Sunday 21 July 2013

Avalon






 It was dawn, but the valley was still sunken in shadows.

The first beams of a bashful sun were trying to jump over the peaks, letting some sparks of light to be shed from them and descend to a losing battle against the deep darkness on the low ground.

Avalon
Somewhere, at the mouth of a cave near the buttress of the mountain, a small movement betrayed a silent presence.

The large snake was patrolling its territory for the last time before going to its lair.

Something fell heavily at the entrance of the cave, and rolled some feet, coming to a halt, curiously the serpent came haltingly to the place, and found a new and fragrant apple on the ground.

An apple! it awaked some dim memories in the viper, but it could not find anything to grasp an understanding.

A few steps away, the animal saw a dark figure standing with the arms pointing to the sky, while a whispering chanting came from it.

Lady Morgana! the snake felt a shudder shaking its body, what was the Lady doing here, at this time and with an apple?

An apple?... Ah, yes, the Avalon that should save King Arthur's life. But was King Arthur's life in danger?

What happened? Has Lady Morgana finally fulfilled her promise to make disappear King Arthur from the surface of the world?

Sliding silently, it approached the tall dark figure and could make out some words... Lady Morgana was not chanting a curse, but a healing song!

The song stated that after king Arthur unwisely chased Sir Lancelot, to avenge the affront of his affair with Lady Gwenhwyfar, the land was raided by Sir Medrawd who mistreated King Arthur's wife and usurped the throne.

Arthur kills Medrawd
When King Arthur came back, he demanded his land to be returned, and repayments to the honor of Lady Gwenhwyfar, but Sir Medrawd refused, so the Battle of Camlann started. After some skirmishes, both enemies were facing each other and attacked with hate and passion!

King Arthur killed Sir Medrawd on the spot, but was mortally wounded in the procedures, so his men brought him to Avalon, the magic island where Excalibur was forged, and Lady Morgana was trying, vainly, to keep the minions of Shadowland from taking King's Arthur soul into the underworld.

When all was done, the last effort used up, the only remnant left for those who loved Arthur was the epic song that kept the memory of a great man.

The stubborn Sun rays had finally achieved their purpose to jump over the range and were now chasing the shadows away from the land.

Lady Morgana wrapped in a mourning cloak let the wind take her to her chambers, feeling sad and expended after her effort at the futile nightly magic spell.

The snake coiled in its lair and prepared to let the day go out, so it could patrol its dominion during the next night again.

Life went walking the path to Eternity, proving that there are no indispensable things or beings in its way.


 The music is "Arthur's Farewell" a Celtic song by Enaid.

© 2013 Od Liam.


6 comments:

  1. It's simply awesome! Loved the tale as always, from the beautiful description of nature, right to the events that took place - reading them arouse my curiosity on what's going to happen next. You never fail to make me want to read more and more of your works!

    Thank you so much, Od, for giving me the reading pleasure of this tale though at some points, I feel some sadness. :)

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    1. Thank you, BB!

      I will never stop telling you how much you help me!

      This legend is very deep, and its characters are complex and wonderful. There are every human trait living in the tale. It follows the life of many people, and the development of the theme is surrounded by that chiaroscuro of happiness, pathos, and suffering that is 'normal' in human lives.

      I appreciate your words!

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  2. Awesome Od Liam....just loved the tale....Thank you for sharing:))

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    1. Thank you, Epsita!

      I am grateful for your beautiful words!

      Happy, too for your liking it!

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  3. Your narration took me to those captivating paths of the epic fantasy. How many other literature pieces, theater-plays, movies and dreams has these caracters inspired in the imagination of those who knew their stories?

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    1. Between the great wealth of Celt folklore, King Arthur is the most beautiful.

      From he's eerie conception to his slow death all the events that surrounded his life were full of humanity and sacred Magic.

      Merlin guide him to find the Lady of the Lake's sword in the stone, the supreme blade that gave him the power to amalgamate so many different wills into a great kingdom, but could not prevent the painful wound of the treason from his the most loved being.

      The Round Table Knights was one of the first attestation of the Celt feeling of value of all people as equals.

      In my viewpoint, not even JRR Tolkien, in his extraordinary saga could find such a magic and beautiful story.

      Happy to know you could walk those path of epic fantasy!

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