Elven Brothers

The Guardians

There were two elven brothers in a wood long ago

They lived at the borders and much did they know

They stayed always together and never did part

They were aged close together, just a year apart

The eldest called Deflin was bravest of both

The younger named Leaflin loved Deflin the most

In boyhood they played and learned much from each other

There was never one alone, always one with the other

Into adult hood they grew, still did they not part

Even when Leaflin had a love in his heart

They stayed by the borders guarding them well

Helping all who needed it and let them rest there

For years did the brothers fight evil that came

Never did it change them, they for always the same

Still they sheltered travelers, whoever did come

Feeding and guiding them, turning out none

The strangers that feared elves and hated them both

Tried always to hurt them but could never succeed

For the brothers guarded fiercely the lives of each other

And never submitted the life of a brother

Together they stood guarding all those within

 For the thickly treed wood, every fight did they win

Then Fate came one day in the form of a shadow

A traitor it seemed but alas was not told

He came dark and swiftly, not a sound did he make

He crept forward so, out his great sword did take

Unto Leaflin he came for the elves he did fear

He had mastered the silence, and Leaflin didn’t hear

He approached fully focused on his prey that stood before him

He did not sense another who was waiting nearby

When Fate lunged at Leaflin, his sword hit another

And Leaflin looked up to see the fall of his brother

In grief did he cry and in anger did swing

 Of the grief in his heart his sword blade did sing

Leaflin took the life of his brother’s ruthless killer

He wept by the body and in grief he did sigh

Long years to Leaflin given by his brother’s own soul

Many years had passed since he took the body home

He still guarded the borders and had married his love

And one day at sunset he saw a white dove

Of Deflin did he think and wished he could fly

And leaving the Earth he went to the sky

Deflin he saw, then on Earth did they look

Leaflin’s body lay still, the shell that grief took