Arthur: The legend and myth Chapter 79

79.

“Mercy in the name of God!” The congregation of bishops and priests bearing the reliques of the saints and other reveled items from their chapels dropped to their knees before the King. The army of Arthur had marched through the highlands of Scotland with every intention to pillage or kill its inhabitants. The acts of the army had drawn on the attention of Percival who pleaded with him.

“I will hold no mercy for the vanquished. When I did, they turned to stab me in the back.” Percival looked to his Arthur with disbelieving expression. They were in a hall of a large mansion whose Lord was vanquished and the place converted to be a meeting place.

“There are innocents out there, King Arthur. Surely they…” The clergy man who voiced out was silenced with a blow to the head by the guard nearby.

“There are no innocents when they stab my back when I am not looking. I cannot rest with my eyes closed for I feared that they will strike me once more.” Arthur replied in anger. “I defeated them at Sommerset and yet they gather to fight me at the lakes. Lord Pendragon had once fought them and yet they dealt him a sinister act that they demanded land for themselves.”

“How could I show mercy to those who does not deserve it?” Arthur was then in the hall of the castle of a local Lord that he had defeated. “Does the ones who holds the collar at the neck thinks that I can be swayed by your petition if you come here in force and bear the reliques of the saints? Are you here to intimidate me? Or banished me from your …chapel? I swore by my sword and only by my sword will I act.”

“Mercy, King Arthur.” The assembled there pleaded with him. “Give us… a stretch of land to ….”

“To nurture more of them as you did during the times of Lord Pendragon. I will not tolerate that. I will put the fear in them with my sword.” Arthur patted the sword on his side. “Excalibur is by my side for I am the King. Not only of the old lands but the lands that are adjacent to ours and with it the land next to theirs. I will have my borders so far that if here was any invasion. I will know of it before they reached Camelot.”

“Give us the land for us to….guide…teach them. I promise.” The clergy man pleaded once more. The facial expression was pain and the King saw the humanity of it. He nodded and the parcel of land was marked for them. Arthur then excused himself but he was stopped by Percival.

“You changed, Arthur. What happened in Camelot?” Arthur looked at the knight who asked him. The King stepped away without replying. He had returned an angry person for he felt that he was led away by wrong visions. He had then the vision that made him ride back then was his child dying. When he saw the child was well he had returned. He knew that Guinevere was upset but does she understand his commitment as the King. He must preserve his empire as what he was taught at the Legion; the sacramentum he taken then as a Legionnaire. His actions were that of his commander. He will do as he was told for he was a Legionnaire. For him, nothing matters except theta Rome was protected. Just as then to Arthur, all he was committed to was his role as King. He will rule with his sword Excalibur.

Back at Camelot, Lancelot strode at the edge of the pond but his sight was on the lady at the tree. Ever since Arthur had returned to the war, Guinevere had been depressed and then she had called on Lancelot to resume their talks. It was all general talks and then one day she told him she wanted to ride out. She chanced on a pond near Camelot and yet it was hidden by the trees from the passerby. It was secluded and above all, it held the flock of geese that roosted there.

“I feel at peace here, Lancelot.” Guinevere called out from the tree. It was the first time she had called him by his name and not with his rank. “I wished …”

Guinevere moved onto Arthur and all she saw then was disappointment. He ignored his son and rode off to war as if it was more bearing on his life. He had not even asked if she was well. He had not nudged his face at her bosom and whispered to her words of love and needs. All she had was the comfort of her son who was ever zealous to be fed on the hour. She had assigned the task to the sitter although in her, the discomfort of the milk ache her bosom.

“I must be silly.” Guinevere muttered to herself. “Arthur is King. He does what he wants.”

Guinevere thoughts were then fleeting and moving between her love for Arthur and the vile thoughts that he was with another lady then.

“Why should I not?” Guinevere voiced out then. It startled the knight who rushed over.

