The Maze of Kinea

"The Maze of Kinea" is a fairy tale known by most children living along the Long Coast. There are many variations of the story, but all feature Kinea, a young woman architect who thwarts her suitors with a deadly maze. Kinea is also a legendary figure in Regotia: they believe she founded their nation, and personally raised the walls of their capital city, Kazio.

This version of the tale was collected in the tome "Legends From Across the Lands," authored by Tempi of Orb's Rest.

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Before the raising of Kazio as a city, in the eastern mountains beyond Archus, there lived a king named Jotef. And Jotef had a daughter who he named Ginta, and to her he provided the finest instructors in statecraft and strategy, diplomacy and finance, the philosophies of the ancients and a host of other disciplines, for she was his heir and would need great knowledge and wisdom if she were to rule a secure and prosperous kingdom.

Jotef had many other children, sons and daughters alike, and for these Jotef likewise summoned tutors of renown to teach them the skills they might need in their assigned vocation. For all were expected to excel in some skill to which they displayed an inclination, that they might win the renown and attention of neighboring kingdoms into which they must someday marry.

To some of Jotef’s children were taught the arts of combat and the strategies of war, for they displayed a military inclination. Some studied the ancient texts of the gods and the commentaries, for worship and ministering unto the faithful was their calling. Some studied shipbuilding and sailing, others economics and coin, yet others the ways of the woods or the disciplines of magic. Regardless of their chosen profession, all were taught some measure of the statecraft and diplomacy taught to Ginta, the eldest, that they all might make fitting matches for marriage into other royal houses.

Kinea was the youngest of Jotef’s daughters, and she loved the building of things. As a child she stacked stones and drew buildings, and so under the tutelage of masters she learned the design and construction of great edifices, the damming of water, the planning and building of cities. She learned the secrets of brick and stone, the hammer and the chisel, the plumb and the square. She took quickly to her lessons, and delighted her tutors, for her mind hungered for knowledge and soon she had surpassed her teachers. She build models of wood, carved sculptures of stone, drew up elaborate plans for edifices and monuments that might adorn her father’s city. Jotef was delighted in Kinea’s skill, and gave unto her everything that she asked for.

Kinea was but a girl of ten when Jotef died, and Ginta, now Queen, came unto her and said: “You are yet too young to marry, but your time of womanhood approaches. You will begin to entertain suitors, and we shall determine a suitable match for you that you might serve our kingdom when you come of age.”

Kinea said unto her sister, the Queen: “Let me mourn my father by building him a mausoleum fit for his greatness. In this, I shall demonstrate my value to all who might court me. When our father is properly interred, we can discuss the disposition of my hand.”

And so the Queen agreed and Kinea drew up plans and hired builders, and for five years constructed a great mausoleum in the center of the city. And upon her fifteenth birthday, she unveiled to the people the resting place of Jotef, and they were amazed, for it was an structure of impressive size, and yet of great beauty, a building of cold stone surrounded by public gardens where the people might gaze upon life-like statues of their beloved late king.

Ginta, the Queen, came unto Kinea again and said: “You have completed your great work, and your skill is now evident to all. Now the time has come for you to entertain suitors, that you might be wed in a year’s time upon your ascension to adulthood.”

But Kinea was dismayed at the thought of suitors vying for her hand, for she held no desire for marriage or lovers, wanting not to marry but merely to continue her work of building. So she said unto Ginta, the Queen: “I do not wish to marry. Allow me to use my skills to serve your kingdom. Someday, perhaps, I may choose to wed, and if that day comes I will allow you to choose my husband.”

And Ginta, the Queen, rebuked her sister, saying: “Your duty is to wed, that we might make peace with other kingdoms and increase our lands and influence. You shall entertain suitors and select one, or one shall be selected for you, and you shall wed in one year’s time.”

But Kinea was cunning, and wishing to postpone her marriage, said: “Very well, sister, let me then prepare for courting by building a grand palace where my future husband and I might make a home. When my home is completed, we can discuss the disposition of my hand.”

