Arthur; The legend and myth Chapter 71

71.

The army of King Arthur took to the south on their way to battle. It was his idea to come from the south and then make their way up north in Scotland.

“I will not have my enemies routing me at Camelot when I way up north battling their allies.” Arthur spoke up at the campfire seated with the knights that once had the comfort of the round table. He looked at them and smiled.

“The last battle….where was it? Arthur turned to Sir Kay.

“Jute Settlement at Kent, Arthur.”Sir Kay replied before he sank his teeth into the chunk of meat. The food was aplenty from the enemy supplies or the farms that laid in their way. Arthur had insisted that they pay for it, and said none was to taken by force. ‘We are their saviour’ the King had said but to save one the other must also be safe from death. Be it by the sword or the waning strength from starvation. Many battles were won when the enemies were weak from starvation and hardly more of them when it was fought by fully fed men. Sir Kay looked at the meat he had gnawed to the bone.

“Your sacrifice is truly worth the trouble.” Sir Kay recalled one that he had visited after a scouting trip. He was with three others on mounts when they stopped at the stone house by the small pond. There was a flock of cows there and it was needed. An old lady challenged them with the pitch fork and told them to be on their way.

“I am the land owner and no one can take it from me.” The lady threatened the four of them.

“Lady, we are just passing by but the scent of the food cooking over your fire place could not be ignored.” Sir Kay remarked. “We would like to share some of it and then we will be on our way. We can pay too.”

“The foods on my table are of my own family. You ain’t getting any and more to that you are not of the land.” The old lady cried out. “I favoured no coins from the invaders of our land.”

Sir Kay had then dismounted along with his scouts but was held back by the old lady. She held the pitch fork and violence was in her eyes. She thrust it one more time but then Sir Kay had it snatched from her. The old lady fell on the snatch.

“Take the cows and then we leave.” Sir Kay looked at the lady. “We will leave you some coins.”

“I don’t want your coins.” The old lady pulled out a dagger from her tunic and thrust it into Sir Kay’s left thigh. He felt the thrust and reacted with the kick from his right leg. The kick made the lady fell to the rear and lay dead. The scout rushed over and saw the lady was not breathing.  He looked at Sir Kay and then he told the knight that the lady was dead.

“Burn the house and cleared the breeds that could be killed for food. Scattered the rest.” Sir Kay told the scouts. “Arthur must not be told.”

Arthur was not told while he munched at the meat that was earlier a cow in the corral. Fighters must be fed regardless of where it came from as long as it was delicious. The army of Arthur had started their war to the north. They rode past the Hadrian Wall to find another. It was further north and untold by many except those who had relished it as they did on the Hadrian Wall.

“I never heard of the Antonine Wall.” The grumpy Kingsley then used his pike to hold his balance. He was hurt on the right thigh on the side by a sword but the person who wielded it had died speared by Sam.

“I have never been to it but there were drifters who told me of it. It was a wall like Hadrian and it stretched far from Clyde to Forth as if I know where they are. I heard it was higher than most man, and there was a ditch before deeper than most man and there was an outer mound of earth.” Sam was trailing his pike across the ground as if he was earmarking the wall for construction. “There was like ….sixteen or more forts there with smaller encampment of men. They told me the Romans build it with that many men.”

Sam’s arms stretched out wider than the trout he caught last season.

“I heard they split the people there. Anglo Saxons, Picts may be too, and also some wayfarer Scots. The Romans took the people to help. The wall helped the people behind it in the south but the wall did not stay fortified for long. Eight years later it was abandoned when the Romans retreated to the other wall….what’s its name…. Hadrian.”

“So they built it and then they left it? Such a pity.” Kingsley replied. “Where we come from, we do not do such thing. What we build on we will stay on it.”

Sam did not reply for he left his family of one missus and three of his off springs. His concern was not alone.

“My Queen, how may I serve you if you do not care to be served?” The servant maid bent down to pick the tossed goblet. The contents were spilled on the flooring.

“Get out of my chamber!” Guinevere in her foul mood told the servant. “I will not have that foul drink.”

“You must, my Queen. I have added honey to sweeten it.” Merlin having steppe in then approached the Queen seated on the bedding. “You must take the potion I prepared.”

“And what good it will do for me? Add more to my waist as it’s already …larger.” Guinevere fell to her weeping then while the druid stood next to her.

“I am here to ensure your health during my King’s absence.”

“Of which he is not here. His desire to battle outreached mine.” Guinevere bitched on her loneliness. It was close to three months then with Arthur away, and her belly more pronounced. She was assured of that by the looks given to her by the others and the extra courtesy with the passage for her to take the way before them.

“Bitching won’t make your child any more or less obtrusive.” Merlin spoke out to the Queen.

“Bitching? I will not have that …” Guinevere protested strongly.

 “I been around and you are not the first lady in such manner.” Merlin retorted to her. “I have to remind you that you are the Queen. King Arthur expects no less from …”

“He had taken what’s there and left me here.” Guinevere then looked away. “Leave me alone. I begged of you.”

Merlin then took his leave and met Elaine at the corridors. The lady enquired of the Queen and then begged to see her but Merlin refused her.

“She is unwell.” Merlin told her the reason. “Your mother may know more.”

Elaine then returned to her castle where her lover had then seldom returned. She however met her mother there.

“It’s most un…” Elaine was snapped off by the elderly lady.

“I arrived soon after I heard. Is Guinevere with a child?” Lady Igraine asked. “What of yours?”

“Mine? Mother, how ..Only God can determined when our child …”

“Cut your yapping, I know when or how babies are made. I had ….” Lady Igraine paused and then she spoke. “Three of you. There are no other reason unless he does not come to you. Where is Lancelot anyway?”

“He is busy, mother. He is needed to see to the land here. He has to keep the borders intact and there are…”

“The duties of his to you are of equal importance.” Lady Igraine replied. “You are his Queen and he …. Never mind, I also here to tell you that Meleagant had come calling some days ago. He is ever insistent of visiting Guinevere.”

Elaine knew Meleagant and the tales that mother had told her of the young Lord and his affliction to one named Guinevere.

“He can’t be calling here. She is the Queen.” Elaine protested. “He must know a wall exist between them now.”

“Tell that to the fool. He thinks too much of himself.”