Elaine of Astolat

Hello everyone!

My name is Elaine, maiden of Astolat, and I am the daughter of Sir Bernard of Astolat. I'm not quite sure why I'm writing this, but I believe it's important for me to get my story out there, as it seems that things can be quite misconstrued when they're told through the grapevine.

One day, my father organized a jousting tournament. Now, I usually don't condone violence, and I don't like the fact that the violence involved in jousting is unnecessary. However, I was told that King Arthur was going to attend, and perhaps his knights would be there as well. While I was still weary about this, I have to say that it piqued my interest.

Before the tournament, a man came to visit my father and my two brothers. His name was Lancelot, and he was one of King Arthur's knights. According to my brother, Lancelot was not planning on attending the tournament either, until someone had talked him into it. Perhaps I could be persuaded as well...

Lancelot was absolutely beautiful. He was the perfect specimen of a man, and I couldn't help but become infatuated with him immediately. The ways in which he spoke and carried himself left me breathless and his eyes seemed to pierce the very depths of my soul. Needless to say, I fell in love.

I begged him to wear my token at the tournament. I simply had to; I wanted to be close to his heart, as he had already left such a mark on mine. He told me that harlot Guinevere would be at the tournament, and so if he were to wear my token, he would have to wear a disguise to be sure that she would not recognize him. He left his shield with my father (it was recognizably his) and used my brother's at the tournament. No one would know it was him.

My dearest Lancelot won the tournament, but he returned injured, poor soul. I begged my father to bring him back to my chambers and allow me to have the honor of nursing him back to health. When he finally returned to his normal self, he offered to pay me for my services. Seriously?! I did it out of the love that was overflowing from my fragile heart. I didn't want his payment, and I would not take it. I gave him back his shield that I had been coveting, and he left the castle. 

Lancelot never returned. The love of my life vanished in an instant, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop him. He must have had feelings for Guinevere all along... I should have known from the start. But I cannot help but love that man; he is everything I have been longing for, and I will not give him up; not in this life or the next.

If I cannot have Lancelot, I do not think I will be able to go on in this world. My innocent heart just cannot seem to bear this break.

I died ten days after my love left the castle. It was true; my heart could not take the emptiness that Lancelot left when he walked away from me. My body was placed in a boat, as I had asked, grasping a lily in one hand and my final letter in the other. The boat floated on to Camelot, where my love looked upon the "little lily maiden." 

While I will never walk this earth again, I will be waiting in this new world for my love. Until he returns to me, I will be anxiously waiting for the day when my love will be requited. 

Until next time, readers.

Love and lilies,

Elaine of Astolat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_of_Astolat

Malory, Thomas, William Caxton, A. W. Pollard, and Robert J. Gibbins. Le Morte Darthur: The Story of King Arthur and of His Noble Nights of the Round Table. New York: Heritage, 1955. Print.