Lady Shalott
"Listen! Can you hear it? The voice! Tis the voice of Lady Shalott!" an excited farmer said to his co-worker.
"Aye, I do. Tis a sweet melody to dwell on indeed. Such a beauty of a song must belong to such a lady as beautiful as the goddesses of heaven..." the co-worker said lazily. The song that was floating in from the trees was making the man sleepy.
"Ah, if only Father would let us go on an adventure to find the lady...what a great thing it would be!"
"You don't know anything 'bout her? Lad, they say she is a cursed one, destined to be seen by no one and see no one! We must feel content enough to listen to her songs and be grateful we can hear her at all!" a third man came up behind the two workers. He appeared older and gruffer, and extremely impatient.
"A curse, you say?"
"Indeed, now get back to work! Before I take ya for a whipping!"
The boys scrambled to get back to work in their field, but the melody of the mysterious lady continued to haunt their ears. The melody was coming from much further away, hidden up a river of Camelot, the same river farmers took their herds to for water. It was on that river those men could swear the song only grew louder and louder in their ears.
None of those men dared to seek her out. None would find her anyway.
If one dared to venture through the trees and beyond, one might see a tall tower on an island. The tower, almost like a castle, hid away a beautiful, cursed girl echidna inside.
Her locks were orange and soft. Her eyes, never to look out to the world beyond, were a clear blue and always filled with sadness. Her whole body is frail and thin and her fingers are constantly tired. She sits in her tower and weaves a web of magic, from sunrise to sunset. She is alone, awaiting no one and no one awaits her.
She is destined to always be alone.
It was difficult to remember when this life had started...time had turned into nothing for her. She remembered she used to have a normal life around people. The sun would shine warmly on her face. The wind would blow her locks around her whole body. And then one day it all stopped. She had been cursed. She was never to set eye on the outside world again and if she did, she would die. Now her only way to look out to the world was a hanging mirror. She had to be content in seeing reflections.
But this lady would never accept her destiny. Not willingly and definitely not happily. She would never be happy to mingle with the shadows, unable to see the sun or other people. She wanted to feel warm wind, not the cold wind that blew off the stones that surrounded her.
"How long can I live this way? Is there no one I can pay to let me go?" the orange echidna sang mournfully to herself.
It was another day of spinning threads in her tower prison. The orange echidna continued her work, carefully stitching every thread to perfection. Her fingers ached, but she kept at her work.
The sound of a horse's hooves rang in her ears and the lady looked up to her mirror. To the surprise of her eyes and heart, a very handsome knight was in the looking glass. The rider had stopped and she could see who he was exactly. Her memories brought a name to mind, as well as the gossip she had heard so many times. That was surely Sir Shadow Lancelot, and he was just as handsome as the gossiping magpies of Camelot said. The phrase "love at first sight" was what came to the lady's mind as she stared at the hedgehog in her mirror.
It was minutes...so many minutes...until the man finally began to move. The lady's eyes showed fear and, for once since she became cursed, she dared to forget the one most important rule. The one thing she was absolutely NOT suppose to do at all.
She looked out her window to see Sir Lancelot.
What happened next was all just a blur in her eyes. She felt her blood run cold and heard a cracking sound behind her. When she turned around, her mirror had shattered and the pieces had scattered on the floor like a child's puzzle toy. The curse was going to take effect, but she wouldn't let this room be her grave.
She knew she was going to die. But she wanted to die outside. Singing and confessing her feelings to that handsome knight who stole her gaze and her heart.
And out of this hell!
Out of the tower, where she had been kept as a prisoner of herself. Out to the river and the crashing rapids. Out into the day that was turning into night. For once, the lady of Shalott felt wind, though it wasn't a slow and pleasent breeze. It whipped her locks on her body and even stung her face with its chill.
Knowing she would die, it was her final chance to reveal who she was. On a piece of wood, she carved her name deep into the bark and carried it with her. TIKAL.
"I know I'm the cursed one. I know I'm meant to die. But everyone else can watch as their dreams untie, so why can't I?" Tikal sang loudly, hoping someone would hear her. Especially sir Shadow.
It grew so cold around her. She huddled herself for warmth, but nothing was working. It was so cold, her body was slowly freezing itself.
"Tis the curse...making the world so cold, I cannot begin to even live in it," she muttered. With her last strength, she broke the chains of a small boat on the river and began to float away. Her vision was fading fast. But at least she got to be out in the world.
Lady Shalott...revealed Tikal...laid down one last time and died on a boat heading down the river towards Camelot.
&-&-&-&
By morning, a group of people surrounded a small washed up boat that had floated in from last night. Tasked with the investigation of finding out what was causing the excitement and ruckus, Sir Shadow Lancelot rode over to the location where Lady Shalott was discovered.
"Stand aside, I have an order from the king...begone!" the knight shouted, drawing his weapon. Beside him were his trusted partners, Sir Blaze Percival and Sir Knuckles Galahad. They, too, were prepared to use any force necessary to draw the anxious crowd away.
