Lancelot Part 1

The Beginning

At Herns

Herns is a small settlement of farmers and sheep herders who knows not of the Lord who ruled their land. They are hardly patronized by any officers ranked higher than the Collector who comes twice a year. The Collector himself carries no name but his rank although he is shouldered by two armed men dressed in armors and carrying the long spear. The Collector himself traveled on a small cart drawn by a donkey as he feared the horse since his last unceremoniousness mishap with it. That mishap caused him to rest on his bedding for over two moons. The Collector is a tall man with a crescent shaped face which he sports a goatee to enhance its look. He is ever calculative and very thorough in his collection. Not a single load is missed nor a misplaced coin in the tithes.

The people who made their abode at Herns pays their tithes to the Collector on his oratorial skills and of course his written order of command from his Lord. It matters not to these settlers as writing of any form is as vague to them as the length of the grass in the land. The last time the Collector showed them the so called written order, the goat owned by Henry almost took half it into its mouth. Poor Henry suffered a loss that day as the goat was 'imprisoned' for destroying the Lord's order.

Today is nearing the time when the Collector would come on his cart and two foot soldiers. The feast was prepared for his arrival and the tithes laid in the casket for his inspection. But it was no cart that arrived that day, but a small contingent of army which arrived at the settlement.

"The Lord is coming..." The lad of years not exceeding seven times, called out as he ran down the hill towards the settlement. He is followed closely by his sister whose years were almost ten times. The lad ran into his father' arms who was also the settlement head. The father is none other than Peter of Herns who is also the Settlement Head. Peter is a breed of the farm whose forefathers have always work the plough better and gave back many of it to the land when they lay their physical body on their death. Like Peter, he has grown well with the land produce. He intend to do so for many years and so would his son after him.

"Hold there, Issac." The older man held onto his son by the lapels of his tattered frock. Next to come in was his daughter, Helen who could not stopped in time. Helen bumped into her brother's back and then the two of them tangled up into the father's body.

"Okay. Hold on children." Peter of Herns calmed down his children. "Settle down your excitement."

The children calmed down and Issac motioned to his sister to speak.

"We did not see the Collector." Helen spoke out in gasps of breath. "Its soldiers we saw."

The older man took in a deep breath and then motioned to his wife nearby.

"Take the children to the far woods on rise." He instructs her. "Do not come out until I signaled you. Do not come even if you hear fights."

His wife' Mary who served him for many years both as lover, mother and also companion, then took the children by their arms and ran off to the woods. Other mothers and ladies folks followed suit. Men of all ages who are above fifteen in years rushed to their homes to come back carrying anything that can be used as a weapon.

"Patrick," Peter comfort an old man of past his eighty years. "You may joined the families. We would fight them if they are invaders."

"I be darned if anyone tells me I cannot fight." Patrick is an old Guard of the previous Lord and now having retired with only his trusty blunt sword as the only consolation of his years of service.

"No, Patrick." Peter assured him. "Do not take sight to my words. I have nobody I am willing trust more with my family than you."

"Peter," Patrick replied back in his hoarse voice. "Your words fouls even my breath. Stand aside as I received this army."

Patrick ignored the Settlement Head and walked to the bridge that represent their settlement limit to that side of the land. The shallow stream that flowed beneath it is also the drinking path for the sheep that grazed nearby. Peter on seeing the old man walked to the bridge sighed in despair. He is only a farmer and since the last Head died of illness, he was asked to stand in as he is the largest among them. Since then, he has been unofficially made the Settlement Head. Its now almost two cold seasons and he is still their head. He has asked repeatedly for some one to be but none of the twenty odd men here wants to initiate it.

They have fought off wolves and on occasions the odd group of brigands but never an army. More so, he is not sure if they are friendly or hostile. Peter looked at Patrick and smiled as he knows the old man relish the days when he was a burly soldier and not a feeble infirm old man. He may want to die fighting but Peter knows that most of them here prefers the quiet death to one with an open chest with their entrails hanging out.

Peter caught hold of Patrick's son, Mathew. Mathew is the only surviving son of the family as he could never join the army with his illness of seizures. His father disliked him for his lack bravery and sudden illness that he attributes to cowardice instead of health.

"Mathew, stay at your father's side." Peter told him. "And you take care."

Mathew nodded to Peter as he moved forward holding the wooden pitchfork he would used in the coming fight. He prayed hard that his seizures would not come forth at this moment or he would failed at his quest. He would prefer to die like his brothers in battle than to be branded a coward by all.

"My King, the scouts reports of a settlement over the hill." The senior officer of the Benwick Contingent advised his King. King Ban is mounted on his horse in his full armor and carrying his family crest on the round shield looked at the senior officer.

"There is also a small stream there and we can have some fresh water for the men." The officer continued in his report to the King.

