Summer Rain

Chapter 1: Here's To You

01/17/1208

This will be my first entry into this journal that was given to me by my darling children for Christmas. I am currently the Queen of England and my husband's name is King John, or as the people call him "the phony King of England". I have two darling children whom I love more than anything in this world, a son named Walter and his twin sister Helen. No one knows that my children are not the true children of King John; they are Robin of Locksley's children. I suppose though I should start at the beginning of this tale and let you decide if I did the right thing or if in the end, I am a traitor.

My name is Arianna; I was born and raised in Londonderry Ireland with my older brother Sean. I grew to be 5' 9" with typical red hair that we Irish are known for with a temper to go with it; I had my Ma's dark blue eyes, and my Da's freckles, on an average face. Nothing terribly special ever happened to me during my childhood; I went to school got pretty decent grades, loved my parents, and gave them plenty of hell at times, as any child does. Growing up I had always begged my Ma and Da to buy me a horse so I could ride around fighting the evil Prince John beside Robin of Locksley, and help free the Good King Richard from the clutches of Duke Leopold of Austria, just like it was told in the ballads. My parents would just laugh in good nature at me and told me I must be content helping with the daily chores around the house, and that I could free my Ma from the evil clutches of the Kitchen. I graduated from The National University of Ireland, in Galway in 2010. I had a Major in English Lit and a Minor in Music, my parents and brother were very proud of me and teased that now I could spend my days fighting side by side with Robin's merry men, helping to free King Richard. I played along for old times' sake and had said in the loudest voice I could muster that "I was the Great Maid Arianna with her faith full steed and fighting alongside her husband Robin of Locksley and his merry men." I remember how we laughed, and my Da mentioned that they had forgotten to give me my graduation gift and that it should be arriving at any moment. I remember the exact moment that HE came up the driveway, a beautiful Gyspy Vanner; I swear that time stopped still for me! I couldn't believe my eyes, I thought it must be a trick that those pesky fairies playing with my mind, but when I looked again he was still coming up the drive, and I knew instantly that his name should be Pooka, for he was mainly black and had a long wild silver mane that was blowing in the wind, and luminescent golden eyes. I don't think I ever stopped thanking my Ma, Da, and brother for my gift every time I talked to them in later times.

Pooka and I went riding every day after I got off work, we would ride across the meadows and down to the beach, listening to Hayley Westenra on my iPod, and always looking for an adventure. Most days our adventures were exploring the caves down by the sea, riding out to the meadows and watching the wildlife, and imagining what it would be like to visit the middle ages, the time of Knights, Kings, and Queens who held power, not the kind of Kings and Queens who are just celebrities as they were in my time. Sometimes Pooka and I would stay out entire nights under the stars during the summer and I would dream the night away. But in the morning the fairy tale would end and it would be back to the real world, back to work and a world that was too loud for my taste.

I worked in a local bookstore, which with my appetite for knowledge was a dangerous thing. My boss was a nice enough man who seemed to indulge my need for knowledge a little too much, he was always recommending books to me, example one week he had handed me a book called Robin Hood: The English Outlaw Unmasked, it was just what I didn't need, another book, my poor cottage already had bookshelves that were overflowing with books. At the rate I was going at, at the time I would have had to sell furniture to buy more bookshelves. I suppose that is one of the few things I miss from my time is the availability of books and my I-tunes. As I write this first entry a certain song keeps playing over and over in my head reminding me of how much I miss my Robin and truly wishing that someday I could see him again. The song was by a famous young woman named Hayley Westenra it was titled Nada SouSou, and the only part that I can remember goes like this:

"In grief and joy I long for you and your smile
Hoping you feel the way I do
If only you could find me from where you are
I do believe somewhere in time
I do believe I will see you once again"

Well, my candle is burning so low that I can barely see this page, what I would give for some electricity and a light bulb. I will have to continue my story at a later time, until then I must find a hiding spot for you, my friend.