A recounting of the Maid's journey: The First Gate

The Maid walked upon the downward sloping road through a desolate land. A land where every manner of green thing had died for want of water and proper light, for the vale had deepened  so that not even a ray of daylight came into this place. The Maid heard a great roaring of what seemed to be a river echoing o'er the distance.

Soon, the road She walked brought Her alongside it. A deafening din like the clashing of battle came from the waters that ran red as blood and gave not to the lands it passed through. Soon the road met the waters and a ford of broken stones lay across it. On the other side of the ford stood a great oaken gate with iron banded door and iron hinges set into stone gatepost. The river ran round the place where the gate stood in an oxbow and was lost in the fog that shrouded the point.

At watch on the gate was one who viewed the Maid's descent into the vale from afar. The gatekeeper watched the Maid cross the ford and how, for a moment, the turbulent waters became calm and clear. With wonder and dread of who had such power to becalm the river named grief, the gatekeeper cried: Who is it that come of her own free step upon the realm of the Dark Queen?

And the Maid replied: I am the Daughter of She Who is Mother of All. Great fear, nay, terror came into the gatekeeper's heart. She viewed the Maid and beheld the great Moon-axe She bore. The gatekeeper was in great dread of that weapon forged of light. The howling horde that had sallied forth earlier returned blooded by it where none had done before. Thinking of her duty to protect her Queen, the gatekeeper thought to take the axe and hopefully diminish the Maid's power.

The gatekeeper demanded: Give unto me Your axe and You shall pass. The Maid gave the great Moon-axe into the gatekeeper's hands. With haste, the gatekeeper gave order for the gate to be opened. The vast oaken gate groaned upon its hinges, the very gate seemingly resisting the Maid's entrance.

Once it had opened but wide enough for one to pass through, so did the Maid proceed on her journey. As the gatekeeper hastened to close the gate, a servant of the Dark Queen came for that treasured weapon to bear it away to their mistress.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This is what came to me as I was meditating upon the mystery of the Maid giving over her Moon-axe to gain access to the Dark Queen's realm.