The Poison Rose: A King Arthur Tale Page 27
Indeed, the sight was nothing short of amazing. The sun from the west sent powerful beams of light through the clouds upon Poison Rose Mountain to heal the land of its great impurity. Arthur, Lancelot, and Alice found the sun was so bright that they thought their own skin would burn. But, interestingly enough, they found it was not that type of light. Instead, they felt a powerfully magical type of light fill their soul with peace and fill their otherwise cold bodies with a soothing warmth.
So there, where they stood, the mystical, magical light poured down on them. The sunlight then extended downwards, past the broken-down building that used to be the witch’s mansion. When the magical light touched the statues near the witch’s palace Arthur found that the statues all miraculously felt the breath of life in them again. Those who hated the witch, and hence were turned into stone, shook off their old stone shell and all came to greet Arthur, Alice, and Lancelot, who they esteemed to be heroes, saving them from the witch’s evil.
“You have freed us!” they declared. “And for that we owe you a great thanks!”
Arthur politely greeted all these people as brothers. “All of you are those with pure and stout hearts. You may return to your home lands or you are welcome to stay with me in my kingdom.”
These words made all of them quite happy. Some knew that the people of their time were behind them and chose to start a new life in Arthur’s kingdom, while others knew that they still had family and friends in other places and desired to find their kindred people outside of Arthur’s kingdom. In either case, however, these people all were relieved to be finally rid of the witch’s evil spell over the land and free to begin life anew.
It is important to note that the magical light did not stop at Poison Rose Mountain. Below the mountain peak the light seemed to magically heal the forest, causing the trees to all grow upright again. The animals of the forest suddenly stopped fighting against each other and became, once again, peaceful (as much as animals can be peaceful). The light even extended to Badon Fields where it beamed down brightly over the battlefield. The light hit the witch’s men, causing them to also be released from her wicked spell. They all seemed so shocked and overjoyed by this that they dropped their weapons, tore off their helmets, and bathed in the magical light. Then suddenly a remarkable thing happened. Their skin changed from a black, moldy soot to its former form and color. Their teeth changed from a dark yellow to a bright white. And their bodies changed from scared and misshapen to straight. They were men who now were finally at peace with the world.
“The light!” exclaimed Percival as he continued riding around the field. “It is the healing light of a new age! It is the light of love!”
Although the magical light was a surprise for everyone, many of Arthur’s knights recognized the light as a sign of the new age, a new age written of in ancient books.
Many of the men there on the fields, men who of old had fallen in love with the witch and became her servant now looked on through the field and saw their own wives. They happily rushed across the field as they ran towards their wives, giving them firm embraces and kissing them as they never had before. In the time of serving a dark woman they all understood how important their own loved ones were. Although there were many dead and much sadness for their dead loved ones, there was also much joy.
Arthur, Lancelot, and Alice looked across the field and could see this joyous occasion present itself before their eyes. “To be united with their old loves,” said Lancelot, smiling.
Arthur smiled. “Indeed.”
And so there was finally peace in the land. The evil witch had finally been destroyed and the battle of Badon Fields was over.
Chapter 22: Merlin’s Funeral and the Glorious Return
Eventually the magical light that covered the land had worked its magic fully on the land and the sun finally descended. The remaining men and women on Badon Fields were left to sit on the field under the stars. Arthur, Lancelot, and Alice then descended from the cold, now magicless mountain, and were reunited with all their friends. But, even after all the good that Arthur and his friends had seen come to pass, they were still forced to come upon the body of their dear friend Merlin. Arthur approached the body of his old mentor with tears of both joy and sadness. He was filled with joy because he knew that Merlin was happy, having finally been rid of the evil spell to follow a man who does not surrender to a witch. But he was also sad because he knew it would be a long time before he would see his friend again.
Arthur knelt down over Merlin’s body and placed his hands on the wizard’s face. He then tilted his head upward towards the starry heaven. “Oh, may God forever bless the life of such a good man!” For several moments Arthur just lingered there, in the field, pressing Merlin’s head against his chest.
Eventually all of the other men and women present on the battlefield stopped what they were doing and formed one large circle around Arthur. They, like Arthur, knelt down before the body of Merlin. Almost all bowing at the same time. Arthur smiled. He had felt the love and respect the people had for him even though there were few in attendance that remembered or knew Merlin.
Arthur wept over the body of Merlin for what seemed like several hours that night, although in reality it was only a few minutes. But once he had composed himself he stood up for all to see and announced, “Gather wood everyone, before darkness completely descends upon us! Tonight we will build a pyre for our friend and give him a funeral worthy of his remembrance!”
Everyone obeyed Arthur’s command without hesitation and split off into the forest to gather as much wood as they could. After his people left and gone into the nearby forest to get wood Arthur took Alice’s hand and motioned her to go. He then knelt back down. “Go, be free my daughter! Go into the forest if you would like. As for me I would like to be alone with Merlin’s body for a few moments more.”
Alice shook her head. “No, father,” replied Alice. “I will remain here with you.” Alice placed her hands on her father’s shoulders to comfort him in this time of great loss.
