The Enchantress of Hadd

In a distant time that was long before time itself as we know it, the most powerful nation on Earth was the rich and fertile land of Hadd. In fact, that great kingdom was renowned for many things, not least for the amazing beauty of its women – and there was one woman who was so beautiful that she seemed to cast a spell on men wherever she went. Indeed, many women swore she was an enchantress and the less charitable among them called her witch. Idrynn, for that was her name, possessed hair that was such a deep red colour that lovers often swore it had burnt their fingers as they sought to stroke it, or their lips as they fearfully kissed it, as they felt she had commanded them, although none could recall her actually uttering any such order aloud.

Nevertheless, few men would not willingly have died for the chance to spend even one passionate night with Idrynn. They dreamt of staring into her emerald green eyes with their hazel flecks that were rumoured to flash in firelight and of allowing their gaze to drift over the soft, exciting curves of her naked body where they hoped they would sate their lust. Many did die too, in fights that started when one hopeful suitor believed another was about to gain advantage over him in his quest for her favours. It was even rumoured that women who had spent a night in her company would never bed a mere male again. In this case too, though, no one could say for sure, although many men and women alike knew someone, who knew someone, who knew of such a lover.

Idrynn lived in a magnificent villa, in the very centre of the capital city, Gyrn, with it’s grand central square and its multitude of imposing villas with their gleaming spires and domes and, of course, its shops that were legendary throughout Hadd for the luxury of their goods.

Idrynn’s villa had a large and beautiful courtyard that was hung all around its balconies with exotic flowers and the floor of which was planted with shrubs and more flowers. There were stables in an adjoining building to one side and an arbour and tryst house to the other. All this surrounded a large and ornate fountain, exquisitely decorated with carvings of nymphs and handsome knights enjoying the pleasures of the flesh in the manner that was customary here. In Hadd, very few women were prepared to marry and throw away a life of pleasure and enjoyment to be with just one man.

It was into this capital city of this fairytale kingdom, full of rumour, magic, mystery and intrigue, that Aarin rode one day in late summer, fully five thousand years before the Egyptians began to even dream of pyramids and Pharaohs. Aarin was used to the effect he had on a place when he arrived. Indeed, he enjoyed it. Blond, blue-eyed, handsome and athletic, yet not in a fine way, but rugged and very muscular, he was an absolute mountain of a man and no one, man or woman, could ever find the inner strength to ignore him.

Heads turned as he passed and made his way to the house of Raag. It was a relatively modest villa, when compared with the others on the square, but it had an air of solid quality about it somehow and it also had one other very desirable feature – it was next door to the villa of Idrynn.

“Welcome Aarin. I expected you a week ago,” Raag called joyfully, as he ran out to greet his visitor. He turned briefly to his servant and indicated the gateway to his courtyard with its stables. “Open up, man.”

“I met a woman – in the next town, on my way here,” Aarin said and grinned.

Raag chuckled. “Oh, I see. I’m surprised you got here at all then. I told you our women are beautiful, didn’t I?”

“You did indeed.”

“Come. Bathe and change your clothes and I will have food prepared.” Raag waved his hand in the direction of his servant. “Droog will stable your horse.”

“See that you take good care of my beauty, Droog.”

“Yes, master. May I know her name?”

“She is called Fair Wind, but I just call her Beauty, most of the time.”

“With your permission, master, I too will call her that. It is most appropriate and will comfort her in these strange surroundings.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you. You have it – and I will reward you well if she is happy in your care.”

“Thank you, master.”

Once Aarin had bathed, shaved and changed into clean finery, he came down the grand marble staircase and into the main living area. A table was set with many exotic foods and fruits and Raag greeted him enthusiastically. “My, my, Aarin. You look splendid. So splendid and handsome in fact that I’m sure the beautiful Idrynn would favour you. What a woman she is. You must have heard of her.”

“Oh yes. She is the stuff of legends by all accounts. She’s spoken of throughout the land – and beyond.”

“No doubt. No doubt at all. Would you like to meet her? She lives just next door to this house.”

