If I Could Tell It

The Lake of Avalon, Britain, 647

I tied the stallion to a willow tree near where Viviane and I generally met on the shore of Avalon and sprinted out across the white pebbled beach to the water where the tiny icy waves lapped at my boots.

“Viviane!” I called across the lake. My voice became strained.“Viviane! Lady of Avalon I summon thee!”

A ripple appeared about thirty feet from the shore. I stared at it as it became the exact shape that a stone makes when you cast it into a glassy-still pond. Then the figure of a girl made of water rose out of the ripple. And then the water melted away to reveal Viviane, whom I loved, treading in water that must have been at least thirty feet deep.

“Viviane.” I breathed as I looked upon her wet golden hair and her wet white dress that clung to her body perfectly in every way.

She only looked at me and began to swim toward me, or rather wade on ground beneath the surface that was really only water, her magic allowing her to stand on currents like no one else might hope to do.

She came about six feet away from me, still in the water and only looked at me.

I knew that she had become the lady of the lake now. Not because she had told me but because of the way she looked, the silvery glow that she gave off, her serious and strong expression. Confidence now flowed over her like a waterfall and wrapped her like a warm cloak. Her eyes shined with health and wisdom. It was like she was born again.

“Arthur.” She said in a firm, yet smooth voice. “What is it that you are so concerned with?”

“I am going to fight in the war.” I said quickly. “And my father forbid me from seeing any girl that I am not going to marry. So if you say that you will marry me now then we can still be together. Please Viviane.”

“Arthur we already had this conversation.” She said with just a hint of irritation in her voice. “My place is here, at Avalon. I am the Lady of the Lake now.”

“But Viviane do you not love me?” I asked. I looked her in her eyes. Staring her down. Forcing my answer out of her.

“I do love you.” She said solemnly. “But I love Avalon as well. I was born to love Avalon.”

“I know…” I trailed off. She walked closer to me, her dress trailing in the water behind her. “I just thought…”

She looked me straight in the eyes then. Our vision in a perfect uninterruptable balance. The world might end and our gaze would not be broken. I was not aware of what was happening, just her form standing across from me. Her face that was only inches away from mine. Her sweet breath that smelled of honey and dew. Her absolute perfection.

And then she kissed me.

She kissed me for what felt like ages. Years of bliss passing through her lips to mine. Those years that I pictured we would be married in. My kingship was no longer a reality. There was no war to which I was to be sent off to. Here and There was only Now. It was just like she had said, we were living in the woods, alone and together. Never having to speak to another soul besides the other again. Just like I wanted. My fantasy fulfilled.

She moved back to her respective two feet away from me and I let out a quiet sigh of satisfaction. All I wanted was to pull her close and kiss her again. And again. And Again.

“Arthur I have something to give you.” She said quietly. “Before you go off to fight.”

“What is it?” I asked while I fought off the overwhelming urge to grab her and pull her into me.

“Come.” She commanded me and grabbed my hand forcefully.

She dragged me by my hand out into the water and I planted my feet when the surface of the icy liquid came up to my neck and my tunic was flowing around my body with weightlessness. I was still afraid to swim in such deep water.

She dove into the lake and completely vanished for a few seconds. She had to have swum at least ten feet away from me under water by now. I shivered as the water caressed my legs and I felt my clothes no longer tight on my body. It was a dreamlike, sickening feeling. As if I was sinking away from reality. Or maybe that was just Avalon.

Then I saw silver glinting across the water. The silver grew into a blade, the blade of a sword. With it came a golden hilt and then a pale white hand. Viviane’s hand. The hand of the girl I loved.

I suppose she was not so much a girl anymore for she was the Lady Of The Lake. She was a woman. And yet here I was, still a boy.

The hand continued to rise, giving way to the rest of her arm and then a mountain of wet blonde hair that she threw back out of her face once she rose enough out of the water so that her dress was revealed. Viviane kept rising out of the water, by some unseen, supernatural force until it was only her legs and the skirt of her dress under the surface of the glasslike gray lake.

Then she came toward me, brilliant sword still in hand raised above her. It was shining like a star above the dull, monotonous colors of Avalon. She reached me and her face looked to be the most powerful thing I had ever seen. So impossibly fierce, yet wise. As if she knew well beyond her thirteen years of life. And she did.

She cupped her free hand on my cheek. It was cold, and felt almost as smooth and icy as the water that she stood on. Then She brought the sword down and turned it so that the blade was held between her eyes and she could still look at me.

“Arthur Pendragon.” She said. “Future High King of Britain. Our Protector.”

I wet my lips and swallowed, staying completely silent. Watching each move she made with absolute interest and nervousness.

“You have taken Caliburnus from the womb of the earth and you have proven your worth to me, The Lady of Avalon, the Lake of the Goddess.” Viviane went on. It seemed that she was no longer looking at me but something that was invisible to me that hovered just in front of my face.

She brought the sword down to tilt against my forehead. The cool blade somehow felt comforting against my skin. Natural. As if it was meant to be there.

“This is the sword Excalibur.” Viviane told me, keeping the blade of the large sword against my forehead. “It is the most powerful sword in Britain. It has the power to kill anything.”

I swallowed and waited for her to continue.

“This sword belongs to you.” She said. “It has belonged to you since it was forged by dragon’s fire and it will belong to you until the day you die and it is cast back into the lake.”

I had no idea what her ominous words meant but I listened solemnly and watched her glimmering eyes with the utmost interest.

She held the sword out across her hands then, the flat of the blade resting delicately in her small hands. She motioned with her body for me to take the brilliant sword and I did.

As soon as I took the sword in my hands I felt a wave of euphoria wash over me. It was pure bliss, as if warm golden light had taken hold of my nerves and adrenaline was being pumped into my veins at a gallon per second. The golden hilt was comfortably cool against the rough callouses of my hands and it’s weight was perfect. I felt as if I could take on anything. Anyone.

Viviane took Caliburnus out of my belt and threw it into the lake as far as she could. I did not care, Excalibur was within my grasp.

She raised her hands and brought them to my temples as I breathed deeply, indulging in the feelings that Excalibur was forcing through my body. I bowed my head to her.

I felt her kiss my forehead gently. Then she softly pushed me away from her and I let my gaze linger on her beauty.

Her fingertips grazed mine as I let the sword drop to my side in my left hand.

“I love you Arthur Pendragon.” She told me solemnly. “I shall not ever forget you.”

“Viviane-” I tried and reached out to touch her hand again. But there was nothing for me to touch. She had vanished into the mist.

Viviane was gone.