In the dead of the night, only the
rustling of the leaves brushing against each other upon the gentle sway
of the breeze, and an occasional plaintive solitary cry of a wolf, shatters
what otherwise is a peaceful and relaxing evening. This could have
been one of those uneventful night for a journeyman like me except for
that event I have the misfortune of witnessing.
My eyes were all but firmly shut,
trying all that I could to get some sleep, but to no avail. The images
of what happened yesterday kept on playing and playing in my mind.
The voices, those hideous cries of men dying, the swords clanging, the
lance piercing, and the bloods that were spilled out... were all to vivid
in my head. It was way too much for any person not used to seeing
death in such an unimaginable proportion. I tried all the more I
could to shake it out and focused my mind to other things, but it all the
more persisted. I could not help but think of anything else except
that knight in silvery armor, Sir Gervaise; the Queen, Lady Chervelle;
and even the knight in black armor with the golden breastplate, Sir Velmore...
“Who were they...? I asked myself,
“What could have possibly happened that they all converged on this valley
contending against each other, all for the sake of one lady?” Ah,
So many questions lingered on my mind, wanting some answers. I just
took a deep sigh and shook my head. I then resolved and decided that
this will be my personal quest --- to find the reason why. Maybe,
I thought to myself, I shall make a chronicle and write down what I might
find out in my search for the story behind this drama. “Ah, maybe this
is the reason why I witnessed this unfortunate event. Maybe... Perhaps.”
I then got up from my makeshift
bed inside the comfort of my tent and went outside. The evening breeze
were blowing quite gently against my face, and the moon --- Ah, yes the
moon, she was on her high noon, shining all the more brightly in the company
of the stars, and occasionally hiding herself amongst the clouds, like
some bashful maiden hiding her face with a veil...
“With no accolades coming
forth her way
She enters her domain without much
fanfare.
She would hung by amongst the clouds,
rising only when darkness sets
in and night time falls.
And there amidst the backdrop of
velvety blues,
She would take her place high up
amongst the stars . . .
A Queen,
alone in her night time throne.
Then without any ruse,
without any applause,
She would quietly and silently
cast her spell amidst the stillness
of the night.
Flaunting her naked beauty without
any reserve
She bares all the charms that she
can give.
Then, a poet would write his poems,
A minstrel would sing his songs,
The lovers in their passionate
tryst,
While a mother cradling her beloved
child
humming softly a loveful of lullabyes
. . .
Then as the hours passes by
and night time reaches its zenith,
the fullness of her majesty’s beauty
stands out even more vivid.
She would ascend the dark blue skies,
her night time throne,
shining even more brightly
than whence she came in.
She would grace the darkness
with all her silvery light,
leaving behind her a trail of colors
glowing all through the night.
A poet would then write his poems.
The minstrel would sing his songs.
The lovers in their passionate
tryst
While the slumberer in their dreamy
state.
Ah, truly she’s a Queen,
adorning the night time skies,
her royal Highness’ domain.
Bestowing upon all those who slumber
A hushed stillness of a quiet sleep.
...Of lyrical melody for the minstrel
to sing.
...Of rhythmic poetry for the poet
to write.
This Lady of the night, Oh, so fair
only the melancholic would glory
in the shadow of her mystique flair.
Eagerly awaiting, impatiently anticipating,
night after night, expecting with
all delight,
bask in her beauty in the soft
glow
of her evening light”
I then rekindled the fire outside
my tent to get some warmth and heated the leftover soup I had for dinner.
Yet, all the while I still thought about what I have witnessed yesterday.
Then I got up and return to my tent and took out from one of my bags a
huge roll of freshly dried parchment used for writing. I took also
some ink and a quill and decided to begin writing down anything my mind
could think of, just to get away from the haunting images of yesterdays
drama. But I could not. Something inside my heart is compelling
me to record everything I saw.
So here I was, in the dead of the
night chronicling all the events that have transpired in the plains of
the valley where I am. Writing it all down in this parchment the drama,
the men, the characters, and what I thought would be the reason why they
were here.
I have thus appointed myself to
become their unofficial scribe, and maybe I wondered, would I ever chance
upon this one chivalric, virtuous, but fearsome knight in silvery armor.
Sir Gervaise. Maybe. Who knows?
“Ah...Chivalry!”
---- E
N D ----
