Lancelot Part 12

Joyous Guards

Everyone of the knights has their own land or at least a castle except Lancelot. He had to stay with King Arthur and daily shared the same table as the King and Queen. His only relief was when he was sent to do tasks that takes him away from Camelot. He relished those moments and but soon falls into despair on the returning trip. There are the ladies in the court but he cannot find solace in them. His irritation did not evade the attention of Merlin who then questioned him when they met in the open yard one evening.

"Sir Lancelot, your mind seems to be pre-occupied." Merlin asked of him. "I may be a sorcerer but I am no healer of the mind or body. Then again, I seen many fair share of my man's problems."

"Merlin, you talk too much." Lancelot told him bluntly. "I have nothing that you can do."

"I could be your friend to hear you." Merlin told him. "I could be that."

Lancelot walked away for a short distance and then he paused. He looked back at Merlin.

"Don't you feel the need to have your own place?" Lancelot points to the castle behind him. "I used to wander the open land and sleep most times under the stars. Now I am ....imprisoned in these walls."

"Aha, now he is talking and I should be listening." Merlin say out loud. "I am talking to myself. Its to tell me that I am needed"

Merlin walked up to Lancelot and then stopped before the knight. He looked back at the castle and then back at Lancelot.

"Its pretty intimidating, that castle. The Camelot and I mean the place where a hundred of over knights who served its Lord." Merlin smiled at Lancelot. "I would like to get out too, but the King needs me there, or maybe I am short of an abode to called home at now."

Lancelot looked at the sorcerer and then shrugged his shoulders. He reckon it was a waste of time trying to talk to someone who is not serious. Lancelot put his hands and begin to walked away but Merlin stopped him.

"I could get you back your rightful lands." Merlin told him. "You are Lancelot du Lac, and also your father was King Ban. He owns Benwick."

Lancelot looked at the sorcerer and the later point to his forehead and tapped it.

"Tell me more, Merlin." So did Merlin as he recount the origin of Lancelot.

"I want my rightful land. I am entitled to it." Lancelot made the statement to Merlin. "I want you to asked Arthur to help me."

"Arthur would help but you have to prove your worth." Merlin told him. "Convince your King that you are worth putting his army to assist you."

"I don't understand what do you mean on that?" Lancelot quizzed him.

"You would." Merlin answered him. "When that happens, Arthur would bring his army for you."

With that Merlin walked back to the castle leaving Lancelot stand there by himself. He did not hear the soft steps that came up behind him until it was near. Lancelot turned around and faced Guinevere standing there.

"I know Arthur. He valued nothing more than to come to aid the needed. All you need to do is to create that opportunity for him. Find his enemy and he would be overwhelm to rescue you."

"Why?" Lancelot had to asked.

"Because all else, he needed to feel he is on top. And you need to let him get on first before you could get on it."

Benwick was not hard to find, it was harder to get there without been spotted by the Franks. Lancelot tried to sneak in disguise but he finds the Franks are suspicious of any stranger. Their knights do not just accept any challenge and they travel in pairs or more in numbers.

He spoke to his cousins; Bors and Lionel and they told him of their intention to reclaim their land too. They are still awaiting Arthur's consent to helped them. Then they told me of the curse of Castle Dolorus; the place is impregnable to assault the Lord of the castle was guarded by a dozen more guards. The guards are so good that none have broken through their defense so far.

Lancelot spoke out loud; "If I cannot get my father's land, then let me grab someone's else land. I am going for that Castle."

Castle Dolorus sits on a high hill that with a sloping side that allowed the inhabitants to ride up to the castle gates, whereas on the other side of the hill is a steep cliff. Lancelot rode up in his armor and carrying his shield with the sword. Bran was with him but Lancelot asked him to wait here at the bottom of the hill.

"Do not come in until you see me here." Lancelot told Bran before he rode up to the castle. 

Castle Dolorus had only three towers unlike other castle. Two of it faced the front sloping part of the hill and the third one is on the rear facing the steep cliff. The towers are linked by a high wall with slots for archers to defend the wall. The height of the walls are about six times the height of man and the towers another two more man' height. That is probably why you do not see the inner structures as they are well hidden if you are looking up at the walls. In design the inner structures consist of a large building which house the Main Hall, library, cooking area and also the Discussion Chamber of the Lord on its ground level. Its mezzanine floor however has nine large chambers which are the personal ones of the Lord and his family, or invited guests. The mezzanine floor is access by two large staircase at the Main Hall and there is the servant's access at the cooking area. That structure despite its large and wide chambers, only requires ten servants in attendance while the cooking area is well covered by the chef and her three assistants.

To the right of the castle is the barracks which housed the dozen more guards with another detachment of foot soldiers who patrols the nearby area daily. Their abode is above the stables which forty fine horses are kept for the use and also the Lord. On the left of the structure is the guards cooking area; served by a nasty looking chef with two assistants, and there is the main store for the food, and also the armory lies there. To the rear of the structures are the bath houses and the basic pits for the waster to be rolled down the steep cliff.