"Proceed on, Galad." King Ban instruct his officer. "Queen Elaine is in need of a proper rest. What is no better than a proper roof for her tonight compared to the tent she had spent for nights."

King Ban looked to his new bride whom he had recently taken as his on the request of Queen Evarice, his brother wife's. He have met his brother King Bors earlier and they have pledged their loyalty to the new King; King Arthur. King Ban is the younger one and he is the more physical of the two as he is more into hunting and wrestling compared to his brother Bors who is more scholarly inclined. It was said by their father that among his two sons, one would rule the throne and the other would keep its border safe for the other. But the brothers have gone against their father's wishes and split the kingdom. By doing so, they won't conflict in their ruling but their kingdom pale in reference compared to Arthur. The young King have impressed both brothers although he only inherit what was once his father's too.

Their pledge to serve the new King was done and now they are returning to their own land, which if needed they would removed anyone who threatens the new King.

King Ban remembered telling his brother when they departing together; that he finds its intriguing for him to bow to a mere boy of fifteen years in age.

"He is a sapling compared to us in years, and yet we bowed before him in servitude. I wondered if madness have overtaken our minds for us to do so." King Ban laughed at his own statement.

"A sapling with an ability to grow into a stout tree that what belies the new King." King Bors replied. "I been with Utter for many battles and even once on the opposing side. His seedlings are without matched in this land."

Both men laughed at the remark they just laid on the old King, who was the father of Arthur.

"Aye, even as you speak of seedling; mine is troubling me to let loose." King Ban spoke out on his coming wedding to Lady Elaine on the advise of the Queen of Bors. It was his brother who planned this as the lady in waiting has already agreed to the union.

"If she is a vixen like her sister, then you may naught have to get up early from bed in the morning." Both men laughed at their words on their bedding mates. The new Queen for King Ban is the sister of Queen Evarice of King Bors.

The wedding was held in a simple ceremony and the couple sent off to their chamber with the merriment continuing on at the Main Hall.

On the next morning, King Bors was to host his brother for breakfast as the later have made his intention to return to his land. He seek his brother's permission and that was granted. King Bors then asked his brother to share his first meal of the day, while his Queen seek the new bride to join them at the Main Hall.

Queen Evarice ran over to the bedchambers where her sister had spent the night with her husband. She find her sister still lounging in bed, and in her night dress.

"Oh my dear," Queen Evarice pounced on her sister on the bed. "Surely, you must be getting up and be ready for your travel back to your land. Your Lord is in the Hall having his meal before he departs".

"Alas, sister of mine." Queen Elaine remarked back to her sister. "I am so satiated by this man of mine, whose pounding of my flesh is ever incessant and deep."

Elaine turned her bosom to her sister and continued in her words.

"His hands so caked with callous and rough in kneading me here, yet he pleasures me within moments."

"Hold your lusty thoughts to yourself or I would be hauling my Lord to his chamber." Evarice told off her sister. "Surely there would be more of those to come, but now your duty as his wife is to be with him in the Hall. So hurry up and get dressed."

Evarice did not hesitate to pull the silky night dress off her sister who is still stretching herself on the bedding.

"Okay, let me do it myself." Elaine got up herself and pulled at the gown over her head. She then stood there in her glory basking in the morning sunlight.

"Do you think I am beautiful, sister?" Elaine asked of her sister as she reached for her breasts and pinched at the nipple which was embedded into her chest. She plucked at it until its swollen point stood up like set of young cherries.

"Yes, you are but now you need is a wash and dressing." Evarice got up from the bedding and walked to her sister. "Where is your chamber maid?"

"I sent her off last night as I do expect to be disturbed at this morning." Elaine told her sister as she bend over the shallow pail of water laid there for washing last night. "Its cold and .....so exciting."

Elaine had dabbed the soft cloth into the water and now rubbing it down her chest. Her hand holding the cloth trailed down her body to her lower torso and she shuddered at the touch.

"Aargh!" she moaned out and her sister Evarice came forth to check on her. "Its so sore there."

"Let me clean it for you." Evarice took on the cloth and slowly dabbed at the sore parts of her sister's body while her sister held out her hands onto Evarice shoulder for support.

"That's nice ........nice yet so..... Good." Elaine clasped her hands tight onto her sister' shoulder as the other slowly part the swollen flesh to cleaned it of the grime and leftovers.

Evarice then removed her hand and stood up. She took Elaine by the shoulder and shook her to come to her senses.

"Sister, your husband awaits you. Do you understand?" Evarice spoke out loud to Elaine.

Elaine nodded to her sister and then she herself complete her bath without the sister who gone off to select a dress for her.

Evarice looked at the contingent of army led by King Ban leave the castle. Among those there is her sister now betrothed to King Ban. For some reason, she felt envious of the union as she felt that only deserving one should be her instead of her sister. The sisters have grown up together with the brothers since young and Evarice have always admired Ban more than Bors. When the announcement of her union to Bors was made, she could not refuse as its uncalled for in the ladies then, but to willingly accept the union.

