H. J. Buell
Bio
⚔️Georgian mythology meets Game of Thrones⚔️
The Knight in the Panther Skin — Georgia’s 🇬🇪 12th-century national epic — in modern English prose for the first time.
Read all 174 chapters, serialized weekly and completely free.
@hjbuell
Stories (46)
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At Last We Meet (CH 21)
Asmath came to Avtandil and took his hand, leading him out like a full moon revealed from behind clouds. She brought him to Tariel, who stood and stared at him in wonder. To his eyes, the stranger looked like a star fallen from heaven. Then she spoke, revealing the truth behind her promise.
By H. J. Buell14 days ago in Chapters
A Man Undone (CH 20)
Though a prisoner now, Avtandil’s heart was at last freed from the dungeon of loneliness it had so long been chained in. He looked on in silence as Asmath stretched out the panther skin for the Knight to rest on. When Tariel sat down, he let loose a heavy sigh, morose and brooding. For all his beauty and power, the pain behind his eyes marked him as a broken man.
By H. J. Buell14 days ago in Chapters
The Threads Between Us (CH 19)
“In all the world, there is no other place you will learn the story of this Knight. Yet, if he will not tell you what you seek, it will not be told. He carries the weight of this stone around his neck, and no other can give you the truth. If your words are sincere, wait here until he returns, and above all, be calm around him.”
By H. J. Buell14 days ago in Chapters
A Knight Revealed (CH 18)
Asmath wept as she looked at the young stranger and wondered what to do about this man. He had held her against her will and threatened her life, yet he did not truly harm her. Of course, he did not give her any reason to forgive him, but her Knight was not so different than the man who sat before her. As her tears fell, she watched, and her heart began to soften.
By H. J. Buell16 days ago in Chapters
Breaking the Girl (CH 17)
She cried out at the sight of Avtandil, trying to flee into the trees, but she was not fast enough. He leaped from his horse and seized her like a bird in a net, wrestling her to the ground. She wailed at the loss of her freedom, as all wild things do.
By H. J. Buell16 days ago in Chapters
My Brother Before Me (CH 15)
“In the middle of our hunt, and seemingly from nowhere, a Black Knight appeared. The man was dark and morose, with a grim visage. It seemed as if smoke and mist had brought the spirits of the plains to life. He was seated on the blackest of steeds, which was armored and bedecked in jewels, somehow seeming to float.”
By H. J. Buell19 days ago in Chapters
Duty Is a Mountain (CH 14)
Though Avtandil had come up the mountain easily, going down the other side proved considerably more difficult. The ceaseless babble of streams and murmur of trees on the wind frustrated him, as did the many obstacles he was forced to overcome. Carefully choosing his path, he crossed through woods and over small ravines and rivers as he made his way down. By the time he reached the bottom, his pride and the power of his arms had been spent on the tricky descent.
By H. J. Buell20 days ago in Chapters
Earth Beneath Your Feet (CH 12)
The next day dawned bright and sunny, without a cloud in the sky. Avtandil prepared himself and readied gear for his journey. Then he called Shermadin and gave him a letter tied with gold and sealed with wax. This would be read to the armies when they realized their general was gone. Until then, it would be kept away.
By H. J. Buell21 days ago in Chapters
The Lament of Shermadin (CH 11)
Shermadin cried out in denial when he heard what was planned, begging his friend to consider a different course of action. “Why must you face the dangers of our frontier without aid? I will accompany you, and we will ride away from the Kingdom together. Do you not think I would prefer the earth to cradle me beside instead of knowing you were alone when you needed my help most?”
By H. J. Buell22 days ago in Chapters
Avtandil's Confession (CH 10)
For twenty days, Avtandil rode across the Kingdom. He journeyed without pause, often riding through the night. In his heart, every step forward was one closer to Tinatin, the treasure and joy of his world. Nothing would steer him from his course or the fulfillment of his vows. He was neither cold nor tired, as the fires of love within kept him warm and filled with vigor.
By H. J. Buell23 days ago in Chapters
