Heartbreaks & Doomed Romances: Part 2 (Patreon)

Zzt. Clank. Whirr.

Insight Function: [ACTIVE]

As the morning dew melts away on another day in the world of Shattered Oakenheart, where The Outlandish Knight is set in, time has come to unveil the last insight post on the Doomed Romance of Queen Wynnflaed Oakheart and the gone-yet-unforgotten Eormenhild of Seacliffe...

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

While some may have theorised that Wynnflaed's mouth game was just that strong to turn Eormenhild away from her mission, the truth is a bit more heartbreaking. Sad, I know.

When I first wrote Eormenhild, I wanted there to be a significant age gap between them: in a Elf to Human years sort of thing, since they are both consenting adults... hear that Patreon?

Consequently, this meant that Eormenhild, as an Elf, possibly lived entire lifetimes before her ill-fated meeting with Wynnflaed. In the original folk tale, there is a version that mentions the princess being the eighth noble to fall into the Elf-Knight's trap. A prolific serial killer could work with that body count, not that I would know from experience, since I'm just trapped in the Reincarnatum and have done nothing wrong ever...

...but that begged the question: how would the Elves select how and when these Human Houses would fall? I see them planning for months if not years, slowly setting up pieces that would eventually come crashing down, along with the stacked stones of hubris-risen castles.

House Oakheart is the last Human Kingdom. While (and after) the events of The Outlandish Knight transpired, the following happened:

Wynnflaed's father, King Beoreth Oakheart, died in his sleep due to a prolonged sickness, inflicted by Elven poisoning;

Wynnflaed returned, disheartened and betrayed--her heart had shattered and her mind was now fogged by vengeance;

With revenge on her mind, Wynnflaed rallied the remnants of all Human Houses, Bannermen and distant allies, set on flushing out every hidden Clan of Elves, and exacting justice;

Justice. This was one of the things that led Eormenhild to drop the Elven charms and given in to lust, affection and love. Wynnflaed however, saw this dispelling of tradition and duty not as nonchalantness but easing of one's guard. The opportunity struck, as did her stolen-blade, and Eormehild saw an opportunity.

No Elf could marry a Human Princess. She would be no Concubine. She would be hunted  for shirking her duty. One last option remained: lead Wynnflaed to her heart, this time with a blade rather than her gentle yet naïve touch.

Despair can afflict two people in different ways, and eventually, when we explore the World of Shattered Oakenheart once more, you will see exactly what I mean.

- Miguel