Poem: "Shards of a Different Past"
Here is today's freebie. It was inspired by a prompt from ellenmillion, who asked about the alternate history of Torn World. Yes, you may prompt for alt-history in a project I frequent, rather than Earth history, if you wish. In canonical Torn World history, Inoram -- the core of what became the great Empire of the south -- contacted and conquered Roluma fairly early. But suppose the shards had fallen in a different order, and Roluma had more allies when that barrier fell ...
Shards of a Different Past
As the barriers began to fall,
the people of Roluma expanded west
through the Riilass swamps to the central gulf
where they met the Irfai and the Duurludirj.
Fierce pirates and doughty warsailors
braved the high waves despite the sea monsters.
The Irfai loved the Roluman spearbeaks, and
rode them as easily as the pitching deck of a ship.
The Duurludirj in particular were thrilled
by scytheclaw packs that would attack even Death
and by oxbirds as beasts of burden for their tropical islands.
The Roluma had found loyal new friends.
When the Little Empire attacked out of Inoram
across the deadlands of a fallen barrier,
the cavalry held them at bay
while the navy sailed up the interior sea
to cut Inoram into three pieces,
dividing and conquering.
To the children of Roluma, it was nothing more
than another boring chapter in the history books,
the place marked by a colorful feather.