The Wolf King’s Daughter (1)

Prologue

Some notes:

• PLEASE pick this to pieces! If anything is canonically incorrect, please let me know. I take quite a few bold steps in this story canon-wise, so let me know if any of them are out of line.

• If you haven’t read all of the Wingfeather Saga and Wingfeather Tales: Seven Thrilling Stories From the World of Aerwiar, I wouldn’t suggest reading this. The events that take place here heavily rely on all of the events in those five books. (If you haven’t read Wingfeather Tales, you technically can read and understand, but there will be spoilers.)

• And as always, I live in the UK and spell and write accordingly. So forgive my strange spelling and wording😁

• Lastly, this “Prologue” is more like two chapters in one post. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness starts with three little “introductions,” and I do the same here.

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A Brief Introduction to the Shining Isle of Anniera

Many people, even those beyond the edges of the maps, know of the legendary exiled High King of Anniera, his Throne Warden brother, and Song Maiden sister who vanquished Gnag the Nameless and his Fangs of Dang. They are Janner, Kalmar, and Leeli Wingfeather, who liberated their cloven people and restored the Shining Isle to its original glory.

For many years after Gnag’s reign, the people of Anniera lived in peace, basking under the joyful rule of their High King. It took at least a decade for the island to begin flourishing as it once did, and begin trading in the Green Hollows and Woes of Shreve, as well as relearn their old stories and songs from forgotten days of old.

Soon, the Shining Isle was rebuilt over the ruins, and the people took on their new names and put the pains of the Great War behind them. Towns and villages were built, forests and farms were cultivated, and roads and paths were unearthed and paved. People began to settle and farm, fish and sail, and sing and write songs again. Anniera was teeming with life, just as it had before.

It would be a quarter of a century before danger once again lapped the shores of the Shining Isle.

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A (Slightly) Less Brief Introduction to the Wingfeather Family

In the Maker’s great blessing, the Wingfeather family grew much in those twenty-five blissful years. Castle Rysen was quite empty when High King Kalmar first began to rebuild it, and now it was fully restored with a family twice the size inhabiting it.

When Kalmar was of age, he began courting a girl called Galya. Five years later, after much anticipation and many sleepless nights, he found the courage to marry her. Not too long after, Galya gave birth to their first daughter, Liel. Two years later, her younger brother and the future High King, Jeshri, was born. And then came their Song Master brother, Rayen, and finally Ira, the first Lore Wain in generations.

All of Anniera rejoiced over them all, and took each of them as a sign of the Maker’s hand upon the kingdom. No one had any doubt that the Shining Isle would continue to prosper. But even then, everyone felt an unease creeping over their island. And even then it was quickly forgotten and dismissed as old suspicions.

Even before Kalmar took Galya to be his wife, Janner Wingfeather married Sara Cobbler, a daughter of Skree, as soon as they were of age. It was a while later before they had twins, Eremund and Illia, named after the great Throne Wardens before their father. Sara nearly died the night she gave birth to them, and could no longer bear anymore children. The family and people grieved over this, but were grateful to the Maker that Sara and her children lived.

It was a day of much sorrow and joy when Leeli Wingfeather left the Shining Isle to be married to Thorn O’Sally, a son of the Hollows. Her family visited her many times throughout the year, and Leeli and Thorn, always followed by their faithful dogs, visited Anniera even more.

And even before Janner and Kalmar, Artham Wingfeather, their uncle and their father’s Throne Warden, finally married Arundelle, the love of his life, after ten years of waiting. They had one child, Esben, named after the High King before Kalmar, Artham’s younger brother.

Nia Wingfeather, who was widowed during the Great War, gladly cared for her family as a mother and grandmother, and became a keeper of Anniera’s history, culture, and tradition. Besides Janner, Kalmar sought his mother’s counsel in all his years of rule.

And that was why High King Kalmar Wingfeather turned to his mother when Prince Majah of Yorsha Doon came to the Shining Isle dressed in rags, begging to help.

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Lemme know what you guys think and if I should continue this! I’ve told this idea to many fellow featherheads, and they’ve all agreed I should write it. I appreciate any feedback!