Touch, parry, counter. The figures moved with precision timing, their 
steps 
so immaculate it appeared that they danced, rather than fenced. The 
speed of 
their movements increased slowly, until their blades were a blur. She 
thrust 
with the weight of her whole slim form behind it and he parried, but 
not 
quite fast enough. His sleeve parted and blood was visible against the 
pale 
skin. His face flushed, but no other change came over his countenance. 
He 
pushed her away and began another attack.

This time the speed with which they fought was blinding. I could not 
follow 
attack or counter. I prayed to God that I would not see a horrible 
tragedy 
take place.

The fight came to an abrupt end. A single misstep and the attack, so 
perfectly timed, so flawlessly executed, was parried and a 
counterthrust 
made. The thing that happened next I could not believe, even witnessing 
it 
with my own eyes. The two opponents, standing facing each other, eye to 
eye, 
both slumped to the ground. In that single instant...they had pierced 
each 
other to the quick, through padded armor and protective gear. A pool of 
blood welled slowly beneath each form as they struggled to sit, to 
breathe, 
to understand.

The lord in red made a final, weak salute and passed out, while my 
lady, now 
on her knees, crawled to him, weeping in horror at what had happened. 
She 
collapsed, her head on the lord's chest, her hair spreading across his 
body, 
the pink growing darker as it settled into the blood spreading over his 
chest.

"I awoke in the Queen's Chamber. She sat by me on one side, the King on 
the 
other. They told me it had been close, but I was going to be fine. 
Ironically, I didn't even scar. I have nothing to remember him by but 
the 
fact that the event is etched into my mind. He was a good man, a good 
teacher and I believe, at the last, that I loved him in a way. He might 
have 
been the big brother I never had, but it was too late. Stroking my brow 
to 
soothe my fever, the Queen told me that he was dead. I had killed him."

The scene changed once again to a ball - the kind of masquerade one 
instinctively imagines upon thinking of the Fey at all. Grotesque masks 
of 
incredible beauty and complexity, music that seemed to come from the 
heavenly choir itself, sparkling light, otherworldly faces.

"Time passed and I was now seen as a lordling among these people. I had 
made 
my place among them and never did I miss my life upon earth. Indeed, I 
laughed as they did, at the dull plight of mortals."

The night wound its way down, the crowd thinning. The King stepped 
forward 
and spinning my lady onto the floor smiled down at her. She blushed 
slightly, but laughed.

"How do I even tell of what next occurred? The night had passed and the 
guests were all gone. I awaited the Queen in her chamber, but she came 
in 
only to tell me to sleep, that she was called away. This was not 
unusual. 
She was, after all the Queen. And she and her court had ridden away to 
the 
hunt to the mortal world more than once while I had been there. I could 
not 
go with them, of course - one step onto this plane would doom me to 
remain 
and in no way would I risk my happiness to return to that mundane 
existence.

"But this night something made me curious. I wondered what she could be 
up 
to that could not include me. So I followed."

A curtain was drawn back to reveal an empty room. In stark contrast to 
the 
rest of my vision of this enchanted world, I could see no decoration of 
any 
kind. This simple room was lit with plain lanterns and the gloom was 
close 
around the figures that stood grouped in the center of the tableau.

The Queen lay, apparently unconscious, in the arms of the King, while 
he 
brandished a blade of some magical material. It glowed with an 
unearthly 
light as he made his salute. To my surprise, the Queen stood upright, 
stepped delicately to the side and watched the rest of the proceedings.

The lord in green stepped forward, saluted and took a ready position. 
The 
King, with only the barest smile matched him. The fight was short but 
intense. With very little effort he had his opponent unarmed. The 
green-clad 
lord stood back and bowed and, unsmiling, walked away into the dark. 
The 
remaining figures bowed to the King and took their leave.

"I did not understand what I had seen, but I followed the Queen once 
more 
after she and the King left the room. They retired to his quarters. It 
did 
not take much imagination for me to figure out what occurred there."

A candle lit chamber, two figures embracing - the scene went abruptly 
dark 
as she picked up the thread of her tale.

"Again and again I followed her. Not always did the King win, but the 
reward 
for the victor was always the same." Her voice was bitter. "I did not 
understand, and I could not help my jealousy. But I did not speak of 
it. I 
would not. How could I ask about that which I was not to have 
witnessed?

