Thoughts and Visions

In common with many other Authors I had a very early vision of my heroine and her first meeting with John Stanley.

Outside, as Lady Eleanor had predicted, a mist was rolling in and the light from the torches created the illusion of rays of light permeating the mist.

Suddenly there was a thunder of hooves and a dozen of the Compte de Foix’s soldiers arrived to take up their positions.

John raised his head as he heard the whinny of a protesting horse. Then, as if carefully planned, the horse appeared through the mist illuminated by the glimmering shafts of light from the torches.  The rider was wearing a full-length cloak and hood.

The horse reared and thrashed the air with its hooves, unhappy at being halted.  The rider settled the horse effortlessly and slipped from the saddle handing the reins to one of the guards.

The hood was pulled back revealing the rider to be female.  She strode purposefully towards the tent.  As she walked the light from one of the torches was immediately behind her, now it looked as if she was framed by light.  She had an extremely long purposeful stride.  She swung her hips as she walked so that each foot was placed immediately in front of the other.  The cloak responded by swaying from side to side as if in slow motion.  As the cloak moved there were glimpses of what lay beneath.

Boots and hose. This lady dressed like a man. Finally as she drew close to Lady Eleanor’s tent the flares around the tent illuminated her face.

Lady Eleanor’s smile grew broader.

‘Ah.’ she said ‘Ximene has arrived.’”

Unknowns

However to meet the requirements of the outline of Aunt Gertrudes story it was necessary to explained how John Stanley came to be “in the right place at the right time” 

I have given the previously un-named “french” woman the name of Ximene. However it then must be explained who she was and how she came to exert such influence in 14th century England.

The way I chose to explain this was to establish relationships with the de Roet sisters, the Perez sisters and Joan of Kent.

Secret Journeys

In thinking this through, I then created the concept of the Secret Journeys; three quite different journeys which are all secret.

The Secret Journeys consists of three quite different journeys which are all secret. The central journey is that undertaken by the Black Prince and that Journey is kept physically secret because the Prince places himself at considerable risk travelling through countryside nominally controlled by the Franks on his way to meet Ximene. Johns journey is totally inside his head. he tells no–one that he has fallen hoplessly in love with an ephemeral vision of the mystery woman the Prince is travelling to meet and whom he learns the Pope has called" the most dangerous woman in the world. His journey becomes both complex, challenging and threatening when he actually meets Ximene. Ximene has a journey of her own. she yearns for freedom so that she can fulfil what see believes is her destiny to free occitan. as she begins to make specific plans to achieve this objective she finds all her beliefs and standards are challenged. she is not sure what freedom is and how it should be used. Initially John is just a useful tool placed at her disposal but slowly he becomes much more than that.The central physical journey is undertaken by the Black Prince. That Journey is kept secret because the Prince places himself at considerable risk travelling through countryside nominally controlled by the Franks on his way to meet Ximene.

John’s journey is totally inside his head. He tells no–one that he has fallen hoplessly in love with an ephemeral vision of the mystery woman the Prince is travelling to meet and whom he learns the Pope has called “the most dangerous woman in the world.” His journey becomes complex and threatening when he actually meets Ximene.

Ximene has a journey of her own. she yearns for freedom so that she can fulfil what see believes is her destiny to free Occitan. As she begins to make specific plans to achieve this objective she finds all her beliefs and standards are challenged. she is not sure what freedom is and how it should be used. Initially John is just a useful tool placed at her disposal but slowly he becomes much more than that.

Using some of the key phrases from “the heroes journey”

The Prince’s Call

The Princes call to adventure comes when his father King Edward III of England tells him that he must marry Ximene Trencavel and that she insists that the marriage contract must be negotiated directly between the Prince and herself. She will have it no other waybut the Prince must travel to Muret in the foothills of the pyrenees to meet her.The Princes call to adventure comes when his father King Edward III of England tells him that he must marry Ximene Trencavel and that Ximene insists that the marriage contract must be negotiated directly between the Prince and herself. She will have it no other waybut the Prince must travel to Muret in the foothills of the pyrenees to meet her.

Ximene’s call

Ximene's call to adventure comes from the prevarication of her grandmother Lady Eleanor, who for years has promised to help Ximene to escape the control of Gaston de Foix her guardian but in practice has done nothing. Eleanor has brought Ximene up to believe that her destiny is to free occitan and create a haven for the Cathar faith but offers no advice on how this might be achieved. Ximene decides she must take matters into her own hands.Ximene’s call to adventure comes from the prevarication of her grandmother Lady Eleanor, who for years has promised to help Ximene to escape the control of Gaston de Foix her guardian but in practice has done nothing. Eleanor has brought Ximene up to believe that her destiny is to free occitan and create a haven for the Cathar faith but offers no advice on how this might be achieved. Ximene decides she must take matters into her own hands.

Ximene decides she must take matters into her own hands.

John’s call

John's call to adventure comes because he helps the Prince achieve a spectacular kill, whilst hunting on the wirral peninsula,royal territory managed by his father. the prince is so impressed that her instructs Lord James Audley to take John into service as a squire.John’s call to adventure comes because he helps the Prince achieve a spectacular kill, whilst hunting on the wirral peninsula,royal territory managed by his father. the prince is so impressed that her instructs Lord James Audley to take John into service as a squire.

John’s Mentors

Ximene's call to adventure comes from the prevarication of her grandmother Lady Eleanor, who for years has promised to help Ximene to escape the control of Gaston de Foix her guardian but in practice has done nothing. Eleanor has brought Ximene up to believe that her destiny is to free occitan and create a haven for the Cathar faith but offers no advice on how this might be achieved. Ximene decides she must take matters into her own hands.John is lucky having many mentors. Lord James, the Earl of Salisbury, Lady Eleanor and ultimately Joan of Kent all play a part in helping him progress and increasing his awareness of his own potential. Along the way he experiences peer group bullying, a shipwreck, intensive military training,an archery contest and exposure to the workings of an evil man, Bertrand du Guesclin.

