"She is being presented to Court. Now.' said Marek.
"She is not ready."
"But she has to. The court is waiting, The King is waiting." He pulled Giselle and suddenly the wall behind the desk moved aside to reveal a glittering room. Swirls and swatches of color were blazoned across the room. Women in brightly colored dresses and men in uniforms with shining brass buttons all were awaiting her. As Lord Marek pulled her in front of the thrones that stood to her right she gulped.
"I am not ready." she whispered urgently frantically to the impatient man pulling her.
"Too late for that." he said as he bowed grandly to the tall, stately pair in the thrones. As she slowly looked up to quietly peruse the much talked about king and queen, she gasped. The man in the protrait was the king. He was well aged . His hair was shorter and his face a bit more lined but there still was the strong nose and grim, beautiful mouth. His hand bore the telling scar.
Bowing reverently she crossed her right hand over her breast as she was taught. "Good day great warrior, protector of the weak." she said courteously as she had been taught to say by the other priestesses when a great man entered her presence. The man gave a chuckle.
"Well." he said as she felt his eyes appreciatively run across her form. " You are the esteemed Lady Azalea's new protegee."
"Not only am I so very new Master but I have not prepared for this great honor of our meeting." she said.
"Ah. I see now why you have fear in your voice. Here I was believing you to be a murderer or a thief."
"My Lord?"
"You great me in the way only the elders still know. Yet you have fear in your voice."
"I have fear in my voice because I have am not prepared to sing. My esteemed teacher has not yet trained me in the art of singing as she has hoped to help me in my deplorable way of manners and dressing. You will forgive me and perhaps I shall not be fearful."
" I will if you sing for me. " said the King.
"Indeed gracious lord. It is my honor and privilege to sing for a servant of the gods." said Giselle again kowtowing. She then glanced about the room. Randomly spotted amongst the courtiers were instruments and music stands. Golden harps and shiny black pianos littered the tiled floors.
Gracefully gliding to the harp situated near a large window she sat on the tiny painted pink stool behind it. Stepping on a pedal and checking the sound she slowly played a scale or two. The chords were thin and hard between her calloused fingers. Plucking it and strumming it she played and sang softly until she thought she was suffueceintly warmed up.
" I have not prepared a piece of music to sing. I do not know any of your country's songs except the hynms. "
"Well then you may sing whatever you wish."
'I..." she said casting about for a song that she knew, that ddin't mention dancing. She did not know much. "I shall sing you the lay of the war of the Ahees.' She sang slowly a song that told of a great war that happened in centuries long past and yet this war was important for that is where the rift came from. The rift of the gods and how they were worshipped
I loved him
more than the earth loves rain.
I loved him.
The knights rode out dragon rider
to fight the battle and win
They rode upon steeds of fire
they rode upon horses of strength.
They had armour that shined in the sunlight
and saddles of sturdiest leather---
They went to claim our land
and defeat our foes and keep our houses safe.
They went to battle.
Battle of great lengths.
I sat on the steps of the castle
thinking of the times that we had.
And wishing that the war would over
before the battles got bad.
I did not want him to go.
He Said for honour and duty
I reluctantly let his hand go
and went to the crenillons to wait.
I sat at the top of the tower and watched the green grass grow----
I waited through the summer into the winter and snow
They fought great battles and won great honour
to the glory of our Houses.--
They lost great life and men and worthy steeds of fire.
Great foreign Dragons were seen on the horizon gleaming with metal….
Men waited for dawn, until the sun rose
upon the hills and valleys and then….
Great strife began.
Men and horse and dragons
Fought together that day against our foes and enemies
who sought to wipe us away
They wanted our land and our cattle
Our wives and our sons
They wanted our daughters and sisters
They wanted everything and every one.
They wanted our grain and our meat
They wanted our lives and our fortunes
they wanted our prosperity---
The battle was long and bloody
We heard the cries and groans
They wanted the death of our protectors
They wanted the blood to spill.
I ran. I ran forth from the keep to the tents of the battle.
Bypassing the wounded and writhing
and forging past the dead .
Machinations of war did not hinder my progress
As I ran swiftly towards the utter chaos of battle.
I saw him, my beloved. He was threr
the strains of battle on his face
His dragon wings' were drooping
and their voices together pierced the air hoarsely I
n the ancient calls of battle.
An Arrow struck his dragon
strong and true in the eye.
The poor creature shrieked in pain
and the rider too had a look of pain on his face.
The rider called out words of healing for his partner
but the creature was mortally wounded.
My beloved on foot now fought courageously and fierce
as I watched helpless on the edge of the fray.
Tearing down the towers of flesh and bone
that were our enemies
the battle field lessened. Soon
men and dragons and horses were
reduced down to a fraction.
Soon only the last dragon fell and soon
The men were only able to be counted on one hand.
My beloved fought and then ina afierce duel between him
And a blue armored knight. He was struck
Struck. I scremed and watched helplessly as my beloved
Fell to the warrior. Slicing him the knight turned to defeat another of our warriors.
I ran slowly through the blood slicked grass.
I knelt there with my beloeved in my lap.
I cradled him as I tried to recite the spells of healing.
He gasped with pain. Calling my name he said
"I have failed you." he said.
"No never" I cried as I repeated the oath to the country.
"You have fulfilled the oath and have protected us."
I tried to heal him as he clasped my cloak weakly.
He gasped the words "I love you."
And expired.
I looked down upon my beloved .
The strains of battle and the care of honour had weighed upon him
They had creased his tan face and made him look older.
Yet now the spectre of death had smoothed his brow,
Like a mother does to her son.
The specter of death had given him a small thing of peace
Which now would never be fulfilled in our lifetme.
I looked down upon my beloved.
And I knew there was nothing left for me.
He was gone and I had no family.
I had no mentor, I had no Mistress.
I was alone, utterly and completely.
I stood up and calmly evenly walked north of the blood stained grass.
I stood upon clean grass just north of the battlefield.
I started to run. I started to sprint
I ran to the cliff north of the battlefield.
I would jump off and give myself to the River god in the small rift far below.
I was there on the edge.
I was there.
I could smell the water.
And then strong arms gripped me.
Strong arms pulled me away.
I struggled.
I cried. I pleaded, I begged and then the strong arms revealed themselves.
I was in the arms of the blue knight.
He spoke to me in the odd language----
He spoke to me again.
I struggled and then suddenly I was being carried
away upon the broad shoulder of the knight.
I was being taken towards the other row of tents.
I feared.
I screamed to the healers, for someone to come save me.
The row of wounded squires dragging dead bodies from the field
Looked at me.
They shook their heads and said they were helpless.
And I cried.
Read and review! And more poem/story is there. Giselle is not finished with her song. It is long and will probably take a few chapters to write. Anyway. Mid year Finals are upon me. And I am drowning so I decided to write a chapter.