Arthur: The legend and Myth Chapter 105

105.

Lancelot could not find the friar but he was sought by Percival outside of Camelot. The older knight rode up to him and told him of the new tasks given by Arthur.

“We are to ride with Galahad. He is without Gawain and there were news that he had to fight off errant knights.” Percival told Lancelot. “Arthur feared that the Grail may fall onto wrong hands.”

“What of the lands here? Of the war that is coming with Mordred? Could we rush back in time to defend Camelot?” Lancelot snapped out his questions.

“What is your concern, Lancelot? Do not cover your concern for Guinevere. She is with Arthur and you are not her lover no more.” Percival told off the other. “Leave your past behind, and move on.”

“I was not.” Lancelot tried to defend his concern. “I was for …Camelot, and Arthur.”

Percival did not reply him and rode off back to Camelot to get ready. Lancelot rode on towards his own castle and found Elaine at his chamber. She stood there at by wall opening and must had seen him coming back. On the table was a laid our two goblets of wine and some food.

“What is it that I can do for you?” Lancelot asked while he went to pack his personal items. Elaine turned to look at him. She reached for the goblets and then approached him.

“I hear you are going on the quest for the Grail. I would like to wish you well on your journey.” Elaine offered the goblet in her right hand towards Lancelot. The later took the goblet and then looked at Elaine.

“I am…”

“Surprised? Don’t be. I am just wishing you well.” Elaine looked away and then grabbed the goblet from the knight. “No you cannot drink that.”

Elaine tossed the wine into the corner and it burst into flame. She was taken aback by it and saw Lancelot glaring at her.

“It was not my doing. I got that….” Lancelot stepped back from the lady and then he dismissed her.

“Leave me alone.” Lancelot shouted. “You wanted to kill me.”

“I …” Elaine was shocked by the wine and then she ran off. Lancelot was distraught that the lady he once loved had tried to kill. He picked his items and then left the chamber.  Elaine was in her chamber and with the door closed she looked at her hands. It was shaking at the thought that she could had committed murder.

“I ….” Elaine was lost at words but the voice spoke to her was with more.

“I can see that you have failed.” Morgan Le Fay was standing at the wall where she watched Elaine leaning to the doorway. “I am not surprised at that. You were always in love with him. You could not bear to kill him.”

“Morgan…how did you get here?” Elaine was shocked.

‘How does not matter to you but what you did not do will have bearings on our plans. Guinevere will be displeased. So will Morgause and of course myself. Nevertheless the war will start soon. I was just told that King Lot is dead. Queen Morgause will be crowned the King for now. Her nephew which is my son will be the Head of the knights in Gaul.”

“Leave me and stay away.” Elaine shouted out. “I will nothing to do with you. Or Guinevere.”

It was not the only parting from Joyous Castle for Lancelot took to the journey to find Sir Galahad with Percival. They rode hard to find the other. Soon their ride was too long to carry on that they rested at an abandoned abbey. Lancelot fast to fall asleep soon found himself in a dream where he saw himself alone watching a litter carried by the servants. The litter stopped before Lancelot and one of the servants approached him. Lancelot found his voice unable to speak. The servant then leaned down to collect up Lancelot’s armour and left him there. He tried to move or scream but his body was not responding.  It was then he woke up. He then told Percival of his dream.

“I am not worthy of the quest.” Lancelot interpreted his dream. “My amour taken shows my worth.”

“No, it’s not your worth. It’s your sins that you have committed with …. Guinevere.” Percival voiced out flatly. “You have the need to repent.”

“My sins with Guinevere? You are misled.” Lancelot rebuffed the other. “You have lent your ears to the rumours.”

With that, Lancelot decided to ride on ahead leaving Percival trailing behind. The later saw that his friend was in anger and decided to take a different route. He soon chanced on a relative of his who was told of his quest.

“Percival, you are getting older and with your past age, you carried on a burden of sins. You may relinquish those sins and be chaste from now then you may take the quest of the Grail.” Percival heard the advice and then he rode on with a heavy heart. He had just reprimanded his friend on the weight of the sins and here he was told of his own.

