CHARLEMAGNE: THE RESCUE OF RUGGIERO

These are the legends about Charlemagne and his Paladins, not the actual history, so there will be dragons, monsters and magic. 

FOR MY FIRST CHAPTER ON CHARLEMAGNE’S PALADINS CLICK HERE.

THE RESCUE OF RUGGIERO – In the cliffhanger ending of our previous installment, Ruggiero the Saracen was still on the island divided into separate kingdoms by Morgana’s sisters – the evil sorceress Alcina and the good sorceress Logestilla.

Alcina had shanghaied Ruggiero from his quest to reach Logestilla’s kingdom and recruit her help in freeing Alcina’s victims like the Paladin Astolpho from the enchantments that the villainess had trapped them with. Alcina was romancing the enthralled Ruggiero, knowing that when she grew bored she would imprison the Saracen like she had Astolpho and so many others.

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Meanwhile, back in Continental Europe, Bradamante, the female Paladin in White Armor (above left), was still searching for her beloved Ruggiero. She was the woman prophesied to lure mighty Ruggiero away from Islam and convert him to Christianity, which was why Muslim sorcerers like Atlantes had caused him to be abducted to the island of Morgana’s sisters.

At her wit’s end, Bradamante turned for aid to Melissa, the good enchantress whom she had met in the Wizard’s Tomb several installments back. Melissa used her mystic abilities to determine Ruggiero’s whereabouts.

She shared the truth about his plight with Bradamante, who despaired of ever seeing her true love again. Melissa calmed her and told her that she – who also loved Ruggiero, all unknown to Bradamante – would use her magic to rescue the Saracen warrior.

Melissa told Bradamante that her magic alone was not sufficient to overcome Alcina, and she would also need to wear the mystic ring that the clever dwarf Brunello had given to the Paladin in White Armor long ago. Bradamante speedily removed the ring from her own finger and gave it to Melissa.

With that, Melissa fixed the ring on her own hand, conjured up a winged black horse and flew off on it toward the mystic island in the Atlantic. The next day she arrived at Alcina’s castle on that island and cast an illusion that she was really the sorcerer Atlantes.     

In the form of Alcina’s ally Atlantes, Melissa mingled with the other partiers in Alcina’s “lotus eaters” style realm of hedonism. Waiting to catch Ruggiero (at left) alone in the crowd, Melissa-as-Atlantes talked with the Saracen, who assumed she really was his old mentor Atlantes.

This fake Atlantes shamed Ruggiero for passing his time in endless feasting and loving while war raged on the Continent between Charlemagne’s Franks and Muslim forces from North Africa and occupied Spain. The humbled warrior allowed the disguised Melissa to put the mystic ring from Bradamante on his finger, thus freeing him from Alcina’s enchantment. 

The ring also enabled Ruggiero to see that “Atlantes” was really Melissa, who hastily told him that Bradamante still loved him and had been searching for him. In her selfless love for the Saracen she also told him that the very ring he wore had been given by Ruggiero’s true love Bradamante.

Melissa helped the Saracen warrior surreptitiously slip away from the ongoing revelry to don his armor, strap on his sword Balisarda, steal a horse and flee Alcina’s kingdom. Ruggiero gave the ring back to Melissa and rode off while she stayed behind to free Astolpho (Bradamante’s cousin) and the other men imprisoned by Alcina’s magic. 

During his speedy ride toward Logestilla’s kingdom, Ruggiero used his might, his sword and the shield of Atlantes to overcome mounted guardsmen and falconers with their huge, viciously trained birds of prey. After defeating them all, the Saracen heard the far off sounds of trumpets and cymbals, indicating that his escape had been noticed by Alcina. 

Riding side-saddle, the furious Alcina led her mounted troops in pursuit of Ruggiero. Melissa then took advantage of the distraction to free Astolpho and all the other abandoned lovers of Alcina whom she had transformed into trees and the like.  She broke seals, burned images and untied the hag-knots that evil Alcina had used in casting her spells.

Restoring Astolpho’s Golden Lance of Argalia to the Paladin, she had him mount up behind her on her winged black horse. With the other freed warriors escaping from Alcina’s kingdom, Melissa and Astolpho flew ahead of them to the realm of the good sorceress Logestilla.

Over the next few days, Ruggiero and the other warriors reached Logestilla’s kingdom and recovered from their captivity. Melissa knew that Ruggiero would now return to Bradamante but because she wanted his happiness she accepted that.

Logestilla gave Ruggiero an enchanted bridle and harness which let him control the winged Hippogriff hybrid creature which Atlantes had used to spirit him away to this island. The Saracen mounted the now-controlled beast and flew off back toward Continental Europe.  

I’ll be examining more tales of Charlemagne soon, picking up from this one.   

FOR LINKS TO ALL THE PREVIOUS CHARLEMAGNE INSTALLMENTS CLICK HERE.

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