CRT:7:16 "Creation is also, for mortals, the school of life. The training ground for godhood. There are Three Circles of Reality, three realms, three stages of existence. They are: Heaven, where perfection visualised on Earth may be realised and desires and ideals materialised; where hard-striven-for aspirations are attained; it is the place where all the properly developed spiritual potential latent in man reaches maturity and fulfilment. Earth, the place of training, development and preparation, the testing ground, the battlefield where men discover their true natures when confronted by life's challenges, contests and contentions; where competition and controversy are the rule. It is here that aims and objectives are conceived and thought-out for realisation later in the proper place. It is a starting point, the beginning of the journey; it is here that the proper road must be wisely chosen. Then, there is the Realm of the Misty Horizon, the intermediate place, the place of spirits, where those above can commune with those below and where free spirits wander within their limitations."
CRT:7:17 These things, which Habaris taught in those far off days, have been rewritten in transmission to accord with our understanding, but it is unwise to voice them in these troublesome days, when words become snares
to entrap the unwary.
CRT:7:18 Now, Idalvar desired to learn the secret of the bright blade engendering thunderstones, but no man who came with Habaris or laboured for him would disclose any part of it, and the king was afraid to put them to the test. So, having thought the matter out, the king sent for his daughters and told them what he expected them to do, for he had devised a plan to learn the secret. Then, he sent an invitation to Herthew and Habaris. When they arrived at the king's encampment, they found a great gathering in their honour, and the king's daughters favourably inclined towards them, one smiling upon Herthew and the other upon Habaris who was at the age of hoaryheadedness. Though at first, Habaris was indifferent and wearied her, the king's daughter pandered to him, encouraging even his follies, setting out to charm him with her wit and beauty.
CRT:7:19 It was no great length of time before her womanly wiles ensnared the heart of Habaris, and though he was almost ripe for the surrender of secrets, the damsel's efforts had taxed her, and the game became tiresome, so there came an evening when she could not endure his company. In the midst of the merrymaking, when the alebowls had made many rounds and the sound of song and story was at its height, she slipped away with a young battleman, who attended upon her father. Many who sat among the benches saw this and whispered to one another, nodding knowingly in the direction of Habaris who was not unaware, though he appeared to have drunk to his capacity.
CRT:7:20 Habaris had learned to love the young woman; so he was sorely heartsmitten, but within himself, he knew the tree of Winter love bears only Winter's fruits. Yet he made excuses to himself for her, thinking perhaps it was just some girlishness with no more weight than a floating feather, nothing of serious import, for it was true the merrymaking was better suited to the natures of men than the natures of women. Maybe, he thought, it is just an innocent indiscretion.
CRT:7:21 So when the day came to its fullness and those who had made merry went heavily about their tasks, Habaris approached the king and asked for his daughter's hand in marriage. He said, "Your daughter Klara has delighted me with her winsome ways; she has charmed me with her gaiety and beauty; she has displayed much pleasure in my company; surely I have not misread the signs." The king was not overpleased, for though he greatly desired to know the secret of the bright blade he had not intended giving his daughter's hand to Habaris, but neither did he wish to offend him. Therefore, he was wary in his reply, saying, "It is the custom for any suitor for a highborn woman's hand to be himself highborn and worthily battleblooded. Yet, such is my affection for you that I would not let even the custom become a bar to this marriage, and you may be a battleblooded man among your own people. But let us not enter lightly into this thing, for the girl is still young and it would be well if you established yourself favourably with her. She will be a worthy wife indeed, for she is one who is ever ready to learn, one with an enquiring mind. Nothing gives her greater pleasure than the acquisition of knowledge." So the matter was left.
CRT:7:22 Now, some days later Idalvar and his retinue, accompanied by Herthew and Habaris, went to the gathering place for folkfeasts, some five days journey away. People were accustomed to meeting here every thirteen moons to celebrate the season of fruitfulness, many coming a great distance. Beside the gathering place was the compound of a far-framed seer and warlock called Gwidon, who, in the fullness of the moon on the third night, would prophesy events for the forthcoming year.
CRT:7:23 Idalvar and those with him presented their gifts and took their places before the compound. Presently, Gwidon came out cloaked in the skins of wild dogs, with a horned crown and skull-headed staff. He seated himself before a small fire, into which he threw prescriptions, making a cloud of smoke, which completely enveloped him. When this had drifted away, he seemed to be asleep, but after a while, he lifted his head; then raising himself up, he started to prophesy.
CRT:7:24 He talked awhile of small matters, then told of dangers to the people through enemies who would bear down from the Northlands. He prophesied a great bloodletting, telling people they would be saved by a great war leader, a king knowing the secret of the bright blade, himself a war- wielder of one. He exhorted the people to bestir themselves and prepare, wasting no time in finding their leader.
CRT:7:25 No man among the people knew the mysteries of the bright blade except Habaris, but he was not a man of battle and Herthew was not high born among them. So, though they talked long, they talked in tangles, failing to resolve the issue. It was then decided each should go his own way, but they should meet at the same place again at the next full moon, when Gwidon would be able to help with their decision.
CRT:7:26 When Idalvar returned to his encampment, he was no longer hesitant about the marriage of his daughter, ordering that it should take place forthwith. But he stipulated that Habaris must initiate him and his sons into the mysteries of the bright blade immediately. This being agreed, arrangements for the marriage were put in hand.
CRT:7:27 Habaris and Klara were married, and Idalvar and his sons partially initiated into the mysteries of the bright blade, for the king was told it would take some time for the initiation to be completed. So when they next went to the meeting place, Idalvar was proclaimed the war leader, with his sons to follow according to their ages, should he fall in battle. But Habaris had spoken to Gwidon in secret, and matters were so arranged that should the sons of Idalvar fall, then Herthew would become the battle chief.
CRT:7:28 The king and those with him returned to their home compound where they were to prepare battlemen, but Herthew was to go back to the gathering place and there train fighting men in the battle tactics which brought them clashing into the foe.
CRT:7:29 Now, on their wedding night, when they had retired to their bower, Klara burst into tears and fell weeping with her head on the knees of Habaris, confessing she was not a virgin and had deceived him, begging his forgiveness. Habaris raised her up and said, "Even the wisest of men becomes a fool when his heart blinds him to reason. The older the fool, the bigger the fool. He did not question her regarding love, for he knew she could not love and deceive him; she had given her heart, and with it, her virginity to another. Yet, he made an excuse for her to himself, thinking that she had not wilfully deceived him but had acted out of duty to her father. Also, truly loving someone and wishing to demonstrate that love, she necessarily had to sacrifice the happiness and content, the self-respect of her husband-to-be, the choice had been hers to make. It is ever so. Habaris asked if her father had known how things were and she said, "He suspected, for am I not his daughter?" Thus, Habaris found himself tied to an unloving wife, for he chose to disregard the custom of the people. He wondered, was she also to be an undutiful and unfaithful one?