The
Entrance To the Gardens
From
the entrance of Livsden Gardens, a dusty cobblestone
path leads our visitor to Tranquille Walk, which
houses the Gardens Proper: a walled esplanade,
separated in three distinct parts, once abundant
with floral settings, ponds, and benches, all
attended by an array of sculpture, and within
one section, a garden maze. The outer walls
of Tranquille Walk are inlaid with numerous
gargoyles and pensive angels, though weathered
quite drearily due to seasons of storms. Within,
the cobblestones of the Walk are barely detectable
beneath weed and moss; the sundry stone benches
and meditative statuary attending the now tumultuous
garden milieus are in various stages of decline,
all littered with layers of dead leaves. Here
is where our tour begins, dear reader, in the
Gardens Proper...
Walking
towards the entryway of Tranquille Walk, one
can see the Pool of Inevitability on their left,
a once impressive reflecting pool, now an unrestrained
natatorium brimming with overgrowth and pond
wildlife. On our right, we come to the Gardens
Proper... The first entryway into the Gardens
leads one into a maze of stone walls and weedy
dead-ends. It is quite dark within this part
of Tranquille Walk and terribly easy to get
lost; the walls are over ten feet tall and the
paths are very narrow. The smell of damp earth
and rotting leaves fills the air...
The
Forgotten Crypt
At
the far end of Tranquille Walk is a sectional
promenade, consisting of two parts, only one of
which is actually known. The main room is the
largest, and there one will find Silent Pond,
a shallow reflecting pool that stretches across
the length of the wall. Four statues attend each
corner of the pool, three being the Fates personified,
and the fourth, a young man kneeling towards the
pool with a rapt expression on his face. It is
popularly thought that the statue is the likeness
of the Unfortunate owner and original mastermind
of Livsden Gardens. Countless years earlier, when
Livsden was still accessible and of interest to
the townspeople, it had been the source of great
speculation as to why the one statue in the entire
Gardens never affected by age and weather was
that of the young man. The three Fates, who have
held their faded hands in the steadfast act of
weaving for over 500 years, are hardly recognizable.
The
young man looks directly at a quiet place beyond
the pool: The Forgotten Crypt. The Crypt, a large
antiquarian stone tomb, is the only one within
Tranquille Walk. Standing at the head is the remnant
of a woman's form, her arms stretched towards
the heavens, her expression tranquil. It is rumored
that Livsden's entire property was originally
owned by a wealthy nobleman, who had built the
gardens for his beautiful young bride. The crypt
is therefore thought to be hers, though the epitaph
faded centuries ago, and the actual facts surrounding
her life and untimely death have diminished into
the past as well. The face of the young man who
gazes perpetually upon this shrine at times seems
almost lifelike.
The
Wall Builder's Song
For
just one sympathetic soul
I did destroy my sturdy wall.
And
with my fortitude in dust,
I placed my spirit in their trust.
But
having found then lost this friend,
I build the wall back up again.
The
Garden Booke of Ghosts - Contents