"One day I made my way to the chamber early, determined to see the 
conflict 
from the beginning. I waited in a hidden alcove, prepared to face the 
truth 
at last."

A single lamp, then another, lighted the darkness. At last several 
figures 
gathered together in the center of the room. The darkness wavered and a 
silhouetted figure appeared in my vision, close, but unrecognizable.

"She found me instantly. I expected anger or recrimination, but she 
smiled 
tolerantly at me and led me out of the alcove and set me to watch. She 
told 
me that whatever I saw, I was never to take up a sword in this match, 
or it 
would mean the end of my stay in this world. I found myself literally 
sitting on my hands as I watched. The current champion appeared to be 
one of 
my remaining teachers."

The lady in orange stepped forward, kneeled before the Queen and rose 
to her 
feet. Coming closer she held her hands out to the Queen, who placed 
them on 
the center of her chest. They leaned towards each other and kissed. As 
their 
lips touched a sword appeared, its hilt thrust out of the Queen's very 
body.

I boggled at the sight, and I know you are thinking me thrice an idiot 
now. 
But I swear by God that this is what I saw in my vision. The lady in 
orange 
drew this blade - it was the same I had beheld earlier in the King's 
hand. 
The Queen righted herself and stood aside. Today the challenger was a 
tall 
lord in black I had not yet seen.

The match was slow and deliberate, but never in doubt. The orange-clad 
lady 
won neatly and she and the Queen retired together.

"I waited all night in the Queen's bed, not sleeping. I needed to know 
what 
was this form of deadly play. I was determined to learn of it. When she 
returned in the morning I asked her what it was that I watched. She 
soothed 
me, kissing my brow and assured me it was merely a game between them 
all. 
But once again she cautioned me to never join this play, that it would 
bring 
me nothing but grief."

A succession of scenes, duels with various challengers and victors 
followed, 
so many that I found it hard to follow the tale it wound. The tall lady 
in 
orange frequently was victorious as was the King himself, yet never did 
they 
seem to fight each other.

"With each battle a desire grew in my heart to partake in this strange 
play. 
With each duel I longed to be the victor and escort my Queen to her 
chamber." She paused a moment, as if reflecting on this last statement. 
"Do 
not misunderstand me. I had not yet lost her love and we still spent 
many 
nights together, but never could I possess her as the victor of the 
duel 
could, as reward for an uncontested victory. It filled my mind, to be 
part 
of this game, to take my place and face the Great Ones as one of them.

"That was when he came to me."

A shadowed form in a hallway, a hand reaching out and spinning her into 
a 
close embrace. A dark face, with a bright smile leaning down over her.

"He was so beautiful that my heart was caught from the first touch."

The King took my lady's hand and led her to a garden where lanterns 
glowed 
brightly in a warm twilit scene. They walked and spoke, frequently 
laughing 
and on one occasion I could see my lady blushing as he drew close to 
her to 
point out some feature of the land.

"He was the soul of charm and wit and an unaccountable longing took 
hold of 
me. When he asked me for the favor of my company again the next night, 
after 
the duel, I did not refuse him."

The dueling ground, once again two figures in the aureole of lamplight. 
This 
time another figure strange to me, and the young lord in blue. He gazed 
apologetically at the Queen as he drew the sword from within her. His 
loss 
was surprising, as if he had not realized the skill of his opponent. 
The 
Queen walks off, her arm linked with the new victor.

My lady stands over to the side, leaning insouciantly against a carved 
pillar, the blaze in her eyes the only sign of longing visible. A 
second 
figure steps up behind her, leans down over her, and she whirls around, 
smiling with pleasure.

"He was very essence of charisma. Where the Queen brought love to her 
subject's hearts, he brought yearning; longings to be fulfilled. And as 
I 
spent time with him, I grew dissatisfied with what I had, and could 
only 
think of that which I desired.

"One night as we sat looking at the stars, he pulled me close and asked 
me 
what I wanted more than anything else. I told him of my desire to be a 
Prince. He laughed as if delighted and asked me again if there was 
anything 
I desired. As he looked into my eyes something burst from ember to full 
flame within me."