But Ginta, the Queen, was not fooled, and knew her sister’s mind, and said: “Such a structure will take many years yet, and you shall be an adult in but a year’s time. You cannot put off your marriage any longer. You shall build no more great structures. You shall be wed, and bred. Prepare yourself to receive suitors.”

And Kinea pled with her sister that she might be allowed to remain unmarried, but Ginta, the Queen, clapped her hands once, summoning the guards and saying: “Take my sister to her chambers where she will remain until her nameday.”

And Kinea was locked into her room where she wept bitterly, for she wanted no part of marriage nor of courting.

Now Erutul, the son of Gorgus Coldbreath, was passing through that kingdom and he heard Kinea’s weeping, and he came to her window and asked her: “Mortal child, why do you weep?”

And Kinea answered: “I am to be forced to marry, and my freedom has been taken away from me.”

And Erutul did pity Kinea, and said unto her: “I shall aid thee, child of Yuu. Tomorrow you shall give these words unto your sister, and then you shall be free.”

In the morning, Kinea did plead that Ginta, the Queen, might speak with her, and so Ginta, the Queen, came to Kinea’s chambers, and there Kinea knelt before her sister and begged for her forgiveness. And feigning contrition, she said: “I should still like to construct a grand palace, so let us make a wager. I will build my palace in one year. If I fail in this task, I will marry whatever husband you choose for me, without complaint, and I will submit to him and perform my duties to the throne as an obedient wife. If I succeed, however, I shall be allowed to choose whom I will marry.”

And Ginta, the Queen, frowned, but also had pity for her beloved sister and saw no reason to refuse this request, and so she agreed to Kinea’s terms and ordered that Kinea be freed and given whatever resources she requested to build her new palace.

All night Kinea drew up plans, and the next morning she rolled up her scrolls and set out from the city, riding to an open place three day’s journey away.  There Erutul appeared, and with him were Mue, Mynda, Shaiyra, and some other of the children of the gods. And Erutul said: “We are the children of the gods, and we have no temples or worshippers of our own. If you will vow to build a great temple to our names, we will build your grand palace in but a year.”

And Kinea did agree and took a solemn oath. Around the site Shaiyra raised a great thicket of trees so that none could see within, and for a year Kinea worked beside the children of the gods, unseen by mortal eyes.

As the year came to a close, Ginta, the Queen, did command that the ceremony of Kinea’s sixteenth name day be planned, and the ceremony for her ascension to adulthood. And the whole city was decorated and made ready for the return of the princess. And Ginta, the Queen, did invite many suitors from neighboring kingdoms, for the rumors of Kinea’s beauty and skill had travelled far, and many had sent letters petitioning for her hand. And the monarchs of neighboring kingdoms came, along with their sons who they hoped might win Kinea’s hand.

But as Kinea’s nameday approached, Ginta, the Queen, grew nervous, for no word had come from Kinea whether the building was nearing completion, and she feared some scheme of Kinea’s to escape from marriage. And so Ginta, the Queen, invited the suitors to ride with her to retrieve Kinea, that she might not be allowed to escape from her responsibilities. And so the queen and the suitors rode from the city, and with her went also the royalty from the neighboring kingdoms, along with many priests of Maiyou, that Kinea might be married at once without any further delays. And many of the townspeople followed after, for they wished to see the wedding of their beloved princess.

When the crowd arrived, they saw only Kinea standing before a large thicket of trees. And the suitors were smitten with her beauty.  And Ginta, the Queen, rode to her sister’s side and embraced her, and said: “Now, sister, the time has come for you to put aside these childish things, and wed. I will select from among these suitors, and you shall be married tonight.”

And Kinea said: “Did we not agree, sister, that should I complete my palace, I might choose for myself who I wish to marry?”

And Ginta, the Queen, laughed, and said: “Yes, such was our agreement, but I do not see any palace here.”

