The Wheel of Dùghall

Dùghall strummed his mandolin as the rain pelted the bridge above. He played to a small band of travelers seeking freedom from the raging storm above. Dùghall sang “Thunder clashed, the heavens wept, As sword and claw in battle swept, The dragon's roar shook earth and sky, But the knight stood firm, with battle cry, Beast and man intertwined, Bloodstained ledge,…”. The sodden travelers appreciated a free show and a chance to be liberated from the ensuing storm. Dùghall found the entertainment of the lesser folk first-rate advertisement for those with deeper pockets and more discerning tastes.

Word of mouth fattened his pockets faster than simply playing in taverns alone. Dùghall traveled to the Majestic Viper in the village of Willowthorne when the skies released their fury. Dùghall was forced to travel in the pouring rain for an hour before he found shelter to hunker down. He provided his temporary band of travelers with songs while they provided him stories from far-off lands. Dùghall, a bard with a taste of adventure, was grateful for the related tales of fellow crusaders.

As the skies parted, the congregation gathered their wares in preparation to resume their travels. Dùghall collected his items and relayed his thanks to the departing crowd. From behind, a voice asked, “When are you going to break free from your chains?”

“What do you mean?” he asked still looking down as he packed his pack.

The voice asked again, “I asked, when are you going to break free from your chains?”.

Dùghall turned around to see a woman long in her years. The elderly woman was supported by a cane made of ornate mahogany with both hands clasped to a silver handle. Her face was etched with lines expressing her many years of accumulated knowledge. The sun shined on her long wavy hair highlighted with golden overtones that contrasted her many years. She was adorned with a grey shawl stretched across her stooped shoulders. A long shabby beige dress graced her frame. The little skin she displayed exhibited her weather-beaten skin. Dùghall addressed her “Obviously I am not decorated in chains anywhere upon my body. Explain how I am expected to break free of my chains.”

“You are not decorated in chains of the physical realm; your chains are of the spiritual realm. You are bound to the wheel of destiny by the chains of predestination, but in three days' time, you will have your one opportunity to break free and become a free man to forge your way forward,” she replied.

Dùghall exasperated, “How am I supposed to do that? The only thing I am bound to as a traveling bard is my music and the road to earn my coins.”

The soothsayer elaborated, “You are headed to Willowthorne, but your destination will be redirected when you reach the ferryman’s crossing. The ferry will return from the far side when the rope snaps and the ferry will be swept down the river. You will decide to head to the capital city of Castlebrooke.”

Dùghall interrupted, “I would never go to a city filled with aristocracy. I avoid the politics. The taxes and fees rob me of too much well-earned money. It is a personal rule of mine own.”

The woman continued, “It does not matter, you will go to Castlebrooke. While there, the king will send out an envoy to recruit would-be adventurers for the safe return of the princess. The prize will be to your liking. You will want to appear not too greedy, so you will wait and step forward third of seven.”

A curtain of fog slowly unfurled upon the two. The background noise disappeared once the fog settled in, and only the two could hear each other. To the rest of the world, Dùghall and the diviner no longer existed on their plane of existence. The fog was illuminated with an eerie glow from a candelabra that descended from above. Dùghall drew his sword, “What is this witchcraft?”

She responded, “We needed more privacy to finish our conversation out of prying ears.”

Dùghall on edge, “Dispel this magic and return me to where I come from. What do you want from me?”

With reassurance, “Listen fool. You are safe here from those who wish to keep you bound to the wheel.”

Dùghall slowly regained his composure, “What do you mean by a wheel, and who is keeping me bound?”

With a shortening fuse, “There are those that want to keep your destiny tied down to their design, but this quest is your one chance to break free and to determine your future. During the quest, you will have three opportunities to make your own choice, thus breaking the curse of predestination.”

Dùghall sheathed his sword, “I feel that you're just a mad witch.”

