From the outside, one would see a large rounded wall. One so high it would take days to scale. It was tough too. Fabricated with every armor a girl could come up with to protect herself. It did not look like much from the exterior, but oh, if you were allowed in. The castle was luminous amidst the rolling green hills and bustling brook that ran nearby. A pathway of squared cobblestones lit the short path to typical wooden double doors. Off to the side there lay a slain dragon, with a bag of ninja stars and marshmallows, respectively. Looking overhead one could not help but notice the tower, it was beautiful to make castle walls shimmer so.
Suddenly I awoke, will little recollection of the most recent events. I was in a circular room drowned in pink and purple. An armiour, chest and vanity elegantly decorated the place. Fit for a princess. I couldn't help but draw the curtains and look out the window. And was not surprised to find the landscape just described. There was however a missing detail. You see, the tower was constructed perfectly on the outskirts of the castle rather than the center, just tall enough and deliberately placed to be able to peer over the outside wall. It was there that I saw a chivalrous knight on his stallion of gray. He too was clothed in gray. Strange I thought, for I had ne'er seen a man in such a color. He called up to me "What ho! The princess with I doeth speak!". I stared and him and shouted how I must be a simple princess because I didn't understand his old english talk. He described his intentions of slaying the dragon that kept me locked up in the wondrous castle and rescuing this damsel in distress. I assured him that I was in no distress and besides, my dragon had already been slain. "Yet you have no prince?" he asked. "Aye, there is no prince here". He was a very persistent knight, and despite my assurance that I was indeed content attempted at knocking my wall down so that he could get inside. He tried poetry, gifts, and care - but deep inside I knew trouble would be lurking if I let my guard down. After all, he was a gray knight. I did not trust his intentions nor his heart, but through the months that he stood there, a gentleman, we became friends. Still, I did not let him pass.
Suddenly there was a knock on my inside door. Confused, for I thought I was alone - there was yet another knight, only clothed in white, his face almost recognizable... He said he had come to visit, and I, beginning to miss company, agreed to accompany him to a walk. I showed him around the castle, we fished at the brook, and wandered through the meadow. I asked of him the color of his horse. He had replied that it was black. I turned angrily at him, arguing why a white knight wouldn't ride on a horse suited for him. He rebutted that he was not a white knight. I began to feel angry, of course the man in front of me was white, if you saw his heart; yet he refused his very essence. I held it in, and eventually forgot it. I then said my goodbye, a reassurance to meet again, and skipped back up to my tower. It was only once I had left that a spell must have fallen upon me. For I felt anxious, confused, and worrisome. I was at a loss of what to do and settled for wandering about my room. But the spell did not cease. It continued for days as that black knight did not knock again. In distress I looked out the window to still see the gray knight standing. Never resting. I called to him and inquired of the cause of my pain. I asked him of the cause, and he replied that of the black knight. But I argued mentioning how I built a wall, an assurance that no other would get inside. This knight replied that the familiar black knight had already been inside before... and never really left like I dreamt he had. The gray one offered to duel said black knight. In a fight over heart. The winner would achieve the ultimate prize, if only I let down that wall. I argued that it was not necessary, and for the first time in what seamed like ages, I drew that curtain back, and was alone.
I was at a loss of what to do. There was no cure, remedy or antidote that I could conjure up myself, and I was in no position of power to change any circumstance. Thus, I called up my father. For I knew his wisdom surpassed all, and he would know what to do, what to do with the black knight. He told me of a white knight, on a horse of the same color, and he spoke these words to me
"But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.*"
Suddenly the knocking on my door commenced once more. I first ignored it, the pounds became somewhat melodic... as they built up, as if encouraging me to do what I needed to. Finally, after I had ignored the black knight long enough, I told him to leave. It was simple, I had worried for nothing. And as I saw him walk through those doors, and scale down the wall, not bothering to even glance back, and I saw that he had no horse at all. I sighed at the irony... A prince with no horse, and a princess with no dragon. It seemed like a story told wrong, a skeleton of a once happy ending... still I couldn't remember... just some place called Montauk.
The gray knight summoned me to my window again, again asking to bring the wall down. I replied that I must be fair to him. And assured him that I would not, and would never let down that wall for him nor his gray horse. That he was a wonderful companion but still would not be allowed inside. He then scrawled something profound on a piece of parchment that I would later share with all of you. He sent it up by the wings of a dove. I drew the curtains, yet he still stands there till this day. He had written,
"One day someone will get through; knock that wall right down. And not sieze your heart, not to take it; for being tyrant of your heart will never do. For the rule of despotist is for a mightier king but he'd breach the gates to give you his, and accept whatever is offered in return only hoping that you'd find happiness in his gift. One day you'll meet him. I'm sure of it."
I was content again, spell lifted. Climbed into bed, and fell asleep once more...
*Ephesians 4:22 (Msg)
