The tale of Hylfrid and the demon princess

A wood carving of the river king and his men killing the demoness and her entire household with the aid of quickfire

The tale of Hylfrid is part of the Imerian oral tradition and tells one of the more tragic and darkest of the tales. It tells the tale of how the prince Hylfrid was turned into a dragon for not wanting to marry a demoness.

The tale was copied from a runestone found not too far from Innanhafet but was most likely a copy of an original runestone raised earlier.

The original tale

In the times long since gone did there in the northern river kingdom live a young prince named Hylfrid auf Stjärnkhrone*. He was his father the king’s pride and joy, he was good with knite**, mace on foot just as he was good with knite**, sword, lance and dart on horse and wolf.

Outside of the battle so could he both read and both chissle and write runes at great speed and he was a mage of great renown. He were able to hold debates about gods and the world with the wisest of the priests. When judging did he judge fair and amongst the commoners was he much loved.

However his fame was his face as no such beauty had never been seen nor would never be seen again, amongst the commoners did many a young maiden swoon when they saw him. Amongst the nobility did his father tell no to many a propossal for marriage and amongst the goddesses of Gyllenheim and the spirits did the great ones bicker amongst themselves of who should get to cut their hand with him.

However amongst all the creatures that loved him did one stand out, her name was Ill-karis of demon breed that lived in a kingdom to the east of the kingdom of his father. In the hall of his father did demons do their horrid tasks and on farms around it did humans toil in fear.

When the young princess demon saw him lead huskarls into battle on top of his large steed did she fall in love with him, as her father’s shieldwall broke and he lead a charge with dart and lance with the howling wings of a lardin at the fleeing did she run to the side of the battle and transformed herself into a fair maiden that meet the victorious humans with open arms as the demons retreated back to their hold.

”Who is he that rides so bravely?” she asked. ”That is our prince of the rivers! Hylfrid auf Stjärnkhrone!” A huskarl answered her proudly and in the mind of the demoness did a plan take form.

On the first night after the battlefield did she transform herself into the a beauty to behold, as fair as princess Harlvika that started the war against Malkerborge that sank into the sea. Her blond hair was fair as gold and her eyes were as blue as the sky. ”My prince, marry me and I will be you faithfull and please you as you wish! In weding gift will I give you twelve horses their skin is white as the clouds, their manes is made out of gold and no horse is their equal in speed!” the demoness falsely told as the prince stood up.

”Would you have been a woman of the chronicles and of the high spirits had I said yes!” he spoke and pointed to the door ”But you are the worst kind of demon, leave my sight!” and with that did she run as the sun rose over the horizon.

On the second day after the battle did she appear before him in the shape of a maiden from Sydvinland, her skin was tanned, her hair was the colour of a raven and her eyes the darkest brown as she stood before him, her body more beautiful than before.

”My prince, marry me and I will be you faithful and please you as you wish! In wedding gift will I give you all mills east of Marknahall, their whetstones are made of reddest gold and diamonds covers their wings!” the demoness falsely told as the prince stood up.

”Would you have been a woman of the chronicles and of the high spirits had I said yes!” he spoke and pointed to the door ”But you are the worst kind of demon, leave my sight!” and with that did she run as the sun rose over the horizon.

On the third day after the battle did she appear as herself, her body being the envy of kings and gods her skin red as blood and two horn crowned her raven black hair and she looked at him with eyes of gold. Her body as before being more desirable as it had been the day before.

”My prince, marry me and I will be you faithful and please you as you wish! In weding gift will I give you a blade of purest gold, when in your hand will you the field win!” the demoness falsely told as the prince stood up.

”Would you have been a woman of the chronicles and of the high spirits had I said yes!” he spoke and pointed to the door ”But you are the worst kind of demon, leave my sight!” the demoness cried outraged and tried to force herself at him however the prince easily pushed her aside and laughed at her.

”WILL YOU NOT BE MINE WILL YOU BE THE HORROR OF THE WORLD! AS MY HEART HAS BEEN BROKEN SO WILL YOU BRING NOBODY NOTHING BUT TEARS!” she cried and ran off as the sun went up over the horizon.

On the forth night of the battle did she once again appear in the prince’s room, this time not as a woman but as a viper. She crawled over to his bed and gave him a bite, however no poison coursed through him but rather did a powerful curse.

At once did the prince spring wings and scale covered his body, his neck stretched and his back bent. His arms and legs grew into thick legs of a reptilian and his head took the shape of a triangliar beast as he were transformed into a horrid dragon.

The demoness took her new beast out to the middle of Innanhafet where she crafted a large chain of his tears and seed and her magic. Powerful did the chain seem to be as it held the dragon at the bottom of the sea where only she could see him.

As the full moon rose over the sky however did the dragon break free and attacked longship and brireme alike with a fury unmatched by the worst kind of berserker. However as he had rejected her when the sun rose so had he also to return to his chain when the sun rose the day after.

When the king heard about what had happened to his son did he offer his daughters, lands, sons, titles and gold to whomever could save him or send him to eternal rest. Many a man tried and many a man died. Even many heroes tried and the mighty Ingen with his silver spear were only able to fend off the beast but lost all of his crew and ship before he had to swim for land when he faced the dragon.

As less and less men tried did the king and his son feel more and more horrified what their brother and son had become and saw no way to save him, instead did they gather all their power and with a powerful spell did they manage to make the chain unbreakable even during the full moon.

Next did they sail home and gathered their armies and men as the sun rose and the demons fled to their hold. Quickly did they surround the house of the woman that had cursed their brother and son and put large trees around it. They gathered their men armed with spears and crossbows at the entrance of the great hall and light it ablaze.

When women and men of spirit breed ran out were they allowed to pass, however when demons pained by the sun that showed their true colours ran from the burning inferno was they cut down with no mercy. When nothing remained of the hall but ash and all demons that had ran out laid dead before them did the king and his men return home to mourn their prince and his fate but celebrate that they had avenged him.

While the prince was forever trapped in his new shape and prison so did life continue, the second son took the crown and the line of kings continued, but they did never forget their distant relative and his curse.

• Kite = Kiteshield, a long Imerian shield that was used by heavier soldiers and cavalry alongside the cheaper round shield that was used by lighter infantry and poorer people that could not get a proper kiteshield.

Historical evidence

There are however some evidence that speak of there being a Hyfrid river prince in 163 DC that were cursed by a demon in some manner even if information is sketchy and there are people that theorises that the fabled monster in Innanhafet might be connected to the cursed prince. However so are there also a large part of Imerian academics that argues that the monster is just a myth and so is the tale of the cursed prince.