Lancelot Part 5

The creature of the night

The duo later joyous on their victory, soon convene to a nearby village to celebrate. Its a small place but it has a tavern with hot meals and drinks to be offered. There was one issue then; Lancelot and Bran had not coins to pay for these luxuries. So they stopped at the edge of the village and watched it close their shutters for the evening time. It was then they saw someone walking towards them from the village. He is an older man wearing a fine tunic and sporting a large belt to up hold his bulging belly. The man is also devoid of hair on his head top.

"Aye, are you the knight sent by the Lord?" The man asked of Lancelot.

Lancelot looked to his companion who shrugged his shoulder. Then Bran walked up to the man and said yes.

"I was expecting more than one, and also one of more sturdier in built than you." The man commented on the youthful look of Lancelot who immediately sat up on his horse.

"Its been a long ride, Sir. And we would prefer to rest before we speak of the quest." Bran interjected hoping to avert the discussion.

"Aye, we have set the feast for you. Please come with me." The man motioned to Lancelot to followed him to the village.

"My name is Peter of Norths. We are a small village here and we have little to offer besides this small feast." The man who met Lancelot earlier introduced himself as they walked into the his abode. Lancelot could not believed his eyes as the table that was in front of him was laid with assortment of meat and vegetables, and not forgetting fruits of the season.

"This is my humble home and these are the elders of the village." Peter introduced the three older men who was standing by the table. "Let us feast and speak freely, Sir...."

"Lancelot." Bran again interjected in with the introductions. "Pray tell us your woes and we shall do so to counter it."

Lancelot who was hungry did not pause in his action as he took on leg of mutton to bite into it. He looked up to see the three Elder staring at him. He placed the leg down and smiled.

"Please do partake in the feast. Its been a long ride for me." Lancelot sheepishly spoke out on his manner.

"Sir..... Lancelot, you are a bit young for a knight." Peter commented on the youth. "As I have mentioned we were expecting a more matured .......knight."

"Peter, Elders; if I may speak for my Sire." Bran spoke up. "Sir ....Lancelot may looked young in looks but he has some years of battling as a knight. His current victory tally stands at....five jousts and four duels. He is more than he may look."

That drew not only gasps from the Elders but also among some ladies who was standing at the rear of the Hall. They are young ones and they were none the less curious to know who is the knight with so many exploits. Peter on hearing of these ladies indiscreet murmurings, called them forth.

"Pardon me, Sir Lancelot. These are the womenfolks of my abode. Here is my wife, Martha and my daughters; Mary, Ellen and Jessie." Peter casually introduced his family. The ladies did a simple cutesy and retired back to the cooking area. Their departure was ignored by Lancelot but not by Bran who was clearly keen on seeing someone of his age besides Lancelot.

"Sir Lancelot, if I may; our village is terrorize by the presence of hounds who are of no master. The hounds have killed some of our sheep and calves." Peter thought of going straight to the matter of concern.

"These .....hounds; how and when do they attack?" Bran asked when he noticed Lancelot was busy consuming his food.

"At dusk, Sire. They come not nighly but on occasions." Peter explained on the attack. "We barred the doors and also the pen but they still managed to get into it."

"They could be small ones that can burrow under the walls." Lancelot answered up from his drink. The wine he was seeping dripped down from his lips.

"Small? Nay, I doubt so. I think they are the size of this table...." Peter corrected Lancelot who almost choked on hearing the last description.

"Hounds of that? Surely you do not mocked me with tales of the Underworld." Bran again interjected on seeing Lancelot struggling with his wine. "Surely Fenrir the Myth would be best left to children' sleeping tales."

"No, Sire. Its true. I saw it myself." Peter defended his words.

"Bran, that may be a good meal, but does it make up for us to be guarding the sheep pen?" Lancelot asked as he adjust his waist belt. He is feeling sleepy after the heavy meal but now they are asked to perform their quest.

"I mean the hound as large as a table, does not appeal to me like any we have seen. Are you sure they are enthralled by wild imaginations." Lancelot continued in his mumblings.

"I doubt so, Sire. We are indebted to this villagers for their food and drinks. Let us hope we can live up to their expectations. I can see some dark movements at the woods edge." Bran reminded the young knight as he drew on his short sword given by Smithy. He prayed that he had not opened his big mouth too eagerly or they would not be standing here now.

Lancelot on hearing his squire words, also drew on his sword and placed the shield on his left wrist. He did not don his armor as he felt that more comfortable without it. He strained his sight to see the dark shadows but he see nothing that resemble it.

"Bran, are you sure of the shadows? I see naught of what you said." Lancelot questioned his squire.

"Aye, there were but now they are gone." Bran whispered back as he scour the woods edge with his sight. He was sure he saw something but now he is hesitating to admit it.

