Arthur II Book 2 Chapter 5

 

5.

 

Artorius seated on the high back chair that was once belonging to Garth of Gurnion. He was tended to his wound by Merlin.

“You will live, Arthur. The wounds are bot bleeding.” Merlin had applied the healing herbs that he had discovered in the forest.

“Speak to me of the men.” Artorius looked to the gathered. His officers stood to the right and the defeated survivor leaders to the left. The defeated were relieved of their weapons. The long table was lined with food for the officers. There were meat and drinks with fruit.

“We lost forty legionnaires, half the Auxiliaries, but the Sarmatians held their numbers,” Belvedere reported in. He started with A hundred and twenty legionnaires, eighty Auxiliaries, and twenty Sarmatians with twenty-four riders including the Decurion.

“And I lost twenty riders,” Percival reported in then. He had charged ahead to defend the Prime. He was with four of his riders.

The Prime was left with eighty Legionaries, forty Auxiliaries, and the twenty Sarmartians but his riders were down to four.

“You fought like Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed.” Belvedere praised the Prime to encourage.

“Pwyll?”

“Yes, the lord of Dyfed, husband of Rhiannon and father of the hero Pryderi. Pwyll engages in single combat against Hafgan, Arawn's rival, and mortally wounds him with one blow, earning Arawn overlordship of all of Annwn. He is a hero of the Welsh.” Belvedere explained the tale of the hero. “Like him, you held the scuit like the symbol of the Welsh. It looked like you fought off hundreds of them.”

“Was there hundreds? Maybe a hundred but the men…. How many did we lose from this forsaken place?”

“We have lost or had our men fled the castle. Hengist the one betrayed us …. And led us to battle had escaped one more.” The barbarian replied.

“And who are you?”

“Chief Morlock. I was with Gregor to fight with Hengist but he fled before the end.” Chief Morlock cursed out. “Gregor died in the battle.”

“My condolences to you, Chief Morlock. In battles, we do have casualties. And the defeated, our Centurion prefers death by the sword than capture.” Artorius looked at the Chief. “Which do you want?”

“I will prefer death.” Chief Morlock replied to the Prime.

“So, be it.” Artorius signaled for the Chief to be taken away. He then looked at the others. “Where is Garth of Gurnion? He was not seen in the battle.”

None of the defeated replied. Then one did.

“Hengist killed him. He was fed to the pigs.” The one spoke out. It was then the officers feeding on the meat turned green in their expression.

“Bastards! Kill them all and feed them to the …... crows. Staked them on the walls.” Artorius tossed the chicken meat in his hand. He also spat out the contents from his mouth.

“Get me real food. Our own.” Artorius called.

In the forest, Hengist flees with his men. He could only muster twenty of them to escape and they did from the rear gates. They killed the three warriors there to guard it. They took off to the forest and had not stopped till was late into the night. The men insisted on resting and they set up a camp there among the trees.

“Hengist, we lost five of the men.’

“Lost? Are there more of these desertions?” Hengist was upset. He had not won a single battle against the Roman in the war. He had been defeated and made to run. He cursed at the witch that told him to come there.

“Surely, you do think the defeat was mine?” Hengist looked up from the fire and saw he was all alone. His men were no more with him. They were all hug by their throat from the tree branches. He saw then the witch. She was still dressed in the body tight gown of the gules (red) in the shade.

“Witch! How dare you show yourself here? I will have you killed.” Hengist roared out.

“And how will you do that? You have no men. Do you still have your manhood?”

Hengist by instinct reached down to touch himself. He was intact and then looked at the witch.

“Truly, you men are all alike. You fear losing your manhood more than your life.” The witch laughed.

“Who are you?” Hengist asked. “And why are you here?’

“You annoyed the Gods when you killed one of their people.”

“Call me Lady Morgause. I am to tell you that you may still win. Go to Mount Badon. There an army awaits you.”

“Why should I believe you, Lady …...? Morgause? I have enough of witchery and you.” Hengist told the witch off.

“Because you want to win and I want …. vengeance.” Morgause looked at him. “Do you?

“I do, witch. Lawnslot was not there in the battle. If he was there, I would have killed him.” Hengist spat into the campfire.

“Lawnslot? You mean Lancelot. Was he not with Merlin?’ Morgause asked.

