Arthur; The legend and myth Chapter 61

Part IV

Camelot

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The silence of the corridors was shattered by the scream of the lady and it caused as the guards and servants ran to the chamber where the scream came from. They barged in past the stomped door and found the cause of it.

“Morgan Le Fay, must I tell you to control yourself?” The caretaker and lady in wait for the youngest of the ladies reprimanded her care.  “I was not of your sight for a while and you created this ruckus.”

“Well, Lady Angeline. It will not be me if I did not scream out.” Morgan Le Fay replied while she poured the potion she was developing into the chamber pot. “After all, this place needed some noise with Elaine and Guinevere married off.”

“It may be quiet and it’s the silence we treasured here.” Lady Angeline dismissed the other servants and guards before she looked at the door frame which was hanging by the hinges. She sighed on that for her care will now need to be move for them to fix the frame. It was unbecoming for a lady to be in her chamber with the doorway opened. She turned to look at her care.

“Tell me what did you discovered this time.” Lady Angeline with her patience side asked of the youngest lady. “I hoped it’s not of those potions to call up the devil from Hades.”

“Spare me that thought, Lady Angeline. I have nothing to do with the devil but maybe you will see to Morgause. She dresses more like a man and her manners are most vile to be with.”

Lady Angeline heaved out a longer sigh while she picked her way past the discarded materials and books on the flooring. Her care have been indulging in arts and spells which unlike her peers but her insistence had placed her in the concern of Lady Igraine. The later had seen it to hand over the issue to Lady Angeline and thus she had to contend with jars of dead parts and jumping frogs in the sleeping chamber of Morgan Le Fay.

“I have just seen your mother and she had given her consent for your stay at Camelot with Master Merlin.” Lady Angeline spoke all that out in one breath and awaited her care’s reaction which to her then was expected. She was given a hug by the later before the lady was covered in whatever that was in Morgan’s hand.

“Gracious me! Would that make me grow or dwindled to some frog like creature?” Lady Angeline pushed the lady off her chest and then smoothen the creases in the gown.

“Nay, it won’t make you any larger than you are now. However, I think your gown may have a new shade to it.” Morgan Le Fay was in an joyous mood and then rushed to her working table. She was delighted to with Merlin and soon will be her meet with Arthur and Guinevere. She still recalled the moment she quarrelled with Morgause over Arthur. It created a rift that stood till then and Morgan was determined to fight Arthur. It also drove Morgause to be different and with her dressing, she had overtaken Morgan with the servants. It was rumoured that Morgause had developed some fascination with the boys. They had called her as ‘a heated mare’ behind her sister’s back

“Arthur, you will pay for this.” Morgan vowed once more.  “I will destroy you from within Camelot.”

61.

Guinevere opened her eyes to the morning sunlight and then felt her body for any aches. There were the usual tingling areas which rough handling had bruised it. She stretched upwards beneath the bed covers feeling every part of her body being lifted from toes to neck while she raised her arms to further stretch it above her head. Her skin then lifted from the bedding had tinged with pleasure with muscles held taut and then relaxed. She then sat up to step out of the bedding. Her body unclothed then felt the cold air in the chamber. She looked to the fire place and saw the fire there had died during the night. She grabbed her night coat and drew it over her body with the arms clasped over it. The coldness was still there on her body and her arms on her accord moved across the body to warm it. She felt the thick fur which lined the coat emitting the heat into her body then.

“Ah…” Guinevere moaned out when her hands reached the parts where Arthur had earlier touched. They were still tender to her feel and it drew back her the six months of explorations with her body. She had never felt more alive then. It was so different with Arthur; the feel of the coarse hands and the rough skin of his body when they hugged.

“My…I am so sorry, my Lady.” Guinevere shaken from her day dream and turned to look at the maid who had assumed her mistress was still asleep. “I did not know…”

“I am fine, Alice.” Guinevere told the maid. ”Prepare my bath now.”

Guinevere stepped away to the far corner to ease her morning waste from her body before stepping nude into the huge bath tub. Once she was immersed in the warm rushed prepared by the maid she remembered her other instructions by Lady Igraine.

