Dream of the Medieval-Lovers
And so, let me tell you a tale, oh dear visitor, of the love between the Vigorous Young Man and the Young Beauty. Hear this story about a love that had entranced them both but a vile wind had swooped them and broken their love, swept them away separately, the fire that had swallowed them whole, their spirits flying aloft and entering into the world of the departed where they whence proclaim their love so strong that they shall be joined in Heaven.
A father, full of wealth and luxury, had in his estate a dear wife who sired him many children and all but one all fallen ill and never recovered. The young boy became the Vigorous Young Man who respected his father and family and would not dare do any ill to tarnish their name.
"My son," the father spake, "Do know that you are my pride and joy. You take in your blood the history of our family, so proud we are of our lineage, that you must do all you can to keep it pure. That is why you must wed a woman from a fine family and continue our legacy; do so and accept the marriage arranged to you."
"Father," quote the Vigorous Young Man, "you have raised me well and I thank the Lord that I have been blessed by a family so dear that I will dare naught speak of ideas of our family to be griefed with shame."
The Vigorous Young Man had accepted his fate; to marry a young woman he knew nothing about to preserve his family's honor.
But one fateful day, as he was traveling the country, his carriage went astray and crashed unto a tree where he was aloft for a mere moment and landed straight down a property not his own. Upon getting on his feet he did saw a person coming to him to aid but it was not to be for the person had taken a turn and did run off back whence they came from.
It was a mere moment that he gave an eye to the stranger and a shorter moment that he needed to have his heart strings plucked. It was the Young Beauty who had conquered his heart right then and there but she was most afraid and ran off.
But it was not meant to be, that he thought, and he went about his life. But there was a plan being spun by the fate's hand as when the Vigorous Young Man went out to shoppe, there she was again and she again had seen him and with a fright she took her leave and he took chase to her and he did take her arm and did not let her go. She cried tears to spare him for being in his presence for she was but a poor peasant who must work on her master's farm but he wiped away the sparkles from her eyes. "Nay, do not be afraid," to the Young Beauty he did spoke, "you have nothing to fear. For one look at you and my heart did tremble, my spirit floated, and your face imprinted in my dreams. A life without you is a life not worthy and I would give away my gold and jewelry, my perfumes and cloths, my inheritance and my estate, and give all them and became a beggar like you so that I may be with you for a moment more. You have taken my heart and I wish for yours. Do be my wife and I will forever love thee."
There was so much joy in her heart that she cried from the happiness he had given her and embraced her new husband.
But woe to those in love as the Vigorous Young Man had to deal with his father who had arranged a marriage with another woman. His heart yearned for the Young Beauty and the Father thought nothing of it but a game. "Who does thou think they are?" He spoke most harshly to his son, "To make merry with some retch? You will put to ruin our family that had worked to build up our great lineage, spat in that of our brave forefathers, and dare stain our pure blood with that of a pauper. Think no more of that street rat and prepare for your marriage in a fortnight."
In seeing his father raging against his wishes, he felt his future wife was the one to talk to and let her know about his situation.
"Uncouth and dirty," she spoke to him much harshly. "Thou would say to be with a such dirty dog and have thy heart appeased by someone so young when you have a commitment to another far more suited. Father will be furious and thee shall be at thee's mercy."
But the Vigorous Young Man's heart would not be so convinced as he concocted a plan to run away with his beloved, never return to his household, to live merrily forever with the one he truly loved. He told the Young Beauty his plan and she agreed with him to escape her wretched life and live like a princess with her prince in secret and be the mother of his children.
When the moon was at its highest, the Vigorous Young Mann escaped his household and met at the clearing near the river with nothing but a torch on hand with his attendant where he met with the Young Beauty and embraced her before escaping into the night by the horse and carriage prepared for them. Alas, it was not to be as the attendant was a traitor who only served that with the highest price which the father had plenty to pay and had his men rush out of the darkness and surround the young couple and put sacks on their heads to take him back to his family and her to the authorities.
She was pressed with corrupting the bloodline of an important family and was to burn in the flames to cleanse her of her sins.
The Vigorous young Man was sent to his father who was most furious but he proclaimed his love to the Young Beauty in which he escaped his household and seeked her company. But woe to him as he found her tied to a great log, the fire consuming her, the crowd around shouting and throwing rocks at her.
He spared not moment in contemplating and pushed his way through the crowd and through the fire to embrace his beloved and never release her with her cries to spare himself going unnoticed as he continued to cry for her and she too had on her tears.
When the fire was at its hottest, they both looked at each others eyes and made a bold proclamation; their love would be never ending, no obstacle would stand in the way, and when they reached Heaven, they would forever be together as they declared that they would meet each other in the afterlife.
The fire grew massively, their souls departed, leaving their chared bodies behind.