Arthur smiled. “He was the hero Alice. Merlin was everything that I was not! But I know that he is finally happy. Indeed, you may say that you know someone has lived a righteous life, if near the end of it, they look on death, not as a black hole of doom or destruction, but as a bright portal into another realm. And to Merlin, this is what death was!”
Despite the simplicity of the occasion Arthur knew that this funeral is what his friend would have wanted. He wouldn’t have wanted an elaborate or fancy funeral in Camelot like what was given for Guinevere. No, instead he would have wanted his funeral to be out in nature—to be in the openness of the world. Indeed, throughout his life Merlin was a hermit, but Arthur now knew his true story—a story that proved to him that he was much more than a hermit.
Merlin was not only a wizard but was the ancient king of Camelot and, like Arthur, possessed a heart suitable for only the most righteous of kings. He was selfless and virtuous, giving without hesitation to all those he knew and loved in life. There was still so much that Arthur had to ask him should he pass over into the same realm of Merlin one day.
The night was crisp and clear and a soft rain began to descend from the heavens, putting out all the fires caused by the witch. The air was refreshing and the moisture filled the land with a new smell—a smell of renewal and change.
Everyone returned from the forest with as much wood as they could carry, and from that Arthur and his knights helped to prepare and order it into a massive pyre—upon which they carefully laid Merlin’s body. Although the rain was descending, there was no difficulty in getting a fire to start and when the fire began the pyre sent up a rush of flame and soot heavenward.
“Let this fire be a beacon to all the people throughout this land, telling them that the victory is ours, that this land is once again free…but not without great sacrifice,” said Arthur.
Memories of all of Merlin’s wise words seemed to come back to Arthur as he stared at the fire. Arthur co
uld imagine Merlin now, after all these years, happier than he had ever been. Arthur was certain, as there was not a doubt in his heart, that Merlin’s heart was pure.
Arthur held tightly onto Alice’s hand. He looked down at the fire and then back up at the audience, who all stood with bowed heads. He then yelled loudly and clearly for the entire congregation to hear, “I am sure that all of us will miss the presence of such a great man. He was not only a man, but a wizard, familiar with the deepest of the deepest secrets of the universe. But even more important than all of that, he was a silent and sacred guardian and protector for all us—who had a great heart himself, a heart so great that it eventually led to his own death. But know this people—there is never sin in love, but only sin in who we love. So let us love this man, this man of all men, for he was the true hero! I held a sword to which he poured all his magic! I was made king because of him! I was given power to defeat the witch and restore peace and prosperity to this kingdom because of him! But some of the greatest men must die so that evil can be defeated and this was Merlin, a man of which there is none greater. So hurrah to the man!”
“Hurrah to the man!” cheered everyone, so loud that the fields seemed to rumble and the trees shake. “Hurrah to the man!”
The rest of the evening was spent in quiet contemplation. People watched the fire and smoke ascend up into the sky and prepared for their luxurious and joyful journey home. Indeed, the future was bright and with the coming of a new day came the coming of a new era in the history of the world. So, from this day forward, people marked the death of Merlin as the passing of an age—known as the Age of Magic for those who care to know—and the ushering in of a new age, called the Age of Love and Peace. Indeed, the new age in Arthur’s kingdom was to be an age where only love and peace would prosper in the land. And this was a spell that Merlin did not cast except by his own death. Perhaps Merlin’s death was his final spell, a spell that did not take away the memories of the kingdom, but took away all of its pains and miseries and replaced them with a new light; this new light would never die and the memory of Merlin was forever inscribed on the hearts of its people. People would forever flock to Merlin’s old abode saying with a cheerful heart, “We are here! We are in the place where Arthur retired to meet with the great wizard Merlin! We are here where Merlin created statues of all the great kings and warriors and their wives! We are here, a place where Arthur learned of love and of witches and how to defeat them and bring peace to the land!” Indeed, children would hear of the tale of Merlin from their fathers and would immortalize Merlin and his amazing deeds, attempting in any way to show how Merlin outsmarted a witch and, with the help of Arthur, brought an end to the domination of witches in the land and freedom to all his people. So, in the end, the life of Merlin didn’t really end at his death, but continued through his people for centuries upon centuries, and although his story was told differently by people at all times, the essence of the message was the same—love.
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After the sun rose and before Arthur and his people left that land, each and every person, beginning with the children, went to gather flowers and place them in front of the now entirely burned-out pyre. Then his people, led by Lancelot, went back to Camelot. Arthur and Alice were the last people remaining there and they took one last moment to pay their respects. Arthur could barely leave that place, for his heart longed to stay and it felt like a betrayal to ever leave. But then, as if in a whisper, a soft, cheerful voice that sounded like Merlin’s echoed throughout the fields, “Peace to you Arthur! Go! Feel the air of new life!” Arthur looked up into the sky and smiled. Then he took Alice’s hand, placed her on top of his horse and led her and his horse onward back towards Camelot.
