Branwen Origins

A woman drops down to the hard, cold ground gasping as blood courses out from the side of her mouth. Her body begins to convulse a little as a man slowly walks from behind her letting out a defeated sigh.

“I am sorry, Gwendolyn.” He says sympathetically as the woman takes her final breath and soon expires. The man above rests a chalice down on a pedastal as he's joined by another wearing a brightly matching suit of armor pointing down at her.

“You should not have let her attempt the proving.” He says in a disappointing tone to the man who just looks down into the half filled chalice.

“Gwendolyn passed the tests, though human she earned her right to try.” The older man replies calmly looking back at the deceased woman as his counterpart realizing arguing this point will get him nowhere.

“What do we tell her daughter?” He inquires.

“We will tell Branwen none of this for now. Instead, she will begin her own training. It was her mother's wish, after all.” He answers still not completely convinced over it himself.

“I'll see my daughter to it.” The man replies before bowing his head taking his leave with a nod of the old man.

The older man then looks to Gwendolyn's body noticing a faint, red hue beginning to show along her skin. He approaches drawing out a knife and crouches where he proceeds to remove her head.

A year later, a small blond girl runs through the forest carrying with her a wooden staff as she stops and scouts around the surrounding area.

“Branwen? Branwen, where are you? Come on, we have to report for training.” The girl groans as she climbs up onto a boulder using it as a vaulting point to get to a high branch. She vaults herself up closing her eyes before opening them to scan around unaware of the brown haired girl until she drops in right next to her.

“Boo!” She shouts as the blond cries out falling down into a bush.

It's years later and after suffering a similar fate, the blond, now a young adult, pokes her head up from a similar bush glaring up at a grown Branwen sitting up in a tree giggling down at her.

“Branwen! When I get my hands on you...” The woman threatens as she makes her way out from the bush, her staff having been upgraded to a full spear. “Come down here!”

“Can't.” Branwen replies standing up to her feet. “Gotta get back for training, Sharon. Remember?”

“I remember.”

Sharon tells herself as she readies out a lasso throwing it the instant Branwen jumps away catching the brunette by the ankles. Branwen shrieks out as she swings around toward Sharon who catches hold of her steadying her upside down counterpart and steps back to look over the view.

“So what now?” Branwen asks crossing her arms. “You going to dance around me like a pack of goblins?”

Sharon smirks shaking her head. “Not exactly. But you're in the perfect position for something else.”

Branwen smiles as well as Sharon stabs her spear into the ground and steps closer running her tongue along the captured brunette's clothe covered crotch. Despite not being able to taste the glistening nectar, Sharon definitely uses enough force in her lick to make Branwen feel it as she moans out. It isn't long until Branwen wants to join in as she taps a finger against Sharon's bare thigh prompting the blond to open up her legs. After lifting up the front flap of Sharon's half skirt, Branwen brings in her head and proceeds to help herself.

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A middle aged man strikes the butt of his halberd down against the ground startling the two kneeling females before him. Both Branwen and Sharon were still a little red in the face from their workout in the forest as the former could still certainly taste the dragon girls juices along her lips.

“Late...per usual.” The man says in a disapproving tone. “I would expect no less from a human, but don't think you can drag my daughter down this destructive path of yours.”

“Father--”

“We were sparring.” Branwen states looking from the man to Sharon and back to the man above them. “In the woods. You can check for signs of the struggle yourself.”

“I've tested those signs before.” The man says turning around as Sharon keeps the truth to herself. “You two grapple too much.”

“We can't always rely on our weapons.” Branwen states. “And it's as you said before; you can't be a master when there's too many perceptions of perfection in your mind. So while I can learn to fight with a sword here, Sharon helps me learn to fight without.”

Sharon looks at Branwen with disbelief only to get a wink in response. Sharon smirks hoping her father buys it as she looks back quickly hiding her smile when he turns around.

