The Tale of Emdore and Emlioon

The Tale of Emdore and Emlioon is a popular maenhu story, about two warriors from Espal and Wahleen falling in love while fighting each other, and finally leaving the maenhu together. It is originally a brief story, later expanded into The Saga of Emdore and Emlioon which added details such as the principal characters speaking to one another before truly falling in love, and their errant rankings during the war.[1] The original ending sees the two protagonists leaving Breilin together, but over the years there has been versions of the tale where they sometimes return to Espal or Wahleen, others where they die together in battle.[1]

Excerpts
In those days, there was a great war between Wahleen and Espal, fought in the hills of Portant. In those days, a young errant named Emdore fought for Espal against Wahleen. In those days, a young errant named Emlioon fought for Wahleen. And so on one of those fateful days, they were brought together on the same battlefield, and long did they do battle.[2] Emlioon was the daughter of a merchant and pledged to marry a nobleman. But though the daughter of a merchant, she found her joy on the battlefield. She had defeated all foes before the day she met Emdore on the field of battle, and they fought, halberd against lance. And as lance met halberd, Emlioon felt a joy that she had never felt in the halls of her mother and father.[3] When first they fought, the battle tore them apart. Yet in those days, the tides of battle brought them together again. When next they fought, Emdore was victorious, yet he stayed his hand, admiring the skill of his opponent and the joy of their battle. When they fought for a third time, Emlioon was victorious, but instead of striking a final blow, she removed her helm and declared that she wanted nothing more than to go on fighting him, not as enemies but as fellow errants.[4] Emdore was shocked by the sight of Emlioon's hair beneath her helm and all his fellows told him that she was surely an enemy assigned to seduce him. As the memories of her hair and halberd haunted him, Emdore sought other battlefields and other foes, yet none in the Maenhu could stand against his lance. Emlioon wept, but as she wept, she thought.[5] Refusing her betrothal, Emlioon donned the armor of an Espalese errant and attempted to cross the warring lines. Yet as she crossed those warring lines, a Wahleenese errant fell upon her. She began to throw aside her helm to show herself, yet her opponent pressed her sorely, and she was unable to take her hands from her halberd. And as she felt a familiar joy fill her, she threw herself at her opponent’s lance.[6] The Wahleenese errant removed his helm and was revealed to be Emdore, and Emdore cast his helm aside. He lowered his lance and caught Emlioon with his arms instead. The two proclaimed that they wanted nothing more than one another and cast aside all their armor, and with their armor cast aside, they journeyed together to the south, the war of those days forgotten.[7]