Interpretation

I was met with silence. A frown settled on my face. I hadn't realized how much I'd come to rely on the trusty AI. The lack of natural sunlight hit me, and claustrophobia set in. I took in a steady breath before I walked over to the boxes. After some searching, I found an empty notebook and pen. A destination in mind, I walked out of my room.

O're years, the mighty castle stood,
In battles of nations and of sainthood.
But the earth shook, and the waves take
What mere men o're centuries make.

My pencil tapped against the old stone, unsure of what to write next. It was the third stanza I'd written, and I was a little rusty when it came to poetry. I'd picked a spot on the north side of the castle. The sea stood before me, its waves being whipped around by the cold early November wind. I wanted to go back and grab a thicker coat, but the fear of claustrophobia kept me outside. It was too dark down there, and though the sun had already begun to set, I wanted to enjoy every last minute of it.

I cast my mind back to a study abroad trip I had taken my sophomore year of college. We'd learned about several castles, but hadn't had the chance to see this one. The only reason I remembered this castle was because it was often thought to be C. S. Lewis' inspiration for Cair Paravel, the royal palace of Narnia.

I turned to look up at the ruined turrets and crumbling cathedral walls, trying to imagine what it must have been like all those years ago. It certainly didn't look worthy of inspiring such a story. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine it.

Visions of banquets, coronations, and battles filled my head. I opened my eyes and could see it clearly. Lovers meeting behind the eastern wall in the garden. Kings being crowned in the central cathedral. Knights fighting their way to victory across the bridge. All of the visions faded quickly when I saw James making his way through the ruins. In his hand was one of my coats.

"Do you have a death wish, Eliza?" he questioned as he approached.

I shrugged. "I saw them put up the shield an hour ago. I figured I'm safe out here."

"Not that- I meant the cold," James corrected. His eyes were chastising as he handed me my coat. As soon as I'd put it on, he was holding out gloves as well.

I shook my head. "I can't hold my pencil with those on."

"Too bad," he retorted, taking my pencil and notebook and setting them to the side. "I'm surprised they're not already numb."

I grumbled, but took the gloves and put them on. My eyes watched James as he sat down next to me, looking out at the sea. His left hand went to pick up the notebook again, but he paused.

"May I read it?" James requested.

I felt insecurity sweep through my body. "Wait- I- I'm not-" I stuttered. "I'm not done writing yet. It needs one more stanza."

James offered me the notebook and pencil, which I gladly accepted. I looked down at my poem, aware that he was trying to sneak glances at the page. After minutes of writing, erasing, and rewording, I cleared my throat and turned to look at him.

"I haven't written this kind of stuff in a while, so bear with me," I admitted awkwardly.

A small smile came onto James' face. "I'm sure it's better than anything I could write." His comment made me grin, and I found myself having a little more confidence than before.

"Built on foundation of cliffs,
she stood tall, ignorant to all amiss.
Her owners changed from time to time,
Claiming their palace, in its prime.

No man could undo her creation,
Though it was doomed to damnation.
She was strong, unmoving,
The forces of men reproving.

O're years, the mighty castle stood,
Through battles of nations and of sainthood.
But the earth shook, and the waves take
What mere men o're centuries make."

I took in a shaky breath, the last stanza burning on the page before me. But a gloved hand moved to tuck my hair behind my ear, and I mustered up the courage to continue.

"Now in ruin she lay,
Her shell abandoned to decay.
But may she protect her people as before,
As she stands again in the midst of war."

I closed the book and stared out at the setting sun. I could hear James sigh, but I didn't look back at him. Instead, I felt his hand reach to gently grasp mine.

"We'll get this over with as soon as we can," he whispered. "I promise."

I turned my head, and our eyes met. I could see how earnest he was, how genuine his hope for peace was. A warm feeling washed through me, and a smile managed its way onto my lips. "I hope so."

James smiled back before he turned his attention to the castle. After a moment of contemplation, his curious voice cut through the silence. "What brought you out here in the first place?"

"My room felt claustrophobic," I sighed. "There aren't any windows. I felt…well-"

"-trapped," he finished, and I nodded in affirmation. "I'll ask around if there are any safe places with windows for you to go. I don't like the idea of you wandering around up here by yourself."

I snorted lightly. "You seemed to find me just fine."

"True," James agreed. "But before I did, hardly anyone knew where you were."

"Oops," I cringed. "Sorry if I caused problems. I just kinda wanted to explore a bit."

An amused look came onto his face. "And what did you find?"

I swung my legs around and stood up from the stone wall, immediately noticing the absence of his hand. "You're gonna need some imagination," I said, motioning for him to follow me. He got up from the stone wall, a smile slowly growing on his face.

I lead him over to the central part of the castle. It was rectangular in shape, and the stone floor was covered in patches of grass. "This was the great hall," I explained as he looked around. "It's where all the big events were held- christenings, coronations, weddings, banquets. Over here is where the dais would be located- basically, a stage for any special guests or for the hosts themselves. The further back you were seated from the dais, the less important you were. At least, that's how most medieval castles were set up. There's no perfect format, but you get the idea."

"Huh," James murmured. "Didn't know that."

I shrugged. "Most people don't. It's not common knowledge unless you take courses in it at college, or do a study abroad like I did."

He nodded absentmindedly. "Did they have parties here, too?"

"Yup, that's what a banquet is," I answered with a grin. "Just a really fancy party."

James smiled now, his eyes taking in the massive stone walls around him. "We used to dance," he reminisced. "It was a big social thing. Everyone would get together, someone would get a band to play music, and we'd try to forget about the war."

I hummed as I leaned against the wall, watching as James' eyes seemed to go back in time. "People still do that today. Having fun, ignoring the bad in the world…" I trailed off. "It's how most people keep going. They need a break from it all."

All of the sudden, James turned around and offered his hand. His sunlit eyes saw my confused expression, and he smiled. "Come on, I'll show you. I think we both need a break right now."

Hesitantly, I placed my gloved hand in his. It didn't occur to me that the hand was metal, that it had been used for things unimaginable. At that moment, it was gentle, holding mine as he instructed me how to move. "Now place your other hand on my shoulder— a little more to the right. Follow me, and you'll get the hang of it. It's not that hard."

"Says the one who was born during the swing era," I teased.

A genuine laugh burst out of James' mouth. "That's true, that's very true," he chuckled. "I'll go easy on you."

It took a few tries before we found our rhythm. I made some missteps and put my foot where it didn't belong at least ten times, but he was patient. As the sun sank down and made way for the moon and stars, we continued to dance, the thought of danger far far away.

Hello all! Like I said at the beginning, I don't typically do author's notes. I find them distracting from the actual story, but I wanted your opinion on something. There have been many lovely reviews left, and I found myself wanting to reply to them. Let me know if you'd be fine with me replying to reviews at the beginning of each chapter. Also, feel free to message me if you ever have any questions or comments!