Book 1

THE GRAND KINGDOM

A STORY OF A WORLD OF FRIENDS...

By

Rodney K. Erb

Chapter 1 Introduction (or A Story of The Grand Kingdom)

Chapter 2 The Encounter (or Meeting the 3 Cherub Sisters)

Chapter 3 The First Wish (or The Battle with the Monster Hadryck)

Chapter 4 The Dark Forest of Confusion and Doubt (or Tricked by Chuckyitch)

Chapter 5 The Escape (or The Outwitting of Chuckyitch)

Chapter 6 The Wise Old Man Scarthroat (or The All Powerful Knowledge)

Chapter 7 The Beggar (or The Key to Saving the Grand Kingdom)

Chapter 8 The Arrival at The Plain of Azurr-Lou (or The Fight For Life)

Chapter 9 The Second Wish (or Freedom Through Friendship)

Chapter 10 The End (or The Grand Kingdom is Saved)

Book 1

Chapter 1

Introduction

(or A Story of The Grand Kingdom)

The glorious sun beamed down it's rays,
On Sir Joshua Aaron as he kneels and prays...
His thoughts turned to his love who lay there so grim,
The anguish in his heart magnified by her stillness that lay before him...

His tears fell to the leaves below,
The weight of each drop only he could know...
Her beauty more exquisite than that of a Goddess,
Oh, how could he go on; he would so miss her kindness...

His spirit was wounded but not broken,
He would continue; around his neck he wore her diamond as a token...
Of a love that knew the greatest passion,
Young lovers a model of such virtuous fashion...

- 9/01/1995 (AZUR_901.DOC)

Sir Joshua Aaron on his faithful steed Streakwater

Chapter 2

The Encounter

(or Meeting the 3 Cherub Sisters)

The story goes that Sir Aaron, a Knight of extraordinary forces,
Had been entrusted by his King, King Randolph, to follow his courses...
To travel to a distant land to seek a Royal Partnership,
That land was Azurr-La, and to meet with the good King Andrew, would be his trip...

Sir Aaron departed as he had been requested,
Not knowing the course that he'd selected...
Would lead him to his destiny through trials unknown,
But his King he trusted; to him his faith had always been shown...

He gathered his belongings and trusty steed,
Streakwater, a horse, tested and so valiant indeed...
Headed to the North Country; where few had ever been,
His adventure one that was about to begin...

Three days he'd traveled and no living thing had he seen,
His spirit dwindling but Sir Aaron was always calm and serene...
Not sure how long his journey should take,
Trusting in his force of direction he would not make a mistake...

He saw flickering lights in the distance on the fourth day's eve,
So through the forest towards them Streakwater and he did weave...
These lights appeared to distant themselves from them and bend,
The closer they approached, their movement away did extend...

Confused, Sir Aaron thought that to overtake them, he must Streakwater and he conceal,
In order to outwit those lights so real...
He camouflaged them each with a thicket so complete,
N'ere a vision of them as man and horse could anyone entreat...

On they went, the lights finally were tricked and did not move away,
Streakwater and Aaron towards them made progress on their way...
Eventually they overcame these lights that had been constantly moving,
The sight they saw was quite fascinating and alluring...


There to their front were 3 cherubs in retreat,
Angelora, Cupidora and Pandora all angelic sisters so sweet...
Drifting about in a random daze,
And startled at the sight of Sir Aaron and Streakwater in a thicket the sister's amazed...

Cupidora was the first of the sisters to Sir Aaron to speak,
She asked, "Why have you not netted us like the Monster Hadryck?"
Aaron eased their fears and quickly responded,
He had not wanted to harm them nor make them desponded...

Pandora then looked at Streakwater and commented, "What a noble steed",
And asked Sir Aaron what was his reason so far from his castle his horse did he lead?...
Sir Aaron answered that King Randolph had given him charter,
To go to Azurr-La and King Andrew make a barter...

To join forces as partners in the war against evil,
That had befallen the Land by the wicked King Allevyl...
The Land of Azurr-La the Kingdom to the East and North,
Had messaged King Randolph that Azurr-La's Army had gone forth...

To do battle against Allevyl and his wicked forces,
But King Andrew feared his small Army needed King Randolph's reinforces...
Lest his Kingdom be overtaken by the more powerful Army,
Azurr-La's future foreboding and certainly quite stormy...

Angelora was grateful for Sir Aaron's frankness and explanations,
She thought him a truthful knight with honorable intentions...
She was sympathetic; so the 3 sisters agreed to grant him,
3 wishes for luck in his journey should he become a victim...

These 3 wishes must be wisely used Cupidora began to explain,
Else they be wasted and frivolously used in vain...
Pandora handed him her wish; it was wrapped in a box,
She said to guard it carefully and watch it like a fox...

Each wish would be granted only after he said 3 words,
She whispered the first softly but so Streakwater had heard...
"Entente" the first, she explained must be said with precision,
Means to "understand" and "unite" as was the purpose of his mission...

Cupidora then flew over to speak quietly in his ear,
"Eros" was what she spoke, this second word must be clear...
"To love another person is to see the face of the true God", she said,
Remember this and a good life you will have been known to have led...

Finally Angelora the elder sister of the three,
Explained the last word must be said compassionately...
"Fidere" she spoke furtively and with wisdom sincere,
He knew she had learned the meaning of this word "faith" through many a year...

"Entente", "Eros", "Fidere" he thought in his mind silently,
Could be the keys to his freedom during his uncertain journey...
Sir Aaron was now armed with these wishes to continue on,
These gifts he so gratefully packed, then asked the sisters one last question...

Three roads lay before him, which one should he take?
Lest he select the wrong one and make a timely mistake...
The sister's giggled but gathered together to think of an answer,
Until in the distance they heard a loud clapping like thunder...

They knew it was Hadryck, the monster they feared,
They became quite nervous and then disappeared...
Their voices could be heard so faintly as they vanished,
"Remember the wishes and use them wisely..." they admonished...

- 9/02/1995 (AZUR_901.DOC)

King Allevyl, The Monster Hadryck and Knight Aaron...