Remembering Andette

Part One

Carnival day in the market town,
Every colour from red to brown,
On this a girl was looking down,
Her name was Fray Minette,
Taking a glance at the sky,
Where golden clouds went floating by,
Dust it blew where she did lie,
Who was fair Andette?

Standing up she paced around,
Her feet where used to sandy ground,
The sun had set the King was crowned,
Unknown to Minette,
As she reached to pick up her worn reed bag,
She saw the blow of the blue moon flag,
So she raced to the gates waving a rag,
Towards the city Andette,

The watchers saw her coming near,
Faster than a frightened dear,
"Please don't leave me stuck out here,"
The cry came from Minette,
Sand flew up from under feet,
The desert quickly losing heat,
One guard came swiftly down to meet,
Her at the entrance to Andette,

In she went into the city,
She'd missed the carnival it was a pity,
Streamers and paper the square was pretty,
As along walked Fray Minette,
Shutters closed the light was poor,
No glimmer from a single door,
She did not care, not anymore,
She held the letter from Andette,

She had found it only yesterday,
Under her broken lantern lay,
She had picked it up without delay,
It was addressed 'To Fray Minette,'
Who knew she existed? No one did,
By day upon the outskirts hid,
By night in a weathered corner lived,
Who knew? Who was this Andette?

"I wrote this when I saw your face,
It seemed to be so out of place,
Even without silk and lace,
You are fair Minette,
This town and I we share a name,
Similar though not the same,
I have lots and yet no fame,
From your fair Andette,"

Part Two

Dawn it brought a peaceful wake,
And already by the Oasis lake,
She was up and was going to take,
A swim was Fray Minette,
Into the water calm and deep,
So soothing that she fell asleep,
Seeing her trouble did someone creep,
The son of King Andette,

He pulled her from the water clear,
Her face so blue it gave him fear,
It seemed like she was oh so near,
To death was Fray Minette,
But then she opened her eyes wide,
He felt a glow of warmth inside,
So sure that she had almost died,
He smiled did Prince Andette,

"Who are you?" she asked unsure,
As she lay upon the sandy floor,
She had never seen his face before,
"In my life," thought Fray Minette,
He seemed unsettled, startled now,
Creases folded in his brow,
"What must I say to her and how,
Arala," said Andette,

Half a truth and half a lie,
He looked quite scared she wondered why,
His first name was Arala but he was better known by,
Prince to Fray Minette,
His surname was Andette as his city was and,
He wore a ring upon his hand,
So he would be known throughout the land,
As the royal Prince Andette,

This ring he hid under his hat,
And down he kneeled beside her sat,
At her he couldn't stop looking at,
"Thankyou," said Minette,
Then he rose and turned to go,
"Don't leave," he heard her whisper low,
He stopped and she got up quite slow,
With her stayed Andette,

Under the palms they spent the day,
Laughing and talking the time away,
Till the sun slipped below the distant bay,
And saddened felt Minette,
For now it was time to say farewell,
Eyes they sparkled, tears fell,
As they left the moonlit desert dell,
In love was Prince Andette,

Part Three

Awakened by the rays of sun,
That signalled a new day had begun,
Yesterday had been such fun,
Sighed my Fray Minette,
Out of the shadows dark and dim,
Everything reminded her of him,
And she now faced a life so grim,
Without Arala Andette,

She heard music from down the street,
And the racing of excited feet,
A royal Prince they were going to meet,
Curious was Minette,
She followed them into the square,
A podium was set up there,
Where a Princess stood tall and fair,
The new wife of Prince Andette,

She then saw banners hanging with his name,
"Similar though not the same,"
Came to mind when she looked again,
"The Prince," gasped Fray Minette,
For everything now fell into place,
As she looked at the Princesses smiling face,
Fray's mind now full, her heart did race,
His name was Arala Andette,

He had loved her from afar,
His sun and moon and shining star,
With her hair of straight black treacle tar,
And never known had Fray Minette,
He had seen her only the day before,
Her spirit and soul he did adore,
But he could not love her anymore,
Forced to marry was Andette,

He saw her from a way up high,
Kissed his hand and waved goodbye,
She turned around but did not cry,
Into the desert fled Minette,
As she fell to the ground her heart did break,
A new start she would have to make,
A separate path from his to take,
And to never see Andette,

By the setting sun the palace did shine,
Shadowed darkness traced its line,
"If I were his and he were mine,
If only," wept Minette,
For there she stood upon that hill,
Whilst tears from her eyes did spill,
As darkness fell and all was still,
Remembering Andette.