“Really? Which side?”

“The magnificent villa to the left of this one. You came past it the way you came in. I saw you approaching.”

“Ah. That one. Hmm…” It seemed to Raag that Aarin would add more to this short comment, but he remained silent.

“Well. I can introduce you tomorrow, or even tonight if she is alone, which is rare. Shall I get Droog to find out if she’s in and alone?”

“If you care to. I must admit I’d like to see what all the fuss is about, but there’s no rush. Is there?”

“No. No, none at all. I’ll get Droog to find out anyway. Now, do eat some more, my friend. You’ve hardly touched anything so far.”

Aarin chuckled. “You’ve hardly stopped talking so far, Raag.”

Raag looked slightly taken aback and then guffawed loudly. “You’re right. I’ll leave you to it for a moment. Incidentally, that wine there is excellent. A really superb red. Try it and see what you think.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Aarin poured a great goblet of the wine and Raag made off to who knew where. When he returned some thirty minutes later. Aarin was seated on the enormous sofa that was positioned close to the unlit fire and he was beginning to drift towards sleep.

Raag sat next to him. “I quite forgot how tired you must be, old friend. Retire for a while, if you wish. We are invited to dine with Idrynn tonight – at eight. It will be a sumptuous meal no doubt and a long evening too, for there will surely be entertainment. For you, it might just be a long night also. Eh?” Raag grinned and guffawed once more, nudging his friend in the ribs at the same time.

That evening, they dined with Idrynn, as Raag had said and there certainly was entertainment. A dance troupe of two handsome young men and three very attractive girls – all of them scantily clad – whirled and performed the most agile and sensuous dances Aarin had ever witnessed. Idrynn smiled wickedly as Raag stared open mouthed as the women gyrated and teased him and Aarin. Clearly any, or perhaps all, of the three women would have been delighted to bed Aarin that night and perhaps Raag too, or so it appeared, for one raven-haired dusky-skinned beauty in particular was plainly smitten by him.

Presently, Idrynn and Aarin began to flirt outrageously and the female dancers wisely backed off and contented themselves with the two young men of the troupe – plus Raag as well, of course. Eventually, it became obvious that the dancing, coupled with the overt sexuality of Aarin and Idrynn’s behaviour, was just too much for Raag and he made some excuse to leave them alone. Only a few minutes later, the dark-haired beauty disappeared also.

Late the following morning, much consternation and hubbub arose in the two houses. First, it was in the great villa of Idrynn and then Droog nervously woke his master, carefully averting his gaze as the delectable and very naked beauty left Raag’s bed and went to bathe. “There is no sign of either of them anywhere, master,” he stammered. “And my lord’s horse is still in the stable. So is the lady Idrynn’s also – and likewise all her carriages.”

“Well, they’ve probably gone for a walk or something.”

“Perhaps, master. But I don’t think so. The servants next door are saying that my lord Aarin is a wizard and has spirited her away.”

“I’ve often suspected he might be a wizard, but it’s much more likely that the enchantress Idrynn has spirited Aarin away.”

“Yes, master. That may well, of course, be true, but the result is the same: neither is anywhere to be found.”

“They are probably up by the Lake of Dreams somewhere, fast asleep after making love all night, both out of and probably in the water too.”

“Yes, master, perhaps. But the dance troupe say they continued talking and flirting until very late – and were still doing so when the troupe were dismissed and allowed to go to their beds.”

“They’ll turn up soon. You’ll see.”

“Yes, master.”

But the couple never did turn up.

However, it is a fact that, on bright moonlit nights, when the scent of Jasmine was in the air and love and passion were everywhere, some swore for years to come that the couple could be glimpsed making love in the courtyard of the magnificent villa, in the tryst house, or in the arbour. It is also a fact that, although no one ever discovered how, the servants were still paid and even new ones were hired … and they continued to maintain the villa in all it’s glory for more than a thousand years – right up until the fall of Hadd.

 

© Copyright Adam Frayle 2001 all rights reserved