There is the animal pens behind the walls at the front, which the chef choose the needed to served on the table. Its run by a old soldier who limped on crutches, after having served for the Lord in his better days.

Lancelot met the old man who had taken the sheep out for their grazing that morning.

"Hello, old man. I am looking for the castle Dolorus." Lancelot rode up to the old man holding a long staff to balance himself on his limp.

"There is no such castle. Be away, young one or be cursed to serve it forever." The old man shooed him off. But Lancelot dismounted from his horse and took out the small container of wine and bread.

"Surely, you can still share with me some wine on this fine morning." Lancelot can see the gleam in the servant's eye on the offering. After some swipe at the wine and bread, the old man soon began telling to Lancelot of the tale of Dolorus.

The Lord of Dolorus was once a great knight who battle many and lost none until one day, he found himself alone to ponder on his coming years. In his quest to ensure that the castle would survived after his death, he had adopted orphans to be his apprentice; eleven he had found to date who now trained on the courtyard of his castle. Eleven fine boys who would one day be the Lord of this castle, and marry his only daughter, Leoni. She is also his twelfth apprentice albeit one he finds difficulty in training or even to discipline.

"Father, who would I marry when I am to choose?" The Lord was shocked at the words uttered by his daughter who was just ten on years of age. She is a fine lady, whose mother came from a fine family of knights and lords, but she was to breath her last on the birth of their child.

"Why do you asked, Leoni? There are eleven fine lads there. Choose the one who is the bravest of them all and he shall be yours."

"But I choose not to, what would happened to them?" She asked of her father, with her grin and the dimple on the cheeks.

"That is also your choice, I guess. But you would not remained in this castle as this castle belongs to one of them who best the others." The Lord told his daughter of his wish.

"That's not fair, father. I am your child and they are not. How can they inherit something which they are not entitled to." Leoni burst out in emotion and ran off to her chamber. Lord Dolorus tried to called her back but in the end he gave up. She has been like this since last season when he told her that the twelve of them to serve her when he is gone. But she must choose one to be Lord, and to him she would served back in return as his Queen. Since then, she had gone around to command the boys to her biddings and reprimand them if they ignored her. It can't be helped as all of them are older by her in years. They complained to the Lord, but he told them, they must obliged her on his command.

It was the first break in the joyous mood among the boys.

The second was to come when a young lad was found outside the gate of the castle; near death and with a feverish body. The Lord asked he be brought in and tend to by the servants. It took them weeks to rejuvenate the lad and his health, but he did recovered. His first words were to thank the young nurse who tend to him daily and fed him his broth. Lord Dolorus asked of whom did he referred to, and was he surprised when told that it was Leoni who was the nurse.

Soon the boy recovered and became part of the household, and he was always asked to attend to the young lady. He did this without a whimper although seen by the Lord, his interest lies in the courtyard with the other boys. Lord Dolorus then offered him the chance to train with them as his thirteenth knight, but Leoni protested that she needed her servant to do the works.

For that, she was reprimanded harshly by her father. His words were loud and heard by all in the castle; "Till the man is your King, you are no Queen to command on anyone."

His harsh words spoken in rash was not forgotten by Leoni who then watched at the side to whom she would make her King so she can be the Queen to command them all. During the coming years, she also flirted with the growing lads, and holding no one dear to her heart, until one day, she saw her feelings was more towards the last knight. He was named Jude by her father. Jude turned out to be a good fighter and fast to learn any weapons of use.

Jude as a growing lad, also found his interest in Leoni developing as well. But there was more just the two of them as there was another who was keen on her; his name is Ben. Soon the day came when the thirteen lads grew to become man, and the it was time for them to receive the title of Lord Dolorus. A tournament was setup and the men fought with zeal to win the coveted title. Finally it was down to Jude and Ben in the final round, and just before the fight was to take place, Leoni walked up to Ben.

"If you win, I am still not marrying you. My heart belongs to Jude." That irks the young man who was to go to battle with the ultimate prize of securing the hand of this lady. Ben glared at Jude who was warming up for his final battle; he knew naught of what Leoni said to Ben. Ben came out charging at Jude swinging his sword. Jude was fast to react with some blocking moves as he move the fight to the center of the arena. He then used his weight to push Ben back.

"Wow! You are keen to win this contest." Jude jokingly remarked. "She must had meant a lot to you."

Ben did not reply but came on strong again, and this time he had the upper hand on the moves. He finally did it; he had a swing on Jude which did not foresee in the move, and the blade cut into the flesh at the right forearm. Jude stepped back to hold his wounded arm and looked at Ben. It was the first time in this contest, that anyone was hurt.

Ben did not stop there as he came in with more swings which Jude blocked while retreating back. It was Lord Dolorus step in with his sword to block the swing that Ben stopped his moves.

"What had overtaken your manners, Ben? You are a senior of this group and yet you act like a young fool here." Lord Dolorus countermand the young man. Ben looked up to his mentor and Lord, and then at Leoni. He threw down his sword and walked away.

"Stay your step, young man. Address me before your leave, or leave forever from my castle." It was not something that was ever heard in this castle. Ben paused in his steps and then he turned around.