“Very well, if it is in assistance to your training...I will allow these sessions to continue. However, if they impede your timing here any further...”

“They won't.” Branwen assures before standing up to her feet with Sharon following suit. “Thank you for setting us straight.”

The man nods seemingly dismissing them as the two turn to take their leave. However,

“Branwen.” The man calls out as both look back and then to one another. Eventually, Branwen returns to Sharon's father who speaks with a hushed tone. “You should also know there is a sign of your...struggle still on your lips.”

Shocked, Branwen slowly touches at her mouth feeling a little of Sharon's juices still around the corner as the older man turns taking his leave.

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Two years go by as Sharon and Branwen's bond grows closer. They begin moving their grappling sessions from the forests to one anothers rooms until their passion becomes plain knowledge of the townspeople. Sharon's father was the most supportive of all, on the condition it didn't falter their actual training any. The pair kept to this agreement never letting their feelings get in the way of what they knew was truly important; passing the proving and becoming a dragon knight,

Unfortunately, as the time grew closer for Sharon's proving Branwen began to display misgivings.

“There's just...something about it I don't like.” Branwen states pacing about in their shared room as Sharon sits atop the bed watching her lover.

“And you chose the eve of my proving to bring this up?” She questions drawing Branwen to a stop as she looks over saddened.

“I'm sorry. I know you're probably already nervous about it and I'm not really helping.” Branwen says sitting along the side of the bed taking Sharon's hands in hers.

“Nervous? Branwen, that barely even begins to describe how I'm feeling right now. This is my life about to be put on trial here. If I fail then...” Sharon stops herself from continuing.

“Then what?” Branwen asks brushing back Sharon's blond bangs before kissing her hands. “You know no matter what I'll be here for you. Even if you don't pass, we can still go out and get work as mercenaries.”

Hearing that only worries Sharon more as she looks to the door biting her lower lip.

“What's wrong?” Branwen asks looking at the closed door herself. There was nothing out of the ordinary, just her girlfriend...acting out of the ordinary.

“I know I shouldn't be the one to tell you this,” Sharon begins looking her lover in the eyes. “but...if I don't pass the proving, it...I die.”

Branwen stares back at Sharon silently, her comforting smile still on display.

“What?”

Sharon gets herself in closer as Branwen brings up a leg to give her more room.

“The proving, if I pass then the dragon's blood becomes a part of me.”

“Mmhm...” Branwen nods already aware of that.

“But if my body rejects it, it becomes more of a poison.”

“And...you die.”

Sharon nods going in to hug Branwen who stops her and shakes her head still trying to make sense of things.

“But...my mother. She failed the test so she had to leave. Sharon, are you saying...”

Sharon remains silent not wanting to say it herself as the pieces just fit automatically in Branwen's head. When that happens, the dark haired woman comes up from the bed.

“Branwen?”

“Stay...stay away from me, Sharon.” Branwen says backing toward the door.

“Branwen.” Sharon calls out trying to calm her down. “I'm sorry, they told me not to tell you this. They weren't certain how you'd react.”

“This town killed my mother and lied to me. You...you lied to me as well!”

“No! Branwen, really, I...I didn't mean to.”

Branwen shakes her head and rushes out from the room as Sharon gives chase opening the door only to find her lover gone. Unable to give chase, and knowing Branwen wouldn't want to talk anyway, Sharon steps back into her room alone.

...

Sharon is woken in the middle of the night by the sound of alarm bells going off from the towers. Rushing to a window half dressed, she looks around to see a series of soldiers rushing toward the proving grounds. When Sharon turns she notices her father already opening the door.

“Father! What's going on?”

“Branwen,” He begins. “She's taken the proving.”

“What?” Sharon exclaims. “Who enacted it?”

Her father shakes his head. “No one knows if anyone even did. All we know is she's gone mad.”

“No!” Sharon rushes for the door as her father chases after grabbing the young woman's spear.

