40.
Merlin faced the cherry tree on the plain in the forest. He studied the cherry tree with his knowledge of the forest. The mature trees may grow to more than a hundred over feet high and develop a huge domed crown of leaves. The bark is smooth, thin and grey, with horizontal etchings on the trunk. The leaves are lime green with silky hairs with the flowers that grew in pairs and surrounded by a cup. The fruits of the beech tree enclosed one or two beech nuts. The tree was there alone but spaced out among the other trees where the winds may have spread the seeds. The woodland held a lot of shades and the ground around it was covered by a dense carpet of fallen leaves and husks. It marked its own territory with that as most other plants could not grow beneath that.
Merlin heard the rustling of the leaves and shuddered at the coming confrontation.
“You knew more about the bears.” Arthur approached the druid. “I saw the signs there. You …”
“I was one of them. Yes, I was.” Merlin admitted to that. “It was a long time ago.”
“When was that? When you were not wearing beeches?” Arthur was impatient to know more. “I saw those skins. They were in your chamber. You are one of the Early Ones.”
“I was one of them before and not anymore.” Merlin replied. “And I was in my breeches then but younger.”
Without hesitation, Merlin reveal a part of his past.
“I took leave from Pendragon to continue my travelling on the land. I had returned from the ice covered continent and then chanced on the Anglo Saxon party. They were wounded in a battle and I assisted them as a healer. It was from there I stayed with them as a healer, but I also learned of their ways. The belief in the bears and then saw their war. I wanted to leave but then again, I was upset at Pendragon for what he did to the lady. I stayed on and learned on the allies of mine. I earned their trust and soon became what was then a warrior status. I did not hold any weapon to kill but my dagger cut into many flesh. I became close to the Early Ones, including their leader then Horsa and Hengist. They were the earlier raiders and soon resided in the land with Pendragon blessing. They became a part of the land, and when they needed some action, they played back their role until recently they have a new leader.”
“Who was it?” Arthur was pushing up the confrontation.
“Besides Horsa and Hengist, there was one other. His name was Ingel. He leads the Early Ones.”
“Where is Ingel?” Arthur raised his voice.
“In the village where you found the elderly hunter.” Merlin told him. “Please don’t hurt him. He is my ……brother.”
“I will tell him where they are hiding.” Arthur sighed at Merlin words. Was there anyone he could trust anymore, Arthur asked on himself.
At dusk, Arthur had his knights lined up in the forest overlooking the village. He held an army of five hundred knights including the ones he had placed his trust. Among the knights were King Ban and Bors, and Tristam. The Black Knight was not informed of the attack and left out.
“Gawain, tale a hundred knights and your brothers to come from the west side, while Lamorak and ….Percival, you take another hundred to come in from the east.” Arthur looked at Percival. “I trust you to be on time.”
“Sir Kay, you will take the north but you hold that line for the ones who are escaping.” Arthur continued on. “I will ride with Lancelot from the here.”
Lancelot wanted to reply but he held back and heard out the plan.
“We go in after supper and flush out the bears.”
Meanwhile back at the castle where Pendragon lay dying, his lover stood by the window opening when the servant stepped in. The servant approached Lady Igraine and whispered to her.
“Find Sir Lancelot. Ask him to see me on an urgent task.” Lady Igraine then heard the moan from the bed and she rushed over. She saw the man there struggling on it and the calls went out for the healers. The two assigned healers rushed in and attended to the ailing Lord. The healers did their usual ranting and then stood back as if calling for a miracle. Lady Igraine saw the dismay looks on the healers and called for her daughters. She then told the servant standing there to find Arthur.
“Tell him he is to be the next King of the Land.”