“Think what you want, but in the first two you will disregard my words, but maybe, by the third, you will listen. The first opportunity will come when you are standing over your enemy with the choice to slay or show mercy. You will choose to slay. The second opportunity will be during the return, you will spend one night traveling with the princess. She will offer you a chance to share a bed or you may choose to maintain her purity. You will give in to your urges and accompany her to bed. The final time will come when the king will offer you a prize for the safe return of the princess. If you choose to take a prize, you will lose your chance and forever be bound to the wheel,” she elaborated.

“So what you are saying is I can choose to marry the princess, money, land, anything I want, but I will be stranded on the wheel forever? That doesn’t sound so bad to a bard like me,” Dùghall quipped.

Visibly frustrated, “Correct, that will be the only and last choice you ever make. If you take one coin, one cow, or one grain of salt, you will forever be bound to the wheel. This path can get you remembered in a page of time, but taking nothing could open you to something greater.”

“What do you mean greater?” responding curiously.

“Choosing to rebel against your nature will lead to something greater. The path you are currently on will just be a footnote in history, the other path will break you free from those that choose to keep you chained to the wheel. Even I cannot see beyond that if you choose to take nothing,” she explained.

The fog quickly receded and the glow from above blackened. Dùghall was left with no visible light. He attempted to scream but either his voice became mute or his ears became deaf. After a bit of time, the light returned to Dùghall and he could hear his scream turn from a whisper to that of a thundering roar. As the world returned to sense, he looked around to see that the oracle was no longer to be seen. As Dùghall settled back into reality, he could hear the elder whisper into his ear, “Remember these words, you are far more dangerous a free man to those who wish to keep you bound to the wheel. Choose wisely.”

Dùghall asked a fellow traveler, “Did you hear that?”

The passerby responded, “What, the wind or the birds?”

The whisper, “I will be watching. We will meet again in prison, one form or another.”

“Did you hear that threat of prison?” he inquired.

With a quickened step, “You mad? There is no one talking to you but me.”

Looking up at the sun, he could see that more time had passed than he realized. He swiftly gathered his stuff upon his horse. He still had a long ride ahead of him and a ferry to catch if he were to reach his destination on time. Dùghall finished his tasks with little attention to ensuring the security of his luggage. The folly became evident when his food pack and his money sack fell to the ground behind him.

Dùghall reached his intended destination as he could see the ferry leave its dock on the other side of the river. He dismounted his horse and took a seat to await the arrival of the ferry, he took to tying the reins to a nearby tree and then began to settle in for a nap because it would be at least another hour before the ferry returned. Dùghall was awakened by a loud snap and screaming. He looked upon the ferry as it floated away. With shock, he questioned himself, “How did that hag know? It does not matter; she is wrong about my final destination.”

Dùghall stood up to prepare for the two-day's travel to Willowthorne. As he moved around his horse, he noticed that his food pack and his purse were not where they should be. He took everything off his horse to carefully inventory his luggage. He could not find either his food or his purse. He was stuck in a predicament, he could travel south to the toll bridge but he had no money left, he could travel to the next downriver for five days without food, or head upriver to Castlebrook as the oracle predicted. He gave in and headed upriver toward her destination.

By Midnight, Dùghall reached Castlebrook. With no money for an inn or a pub open to make any, he settled in along the castle walls for a rough night of sleep. Sometime after sunrise, Dùghall woke up to make his way to the city gates. Once inside, he observed a commotion in the square. An entourage of men took to the stage at the highest point. One in the most elaborate set of robes took the group's lead of the group. He reached to another man behind him who handed over a scroll. The town crier announced, “Hear ye, hear ye. The king’s daughter was abducted in the deepest of the night by the dastardly Gerlach Brauer. King Alrich requests seven heroes to champion a quest for the safe return of the princess. Any who partake of this quest and return safely alive with the princess intact may ask the king for their heart’s desire.”

Dùghall made his way through the crowd to answer the call out of the hope of defying the witch's calls. Dùghall stepped forward third after a knight and a ranger as the witch had stated. Next stepped another knight, a druid, a paladin, and a simple peasant. The would-be band of heroes departed immediately on their quest. Dùghall began to question the reliability of the soothsayer's prediction.

