Arthur II Chapter 14

14.

The druid saw by himself at the banks of the pond, with his sight on the water surface. He held a long stick which he swirled on the water, making ripples on it. He drew lines and then rudimentary designs before he pushed the stick further deeper. It was then the rippling on the water surface took its course and formed a mini whirlpool. The whirlpool then rose from the surface to a height of three feet before it revealed the impression of a face. 

It was not any face but the face of a nymph.

One named Vivianne. 

The lady was one of the several guardians of the Lake. They are also known as the Ladies of the Lake. 

“Merlin, you do know that your presence is not welcome in our realm. I would like…”

“Vivianne, I would like to seek your advice.” Merlin voiced out while he removed the stick from the pond waters. “I meant no harm but the new events may harm us all.” 

“Merlin, we are the Ladies of the Lake and there are not many who can harm us,” Vivianne replied. “Unless we wished them to.” 

“Morgause is back,” Merlin uttered in desperation. “She sought our death.”

“Morgause…. Sister….” Vivianne whispered the name. Morgause was one of them; the adorable younger ones among the seven sisters then. It was Morgause who brought them despair when she was found with Merlin then. Vivianne invited the druid into the circle and caused a rift between them. Morgause was banished and was never heard of until then. She left with one other; Morgan Le Fay.

“Morgause has invoked some ancient spells. I sensed it…” Merlin sighed. “If only I had stopped her then. We won’t have this issue now.”

“No, Merlin. You could not have stopped her. She had learned new ones which are not of our family. We had to banish her.” Vivianne comforted the druid. “You were also misled by her.”

“No, Vivianne. I was ….” Merlin defended himself but the other motioned to him to silence.

“Don’t speak, Merlin. It was difficult times then, and we were all … caught in the web of deceit. You, me, and Morgause. A price we pay till today.” Vivianne turned away and then spoke. “You are not welcome, Merlin. Be gone.”

“No! Wait! Hear me out.” Merlin pleaded with her. The lady faced the druid.

“I have done my penance of keeping the lad safe and also his sword. He is rebellious but is ready to serve. I fear he does not know whom he is to serve.” Merlin spoke up.

“You spoke of the Bear to him?”

“Yes, and he is resisting it. I cannot control him. Perhaps ….”

“No, Merlin. I … We cannot risk it. The other sword is only worthy of the true King, and the Big Bear has not shown the signs for it.”

“You speak of Excalibur? I thought it was forbidden to speak on it. The sword …”

“It’s the legacy of the Lake. It can only be used by the one who is worthy to wield and hold it in its glory.” Vivianne replied. “And yet it remained lost for many centuries.”

“Sadly true, the whereabouts of Excalibur unknown to us all but the tales are true, the price of the sword is the holder will bear great responsibility and …”

“Is it not the King of the land bears such weight on the throne? Naturally, the sword is the balance to counter the responsibility.” Vivianne replied.

“Then the other part of the tale, that the sword brings with its wars and blood bath…”

“As it would be for the King was to unite the people on the land, and there may be wars. Such wars are won by the one who will wield Excalibur. The land had seen such a fine King for many centuries now.”

“But the sword is missing.” Merlin sighed. “Unless you knew ….”

“Beware, Excalibur will be found when the dire times called for it. A champion must be found first.”

“And the Big Bear the one?”

“It may be or may not be. We won’t know until the sword declared him worthy.” 

“I plea with you to look. You may be wrong. The Bear may be the King. Show him the sword.”

“The sword is of the Lake as I am of it. I cannot compel it to appear for I am not its mistress. Now leave me be. I need to be alone.”

“Vivianne, can you feel me inside you.” Merlin held his right hand to his chest. “As I did with you.”

“Long forgotten, Merlin. I am no more yours. I shall speak to the other sisters. The lake will decide and then Excalibur will decide.” With that the lady dispersed into the standing whirlpool and then with it, the water receded to the calm water surface on the pond. Merlin looked at it and sighed. He knew that his past will not be that easily forgotten or forgiven. He had crossed the boundary then and will need to pay the price imposed.

Just as Artorius done his payment of a price many years ago.

Lucius Artorius leaned forward on his seat inside the tent. His right hand’s fingers were caressing the side of the goblet that held half its content then. He knew that it was too early to get drunk on the wine with the sun still above the horizon but his mind was moving elsewhere. He had visions of himself then younger as a Probate Centurion. He had just joined then and was attached to Legio VI Ferrata then based at Judea. It was one of the earlier conquests of Rome with the land switching conqueror over the period and finally, the defeat of Bar Kokhba by Emperor Hadrian, and the place was named Province of Judea.

The local people, the Jews were sold as slaves or deported to other areas. It was when he first met his first witch.

“The two of you move to the rear. I don’t want any runners.” Artorius was adamant about keeping his numbers intact. He commanded a small detachment under a Decurion. The low-ranking officer commanded eight legionnaires.

“The two of them stay outside. Anyone passes us, stop them.” That was a relief to the two who were posted there. The other four with the Decurion followed the Artorius inside. It was just another mud-caked abode like the many others on the street but that one was marked by the informer. The Centurion rushed in with the gladius drawn and saw the inside of the place was devoid of any furnishings that normally adorned the abode but that one held only the scented candles and the small fireplace with the lady seated there. She was not as old as expected of many but a beauty of the tanned skin. The chamber was however adorned by the dead creatures’ skins with the fur intact.

“Lady Lisette, you are …” The Centurion stopped then when he saw the creature emerged from the rear of the lady. It was not any creature but of the yellow mane and the huge body with the snarling fangs. He had seen drawings of this creature from the units that served far south on the other continent. They named it the King of the Wilds.

“I trust you meant well to serve the Emperor by coming here but could you leave here serving him? I naught think you could.” With that, the lady commanded the creature to step forth. With each step, it took then the creature seems to have grown larger until it filled up the large size of the chamber. Two of the legionnaires turned to run but the doorway was not there. Where there was a doorway was then the gaping jaws of the serpent. They screamed in panic and it was then the Centurion thrust his gladius into the lady. The blade pierced the heart but the lady sat there smiling.

“You wanted my heart…” The lady reached towards the blade and pulled it out along with her heart which was throbbing as if it was alive. “You may want to feast it.”

Centurion Artorius pulled his arm back and swung it at the lady but she blocked it with her left hand. Artorius had then pulled his pugio the dagger with the left hand and stabbed it at the lady’s throat. He then cut it to the left to sever the flesh there. The lady’s head fell back but it hung by the neck bone with the lady screaming.  The voice was not from the throat but from within the chamber. Artorius dragged his pugio once more to sever the bone there and with a hard kick, the lady went down backward. That action severed the head and the lady stopped screaming. The creature that stood behind her also dissipated into the air, and the doorway appeared.

“Centurion, you are cursed. That was a witch. Her death will be avenged.” The Legionnaire who was a veteran in the campaigns told him. “I have slain these before.”

Artorius looked towards the other with his left hand. His hand was trembling and then it spread to his chest and down his legs, He fell on his knees before the dead witch as if he was in prayer towards her. He keeled over and threw out the remains of his stomach. He retched in pain and then fell to his side. It was the Legionnaire pulled him away from the dead witch to the wall. He turned over onto his back and groaned.

“She is dead, Centurion. You are …... safe.” Artorius heard the Legionnaire. He mumbled whatever words of comfort that he could recall then. He called for the protection of Mars, the love of Gaia before he blacked out. It was over ten years then and Artorius had not encountered any witches or acts by them, although he slept with the rosary beads given to him by his mother than from the monks. He had not any good sleep since then.