The pale hair dipped towards her in my vision and once again I wished 
to 
look away. They kissed for a very long time, as the stars moved in 
their 
sphere. The scene continued and I fervently prayed for my lady to once 
again 
take up the tale and make this sight go away. But she did not and I 
watched 
him kiss her neck and breasts, and slowly, as the stars wheeled above, 
her 
ivory body was revealed to me. He was a smoky shadow next to her, 
eclipsing 
her as the earth does the moon. I could feel tears fall down my face as 
the 
King took my lady in the most intimate of embraces. Dear God, I 
thought, 
please let her go on with her tale!

The scene changed and I would have cried out with relief if I could 
have 
done so. It was morning in Summerland and the golden light streamed 
into a 
richly furnished room. Two figures lay entwined, sleepy, but not 
asleep, in 
that happy world where all new lovers awake.

"I...I apologize, once again. I cannot...I must tell this, but it is very 
hard."

Her voice was so young so fragile. What did he do to you? I cried out 
in my 
mind, but no sound passed my lips.

"You must not think me a wanton. I was not. For all my skills, I am, I 
was 
merely a mortal. Favored perhaps, by the Beautiful Ones, but with my 
own 
fate to be met.

"That morning he offered me that which I desired most. He had read it 
in my 
heart as we lay together and I rejoiced that I could win the love of my 
Queen at last.

"He promised to train me himself, so that I would win the duel, and 
her."

I could feel the tension in my arms and chest at these words, so coolly 
spoken.

"I see you understand the paradox. I did not, so consumed I was with my 
desire to be the Prince." She paused, then, "Or maybe I did, but did 
not 
care to consider it."

"He kept his promise to me - and for weeks, then months he taught me 
many 
tricks of sword craft. I was a dedicated pupil. At night, well, my 
payment 
to him was sincere and I learned much there too."

I could see the tall pale-haired King fighting with my Lady; as time 
passed, 
their fights became more in earnest, more deadly.

"One night, after he had won the duel, I was left to myself to 
contemplate 
my plight. My lovers had both left me alone and I wondered how I would 
win 
the one and not lose the other. My brain was fevered all night, and my 
sleep 
restless. I awoke several times, thinking that I heard voices in my 
room, 
but when I awoke, there was nothing."

My lady, walking down a hallway with a purposeful stride. The young 
lord in 
blue approaches, he speaks, she responds. The discussion becomes 
heated; my 
lady turns away, anger plainly visible on her face. She continues down 
the 
hall, until she is met by the lord in green. He says nothing but gives 
her a 
searching look, then continues on his way. My lady continues to walk, 
but 
her face is now thoughtful, contemplative.

"You may think I had forgotten his words, but I had not. However, the 
King 
was my lover, I maintained he would not harm me. I would not be jealous 
if 
he had had and hurt other mortal women - the life of the Fey are very 
long 
indeed. What is a little carnal pleasure after all? Do not the animals 
on 
this earth all take joy in it? Why should not we who are human, and 
even 
more so those who are more heavenly than ourselves. Thus convincing 
myself I 
was in no danger, I passed through the day until the duel that night."

The dueling ground once again. The gloomy interior no different, but 
the 
tension was palpable - even removed as I was, I could feel it. The 
tall, 
cold lady in orange stood forward calling on her challenger for the 
evening. 
My lady stepped into the light - and the silence is deafening.

The Queen says nothing, but pain is clearly visible on her face as she 
embraces the incumbent victor and once again the mysterious sword is 
made 
manifest. In complete silence the duel begins. No noise but the sound 
of 
feet, of metal striking metal, of breathing. It is a long duel. My 
lady's 
former teacher holds nothing back, but slowly realizes that the 
challenger 
is up to the task.  Her strategy changes, she will wear my lady out, 
but she 
does not fall for this. It will come down to skill, or luck.

At last, the final blow is struck, a parry is made, the movement is 
utilized 
and with a piercing cry, the lady in orange is defeated. Falling to her 
knees, my lady gasps for breath, her head hanging, her hair over her 
eyes. 
The Queen walks forward and holding her hands out to my lady, lifts her 
gently up from the ground. In the stillness of the night, the two women 
leave arm in arm.

