Sunday, December 23, 2018

Bride Of His Court

Bride Of His Court
© Surazeus
2018 08 31

Gliding slowly from the small wicker hut
nestled among trees by the gushing river,
Chlothgarde stops by the waterfall pool
and gazes at her narrow freckled face.
"The narrow river shining through the woods
cradles my heart with trickle of its song
that transforms sunlight into secret joy
to whisper silence in my watching eyes.
Joyful passion of love fills up my heart
like gushing waterfall fills the deep pool
that shimmers in the shady grove of trees
where I feel water sparkles on my cheek."

Lifting up both arms toward clouds in the sky,
Chlothgarde sings with sweet enchanting voice.
"How can I not sing with joy of my heart
that the cute boy with eyes black as the sea
after thunderclouds flash lightning in rain
gave me the apple he plucked from the tree
when I could not reach it with my short arm?
Leading me by hand to the tower of stone,
he told me while holding me in his arms
that he wants to crown me bride of his court
for he will reign as king over our land,
so I will bear son who will reign as king.
Henrikus kissed me with passionate love
and bid me appear in his court at noon
so now I climb the winding trail of trees,
approaching the castle of shining walls,
where I will dwell in Heaven with my love.
Though I am daughter of the fisherman,
with hair gold as wheat blooming in broad fields,
Henrikus chooses me to marry him,
of all the girls who flock in marble court,
so I will help his cause with loyal heart."

Terrible pain pierces her beating heart,
causing Chlothgarde to gasp in surprise
as echo of her sweet voice fades in shadow.
Staring down at her chest, she sees sharp arrow
poking out of her heart between her breasts,
thin blade dripping with blood that gushes hot.
Choking in horror at heart-wrenching pain,
she falls to her knees and clutches the arrow
as blood bubbles from between parted lips.

Trembling as she sways dizzy in sunlight
that glimmers slanted through indifferent trees,
Chlothgarde looks startled at the tall man
who laughs as he holds long bow in his hand.
"You stupid daughter of the fisherman,
and offspring of the whore who stains our kitchen
letting cooks and grooms have their way with her,
nobody would let you marry my brother.
My brother will reign as king of our land,
so he must choose his bride from our bloodline,
the perfect girl from the right family,
to bear the boy who will reign as our king.
No woman but descendant of the Mermaid,
Saint Mary Magdalene, wife of King Jesus,
will qualify to reign as our pure queen,
so you can never wear the sacred crown.
If my brother had not fallen for you,
smitten by the sparkle of your blue eyes,
then you would be free to live as you wish,
but his desire to marry you doomed you."

Lifting muddy boot with a mocking sneer,
the haughty prince kicks her hard in the face,
causing her to fall stunned into the river,
as she gasps for breath, staring at the sky.
The swift current of the tumultuous river
snatches her with horrible freezing hands
and drag her far away from shining castle
where Henrikus stands on the parapet.
Reaching out her hand toward his tiny face,
Chlothgarde gasps for help with words of blood
that gush from her mouth in the splashing stream
just as his face disappears from the sky.

Seized by terrible anguish of despair,
Chlothgarde feels sobs of horror erupt
from heaving chest as she chokes on her blood,
and sinks into darkness of flashing rays.
Snagged by the branch of the old fallen tree,
her body trembles in the gushing stream
as water flows over her face and breast,
though her eyes stare up at indifferent sky.

Stumbling over roots of the fallen tree,
Henrikus leaps from shadow of the woods,
and jumps in the gushing stream with wild shout
to grasp her body and drag her to land.
Cradling her limp body in aching arms,
Henrikus blows air in her open mouth
till she gasps, spitting water and thick blood,
then opens blue eyes to stare at his face.
Unable to speak, she clutches his arms,
amazed to see his face twisted with grief,
and she smiles as he calls her name and weeps,
then touches his cheek, longing to kiss him.
Leaning close to her pale delicate face,
Henrikus kisses her lips smeared with blood,
and sobs in horror when he sees the light
of intelligent life flash from her eyes.
Rocking back and forth in anguish of sorrow,
Henrikus howls in rage at the blank sky,
then caresses her long shining gold hair,
but stops when he notices the sharp arrow.

Looking behind him at shudder of rage,
Henrikus sees his brother holding bow,
so he howls through tears blinding his black eyes,
"Why did you kill the sweet woman I love?"

"You know father would not approve of her,
and mother is returning to our land
with the bride they intend for you to marry,
so I had to eliminate this whore."

Leaping to his feet at surge of wild rage,
Henrikus yanks sharp sword from leather scabbard
and howls as he clutches his startled face,
then trusts the blade all the way in his heart.

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