At the village the lone sentry at the southern lookout point on the roofing of the stables. He has been stranding guard for weeks then with his left leg limping. He had taken part in the battles donning the bear skin but his fighting days were over. He saw the attacking group led by the one they knew as Arthur. They weren’t coming in for the late meal but the servers behind it. He was warned by the Early Ones to look out for strangers who roamed in like when they identified Arthur and his knights then. He was to be baited but the drunken hunter took the cue ahead to lead the group there into the forest. The drunken hunter sobered on when he tried to lead the group into an ambush which was what he told the Early Ones but they did not know what happened then but they lost a group of their warriors. Since then the sentries have been told to more vigilant and the others called in for their planning attack. Fifty leaders of the ten battle groups have congregated there and were holding a meet then.
“Naimhdean!” The warning was in Scotish Gaelic.
Arthur rode in hard with the sword drawn. The knight in the forefront had the bow readied for the posted sentries. The sentry who raised the alarm was brought down with a series of arrows by a few knights who do not intend to miss. Arthur rode past the other sentries alerted to the attack for he was heading for the tavern. It was surrounded by warriors then. His knights slew the sentries with their spears and swords without any consideration of life. Some dismounted and went for the wounded one on the ground. The others followed Arthur towards the tavern. Arthur counted fifty warriors there and it was his target.
On the eastern side, Percival rallied his group of knights at the sentries there. He saw the sentries were reinforced by the settlers there with their weapons. He counted about a hundred of them but they were no match for the trained knights. He kicked at his horse and rushed on. He was not prepared for the surprise that greeted them. The warriors there suddenly produced nets on their hands.
“Nets!’ Percival called out. The nets were flung at the knights and soon many were caught into it. The horses buckled on the restraint of the nets and threw the riders off. It was then the warriors rushed in with their spears and hammers. Percival dismounted in a hurry and then met the oncoming warrior with the thrust of his sword. He pulled the sword out of the warrior and then did a downward swing on the falling warrior. He then stepped aside and went for the warrior hammering at the fallen knight. He thrust the sword into the warrior’s side of the neck and then cut it sideways to kill the warrior. He looked to the knights he have led and saw they were mobilizing back into form. The knights were trained to fight and that was what they did then. He then rallied them together and then they fought back with formation.
Gawain and his brothers rode in hard from the other direction but they were faced with obstacles of wagons that were dragged to block their approach. Gawain had his bow notched with the arrow and he released it with accuracy at the warrior beside the wagon. He knew that the approach was blocked and the only way was around it. He rallied the knights to halt the attack and then they rode south. He was to come in from there. Most of the knights took his direction and then Gawain called Gaheris.
“Get the ropes on the mounts. Use that to pull the wagons.” Gaheris told his brother. “The warriors there are withdrawing to protect the tavern.”
Gaheris nodded to his brother and pulled back a dozen knights to do the task. They strayed back and then went for the wagons once. It was not guarded then for the warriors had assumed the knights have left. They went to cover the tavern as predicted by Gawain. Gaheris then recalled that when they were hunting, the preys always return to the nest to protect it if they knew it was threatened.
“Haul those wagons.” Gaheris then reached for the rope to tie at the wagon. He then took his horse on a pull and the wagon was dragged to the side leaving an opening. A few warriors saw the wagon was moved and they rushed over. The knights moved into the gap and attacked the warriors before they could react, another wagon was dragged aside but more warriors appeared. It was then Gawain had returned with the full complement of knights. Meantime then Arthur arrived at the tavern with his knights fighting the warriors then. He cut his way through and then hit on the tavern door. He rushed in and found himself facing an empty tavern hall.
“Search the place!” Arthur called out and then he turned to look for Lancelot. The later was not around to be seen during the attack. It was then Sir Kay stepped in. He was covered in blood, and tossed the bloodied heads of the Early Ones.
“I caught them on the retreat to the north. There are seven of them with their warriors.” Sir Kay then tossed over the bear heads with the skins. “One got away though. Tough warrior and I almost lost my right arm.”
Sir Kay was proud to display his battle wounds then.
“The one that got away was dressed in black.”
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