Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Charcoal Bride: The Hanrisor Chronicles, #1
    The Charcoal Bride: The Hanrisor Chronicles, #1
    The Charcoal Bride: The Hanrisor Chronicles, #1
    Ebook95 pages1 hour

    The Charcoal Bride: The Hanrisor Chronicles, #1

    By Carole McDonnell

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    The Charcoal Bride is the first of a trilogy of short novels called The Hanrisor Chronicles. The trilogy chronicles the rise to power of Hanrisor's King Skall and the family curse –called "The Hanrisor Legacy--that troubled him and his descendants.
    An oath is not easily broken, and an oath made to the god of vengeance is even more difficult to break. Thus Hanrisor – and Soghan, Skall's place of birth—are two of many nations in the Malku universe who endured war.
    Although the fae and human rarely war, there have been times when war rose up between them, and the vow made by Prince Arvid was the cause of a family curse that affected his family for generations. King Skall rose to power because of such a war and his story echoes throughout the legends and myths of Hanrisor and other nations of Malku. This novella tells of Prince Arvid, Skall's father, and his ill-fated marriage to Sellah, his Charcoal Bride. The second part of the trilogy, Sea-Walker, will relate how Skall traveled his new kingdom after he had inherited. The third part of the trilogy, How Skall Dragon-rider Won His Three Wives, depicts the heritage – good and bad—which Skall and his descendants inherited through the curse that Prince Arvid placed upon himself.
    Throughout the annals, the long-lived fae appear because of their effect on Malku history, society and culture. The merfolk also appears, although their lifespan is similar to humans. As in all the novels of the faes of Malku, the fae, merfolk, and humans live together. The fae clan consists of water-faes, air-faes, and land faes. The human clans are equally varied with humans from all races, class, religions, and status. In some regions, there is harmony among these separate clans. In other regions, there are hurdles, prejudices, and social complications. 

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCarole McDonnell
    Release dateAug 18, 2017
    ISBN9781386677741
    The Charcoal Bride: The Hanrisor Chronicles, #1

    Read more from Carole Mc Donnell

    Related to The Charcoal Bride

    Titles in the series (1)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    General Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The Christmas Cuckoo

      Dec 5, 2023

      The Christmas Cuckoo
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Sea King

      Jul 6, 2022

      The Sea King
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Sands of TREGANLLAW

      May 5, 2022

      England, 1497. Henry VII, the first Tudor king, reigns, having vanquished Richard III, the last monarch of the House of York, at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. A young man calling himself Richard, Duke of York has spent years striving for recogniti

      5 min read

    • Article

      Saving Freyfaxi

      Jan 1, 2024

      Saving Freyfaxi
      8 min read

    • Article

      ‘I Have A Profound Sense Of Being At Home In The Countryside’

      Jul 13, 2022

      THERE are many reasons why I was delighted to be asked to guest edit this week’s COUNTRY LIFE. The most selfish being that celebrating the magazine’s 125th birthday makes me, at 75, feel positively young… Much more importantly, I have cherished this

      3 min read

    • Article

      Left To Lose

      Jul 10, 2022

      Around the time she gives up her name, it starts to feel like this entire revolution isn’t worth it anymore. The world is probably lucky that Kelian—she still remembers Kelian, in spite of everything—is there to pick up the pieces, the way he always

      11 min read

    • Article

      A Change Happens

      May 29, 2020

      A Change Happens
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Black Spider

      Nov 28, 2019

      The Black Spider
      22 min read

    • Article

      A Change Takes Place

      Oct 28, 2019

      A Change Takes Place
      5 min read

    • Article

      Temptation

      Dec 28, 2021

      Temptation
      6 min read

    • Article

      Weird World Folklore Frenzy

      Oct 6, 2022

      Weird World Folklore Frenzy
      2 min read

    • Article

      How The World Turns A Blind Eye To African Slavery

      Oct 27, 2022

      SINCE I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO READ ABOUT Africa, I have been fascinated by the Tuareg. For more than a thousand years they were the fierce, veiled, camel-riding, sword-wielding warlords of the Sahara until they were ruthlessly conquered in the late ninet

      18 min read

    • Article

      Weird World Folklore Frenzy

      Oct 6, 2022

      Weird World Folklore Frenzy
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Mighty Viking

      Aug 3, 2022

      The Mighty Viking
      4 min read

    • Article

      6 Watery Folklore Wonders

      Mar 25, 2021

      6 Watery Folklore Wonders
      5 min read

    • Article

      Mrs Simpson Learns A Lesson

      Jul 29, 2021

      Mrs Simpson Learns A Lesson
      4 min read

    • Article

      Elsi, The Strange Maid

      Aug 29, 2018

      Elsi, The Strange Maid
      17 min read

    • Article

      Quiet COURAGE

      Mar 3, 2021

      Quiet COURAGE
      6 min read

    • Article

      NED the KNOCK-KNEED KNIGHT

      May 1, 2023

      NED the KNOCK-KNEED KNIGHT
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Nightingale

      May 1, 2019

      The Nightingale
      10 min read

    • Article

      Notes From The Isles

      Dec 15, 2023

      Notes From The Isles
      4 min read

    • Article

      The little NIGHTINGALE

      Dec 7, 2022

      The little NIGHTINGALE
      9 min read

    • Article

      He Who Fishes

      Feb 6, 2023

      He Who Fishes
      15 min read

    • Article

      Hunting Inspiration

      Feb 17, 2022

      Hunting Inspiration
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Charcoal Bride

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Charcoal Bride - Carole McDonnell

      The Charcoal Bride

      Arvid

      It was the custom of great chiefs in the extreme northern climes to offer their serving girls to visiting warriors from beyond their borders. The serving girls, who were often captured from raids in distant regions, would be called to their chief’s table while the honored guest sat at meat. Whether the household contained a mere eight or an abundant eighty, it was bound to offer all non-married women before the visitor. And for as long as he stayed, the woman was deemed that warrior’s charcoal bride or native wife.  The custom was of long-standing in the scattered settlements, and at first was used as a means of procuring information or creating alliances. But over the centuries, it had become part of the land’s etiquette.

