Story [Chronicles of Prydain] A Hero's Journey (50 Sentences Challenge - October) Set IV -- 1/16

Author: NYCitygurl
Title: A Hero's Journey
Fandom: The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
Timeframe: Throughout the series
Characters: Pretty much everyone
Summary: Sometimes one sentence says it all.
Notes: Written for the October 50 Sentences Challenge


The first set follows the first book in the Chronicles, The Book of Three (and is basically in order).


perhaps I'll try defying gravity


01. Green

The green fields of Caer Dallben spread out before Taran, but he barely noticed the beautiful surroundings; he was too set on adventure to be tamed by the peaceful holding.


02. Deed

It was an act of kindness, letting the creature live, and Taran wouldn?t have made the same choice, but this was Prince Gwydion, legendary Son of Don, and Taran?s hero; he would follow the prince?s lead.


03. Reputation

Taran had never net Gwydion before, but the prince?s reputation had spread throughout Prydain; Taran had long dreamed of meeting his hero and, someday, becoming just like him.


04. Unconventional

Taran was, perhaps, an unconventional hero ? he was born of unknown parents and had been raised far away from any interesting goings-on, and he was only an Assistant Pig-Keeper ? but he was determined to rise above all of that and create an amazing future for himself.


05. Beauty

Achren was the most beautiful woman Taran had ever seen, but there was something ugly about her, and it showed when he and Gwydion defied her; Taran stopped seeing her physical charms and only saw an ugly stain of evil.


06. Misunderstood

Eilonwy stomped off, and Taran?s heart broke; he should have, as Eilonwy said, been clearer about who he wanted her to rescue ? because now Gwydion lay dead in the ruins of Spiral Castle, and this strange, lanky bard stood here in his place.


07. Cripple

The strings of Fflewddur?s harp seemed to break too often to be worth toting around, beautiful music or no; Taran thought the harp was a hindrance rather than a help.


08. Mindless

The Cauldron-born were mindless and merciless; they would track Taran and his fellows without rest and without reason, and there was little chance for escape.


09. Heartless

They were not evil, precisely, but they were unnatural, and Arawn Death-Lord put them to evil uses; they were re-animated corpses that could not think for themselves or do anything but their master?s bidding.


10. Coward

Taran was no coward, but he had heard enough of Gwydion?s tales to fear the Cauldron-born and the destruction they would bring; if they caught up to Taran and his group, they would destroy them, for the Cauldron-born could not themselves be destroyed.


11. Clever

?Clever Gurgi,? the creature said, ?should get some crunching and munching,? and Taran, though he could barely tolerate the thing, had to agree that the information Gurgi brought was valuable; he split up their limited supplies and gave some to Gurgi.


12. Campus

The way in front of them seemed wide and full of terrors, but the way behind was blocked; the group had no choice to continue on toward Caer Dathyl to warn the Sons of Don.


13. Roommate

Fflewddur and Eilonwy did not make the best of travelling companions sometimes, and Taran could barely tolerate Gurgi?s moaning and groaning, but as their adventure continued, Taran realized they brought more skills than he realized.


14. Ostracized

?Taran of Caer Dallben, I?m not speaking to you!? Eilonwy said, stamping her foot and stomping off.


15. Adored

Taran had no interest in apologizing to the girl, but Fflewddur said it would make things easier, and Taran had to admit that the bard had more experience with this type of thing ? that is to say, girls ? than he did, so off he went to make amends.

 

Mira: Aww, thank you!! I definitely encourage you to read them. Technically, they're YA, but they're such classics that they're always worth reading It's a series of 5 plus a book of short stories. Just as a warning: There are spoilers for the rest of the series in the following sets.


A/N: The second set was taken from The Black Cauldron, the second book in the series.


upon Gotham's darkest knight


01. Caped

They rode to Caer Dallben one by one, shrouded with hooded cloaks; they gathered, waiting, preparing to fight to take the Black Cauldron from the depths of Annuvin itself.


02. Crusader

Taran, though he had grown since his adventures with the Horned King?s host last year, still longed for adventure; he wanted to go, and Gwydion welcomed his presence but refused to let him join the main group.


03. Intellect

Ellidyr insulted Taran and then gave him a drubbing; Taran smarted more about the former than the latter as Eilonwy helped him clean up ? he would prove to the snotty lording that he was just as good as anyone.


04. Gadget

The group packed supplies before heading out, though Gurgi offered the use of his food pouch to his friends; the food wasn?t fabulous, but it never ran out, which suited the ever-hungry Gurgi well.


