Disclaimer: I did not write the orginal "Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady" but I had to rewrite the ending for school and I really liked it so I decided to post it.
Recap: Sir Gawain has to marry the most loathly Lady in the land. The story starts just after their wedding
Enjoy
The chamber had been decorated with fresh leaves; sweet-smelling rushes were strewn on the floor; the great carved bed, hung with velvet, was covered with soft furs. But Gawain saw none of this. With a groan he flung himself into a chair in front of the fire. What was he to do? What did the code of chivalry demand? Was he to spend the rest of his life shackled to a creature more hideous than the demon of a nightmare? Just then he heard the rustle of silk behind him, and his wife's sweet voice: "Will you not come to bed, my lord?"
Sir Gawain, his head reeling slowly turned around to face the ugly, pitted face of the Loathly Lady; he took a slow deep breath and after a moment sat down on the bed. He was not only disgusted by her twisted and gnarled body, but scared by the fact that this was his wife; the wife he promised to love and cherish for all eternity. In the midst of his repulsion for the Loathly Lady, he felt a strange pity for her; not because of her appearance but because of it everyone shunned and mistreated her. He glanced over to notice that she was standing by the window, shivering. He felt a pang of compassion and got up to close the window that was blowing such a sharp, cool wind into the room. Standing next to her he ran his hands over her coarse arms in an attempt to warm her up; she looked up at him with a small smile on her lips. Almost returning it he left to light a fire in the large stone fireplace that was across from the bed. Soon the room was filled with warmth and the sweet smell of cherry wood.
"Thank-you my Lord for the lovely fire" said the Loathly Lady from the window, "I feel so much warmer now". The confused knight nodded in return; why is she so pleased for a fire he thought, it was not a complicated task, why should she praise so? But he did not argue instead he suggested that they should change for bed. As they parted more thoughts started to race through Sir Gawain's brain; where did the Loathly Lady come from? How did her body become so distorted? What was her real name? He had never heard been called anything but the Loathly Lady.
As he walked back to the bed he saw that the Loathly Lady was already waiting for him. "My Lord you look troubled, are you okay?" He listened to her voice for a moment, as he did he closed his eyes and took a deep breath; her voice was like the softest, smoothest silk. If only her body could match her voice, then she would be the most beautiful lady in all the land.
"Y-Yes, I am fine", he finally managed to stutter.
"Then let us fall asleep and let our souls find each other in our dreams". Upon hearing this Gawain's heart skipped a beat; it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.
They slept curled up together, her rough face against his smooth shoulder, they were so different yet together somehow they looked like they belonged together. All was peaceful when suddenly Sir. Gawain woke up to find the bedchamber filled with flames. The fire from the fireplace had somehow caught to the rest of the room. The flames liked out like vicious vipers. Gawain bolted out of bed to try to escape, when suddenly he remembered the Loathly Lady. She was lying helplessly on the bed. The noble knight ran back into the flaming room and scooped up the Lady.
He held her in his arms and tried to wake her, but she would not. Crying, he realized that he really did love the Lady (he could no longer bear to call her loathly); he prayed for her to live. Suddenly her felt her twitch, he held his breath; was she alive? In a sudden flash her eyes opened, they gazed into his with such compassion that he bent down and kissed her. As soon as their lips met she started to change form; she was no longer a hideous beast but the most beautiful lady Gawain had ever seen.
Their lips parted and he ran a gentle hand down her face, it was as smooth and soft as velvet. Softly she whispered to him "by loving me as I was you freed me from my curse, thank-you". Sir Gawain and the Lady lived happily together for ever and for always.
Fin
Please Read and Review. This is my first posting and I would really like some coments
Thanks
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