As the soothsayer called, they caught Gerlach Brauer and his marauders. The ensuing battle left the two knights, the druid and the paladin dead. Dùghall with an injured ranger and the peasant by his side, he stood over the dastardly Gerlach Brauer. Gerlach begged for mercy stating that he was spent by one of the kings from the north. Filled with rage, Dùghall struck down Gerlach. He could hear a whisper from the oracle in his ear, “That is the first.” Followed by complete silence.

During the road home, the adventurers with the princess safely in tow. The party stopped at an inn for the night when their safety became in question. The peasant took the time to attend to the ranger's wounds. During this time, the princess insisted that Dùghall stay in her room. He took to a chair at the window to watch over the princess. After an hours time, the princess pleaded with him to join her in her bed to keep her warm. Slowly her intoxicating skin and the caress of a woman seeped into Dùghall dropping his guard. Her fingers traveled gently through his hair. As soon as the deed was done, the whisper returned, “The second.”

Once the trio were standing in front of King Alrich, he asked for their desired reward. The ranger went first to ask for a new steed to replace the one he lost during the adventure and the choice of magic items from the treasury. The peasant went next and asked for 100 hectares of prime farming land. Finally, it came to Dùghall’s request as the slayer of Gerlach. King Alrich, “As the princess’s savior, what do you wish from my domain? Money, land, the hand of Princess Farrah?”

Dùghall recounted the last three days, the soothsayer had been right on four occasions, she said this was his opportunity to break free from an invisible wheel. So many choices, but the wrong choice would keep him bound. Any choice could lead him to a brighter future, especially with the princess’s hand, but would he listen after she had been right on four occasions, would he choose to take nothing? Dùghall contemplated loudly, “I could take anything, even to become the heir to the throne. No matter what I choose there are consequences and responsibilities associated with each. I will go against my nature and ask for nothing with the hopes that someone writes of my legend.”

“Are you sure? You have all the possibilities at your fingertips, but you are willing to request nothing” Alrich responded.

Dùghall shook his head in agreement. Princess Farrah leaned over and whispered into the king’s ear. A devious smile formed on her face. “What?” The king shouted.

Anger visibly formed on his face. “Is what my daughter said true? You took her purity from her.”

Dùghall reacted, “I…”.

Alrich with fury, “Silence, guards take him to the dungeon. He will be executed in the morning for crimes against the king.”

Dùghall was led away and thrown in the dungeon. He questioned his choice, if I had chosen anything, I might have a future longer than a night ahead of me. Dùghall slumped down underneath the lone barred window out of despair for his demise. A tap, tap, tap came from above. Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap. Dùghall looked to see what was causing the noise. Above him at the window was a golden raven. A golden raven, this must be some sign. The golden raven hopped through the window and then flew around the room. “Caw, Caw,” went the raven.

Dùghall returned to his despair, “Now in my last hours, I am being mocked by a raven with golden plumage.”

The soothsayer’s voice, “I never said this was your end, but you can choose it to be if you so desire.”

Dùghall glanced up to see that the raven was replaced by the elderly woman, “You said that I would be free to make my own choice if I asked for nothing. My reward was death instead.”

Soothsayer, “I never said your reward would be death, but true freedom. You still have a choice.”

“What choice, either kill me or allow myself to be killed by the executioner in the morning? That is one hell of a choice,” Dùghall sarcastically.

From outside the door, “Shut up in there or we will shut you up. You don’t need a working jaw to lose your head.” He could hear them start to laugh outside.

“No, you still have a choice to live or to die. The king who had this dungeon constructed was paranoid of a potential coup by his son, he had an escape tunnel hidden,” reaching over to push a stone a slightly different color than the rest.

Dùghall stared on as the tunnel opened before him. Freedom from the dungeon, freedom from the wheel, and finally the freedom to choose stood in front of him. What would he choose to do? The first choice, run out of her before his capture noticed him missing.