Sir Thorkell
Celestial Pack Chapter 23 by Donwenna
A tall strong ginger-haired man stood with head bowed and sort of leaning against the left shoulder of the Trakhener mare as Macha and Jerald approached at an easy canter on Ace and Valerius. Jerald motioned for Macha to stop a bit of a distance from the pair. As they came to a halt and Macha and Ace drew up shoulder to shoulder with him and Valerius, Jerald glanced at Macha. “Give them a minute alone. He is still in shock. Antares will reassure him while we wait for him to adjust to his surroundings, as he learns that this is his new reality and just a different dream of the Dream.” Macha nodded and reached out to pat Jerald’s arm quietly saying, “Jerald, you approach him first. He is your brother knight, and you can best explain that he is not alone. He has joined us, his old friends in the Summerlands.” Jerald nodded to Macha and said, “It’s time. Just give me a few minutes and then I will motion to you to join us. There are more of us on this side of the Rainbow Bridge than when I came over, and we don’t want to add to his shock.” Jerald and Valerius slowly ambled towards Antares and the man. The mare noticed their approach and she nudged the man a bit with her nose. He held onto her mane and lifted his eyes which widened. Now just several feet away, Jerald and Valiant stopped and somberly regarded the man saying, “Welcome Sir Thorkell. Do not be alarmed. You are alright and here with old friends in another Dream known as the Summerlands. We saw Antares race away towards the Rainbow Bridge and we realized that someone was crossing unexpectedly. All we knew was that it was someone who was bonded to Antares in that special way of a rider. She felt your approach and was determined to get to you and provide some comfort.”
Thorkell just stared at Jerald a long moment. His fingers of his right hand were now tangled in Antares mane as if he held it so he could hold himself upright. Whatever had felled this mighty man had happened fast and hard, and he was still recovering mentally while his body was already restored by his journey over the Bridge. All he could do was hold on to Antares for solace while his mind tried to absorb Jerald’s words. Finally, his mouth opened and just one word, and that word a question, “Marcia?” Jerald’s eyes glanced down then looked up at him squarely. “No, Thorkell, you will have to be strong now. Much stronger than you have ever been in your old life. You and Marcia are separated by the Veil. Your love can reach through it to her, and hers to you, I promise. We here in the Summerlands know this. And for now, we will join our energy to yours and help you to send your love to her.” With that, Jerald looked over to Macha and nodded his head for her to come over to them.
Thorkell was still looking very numb and his eyes welled with tears with the thought of being separated not only from his beloved, but also from his twin. He was fully leaning now with his entire back up against Antares’ shoulder at this point. His right hand was completely wrapped in her mane. She was holding him up and she stood firm to support him. Macha and Ace came right up next to them. She reached down gently to lay her right hand on his right shoulder. Thorkell’s left hand covered hers and he then he grasped hers more fully. He looked up into her eyes, and her gaze steadied him. “Thorkell, as your bond to Antares was so strong that she sensed your coming and ran to meet you, so too is the strength of your bonds to the loved ones on the other side of the Bridge. You are a man who has forged many strong bonds that will never break. So do not despair. Your loved ones still send their love to you and you to them.”
With that Thorkell rallied. He released Macha’s hand and stood more fully upright as he drew a very deep breath, which came out as a bit of a sigh. He nodded his head to Macha and then to Jerald. “What’s next?” he asked. Jerald said, “If you can mount Antares, we will start.” With that, Throkell turned around to Antares and shifted his grip in her mane so that he now grasped it with his left hand instead. He threw his right leg up over her back in a graceful leap, and settled in place. He gently stroked her neck and then leaned forward to embrace it for a long moment. He sat up, as Macha with Ace drew up along Antares’ left and Jerald came into place with Valerius on the right hand side. All of them were facing the Bridge and they looked at the mist which made a Veil across it. Jerald said, “Thorkell, Death is nothing at all…” and as he proceeded to recite the words penned by Henry Scott Holland, they all began to enter a deep meditative state as they joined their energy into one great uplifting beam that began to part the Veil just enough to see the misty forms of Thorkell’s loved ones. Through the Veil on the far side of the Bridge, Thorkell could just make out his family and friends who came together in a great Circle of love around Marcia and Kelly, supporting them in their great sorrow. He was overwhelmed for a brief moment then rallied as he felt the great energy beginning to well up from Antares, Jerald, Valerius, Macha and Ace. It joined to his own and spilled forth in a giant outpouring of love towards those on the far side of the Bridge.
Jerald continued to recite “I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.”
The words drifted away in a whisper as Jerald came to the end. Thorkell’s eyes grew clearer and at peace with a kind of quiet joy in the certainty that his love was forever present with Marcia, his twin, his loved ones, his friends. He felt his spirit bond to them like a strong unbreakable chain across the Bridge and through the mist of the Veil. It was present. It was known. It was there. It was resolute and all encompassing. He understood and trusted it knowing that he could dwell in the Summerlands amongst old friends in this other manifestation of The Dream and not lose that bond. His shock had transformed into that quiet self confident good humor for which he was known and for which he will be greatly missed by those on the other side of the Veil in the old Dream.
