Oh, what a special day!  Time for the annual
Feast of Norendaan, held – as in days of yore – on
the tiny Isle of Nor.  Nor was small-but-imposing,
in the middle of the sea, beyond a great reef.

Its beauty was beyond belief; with winding pathways
which gave way to lush gardens and trees, on either side.
No springtime bride could envision a more suitable
cathedral, nor a more festive day than today.

Nor Castle stood upon a knoll, where one could
stroll for hours and hours, admiring the flowers.
Today, the castle was alive with colorful banners
flying, and minstrels trying their best to entertain.

Inside the castle’s Great Hall, goblets, made of
buttercups, stood at attention – like golden sentinels,
lining the tables, at Nor’s faerie convention.  As in
years before, it was to be a huge gathering.

Finery of every kind was lined, up and down
the feasting table, which was dressed in a
sable-colored cloth, with shimmering threads
running through it.  Brown and gold, like earth and sun.

Called Norendaan, this was truly the most sacred
of all days, for faeries of all persuasions.  Oh, what an
occasion it would be!  It was rumored that the
Faerie King and Queen, themselves, would attend.

At once, Nor was bustling with excitement and activity,
its strange proclivity to entice guests, fairly pulling
them up the long, winding road toward the castle.
The horses made the journey with effortless ease.

Several horsemen, now arriving, their skillful
talents apparent, as each swung down off their
respective horse then, of course, bowed low
to the statue of the founder of the feast . . .

Above the head of each beast, the statue loomed,
golden in the twilight.  The frozen figure of the
Great King of the Faeries, Blithian, smiling out of
an epoch, from whence Nor had been built.

Soon, faeries in horse-drawn coaches — a veritable parade,
luminous even in the shade of both the setting sun
and the great oaks — carriage spokes glittering like
diamond dew on a spider’s web at dawn – arrived at Nor.

Trumpets sang out merrily, from either side of the
Great Hall, inviting faerie folk into the castle where,
awaiting them all, a sight so grand as to take one’s
breath away.  Oh what a day!  What a night it would be!

Long, luxurious tables held huge platters, piled high
with all manner of faerie cuisine; candlelight flickered
and gleamed, as the last bits of daylight clung to the
windows of the Great Hall.  Then, a hush fell over all.

What was that?  Listen!  Do you hear that?  Faeries rushed
to the west side of the Great Hall, to windows, tall;
the last of the setting sun illuminating, those whom
all had been anticipating:  the King and Queen of Nor!

In stunned silence, guests watched the golden sails of
the royal ship, being gently whipped by a soft breeze.
The guests were well pleased!  Applause broke out, as
the King and Queen made their way to shore, then . . .

Looking up at Nor Castle, the couple waved.  Their faerie
crowns twinkling like stars in a new night sky.
Disembarking the royal coach, it was mere seconds
before the couple approached the front of the castle.

The rest of the evening was fraught with feasting
and dancing — even a little romancing — as the royal
bard sang faerie songs of magic and loveliness.
Wings and ball gowns of every hue colored the Great Hall.
A grand time was had by everyone at the faerie ball.

For it was, after all, Norendaan.

“ Feast of Norendaan “ / 01-18-06 / t.r. cardinet

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 31st, 2012 at 10:20 pm and is filed under Fairy Poems, Spiritual, Tracy R. Cardinet. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.