Now for something totally different...
I just might get addicted to this blog thing...if I can make it a regular to do, it might just become a habitual ritual. Well...I decided that it has been way to long since I have written, well...really anything, so I took to re-writing a piece of fiction I originally started back in 2003 (see what I mean about the procrastination?) so I thought to myself..."self..you really should start writing again and post it on your blog thing." And of course, I agree with me about this suggestion. So here I am again (more the once in the same month!! Holy Hanna's Stockings!) posting what I have re-written so far. It's just another way for me to be creative, get the ol' brain a working and maybe even get a little self-expression out there. If you like, take a peak or two. Part 1 is below here:
The Black Knight
Written By: JLB
I have many friends who look back at their past relationships with ease of mind and some happy memories. Some of my friends still even talk to their ex-boyfriends…imagine that! I haven’t been so lucky to have a relationship end in good feelings, a hug and a promise to keep in touch. I shudder to think what a chance meeting, let alone conversation, with a certain ex-boyfriend of mine would be like. Visions of the four horsemen start floating into my mind, well…maybe not that apocalyptic but damn close.
All I have to do is think about him, not even him, a moment…just a single unassuming moment that set events in motion that would change me forever or at least for this lifetime. A single reflection on that moment, on him and the nervous twitch starts, the hair raising tingle at the back of my neck and of course paranoia that makes me look over my shoulder every second, ready to jump out of my skin.
I keep expecting him to materialize in front of me out of nowhere, a ghost from my past paying an unwelcome visit. He would be my own personal Jacob Marley come not to save my soul…but to condemn it. The memory of him has become a looming specter that chills and haunts my memories.
It might be a cliche, but I saw him from far away on that fateful, bright morning. Odd to think of the irony behind it all…doesn’t a horror story always start with “a dark and dreary night”…not in this story of mine. Imagine the most beautiful morning, clear sky the color of Caribbean waters with a few fluffy, white cotton ball clouds floating lazily in all that clear blue. The air was crisp and clean, and as my friend and I walked arm in arm through the park, the sunlight filtered down threw the tree tops creating wispy shafts and pools of light. It was a moment I will never forget, our laughter as we whispered to each other and our giggles when a young man’s gaze would rest upon us. This was the beginning of the end of my innocence. A beautiful day, of all things, to usher in the darkness and horror that would become my world.
This was the first Renaissance Faire I had ever been too. I was very excited and enchanted by all the sights, smells, sounds and of course the handsome men in armor. To be nineteen and dressed like a medieval princess at a Renaissance Faire was a very heady experience, I felt myself blush when people would look at me, I wasn’t used to that kind of attention. My friend Laura had led me around the Faire, introducing me to lords and ladies from all over the realm. Hundred’s of spectators had come to tour the Faire and watch the knight’s tournament. Being that Laura and I were dressed for the event and there with a small medieval reenactment group, we were expected to portray a certain character to the crowd, as to offer entertainment and historical realism to the festival.
Laura was Lily of Devonshire, a young handmaiden to the royal Queen Gertrude. Lily’s family had sent her to court when she was a young girl, and had been a handmaiden for the Queen for many years. I was also chosen to be a handmaiden to the Queen and was afforded the honored position of sitting in the royal box at the center of the tournament activity. In all there were no less then six handmaidens for the Queen. King Henry sat next to his Queen on their well appointed thrones over seeing the day’s events and awarding treasures to all of the victorious knights. I was Genevieve of Gunderland, an upper class young woman from a small Bavarian estate, my father a wealthy cloth merchant was able to send me to stay with family closer to court so that I might find an eligible man to take my hand in marriage.
I know it must sound silly, but our persona's were very detailed, they had to be so that we could portray them to the best of our ability and make the characters come to life for our audience. With all of the costumes, the atmosphere, the cheering crowd, the clang of weapons hitting armor…it was so easy to fall into your character and in a way, lose yourself in it. It was, up to that point, the most intoxicating, rich experiences I had in my life. I was giddy with excitement and as the knights fought in front of the royal box and all crowd, I giggled and smiled with Laura next to me.
People chattered and whispered to each other as the knights checked their armor and weapons. The Herald came forward to introduce the first two Knights that would open the sword competition. A short, round man hurried to stand before the King and Queen and waited for the crowd to quiet. He looked rather silly standing there still as a statue on his skinny, short purple hose covered legs, he reminded me of a grape on a twig for his belly was rather rotund and covered by an emerald green and purple tunic. On his feet were very long and pointy shoes, one purple and one green and a top his head was a round, floppy velvet hat with an extremely large white feather sticking out of it. Laura and I both tried to not giggle and the Queen shot us a disapproving look which made us quiet and sit up straight. Still it was all I could do to not burst out laughing. The Herald now having the full attention of the audience, swept his hat off his bald head and bowed deeply to the King and Queen. His voice was deep and booming despite his short stature. I remember looking intently at the Herald and hearing him say:
“Your Majesties, Lords and Ladies and all common folk…here is the event that you have waited to see, attend your eyes to the power and skill of the Knights that have come to fight and win in today’s tournament.” I don’t remember anything else that the Herald said at that moment…something shimmered in the corner of my eye and my eyes quickly glanced to that sparkling light. A Knight, dressed in black armor, stood inspecting his sword in the sunlight at the edge of the arena. His helmet was on and I could not see his face, but something made me stare, I was fixed upon him and even to this day I do not know why or how…but I became very aware of my starring and so did the Knight who seemed to return my fixated gaze. I couldn’t look away, even though I knew I should.
“Genevieve…” a voice whispered close to me. A hand patted my arm. “Genevieve.”
I realized that Lily had been trying to get my attention.
“Oh. I’m so sorry. What were you saying?” I whispered back to her.
“What are you starring at?” She laughed lightly.
“Nothing…I just was distracted.” I lowered my eyes to my lap for a moment before looking back up at the Herald who was now leaving the arena to cheers and applause from the crowd.
posted by MadHatterJen | 1:40 AM
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