"Thank you for taking care of me but I have to declined the honor of being the next Lord." Ben then walked off to the gate and out of the castle. The contest was called off and Lord Dolorus took his leave to go back to his chamber.

The issue did not end there.

Jude and Leoni eloped that night from the castle, leaving the Lord himself heartbroken. He looked at his remaining ten apprentice and told them they are free to leave or stayed on. But there would be no Lord in this castle until that one can defeat all of them in battle. He also told the apprentice to take on each of their own apprentice so that there would a generation of knights to carry on the tradition. It has been three generations now, and there are the twenty knights in the castle.

"Old man, were you one of them?" Lancelot asked of him.

"Yes, I am. I was part of the ten who was with Lord Dolorus. My other brothers have all died, but not me; age does not kill me. It would be the edge of the sword that can do it." The Old man smiled at Lancelot. Then he added in. "The castle could do with a new Lord. But promise me one condition; please change the castle name. Its too dreadful to remember."

Soon Lancelot find himself before the gates, and to his surprise, it was opened for him. He walked in and was confronted by ten armored guards armed with swords. Lancelot removed his waist belt and pulled the scabbard off with the sword inside.

"I shall fight you all with this. Come and get me, lads." Lancelot challenged the guards, but none charged him yet.

"So be it." Lancelot waits no more as he charged at them. He thrust the first guard he encountered with a jab at the right armpit causing the guard to drop his sword. And then he swing the scabbard to hit the another guard at the side of the face. By then he was standing among them and he crouched down to avoid the swinging swords and used his current leverage to swing his scabbard into two knights knees causing them to fall on the others.

Lancelot did not stop just there as he swung to the right and kicked away at the fallen guards who was caught in the unexpected moves. Lancelot stood over one fallen guard who was trying to get up and find the scabbard coming down hard on his nose bridge. Lancelot climbed over the other fallen guards and looked at the ones still standing up. There were three of them on the other side.

"I am having fun. Its a joyous day." Lancelot shouted out as he charged at the trio and body slammed into them, like a ram. The all fell down in a heap of bodies on the ground but Lancelot was already using his gloved hands to knock those guards in the face. Then he used their body as leverage to stand up before he he laid his eyes on those there.

"You are not really a worthy foe." Lancelot smirk at them. He was stunned when he heard the other voice to challenged them. There was an armored guard standing there at the door to the Hall. He was inviting Lancelot in.

Inside find the ten armored guards standing in a row. Four of the guards were armed with spears and shields, while the six were holding either a mace or sword.

"My name is Mason, and we are the second generation of guards for the castle. We offered to fight you but we would be fair to you. We would not attack you together but we would elect a champion among us to fight you." The one who invited him in spoke out to him. "And they have selected their champion."

An armored guard holding a mace stepped forth, and he took out his shield to approached Lancelot. The fight was bruising and long, with blows exchanged with their armor or shield; both warriors were quite well matched in the skills. The armored guards of Dolorus have practiced their skills here among themselves, and they hone it to near perfection. That accounts for fine moves that he made but Lancelot learned his fight from various battles, and there is never one battle which is the same.

Deftly, Lancelot cornered the guard and then he feigned to thrust at the guard which the mace was brought down to block it; Lancelot at the last possible moment let loose of his scabbard and released his sword. The mace hit at the thrusting scabbard but failed to see the coming blade which stopped just before his neckline.

"Do you yield?"

The Old man sat there with the two generation of guards to celebrate the victory of Lancelot at the Castle. The Old man picked up the goblet and choose to toast the victor.

"Many years have passed since we have a Lord at this castle. Many have tried and they lost in their bid, but today, we surrender that to this knight, Sir Lancelot to be the new Lord. His skills are unmatched and we are honored to be humbled by his fight." The Old man looked to Lancelot and continued. "My Lord, today you have also brought us joy to the Castle after so many years. We have a wish for you. Do you remember my condition at the field?"

Lancelot looked at the joyous guards who sits before him at the Hall. He thought hard and then he made his announcement.

"As of today, Castle Dolorus shall be named Castle Joyous. Its guardians shall be named as the Joyous Guard. There would be always joy in this Castle."

Lancelot raised his goblet and drank to that name.

In the cooking area, there was the old chef and his wife who heard the announcement. The wife held her husband and smiled.

"I am happy that the Castle is back to its glory again." She held him tighter as she recount the event that made it before. "My father would be happy now with his new Lord. Just as I am happy with my Lord."

"Leoni, do you missed the life you had then?" The mate of her asked but she shook her head.

"Glory and honors are never my liking, but love and kindness is what I cherished. We made the right move then, as we do not want to live a life fighting off challengers to our home. We like ours peaceful and quiet."

"I agreed with you, my love. I given up my sword for the ladle and now my children grows well with my cooking." They both laughed at their changed of destiny from Lord of the Castle to Lord of the Cooking area. They came back here on the death of the previous Lord, and assumed this new identity. Just as Ben did to become the shepherd for the new flock of Guards.