Till We Have Faces

The Veil of My Existence

Dearest Reader, I extend to you a greeting from a world you may not know, where gods mingle with mortals and where the soul's deepest desires are often cloaked in mystery. I am Orual, once Queen of Glome, and through my tale, I wish to draw aside the veil that separates my heart from yours.

My story begins beneath the shadow of the Grey Mountain, where the god Ungit's silent stone visage beheld my suffering and my transformation. Like you, I have felt the sting of unrequited love, the pang of jealousy, and the weight of unbearable loss.

My life, though wrapped in the garments of myth and legend, was lived in the throes of very human passions. I was not born fair of face, but I was keen of mind, and even as you may have done, I sought to earn my place in the hearts of those around me through deeds and devotion.

You and I, we have both worn masks to shield our vulnerabilities from the prying eyes of the world. My literal mask became my refuge, my means to command respect in a realm that would have otherwise dismissed me.

Yet behind the bronze facade, I was a soul tormented by love for my sister Psyche, a love so fierce it bordered on possession and ultimately led me down paths of sorrow and regret.

The Bonds of Sisterhood

Have you not known the bond of kinship, so profound that its rupture feels akin to the cleaving of your very being? Psyche was my heart's echo, the light to my shadow. When she was torn from me, sacrificed to a supposed brute to appease the gods, my world fractured.

I waged war against the divine, the unseen forces I believed had wronged us, not unlike your own battles against the unseen forces in your life that seem to conspire against your happiness. In my quest to rescue Psyche, I discovered her dwelling in bliss with a husband who was no beast but a god.

Yet, in my disbelief and jealousy, I sowed seeds of doubt, urging her to gaze upon her lover's face, an act which led to her downfall. The agony of this betrayal lingers.

Reader, it is a pain I recognize in the solitude of your evenings when you ponder the trust you may have shattered, the loves you've pushed away. The gods' retribution was as swift as it was enigmatic, and I beheld my sister's suffering from afar.

My once ardent heart grew cold and shrewd, and I ascended to the throne of Glome with a ruler's calculating gaze. I sought justice for Psyche, yes, but also for my own wounded soul, believing that if I could but right this single wrong, all would be well.

The Reign of a Queen

As queen, I bore the mantle of leadership with a mix of pride and resentment. I ruled with an iron hand, veiled always, my true self hidden from my subjects and from the gods.

I demanded fairness and order, believing these could somehow fill the void of lost love and fractured bonds. You, too, have worn the crown of responsibility, have you not? Felt the loneliness of command, the isolation that comes with authority? In my reign, I witnessed the fickleness of fortune, the rise and fall of those at court, the quiet despair of the oppressed.

Through it all, I sought to be just, though justice without love is like a well without water—dry and unforgiving. I pondered the fates of my subjects, their joys and woes mirroring my own, and I wondered if there was more to this existence, a deeper truth that eluded my grasp.

I found solace in the study of philosophy and in the words of the Fox, my old tutor, who spoke of virtues and the nature of the divine. Yet, even his wisdom could not quench the yearning that gnawed at my soul, the yearning for understanding, for reconciliation with the gods and with Psyche.

Have you not also sought answers in the wisdom of others, only to find that the most profound questions lie unanswered in the recesses of your heart?

The Quest for Truth

It was only when I resolved to face the gods themselves, to demand an audience and an accounting for the injustices of my life, that the scales began to fall from my eyes. I undertook a perilous journey, much like the journeys you embark upon when you seek to confront the truths you have long avoided.

I stood before the divine tribunal, my accusations meticulously prepared, only to find that it was I who was on trial. The gods held up a mirror to my soul, and I was forced to confront the ugliness of my own actions, my selfishness, and the harm I had wrought in the name of love.

It was a harrowing revelation, akin to the moments when you, dear reader, have caught a glimpse of your own failings and felt the searing heat of shame. Yet, in that moment of reckoning, I found liberation.

The gods did not seek my humiliation but my transformation. They showed me that love is not possession or control but a surrender to the other's good, a theme which echoes in the quiet sacrifices you make daily, often unnoticed, for those you hold dear.

The Unveiling of the Soul

With newfound clarity, I returned to the world of mortals, my mask discarded. I saw with fresh eyes the beauty in others, the potential for redemption, the possibility of grace.

My final days were spent in the service of love, not as a grasping force, but as a gentle guide, leading both myself and my people toward the light. I learned that true strength lies not in the wielding of power but in the humble acknowledgment of one's faults and the courage to make amends.

It is a lesson I impart to you, knowing that within your own sphere, you grapple with the same recognition, the same need for forgiveness and the chance to begin anew. Thus, my life's story unfolded, a tapestry of human frailty and divine mystery, woven through with the golden thread of redemption.

I have shared my soul with you, not to preach, but to offer my experiences as a mirror in which you might see your own struggles and triumphs reflected.

A Final Reflection

As my tale draws to a close, I step back from the role of Orual to address you directly. My life, chronicled in the pages of "Till We Have Faces" by C.

S. Lewis, is replete with mythic grandeur and human pathos.

It is a masterpiece that delves into the complexities of love, faith, and the human condition. By exploring my journey, you will encounter a rich narrative that offers a myriad of lessons woven into the fabric of the story, without ever feeling didactic.

I urge you, if my words have stirred a whisper of curiosity or a flicker of kinship within you, to seek out this book and immerse yourself in its depths. There, you will find more than just my story; you will find reflections of your own life and perhaps a guiding star to illuminate your path.

May the gods grant you the wisdom to see your face truly, and may you come to love that face, as I have learned to love my own. Let us walk together, you and I, on the journey toward understanding, for it is in the sharing of our stories that we find the strength to endure and the hope to become better than we are.