Lancelot Part 19

The Grail shall reveal

Sir Percival held up his horse to wait for Lancelot to catch up. Lancelot brought along his son, Galahad in this quest given to them by the King. Sir Bors also volunteered to followed on the task. Sir Percival is a tall man with a muscular frame and over the years he had fought many battles for the King. Twice he almost lost his life, he still pursue the challenges given but not on loyalty but on his love for the heroic acts.

"Sir Lancelot, please tell the rest that we would rest here." They are at a clearing in the woods and it has been days since they had started on their task. Lancelot sat down with Percival to rest when he asked the pertinent question in his mind.

"Tell me, Percival; is it true that you once saw the Grail?" Lancelot heard of the tale spoken at the Castle. Percival looked to him and smiled.

"I did but I was blind to to it." Percival told his tale to Lancelot.

It was soon after that he became a knight and found love that he wanted to made the journey home to his mother. Percival was raise by his mother all by herself in the deep woods. It was said that his mother was jilted by her lover, the father of Percival. She ran to the deep woods and made a secluded life there for herself and her son. It was many years later when Percival saw some knights near his home that prompted him to emulate them. He left his broken hearted mother for the challenges of the knights life. He trained well and became known as the Red Knight. Soon he found his love and he wanted to tell his mother of the news but instead he found what was to be known as the Grail Castle.

He seek shelter there with the host, King Grail. The lord of the castle greeted him as he reached the Hall. He saw his host was in pain and limping on his feet but Percival on courteous manner did not asked why. The host offered him a feast on his coming and it was a grand one. It was during the feast, he saw the most unusual sight. It was a young girl with a bowl that glowed with an unique light. The lad was followed by another holding a lance with a drop of blood on its end hanging there but not dropping off.

Percival again did not asked of the scene he just witnessed, and then he finds the feast was called to an end. He found himself escorted to his chamber where he rested. At dawn, he woke up to find himself sleeping on a bed of straws and in a ruined castle. He ran out of the castle and found his horse. He rode off in haste and never looked back. Till today, he cannot recalled where the castle lies. He did meet a old lady on the path and he stopped to asked her of his whereabouts.

"Percival, you are blind to the greatest gift that one is allowed to see. The Grail at your sight and yet you did not wished it well. Your failure to asked caused you to lose the sight forever. She would also not see you in your glamour." The old lady disappeared into the woods.

Percival never got to see his mother as she had died long time before his return, and he could never find the castle again. But it brought him fame as the Red Knight which soon attract the attention of Arthur. It was how he joined the Round Table.

Now his task was given again. A task he failed many years ago and it looked like heading that way too.

"The scene you said, maybe one I may had seen. Its one that my love, Elaine' father do at his castle on certain occasion. He never explained it to me but its hazy to me too. Let me take you to him. We can leave at dawn."

They reached the castle and Lancelot declined to go in. He has not been back for sometime, and he felt that he would do well to wait outside. Percival convinced him otherwise and all them rode in. They were greeted by King Fisher who had aged since Lancelot last saw him. He was warm to Galahad but cold to Lancelot when they met.

During the feast that was laid for them by the King, Lancelot felt the wine was too strong for him. He was feeling light on his feet and his vision blurred. He wanted to step up several times but find himself not able to move. He sat back and then he thought he saw the procession was starting. He reached over to signaled Percival who had also drunk a fair bit himself.

"Percival..... The Grail....." Percival heard him and he looked over. Percival caught glimpses of it and recalled it was like before. He can see it happening but this time it was like a fleeting images. Percival shake at his head to clear it, but he find himself still shaken. He motioned to Galahad to come to him who was sitting across the table.

"Galahad, ask the King for the Grail."

The young Galahad got up and approached the King and made his request. The King applaud the young knight and asked him to view the coming procession. There was no procession earlier but what was perceived in their minds. The King stopped the procession and handed the Grail to Sir Galahad.

"Galahad, you make your Grandfather proud. You are worthy to hold the Grail and may hand it to Arthur for his amusement for now. When he is done with it, you bring it back here and keep it here."

"Thank you, Grandfather. " The Galahad stopped to asked his grandfather. "I used to carry that bowl before when I was younger. You never told me that I was carrying the Grail."

