Lady of the Lake: Chapter 19 – True LoveLady Valerie listened with astonishment as Sir Bors confessed his love for her and was even more shocked that she felt no compulsion to give him an icy blast to bring him to his senses. Unlike other suitors, Sir Bors was not coercive in his manner towards her, instead choosing simply and gently to hold her hand. She was both bewildered and curiously energized, her senses on high alert.
“Sir Bors please. You are clearly not yourself and if you pursue this, I fear you will regret it, as it will make our completing this quest together so much more difficult.”
“I have never felt more sound of mind. But I would regret things far more had I not declared my feelings. My Lady... may I kiss you?”
“N...n... no,” came her hesitant response as tingles flooded her bloodstream overriding her mind’s feeble attempt to tamp down her chaotic thoughts.
“Are you sure?” Sir Bors responded as he let go of her hand and gently cupped her head with his hands, looking deeply into her eyes. In that moment Lady Valerie knew she could have stepped away, but curiously felt no desire to do so. Her arms almost reached up to hold him before she stopped herself.
“N... n... no.” said Lady Valerie, somewhat transfixed by his gaze and uncertain of herself and her feelings. She remembered how safe and treasured she felt when he carried her in his arms. And now, she felt bemused. She didn’t want this… or did she? If he had just grabbed hold of her and tried to kiss her, she could find justification for outrage at his brutish behaviour. But he was leaving her to make the choices.
“No... you are not sure... or no... do not kiss me?”
Lady Valerie felt increasingly unsure of what she wanted. He was the one enchanted, yet she seemed incapable of resisting him. “I do not know.”
Sir Bors leaned in and touched his lips to hers, softly and tentatively. He had nothing to lose. He knew she professed love for another but at least he would always have the memory of this kiss. If she rejected him, he could just beg forgiveness and blame the enchantment. But to Sir Bors’ delight, Lady Valerie did not resist him or terminate the kiss. Emboldened by her response, he gathered her body closer to his and kissed her with increasing passion.
After her initial shock at finding pleasure in his kiss, Lady Valerie began to return his kiss with equal passion. Increasingly her arms crept up around him until she held him firmly to her.
Their kiss was everything Sir Bors had ever hoped a kiss would be. His dreams had failed to reveal the unqualified ecstasy of having the woman he loved return his kiss with such passion. Sir Lancelot had told him that Guinevere’s kisses robbed him of all sense. Finally Sir Bors understood why his cousin risked everything for his affair with their queen, for Sir Bors never wanted this kiss to end.
If she could have read his thoughts Lady Valerie would agree. To her, his kiss was like her first thrilling experience of the power of magic... exhilarating and potent. She could feel his heart beat wildly against her chest. She exalted in the heat of his body against her own. Every inch of her body was alive and effervescent. Tingles of bliss started up her spine increasing in intensity until... “Nooooo!” cried Lady Valerie against his lips, prompting Sir Bors to immediately release her. But she wasn’t denouncing his kiss but the strangeness that was enveloping her.
Sir Bors stood in wonder as sparkles of light danced around her body; and within the next instant she stood before him an adult woman.
“I do not understand what just happened.” Lady Valerie whimpered.
“Fear not,” spoke the disembodied voice of Merlin as he materialised in the middle of the table. “I said you would never grow older until you had been kissed by your true love and now you have.”
“But I thought Sir Galahad was my one true love,” lamented Lady Valerie uncertainly.
“Everybody loved Sir Galahad,” replied Merlin’s ghost. “It is easy to love someone so perfect. But your affection, deep though it had been, was not really love, but adulation. I encouraged you to explore your regard for Sir Galahad in the hope that it may deepen into something more meaningful. But he passed before it could, so it could only ever remain one-sided. True love requires reciprocity. Two people have to feel love for true love to develop. But your professed love of Sir Galahad blinded you to the possibility of finding another love.”
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Merlin looked meaningfully at Lady Valerie and then Sir Bors as he continued. “But true love, that meaningful and abiding devotion and regard for one another, is born of a deep understanding of that person and acceptance of their flaws and valuing them, not simply in spite of those flaws, but often because of them. Flaws make us all human. Some of us are made up almost entirely of flaws, myself included, but most have their flaws balanced by love, humour, optimism, hope, and good intentions.”
Lady Valerie sat down at the table unsure of everything. Sir Bors asked, “My Lady, are you not well?”
“I am well. I think I just need some time to accept all this.” Sir Bors sat down next to Valerie to give her a shoulder to lean on if she needed it. Merlin too sat down at the table.
