Authors interviewing Characters: Sam Davey interviews the Lady Igraine

About The Chosen Queen

Igraine, destined mother of King Arthur, takes centre stage for a powerful, feminist retelling of Camelot.

The stories of Camelot do not begin with the sword in the stone—but rather with a twisted chain of murder, magic, and deceit.

Igraine is happily married to Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, even though his withdrawal from the Mysteries and the Goddess have created a strain between them, as well as friction between her and her mentor, the Lady of the Lake. While they are visiting Uther Pendragon, King of Britain, at his castle, Uther makes it obvious to the entire court that he desires Igraine to be his queen. Later, he accosts her, and when Igraine informs Gorlois of what happened, he gathers his people and abruptly leaves the festivities, later declaring war on Uther. England has only recently found peace, and Merlin pleads with Gorlois to pledge allegiance to Uther. But Gorlois’ pride will keep him bent toward war, no matter the cost to his people.

Igraine bravely assumes the role of leader at Tintagel Castle, encouraging the women left behind to continue working the fields to show their devotion to the Goddess and instructing her two daughters to harness their own powers. She plans a grand summer solstice celebration, inviting their allies. On the eve of the solstice, Gorlois unexpectedly returns to Tintagel. But it is only after she lies with who she thinks is her beloved husband that Igraine learns the full extent of the devious plot of Merlin and the Lady of the Lake.

Igraine is chosen by the Goddess, by the Lady of the Lake, by Merlin, by Uther Pendragon . . . but in the end, she will choose her own fate.

Sam Davey interviews Igraine.

SD: Welcome, my Lady, I am delighted to meet you at last, even if it is only virtually. By the way, how would you like me to address you?

Igraine: Please, just call me Igraine. This may  well be the first time we have met, but I think it is fair to say that  you know everything about me by now, and I see no need to stand on ceremony

SD: Thank you Igraine, and I must say I was really impressed that I’ve been able to connect to your scrying bowl by Zoom.

Igraine: Yes, it’s actually really good to be able to speak to the person you want to speak to, when you want to speak to them. Scrying is great, but you are literally in the lap of the Goddess in terms of knowing who or what you are going to connect to – with the added complication of not knowing if you are seeing something as it is actually happening, a vision of the future, or a memory from the past.

SD: That can’t be easy – but I suppose until recently that has been the only way you have been able to stay in touch from Carbonek.?

Igraine: Yes, living in an enchanted castle outside of the normal laws of time and space has many things going for it – the weather for example, it is always Summer here – but it does make you a little isolated. It’s almost impossible to find out what is going on in the world, and people can only come and visit you if they have the mystical powers needed to make their way along the enchanted pathways – and it does seem that there are not very many of them left any more.

SD: Indeed. That’s a shame, but I must say it does not surprise me. I think it is true to say that the world I live in is becoming increasingly secular – and I’m not aware of anywhere where a person could be taught the kind of things you learned as a girl in Avalon.

Igraine: My goodness, now that is going back a very, very long time. Avalon was a marvellous place for a young girl to grow up. As you know, my mother was a close friend of Vivian – who was Lady of the Lake at the time. She sent me to school there, and in fact I lived on the Lake Isle until I married Gorlois. It was a beautiful place, I did love it there.

SD: And I believe you never returned to your Father’s court in Wales?.

Igraine: No, my mother died just before my 15th birthday, and in many ways, Vivian became a second mother to me, until I left Avalon for Tintagel – and to marry Duke Gorlois.

SD: You say that Vivian was like a second mother to you? So how did you feel all those years later, when you finally realised the part she had played in the death of your husband, and Uther’s deception.

Igraine: That’s a very tough question for me to answer. After all these years, I still feel so angry, so hurt and betrayed, that it is very difficult for me to think calmly about those awful months, what me and my daughters went through – and the terrible things she and Merlin made happen.

SD: So it must have been very hard for you to stand up for yourself, to refuse to do what Merlin and Vivian wanted. Where did you find the strength?

Igraine: You know, I’m never really sure where I found it. Those were such dark times, and to be honest, nearly everyone had abandoned me. My children had been taken away, my father had just died and my brother – that evil, cold-hearted turn-coat, decided to betray me. 

But I was never completely alone – I had my half-sister Elaine, who has been closer and dearer to me than many a full sister – and Bennath – my wonderful true friend. She could always make me laugh, always give me strength.

And I had my daughters. Even though they were taken away from me, I loved them so much, I could watch them, in the Scrying Bowl when the Goddess chose to send me visions. I saw them grow, become women, find their way in life. That gave me comfort.

SD: And now, you live in peace, in the beautiful, enchanted castle of Carbonek – and the time has come, finally, for the world to hear your story. How does that make you feel?

Igraine: To be honest, I think it has been a long time coming, and I must admit that I am surprised to hear just how little seems to have changed. Clearly, people don’t use magic now, they use – what do you call it – “date-rape drugs” and coercive control. But some things do seem to have got better – and if I my story can help just one women realise that she is not alone, that she can have choices, and that she should never feel ashamed, then I will feel really pleased and proud that my voice has finally been heard.

SD: Thank you so much for talking to us today – Igraine, The Chosen Queen.

BUY HERE

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Sam Davey is the author of The Chosen Queen – the first of the Pendragon Prophecies. 

She is also a prize winning short story author, founder of the Hastings Book Festival and Chair of the Hastings Writers Group – one of the oldest writers groups in the world. She works for London’s Royal Opera House and lives with her husband on the East Sussex coast.

 

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Category: On Writing