"No, my successor. I did not. Nor did he knows." King Fisher point to Lancelot. "He was never your father when you were growing up. More to it, if you had known, you would had lost the innocence then."

"I don't understand, grandfather." Galahad smiled at his grandfather. "Just now you mentioned me as you successor....."

"Let me explain myself." King Fisher begin his tale to his grandson. "The Grail has been kept by the Fisher family for generations. I am the current one and had kept the tradition going. We do not actually published our association to the

Grail although this place used to be named Castle Grail. If we had reveal ourselves, we would be annihilated by those who seeks it. The Grail has a unique influence; it can be be seen by those who are innocent and free of any mortal sins. That was why the children before the age of puberty may carry it. Every time we do it, we can see those who can see it and can't see it. It a value item to see their true characters."

"My time would soon come, and you would inherit the position as King of Castle Grail." King Fisher looked to his grandson. "But now you may keep the Grail for Arthur."

"Grandfather, why do you still dislike Lancelot?"

"Lancelot does not need my attention. He seems to lack any attention to anyone that matters to him."

When Galahad return to Camelot, Lancelot was not there as he had returned to his own castle. He felt bad with what he learned from this task and would like to make adjustment with his son's mother.

"Lancelot, you cannot marched back into my life just because your madness was lifted by the Grail. Are you here to tell me that you were mad then when you were with the Queen." Elaine mocked at him. "If that is your excuse to come back to me for your supper and perhaps a softer bedding, then try harder."

Elaine stood up and walked to the wall opening. They were in her chamber where he met her just now.

"Elaine, I come to apologize for my past deeds. I want to come back to you. For him too. Our son, Galahad." Lancelot pleaded with her. He walked towards her, and she stepped away.

"No, I would not have you back. Not after that many years when you were away." Elaine told him off. "Do you think I ever cared when you were not around. Well, I didn't. Not after the first years but later it was easy."

"Was there another?" Lancelot asked without thinking then regret his words.

"There was none." Elaine shouted back. Then she paused in her reply. She looked at him. "You are not the only one who could cheat at it. I had my own. A throwback to you, perhaps....."

"Who was it, Elaine?" Lancelot asked her.

"I come to seek Arthur, and you may not stop me." Lancelot dressed in his armor confront Merlin at the Hall where the Round Table lies. There were four knights at the table' Sir Percival, Sir Kay, Sir Gawain, and there was the son of Lancelot; Sir Galahad. There were having their drinks when Lancelot barged in.

"Stay calm, Lancelot." Merlin who just walked in and was confronted by Lancelot. He offered to calm down the enraged knight. "There must be an explanation to all of this."

"Sir Lancelot, you do not come in and seek on the King in that manner." Sir Gawain stood up and demanded of Lancelot to hold his position. "Do you mock my King, Sir Lancelot?"

"I stand challenge to you for your disrespect to my King." Sir Gawain approached Lancelot. "I do not fear you. The others may do of you but not me. Even Arthur feared you. He let you bed his Queen all these years. He is so afraid of you, but not me."

Merlin stepped in between them and held back the enraged Lancelot now.

"There would be no duel. This is a matter best left to the King to settle." Merlin shouted out. But the accusation have been laid open for all to hear.

"Gawain, you bastard. In my absence, you stepped in to replace me. Elaine told me all about it. You courted her for years, and yet she refused to seek you. You persisted till she gave away her resistance to her own honor. You took her honor for your own lust. I love Guinevere. I only slept with her because we actually loved each other. Never did we let lust do our biddings."

"No!" It was the Queen who shouted as she walked in on hearing the commotion here. "Please don't fight."

Sir Kay ran to her side and held her arms. He wanted to hold her in this moment of despair but he held back. Then he looked at the two arguing knights.

"We would let the King decides. He is due back tomorrow from his war. He would decide the fate of all of us."

Sir Lancelot stopped his push to fight Gawain. He stepped back and then he took out his sword. He swung it on the round table and cut into it.

"I would wage war for on King Arthur of Camelot. He who stands with me would be well rewarded. I would not serve that one who neglect his love for ...personal glory. He has no heir and his kingdom is bound to fall on his death."

On those words, Lancelot walked out of the castle.

Sir Galahad, his own son followed suit and then Sir Percival also followed him out. Only Sir kay stood with Sir Gawain at the Round Table.

