The Knight & the Maiden

Upon one frosty dark silent night

Whilst the moon lay flung over yonder

And down below the turbulent cloudy seas

Stood old inn whose appearance spoke of age.

And in the distance came forth a silhouette

Behold! Of a horse and a mighty soul

And came up he in short, wary gallops

And stood still before the door.

 

Armor upon his body shone in the twilight glimmer

An appearance of a soldier whose battle lay forth

But he cast off his helmet, flung it on the cold cobblestone

And descended from his steed and stood stately

Sabre shone with silent smitten rage by his side

Threatening any soul even if the brave be.

Yet his face cast an expression of a tired flight

Of a narrow escape from death; of a doomed life.

 

He stopped by and by at the old oak door

Knocked, knocked and knocked

Try as much, nobody answered the door

Sighing, he called aloud —

“I come in peace. Is anybody in there?”

He pondered did they hear?

Hopeless road stretched many a mile

But turning around to the window sill

Behold a maiden smiled.

 

So stood he below the window

Said he —

“I will be gone for many a days

And upon my return shall we be wed.”

And came forth his love whose beauty be such

And said she unto him –

“Go forth and God shelter thee

Time shall wane me not… And I shall wait for thee”

 

His magnificent steed stood afore

Staring into the misty void before

Gazed he at her divine eyes, her soul window.

Reality faded, seemed swooned distant.

Was it a toll on his tired soul??

A drunken dream of a tired man…

Or a sunk reality devout with deceit

But flashed she a smile, and reached his hands.

“I'll come back for thee, oh fair lady.”, said he.

“Even if hell cometh or the devil be”.

 

She waited many days, she waited plenty nights

Anxious for the return of the her knight

Whether soon or hath his end drawn?

Or hast he been cast and spewed by the devil

Or slayed by bandits who smote his head

And hung his lifeless body on the trees.

Upon an ugly gray evening as she sat

Waiting, yet time wane her hope not

Clit-a-clat, clatter-clat soundeth far away,

Approaching hoof beats wreaked fear in vultures

And creatures of the dark and dismal abyss.

 

Straining her ears and her eyes

Saw nothing but fog gleaming in moonlight.

Clit-a-clat, came strangers nearer

Who should they be? Alas! But a band of bandits!

Muskets in hand they vilely encircled

Beaneath the sprint of troubled clouds

And before the door they stood and spake -

“In the name of the King, open thine door

For we come in peace and shall harm ye no more”.

She heard them bid so as the landlord in haste

Swung open the door instant a knife upon his heart

And they hung him upon the lamp post…

To be fed to the predators of the sky.

 

They stormed all the room, dining and bar

Came in where she sat, still staring afar.

They trussed her up, charged fair lady

Decree her of the will of the Land and the King

Of treason, debauchery and unpardonable sins

And plunged the dagger through her breast

Yet mighty pain suffered her soul not

And even as she lay dying on the old floor

She cried not.

 

As hours like years slowly ticked by

Silence shattered for clock struck midnight

And appeared before, oh young and brave

A silhouette of the knight upon his steed

Clit-a-clat, was he near?

Clit-a-clat, for who to hear?

Descending gloom dawned upon his soul

Or villains had not ears to sense fear

Were they deaf so they could not hear?

 

Knight stayed his steed yards away

For afore lay a swordsman bliss in lifeless sleep

And the harness of his magnificent steed

Clamped to a stump amongst the trees

He strode and stood by the old inn door

“Oh fair lady, I have come for thee…

inspite of the hell and the devil be.”

 

Hollow laugh rang from within

And no fair lady did he see or sing.

For behold! The gates swung open

And a spear striketh through the void

Pierced his heart, past the mighty armor

Swaying to the mortal sting of pain

fell forefront, limbs in mortal spasms

From amongst the viles who slew the Knight

Mocked affront, behold the avenging Prince

Whose smile of sly victory cast with rage

And stood upon the Knights lifeless soul lay.

 

“For thine, oh King, have I cast his blood

every drop for thine soul at last.

For he who smote my father’s head

Hast but lay dead beneath my leg.

Oh King! For thou art no more!

But weep I shalt not; for I have happiness

Revenge hath driven me, many saddled miles

Traitor’s death so vital to my soul

And Revenge, Oh! sweet revenge!

Oh how I love thee…

And Oh Princess fairlady… if only ye knew

my love for thee that thou betrayed.”

 

Eerie silence loomed upon dawn

The sun rose up – world in its warm bosom

But gallantly, Knight marched to his steed

mounted and swept fair virgin off her feet

Away they rode; their soul; and as they vanished

Beyond the bloody turbulent cloudy seas

And ascended upon heaven…

Soul shrouded from view at last.

I have thee but one quest in mind

Did ye ever think that love doth die?

Written in Modern Indian School, Class:XII  E (Original) 1998

Last Edited in 6 June, 2004