We sing of battles and kings
Of love and the madness it brings
Our tale begins, as it has done many times before
On the field of war
Two lines assemble to fight
Each side knows their reason is right
Dictated by the fates and guided by god on high
Let the war decide
In those far off days
When all Europe was united as one
The great emperor Charlemagne
Raised an army to fight off
The invaders at his borders
People who spoke a different language
Ate different food
And wore funny trousers
The Saracen army from over the ocean
Faced Charlemagne's paladins across the plain.
Fresh blood darkens the ground
Bones break with a sickening sound
But if you think that battle is the domain of men
Better think again
But who is this?
In her white surcoat, Bradamante, daughter of Duke Aymon
Bradamante was Charlemagne's bravest and truest knight:
But she held back, looking to see where the battle was fiercest
Then she was off, through the fray
Confident as if she had a bodyguard of a thousand men behind her
Though she rode alone.
White plume adrift in the wind
Grey steel in the palm of my hand
A scarlet fire inside as outward I cast my eye
For a fight worth my time
And then she saw him
The hero of the Saracens, Ruggiero
Racing down the hillside like a torrent down its bed
And as the two met
It was like the clash of two lions in the field
Like waves beating against a cliff
Or lightning splitting a mountain top
They fought until they could hardly stand
Until they could barely even lift their weapons
At last they agreed to stop and rest
That's what chivalrous knights do
They found a valley stream where they wash their wounds
Each took off their helmet
Not knowing what they would find in the other's face
Ruggiero was definitely not expecting cascading locks of shining hair
And Bradamante never dreamt she would meet eyes
Like deep pools of clear water
Have I found an equal?
Found a man whose power matches mine?
You boy, of all people
Are the one I'd fight life's battles by
What hand has set our love in motion
Within this war?
Love crosses battle lines and oceans
It senses more.
Have I found an equal? (What hand has set our love in motion)
Found a man whose power matches mine? (Within this war?)
You boy, of all people (Love crosses battle lines and oceans)
Are the one I'd fight life's battles by (It senses more.)
They gazed into each other's eyes
And it was as if they were walking in an enchanted forest
For three days and three nights
Exploring every shady path
Finding places to rest where
Hidden fountains bubbled from the rocks
Then Bradamante turned away.
'We can't love each other. We are enemies,' she said.
'No, we can't be together,' said Ruggiero.
'You would lose your lands, your wealth your friends
If you came to be with me,' said Bradamante.
And Ruggiero agreed.
'You'd lose your family, your shining reputation.'
'We'd better part before it's too late.'
And slowly, they turned and went back
Each to their own camp
Each of them buried their feelings deep inside
Hidden forever
Or so they thought