"Hello, Sire." A sweet voice beckon them from the rear causing both the lads to jumped back and faced the intruder.

Its one of the daughters, and she is holding a jug of water. Lancelot think her name was Ellen or was it Jessie. He can't remember naught of it, as he was fixated on his food.

"Hello, Jessie." It was Bran who had the better of memory. "Its a late time for you to come wandering."

"Aye, I brought you water to wash in case you feel sleepy." Jessie placed the jug on the ground. "Are the hounds here yet? I have not seen them before. You would protect me, Sire."

Bran nodded in the twilight and he reached for the jug to splash his face.

"Its a cold night and this is refreshing." Bran thanked the maiden who brought the jug. Jessie on seeing her hospitality accepted sat herself down by the nearby tree stump at the sheep pen. Bran being a chivalrous man offered her his only cloak to overcome the cold air.

"Hush! I hear something." Lancelot whispered out to his squire. "It could be the hounds."

Both the lads took to looked at the woods for any signs of movement. They see something stepping out towards them. Its indeed a hound, but more larger than one they have seen and this one has gray coat on it. Bran reached back to cover the maiden but his hand came on contact not with smooth skin but a hairy one. He looked back and saw that Jessie have also become one like the hound but she is standing upright. Her night dress lay at her feet and she is not in the mood for a rumble on the hay.

"Jessie?" Bran uttered her name out. He heard tales of such creatures who are normal humans at day and creatures at night. Bran stood his back to Lancelot holding his sword.

"Aye? Is there another one behind us? Protect Jessie then." Lancelot still facing the oncoming hound told his squire.

Bran did not answer him as the creature that was Jessie, lunged at him with her claws. He swung his sword by instinct from his training and cut into her left forearm. The creature jumped back on the cut and snarled at Bran. It crouched down on its hind limbs before it leap at Bran but the squire had his sword ready. The creature was stabbed in the right shoulder by the sword before its claw cut into Bran's left wrist.

Bran on seeing his sword cut into the flesh, pushed hard at it to thrust it in deeper and through to the back. His face came in contact with the fangs of the creature but Bran did not stop there as he move the sword downwards to the heart. The fangs stopped short at his neck before the creature died.

Bran pulled out his sword and the creature body dropped to the ground. It stayed there for a while and then transformed back into the maiden form of Jessie. Bran walked over to his cloak and placed it over the dead maiden.

"Aha! I got you now." Lancelot shouted out as he thrust his sword into the hound left ribs and cut in deeper to the lower limbs. The hound creature died on that attack and Lancelot pulled out his sword. He then rubbed his clawed flesh at the right forearm against his tunic.

"How fare you....." Lancelot stopped when he saw the dead maiden. "Did the hound get her? Where is the hound?"

"The hound was her. She was one of the creatures that transformed into human at day and creature at night. She attacked me and I killed her." Bran explained to Lancelot. "I think the family would not be so pleased of us. I may suggest we leave immediately."

"That would not be necessary." The voice that came from the dark corner was Peter. He is with the Elders, and they are carrying spears with them. "We knew of it before. She was probably infected by one of them before."

It did not take long for Peter to tell the tale of the hounds.

A few moons ago, there was a traveler who stopped by their village on his journey. He was a young man and he was in need of some lodging. Peter being the head of the village offered him the nearby barn to rest before he continues his travels. He did stay there for a few nights and was popular with the younger ones on his exploits. It was acceptable by the villagers to have someone tell them tales of afar, but there was a growing concern of the ladies who swarmed to his side. His stay became longer and one evening he was caught in the barn with Jessie. They were just exploring their options as told by the father, but Peter had the young traveler chased out. Just before he was shooed off, he vowed to come back for Jessie and take a bite off the village.

It was then an empty threat but soon later, the animals starts to be get uneasy and the killings began. Peter suspected it was the works of the traveler so he posted guards at the perimeter but the killings still persist. He then stood guard at the pen himself, and he was to see a large hound that attacked his sheep. He did not attack the hound but followed it after the killing. It went back to the barn and then he found his daughter lying there.

Later when she woke up before dawn, she freshen herself up and went back to the abode. It was then Peter suspected that his daughter was the one who did it. He still kept vigilance on the pen and one night he saw his daughter still in her maiden form comes out to greet a large hound that walked out of the woods. They were very affectionate and they soon retired to the fields. Peter did not speak more of that but he knew that he cannot kill the creature who may be his daughter. He consulted the Elders with a sworn oath to keep the secret from others. They suggested that he advised the Lord for knights to do the task. So that was how the quest was to be set for the knights.

"Sir Lancelot, your quest have not ended. You killed one of them, but not the main one." Peter told Lancelot. "I know his cave, and I would take you there in the morning."