"Knights of the Round Table! By God, thank goodness you've come!" a woman shrieked. "There is a dead woman in the boat! It could be an ill omen! A murderer! A sign from heaven or hell!"
"Calm yourself, woman," Sir Galahad snapped. "The Gods have no reason to hold Camelot in low regard. We have kept peace in our time and continue to pray and follow God until the end of time. This is no omen, this is simply a woman who must be buried."
Other villagers protested that it could be a sign from the Devil himself, but Sir Percival silenced them and sent them back to the village. Sir Lancelot rolled his eyes in annoyance. Petty commoners. They always looked to a much higher power and blamed evil for a misfortune. The knight approached the boat with a trained eye, preparing for the sight of a slashed and bloody woman. Instead he saw a peaceful face, untouched by swords or knives. Her colouring appeared normal and her clothes and belongings were intact. Enchanted by her lovely face, Sir Lancelot reached out and touched it. As he suspected, it was cold to the touch that actually sent a shiver up his spine. And yet, he felt sorrow. This woman was young and beautiful. She should not have died so early in her life.
The knight picked the woman up. When he moved her body, he noticed she appeared to be clinging to a piece of scrap wood. He gently removed the wood from her cold hands and turned it over. To his surprise, the woman had a name to be called by.
"Tikal..." Sir Shadow mused. "May the Gods above have mercy on her soul, for she has a beautiful face and name."
"Sir Lancelot?" He turned to see Sir Blaze watching him. She took a single look at the dead woman's body he was carrying and slowly nodded. "She should be buried. Perhaps she came from a village far away from here and ran out of supplies to keep her alive," she thought out loud.
"Whatever the case, I agree. We shall bury her. Summon the undertakers," Sir Shadow ordered. Sir Blaze nodded and went on her way with Sir Knuckles to complete Shadow's request.
Sir Shadow gazed at Tikal's face. Had it not been for the cold stiffness of her body, he would have guessed she was sleeping. He took the small scrap of wood that she was clutching earlier and put if back in her hands. It was all she had carried with her and he took a good guess that it meant more to her to reveal her name in a land of unknown people.
While the knight was lost in thoughts and curiousity, someone else was watching him. Tikal's spirit smiled happily at the sight of the knight she loved preparing her body for its final rest. She wasn't able to sing for him and confess her love before she died, but she was certain her face would stay in his mind for a long time.
"Thank you..." she whispered. Her winds traveled on the wind and fell on Sir Shadow's ears. He turned around, but saw no one there.
"Aye, I do. Tis a sweet melody to dwell on indeed. Such a beauty of a song must belong to such a lady as beautiful as the goddesses of heaven..." the co-worker said lazily. The song that was floating in from the trees was making the man sleepy.
"Ah, if only Father would let us go on an adventure to find the lady...what a great thing it would be!"
"You don't know anything 'bout her? Lad, they say she is a cursed one, destined to be seen by no one and see no one! We must feel content enough to listen to her songs and be grateful we can hear her at all!" a third man came up behind the two workers. He appeared older and gruffer, and extremely impatient.
"A curse, you say?"
"Indeed, now get back to work! Before I take ya for a whipping!"
The boys scrambled to get back to work in their field, but the melody of the mysterious lady continued to haunt their ears. The melody was coming from much further away, hidden up a river of Camelot, the same river farmers took their herds to for water. It was on that river those men could swear the song only grew louder and louder in their ears.
None of those men dared to seek her out. None would find her anyway.
If one dared to venture through the trees and beyond, one might see a tall tower on an island. The tower, almost like a castle, hid away a beautiful, cursed girl echidna inside.
Her locks were orange and soft. Her eyes, never to look out to the world beyond, were a clear blue and always filled with sadness. Her whole body is frail and thin and her fingers are constantly tired. She sits in her tower and weaves a web of magic, from sunrise to sunset. She is alone, awaiting no one and no one awaits her.
She is destined to always be alone.
It was difficult to remember when this life had started...time had turned into nothing for her. She remembered she used to have a normal life around people. The sun would shine warmly on her face. The wind would blow her locks around her whole body. And then one day it all stopped. She had been cursed. She was never to set eye on the outside world again and if she did, she would die. Now her only way to look out to the world was a hanging mirror. She had to be content in seeing reflections.
But this lady would never accept her destiny. Not willingly and definitely not happily. She would never be happy to mingle with the shadows, unable to see the sun or other people. She wanted to feel warm wind, not the cold wind that blew off the stones that surrounded her.
"How long can I live this way? Is there no one I can pay to let me go?" the orange echidna sang mournfully to herself.
It was another day of spinning threads in her tower prison. The orange echidna continued her work, carefully stitching every thread to perfection. Her fingers ached, but she kept at her work.