“Where is the King?”

Arthur was then the King formally recognized by the people and the nobles.

“The King is in the Hall with his knights.” The maid replied and the corrected herself. “I am sorry, my Lady. I forgot to …”

“Never mind the lady calling. I am fine with just Guinevere.” The lady submerged to her neck in the tub replied. “Only when we are alone.”

That last line came out cold despite the warm water in the tub.

In the hall, Arthur stared at the assembled knights. He was short of four knights among the seated. He recognized the ones there but he missed the fourth one. He then began his questioning.

“Percival, where is Lancelot?” Percival heard the question but he was jumped ahead by Sir Kay.

“Lancelot is battling his love as we speak.” Everyone there knew that Lancelot had exchanged vows with Elaine some weeks back.

It was on the request by Lady Igraine and none came forth to dispute it. The ceremony was a private affair with only the closest of friends and family if known were invited. Lancelot had declined any known alive relatives and his friends were few that included some of the round knights.

“Lancelot, it will be unfair for you to ignore the others. They are knights of the Round Table.” Elaine had told him but his reply was short.

“I run by my own round table and they are not included.”

“The round table was not about who runs it but it’s all about sharing …” Elaine was cut off by her lover. He had held out his arms to hold her shoulders.

“On my round table, there are no we but me whom they will share with.” Lancelot pressed hard his hands on her shoulder. “I am Lancelot and what I shared will be determined by me.”

“You are hurting my arm, Lance. Let me go.” Elaine pulled away. “What happened to you? You were not like this before.”

Lancelot let go of her shoulders and then he shook his head. He apologies to her and left her then. The ceremony was short but the newly married were not really talking. Elaine was with her friends and mother while Lancelot stayed with Percival most times. Lancelot was approached by the lady’s mother.

“I did not see the Black Knight.” It was not a question but a direct confrontation approach.

“The invitation did not extend to him or Tristam, and the others who never really fought by my side.” Lancelot replied. “And above it all, its my wedding. I decide who comes or not.”

“I would do the same but I knew from my years of being around not to confront the ones we are going to be around for some time. And more so when the person is the mother to your wedded one.” With that Lady Igraine walked away to find Arthur and Guinevere.

“And when did I have you for my servant.” Lancelot voiced from the rear and then approached the table. The other knights kept their silence for Lancelot had been hostile for some time then. Percival had noticed it was soon after Guinevere married Arthur.  Lancelot had his wedding but Percival felt that his friend was jealous of Arthur.

Because of Guinevere.

“Lancelot, I have matters to discuss with all of you.” Arthur took the helm of things. He saw Lancelot took the seat next to Percival but they were not talking. Sir Kay was silent which was unusual for the braggart but Arthur had their ears then.

“Since we defeated the invaders” Arthur used the word invaders instead of who they were. “My reign as King will not be untroubled unless I stopped not only them but those who were their allies.”

“Arthur, we agreed to forgive those who had harboured them for the time since Vortigen. Surely as the new King you will not mar your reign with your words unreliable.” Percival had protested. He was there when Arthur told the Elders that the past was to be forgiven and forgotten.

“I do and will remain to those words but the ones that stayed beyond our borders need to be taught lessons. King Vortigen and later Pendragon had not done that but treated them as equal and even ally”, Arthur recalled the King of Scotland fighting him with the other lords. “But I will not extend that hospitality. They are with me as vassals or be ruined by my battles.”

“Strong words, Arthur but are we ready?” Lord Bors raised the pertinent question which will tell them if Arthur was right or mad.

“Are we ever ready, Lord Bors?” Arthur replied. “How many knights and land soldiers do you hold?”

Arthur then turned to Ban.

“What about you? Are we all ever ready for a new battle? Knights, the war was never over.” The knights there were silent. They have to admit since the last victory and with the double wedding; the later one was all that pleasant. The Black Knight did not attend. Or was he invited.

“I will think it’s a good time for us take that count while the scouts I sent out returned with more reports.”