A story...........

[witabix]

They walked on the shore of the vast loch. Two figures side by side. The Champion and the Princess. The night sky was broken by moonlit clouds.

 

He walked between the Princess and the black waters, her hand on his arm. They spoke softly of life. His eyes scanned the water. She asked him what he was looking for. He replied that the water always made him wary at night. She smiled and said there was nothing to worry about, the stories were just stories. He acknowledged her reassurance with a nod of his head, but still looked out across the dark mirror surface.

 

She let her hand fall from his arm as they continued to stroll. Suddenly the man stopped, his right hand moving swiftly to the weapon at his side. He had seen a movement in the usually still water. She laughed again and told him not to be silly.

 

Twice more this happened. Each time he would stop and face the water and each time she would reassure him that there was nothing there. A long low bank of mist started to roll in on a gentle breeze. The Champion grew nervous, the Princess scolded him for being over protective of her. He looked at her, then at the mist and finally at the water as it slowly became obscured. They continued to walk. The man’s gait had taken on a guarded aspect. His cloak was pulled back and his hand rested upon the hilt of his sword.

 

He heard splashing in the water, but the mist was obscuring his vision. He turned to the princess and said that they should not continue any further, that it was dangerous. She laughed again, telling him that it was perfectly safe, there was nothing to be worried about. He turned again to face the water. More splashing and in an instant he saw the monster.

 

Rearing over them, silently, grotesque and terrifying. He drew his sword and leapt at the beast. Screaming for the Princess to run, to get away. His sword slashed through the mist, missing and missing. He lost sight of the beast. Crouching and turning he searched for the creature, and caught sight of it slithering up the shore. He roared a challenge and raced at it. His cloak was caught. He realised that the monster had him encircled by its gigantic body. He hacked and slashed and felt the sword bite then miss. Felt the creatures claws and teeth tear at him. Somehow finding the gaps in his armour. The very armour that his Princess had given him when he had sworn to love and protect her. Now he was fighting for his life and his Princess was lost in the mist, the same mist that contained this terrible monster. A final terrible pain felled him.

 

He lay in the mist all night, fighting to keep his consciousness, calling weakly for his Princess. Wondering why the beast had not finished him. Then he heard the soft whimpers of a woman. Her voice, she was hurt, hurt but not dead.

 

Using all his reserve of willpower he crawled to where the Princess lay. He found her, wounded and bleeding. A long knife he himself had given her was in her blood soaked hand. She looked at him uncomprehendingly, and asked.

 

“Why did you attack me?”

His torn face contorted, “I did not attack you my Princess, did you not see the beast from the loch, hear it splashing?”

 

“There is no beast in the water, it is a myth, I was skipping stones behind your back. Do you not remember the name of the beast from the legends?” her voice was weak.

 

“But I have the wounds, do you not see?” his eyes searched her face for understanding.

 

“I wounded you when you attacked me my Champion” tears welled in her country green eyes., ”what is the name of the monster in the water Sir Champion, what is its name?”

 

“My Lady, even a child knows the name of the monster.” He paused.

 

“Its name is Jealousy”.