“My Queen, are you well?” Lancelot asked. The Queen nodded and smiled at the other. It was touching for him to ask.

“Tell me Lancelot. What do you do when at battle?” Guinevere asked. “And please call me Guinevere. Out here away from Camelot, I am just another lady to you. Please do not call me Queen or we may be overheard and disastrous event may befall us.”

“None may harm you for long I am beside you.” Lancelot declared to her. “I am your loyal servant.”

Loyalty was the word of the day, when Arthur checked with his army at the lakes. He had relented on the wishes of the clergies and forth with pardons given. More chieftain and lords came flocking for that call of mercy that Arthur soon escaped it and left the task to Percival. He was lonely and retreated to the chamber he was given. He undressed his tunic after removing the waist belt with Excalibur. He took to wash himself there with the cold water in the bucket. He scrubbed his body with the coarse cloth and then found himself aroused. He had not any since the negotiations which took precedence over all matters. He felt relaxed then and thought of his Queen. He regretted that he had let his anger dictated his stay and should had stayed with her. Well, at least to satiate his lust upon her and maybe another son could be born.

“I am so sorry, my Lord. I did …” The feminine voice startled him and he turned to look. It was a servant who had carried more covers for his bedding. “I will leave you now, my Lord.”

The servant turned to leave but Arthur stopped her. He took a dry towel to wrap around him and approached the servant. She was not young or as beautiful as Guinevere but she held the qualities of a woman. She was dressed in a simple tunic and her body shivered from being confronted by the conqueror. He had handled women like them before.

“Your name does not matter to me but I am in need of you.” Arthur told her. “Remove your clothing and get on the bedding.”

“My King…. I am unwell. I am with a child with my …love.” The servant pleaded. “He is …in the kitchen.”

“Show me….you belly.” Arthur told her. She raised the hem of her tunic to above her belly and below her bosom while her left hand held the decent cover between her legs. She was right and the belly was forth coming but it was still in the earlier stages.

“I can’t betray my lover.” The servant shed her tears in pleading. “Please spare me.”

“There will be no betrayal if I am not to leave a mark inside you.” Arthur then grew impatient and his desire had risen with the thought of the idea of battling and victory was the ultimate end. “Get on the bedding and face away from me. I desire not see your face or your unborn child upon me.”

The King was in court with his power to decide and none may argue his action. He took her from the rear despite her sobbing with his hands pulling her body towards him while his mind was on Lisanor then. She was alike the servant; plain and wild yet appealing. She was no Guinevere but nothing she did was beyond the reaches of his imagination. She was ever wanting and she was Anglo Saxon.

“Ah…” Arthur leaned down on the haunches of the servant upon his relief. He smelled the scent of the servant which was sweat and dirt. Such was the true scent of a woman never felt on a lady in the court. He pushed himself up and stepped away.

“You may wash there. Your lover’s will not be offended for I have not violated his sanctum.” Arthur motioned to the bucket. “I will take my rest now.”

For the care of personal sanctum, Merlin had then stepped away from the bedding to the window. He saw the stars on the dark sky and wondered if he could ever reach it. He felt the hands that touched his back and then trailed to his left shoulder.

“I am satiated. You may take your coins by the table.” Merlin told the one who stood behind him. “Share it well with her, and I will have the both of you when I am in need.”

The warm body snaked away to the rewards of the coins and Merlin knew that the chamber will soon be empty of them. He dressed up in his tunic and covered with a dark cloak before he took his leave then by leaving through the rear doorway lest he be noticed. He may be a druid but a thieving figure was at times noticed by others especially if they are watched.

Morgan Le Fay stepped from the dark shadows of the wall and looked at the druid trying to disguise his walk with the bent shoulder. She felt then jealousy but it was more of anger. The druid had not taught her more than she was expecting then, and it annoyed her. The scene of the banshee had intrigued her and despite his asking, Merlin will not teach her the darker arts. As it was then he did not teach her the darker side of needs.