When our heroes arrived back at Camelot, they were all greeted like they had never been greeted before. The travelers stood in front of the gate of Camelot and watched as it opened to reveal people from all the provinces that had come to welcome back the great heroes. With Lancelot leading the way, and Arthur and Alice taking the rear, all the warriors, both men and women, moved up the cobblestone pathway towards the castle. On their way they found people, not deprived, malnourished, or miserable, as they had been before, but full of hope, love, and joy. These people looked on their warriors as their gallant defenders and saviors and threw flowers, plants, and anything else beautiful before their feet.
Here Arthur remembered Merlin’s wise words on love, that love was like a sound and people strive so desperately to capture it and embrace it for as long as possible. That certainly was true here as the families were now altogether, embracing each other with true, and indeed not fabricated, love.
Arthur had never returned from a battle so joyous or honored as he had this one, but he supposed that it was because the battle his people fought was not a battle for territory, wealth, pride, or prestige—instead the battle they fought was a battle for love, for the human soul.
When Arthur rode as a hero back into Camelot on Hengroen it brought him much joy to see his people so much different. Many people that rode behind and in front of him jumped off their horses and ran out into the street towards their loved ones. Families were gradually being united all along this street of Camelot, a street that, from this moment on, Arthur called “Love.”
Seeing everyone being united again made Arthur want to hold Alice even more, and the two looked at each other with love. “The witch is dead!” exclaimed Lancelot as he raised his sword. “The wicked witch is dead! Never shall a witch destroy our land!”
Suddenly the crowds released a powerful cheer. “The witch is dead!” the people cheered. “Joy to our kingdom!”
“You are free now Alice,” said Arthur. “You are free to ride outside these walls, to explore the world that you have come to love so dearly. And this is, contrary to what I thought before, a good thing, for the kings and queens of this land will be far better having explored its land and learned of its people than those who haven’t.”
Alice smiled. “Thank you father.”
The joyful ride up the streets of Camelot continued until they were once again within the walls of the famed castle of Camelot. “We are home!” declared Arthur joyfully. “We are home!”
Chapter 23: Arthur’s Final Revelation
Several days passed in peace. Arthur’s knights each bid farewell to Arthur by saying, “We now return to our provinces to provide peace, healing, and support to all those effected by the witch’s evil.” Arthur thus dismissed his valiant knights to return to their various provinces. Since there were only eleven knights now Arthur sent for a steward to temporarily govern Mordred’s old province. He figured this would be best until the time was right to choose another knight.
In addition, Arthur hosted a meal in his great hall with the new Anglo-Saxon leader, son of Cerdic so named Cynric. There they signed a pact to never again fight against each other. Cynric was pleased and stated, “Arthur, to this we pledge: Long shall peace endure between our two nations, for I believe we both now know true evil and, more importantly, true friends.” So the two formerly enemy nations were now at peace.
However, as time passed Arthur’s longing for his old and true love Guinevere only increased terribly—now an insatiable spiritual and physical craving. His mind then remembered the witch’s words: “Know this Arthur—there is no spell or potion powerful enough to bring anyone back from the dead. Spells and potions may be able to kill and transform, but they can never bring anyone back to life.” Although not all of the witch’s words were true Arthur knew that there was no lie in this. There was no bringing Guinevere back to life.
Arthur knew that there was no returning to his old life—this life was done and spent. However, he never would have imagined that he would need to leave. But above all else this is what his heart was telling him. He was experiencing a longing for some other place away from Camelot. Where this place was he didn’t know. He somehow felt drawn to Merlin’s old hut—alone and in secret.
So Arthur returned to Me
rlin’s hut one last time, this time completely alone so that there he might be able to remember his old mentor, a mentor who had written truth so deep within his heart that he could never forget it. But Merlin, even in death, had surprises to deliver young Arthur.
The area around Merlin’s hut was quite the same as before. Statues lingered all around his hut and throughout the forest landscape. A soft midst lingered in the air.
Arthur crossed the moat and entered Merlin’s hut. Not surprisingly he found everything about the same as it was before. After several minutes of walking through his hut, however, he noticed what appeared to be a small square indentation in the far wall. Arthur felt it and then pulled out his dragon key. “I wonder,” said Arthur, as he put his key into the hole. Surprisingly he found that the hole fit perfectly and immediately a secret door opened. Arthur peaked into the darkness ahead and when he stepped through the opening his torchlight revealed a large, dark cave.
Arthur was astounded at what stood before him. There, behind his hut, was a cave at least thirty feet high and forty feet in diameter. On the top of the cave was a small oculus with light that poured down into the center of the cave. Then, on the far side of the cave was a two foot wide crevice through which rushed a small waterfall. It formed a stream and rushed quickly through the cave. This must have been where Merlin’s moat water came from.
The cave smelled old, older even than Arthur’s castle in Camelot. However, at the same time it felt new and refreshing. Arthur couldn’t quite explain it.
All around the cave were all of Merlin’s ancient magical artifacts—artifacts that must have previously been in the castle but were moved once he left. Arthur laughed. “Merlin, you had another backdoor!” He yelled this several more times, each time louder than the last. His words echoed all around the cave’s walls.