Arthur; The Legand and Myth Chapter 65

65.

“It’s time, my son for you to visit your bride.” Gawain was ushered by Sir Haught towards the chamber that he had laid in the night before. The Lord knocked on the door and then opened it.

“Perhaps I need to latch it from outside till I hear the sound of my grandchildren cries but I shall be more …respectful perhaps.” With that Gawain was thrust head on into the chamber. He was still confused on the events since that morning. He was led by Helene dressed in a white gown with the fine threads of gold that displayed the flowers on the hem and her forehead was crowned the bonnet of white with the fresh flowers. Gawain recalled that he was paraded past the house hold of servants which were only five and then stood before the Sir Haught with the broadest of smile.

“There is no pleasure that I would have today to see my daughter be wedded to you, Sir Gawain.” Sir Haught bellowed out. “I will do without the details that encumbered such ceremony and get straight to the reason for this occasion.”

“You may kiss the bride now.” Sir Haught spoke out in a solemn tone but his smile on the face was unmistakably reflected his glee. Gawain remembered he looked at Helene with his expression between ‘I do’ or “Do I”. His opened lips were an invitation to the bride who smacked her lips onto his. It was the first real kiss of theirs and not under the oath of the sword but maybe of a concerned father.

“That binds the love between you two.” Sir Haught then shooed the daughter off with the ladies servants in tow leaving Gawain with his bride’s father and one other servant. A toast was called and the drinks were served.

“Gawain, I was married the same manner as you but I have no sword over my bed. In a way, it was my marriage then for I swore to her my love soon after I took her’.” Sir Haught laughed out. “She fought well and almost took my life but I was the champion.”

“You..” Gawain swallowed his words for fear of offending the other.

“Forced? No, I did not. It was a duel of love. She declared that none may have her except in defeat at the duel. I won and she ….well relented. I meant I was brash then and patience was not one of my best.”

“Oh!” Gawain laced on a weak smile. “I …”

“Helene may be like her mother but it was the wishes of her mother so she placed the sword there. I buried like over a dozen of them. Bloodied and their ….parts removed.” Sir Haught stopped then when he saw Gawain stunned by the words. “Pardon me, but as knights, we do kill the others. Be it a beheading or cut a limb but I have never cut any one there. Not even once a vagrant that defiled a lady; I had his head removed and presented to her. Cruel life but we survived.”

Gawain could only nodded then and before he was to reply or lent his ears to more gory tales, he found himself in the chamber.  The first sight he laid his eyes was on the sword which was no more over the bedding but leaned at the far wall. Helene was seated at the bedding still dressed in her white gown but the bonnet was removed. Her long tresses of hair flowed down her neck to the back was alluring and at that moment Gawain saw not only a lady but one he would love for life.

“My Lord, I have drawn the cloth so that the sun would not blind us.” Helene motioned to the windows. “I have also warm water for you to clean in.”

Gawain nodded and then undressed with his back to her before he rubbed himself with the warm water using the cloth provided. He smiled when he saw himself aroused despite the scary night event. He turned to look at the bedding and saw his bride had laid there like the previous night. His level of arousal fell but then the once familiar sight was seen by him closer make him rethink his options. He climbed onto the bedding and lay next to her with his eyes on the ceiling.  

“Helene…” Gawain spoke out in a low tone with his left hand reaching for her but he was taken over when she rolled onto him and then sat on his knees. Her action did incurred some pain on him and his knees hurt from previous wounds but the sight of the lady on top was worth the pain.

“Helene…” Gawain never could deny the pleasure of his bride who was undeniably versed in serving a man. “By the oath of Olwen, I …”

It was late afternoon when the wedded couple had their antics reduced to hand holdings and cuddles then that Helene spoke.

“Despair not of me on my actions, my Lord. I have been waiting for some time as you may have been told. There were lessons taught to me by the ladies servants and tales being told, I was overjoyed when you were selected. It broke my …virtue and I am freed.” Helene whispered to him. “I never knew it was so enjoyable.”

“Look, my Lord. I bled on the sheets. It showed my sincerity and …… desire.”

