“Behold! I will tell you for the one true king of Camelot! His sword still sits in Avalon, waiting for his hand to draw the ancient blade! Listen well mortals!”
At first glance, Shakespeare made sense. He was a famous guy—his works were classic! And yet—Erin had to admit, the language the famous Bard of Avalon used was…difficult at best.
“Yes, but they copy the style. They’ve learned to write like the Bard of Avalon, this William Shakespeare, the creator of these plays. It’s not a natural style of writing—either in dialogue or in the nature of the plays themselves! By our representation of these works, by this Bard, or perhaps, [Bard], we bring the very nature of Shakespeare and his language and story craft into the consciousness. And so people may make something as great. But wherefrom did it originate? In what old culture or—Miss Solstice’s home? Why do they have something so divergent?”
For reasons the Players of Celum hadn’t understood and Erin hadn’t explained, the original works of the Bard of Avalon had had very little on-stage death. There were some fight scenes, but most death came off-stage, like the death of the [King], Duncan. In their initial plays, Erin had stuck to the script, having a few thrilling mock-battles, but nothing more. The [Actors] had first improvised with dulled swords and their own knowledge of combat—Celum’s own City Watch could fake a rollicking fight, including Wesle himself.
Into the land of the fae. Avalon, some called it. Was it the same place talked of in so many stories? Was it dangerous, or simply a heaven? Had she died to get here?
The thing was…Ryoka had expected many things of Avalon. The land of faeries. But this? This was just underwhelming. There were bigger trees on Earth! That was a rabbit! It looked like…well, a rabbit. There were Waisrabbits in the other world.
Their time was not unlimited. But Ivolethe had promised Ryoka and so it was. As night passed across the Summer Solstice of every world—the sun shone in Avalon. They flew across the many lands of the fae. They landed, talking, meeting folk.
“I am a friend of the Fair Folk of Avalon, Rhisveri Zessoprical. I have wronged you, but I will do everything I can to defend myself. I remind you of that.”
“Cara, there are more worlds than just this one and ours. I’ve seen them. There are the lands of the fae. Avalon. Perhaps they’re the center, but I suspect they’re just one of many gateways. There are other realities, and even other Earths out there. Perhaps it’s as many worlds as there are stories. All I know is that they exist—but the gateways from this world and Earth are few. But that was how we came here. Someone opened a door, and it sounds like it’s still open. And I think I know who.”