Today she find her admired person now taking on her other closest companion; her sister. Both the sisters have stayed together since birth and this is the first time they are apart. Even when she was to be with King Bors, she brought her sister here so that she would not be lack of companionship. But now the sister of hers is leaving her here alone. This is the first time she felt that someone had taken away what should had been hers'. She felt her heart beat in pain on seeing her admired person now no more available to her.

She was so pre-occupied that she did not hear the oncoming steps of her King as he came around to embrace her from her rear.

"Surely you are not going to tell me, that you missed your sister now.?" King Bors nuzzled his face into the rear of her neck as his hands groped at her waist line to the bodice laces holding the corset there.

"No, my Lord." Evarice reached with her hands to the back of her head to hold her Lord' head. "I am happy for her that she has found her own Lord."

"Then perhaps you can ignore her and be my Queen again." King Bors have pulled his Queen away from the wall opening to his bedding. "Without your sister here, surely you can be more free to attend to me."

"Yes, my Lord." Queen Evarice replied to him. She can feel his hardness on her body and she reluctantly let herself be led from the wall opening.

Queen Evarice recount her sister's earlier words as her Lord humped away above her, but the thoughts of the morning did not matched the pace the King has set for himself. Both are brothers in blood, but they are of difference in physique, and she have got the weaker of the two. He rolled off her and then fell asleep without a thought to her needs. Evarice looked to the dark narrow recesses on the ceiling; an imperfection of the mason she recount in her mind.

"An imperfection which I am forced to endure," Evarice spoke to herself. She then asked herself if her sister was making fun of her this morning by taunting her with the prowess of other King, or did she set herself an expectation too high for her own Lord. However she cannot regret her choice nor her commitment anymore as her belly is now with his and soon would show if he is to have a heir to the throne. She sighed back in her thoughts and consoled herself at least there would be someone who would pay more attention to her bosom than the King could managed.

Galad led the first squad of thirty foot soldiers armed with long spears and round shields. He rode up to the bridge and faced the large man standing there in his smock with a cloth belt to hold it at the waist and holding a wooden staff.

"Stand aside, farmer." Galad announced his arrival. "I am Galad of Benwick. Submit to my King or die at his feet."

Galad; the knight of Benwick dressed in his plated armor and his helmet is a round top which cover his entire head to the neck, with slits for his eyes and nose. The armor is of dark shades and on his waist is his war hammer. In his right hand he carries the long rectangle shield and the ten foot lance on his left hand. Galad is mounted on a dark stead of a sturdier breed that allowed him to travel long distance.

"My name is Peter of Herns." The farmer introduced himself. "We know no Lord or King but a person named as the Collector. He comes every two season and we give him his dues for protection. The Collector claimed to have the order scroll from King Claudas."

"King Claudas? Frank King?" Galad spoke up on hearing the name. King Claudas is a Frankish line of Kings and they are enemies of King Arthur. "You swore allegiance to a Frank."

Galad turned to his foot soldiers.

"Attack them!" Galad resentment for the Franks cloud his judgment. His parents were killed these Franks and he viewed all of them as enemies.

The foot soldiers charged at the farmer. The first to be killed was Patrick who could not stop the oncoming soldiers, they just brushed aside the old man and trampled over him. Mathew who was near him swung his wooden pitch fork at he nearest foot soldier who just shrug off threat as the soldier attacked Mathew with the bunt end of the spear. The force of the blow caused Mathew to topple over and he keeled over before his seizure took over.

"Leave him be." The foot soldiers ignored the quivering farmer on the bridge and trampled over him too.

Peter swung his staff at the foot soldier who blocked it with the spear while another foot soldier thrust the spear into his midriff. Peter died serving a Lord he had never seen. The rest of the settlers could not stand up to the more experienced soldiers soon themselves dead or maimed.

"Galad, secure me a suitable abode. I need to rest with my Queen." King Ban instruct his officer as they camped in the settlement. Galad had earlier secured the comfortable place for the King and then he led his men to search the settlement. They could find some food and drinks alongside the tithes.

Galad walked up to the captured settlers. There were three of them, and one is badly wounded.

"Where are your women folks?" Galad asked the settlers. "Tell me or I would have you all killed."

The kept their silence and Galad took his sword to kill the wounded one. Then he poised the sword over one of the other two remaining ones. The one which was threatened point to the woods before the sword pierced his neck.

"Find them, and bring them here. Kill the old ones and leave the small ones there." Galad told his men. "Anyone who makes too much noise, kill her."

That night two women conceived a child each. One was Queen Elaine with her Lord, and the other was a young lady who just turned fifteen in years. Her name was Martha of Herns. She was to give birth to a boy whom she would named Peter. The child's father was Galad of Benwick.