Arthur: The legend and myth Chapter 117

117.

“The King is dead!” Percival announced to the assembled in the Hall. He was met with mutterings and stares by them. He then felt their feelings from pain, disbelieve and even in a few there were joy. Such was the nature of people that their reactions cannot be predicted.

“How did he die?” A senior member of the assembled asked. Percival looked to the figure and then replied in the prepared reply.

“King Galahad was called back to Heaven with the Grail.” It was the reason for the assembled there. It was not death but the Grail was missing. “The King died holding the Grail. I was not only the witness to it but there were others that stood before you.”

Percival was standing then with three others who were senior members of the lands. They were with him summoned by the King then to the Hall. Galahad was seated there with the Grail held in his hands.

“Please stand before me. I hold the Grail to be seen by all of you for the last time today.” Those words rang with pain into the three elderly who rushed forth and prostrated before the King. Percival stood behind them and stared at the Grail. He had seen the Grail many times since his stay there but on that day, he felt there was something different to it. He had to look at it and yet he found nothing wrong with it.

“I am leaving soon and the Grail will go with me. It’s my role to follow it to its rightful home. It had been far too long away from…”

“My King, the Grail was only returned to us and yet you say it must leave. But to where and what of us? Sarras may not survive without it.” One of the elderly asked of Galahad. “Who will protect us?”

“Protect? Who are we protecting? The city or was it Grail that the city was to protect?” Galahad asked. “All of you are …fools. The Grail has decreed me to return it to its rightful home.”

“Where would that be?” The elderly asked. Galahad did not reply but he motioned above with both his hands held out.

“Its home is there.” Galahad looked at Percival. “You will sit on this throne for one year before you will join me there.”

With that, a light appeared over Galahad and the Grail he held. The light soon enveloped the figure and then it glowed ever brightly that the four covered their sight. Just as it appeared, the light soon dissipated and the King was gone. The three elderly figures still on their knees went into a series of prayer except for Percival who looked at the seat where Galahad was seated.

“It’s his will to do it.”

So was Arthur then at the island who rushed at the giant who had tormented the land. He drew out his Excalibur and swung it at the giant. The giant though armed was able to block the sword with his left arm, and then he punched at Arthur with the right fist. The blow threw Arthur to the rear and almost fell to the sea. Sir Kay was for once frozen and stood there. The rowers were frighten and started to row back but when they saw Arthur stood up, they stopped. Arthur went for the giant with more slashes of the sword but there were no marks on the giant. For once, Excalibur was blunt in its edge.

It was then Arthur felt the feeling fear in his hands. He had forgotten that ever since he turned King. He thought that he was invulnerable in his body and skills with Excalibur held in his hands. He was no more than his own self when he was ten years old holding the wooden sword trying to cut down the tree trunk. He recalled he had swung hard with each blow but the trunk remained the same. His blow was so hard that he broke the sword. He rushed at the trunk with his bare hands in anger and then cried out that he had not beaten the tree trunk. He was later comforted by his foster father that not all things in the world was his to defeat.

“If all else fail, then submit to it and learned its weakness. There is another opportunity soon to defeat it.” Those were his foster father’s words. Arthur lowered his sword and stared at the giant. He declared his failure to the giant.

“King Arthur, it was never a failure but your blindness due to your arrogance. You are blind to my weak spots and sighted only the formidable part in me. You forgot your training and let your emotions got the better of you.” The giant spoke to him. It was then from the rear of the giant came a lady who approached Arthur.

“My knight, I know not who you are but please return. Tell my father I am fine and living well with my love here.” The lady told Arthur. ‘He is not a monster but my love and sight into the world.”

Arthur disbelieving then looked from the lady to the giant. He then asked the giant who was him.

“I am the guardian of the island. I was once a King like you but my reign was over when I came here. I lived alone until I heard the cries of the lady for assistance. I went to her and found she was sad and lonely. It was not easy for someone to be without sight and I became her friend. I brought her here and showed her the island. Every cracks and boulders so that she will never ever be lost here.”

“What of her caretaker? The lady I saw then.” Arthur asked.

“A siren which trying to snare you but I took care of her. She will not trouble you no more.’ The giant explained. He then looked at Arthur. “You are a warrior. You are dissatisfied on your loss to me. I will tell you of my weakest spot.”

The giant whispered to Arthur and then turned to look at the lady. He went down on one knee to levelled at her face.

“Stay your heart with me. We will be together as lovers.” It was then Arthur thrust the sword into the giant’s neck at the back. He stabbed in deep and then turned the sword to sever the head. The head fell to the ground with the blood spurting out and onto the lady. She screamed on feeling the blood but it was during then something unusual happened. The streaks of blood spread out like a spindle of webs to form a cocoon the two figures before they dissipated into ashes.

“Arthur….” Sir Kay found his voice then. Arthur pulled out his sword and then returned to the boat. The rowers turned the boat to return home. It was midway into their journey when Arthur spoke.

“That giant asked me to kill him. He could not stand being the monster there, and for the curse to be lifted he need to die. He wanted to bring her along so that she won’t be alone there. I did as he asked.” Arthur looked at Sir Kay. “There are things which we do not and would never understand but it has to be done.”

So was the need to execute Guinevere. Mordred called for the execution and on that day, he was confronted by his mother then at his chamber.

“You wanted her dead but she evaded it for Arthur won’t do it. You hated her as much as I do for she was everything to Arthur like his sword and his castle Camelot. They are all his belongings.” Mordred stared at his mother. “You enticed Agravain to seduce her and yet Arthur will not kill her. Well, I will do it.”

“Guinevere must die but not by your hand. If she died in our hands, the people at Camelot will revolt against us. Only Arthur can kill her and then the revolution will begin.” Morgan looked at her son. “If you do his task then it will be your downfall they will celebrate.”

“I will not wait anymore. Guinevere dies today.” Mordred turned away from his mother. “And next will be Merlin.”

“I begged of thee. Kill not your ….. own.” Morgan’s plea were ignored. So did Lancelot ignore the stares on him when he rode to Camelot. Some called out to him on the execution of Guinevere then and he chose to ignore them. When he was near to Camelot he was met by two knights who told him to leave Camelot.

“I am Sir Diselle of Burgundy and this is Sir Dupre …” The knight did not finish his greeting when Lancelot charged at them with his sword drawn. His sudden attack was swift and the two knights were taken down from their horses. Lancelot rode on ignoring the plea of help and soon found himself stopped by five foot soldiers just before the gates of Camelot.

“My Lord, we are loyal servants of Camelot. We serve the King and whoever is he commands to be in charge. We will stop you if we have to.” The head of the foot soldiers pleaded with Lancelot. The knight recognised the soldier from past battles. His son runs the inn at the nearby village and was a good man.

“Please, my Lord. She is not to…” Lancelot spurred his horse on and used this sword to fight off the foot soldiers with their spears. He ducked on their thrust and swung his sword to deflect it. He tried hard to avoid hurting them but the first wound was on him. It was a spear blade cut at his left feet but then he was enraged. He dismounted and charged the foot soldiers. His anger then was uncontrollable and he killed three of them before letting go the remaining two. Of the ones he killed one was the elderly man who was the leader. Lancelot then took to his horse and rode towards Camelot.