"Sent out words to the others. Who stands by the King shall be here for his return tomorrow or be considered as an enemy of the King." Sir Gawain spoke out in defiant.

"Fools!" Merlin shouted out and then left the hall. Guinevere stood there looking at the two knights. She knows where her love lies. She ran back to her chamber and later was on her horse to pursue Lancelot.

He was at the ruined castle and he had stripped his armor off. His tunic lies on the ground next to him, and his back was read with welts. He was inflicting the same punishment he had done some years back when he came back from the war with the barbarians. He battled them and won, killing a threat to the Kingdom but on his way back, he was confronted by a group of women folks that belong the barbarian tribe. They were with their children below the age of warriors. They stopped the knight in his path.

"Sir knight, you won at the battle, and slain our lovers. Now you leave us here without protection. Do you know when we invade your settlement, we killed all that was living so they would not had to suffer." The leader of the group spoke up. She is an young woman with a baby nursing at her teats.

"I am the knight of the land, and I do not battle women and children. Be gone or I shall be forced to ride over you." Lancelot threatens them.

"Then killed us before we are eaten by the wolves or worse, put to slave works for your men. They hold us like whores but you filled us with your seeds instead of coins. They killed the ones which cannot be used, and even the babes at our teats. Tell me, Sir knight if you have a conscience?"

Lancelot looked at the young woman and he felt regret that he fought this battle. He had killed their men as their' had done the same to the settlement here, but its true she had said that none survived the attack. We have retaliate in kind, but the code of our knights does not permit us to kill women and children. He was pondering the situation when some soldiers following him to return to Camelot, came running past him and attacked the group of women and children.

Lancelot rode up and kicked at the soldier who just stabbed the young woman talking to him. The soldier kicked at her body impaled on his spear and then crushed his feet on the baby. Lancelot knocked him on the back of the head and then dismounted.

"Why did you killed them?" Lancelot held back the soldiers back from the terrified women. They were four of them and they are panting in exertion while their weapons are covered in blood.

"They killed our family. Our loved ones at the settlement while we were serving the King. We now wants our revenge for our love." The fallen soldier who was knocked by Lancelot now confront the knight.

"Then you killed them for your revenge. Then those who survived come back and killed whoever you are. And so on. Do you understand me?" Lancelot asked of him. "When would it end?"

"When they are all dead or we die trying." The soldier spoke out in loud tone.

"Then do it but leave your weapon here. They are unarmed so fight fair." Lancelot told the soldiers. They were taken aback by his comment. The women spoke out loud then.

"We have weapons. We would fight you now." The enraged women with their own makeshift weapons came charging at the soldiers. Lancelot was caught in the fight and he had to defend himself. In the end, it was only he standing with a group of children standing frightened at a distance. He stood there with his armor and sword coated in blood.

"I do not want to...." But the children had panicked and ran away for the nearby woods.

"I should had stopped it, but I could not." Lancelot whispered to Guinevere who shared his pain then. She saw him flogged himself and held him before they resign themselves to the depths of lust to quench their emotions.

Tonight he is back at the ruined cottage since the day they were captured by Merlin in their act. He dropped the lash after his mind had shifted to the event today. He had stood up to his King when he did not intended that. He wanted to confront Arthur on the betrayal of Gawain and his intrusion on Elaine. Instead he had that confrontation with Gawain and then he ended up declaring war on his King.

"Oh my Holy Ones, why did I do that?" Lancelot moaned in his mouth.

"Do what, my love?" It was Guinevere who walked in to the ruined cottage. She saw him there doing what he did back then hurting himself for his sins. Guinevere hugged him on his back. "You are not alone. Today, you had done what no man had ever done towards Arthur within these borders. But you did it. You finally come to your senses to fight Arthur."

She hugged him tighter than ever before.

"I am proud of you. You prevail in our love. Now we would conclude the love affair. We can remove the one who  stood in our way." Guinevere spoke to him.

"Guinevere, you knew this would happened. Why didn't you stop me in those years? You led me into this. But why?"

"Because I hated Arthur. He was a bastard. He is no Man. He never had been. He prefers not me, but Merlin. They were lovers, Lancelot. Its not me that he cannot bed; he is just not a man. You are becoming the real Man I wanted to love. Prevail my love, we would be united without restraints. "