E is for Elaine of Carbonek

"I have known both the joy of motherhood and the pains of loss, I can look deeply into your heart's gravest ills and offer ways to assuage them. No matter what strife or anguish shadows your path, I will seek to show ways to move beyond these feelings."

-The Camelot Oracle-

Elaine of Carbonek is the daughter of King Pelles, and keeper of the grail. It is in Carbonek that the grail resides, and there that Lancelot follows. Lancelot hears of what fate has befallen Elaine, who is stuck in a boiling cauldron. Morgan le Fey has trapped Elaine there, claiming that only the greatest knight could free her. When he hears this, Lancelot quickly rescues the young girl. Elaine is at once smitten by Lancelot, and falls deeply in love with him. King Pelles only furthers this love of his daughter's, wanting only the best knight to further protect the grail. Lancelot though, loves only Guinevere, and will not Elaine for a wife. Having been rejected, Elaine goes to the one person she thinks can solve this issue.

Brisen is Elaine's handmaiden, who happens to be somewhat of a sorceress. Using a potion, she convinces Lancelot that Elaine is really Guinevere. Upon seeing what he thinks is Guinevere, Lancelot quickly sleeps with Elaine. It isn't until the morning that Lancelot realizes the deception, but by then its too late. Elaine becomes with child, while Lancelot leaves the castle. It is this child of Lancelot's that will become the Knight and protector of the grail. For the moment though, Elaine is secluded within her castle, and raises the young Galahad. Soon after this, Elaine manages to go to Camelot. With Lancelot's child, Elaine suspects that Lancelot will love her, but she's sadly mistaken.

Once again though, Lancelot is tricked into sleeping with Elaine. This time however, Guinevere catches Lancelot with Elaine. Guinevere quickly revokes Lancelot, which causes him to go mad with grief. During this time, Lancelot wanders mad through the land. With no one to truly search for him, it is only by a miracle he stumbles to Elaine's garden. When she finds Lancelot is mad with grief, she takes him to the grail. This cures Lancelot, and he decides to stay with Elaine for some time. Years later though, Guinevere seeks out Lancelot. Upon hearing of her forgiveness, Lancelot takes off for Camelot. This time though, he takes a young Galahad with him. Galahad hopes to become a knight like his father. Elaine is left alone, with no one to love or to love her.

In practice, one may seem apprehensive to work with Elaine. She is neither good nor bad, but stays constantly in between.We have our judgments as to her actions, usually from our own experiences. It is easy to condemn her, but it is just as easy to defend her. Elaine is a woman who has known love, and yet knows what it is like not to be loved in return. A woman of purity, she is strongly loyal to the man she loves, even when he may not love her. She is also keeper of the grail, and therefore knows its secrets. This has led her to become known as the grail princess. Elaine is a King's daughter, but seems not to be treated as such. Her beauty is said to rival that of Guinevere, but goes unnoticed by the man she's smitten with.

As the mother of Galahad, one cannot help but wonder how she raised such a virtuous child. Worse though, is wondering how she ever watched him go. She knows great loss, and the pains that life can bring. As a mother though, she knows how to bring us comfort. In our path, she can be a great console in our times of need. While her methods may not always be virtuous, her intentions are good. Elaine is a loving daughter, while her father's intentions may be clouded with prophecies. It is up to the person, as to how Elaine presents herself. She can wear many faces, be many things, yet she remains a keeper of that which we seek on our journey. At some point, we must all encounter her for that knowledge.

With our craft, Elaine can be used to reveal our deepest secrets. She can be a healer, especially when it comes to the pain of loss. It is this loss that can help us see that we must move forward, and accept our fate. Her chastity though, can be a connection to any virgin goddess or any mother. Her healing powers transcend that of emotions, and extends into the depths of our heart. Elaine's essence can reveal even that which we do not want to face. She can become a source of strength in that moment, as she has been there before. Her garden is a place of solitude, and yet it brings with it an inner peace. It is this peace, and emotional fearlessness that we could all use a little piece of in our lives.