“Sharon! Don't go out there unarmed!”

“It's Branwen,” Sharon answers back still rushing for the home's front entrance. “I won't need it.”

Sharon rushes through the chaos watching as soldiers guide civilians back into their homes while others work on the investigation in locating Branwen. Sharon first checks at the proving ground finding nothing but an empty chalice lying on the floor. She picks it back up placing it on the pedestal when she hears a wicked shriek from the stables.

“The dragons...” Sharon says to herself as she hurries over figuring there might be a clue.

When she arrives, she finds she isn't the only one there as a few soldiers have arrived as well to witness Branwen slowly walk out from the stables, blood dripping from her mouth and sword as she drags a dead baby dragon behind her.

“Branwen!” Sharon calls out. “What...what are you doing?”

Branwen looks up taking a long lick of the blood from her sword. “Feasting.”

Sharon does what she can to keep the soldiers at bay as she steps toward her lover.

“Father says you took the proving yourself. That...you've gone mad in doing so.”

“No.” Branwen answers quickly shaking her head. “It's only made me hungry.”

She says before taking a big bite of the dragons tail. Sharon jumps forward only to be slashed by Branwen's sword knocking her back into one of the soldiers.

“Mine!” Branwen yells as the other soldier draws out his sword.

“Don't!” Sharon pleads resting a hand over her wound. “She's...she's confused. It's just the dragon's blood. Branwen, you need to fight it!”

Sharon pleads now as the soldier comes at her anyway. Branwen drops the dragon and parry's the strike slicing into the soldier's throat.

“Branwen!” Sharon shrieks before grimacing from the pain watching as Branwen sticks her tongue deep inside the gash of the soldier. “Branwen...stop.”

Branwen continues to lick up the blood when she notices a larger group of soldiers approaching her. Sharon does her best to stop them but she's taken by her father when he notices the wound along her stomach.

“Father...please.”

Sharon begs as the guards corner Branwen along the launch zone. Branwen swings out her sword wildly before losing her footing slipping down the edge of the cliff into the raging river below.

“Branwen!!!” Sharon cries out watching her lover disappear from her sight. The soldiers approach the edge of the cliff to investigate but shake their heads as Sharon turns crying into her father.

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*****

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Months pass and the chalice is prepared once more for Sharon's proving. She stands across from her father who holds the chalice in his hands while others surround them watching and waiting.

“Sharon, you take your proving today not just in hopes of fulfilling your destiny in becoming a dragon knight, but to ready yourself for your journey. You may find your heart soft on your adversary, but you have sworn upon your life to bring the criminal Branwen to justice. Whether by way of chain or blade. Is this oath still valid?”

With no hesitance, Sharon nods her head looking back at her father with determination heavy in her eyes.

“Then drink and prove yourself.”

He passes the chalice to Sharon who looks into it at the dragon blood lightly swirling. After a deep breath, she drinks and swallows gripping the chalice tightly as she feels a quick, sharp pain in her chest. She doesn't collapse, however, as she stands firm and looks back at her father who nods.

“Then by the tip of your spear,” He says taking the chalice and giving Sharon her spear. “Seek out justice.”

Sharon nods and turns ready to begin her journey in hunting her former lover.

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Unconscious from the fall, Branwen's body eventually surfaces up on a shore a long ways from the village. Her hand still clutching her now broken sword, she's unaware when a small shadow looms over her. An imp looks down at the woman poking at her head with a folded whip and smirks.

“Get this one in the cage!” He orders as a small group of slaves rush over to pick up Branwen and bring her toward a cart of varying species. One takes the sword from her grip presenting it to the imp who looks it over. He then looks down around the river for any more treasures but finding none, he takes his place back inside the carriage stepping over the backs of a few slaves in doing so. “Let's go! We have a champion to decide.”

With a crack of a whip, centaur slaves at the front begin to pull the carriage along from the riverbank.