“Merlin, then is it not so that a person’s true love is preordained?” asked Sir Bors.
“No. There is not one ideal person predestined to be your one and only love and soul mate. Love has limitless possibilities. Think of your brother, your cousin, your son and your king. You loved them all, albeit in different ways. None of them was perfect, but so great was your love for each, you would have sacrificed yourself if the need arose. You know yourself to be capable of great and abiding love.”
“So in the same way that all people are capable of loving more than one person, each person has infinite possibilities for falling in love if only they will open their minds and hearts to the possibilities. Many people cling to the idea that there will only ever be one true love for them: those who have loved and lost and are too frightened to search again; those that have never found love because they are too selective and choose to believe they simply have not yet met their soul mate; and, of course, those who have formed true love and cannot believe it was not fate.”
“You, Sir Bors, all those years ago, were so focused on being a great Knight and adherence to your vow of celibacy that you couldn’t see that Claire of Stranggore, the mother of your son, was deeply in love with you. If you had allowed yourself to know her, you would have found someone you could have companionably lived and worked with to develop a profound and enduring love. But you wouldn’t open your mind to the possibilities. So you blamed her for tricking you into breaking your vow and drove her from you. But Clair thought no differently than you did just moments ago. She found a way to have you for one night and used it.”
“But I did not seduce Lady Valerie, only kiss her.”
“Are you saying that if you had access to an enchantment that would have brought her to your bed chamber, you would not have used it to have one night with the woman you love?”
Sir Bors looked at Lady Valerie and replied, “No, I would not have used it. If the woman I love were to come to my bed chamber, then it would be because that is what she wanted above all else.”
“Then you are truly a better man than most of us,” replied Merlin. “And you, my dear child. You were unwittingly enchanted by your mother. She loved your father, Uther Pendragon who believed himself in love with his wife, even though he kept several mistresses and courtesans, your mother being his favourite for a time. Your mother wanted you to find true love while you were still a maiden so you could have a long happy marriage – unlike herself. So fervently did she wish that for you, that her wish became an enchantment. This was why neither Morgan le Fay nor I could break that enchantment. It was made by a stronger love.”
“Wait! My mother was a courtesan!” gasped an incredulous Lady Valerie.
“Yes. But that is of no matter. You are still the daughter of a King. I had hoped that Sir Galahad could be your true love, and I encouraged you to think that way but it was not to be. Even meddling magicians get overruled by higher authorities. So, not done with my machinations for you, I looked around for another man whose disposition and talents would most complement yours. That man is Sir Bors. I then put you two together and hoped that propinquity would work its magic. It did. Sir Bors is at that time in his life where the lure and the glory of battle have lost their edge. When the last hurdle, his vow of celibacy was voided, his mind opened to possibilities of love. It took time but he finally realised how he felt.”
“But you my dear, while remaining so focused on your quest, would not allow your mind to recognise what your heart already knew. Thankfully, Sir Bors also has some initiative. With his kiss, your mind went blank and you listened to your heart and consequently, you aged. You have your wish, the enchantment on you is ended. You can now marry the man you love and grow old with him.”
“So you planned all this, just to get us together?” asked a sceptical Sir Bors.
“Most – but not all of it - yes. But it could have gone either way. You are both so stubborn but you have so much to give each other. Your rough edges will be softened by her gentleness and vivacity and your wisdom and knowledge of the real world will greatly improve her understanding of people. But be assured the feelings that you two have been developing are by no means fully formed.”
“There is such potential for a great love and lasting happiness in both of you if you work at it. Once formed, love is neither permanent nor stagnant – even true love. It requires effort on both your parts to keep it strong and make it last. Be honest with yourselves about what your needs are, learn how they change over time, be flexible and make adjustments. You two could have a long and happy life together if you want it.”
“I should like that very much,” Sir Bors said, “but what happens now to our quest to bring back Sir Galahad?”
“The quest was twofold and served two purposes. Firstly, your quest Sir Bors was to protect Lady Valerie and thereby enable the two of you to spend time together and learn enough about each other to form an attachment and hopefully fall in love. Secondly, Lady’s Valerie’s quest was to bring back Galahad as a babe. It never was to bring him back so he could marry Lady Valerie. There is a higher purpose in bringing Galahad back. I do not know myself how all this will evolve but I can assure you, he is needed in the world of the future where you two will go.
“So how do we get there?” asked Lady Valerie.
“I am glad you asked,” said Merlin rising from the table. “There’s someone here I’d like you to meet.”