      Abuse of this privilege – choosing several women at once, or habitually choosing different wives upon subsequent visits—was considered base, lascivious, and greedy. This unspoken rule was generally followed, although some barbarians in the western climes often behaved as if the servant women were a collection of varied dishes which should all be sampled.

      As for the chosen girl, if her suitor was honorable and well-pleased with her, she was treated with some honor – her daily tasks reduced, and other minor benefits. If she became pregnant, the child would be reared with her until its tenth birthday. Then, if the warrior wished, he would accept paternity for the child, then carry it away to his own land. There the child would learn the mores, requirements, and habits of its father’s country. Or, on rare occasions, the warrior would forfeit his own native land and settle in the country of his native wife. 

      Now it happened that a certain huskarl, an envoy from the king of Hanrisor, one of the northern countries, arrived at the stronghold of a thane by the name of Steen. That stronghold was one of the many small villages in the land of Soghan, and it was a gracious land of kindly folk who made their living on the sea. There had been some dispute among the fishermen from both lands and this warrior, whose name was Arvid, had been sent to settle the matter. He had succeeded but as he and his five warriors prepared to journey homeward, a great storm arose upon the seacoast. Although his own land was but a half-day’s journey away by ship and three-day’s journey by land, the squall was so fierce that they thought it best to remain on land in a thveit near the sea. And this they did, looking longingly toward their moored ship and the islands of their homeland. When the thane of that region discovered that the king’s envoys rested in tents, battered by wind and rain, he constrained them to abide in his own manor in that village.

      Arvid and his warriors gladly agreed, for the night was cold and chill and all knew that a restless night would be of no use if on the morrow they needed to repair the ship. As they sat at meat, Steen commanded the serving girls to be brought in. Choose one, each of you, to warm your beds, he offered.

      The custom was well-known but because of the cold and because of tiredness, the envoys had not considered it. Those who were well-married politely refused the offer, stating that they had warm bosoms enough when they returned home. Those badly-married also refused, knowing the arguments that would bombard them when they returned home. Thane Steen laughed, understanding well. It now remained for the remaining unmarried four, which included the huskarl Arvid, to choose a woman to lie with.

      As the women stood against the tapestried wall—some hoping, some fearing—to be chosen as a native wife, Arvid’s gaze fell upon a sad-faced young woman with graying black hair. Her skin color, too, was black. Although there were other maidens younger—and possibly happier—than she, Arvid had found himself gazing at her as he ate his meal.

      I may choose any here? Arvid asked the thane. He pointed to the dark-skinned woman. Is she also among the offers?

      The thane laughed. Ah, that one! She won’t lie with you. Or, you won’t lie with her. It’s all one.

      And why is that? Arvid lifted his seal-bone cup to his lips, drank slowly as he eyed the woman’s face and arms.

      Can you not see? She has no taste for this kind of play, or for the small protections and honors it might afford her. Come now, man! Choose another. There are other younger women to frolic with.

      I’ll take her, anyway. Arvid stood up, nodded to his host and placed his whalebone knife on the table. You need my weapons, am I right? I should leave it behind?

      The choice intrigued the old thane. He sucked at his teeth. I trust you. You don’t seem like one to abuse her. But tell me, why have you chosen her? Is it, perhaps, because she –like your mother—is from the southern lands? I had heard that your mother’s mother was from the southern continent...and had forgotten it too. But when you arrived I noticed that you are darker than your friends and remembered your nickname, The Mead Warrior. I had thought you were so named because you drank. But, watching you, I saw that you touched your cup only to begin and end your meal. And so I thought, perhaps he is so-called because of his honey-colored skin.

      Arvid smiled. You are as astute and as observant as they say, Steen, he said.

      Steen smiled, nodded. I am honored that one as noble as the Mead Warrior finds me astute. I will accept the praise, although astuteness is a gift that comes to all old men. He nodded toward the woman. So, then, why do you want her? Because she is the color of the red earth, as your ancestors were?

      Perhaps, Arvid answered, keeping his gaze transfixed on the woman he had chosen. My mother’s mother was indeed from the southern continent. She left that land and traveled here with my father. She was not a captive, however. It was a love-match, and long they lived together until the king took her. He did not say what all the world already knew, that the king had killed his father.

      Steen nodded, clasped his hands together. A love match is always good. He pointed to his wife. Almost as good as an arranged one, I think. And certainly, better than having a captive wife. Once, when I was young, there was a strangely long summer. Even when the month of salmons came, the water had not yet begun to freeze. And very hot, too hot. It was rumored that the faes and merfolk were at war and the faes had used fae magic to prevent the water from freezing. The water receded as well, revealing villages long forgotten. I remember walking about in only my tunic and marveling at how lovely the brown of the earth was.

      It must have been quite strange, Arvid said, and from the corner of his

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1