Title page for the Prologue.

Each chapter of the book will have a title page, so please don’t be disappointed by this. Such pages will not only give the illusion of a proper chapter break, such as would be found in a printed book, but they will also give the creator, J. M. DeSantis, a week to either catch up or take a break between chapters (which may be necessary in the future of this book’s publication).

For those with difficulty reading the text, it reads thusly:

If at all my wordes seem’th uncouth in th’ telling, or leav’th one wanting, I beg your forgiv’ness. I am but a man, lowly and humbl’d by th’ limitations which th’ One saw’st fit to bestow upon me. I can only aspire to th’ greatness of th’ Englari or th’ One, or e’en th’ First Born, who after came and are said to have master’d th’ art of wordes ere th’ first Man walkt upon th’ Earth. This I will attempt’th for th’ love of my ranee. And knowing of no motivation more pure or more perilous, I begin now th’ tale of Chadhiyana for thee…

~ A translation from the Chadhiyanaburnal, which is put a part of the Praveetiram Tadhree, the Song of the Sacred Fire

Or, for a more Modern translation:

If at all my words seem uncouth in the telling, or leave one wanting, I beg your forgiveness. I am but a man, lowly and humbled by the limitations which the One saw fit to bestow upon me. I can only aspire to the greatness of the Englari or the One, or even the First Born, who after came and are said to have mastered the art of words ere the first Man walked upon the Earth. This I will attempt for the love of my ranee. And knowing of no motivation more pure or more perilous, I begin now th’ tale of Chadhiyana for thee…

~ A translation from the Chadhiyanaburnal, which is put a part of the Praveetiram Tadhree, the Song of the Sacred Fire

For those with difficulty reading the text, it reads thusly:

Hark’n, my ranee, my queen, for I speake of that part of th’ Songe of th’ Sacr’d Fire which touch’th most closely to thine heart. Know that it is impossible to tell th’ tale of th’ First Flame and not recount’th th’ legends of Chadhiyana, strong’st and most beautiful of all th’ women who have e’er walkt b’neath th’ heav’nly sky, save my ranee, Gujrapee, alone, her rav’n hair soft as silke, her brown eyes deep wells of wisdom, her red heart fill’d with boundless love and kindness. She rivals in e’ery waye e’en th’ twelve Englari who are near’st th’ One.

I am too bolde! If in speaking so my wordes have offend’d thee, my raja, my king, I beg thou leave my head where it sitt’th but longe enough for my tale to be tolde, that Ranee Gujrapee might hear’th that which she command’d me compose. Hear and judge. For of all th’ tales of th’ world, Ranee Gujrapee would hear’th of Chadhiyana most of all, and I would not deny her least wish.

Or, for a more Modern translation:

Harken, my ranee, my queen, for I speak of that part of the Song of the Sacred Fire which touches most closely to thine heart. Know that it is impossible to tell the tale of the First Flame and not recount the legends of Chadhiyana, strongest and most beautiful of all th’ women who have e’er walked beneath the heavenly sky, save my ranee, Gujrapee, alone, her raven hair soft as silk, her brown eyes deep wells of wisdom, her red heart filled with boundless love and kindness. She rivals in every way even the twelve Englari who are nearest the One.

I am too bold! If in speaking so my words have offended thee, my raja, my king, I beg thou leave my head where it sit but long enough for my tale to be told, that Ranee Gujrapee might hear that which she commanded me compose. Hear and judge. For of all the tales of the world, Ranee Gujrapee would hear of Chadhiyana most of all, and I would not deny her least wish.

Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows

– a graphic novel –

written & illustrated
by
J. M. DeSantis

Chadhiyana and all related properties are the ™ trademark and © copyright of J. M. DeSantis. All rights reserved.