The Queen of Mists and Memory ::: Epilogue
      Epilogue
      She watched as her sister emerged from the water, the cinnamon tresses of 
      her hair drying almost instantly as she came toward the shore. Her samite 
      gown glowed as brightly as the sunlit mist that surrounded them, and she 
      carried the sword as if it weighed no more than a feather in her graceful 
      hand. 

      Without a word, the two women met and turned as one unit toward the 
      pavilion that sat atop the sloping hill near the lake. They glided up the 
      incline, their movement producing the beautiful, haunting music that 
      permeated their land. Their third sister awaited them at the entrance, and 
      they all slipped inside, drifting to the bed where the King lay.

      His eyes were closed, and he rested comfortably beneath the heavy silks 
      that covered his body. He did not stir as the sword bearer approached him; 
      she lifted his arms gently and laid the sword on his chest, the blade 
      toward his feet, molding his hands to grip the handle. The lady touched a 
      cool hand to his brow, smiling down at him.

      "Hic iacet Arthurus, Rex quondam Rexque futurus," she whispered. The other 
      women smiled, too, and the darkest one spoke the words again, translating 
      them.

      "Here lies Arthur, the once and future King." Morgan le Fae nodded at the 
      Lady Elaine, and at the Lady of the Lake. "He rests, until mankind has 
      need of him again."

      "And until he rises, there are others in the world who shall care for it." 
      The Lady of the Lake's voice was serene with confidence. "There are still 
      heroes who work for the good of all. There is still magick, and love. That 
      is what the world needs now."

      The three faerie women left Arthur then, to attend to their duties as the 
      keepers of the land of Avalon. They felt no need to worry for the land of 
      humanity, for they knew it was well kept, well attended, and that the 
      unquenchable love of a few kept its heartbeat strong and sure.



      Thus endeth the tale, "The Queen of Mist and Memory" 
      Written between May, 2002 and March, 2003
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