"It was miraculous. What I thought I had had was nothing compared to 
what 
she gave me that night. I felt justified in my desire, satisfied in my 
victory and once again happy with my lot. My Queen would not speak of 
her 
warning to me, but I passed the memory of it off as the concern of a 
parent 
for a child who cannot keep up with a strenuous activity. While we were 
together each night was as our last. I can now see that she knew our 
time 
together would be brief, but at the time, I thought only of the passion 
we 
shared and the pleasure we gave each other." My lady's voice was 
toneless. I 
instinctively knew that this was the only way she could tell this final 
act 
of her story and my heart ached for her.

"For the next few duels I proved over and over again that it was I and 
no 
other who would protect her and love her and never did she say a word 
against me."

Scenes flashed once again, my lady defeating challenger after 
challenger. 
All determined to remove her from this deadly peril, by force if 
necessary, 
but with each duel her skill would grow, as if she were possessed with 
a 
magick of her own. Friends, foes, strange lords and ladies all stepped 
up to 
face her and all failed.

"I knew it had to happen...as I suspect you also know. He challenged me 
at 
last. And for the first time, I felt trepidation. For had he not 
instructed 
me? What skill might he have reserved for himself? But I trusted to my 
love 
to see me through.

"I was an idiot."

The vision faded, stranding me in surrounding nothingness, and her 
voice 
alone continued. "He played with me. At the moment we touched swords I 
realized that I was facing my defeat and my heart hardened against him. 
Did 
he not understand? I was determined to defeat him, if it meant my 
death. All 
my ideals, all my strength, and all my desire fused into a single act 
of 
pure will. I would kill him if I could. And I could."

There was silence and I was alone with the darkness. The void pressed 
against me and I shifted nervously. The quiet weighed uncomfortably 
upon me. 
I wished to have an end to this ordeal and see clear sky and trees once 
again.

At last the voice returned to me. "I could have killed him. I had the 
strength, the skill. My sword aimed directly at his heart, my attack 
was 
straight and true."

The voice fell silent once more and the vision returned to me. Two 
figures, 
one leaping towards the other, death at the end of her sword, then a 
flash 
of motion, a third figure, a scream, another scream, then once again 
two 
figures. The light was fading fast, the terrible gloom moving in 
towards the 
center of the room. The King was gone. In his place on the ground lay 
the 
Queen; her arms still outspread, as they had been when she leapt in 
between 
death and her brother.

My lady held her, as her life spread quickly from her body. My lady's 
head 
was lowered and I could hear her talking but no words could I make out. 
Once 
again tears fell from my eyes at the horrible inevitably of the ending, 
as 
the gloom at last overtook the vision and my sight was once again 
blacked 
out.

How long I sat like that in the darkness, I cannot tell you - you found 
me 
there, weeping, alone and lost, like a child. When I heard your voices 
I 
opened my eyes to find myself sitting underneath the tree under the 
light of 
a waxing moon. There was no knight, no horse, just me and my tears. In 
your 
kindness, recognizing me, you brought me here and have given me warm 
food 
and drink and have listened to my tale with only a little mockery, for 
which 
I am grateful.

You stare at me now, sure that I am insane, maybe dangerous. You may be 
right, but allow me to tell you the final part of my tale. If you do 
not yet 
think me mad, this will surely change your opinion.

For, my friends, I am convinced that she was released from her geas. My 
heart tells me that my love for her, my belief in her, has returned my 
lady 
to the realm of the Undying Ones, back to the arms those she loved too 
well. 
She had said it was a geas upon her to tell the tale, and it may well 
now 
have transferred to me, for having told it, I feel free and happy as I 
have 
not in many a year.

And now, as it is so late, I have but one request of you, my dear 
friends. 
Please return me to the glade in which you found me. I will wait there, 
to 
hear the pounding of hooves and the tinkle of golden bells, and to be 
taken 
by the Fey Ones in their hunt, that I may enter their world and serve 
the 
lady I have come to love and her Queen, for all eternity.

****



Cheers,

Erica

"Every generation gets the Yoko Ono it deserves."

"World Shaking" Fanfic -  http://members.xoom.com/AtheniaG/frhome.htm
Inspired Dedication to Futility

The Fanfic Revolution -  http://come.to/hauthor
Because fanfic does not have to suck