Sunday 29 September 2013

Part 4 in 'My Invisible Dragon Adventure' series.

Shangri-La
Here at last is the the next part in My Invisible Dragon Adventure series.
In the last part Isabel and Lancelot decided to return to their own realities. Lancelot toYe Olde Camelot and Isabel to Witney in 2013. but first Isabel had to figure out how to summon the Invisible Dragon. Has she succeeded? Will Lancelot return to claim Guinevere? Find out what happens next!

A new day dawned and as ever the sun shone brightly as Isabel and Lancelot went about their daily rituals of swimming, sun bathing and generally just having a relaxing time. But this particular morning Isabel had for the first time in ages woken up with a headache. This was down to her spending most of the night tossing and turning as she tried to figure out how to get Lancelot back to Camelot and his true love, Guinevere. All her attempts over the past few weeks to summon the Invisible Dragon back had been unsuccessful and she was running out of ideas. As for herself, she wouldn't mind staying in Shangri La. Being in such a beautiful and quiet place had begun a process of healing, both in a physical and spiritual sense, and she was in no hurry to return to the circumstances that had led to here being in need of this healing.
It had really just been a bit of fun trying to cast the spell which had brought them to this time and place. At least that's what she'd told herself. But the reality was that she'd been finding life very difficult for a very long time and had longed for an escape from reality. Well, that's certainly what she'd got! Here she was, in Shangri La, with Lancelot.
A peal of laughter from Lancelot jolted Isabel out of her reverie. She found herself smiling as she watched Lancelot playing a game of' tossing the coconut' with a school of dolphins. They were teasing him, passing it between themselves, never giving him the chance to catch it. He looked so happy. In fact he seemed to have lost that wistful look that had made her realise that perhaps he would rather not be here but instead wanted to return to Guinevere. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on her part. She must stop thinking these thoughts. Lancelot and Guinevere had been lovers long before she even existed and who was she to change history.
Lancelot flopped down beside her, splashing her as he shook his head.CIMG0248
'Oh Lady Isabel! Who knew that life could be so wondrous! I had never even heard of such creatures before joining you on this adventure. I feel a lightness in my heart such as I have never known before'
'I know what you mean. I was just thinking the same thing. But we can't stay here forever. '
'Why not? Would it be such a bad thing? I find myself thinking of my days in Camelot and they seem but a distant memory. A pleasant one, but not one that I wish to return too.'
'What about Guinevere? Don't you want to return to her?'
'Ah my Lady Guinevere. She is indeed beautiful and part of my heart will always belong to her. But being with her never brought me the peace and joy that I've found here, in this Shangri La, with you. Besides she belongs to another. My lord King Arthur. She could only be mine if he were to die and he is my friend as well as my lord, so how can I desire such a thing?'
'Ha! Make your mind up! Don't tell me I've come all this way for nothing?'
Lancelot and Isabel jumped looking around for the source of this voice.
'I don't know why you're so surprised you've been trying for weeks to get me back here so you must have been expecting me.'
'You startled us dragon. We can't see you if you remember. At least Lancelot isn't trying to fight you this time. '
'I'd like to see him try. He won't do me much harm with that coconut, even if he did know where to throw it.'
'I'll try my hardest if you have come to take us away from this place.' Lancelot said jumping to his feet.
Isabel stared at Lancelot.
'Do you really mean that? she said a huge grin on her face.
'With all my heart! It is yours now anyway' he replied clasping her right hand to his chest.
Pulling her towards him he gently kissed the top of her head.
'Very touching I must say!' said the dragon. 'But before you get too cosy I must tell you why I've come here and it's not because of your attempts to summon me. There's been a development in Camelot. Arthur's in trouble and he needs the help of all his best Knights. He's even sworn to forgive you for your indiscretion with the Queen.'
Lancelot stepped away from Isabel. His face a kaliedescope of emotions.
Isabel smiled, a tear trickling down her face.
'It's alright. I understand. It's been a wonderful adventure while it lasted and we'll always have our memories.'
'What will you do Lady Isabel?'
'That's up to the dragon. I'd like to stay on here for a while if he'd be happy to return for me later'
'Oh I will! Your adventure is not over yet Isabel, there's more to come. But first you must say your farewells to Lancelot.'
'Will he be coming back?'
'I can't tell you. It's never a good idea to know about the future. Come Lancelot. Climb on my back, there's no time to waste.
'I would if I knew where you were?
All three of them laughed, the dragon, setting fire to a bush as a flame inadvertently escaped from his mouth as he laughed. Isabel ran to get some water to put out the fire and when she returned the only sign that Lancelot had ever been there was the coconut on the ground. Isabel looked towards the horizon, a wistful smile on her face as she wondered what was going to happen next on her Invisible Dragon adventure............

Dolphin photo Isabel Johnstone 2013 ©

Shangri-La picture courtesy of Peter Maxian, available at;

3 comments :

  1. Hi Isabel

    This is wonderful, although I was hoping that Lancelot would stay with you in Shangri-La ;-)

    I read between the lines a little, and perhaps this interpretation is not correct, but when you wrote about the "healing effect" of Shangri-La ...that's what these fairytales are for me. They have a wonderful healing effect, bringing a sense of great love and happiness into my life.

    I hope your adventures with the invisible dragon in Shangri-La and Camelot are doing the same for you.

    Peter

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  2. Thanks Peter. I'm certainly enjoying writing this. I'm going through a bit of a stressful situation at the moment and being able to escape to Shangri La for a bit certainly helps!

    By the way Lancelot didn't go back to Guinevere, he went to help Arthur! The adventure isn't over yet! :)

    Isabel

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  3. By the way Peter, I've just set up my own website to share my blogs. I'll be sharing them on this site for a bit until my website becomes established. I'd be very grateful if you would put a comment on the website just to help get it going.

    http://isabeljohnstone.co.uk/?p=287&fb_source=pubv1

    Many thanks

    Isabel


    I'

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