(The honeysuckle and the hazelnut tree).
By
Tristan and Isolde - Part 1
Tristan and Isolde - Part 2
Tristan and Isolde - Part 3
Xena and Gabrielle are characters belonging to Universal and/or Renaissance Pictures. This is not intended to infringe any copyright law.
The story was inspired by the "Story of the Lai Chevrefoil", written by Mary Queen of France , which is part of Tristan an Isolde´s story, and adapted by the author. Unfortunately, the original Lai seems to be lost.
VIOLENCE: No.
SEX: No. This story is more about romance. Although the lovers have an intimate encounter, we shall only share their conversations... and the rest is their very private and own moment.
Tristan stayed for a while in his castle of Caerleon , but life had no meaning for him. Jesters made jokes, but he did not laugh at them. Minstrels came and sang their sweetest songs, but that did not calm his torment, rather the contrary. He could only think of his beloved soulmate, and then he decided he would return to Cornwall and wait for a chance to see her again, no matter what could happen.
He and Kurwenal travelled hiding in the woods, sleeping in barns and trading food from the peasants, not letting themselves to be seen in towns.
Luck was on their side, because they came to know that King Mark was out for a hunt away from Tintagel but Isolde was in the castle. Better than that, next Sunday was the Pentecost celebration and the Queen would go to the Cathedral to hear the Holy Mass.
Tristan was really happy, because she had to go along a road in the woods, so he could see her and let her know he was there.
That Sunday morning, Tristan and Kurwenal hid behind the trees by the road. They saw the Queen going to the town followed by her knights and servants. Tristan´s (Xena´s) heart beated fast when he saw Isolde (Gabrielle) riding a magnificent horse, and dressed up with splendid clothes and jewels.
After they went their way, Tristan, who was once the Warrior Princess, had an idea. He cut a branch from a hazelnut tree, carved his ancient name and planted it in the middle of the road. Xena and Gabrielle had used that way of communication sometimes, and he was sure the Queen would remember it.
Isolde did in fact recognize the sign. She stopped her horse and dismounted.
The leader of the escort asked her: "What is it, Your Majesty?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing... I must only adjust the saddle."
"May I help you, Madam?"
"Oh, no, that´s not necessary! Go ahead... I´ll join you in a few moments." She called: "Brangaine! Stay with me, please!"
When they were alone, she called: "Xena? Xena! Where are you? Come, please! There´s none but us!
The Warrior Prince appeared: "I´m here, my Queen!"
Gabrielle threw herself into his arms and kissed him as she said: "Oh, Xena! Blood of my heart, joy of my life, life of my soul!"
He answered: "Gabrielle! My angel, my Paradise , my only delight!"
The Queen said: "Oh, my sweetheart! I´ve missed you so much! I´m so happy now... I can´t believe you are here!
He smiled and held her hands: "Come with me! There´s something I want you to see!"
"What is it?", she asked.
"Well, come with me and you´ll know!"
They went into the forest some meters away from the road, leaving Brangaine and Kurwenal to care for the horses.. Then the knight pointed at something: " Look!"
There was a hazelnut tree, all covered by a flowering honeysuckle.
The Queen said enthusiastically: "Oh, how nice!"
She rushed to the plant hiding her face among the flowers and smelling them with pleasure: "Ah, they smell so sweet!"
He answered, smiling "Oh! They can try as much as they like, but they can´t be as sweet as you!"
Then he cut a branch, made a crown and offered it to her: "For you, my Queen!"
She smiled with joy "Oh , thank you, King of my heart!" She put the crown on her head ans asked, coquetting: "How do I look?"
The warrior looked at her for a moment, admiring the bright, happy smile and the light of the sun reflected by the golden hair before he answered: "Adorable, as always!"
But then she was suddenly worried: "However, I wish you didn´t cut them. I hope nothing happens to the plants."
He was disappointed: "Oh...! The plants? I suppose this won´t harm them. But why does that worry you?"
She answered: "Well, of course, the honeysuckle needs the hazelnut tree to climb and grow. And they also say that hazelnut trees need the honeysuckle to thrive. If the honesuckle dies, the tree dies, too."
The warrior said :"Ah, I see my beautiful sweet friend! They´re just like us! We need each other... we can´t be separated."
She smiled "Yes, you´re right, my dearest, my true, my only love!"
"Oh, my darling, I would like to be with you forever!"
"I also need you at my side! I did what my honour and duty asked me to do... But it´s so hard and sad to be without you! I want you so much!
He sighed"Ah, if there was a way! If I could make you mine forever...!"
The Queen´s face turned serious again : " My fair friend, I don´t like to do it, but I must leave now! My escort waits for me... I can´t stay any longer. But tonight... tonight...I´ll be yours!"
"What? Oh, Gabrielle, can that be true?"
"Oh, yes, I promise it! There´s a big oak in front of Tintagel castle... You know it. When the night comes, wait for me there... I can go out of the castle using a secret door. Shall we meet then, my Warrior Prince?"
"Of course! Ah, I can´t tell you how happy you make me!"