05. Inventive

Eilonwy considered several plans to join the warriors, but in the end, she and Gurgi just let a note for Dallben and rode out on their own; Taran, who had agreed with the decision to leave them behind, would be less than pleased to see them, but Eilonwy was just as brave as any man, and she would prove it to that Assistant Pig-Keeper!


06. Vigilante

Ellidyr was full of stories of his own bravery and might, none of which impressed Taran; he was pleased when Gwydion left the brash prince to watch the gate, much as he dismayed at being further inflicted with Ellidyr?s presence.


07. Vigilant

Taran had no wish to stay behind from the main group, either; he?d much prefer to be finding alongside Gwydion or Morgant, but Adaon, whose mystical, dreaming eyes saw much, warned Taran about the warlord?s fate and a broken sword that dripped blood.


08. Justice

Though Taran was upset at being ordered to stay at the gates, he thought it was only just that Ellidyr stay behind, too; Eilonwy didn?t care what either of them thought as long as she was allowed to participate in any part of the adventure.


09. Debauchery

There were no great celebrations when Doli showed up, beet-red from having turned himself invisible for the spying mission, and announced that the cauldron had been stolen from Annuvin and Arawn Death-Lord was in a rage; the Black Cauldron was dangerous and had to be destroyed, no matter in whose hands it lay.


10. Anarchy

The companions had intended to find Gwydion, but before they reconnected with the main group, they ran straight into a pack of Huntsmen from Annuvin, and chaos reined.


11. Joker

The Huntsmen, Gwydion had explained, were no laughing matter; they could be killed, but for every one that died, the others absorbed his strength and became greater ? killing one only helped the others.


12. Harlequin

Ellidyr, as it turned out, was no fool; he could hold his own as well as any of them, though the wisest strategy their small group could employ against the Huntsmen was to run.


13. Ivy

It was Doli who found the hidden Fair Folk watch post (of course, since only he could) and, despite Gwystyl?s protests, he got them all inside and safe ? for the moment.


14. Freeze

Gwystyl trembled and sneezed, complaining about being sick and wishing they would just leave; Doli ignored his protests and frightened information and supplies out of him ? the companions didn?t have time for Gwystyl?s moaning complaints.


15. Penguin

It was Kaw who really gave them help and revealed the information; Gwystyl decided to be done with the bird and foist him

 

Mira: Thanks!! That's basically what I did Every time Taran leaves home, he learns Dorothy's lesson.

The first half of this set is from The Castle of Llyr, and the second half is from Taran Wanderer.


goblins and ghosts and ghouls, oh my!


01. Harbringer

The prince seemed like a harbringer of ? Taran didn?t want to say ?doom,? because Rhun son of Rhuddlum, prince of Mona, was too clumsy and silly to be that; but still, Taran didn?t like the young man.


02. Woe

Eilonwy had cast longing looks over her shoulder all the way out of Caer Dallben until she had no longer seen it; Taran felt the same growing sense of dismay, knowing he had to give her away (through no choice of his own).


03. Sneer

Taran hid his sneer, but every time Rhun moved, it seemed, he acted foolishly; and Taran, who had fought alongside Prince Gwydion of Don, compared the two and found Rhun lacking in skills and in common sense.


04. Trepidation

Taran was worried about leaving Eilonwy on Mona to fend for herself, but the king seemed like a good man (and besides, Taran had no choice; Dallben had ordered Eilonwy to Mona to learn how to be a princess, and Taran had to follow his master?s command).


05. Hollow

Nevertheless, Taran felt a hollow feeling in his heart when he thought of leaving her here; he gracefully (if anything he did could be called graceful, Eilonwy said) accepted the invitation to stay on Mona for a few days to see Eilonwy settled.


06. Crave

Taran wanted to help the disguised Prince Gwydion as much as anything; he practically worshipped the prince (and besides, it would distract him from the pain of losing Eilonwy to the royal court).


07. Spirit

Eilonwy had a fighting spirit and already seemed to resist Queen Teleria?s instructions, but the queen had a strong will of her own and would not easily cave to a young princess, no matter how headstrong.


08. Plague

It seemed that trouble followed Taran every time he left Caer Dallben ? or maybe he just followed it ? for Gwydion had uncovered a conspiracy that threatened the court at Mona, though he wasn?t sure how far it went.


09. Carnage

Taran wasn?t sure how much power Magg, the former chief steward, had, but he was not working alone; Taran feared that chasing off into the wilds with dogs and men ? and Rhun, who would do nothing but bumble about and slow them down ? wouldn?t get them to Eilonwy in time.


10. Reaper

It was a lion, of all things (why was a lion in an abandoned cottage?), and a big one; luckily, it seemed to like Ffleuddur harp, and the bard was able to put it put Llyan to sleep while the rest of them escaped her lair.


