A Knight of the Round Table

As he sets down another book, Clay returns to reality. All he’s ever wanted was for an adventure of his own, a place to call home, a chance at experiencing the world. He longs to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as a proud Ravenclaw. He aches for the countryside of the Shire, to help Frodo on his journey across perilous lands. Yearns to be a son of one of the Greek Gods, he takes online tests, ‘which Greek God is your parent?’, he always gets Apollo. And with all his heart he wished to be a knight of the round table. But he isn't any of these things, he’s just Clay. Thankfully, he’s around books all day every day as he works in a bookshop, that’s the best thing about his life, he’s surrounded by stories that are waiting to be read, and he’s waiting to be a part of them. The bookshop is a small and in the centre of his tiny village. It has fairy light drooping down over the entrance and in the windows, looking welcoming and warm. It smells of the coffee his father used to make and of old leather. These smells bring him back to better times, his childhood where he could read without having to worry about his life in the real word. He could be a dragon tamer, or a pirate, he could wield magic for the use of helping the king fulfil his destiny. He could be anybody he wanted to be, a prince, a detective, an archaeologist, the world was his oyster and he was the pearl. When he’s not reading or working, he’s daydreaming. Lands of old and lands of new welcome him with open arms, he is a traveller in one daydream and he follows rivers around the tightest bends, climbs mountains of the highest peaks. He is curious and devious and tricks customers into buying his goods for a higher price than necessary. He frolics through fields and gathers herbs to create his remedies. In these worlds no one dies, no one leaves and he’s free to be who he wishes. 

His favourite song comes on, ‘When We Were Young’ by Hollow Coves. This song reminds him of his first love, a girl called Skye. They met when they were six, she was just like him, their parents always telling them to get their heads out of the clouds, but with Skye he was the clouds, he was the stars and she was the Moon. He hums along to the melody whilst the voices serenade him: ‘We would climb up in the trees, up high among the leaves, we were wild and we were free when we were young.’ ‘We built castles in the sand, felt like emperors of the land, making walls to stop the waves from coming up. We found joy in little things, like imaginary scenes, oh I miss the way we were when we were young.’ He lets a tear fall down his face as he remembers all the adventures he and Skye went on. ‘But now were older and we feel the world at our feet, as time turns, we drift away. And oh, how time flies, then you realize forgotten dreams got lost along the way, wish we were young again.’ Skye died when they were 18. A car accident, they had so many more adventures to go on and Clay’s been mad at the world ever since. He reads to escape, the anger clinging over him like a koala to a tree. Her shadow haunts the bookshop, yet he cannot leave, she will always be with him in stories and songs. Her favourite story was the tale of Tristram and Isolde, so heartbreakingly beautiful. They would read it together and cry, arm in arm, as they promised to love each other forever, even into the realm of death. Skye always said Clay was her Tristram, just without the love potion.  

Clay was walking through his village, coming back from grocery shopping, when he looks into the window of the toy shop. There, among the many toys, was the one he wanted, the one he needed. He couldn’t believe it, after all these years he had found it, the one thing to make him even happier than reading. It was a teddy bear, but not just any teddy bear, it was the one he had as a child. He had lost it one day when he and Skye were 10, he carried it with him everywhere for good luck, they were in the forest and were running away from bandits when he dropped it in the moment, he didn’t realize until it was time to go home. They went back the next day but it was gone, he was devastated. Clay swore to her he would find it one day and never lose it again. It was a brown bear with a crown and a knight's outfit, naturally, Clay had called it Arthur. Clay knew it was the one, the one Skye had made for him. She picked out the outfit and the bear and gave it to him for his 8th birthday. He left the shop with the bear in his arms as he hugged it close to his chest. A distorted sound made its way out of the bear. Barely audible, but to Clay it was as clear as day. “I love you!” shouted Skye, a giggle came afterwards. It was the kind of bear you could record your voice in, and that was the message Skye had left for him. He broke down on the pavement, sinking to the floor, clutching his beloved teddy bear. A range of sounds enclosed him as he sat there, his hearing heightened. He could hear the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks as little bits broke off, destined to resurface as sand. The harmony of seagulls searching for chips penetrated his ears, their songs take him back to when he and Skye were on the beach, fighting a mighty battle, the two of them against the world. I guess the world won. 

Clay hurries home, sobbing to himself and replaying the message the bear left for him repeatedly. He throws the shopping on the counter and heads for one book, Tristram and Isolde, he hasn’t read it in two years, ever since she died. Tears spill onto the pages as he enters into the legend, he sees the dragon come alive, the queen and Isolde drag Tristram to safety. He enters Camelot, King Arthur clapping Tristram on the back, congratulating him on his great swordsmanship. Lancelot telling Tristram to go forth to be with Isolde. Now Tristram's dead. Isolde begging for him to come back. But he won't wake no matter how hard she begs.