And Kinea gave a great shout, and the thicket of trees withered and sank into the ground, revealing, a good distance away upon a hilltop, a grand palace of gold and white stone, with many towers.  And surrounding the hill, encompassing a wide area around it, was a wall of great height with a single massive gate leading within. The people were amazed, and Kinea said: “Now, sister, our bargain is complete. I must be allowed to choose for myself who I will marry.”

And Ginta, the Queen, was annoyed at this, but smiled. “Very well, sister, you may choose, but you must choose now!” And she gestured that the suitors might approach.

But Kinea said: “Very well. I choose now. I choose that I shall marry no one. I shall remain unmarried!” And fleeing, she passed beyond the gate, running to her new palace, laughing.

And Ginta, the Queen, was overcome with wrath. “My sister acts as if she is a wild beast, never to be tamed! Very well!” She turned to the suitors. “If she will not be wooed, she shall be taken by force! Whichever of you can capture and tame her shall win her hand. But she will be wed tonight!”

And the suitors rushed forward beyond the gate, swords drawn, laughing among themselves and boasting how they might conquer the elusive and beautiful Kinea. But they found themselves quickly lost, for Kinea had surrounded her palace with a massive labyrinth of carved stone, with many passages and dead ends, and no clear path. And from somewhere beyond the maze they heard Kinea’s laughter, and her mocking voice:

“I shall not marry, and neither shall ye.

It matters not if you fight or you flee!

This maze be your tomb, and your ossuary!”

And those outside of the maze heard this and were greatly dismayed. And some among the suitors turned to flee, but found that they were already lost, and it seemed as if the walls themselves had changed behind them. And others among the suitors pressed forward, but found only more passages and more walls. And some among the suitors did turn on each other, and the sound of swords could be heard by those waiting outside. And many hours passed and the sun vanished from the sky, and silence fell, but none returned from the maze.

And Ginta, the Queen, was furious, and she sent her soldiers into the maze, but these too did not return. And from within the maze, again, came Kinea’s mocking song:

“I shall not marry, and neither shall ye.

It matters not if you fight or you flee!

This maze be your tomb, and your ossuary!”

And night passed again into day, and none emerged from the maze, and the monarchs from neighboring kingdoms, the fathers and mothers of the suitors, demanded that Ginta, the Queen, return to them their missing sons. So, trembling, she entered the maze herself. But she found herself quickly lost and suddenly back at the entrance. She turned, and entered the maze again, but found herself again at its beginning.

And she cried: “Kinea! Sister! Let me pass through your maze!” And Kinea’s voice came from within, saying:

“My sister, my sister, beloved you are to me.

A tomb for you my maze never shall be.

To your city fly, live long and free.

But to all others, beware, from this place flee!

Should any enter here, their tomb this will be!”

And the monarchs of neighboring kingdoms were furious and departed, vowing revenge and planning for war. And so Ginta, the Queen, lamented at the gates of Kinea’s maze, crying: “Now you have wrought the destruction of your father’s kingdom. War comes, and we cannot prevail against so many foes.”

And from within the maze, Kinea’s voice returned.

“I told you I would not wed.

Let this fate be on your own head.”

And Ginta, the Queen, was forced to return to her city without Kinea, where she prepared for war. And the monarchs of neighboring kingdoms did invade and wage bloody war upon Ginta, and her kingdom was destroyed and she was slain.

And the monarchs, still in great anger at Kinea for the loss of their sons, turned to move their armies against her palace, but when they arrived there they found only a thicket of trees, and beyond only a bare grassy hill. Neither stones nor bones remained to mark where the maze of Kinea had stood.

And Kinea was never seen again in those realms, but it is said that she kept her vow to the children of the gods, and raised the great temple of flames that stands outside of the forest of Rego, where the city of Kazio would one day be founded. And it is said that the great walls of that city were raised by her own hand, and that she lived out her final days in that city, content and unwed.

Of the fate of Kinea’s suitors, nothing more has been said.