Ximene’s Mentors

As John gradually increases his skills and improves his position and status, Ximene is engaged in a rather different journey. She leans about her beliefs and relationships by interaction with those around her. She is influenced by her Grandmother, Lady Eleanor and Eleanor's lover, Guillam de Clermont Dessou. Ximene also interacts with her best friends Phillippa (Pipa) and Alyse but also with her guardian, Gaston de Foix and his wife Agnes of Navarre. She searches to reconcile her scripted destiny with her life expectations and finds great difficulty in doing so.As John gradually increases his skills and improves his position and status, Ximene is engaged in a rather different journey. She leans about her beliefs and relationships by interaction with those around her. She is influenced by her Grandmother, Lady Eleanor and Eleanor’s lover, Guillam de Clermont Dessou. Ximene also interacts with her best friends Phillippa (Pipa) and Alyse but also with her guardian, Gaston de Foix and his wife Agnes of Navarre. She searches to reconcile her scripted destiny with her life expectations and finds great difficulty in doing so.

The New World

As John gradually increases his skills and improves his position and status, Ximene is engaged in a rather different journey. She leans about her beliefs and relationships by interaction with those around her. She is influenced by her Grandmother, Lady Eleanor and Eleanor's lover, Guillam de Clermont Dessou. Ximene also interacts with her best friends Phillippa (Pipa) and Alyse but also with her guardian, Gaston de Foix and his wife Agnes of Navarre. She searches to reconcile her scripted destiny with her life expectations and finds great difficulty in doing so.She moves forward towards the hunt at Muret nothing has been finalised in Ximene’s mind.

She sees this as her best chance to escape to freedom, but at the same time is curious to discover what kind of a man the Black Prince really is and what he might bring to the negotiating table.

 An immediate crisis

When Ximene and John finally meet , neither is certain what to offer or what to expect. They both know that they are important to each other but their preparations for the meeting are so different that they struggle to establish meaningful alignment. Instinctively Ximene feels that it is up to her to move the relationship forward and makes it clear to John that she is eminently approachable.When Ximene and John finally meet , neither is certain what to offer or what to expect. They both know that they are important to each other but their preparations for the meeting are so different that they struggle to establish meaningful alignment. Instinctively Ximene feels that it is up to her to move the relationship forward and makes it clear to John that she is eminently approachable.

World within a World

Lady Eleanor suffers from mystic insights and decides that John is "the one". Not just the one to fulfill Ximenes needs but the one she has dreamed of all her own lifetime. She does everything she can to throw them together, to make John aware of the possiblities, but also to make sure he understands the responsibilities and risks a relationship with Ximene will bring. Interestingly despite her conviction that John is indeed "the one" Lady Eleanor puts little pressure directly on Ximene herself. She is confident that Ximene will discover for herself how important John is.Lady Eleanor suffers from mystic insights and decides that John is “the one”. Not just the one to fulfill Ximenes needs but the one she has dreamed of all her own lifetime. She does everything she can to throw them together, to make John aware of the possiblities, but also to make sure he understands the responsibilities and risks a relationship with Ximene will bring. Interestingly despite her conviction that John is indeed “the one” Lady Eleanor puts little pressure directly on Ximene herself. She is confident that Ximene will discover for herself how important John is.

The Temptation

Ximene yeilds to the inevitability of marriage to the Black Prince but at the same time continues to groom John as a suitable partner. She decides that John is sexually inept, ignorant even and asks lady eleanot to put him through a condensed version of the Cathar Transition, sexual training with practical experience. She asks her friend Pipa to be John's partner. Pipa readily accepts. John's tutor for what are essentially lessons in how to give pleasure is Lady Eleanor. For John this is the biggest crisis he has every faced . He is now being asked to be a part of a world which his his emotions cannot cope with and his mind cannot comprehend .Ximene yeilds to the inevitability of marriage to the Black Prince but at the same time continues to groom John as a suitable partner. She decides that John is sexually inept, ignorant even and asks lady eleanot to put him through a condensed version of the Cathar Transition, sexual training with practical experience. She asks her friend Pipa to be John’s partner. Pipa readily accepts. John’s tutor for what are essentially lessons in how to give pleasure is Lady Eleanor. For John this is the biggest crisis he has every faced . He is now being asked to be a part of a world which his his emotions cannot cope with and his mind cannot comprehend .

Honour and chivalry

Against a backgound of John falling ever more deeply in love with Ximene, arrangements continue for Ximene's eventual marriage to the Black Prince. The Black Prince conceeds however that Ximene should be clear of the influence of her Guardian before the negotiations for the marriage contract are completed. John is asked to accompany Ximene to ensure her safety and to provide a conduit for finalising the negotiations. John fears that his growing love for Ximene is tantamount to treason. Joan of Kent instinctively identifies this difficulty and offers a suitable solution. She is of course acting with blatant self interest as she is determined to marry the Black Prince herself.Against a background of John falling ever more deeply in love with Ximene, arrangements continue for Ximene’s eventual marriage to the Black Prince. The Black Prince conceeds however that Ximene should be clear of the influence of her Guardian before the negotiations for the marriage contract are completed. John is asked to accompany Ximene to ensure her safety and to provide a conduit for finalising the negotiations. John fears that his growing love for Ximene is tantamount to treason. Joan of Kent instinctively identifies this difficulty and offers a suitable solution. She is of course acting with blatant self interest as she is determined to marry the Black Prince herself.

Ximene’s Elixir