Posted On: April 20, 2006 at 04:38 PM
This is a story I wrote for the contest to geto onto Jason Hayes' Album, it won 
. I thought I'd post it up here for y'all.
A nomad was traveling through a perilous forest, when night fell, and he was lost. He headed for a clearing, hoping to spend a quiet night resting, so that he might search for the way out the following day. When he reached the clearing, there was a beautiful lake in the center of it, bathed in moonlight, the large boughs of the trees casting shadows over the still, clear water.
The nomad dismounted from his horse and sat down and rests, hand upon his sword, shield upon his knee. The beauty of that place eased his mind, he felt sleepy, time slows and all that happens seemed like a dream to him. And as he sat in this dreamlike state, there was a movement in the shallows of the lake. Then, a head emerged from the water, with golden hair of tight ringlets, followed by a face, then shoulders and slowly an entire person, naked from head to foot, walked from the lake to the land towards the nomad. She was a beauty so rare, that the nomads hard heart thored and he felt no other desire, not sleep, not hunger, no, nothing else but to simply sit and hold her in his arms. She sat next to the nomad, placed her arms around him and her head on his shoulder, and there she stayed all night. They talked quietly, but did not ask prying questions, both content to simply be in each others company.
Before dawn, the woman stood up, deaf to the nomads pleas that she should stay with him, and backed into the lake. As the still waters engulfed her naked frame slowly but surely, she said to the nomad "Cast your shield into the water. If you do this, then I shall return here tomorrow night." Unthinkingly, the nomad threw his shield into the center of the lake, for he was in love, he was drowning in it.
The nomad walked the forest the entire day, thoughts only of the beauty that he would once again have that night. The forest seemed brighter, less intimidating. The air itself seemed fresher, every step he took was blessed. And in this way he spent the day, until the sun began to set, when he started his journey back to the lake. Returning to the same spot as last night, he dismounted, rested his hand upon his sword and waited patiently. Soon, the same beautiful woman emerged from the lake and came to sit beside the nomad. They spent the night once again in each other arms, whispering sweet nothings to one another, until daylight was almost upon them, when the lady retreated back to the lake once more. She stood in the shallows, shoulders just out of the water and called to the nomad "Cast your armour into the water. If you do this, then I shall return here tomorrow night." Now, this armour has protected the nomad as long as he has been traveling, which is a very long time indeed. But, he is deeply in love with this girl and cannot stand the thought of not seeing here again, so he unbuckles his armour and throws it into the lake.
And so he spent another day roaming the forest, everything a joy to behold for him - except the brigands. These men of the hills looked upon the nomad with evil intent; they wanted gold, and he was alone in the forest, an easy target. They set upon him, ignorant of the great skill of the nomad. He fought valiantly, slaying 3 of the brigands and causing the remaining 4 to run away. He was shaken, without his armour and shield, he had felt most defenseless in battle. The day passed uneasily, and as night descended, he made his way to the enchanted lake. Once again, the lady of his dreams came and sat beside him and they held each other until dawn rose. As she once again sunk into the crystal depths, she called to the nomad "Cast your sword into the water. If you do this, then I shall return here tomorrow night." The nomad paused. The sword had been his fathers and had protected him for years. But as the golden-haired girl descended into the water, he could not bare the thought of not seeing her face again, so he cast his sword into the lake, sighing as it sunk to the bottom.
The day passed, the nomad felt naked - no sword, no shield and no armour. He did not feel good at all, oh no. He felt no better when he once again ran into the brigands. They surrounded him, swords drawn, grins on their grubby faces. Despite his greatest efforts, they hacked at his body, stabbed him through and through, took his horse and left him for dead. He awoke, bloody and fatigued just as night fell. He attempted to stand up, but slumped against a nearby tree. He tried to move once again, but could only throw himself onto the support of another tree. In this way, he made his way to the lake. It remained, as ever, beautiful, the same as it was on that first perfect night. He breathed deeply, looking back at the trail of blood he had left. He had to see his love just one last time, and so, slowly, he took careful, deliberate steps towards the lake. He put his foot into the shallows and was surprised with the sensation. The icy water did not chill him, it soothed his pain, eased his reeling mind. He took another step in, then another. Slowly, he walked right into the lake, until he was fully submerged. Before he drew his fatal last breathe, the face of the girl was before his eyes. He smiled, and embraced her. As they kissed in the watery depths, and the water flooded the lungs of the nomad, all thoughts of past, present and future faded from him, and he felt only the warmth of the unity he felt with the golden-haired lady.
They kiss at the bottom of that enchanted lake to this day.
By Liam Welton
Second one here, GET IN!
