The Shefro are one of the five races inhabiting the World of Orbis which I introduced in my novel Adrastea: Book One In The Annals Of Orbis. The Shefro are known not only for their love of stories but also for their ability to tell them. Though their legends may not be exactly accurate to their history, the spirit and meaning of their stories never change, no matter who tells them.
THE LEGEND
I have always had trouble writing short stories. Whenever I got an idea and started to write it down, it would end up as the premise for an entire novel, or even a series. So, I thought I would challenge myself. I made a commitment to write lore for each of the kingdoms of Orbis, whether they ended up in the actual series or not. This will not only help improve my short story writing abilities but will also give a lot of backbone to the World of Orbis.
The first legend I will be writing is titled 'Cian and Photina'. It's a story told by the old grandmothers who live by the coast of Caeruleum. They tell it to all of the young Shefro children who seem to feel drawn to the ocean, in hopes that they will think twice before traveling off to distant lands.
THE RELEASE
I have not picked a release day yet, but I hope to have the legend finished before winter sets in. It will be available for free on my website and there will also be free PDF copies for anyone who would like to print the story out. If you are anything like me, you prefer hard solid paper to a screen when reading.
CHARACTERS
The main characters of this story are of course Cian and Photina, but there are also honorable mentions. I will list everyone here in order of appearance.
Cian
Cian is a young Shefro piper who has always dreamed of going on an adventure. The story even mentions his attempts to find the Isle of Septem, which ties into the plot of the Annals of Orbis.
Princess Chandrina
Chandrina is a beautiful Elven princess who has the responsiblity to sail around Satis and across the ocean to Arietes in order to establish a trade route, but first she must find someone willing to help her on her quest. Cian is the one!
The Golden Bird
This bird has no name, but without him Cian would probably have died long before the story even got started!
Photina
Photina is the strange Cieven maiden who stops Chandrina and Cian in the Forest of Arietes asking their business. As the Cievo are a secretive and hidden people, Cian and Chandrina meet no one before Photina. They are therefore rather shocked by her sudden appearance.
The Shadow in Black
And of course, last but not least, I need to mention the mysterious shadow who follows Cian because he has betrayed his people.
Like all legends, this one has a moral the old grandmothers never fail to point out. Cian was foolish enough to seek adventure away from his own country. Thus he became subject to many trials that he, a poor Shefro, could not possibly withstand.
Well, that is all I have to tell for now. I hope you will enjoy the story once it is released, and I wish you a great week.
- Anna