"Avenge my daughter, Sire." Peter added in his words.

"Its in there." Peter points to a dark cave in the deep woods. The entrance of the cave is the about man's height and there are smell of death that seeps from it. Its entrance is well hidden by thick scrubs and there is a large tree overlapping its canopy on top of it.

Lancelot on advice by Bran have donned his armor and carries his sword and shield. Lancelot asked that Bran hold his lance and stood guard outside the entrance.

"Aye, Sire. You be brave, Sire." Bran spoke out words of encouragement to Lancelot.

Lancelot made his way to the entrance and he looked in. Its all dark in there despite the low lighted woods outside here where the sunrays are blocked by the canopied leaves. He lean over to pick up a branch and then asked if Bran have a fire stone. It was Peter who came to assist Lancelot with it. Lancelot then held the branch with his left hand while holding the shield. He walked his way in lighting up the passage in the cave. He did not have to go in further as he can see the naked man crouching there.

"I see they called in the knights." The naked man spoke up. "Who may I asked of your name?"

"Lancelot of the Lake. Are you the creature that infected the maiden?"

"I bear no shame in that. I am the one. I am also one of you before, until I was cursed with this." The naked man stood up. He points to his sword which lies at the side. "My name is Piccard of Durin. I sailed to your land many moons ago after I was pursue by my own peers in armor. I found solace in the village and more so with the maiden that your squire killed."

"You do not deny the curse you rendered on her?" Lancelot questioned him back.

"Curse? Its not a curse to her if she can be with her love. Its a curse for us to survive in your land." Piccard shook his head. "I asked her many times to leave with me for the hills, but she said she loved her family too much to leave. She asked me for time to consider and I gave her that."

"Then why did you kill the sheep and calves?" Lancelot asked of him.

"It was not me, but her. She could not control her hunger when she transformed. I told her to stop but she cannot. She had tried the sample of love, and she crave for it. But the price is she would transformed to be with me. For that she would develop also the craving for fresh blood. Its our misgiving in our love."

"But you can end it. Now that she is gone, I am lost." Piccard walked to his sword. "Fight me like a knight as I would do with you. Show me your mantle as the worthy knight here."

"I may not defeat you....." Lancelot muttered out without thinking.

"A knight knows not of defeat until he is defeated." Piccard retort Lancelot. "You are a disgrace to the honor of the knights."

Lancelot on hearing the insult, charged at the other, but Piccard parry the attack and kicked Lancelot in the left thigh to send him sprawling backwards.

"Do not let your emotion command your fight." Piccard cautioned him. "Many knights die due to that. Fight as you were trained."

Lancelot picked himself up and find the branch is now only almost burnt out. Piccard saw that too and motioned to Lancelot to go outside. They both exit of the cave to the surprise of Bran and Peter.

"Stay back. This is our fight." Piccard warned the others. He then charged at Lancelot with his sword swinging from the right and Lancelot block it with the shield. Without hesitation Lancelot swing his sword at Piccard who stepped back. Lancelot did not pause at there as he lunged at Piccard with a straight thrust to the chest but Piccard had side stepped to cut down with the hilt of his sword on Lancelot' wrist.

Lancelot dropped his sword and held onto his injured wrist.

"Good move but premeditated. Try something unpremeditated. "Think like lovers; variety in the moves makes the heart flutter." Piccard mocked him and kicked at the sword towards Lancelot.

Lancelot picked up his sword, and circled the other, looking for an opening. Piccard did not await the attack but charged himself with the sword swinging over his head, and then downwards. Lancelot blocked it with the shield and he swung in his sword form the right to the exposed hips. His sword made contact and cut in deep. Piccard fell to the side on the cut and held onto his bleeding hip.

"Good one, young knight....." Piccard did not get to complete his compliments as Peter had seized the opportunity to thrust the spear into the knight's back. Piccard died without seeing his assailant.

"That was for Jessie, you animal." Peter shouted out as he pushed the spear in further into the dead body. Then he stepped back and let go of the spear still impaled on the body.

"I had to do it. He desecrate my daughter's innocence with his vile ....ways." Peter fell down on his knees as he let go of his emotions. " I had to do it....."

Both Lancelot and Bran rode their horse out of the village that day at late afternoon. They brought Peter back to his abode and big goodbye to the Elders. They were given some gifts but Lancelot refused them all. He told it was his duty to serve them, and his payment would be their gratitude. They rode out with the villagers waving them off.

"Sire, do you think its wise to leave so soon?" Bran asked him. "We could stayed the night."

"No, Bran. The family needs their own time to forget the event. If we are there, we would just be intruding." Lancelot replied as he looked to the woods. His mind was on what Piccard said; do not let your emotions get into your fights.