieren and slits her throat before
escaping. She is caught, but Elemmire is divided by
what he
should do. The human citizens of Cuhulaiin demand
Laerwen’s
death, but elven law forbids the killing of family.
It’s a
crime called kinslaying, and, according to elven beliefs, destroys the
soul of the killer.
Elemmire arrives home and finds his second vision has come to
pass. Kieren is saved, but still very weak. After
learning
that Kieren is Fading, Elemmire makes the decision to send her to the
Morrighan—an elven sanctuary where she can be healed and
possibly
keep the baby once it is born. However, Elemmire is mortal
and
unable to travel there with her. Kieren would be safe, but
the
two would never see each other again.
Elerosse does not handle his father’s sudden departure very
well. Coupled with his increasing guilt over his sister, the
young morretain becomes ill. The riding party is intercepted
by a
savage storm that traps them between a landslide and a raging
river. Caught with no way out, the travelers are separated
and
swept away. While searching for his missing companions,
Dagrun
finds his younger brother Aeron, just in time to witness his
death.
Dagrun’s youngest brother, Omiron, finds Elerosse and returns
him
to his parents. The other survivors return to Cuhulaiin and
the
dead are buried. Dagrun blames Elerosse for the death of his
brother. Kieren confronts Dagrun, and the two former friends
finally address the secret they have hidden for more than ten years:
Dagrun was the real father of Kieren’s first born
son—a
child that died during birth. Dagrun never forgave Kieren for
giving his child another man’s name, and Kieren hated Dagrun
for
leaving her alone with her grief after the baby died.
The two reconcile just as Laerwen makes one final attempt on the young
prince’s life. She is stopped by her husband Javad,
who
shoots her through the chest with an arrow. Kieren tries to
thank
him for saving Elerosse’s life, but in anger, he exiles her
from
her elven homeland.
Elerosse’s sickness progresses and healers find that he is
Fading, too. Elemmire tells Kieren that she must take their
son
to the elven havens in order to save them both, and she reluctantly
agrees. That night, Elemmire steals the injured Laerwen from
the
healing wing and brings her to the forest. He intends to
appease
his people’s thirst for justice by spreading rumors of her
execution. In reality, Laerwen is given over to
Mireleth’s
care, where she will be held a prisoner in exile for the rest of her
existence. Before leaving, she reminds Elemmire that she
still
succeeded in her goal—Elemmire will loose his wife and
children,
ending the royal line of his house.
Still mourning his brother’s death, Dagrun travels with
Kieren
and Elerosse to offer what protection he can. As they depart,
Elemmire’s third vision is realized while his son screams as
he’s taken away from his father and everything he’s
ever
known. The young king falls into a deep depression without
his
wife and children, and becomes suicidal.
Months pass. In the elven sanctuary, Elerosse and
Dagrun
come face-to-face with one of the Morraugh gods, who announce that
Kieren’s daughter will be a powerful being who will restore
the
former glory of the Morraugh throughout the land. Elerosse
argues
that a child raised to love and respect the myriad creatures and races
of Estranoth would be more effective, and that he’s the only
one
able to help, since both he and his sister will be the only morretain
children in their world. The Morraugh agree and allow Kieren,
Dagrun, and Elerosse to go back to the mortal world, with a warning
that when the baby reaches her majority, the Gods will come collect her.
The three race against time to return to Cuhulaiin before the baby
comes. Mid-trip, Kieren goes into labor. As sunset comes,
they
arrive at the front gates of the castle. Elerosse runs to
find
his father, just in time to prevent Elemmire’s suicide
attempt. The two are tearfully reunited and the young prince
drags his father downstairs, just in time for the baby’s
arrival.
Together again, the royal family enjoys peace once more, mindful of
tomorrow’s tribulations, but comforted by their combined
strength. Elerosse swears to always look after his baby
sister
Erynasse, and Kieren and Elemmire vow to protect their beloved
morretain children.
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