Mists of Avalon Story

Ever since I saw the Mists of Avalon on TV I have had this story pictured in my head. This story is my way of imagining what could have happened if Gwenhyfer (spelling?) and Lancelot had gotten together instead of her marrying Arthur. The story involves Gwenhyfer becoming a priestess and a whole new set of conflicts to be resolved. So please enjoy and send me reviews. Oh yeah of course I do not own anything that has to do with Arthur, Camelot, or any of Marion Zimmer Bradley's ideas.

"Are you sure she can't see us?" Lancelot asked Morgaine as he watched the fair haired woman seem to stare through the fog.

"Of course not." Morgaine said and gave a small laugh at the thought that a mere mortal would be able to make their way into Avalon.

"Could you part the fog?" Lancelot asked with a trace of hope clinging to his voice. "I would like to find out who she is."

"Oh very well, but I am only doing this because you are my family." Morgaine said with an exasperated tone in her voice. Morgaine then stood up and raised her hands above her head and called upon the power of the earth to move the veil that hid the ancient site known as Avalon. As she slowly lowered her hands to her side the thick veil of fog was moved from where it hung, and created a sort of doorway between the two worlds.

The woman gasped and was obviously frightened when she saw Lancelot and Morgaine seemingly appear from nowhere out of thin air. "What magic is this?" She asked and held up the silver cross that hung around her neck.

Lancelot held his hand up to her and gave her a smile that he hoped would calm the fright that he could plainly see across her lovely features. This young woman was the loveliest creature that Lancelot had ever seen and somehow knew that his destiny was somehow connected to the fair creature. "Do not be afraid, my name is Lancelot and this is my cousin Morgaine."

"You are one of the fairy creatures come to put a spell on me." The young woman said on the verge of tears.

"We certainly are not." Lancelot said with a smile while Morgaine scoffed at how wrong the young woman was. "What is you're name?"

"I am Gwenhyfer, the daughter of King Lothos. But who are you if you are not fairies?" She answered back slowly becoming more comfortable with the strange woman and man that stood before her. "Please where does that road lead to?"

Lancelot turned around to look at the path that he and Morgaine had run up just minutes before. "That path leads to Avalon, where my mother and the other prieststess' worship the great earth goddess. My mother Vivian is the lady of the lake, the head priestess, and Morgaine here is rumored to be the next in charge." Lancelot answered her and looked to her face to see the reaction he would see cross her face.

"I was told stories of the place called Avalon when I was a child in the palace. I was told it was a place full of tiny magical creatures that fly about on the wings of the birds, and perform all sorts of magical rituals." Gwenhyfer answered slowly growing confidence in the presence of the special people in front of her.

"Well as you can see we are not tiny and definitely do not ride around the backs of the birds." Morgaine answered with a chuckle at the thought of those loyal to the goddess as small as the clever little birds. "As for the rituals, you were correct we have those that we do to honor the goddess."

"If you are a princess what are you doing here at the monastery with those Christian monks?" Lancelot asked hoping Gwenhyfer would say that she was at the monastery preparing to enter into a convent. The beauty that graced her would be wasted in a place that he new encouraged leaving your worldly pleasures behind.

"My father is away at battle, and has sent me to the monastery so that I can study while he is away." She answered Lancelot while slowly coming closer to where he and Morgaine were standing. "You said the path leads to Avalon, may I see it?"

Morgaine was about to close the veil when she felt the wind pick up all around her. She looked to her right and left and then finally understood what was causing the wind to pick up so much. In front of her a column of light was spiraling and forming itself into the familiar sight of her mentor Vivian. "Wait Morgaine; do not close the veil yet." Vivian's powerful voice said as the column of light finally formed into the obviously commanding figure of the lady of the lake. "My dear Gwenhyfer, you have now come across a sacred place that normally you should not have even known was there at all."

"How do you know my name?" Gwenhyfer asked very afraid of the tall woman whose bright image was suspended in front of her. "And what do you mean normally?"

"The truth is that I have been watching you for quite some time now. I noticed that whenever you would be out in the forest you would be so at peace and comfortable with nature. Those are characteristics of the priestess that I wish to find in all those who come into the mother goddesses' service. As for your ability to perform the magic rituals of a priestess I believe those would come in time after you have been trained." Vivian said surprising all three people who stood in the presence of the great lady.

"You want me to become one of you?" Gwehyfer asked astonished at what was being offered to her. "How can you be sure that I am right to be a priestess? I have never had anything magical happen to me!"

"Whenever you would walk with the men from the monastery you seemed to know that there was something in the fog without being able to see it didn't you? Those feelings are proof that you have the makings to be a woman of the goddess." Vivian assured her. "Now I will give you the choice, you may come and join our order or return to the monastery."

During the conversation Vivian was having with Gwenhyfer it was taking all of Morgaine's control to not speak out against what Vivian was suggesting to this girl. Morgaine knew that Vivian was wise and had her reasons for inviting Gwenhyfer to be a priestess, but she could not help but have a bad feeling when she looked at the young woman who was obviously torn between returning to her old life and venturing off into a new one. As she watched what Gwenhyfer was going through, Morgaine realized that even though she was leery of this young woman she needed assurance that the worthiness of the goddess was the right thing to strife for. "I know you must be positively torn trying to figure out what to do right now, so maybe I can tell you what a life dedicated to the goddess entails." Morgaine spoke up suddenly feeling compassionate about how she could help this young woman. "Your life would at times be hard but overall be very fulfilling. TO serve the goddess makes you feel so complete you feel as if you were lost without her. She fills you up with such a great feeling of wholeness that you will feel so wonderful you feel as if you could burst. So if you feel you can dedicate your life to the goddess I to invite you to come join our order."

Gwenhyfer was grateful for Morgaine's encouraging words, but yet still did not know if she wanted to leave her whole life as she knew it behind. She looked among the three faces that watched her, and her gaze came to rest on Lancelot. He had not stopped looking at her ever since his mother had suggested she come to Avalon and Gwenhyfer knew that the attraction she felt for this man was one of the things that was pulling her in the direction of the goddess. "Will you be in Avalon?" She timidly asked hoping that his mother would not see the desire that was building up for her son.

"I do not live at Avalon, but I will come to visit you if that is what you wish." Lancelot replied happy that Gwenhyfer wanted to have him in her life.

A smile immediately crossed Gwenhyfer's face when she heard Lancelot's answer to her question and then she knew that she could become a priestess with his support and encouragement. "I would be happy to join your order madam." She said and bowed to Vivian.

"You have made a great choice indeed, young one. I believe like Morgaine you have great things in your future for you as well." Vivian replied with a smile. "You may now come through the veil, but first you must get rid of the trinket that if around your neck."

Gwenhyfer looked down to the silver cross that hung around her neck and gently tossed it on the ground. She looked up to where Lancelot and Morgaine were waiting for her, and with a smile stepped through the gateway to her new life.