What follows is the Castle Alleyne series in one epic poem... three novels summarized in rhyme. I do not ever expect to be able to write anything like this again, to tell the truth! Here goes...
Now set thee down, and listen well
To this wondrous tale tis mine to tell
Of mighty demons, sent above
Of a shining knight and his quest for love
Of a lovely maiden, wondrous and fair
With silken skin and lustrous hair,
An angel fallen from heaven above
Of a demon foul and tarnished love.
To start this tale, needs must we go
And travel back some years ago.
To when the maiden, young and frail,
Was smitten with the Demons tale.
“O come fair maiden, tarry thee”
He chortled in his evil glee.
“For I would fain take me a wife-
And share with thee a mortal life.”
To this the maiden did agree
Twas not long ere she was to see
The Demons love was not for her,
His dreadful lust must needs endure.
For strong drink, she was to learn
Was his true love, to which returned.
And from this joining there was shriven
All the love which she had given.
Reconciled to this her fate,
Naught to do but there await.
This tale is sad, ye must admit,
But listen well, and wait a bit.
One day the maiden, fair and mild
Found that she was blessed with child.
Twas the sickness, twas no cure
A little demon born to her.
She named him Justin, gave him love,
Her little demon, from above.
Some years went by, so full of strife
found her Blessed again with life.
She named her Caitlan, fair of face
Her littlest demon, full of grace.
Except these two, true love was gone
And thus her years went on and on.
Ye say this tale, too sad, must quit.
But needs we suffer on a bit
For now, must start our sad knights tale,
to tell it true, I must not fail.
Milord- he was of nobles born
Touched by the spirits of ancient lore
To be at peace with those unseen
Was given by the man of green.
To see between, to touch, to know
This gift upon him was bestowed.
But alas, the gift set him apart.
He did not dare to show his heart.
And thus he grew, his gift was hidden
Until awakened for his bidding.
Tis now the time Milord to seek
To find a love, not mild and meek
But with a fire deep in her soul
Be one with him and make him whole.
Hush! Thee know not what I’ll say
Set thee down or rue this day!
At twenty and one, he found his lover
She spun the tale, there was no other.
A nobleman, he took her word,
Twas but lies that he had heard.
When he was gone she took a lover,
Not just one, she took another.
And when Milord found out her lies
His heart was crushed before his eyes.
To drink and to the noxious weed,
His life he turned in desperate need-
To numb his heart and numb his mind
But no true answer could he find.
And then he took another wife
To start with him a common life.
In hope- he knew it be not fair
Their love be true and flourish there.
Twas not so long they had a son
Lord Brandon, but they were not done,
Lord Andrew soon was welcomed there-
Lady Heather of the long brown hair.
And so he went from day to day
And so in love- you dare to say.
While twas not true he did not care
But with his blood he could not share
The secret that was given him
To journey where the light is dim.
For 20 years he fought the fight
But in his heart there was no light.
He taught his Lords, little Lady, too
To be strong-willed and right to do.
Sir Knight, his hope for love had gone,
And day by day, he carried on.
And as a symbol of his quest
A metal glove put on his crest.
But wait! You cry, the tales not told
What of Milady, hair of gold?
“Two tales, I say, I do agree
But shut thee up and ye shall see.”
Milady- after many years
Took up her fire in spite of fears-
Cast out the demon of her past:
“Begone- say I- you’ve seen the last
Of me and mine”- a spell she cast.
Took back her life, and held it fast
“My heart once more is mine to hold,
Tis the last time for one so bold.
To no man bow-this truth shall be
Until my true love do I see.
Let us now join Sir Robin, hopeless knight,
In his quest for love, his endless fight-
With his demons and darklings, shadows and sprites
His battle within and his search for the light.
Of his true love, the only one he can share
All his secrets, his visions, his soul he can bare.
But ere this can happen, he must make amends
To his lady for on him she has come to depend.
He seeks not to hurt her, to cause her despair
For he knows what he feels like is too much to bear.
But end it he must for it would not be right
For her to be shattered because of his fight.
But twas not a sight that one ever should see
When one love finds out that it never will be.
“You say now that true love is there for to find?
Twas it so easy? For you’ll find in their mind-
Deep dark despair over love given away
Hurt, longing, and shame for the price that they pay.
They have not a true love, there’s none who can share,
They know not the other, the knight not the fair.
Tis naught but their true fate they finally met
Edison’s lightening, a virtual net.
Caught in their visions, fantasies, dreams
For them to be together, not easy it seems.
Sir Robin, it seems, must pass Ladys’ test,
To win out his true love that he has confessed.
Milady has put up gray, bleak, castle walls
to keep out Sir Robin- to still her heart calls
For she is afraid that he will not be the one
If she keeps him away then the hurt can’t be done.
But she knows in her heart that her true love awaits
And all she must do is just open the gates.
She gives out the order, the portcullis raised.
Sir Robin, is stricken, by beauty, amazed.
He crosses the courtyard, she stands in the door
He goes to one knee, his eyes to the floor.
She reaches down, and raises his head.
They know for this moment their lives they have led
Their eyes meet, he reaches and brings up her hand
Lips softly, he brushes, not speaking, this man
For he knows not the words to show her his love
His angel, most precious, his gift from above.
He stands, and she reaches, no words need be spoken.
The walls lay asunder, all battered and broken.
They walk in the garden and talk of each other
Each day in and day out, they see not another
One day in that garden, midst flowers grown there
The knight gave his vow to his lady so fair;
“My love is a true love, not shallow or vain.
I seek just to love you, not cause any pain.
To share all your moments, be bad or be good,
To be there beside you whenever I should.
To laugh with you, cry with you, every night.
To champion you always, to walk in your light.
To share without speaking, lost in your eyes.
Together, forever, there’ll be no goodbyes
And when this life’s over, another we’ll share-
These vows have I taken for my lady fair.”
She knew in her heart as she gave him her hand
He truly did love her, but was still just a man-
Inside his cold, hard glove made of steel,
Was a man who loved her, a man that was real.
Not perfect, this man, but that he do his best
To be faithful beside her, he never would rest.
On that moonlit night, they declared their love,
Watched the stars rise in the heavens above.
Arms laced together, kissed, walked to their room-
Sir Robin said “Milady, you’ve sealed your doom
To make love, then again through all of the night
To know not of rest till the sun’s highest light.
“And now ye varlets! Have ye no shame!
To peer at the window, see love’s blinding flame!
Tis true that the story has barely begun
Just suffice it to say they had each found their one.
Their passionate story is not spoken here
Tis too naughty, too fiery, but never ye fear
Tis a never-ending story, a book with no end.
A new tale each morning, on that I depend
And each one I know that the tale is told right
And ye ask how I know? Because I am that Knight!
But keep your ears open for the rest of our tale
But it isn’t for children, for soon, without fail
I’ll meet my fair lady at noon or at night
And explore all our passions till dawns early light
But to find out our story, needs not be a mage,
Just pick up this book, reach out, turn the page!