“Yes, he was with the druid. I think the druid was helping him and the Romans. He may be the one who lifted the fog that saved the Romans at the creek.”

“I can see him now. He is in the forest. Perhaps he needs to …. Taught a lesson. There are many to choose from.” Morgause told the other. “Till then, we shall meet.”

Hengist found himself staring at the fireplace with his men sharing the same fire. Was it a dream, Hengist asked himself? There was confusion on the Anglo-Saxon’s mind but back at the wall, there was none. Master Meleagant was pacing the hall of his villa, thinking hard on the replacement for Belvedere. The latter had left him with the new person named Henri but the Master feared that Henri was not to do the task.

“Master, you have a guest. A Lord Amish is here.” The servant to Master Meleagant announced the late-night guest.

“I will meet him.” Master Meleagant told the servant.

‘Lord Amish, I got your message. How was the meet with the others? And the …”

“The Black Knight has accepted the fees if we can pay him.” Lord Amish replied.

“So, the life of Lord Pendragon is due to end.” Master Meleagant smiled. “Lord Amish, we have an understanding.”

“Yes, we do. The Lord dies and I will take over. Then you will get a portion of his farms. In return for the coins, you have given me.”

 “We have then an agreement. The coins will be delivered tomorrow. Another thing, Lord Amish. How did you get the Black Knight to do the task? That puzzles me most.”

“The Black Knight is a mercenary. He was once a young knight under Lord Gorlois hence he was offered a small tract of land to build his castle. He works for the highest bidder than and still does.

“Would have age dull his …. Skills?” Master Meleagant asked.

“I don’t know but we shall know soon.” Lord Amish dismissed himself. It was then Young Meleagant appeared in the hall.

“Father, have you made much track on the lady I had seen?”

“No, my son. I was rather busy with other matters. Why do you pre-occupied with that lady? If she is the household of Lord Pendragon then dire issues await you.”

“Hush, father. It’s not that I intend to kidnap or harm her. I am just curious about her.” Young Meleagant replied. “Good night, father.”

It was not all sweet dreams for Lady Igraine. She had relented to the Lord’s visit upon her after many refusals. He had taken no delay in having her on the bedding and his lust upon her person. She was relieved that he did not take long before he retired back to his chamber. She got out of the bedding and put on her nightgown. She was not troubled by the act of the Lord, but a part of her spoke of impending danger. She reached for the bag where she kept in the drawer of the cupboard next to her bedding. She reached in to retrieve the bones and scattered them on the table. She then drew on her breath and chanted some words in the ancient unspoken language. The bones on the table quivered and then moved on its own. It formed into a design that she was able to read.

Lady Igraine gasped in horror.

Her Lord was in danger.

“Black is the darkness. Evil is the intent.” Lady Igraine mumbled out. She needed to warn the Lord but he resents her doing her witchery. She needed to find another way to warn or protect him.

“Green will be the shade. It’s a living shade.” Lady Igraine muttered. “He owes me.”

It was then Sir Bernlak of Haus having taken off his armor stood there before the full-length mirror. He saw himself there in the flesh. He had withered in his frame over the years. He was once of strength and skills, but of late he found himself tired at the limbs. He had served as long as the Green Knight but the latter had kept himself in shape. Bernlak had not much of that but he held a weapon that allowed him to fight off the demons that plagued him.

“Yes, your realm may be over.” Bernlak smiled. He had fought for Lord Gorlois not in the true sense but of the mystical enemies. He served well until the druid took over that task. The Green Knight left the service of the Lord to travel and pursued his enemies elsewhere or they did of upon his travels. He returned long after the death of Lord Gorlois.

“Igraine…” Sir Bernlak recalled the lady. She was younger then and was a beauty to behold. He remembered he had liked her but with her status as the Lord Pendragon’s lady, he had kept his distance. He knew that Lord Pendragon then the same feelings for her. He was to caution the Lord but he found himself dismissed then. He rode off then but the mind was still on her for some time.

“Sir Bernlak, I need you.” The voice called to the knight. Sir Bernlak rushed to his sword and held it.

“With thee, I am protected.” Such was the power of the sword in the hands of the knight. The murmurings that he heard were gone. He felt relieved and then climbed into the bedding with the sword by his side. In his dream, he saw Igraine.

“You owed me.”