A DEATH ORDAINED

Where do these doubts come from?

The silent questions that break out,

Tormenting you with misgivings

So was I tormented

As I watched him leave...

Not the first battle fought,

For a warrior, for a warrior's wife

So why the trembling heart?

The premonition of doom,

Of death, despair and evil...

I did not fear his death, I knew

I had faith in him and destiny

What did I fear I could not be sure

But I somehow knew

Something dark was coming our way...

I waited in apprehension

As days turned to weeks, months

Then suddenly the news

"He's come, the messenger,

Bearing tidings from the master"

I walked slowly, my feet leaden

Unsure of what the writing bore

As I took the parchment from his hands

I could feel the weight of the letter

And I knew it was the dictates of Fate

The words swum before my eyes

As he wrote of his glorious victory

Smashing through the enemy ranks

And of his march of triumph...

His and his comrade in arms, Banquo

Then he spoke of his return journey

And their rencontre with three wise hags

The prophecy, oh the fateful words...

Duke of Cawdor, King of Scotland

The future, nay the predestined doom

Did it end at this unfortunate oracle

No, Fate had more games to play

They talked of the future heirs

Sired by Banquo, even though

His was not to accede the throne

The paper fell as I fought not to

 Dread took over my senses

As I went over the words

That rang as the knell of doom

On him, on me, on our destiny

For I could not shy away from it

The truth, what lay in wait for us

I knew it would overcome us both

Haunt our dreams at night

and poison days of wakefulness

I picked up the letter again

The seal of the Duke of Cawdor

With a sharp breath I realised

It had started, the games

The first prophecy fulfilled

I could not stay, I could not sleep

I waited for what lay in wait for me

Then the most vicious of tempters

Came to visit me in the dark

It was ambition, with his honeyed tongue

King of Scotland, Queen of the realm

How grand it sounds, magical

What could harm a seigneur so powerful?

What could damn a dynast so puissant?

It was our glory, ours to seize

And so I eagerly awaited the return

Of my lord, my master

The new declared Duke of Cawdor

And soon to be crowned

The King of Caledonia

The news preceded the arrival

As the yells echoed through the streets

"The lord is back, radiant victor

He's back with the enemy's head on a stake"

Hailing him all through the land

I rushed to meet him when I stopped

For the man I saw seemed a stranger

His visage feverish, his eyes wild

Its like he's seen a terrible,

Yet fascinating nightmare

I could not speak, I could not walk

As I saw him coming towards me

What ailed him I wondered

The hero of immortal honor

Should not, ought not look so ill

Then I glanced at my reflection

In a small puddle gathered at my feet

It mirrored my husband's absolutely

I understood his ailment then

It was the fever of torn desires

That night was a night momentous

Of decisions and of avidity

We drunk the wine of desire

And the potion of fear

An talked of what is and what could be

The potion stung and burned

And the wine intoxicated and blurred

The burning sensation, and we knew

That the intoxication will win

And we smiled, a smile of triumph

Just then the messenger entered 

And informed of the monarch's visit

The stars were moving

The fates were cackling

As we got ready to greet,

The king and our future...