Where History Meets Fantasy by Meghan Le Fay
When I set out to write Wings of Life as an epic romantic fantasy, the last thing on my mind was sitting down to hours of research. I knew that I wanted the influence of medieval and Viking history to add color to the fantasy world I was creating, while still taking liberties of my own. The process of marrying my imagination with gems from the past turned out to be a special kind of treasure.
At the start of Wings of Life, our heroine Serae is sent away to the enemy lands to the north to marry the high dane’s heir. My goal in creating this land—known as Rihtlond—was to dismantle some of the patriarchal lens we tend to have toward history. I did this first and foremost by the inclusion of women and nonbinary characters as central roles within the culture, an idea which is actually steeped in history.
As more women have joined typically male-dominated fields related to science and history, delightful discoveries about women’s role in history abound. We now know that many Viking warrior graves contained women bearing their own weapons and armor, proving that the Viking and Old Norse stories and artwork of shield maidens bore historical weight. Prior to this, they were assumed as figures of story, myth, and legend, but many disregarded the notion that they represented historical fact. (I speak here in absolutes, but the subject is still debated.) In fashioning the warriors of the Riht, I chose to remove the gender divide entirely.
The notion that warriors must be men does not exist in Rihtlond, though it does exist in other cultures within my world. In Rihtlond, women fight side-by-side along their male counterparts. More than this, they aren’t just welcomed, their presence is expected.
Further, a wider range of gender representation is readily accepted, so nonbinary, gender fluid, and transgender individuals are welcomed with open arms. In this aspect, I deviated from medieval history and instead loosely pulled from indigenous tribes around the world who regularly acknowledge multiple genders—often three or more. I found it incredibly encouraging to learn of so many different cultures with progressive and inclusive views of gender, and in my heart of hearts, I knew Rihtlond had to be one of them.
Another aspect of Viking warfare that I borrowed and adapted for the Dragonbound Chronicles related to the construction of warships. Viking warships tended to be lower to the water, allowing warriors to make land and hop right out to attack. This made stealth attacks by ships easier, giving Vikings a crucial edge. These crafts also tended to be faster and more navigable than some of their counterparts of the time.
I borrowed and adapted a few of the sailing vessels into my world, where you’ll see longships and galleys geared toward warfare as well as toward merchant transport. However, I took significant liberties with larger ships able to house and transfer horses, which didn’t become prevalent until after the Vikings’ time. This enabled me to create an attitude of fear toward Rihtish warriors that was backed by more than just their skills in weaponry. They had a tactical edge while still having flexibility for large-scale transport capable of weathering ocean waves.
For those of you who (like me) are terrible with dates, the Middle Ages very widely spanned the fifth to fifteenth centuries—a whole millennium—in which Viking Age appeared in the dead center between the ninth to eleventh centuries. I fully took advantage of how these dates coincided. While I pulled from some Viking inspirations for Rihtlond, I borrowed from medieval Europe in crafting Inra, where our heroine Serae is from.
Here we find a facsimile of a feudal system in place. Lands are bestowed by the king and technically owned by the king, though different dukes, earls, and margraves hold responsibility for the lands. In turn, lesser lords and tenants live on the land. They work the soil, mine the earth, and provide young men as soldiers to make up the king’s army.
This is very similar to the fiefs and vassals system of medieval Europe, where there was a symbiotic relationship between the lord and vassal with regards to the land—related to the care and protection of both the fief and the people living there. The vassal owed fealty to the lord for use of the land, which might be paid in coin, crops, goods and services, or even militia. In return, the lord provided protection and acted as legal authority.
At the time when our heroine embarks on her journey, Inra—where Serae is from—has already been unified under one law, for which the king holds ultimate authority. I included a concept of a court and presence of nobility at the king’s court currying favor and acting as courtiers vying for power and attention. Many of these concepts are seen more classically in fantasy works, so readers will likely find this aspect familiar, which I used to heighten the perceived “otherness” of Rihtlond.
I also used clothing pulled from the later Middle Ages to continue to highlight the difference between Inra and Rihtlond. I’ve given classic styles to men such as doublets and tunics while having women don the sorts of layers and gowns common in the twelfth to fourteenth centuries. For women, I borrowed French terms, so readers can catch Serae in sollars, chemise, bliaut, or cote.
However, in Rihtlond, I took liberties with creating a fashion entirely unique to the culture, drawing more on my imagination than history. Tying back to a branching away from the patriarchy, women in Rihtlond wear practical skirts, leggings, and even pants. They have pouches and pockets aplenty and wear clothing primarily for function while still having options for individuality and self-expression. This isn’t limited to women, as people of all genders have options to predominately wear what they feel suit themselves best.
I hope you look for these inspirations as you dive into the lands of Jaeda in Wings of Life. In writing it, I enjoyed some of the classic aspects I’ve always romanticized about medieval times, while tempering it with a more accepting and open culture that embraces the many roles woman play in their society.—
Meghan Le Fay hails from present-day Earth, despite her lifelong dream of being born as an elf in Middle-earth. A constant and consummate fan of fantasy, she lives, breathes, and dreams in the spidery language of the magic. Her works are inspired by her obsessions with mythology, medieval history, and all things magical and mystical—especially dragons.
When not writing or daydreaming of other realms, Meghan can be found avoiding the Arizona desert heat through reading, crafting, music, or dance. Or having wild adventures (both real and imaginary) with her family.
—
Fans of enemies-to-lovers romance and epic dragon-filled fantasy will be swept into Le Fay’s Wings of Life, where duty, danger, and forbidden desire collide.
***DELUXE LIMITED EDITION HARDCOVER with stenciled edges, a beautiful foil-stamped hardcover, exclusive interior design with full-color endpapers*** Only while supplies last.
They cast me off to Rihtlond as a bride.
They don’t care if I come back alive.
Too sharp-tongued and too curious, I am my mother’s greatest lament and my father’s constant frustration. Unwilling to bow to their will, I’ve become expendable, worth sending on a mission doomed to fail.
Armed with nothing but a coded journal, a quill, and my wits, I’m thrust into the kingdom of our oldest enemy—a land of storms and warriors—to wed their high dane’s son. Trapped on their ruthless continent, I am no blushing bride. I’m a spy sent to unlock Rihtlond’s weaknesses… a cuckoo in the robin’s nest.
But my heart still bleeds red when the weaponmaster of these strange people steals it away. Through him, I learn to unlock their secrets. What I uncover is more dangerous than I ever imagined: magic thrumming in the roots of Rihtlond, a dragon hidden in plain sight, and a love I was never meant to feel. Holding this knowledge, I am meant to return home and bind myself to a future I was given long ago.
Now, as war rises and alliances crumble, I must choose between duty and desire, between the family who cast me aside and the bond that awakens who I truly am. To protect what I’ve found—and who I become—I must risk everything. Even if it brands me a traitor. Even if it costs me my life.
BUY HERE
Category: On Writing
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
