The Lady meets the Maid
“So,” Catherine whispered. A knowing awoke.
“If I find tomorrow, it comes down to this.”
“An enemy lives, but I know her. I see her.
And I can be wise to the ways of the Hiss.”
“Upon my release, I re-enter the world. Although it’s familiar, it poses real danger.
For many lights burn with intensity there:
I burn with the King’s Light, so I am the stranger.”
But I won’t return to the world or the battle.
I’ll stay in this cell ‘til the Prince sets us free.
This season I’ll sit with the Maid Catiebeth,
And shield the bad witness from my Kimber Lea.
As long as I’m here, at my post- she returns.
As long as I cling to the Prince- we will fight.
Until Catiebeth finds the end of herself,
Becoming a lantern that carries the Light.
Habits, bad habits, we’ll tackle together,
Crowned in our character…this can be done!
And each time we differ, we’ll ask for a ruling,
We’ll practice and push and we’ll grow into one.
That is…if she wants it…the Maid Catiebeth,
Once again, offered life when her actions are death.
It’s always the Prince who presents when she falls,
He’s ever been faithful to come when she calls,
And this time- a wound- He has told the girl “NO!”
Yet in His instruction, did not let her go.
His own wounds are greater and deeper than ours,
A fact long dismissed by the girl with the scars.
Catherine peered out from the shadow she sat in,
Observing the Prince pull the Maid from the well,
She watched the Maid tremble, her small ashen face,
She half-drug herself to the wall of the cell.
The Maid grabbed the chain and the shackles of iron,
And heaved up the weight until shackled and bound,
Then pressing her cheek against the cold stone,
She cried- and her sobs were a heart-wrenching sound.
From out of the shadows, the Lady was moving,
Across the cold stones, the lantern out front,
Catiebeth noticed the movement of Light,
And glanced as if saying, “Now what do you want?”
Catherine kept inching and pushing the lantern,
The Light in the lantern invading the dark,
And drying the dampness, removing the chill,
Nearer and nearer and starting to spark!
Backed to the wall and eyes to the ceiling,
The Light was too bright. Catiebeth couldn’t look,
But the Lady kept inching and pushing the Light
Compelling the Maiden, the longer it took.
Scrape…and a push. Scrape…and another.
The Lady came close to the girl with the scars…
Closer and nearer…
Closer and nearer…
Until she was certain the Maiden could hear her.
Scrape and at last Catiebeth was before her,
Unable to run anymore or ignore her.
Closer and nearer…
Closer and nearer…
Aware that the Maid had a reason to fear her.
I’m stronger. The Lady observed with surprise.
And I’ve seen the Prince with my very own eyes,
The Maid Catiebeth sees my utter devotion…
That she will not win with her waves of emotion.
Conviction. Committed. She sees that it’s real,
There’s one other thing she should know that I feel…
And Catherine reached out with direction and purpose,
She lifted the chains from the girl with the scars…
Voicing the name of Prince while she did it,
“His ways are much better than any of ours.”
Then Catherine drew near to the small, broken Maid,
“The King loves us both. You need not be afraid.
We glow in His Light- we no longer burn blue.
Catie, He loves you. ….
….and I love you too.