Gawain could not reply then for he was fast asleep. He did not get much sleep soon after but when he do, he was dead to the world of living.

Meanwhile in Ceredig, Gaheris knelt down before the huge cross that the icon of his faith. He was introduced to God by the travelling monks and since then had being its valued follower. Every time he lay the killing blow to a living creature, he was always asking for forgiveness from God for the kill.

“My son, we do not kill for fun. We do it out of necessity.” His tutor and friend, the Friar Tuck told him. The friar was at their village once before when he was just learning to walk. He had come upon the frail man in the grey frock and offered him a drink. The man thanked him and told Gaheris that his name as Friar Tuck.

“I held no other name besides Tuck for I used to tuck a loft of food inside me. It was then but now I am filled with love and a great faith.” Gaheris had learned his first written words from the friar and then a deeper understanding of love and brotherhood. It was then he also followed the older kids in the game of wrestle and sword playing. He held such talent in his handling of the wooden sword that the friar told him that he will be an able swordsman.

“There are many forms of fighting and yours are known as combating. It required close proximity to fight but in the far forest, I once learned that the combat can be fought from afar.” It was then Gaheris was taught the art of the bow and arrow. “The bow is the hand and the arrows the swords but each of these swords held only one blow or thrust. You missed and you may die. The arrow must be aimed and released with precision and strength to pierce the target. A low strength arrow will not stop a charging lion but a well aim and strength pulled arrow can pierced its skin and flesh to reach the heart and thus killed it.”

“And if the lion comes near me, I will kill it with my sword.” Gaheris recalled telling the friar.

“Yes, but if there were ten lions and one of you, would it not be better to kill nine of them with arrows and then fight the last one with your sword?” It was that made Gaheris the better bowman that the others. He was fast to draw and his shots were well aimed.

“God knows you have him in your heart as I do in mine.” Gaheris shaken from his memories then looked up and saw the beautiful lady standing next to him. She was named Lynette and was the blacksmith’s daughter. She was his age and when they were young they used to play at the village streets. She was dressed in a simple tunic with an apron over it, and her hair was tied pony tailed to the rear.

“I am sorry if I disturbed you.” Lynette continued on. “I was delivering some candlestick holders to the back.”

“No, Lynette. You did not. I have been caught up with the village events that I did not see you before.” Gaheris replied. “Please be seated.”

“I am a simple village lass while you are now a knight of the round table…” Lynette looked down at her rough hands. “I can understand …”

“And none would they understand why I like you.” Gaheris reached for Lynette’s hands. “I am to be blamed for not looking you up. May we leave for some place more ….suitable for I doubt God wants to hear us speak of our love here.”

Unknown to the eyes and ears of the young couple, there was more to one other than God who may be there. The figure hidden in the dark corner sneaked away but he was confronted by the friar who had stood there.

“The house of God needs not the shadow of the dark. Why do you not meet them? Was it shame or envy?” Friar Tuck then despite his age still stood there with the upright frame to face one more of his young followers.

“I ..It’s neither of that. I was just …” Galahad the Short then stammered in his reply. “I was just about to go.”

“My son, the past is over. You and him had your battles and he had won. You need to move on.” Friar Tuck recalled the animosity of the brothers for the love of one. It was settled then in the secluded forest with Gawain as the mediator. Galahad lost to his brother then in the fist fight.

“It was an unfair fight. Gaheris was elder and he…” Galahad voiced up with his voice breaking. “I …”

“It was a fair fight and watched by God. He had let the two of you decide. Galahad, remember 1John 4.2 if we do not love our brother whom we have seen, we cannot love God whom we have not seen.” The friar reminded him of his brotherly love. “Lynette is of one among the many in the Garden of Eden. Do not succumb to the lust as was said in 13 of 1 Samuel. That lust created turmoil in the family. Plough your own not from those in already in your family but outside. Expand your lineage with new blood.”

Galahad had his mind shut then and walked off. The friar looked at the man he had nurtured from young like many of his others, all growing with the same ingredients at the roots but their branches and leaves were determined by their growth influenced by other reasons. He prayed every day for them to be good but even among the sheep they may be one which may turn out to be a wolf.