"That´s my only wish... to make you happy."
"Ah, my Queen, you make me hate the sunlight! I´ll be hating the hours that the sun still has to shine, separating us!"
"And I´ll be as impacient as you! Goodbye, my dear, brave friend! I´ll see you later."
He bowed and kissed her hand "Goodnight, my sweet love!"
She looked at him, lifting her eyebrows: "Goodnight? The sun´s still bright and high...unfortunately."
He replied "But for me, there´s only darkness without you."
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It was night. The Queen met her lover under the great oak. He embraced her and kissed her forehead tenderly.
"Oh, my Queen, you´re here at last!"
"Well, I promised it, didn´t I?" She kissed his lips. "I´ve been waiting so much for this!"
"So have I!"
She put her head on her friend´s strong, wide shoulders and said "Ah, what could be better than being with you by a campfire, laying together in bed and looking at the stars as we used to do in our past?"
He replied "Everything is ready. Just let me guide you."
"Oh, yes! Let´s go!"
They walked silently in thedark forest.
The Queen asked "Why are you so silent?"
"I´m thinking of all I want to tell you."
"Well, say it to me, then!"
"No, I will do it when we arrive at the camp. Just be patient a little more."
She protested "Oh, why?"
The Warrior Prince smiled "That´s my surprise for you."
They arrived at the camp, and the Queen asked, somewhat impatient "Well, what´s your surprise?"
He answered with a smile, brought a small Celtic harp that was hidden behind a tree, and started to play and sing:
"My love, we´re like the honeysuckle
and the hazelnut tree.
I can´t live without you,
You can´t live without me."
"The honeysuckle flowers
are very pretty and sweet,
but they would never grow so high
without a hazelnut tree.
And without the honeysuckle
the hazelnut tree
would die, would dry
would no longer live."
"My love, we´re like the honeysuckle
and the hazelnut tree.
I can´t live without you,
You can´t live without me."
"Please be my honeysuckle
and give me your grace!
Let me be your hazelnut tree
and give you my strength!
Then we would be together,
forever embrace,
and nothing could make us appart
in Heaven or Hell!"
She said "Oh, that´s beautiful!"
He smiled and shrugged his shoulders: "It´s just a little poem."
She smiled too. "How things change! I used to be the poet... Remember?"
"Of course! How could I forget that? And what a great storyteller you were! Everybody loved your stories."
"No wonder... They were inspired by the greatest heroine."
She went near him, put her arms around his shoulders and kissed him.
He looked into her eyes for a moment and asked "Do you really want to do this?"
"Absolutely!"
"You don´t care about your husband? You will to betray him?"
She sighed "Ah, faithfulness! But I have to choose: if I don´t betray him, I´m betraying you and betraying myself, denying who I am... Now I´ve got enough! I can´t live this lie any longer!"
He kissed her lips: "Then, let´s release our passion... Let´s appease our desire.."
"Oh, yes! I don´t care what happens next... I don´t care if it is right or wrong, if it is a sin, if we should be punished in Hell for this...!
"Hell? Oh, no, no, my darling! We can´t go to Hell! We´ll never be there!"
"Why? How can you be so sure?"
"Because any place would turn into Paradise with your presence."
They kissed passionately, with fury. The Warrior Prince lifted the Queen in his arms and carried her to the bed. .. and all the pleasures and delights they experienced that night, I leave it to the reader´s imagination.
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The Queen woke up. She was laying besides her lover, with an arm across his chest. A reddish light was already illuminating the horizon.
("Oh! I must be leaving soon!") she thought. Hating the mere idea of separation, she frowned and got closer to the Warrior Prince, her head now resting on his powerful chest.
He felt her movement and woke up, too. He kissed her hair and asked "What is it, my Queen? Are you cold?"
"Oh, no, no, King of my heart! Your love is all I need to be warm! But you see, the sun is coming to take away our happiness."
He comforted her "Why blame the sun? Don´t worry! The joys of this night will be treasured forever in our hearts."
The Queen sighed and closed her eyes, while the sound of his breath, the heartbeats and the vibration of his voice filled her ears like music. But then she came back to reality: "You´re right... But still, it doesn´t make leaving you any easier ".
Now it was his turn to sigh "But what else can we do?"
She said sadly "Ah! I wish I could stay so, with my head resting upon your breast, listening what your heart tells me!"
He smiled "What my heart tells you? Oh, not so interesting, I guess! Just boo-boom., boo-boom, boo-boom..."
She replied, smiling "No, not when you listen to it with my ears!"
"Really? And what is it telling to you now?"
She closed her eyes and said with a dreamy voice: "I love you, I love you, I love you..."
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So that´s how Tristan and Isolde, the reincarnation of the legendary Xena and Gabrielle, could finally meet and share their love, and that´s why the lay "Gotleaf" (Honeysuckle), "Chevrefoil" in French, was written... And I think that most of those who read this story would be happy if this was the end.
Alas! This was to be an ill-fated, unfortunate love, for Tristan and Isolde met a tragical end....
BUT THAT´S ANOTHER STORY!
**