11. Ghost

In the cottage, they had found notes belonging, it seemed, to a man named Glew, though the man was nowhere to be seen; they had thought he had been eaten by his ferocious pet until they stumbled into a dark cave (quite by accident) and found the man they?d thought was dead.


12. Ghoul

Of course, it would have been better for them if he was, for Glew was determined to sacrifice one of them to escape the caves, where he?d been stuck for some time ? as a magicked giant.


13. Mummy

Glew was not as timid as he?d seemed, though he did like to complain (reminding Taran of Gwystyl, the Fair Folk guard of the way post near Annuvin who?d been so reluctant to help them once yet had warned Gwydion of their troubles); Taran and his companions were determined to escape the caves before he managed to grab and slay one of them.


14. Desiccate

Caer Color, Glew told them, was the castle of the House of Llyr, Eilonwy?s family; Taran suspected that Magg had taken the princess to her ancestral home, though for what dark purpose, he couldn?t guess.


15. Howl

Glew howled with rage as they tried to escape; the companions managed to knock him out and found their own way out of the caverns before he began to stir.


1

 

The fourth set, from The High King.



tokens and takings


01. Tantalize

Taran?s weariness at his journey fell away at Kaw?s words, and even Gurgi perked up, not protesting at Taran?s increased pace ? because Eilonwy had returned to Caer Dallben.


02. Trace

Taran?s eyes traced the princess?s face as he happily watched her natter on; at long last, she was home, and perhaps he could make her his.


03. Trepidation

Taran had not felt hesitant when he saw Eilonwy again at long last, but Prince Gwydion?s arrival ? clinging to his horse and almost dead ? sent a wave of fear through the former wanderer; no small thing could do such harm to so great a man.


04. Trade

Achren had not willingly traded her powers for a life in the scullery of Caer Dallben, but the enchanter had offered her sanctuary, and the former enchantress had not refused; she had nothing left to live for except the hope of revenge against Arawn, Death-Lord of Annuvin, and staying at Caer Dallben would eventually, she was sure, give her an opportunity to assist the Sons of Don in seeking Arawn?s downfall.


05. Tugging

Eilonwy did not believe that Achren did not feel the pull of power, did not long to once again wear the Iron Crown of Annuvin that Arawn had stolen from her in the days before the Sons of Don came to Prydain, but Achren had no reason to harm Gwydion; he was her best chance for revenge.


06. Tisk

Ffleuddur?s harp could not speak a word, but it knew when he was telling a falsehood and let others know as well, snapping its strings whenever the bard-king exaggerated.


07. Tetchy

The blade Dyrnwyn could only be drawn by those of noble worth, but Gwydion feared that in Arawn?s hands, it would be turned against the kingdoms and cantrevs, put to evil use.


08. Tempting

It might have been tempting for Taran, who had barely arrived himself, to remain at Caer Dallben and let the great events of the world pass him by, but though he was no longer an Assistant Pig-Keeper longing for adventure, he would never stand aside when Prydain ? and Gwydion ? needed him.


09. Trance

Hen Wen gazed at the sticks but squealed with fear as she gave her prophecy to Dallben, but even Taran?s gentle reassurances and cajoling could not ease her fear of what was to come; the sticks burst into flame, and the prophecy remained unfinished.


10. Terra

Smoit?s lands should have been a welcoming place, for the king had never wavered in his allegiance to the Sons of Don, but the king was captive, held by Magg, and the companions would find no allies here unless they could remove the former steward of Mona from power.


11. Tick

Time was ticking away as Eilonwy and Rhun waited for the signal to strike; while Arawn held Dyrnwyn and plotted to strike at High King Math, every minute was precious.


12. Taupe

Gwystyl was, as usual, an alarming shade with a mopey face, but the companions had learned better than to overlook him; he was the Fair Folks? watcher near Annuvin, and he brought ill tidings of a gathering of forces ? Huntsmen, Cauldron-Born, and cantrev lords ? in the Death-Lord?s realm.


13. Terracotta

No great wealth would lie beside the King of Mona in eternal rest, but his barrow would stand, honored, for many years; and for the rest of his life, Taran would never forget Rhun?s sacrifice.


14. Tranquil

Though they had defeated Magg, after Rhun?s death, Taran?s heart was not tranquil; it was even less so as he rode to gather the men of the Free Commots for war ? a necessary task, but one he hated, as he would rather leave them at peace.


15. Tough

Rhun?s death had shaken Taran, but harder still was the loss of Annlaw Clay-Shaper, whom Taran also could not save; the loss was tough, and Taran?s heart was troubled as he led the men of the Free Commots under the banner of the white pig.


16. Torque

Taran had grown into a fighter, and he used it to his a