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Lion Hearts
Set during the Third Crusade, Lion Hearts began life as a set of love letters and essays (written in the period between the winter of 2012 and the beginning of 2014). As well as spawning a novel (by Maree Ward Russell - trailer here) and a series of poems by myself, Lion Hearts also brought about a series of tours - trailer here).
Lion Hearts remains a huge part of my life as it continues to be the work I am most remembered for. In 2022 I began work, adding a series of new essays to the ongoing saga, to be published in 2025 as a book (Lion Hearts Origin).
Title | Collection | Format | Publication Date | Notes | Series Number | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Memento | Lion Hearts | Essay | November 10, 2012 | First prequal - Merek stands at the grave of Lilly, his gypsy bride, lost in fondest memories while offering the memento of a frosted rose. | 1 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/memento/ |
Flamenco | Lion Hearts | Essay | January 22, 2013 | Second prequal - Lilly's Clan complete a fire side incantation bonding the souls of Merek and Lilly for all eternity. | 2 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/flamenco/ |
A Knights Crusade | Lion Hearts | Essay | October 27, 2012 | Merek learns that his true love has been promised to another and will soon be married. He asks of his love that she run away with him but he will only wait 3 days. If she does not come he will Join Richard the Lion Heart in his Crusade. | 3 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/10/27/a-knights-crusade/ |
A Letter to Lilly | Lion Hearts | Essay | November 13, 2012 | Lilly fails to respond to Merek's pleas to elope and is forced to renounce his love and instead sail for France and the Crusades | 4 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/a-letter-to-lilly/ |
Whispers | Lion Hearts | Essay | October 30, 2012 | Now in France, Merek struggles with the empty space left in his heart and longs once more to see Lilly. With hope lost, he loses himself to memories of their time together | 5 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/whispers/ |
Fallen | Lion Hearts | Essay | November 17, 2012 | Merek stands on the battlefields of France surrounded by death and laments the horror before him. More than this, he grows to fear that his Lilly could never forgive his actions in battle | 6 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/fallen/ |
Return | Lion Hearts | Essay | November 20, 2012 | Merek returns home from France, still filled with remorse for the dreadful acts he was forced to commit in battle. But on his return Lilly (still not yet married) greets him with forgiveness. (Also the first vague mention of their secret meeting place, the cottage on the Fell) | 7 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/return/ |
Departure | Lion Hearts | Essay | December 4, 2012 | With summer gone, Merek is called back to the armies marching for the Crusade and once more leave his true love who is still destined to be married to another. | 8 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/departure/ |
Journey | Lion Hearts | Essay | December 15, 2012 | Merek, back in Europe, travels with the armies through a frozen winter. Miles now from his love and heading for battle. | 9 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/journey/ |
Forsaken | Lion Hearts | Essay | December 18, 2012 | After weeks of travelling the wintery wastes of Europe, Merek begins to feel all hope seep from him and still the distance from his true love continues to grow. | 10 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/forsaken/ |
Elsewhere | Lion Hearts | Essay | January 5, 2013 | Our first look at Elsewhere, a place between places where our lovers may meet in dreams and be as one. Merek continues in his march toward battle but has learned to find solace in a mysterious place he may find when dreaming. | 11 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/elsewhere/ |
Battle | Lion Hearts | Essay | January 9, 2013 | After months of marching, Merek rides into battle and is thrown from his horse. In a moment he believes to be his last he becomes filled by the spirit of his true love "And then she comes, her face lit golden, her glory as the sun. Her eyes in gaze, her touch as tender, our souls as joined and one – I shall not fall!" | 12 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/battle/ |
Redemption | Lion Hearts | Essay | February 3, 2013 | A direct sequel to "Battle". Merek stands in the bloody fields of the fallen and laments all that has been. But he also finds strength in love and feels his lady near. | 13 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/redemption/ |
Breath | Lion Hearts | Essay | February 6, 2013 | Merek replies to a letter received from Lilly reaffirming his love. He appeals to her to meet him in Elsewhere and reassures her that soon he will return and they will meet once more at the cottage on the The Fell. | 14 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/breath/ |
Another Letter to Lilly | Lion Hearts | Essay | March 9, 2013 | A love letter from Merek to his true love. | 15 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/another-letter-to-lilly/ |
Merek, in Muse of Love | Lion Hearts | Essay | March 12, 2013 | Merek writes of love, musing of the many feelings and emotions it may conjure along with the many ways it may be felt. | 16 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/merek-in-muse-of-love/ |
In Visit of Elsewhere | Lion Hearts | Essay | May 2, 2013 | Merek describes Elsewhere and explains how he is able to get there. Originally published as content exclusive to Lion Hearts Crusade Members, it is no longer available online, but is included in the book Lion Hearts Origin (Published 2022). | 17 | http://Not available Online |
A Letter to Lilly (Of Autumn) | Lion Hearts | Essay | September 1, 2013 | Still separated by miles and the continuous marching of the Crusade, Merek writes to Lilly and speaks of the misery he feels in missing her. | 18 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/a-letter-to-lilly-of-autumn/ |
A Letter to Lilly (The deception of marriage) | Lion Hearts | Essay | January 11, 2014 | Merek learns that his worst fears have now been realised when a messenger brings word of Lilly's marriage (having been "promised" since birth by her father, as means of bringing two estates together). Merek now writes, reassuring his lady that his love remains strong and true - while Lilly is locked into a covenant with a cold natured man twice her age. | 19 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/a-letter-to-lilly-the-deception-of-marriage/ |
The Fell (Part I) | Lion Hearts | Essay | December 22, 2012 | Set several hundred years after the Lion Hearts story and set around the cottage on the fell (where Merek and Lilly would once meet). A Victorian style ghost story delivered as diary entries. Was originally published as a two part Christmas special for Lion Hearts readers. | 20 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/the-fell-part-i/ |
The Fell (Part II) | Lion Hearts | Essay | December 25, 2012 | Set several hundred years after the Lion Hearts story and set around the cottage on the fell (where Merek and Lilly would once meet). A Victorian style ghost story delivered as diary entries. Was originally published as a two part Christmas special for Lion Hearts readers. | 21 | https://avbarber.wordpress.com/2012/12/25/the-fell-part-ii/ |
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