Avalon by Anya Seton
As the Anglo-Saxons fought the Vikings and the Norsemen found America, this tale of longing and mystery journeys over oceans and continents to Iceland, Greenland, and North America. In this captivating account of the French prince Rumon, the stark contrasts between the mighty monarchy, landless peasants, Viking warriors, and honourable knights are deftly brought to life. Rumon meets Merewyn, a lonely girl, after becoming shipwrecked off the Cornish coast during his search for King Arthur’s fabled Avalon, and their lives quickly entwine. Merewyn is brought to England by Rumon, but once there, he is virtually imprisoned by the beauty of Queen Alrida. Anya Seton once again demonstrates her grasp of historical knowledge in this captivating romance and her ability to weave a story with real, vivid characters like St. Dunstan and Eric the Red.
Avalon by Anya Seton
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Handsome Romieux de Provence, a descendant of royalty, departs from his birthplace in Normandy in search of Avalon, the tranquil haven of his dreams, and to escape the demands on him to become a military knight. He gets shipwrecked and makes it to Cornwall’s shore, but he has lost most of his belongings and is now by himself. He encounters a young woman returning on a pilgrimage with her servant. He travels alongside them.
Merewyn, a young woman, is also thought to be a member of royalty—and not just any royal, but the benevolent King Arthur himself. She now shares a remote, impoverished home with her sick and disabled mother, for whose benefit Merewyn had travelled on a pilgrimage. Merewyn’s dying mother demands Rumon, as Romieux is now known, to accompany Merewyn to see her sole living cousin, an abbess. Rumon follows Merewyn home. Rumon reluctantly concurs; he would prefer to be moving and dislikes being kept from completing his mission.
Rumon is a creative, educated, clever, and spiritual being who always wears magnificent clothing. Merewyn is immediately in awe of the sophisticated and exquisite Rumon and falls passionately in love with him. Such things are beneath Rumon, who is also superior to the illiterate and untidy Merewyn. He has high hopes for his life and longs to discover his Avalon, his nirvana.
In this instance, the typical romantic tale of (perhaps) star-crossed lovers develops into an intriguing historical novel. They arrive to Edgar’s court in England, where Merewyn is supposed to meet her aunt. Rumon almost completely forgets about Merewyn and instead develops a love-hate relationship with Edgar’s stunning young second wife, Alfrida. Although Alfrida fosters his attention, she has other plans. She’s not very polite, to put it mildly. Merewyn, however, piques her curiosity, and she is invited to remain at court as one of her ladies.
