The Hero

He was a fabled champion, perpetually battle ready

His sword always sharp and his shield always steady.

Galloping on his high horse, he had no worries or care.
Lesser men shrunk at his sight, the dreamy eyed women would stare.
He was the King’s most trusted knight, many a battles he had won.
Songs were sung in his name, warriors like him there were none.

As he rode on his steed one evening,  into the dull evening sun.
He glanced upon a damsel , and he knew she was the one.

She had flowers in her hair and a beautiful smile on her face.

His heart skipped a beat; things scurried by in a daze.

A new horizon unraveled, he fell into a trance
Unburdened of all his splendor, with just a single glance.

He climbed down from the stallion, and inquired “Who art thou?”,

But she just stood there muted, panic crept across her brow.

She said she was a priestess, from the Far East she had arrived,

He knew that hope was lost; between them was a great divide.

He strode back to his manor, with disappointment in his step,

That night he went through every bottle of ale, in the Castle of Knepp.

He had won many great wars in the yesteryears, and a defeat he could not fathom,

His thoughts were riddled with her memory, and his conscience felt like a chasm.

He did not want all this vainglory; just a humbler abode would suffice,

He just wanted to be with her, and for this he must connive.

He gathered all his men , and ran the King’s Palace asunder,

The Kings decrees were burned, and all the gold was plundered.

He destroyed the life he had, and started one anew

He left in search of the Red woman, and bid his comrades adieu.

The rogue searched far and wide, across the hinterland,

But the elusive red priestess, was like a speck of dust in the sand.

Weary but not dejected , he finally reached the Narrow sea,

He set course towards the East, Along with the pirates and escapees.

The dream was all he had, fabled riches he had left behind,

The rogue had lost his head, to reason he had turned blind.

He traversed into the Great temple, and looked for that one face,

He caught a glimpse of her round the corner of his eye, But when he turned his head she was gone without a trace.

He scampered into the thoroughfare, with all the might he had,

And she was standing amidst the crowd; in pure white she was clad.

She had renounced her faith, and she had been looking all over for him,

He thanked all his lucky stars, and became ecstatic to the brim.

They journeyed on together, to further east they went

Till they reached the edge of the Earth, and that is where their lives they spent.