The sound of a horse's hooves rang in her ears and the lady looked up to her mirror. To the surprise of her eyes and heart, a very handsome knight was in the looking glass. The rider had stopped and she could see who he was exactly. Her memories brought a name to mind, as well as the gossip she had heard so many times. That was surely Sir Shadow Lancelot, and he was just as handsome as the gossiping magpies of Camelot said. The phrase "love at first sight" was what came to the lady's mind as she stared at the hedgehog in her mirror.
It was minutes...so many minutes...until the man finally began to move. The lady's eyes showed fear and, for once since she became cursed, she dared to forget the one most important rule. The one thing she was absolutely NOT suppose to do at all.
She looked out her window to see Sir Lancelot.
What happened next was all just a blur in her eyes. She felt her blood run cold and heard a cracking sound behind her. When she turned around, her mirror had shattered and the pieces had scattered on the floor like a child's puzzle toy. The curse was going to take effect, but she wouldn't let this room be her grave.
She knew she was going to die. But she wanted to die outside. Singing and confessing her feelings to that handsome knight who stole her gaze and her heart.
And out of this hell!
Out of the tower, where she had been kept as a prisoner of herself. Out to the river and the crashing rapids. Out into the day that was turning into night. For once, the lady of Shalott felt wind, though it wasn't a slow and pleasent breeze. It whipped her locks on her body and even stung her face with its chill.
Knowing she would die, it was her final chance to reveal who she was. On a piece of wood, she carved her name deep into the bark and carried it with her. TIKAL.
"I know I'm the cursed one. I know I'm meant to die. But everyone else can watch as their dreams untie, so why can't I?" Tikal sang loudly, hoping someone would hear her. Especially sir Shadow.
It grew so cold around her. She huddled herself for warmth, but nothing was working. It was so cold, her body was slowly freezing itself.
"Tis the curse...making the world so cold, I cannot begin to even live in it," she muttered. With her last strength, she broke the chains of a small boat on the river and began to float away. Her vision was fading fast. But at least she got to be out in the world.
Lady Shalott...revealed Tikal...laid down one last time and died on a boat heading down the river towards Camelot.
&-&-&-&
By morning, a group of people surrounded a small washed up boat that had floated in from last night. Tasked with the investigation of finding out what was causing the excitement and ruckus, Sir Shadow Lancelot rode over to the location where Lady Shalott was discovered.
"Stand aside, I have an order from the king...begone!" the knight shouted, drawing his weapon. Beside him were his trusted partners, Sir Blaze Percival and Sir Knuckles Galahad. They, too, were prepared to use any force necessary to draw the anxious crowd away.
"Knights of the Round Table! By God, thank goodness you've come!" a woman shrieked. "There is a dead woman in the boat! It could be an ill omen! A murderer! A sign from heaven or hell!"
"Calm yourself, woman," Sir Galahad snapped. "The Gods have no reason to hold Camelot in low regard. We have kept peace in our time and continue to pray and follow God until the end of time. This is no omen, this is simply a woman who must be buried."
Other villagers protested that it could be a sign from the Devil himself, but Sir Percival silenced them and sent them back to the village. Sir Lancelot rolled his eyes in annoyance. Petty commoners. They always looked to a much higher power and blamed evil for a misfortune. The knight approached the boat with a trained eye, preparing for the sight of a slashed and bloody woman. Instead he saw a peaceful face, untouched by swords or knives. Her colouring appeared normal and her clothes and belongings were intact. Enchanted by her lovely face, Sir Lancelot reached out and touched it. As he suspected, it was cold to the touch that actually sent a shiver up his spine. And yet, he felt sorrow. This woman was young and beautiful. She should not have died so early in her life.
The knight picked the woman up. When he moved her body, he noticed she appeared to be clinging to a piece of scrap wood. He gently removed the wood from her cold hands and turned it over. To his surprise, the woman had a name to be called by.
"Tikal..." Sir Shadow mused. "May the Gods above have mercy on her soul, for she has a beautiful face and name."
"Sir Lancelot?" He turned to see Sir Blaze watching him. She took a single look at the dead woman's body he was carrying and slowly nodded. "She should be buried. Perhaps she came from a village far away from here and ran out of supplies to keep her alive," she thought out loud.
"Whatever the case, I agree. We shall bury her. Summon the undertakers," Sir Shadow ordered. Sir Blaze nodded and went on her way with Sir Knuckles to complete Shadow's request.
Sir Shadow gazed at Tikal's face. Had it not been for the cold stiffness of her body, he would have guessed she was sleeping. He took the small scrap of wood that she was clutching earlier and put if back in her hands. It was all she had carried with her and he took a good guess that it meant more to her to reveal her name in a land of unknown people.
While the knight was lost in thoughts and curiousity, someone else was watching him. Tikal's spirit smiled happily at the sight of the knight she loved preparing her body for its final rest. She wasn't able to sing for him and confess her love before she died, but she was certain her face would stay in his mind for a long time.
"Thank you..." she whispered. Her winds traveled on the wind and fell on Sir Shadow's ears. He turned around, but saw no one there.