Thorkel smiled softly. He cast his eyes to Jerald in a questioning look. Jerald said, “it was your time to join us, Thorkell, for now you enter another type of Service.” Thorkell drew back his shoulders and sat up a bit taller and stronger. “I am ready Jerald. And knowing you and Macha as those who were devoted to Service, I suppose this is my place now, beside you both.” Jerald nodded at Macha as if to say go ahead. Macha motioned to them with a wave as she turned Ace away from the Bridge towards the Castle just a short distance away. In her calm and beautiful voice Macha began to talk as they meandered towards the Castle. “Thorkell we gathered here on this side of the Veil together all of the best of us to embody The Dream, the original one, where all existed in harmony and joyfully uplifted one another.” As she spoke, Thorkell grew more relaxed. He settled into an easy rhythm with Antares. He recognized the meaning of her words. Macha continued, “ You will help us to make ready this Dream for those on the other side of the Veil. Look around you and see that you are allowed to enjoy the beauty here of the Summerlands.”
Jerald motioned to the countryside with a great sweep of his arm, “This is horse country with endless green meadows that are perfect for the horses and hounds.” Thorkell drew in a deep breath of appreciation and wonder as he took it all in and checked again to affirm the bond was still there to his loved ones on the other side of the Veil. Jerald noticed and reassured him, “Yes, that bond is still there and it will remain there. You will grow to trust it and to understand that it is how we here were drawn to you when you crossed the Bridge. You should know also that because we had kept our bonds to you, that we drew you to us here in the Dream. You see, the bonds we forge with our pets particularly with horses, are some of the strongest. You and Antares won that Kingdom Equestrian Championship many years ago. She held that bond with you across time and space. So, she was just as instrumental in bringing you here as we humans were.”
Macha nodded and went on, “Thorkell you know this means that you will be bringing Marcia to you when it is time.” She looked carefully at Thorkell to see if her words made sense. He again stroked Antares neck, and looked over at Macha. “Yes, I believe you. If Antares could draw me here, then I believe I will draw Marcia here as well as my other loved ones. I believe this. I know it is true.”
With these words of affirmation, a sort of tranquility encompassed the party of riders and their horses as they ambled towards the growing crowd that waited to greet Thorkell. In the far distance Thorkell heard the cry of the hunting pack drifting across to him.
Now comes the Roll of the Celestial Pack, who will be Thorkell’s Companions during this Endless Summer:
“Bogart of Atlantia”
“Beaux, of Meridies”
“William of Atlantia”
“Venus Tia, of An Tir”
“Cisco, of Trimaris”
“Valerius of An Tir”
“Titus of An Tir”
“Antares of An Tir”
"Aces High, of Midrealm"
"Aiden, of Calontir"
"A-Me-Go, of Midrealm"
"Ariel, of Meridies"
"Belle, of Ansteorra"
"Belle, of Midrealm"
"Bernie, of Meridies"
"Blackout, of Atlantia"
"Bo, of Midrealm"
"Brodie, of Atlantia"
"Browning, of Meridies"
"By Choice, of Meridies"
"Carl-Ten, of Meridies"
"Chris, of Meridies"
"Christa of Meridies"
"Colt, of Meridies"
"Cutie, of An Tir"
"Damon Fox, of Meridies"
"Digger, of Trimaris"
"Dixie, of Meridies"
"Duncan, of Midrealm"
"Ears of Dark Horde"
"Emily, of Atlantia"
"Erromani, of AEthelmearc"
"Et Cetera, of Meridies"
"Frankie, of Midrealm"
"General, of Midrealm"
"Gryphon, of Midrealm"
"Harmony, of Meridies"
"John Moore, of Meridies"
"Keavy, of An Tir"
"Lookin, of Trimaris"
"Lucinda of Trimaris"
"Lucy, of Calontir"
"Madeline, of Artemesia"
"Magic, of Meridies"
"Missy, of Meridies"
"Muskrat, of Meridies"
"Myra, of Ansteorra"
"Pat-C, of Midrealm"
"Pattycake, of Atlantia"
"Pest, of Artemesia"
"Ripley, of An Tir"
"Ross, of Meridies"
"Scooter, of Meridies"
"Seeger Rock, of Meridies"
"Sha-Kar, of Ansteorra"
"Sheba, of AEthelmearc"
"Sissy-B, of Midrealm"
"Splash, of Meridies"
"Storm, of Meridies"
"Streaker, of Ansteorra"
"Stumah, of AEthelmearc"
"Sugar Sweety, of Meridies"
"Sunni, of An Tir"
"Swift, of Midrealm"
"Tasha, of Midrealm"
"Tucker, of Meridies"
"Velvet, of Midrealm"
"Zima, of Ansteorra”
So Howl and Roo all you hounds! Whinny and Prance all you steeds of the Knowne World for tonight, there is another great warrior, who shall grace the Celestial Lands. Thorkell is safe with all those who loved him and who have gone before; he awaits his Beloved in the Celestial Realm.
By my hand this day is Chapter 23 of 13 July 2021 to mark the passing of this True Knight on 11 July 2021,
Donwenna LaMareschale
© Donna DeBonis 2021
See Chapter 22 (placeholder) of Macha the Determined, which is in process of transcription during many many tears; it will be done by Donwenna today or tomorrow and click on links for the memorial of Sir Jerald and for more of the Celestial Pack .
Sir Thorkell
Celestial Pack Chapter 23
by Donwenna
