Arthurian Traditions for Thursday

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

There is a note on the door of the Celtic Studies classroom instructing students to go to the Danger Room Shop. Once there, they will see that it has been recreated into a verdant, rolling landscape. A castle perches on a distant hill (but it's only a model), overlooking an open, grassy area, where Camulus has greated a fairly impressive and quite tasteful throne at one edge, a much lesser chair beside it. He is lounging in godly fashion on said throne when the class arrives.

"It is time," he announces with relish. "Amuse your god. Present your play. You may have a few minutes to organise yourselves. I am told that the Danger Room Shop can accomodate any staging needs you have. Angel, I'll take your essay and you can come sit over here while we mock watch your classmates present."

Comments

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angel handed his essay on women's roles, symbolic and literal, in Arthurian Tradition. He took a seat by Camulus. "Any popcorn?"

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

"There's more fureach," Camulus says, pulling out the bowl from beneath the chair. "Or oatcakes, if you prefer. I did not consider . . . popcorn."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Oatcakes are fine," Angel said. "So, any plans for the holidays?"

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

Camulus hands a couple of oatcakes over, taking a spoonful of the glop fureach for himself. "My original plans involved an illicit cargo transport and a small yet fanatical group of followers, but since I appear to be staying for good, then no, no plans. And yourself?"

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angel nodded as though all this was par for the course. "Heading up to New York this weekend. That's about it. Was originally going to do something on New Year's with Veronica Mars but - " he shrugged " - real good chance she's never going to speak to me again. So I'm free, far's I know."

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

"Are you suggesting something? *waggles eyebrows* Veronica Mars? I do not believe I have met her." He stretches a bit. "It will be interesting to experience an almost-empty Fandom, although I was looking forward to the holiday celebrations I had heard of."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Might be enough of us still around to do something," Angel said. "I'll be here for Christmas. Got a tree in my room and everything Though no snowglobes since Bel stole mine, the bastard"

[demonbelthazor]

I sleep with it under my pillow.

[sensethevisions]

So that's what I was stroking?

Cole and Phoebe's Play Part 1

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe and Cole, being the only other students in the class besides Angel since no one else ever seems to show up, programmed the Danger Shop to be a forest with a river, chirping birds, and deer...as well as two horses, upon which Cole and Phoebe, in costume, are mounted. They look nervous because OMG they forgot all about the assignment until just now.

A narrator comes to the front and starts reciting Tennyson's poem, Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere. As he speaks, Cole and Phoebe, obviously portraying Lancelot and Guinevere, perform the tryst inferred by the poem.


Like souls that balance joy and pain,
With tears and smiles from heaven again
The maiden Spring upon the plain
Came in a sunlit fall of rain.
In crystal vapor everywhere
Blue isles of heaven laugh'd between,
And far, in forest-deeps unseen,
The topmost elm-tree gather'd green
From draughts of balmy air.


A gentle rain appears in the Danger Room, but falls only on the portion of the room where Cole and Phoebe are playing out the poem.

Phoebe separates from Cole and urges her horse into a gentle walk through the forest and to a tree as she watches the rain. She sits on her horse, still as a statue.

Sometimes the linnet piped his song;
Sometimes the throstle whistled strong;
Sometimes the sparhawk, wheel'd along,
Hush'd all the groves from fear of wrong;
By grassy capes with fuller sound
In curves the yellowing river ran,
And drooping chestnut-buds began
To spread into the perfect fan,
Above the teeming ground.


As the rain stops, Cole lets his stallion strut around the area, acting every bit the famous knight as he preens and flexes his sword arm looks around in a very noble fashion.

Then, in the boyhood of the year,
Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere
Rode thro' the coverts of the deer,
With blissful treble ringing clear.
She seem'd a part of joyous Spring;
A gown of grass-green silk she wore,
Buckled with golden clasps before;
A light-green tuft of plumes she bore
Closed in a golden ring.


At this point, Cole and Phoebe come together in the center of the "stage" and walk along, leaning towards each other from their horses and portraying two lovers out for a secret and romantic ride.

Re: Cole and Phoebe's Play Part 2

[sensethevisions]

Now on some twisted ivy-net,
Now by some tinkling rivulet,
In mosses mixt with violet
Her cream-white mule his pastern set;
And fleeter now she skimm'd the plains
Than she whose elfin prancer springs
By night to eery warblings,
When all the glimmering moorland rings
With jingling bridle-reins.


They stop their horses and Cole jumps off, managing just barely to keep his balance in all of the heavy armour he is wearing. He mutters something x-rated and then turns to swing Phoebe down off of her horse. She kicks her feet in the hem of the dress, trying to get it to fall correctly so she can walk. She is leaning on Cole, who seems to be tilting in all of his armour. During this time, the horses seem to vanish. Okay, so Phoebe didn't do a perfect job of programming the room. She picks up the sides of her dress and starts to run a bit clumsily through the grass.


As she fled fast thro' sun and shade,
The happy winds upon her play'd,
Blowing the ringlet from the braid.
She look'd so lovely, as she sway'd
The rein with dainty finger-tips,
A man had given all other bliss,
And all his worldly worth for this,
To waste his whole heart in one kiss
Upon her perfect lips.


Looking both surprised and annoyed at all of this, Cole starts chasing Phoebe through the grass. The clanking and chiming of his armour is in rhythm with his every move and you can hear some punctuated cursing from ColeSir Lancelot.

Cole finally catches Phoebe and they both lose their balance in their ridiculous costumes. They roll for a second and then Cole manages to sit up. He grabs Phoebe and they help each other to stand. Then, with a serious grinning like a fool look, Cole carresses Phoebe'sQueen Guinevere's face. He pulls her hand to his heart and is gesturing emphatically with his head and hand. No, he is not shamelessly over-acting at all.

Finally, he mutters something and grabs Phoebe. He pulls her to him and kisses her deeply...causing them to once again lose their balance and topple to the ground.

~The End~

Re: Cole and Phoebe's Play Part 2

[godinakilt.livejournal.com]

Camulus slowclaps applauds. "Well done, very good. Huzzah and all that jazz. Class dismissed, unless you wish to frolic amidst the greenery a bit more."

[[Yay! And I'm back to studying like mad for Latin. Moneo, mones, monet . . .]]

Re: Cole and Phoebe's Play Part 2

[demonbelthazor]

Cole grins and winks at Phoebe. "Maybe we'll stay and frolick if you two want to leave the room."