Random Tidbits From the Bloodline of Senbralni

As a world-builder, I find myself with a gigantic folder filled with information that just won't fit into one of my novels. For instance, there is absolutely no reason for a reader to know the name of every single Leyrkan and Leyrque the Sandleyr has ever seen. There isn't even a reason to know the names of all the Sir Not Appearing In This Films of the Sandleyr. I can tell you exactly where the villages are that the Fire Queen and other Onizards have completely missed. This is useless, however, unless I write another story involving one of those villages (they're fishermen, so sailing across the sea and getting freaked out by the Sandleyr isn't out of the question).

Since the next book is titled "The Blood of Senbralni", I felt like bringing out one of those tidbits from my folder of random information: the bloodline of Senbralni.

Senbralni is a character who has only appeared in the prologues, but he is a legend among the Onizards for bringing love, light, and the Sandleyr to the world. He is also the ancestor of almost every ruler of the Night Kingdom. There has been so much time since Senbralni's reign that rumors and legends about this bloodline are as common as rumors and legends about Senbralni himself. 

So what is truth, and what is legend? Well, it's more fun to leave some things a mystery, but I do have a list of the Leyrkans and Leyrques of the Night Kingdom, a list that I save for future stories. Here are a few stories from that list:

Maraeni (f)

Maraeni was Senbralni’s youngest daughter, and it is said she had the strongest heart of all of his children. Since she had become a joinmate shortly before her father died, she chose to be the Lady of the Night Kingdom instead of the Leyrque. Her devotion to her love meant that, while she was not particularly memorable as a Child of Light, she was the ancestor of all future descendants of Senbralni.

Delraeni Fire-tamer(f), great-great-great-granddaughter of Senbralni

Delraeni was jokingly called Fire-tamer after winning the heart of the Rantrefi, the son of the Day Kingdom’s Leyrkan. Rantrefi had been sent to the Night Kingdom as an ambassador after a scandalous rumor involving an unclaimed egg. Delraeni proved Rantrefi’s innocence, but when he had a choice to return to the Day Kingdom, he confessed the Night had a better view. Ever since, the occasional descendant of Senbralni has sought a mate from the children of the Day Kingdom's rulers.

Bralkanni the Pure (m), great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of Senbralni

Bralkanni had a fear throughout his lifetime that the people of the Night Kingdom would end up worshiping the Bloodline of Senbralni more than the Great Lord of the Sky. This fear kept him from acting on his feelings for the woman that he loved. He was adamant that his people pay proper respect to the Great Lord of the Sky, even to the point of ignoring his proper title. It is said that when he sensed the love his niece, Ranmani, was trying to hide from the Onizard man she loved, he repented from his views on the Bloodline's celibacy and insisted on performing the joinmating ceremony. He was much loved in his later years, and he never wavered from his love for the Great Lord of the Sky (I have to wonder what he'd think of the events described in The Zarder and The Speed of Wind). 

There are many more examples, but I don't want to post them and spoil the story for you. Besides, even though there is a lot of world-building going on in the background, I may not know all of the story yet. There is a very early, very terrible draft of The Zarder in which Lady Delsenni is Lord Delsenni, Leyrkan Mekanni's dear and platonic friend. Enjoy these tidbits while I write the rest!