“Have no man without any sins in their life?” Percival muttered to himself. “Yet why we cry when at birth?”

His thoughts were then disrupted by the presence of a raging horse rushing past him with the lady trying to stay on the saddle. Percival gave chase and soon caught up with the horse which he managed to subdue its wild run. He saw in the horse eyes were like a void in the dark sky.

“Thank you, Sir Knight. My life is saved by you. For your action, I will give you my horse.” Percival was initially reluctant to do so but the lady was convincing in her offering. He approached the horse and for once he was fearful of it. Nevertheless, he mounted the horse but once he was on the saddle the horse took off on its raging run. Percival tried to stop it but the horse was too fierce to be tamed. It ran past the trees and hills before it reached a wide fast flowing river. It raced into the river and almost drowned Percival. In his desperate moment of drowning, Percival called out to God to rescue him, and crossed himself across the chest upon his prayer. The river water raced on him and then dislodged him off the saddle. He found his armour worn on his body was pulled off by the river currents and then he himself was floating on the surface.

“Thank you, God.” Percival floated on the river waters while he gave thanks for his rescue. A boat that was handed by a lady came to his rescue. He was taken aboard and given a new change of clothes and refreshments. He found himself in comfort and the hospitality of the lady was both charming and beautiful. He was so taken in by the lady that he felt himself attracted to her.

“You can have me, Sire.” The lady spoke to Percival. “I am willing to be with you.”

Percival was to succumb to his desire when he suddenly remembered that he was to be chaste to seek the Grail. He pushed the lady off and stepped away.

“I can’t…” Percival told her. It was then he found himself by the river banks still in his wet clothes. He was astonished that what he thought was real was in fact unreal.

“You are worthy of the title as knight, Percival.” The voice belonged to the friar named as Tuck. “God was testing you for your chaste and purity. You passed the test.”

“A boat will come to take you onwards and join your friends.” The friar took his leave. Percival then sat down on the river bank and reflected his previous actions.

It was not that clear for Lancelot who found his journey was taking nowhere and yet he was riding. He was then until he came upon a joust tourney between two groups of knights. The two groups were distinctive in their armour shades of either white or black. The only disparity was the white knights were outnumbered by the black ones but the White Knights were superior in skills. Without hesitation Lancelot rode towards the White Knights and there he shouted at them.

“What chivalry is there if you fight your opponents who are novice at their skills? I will join them to even the odds.” With that, Lancelot took to the other side. He could not see their faces for each one had it hidden behind the visor.

“I am Lancelot and will be your leader.” Lancelot then turned to the servants. “Give me the armour like theirs. Listen to my command. You are unskilled compared to them. We will attack in a pincer movement and let the numbers pushed the outcome. “

None of the black knights disputed Lancelot and they massed with him. Lancelot assessed their numbers were double of the White Knights. He held his sword and then charged at the White Knights. The Black Knights rode out in formation and then the pincer movement was formed but at the last moment, the White Knights veered to the right and attacked there. They forced the Black Knights to reform but the fight was taken out then with chaos among the Black Knights. They could not reform a line and some were retreating. Lancelot himself was surrounded by three White Knights. He held his guard against the trio but his sight was on two Black Knights who had cornered a White Knight. The duo had the White Knight disarmed and they went into together with their swords drawn to kill the unarmed knight. It was an uncalled move then.

“No….” Lancelot called out but the White Knight was dead on his knees. He tried to fight over to the dead knight but his way was blocked by the trio. He raised his sword and was to charge when he was knocked from behind. Next thing he knew he was bounded with ropes and on his knees. He looked up and saw the White Knights around him. He looked to his sides and saw the other Black Knights were all trussed up like him. He looked at the White Knight before him.

“Spare them for I am their leader.” The reply Lancelot has was a slap across the face and then the knight stepped back with the sword raised. It was Lancelot’s own sword Arondight. The sword came down with a wide arc and the blade was at his neck. It was then he felt as if his life had left his body.

“I am dead.”