Arthur II Book II Chapter 2

 

2

 

Garth of Gurnion had both his hands gripped hard on the armrest of the chair. He was at the hall in his castle at Gurnion. He had news that the Romans were marching towards the castle. He was with his trusted aides.

“How long will it be before the Romans arrived?’

“Tomorrow they will arrive,” The aide to Garth told him. “We have Chief Macken to come with another hundred.”

“There will be another army to aid me? Then we can hold the castle.” Garth was elated with the news. Unknown to Garth, Hengist had also marched his then assembled army towards Gurnion.

“We are slowed by the fog that covered the trail.” Artorius was reported by Percival whose Equities have acted as scouts. “My riders are having difficulty picking the paths.”

Artorius marched at the front with his army of a hundred twenty legionnaires, eighty Auxiliaries, and with Aubin’s Sarmatians of twenty. He had left the others to defend the castle at Caer lion. The Equities were in full strength. He had wished that Merlin will travel with him but the former needed to locate the Ghost.

“I fear that the works of Syaitan are upon us,” Aubin muttered a prayer of his own after he told Percival. The Equities leader then off his horse had walked with the Sarmatians leader ahead of the army.

“I have advised the Prime and he has taken caution,” Percival replied. He turned to look at the Prime. He was on his horse and the newly acquired shield once was held by Belvedere next to Prime. Percival was not a believer of miracles and faith but with his own experiences with it, he also muttered a prayer for himself.

The fog was dense as the veteran legionnaires had sampled in the Black Forest at Gaul. One of the legionnaires, Marcus held onto this pilum and shield with the alert for any charging barbarians. He looked to the young recruit, a lad out of three months of training at Hispania before he was shipped to Britannica. 

“Glaco, Glaco Toas. Is that your name?” Marcus asked.

“Yes, it’s. I was from Milan and was …” Glaco was nervous. He had not seen real battles then.

“Keep faith in your training, young Glaco. We will be fine. Stay by my side.” Marcus told the young lad.

“Will you protect me?” Glaco asked.

“Nay, but I will see that you die quick and less painful.” Marcus decided some humor may ease the lad’s fear but it was not. He then assured the young lad.

“I will see to your back, young Glaco. Do not fear.”

“Thank you, Marcus. My mother awaits my papers when I leave the Legion. We will have our farm.” Glaco smiled. “She is alone. Are you with any family, Marcus?”

Marcus was lost for words then. He had a family but with his stupidity, he had lost them. It was years then he had not seen or contacted them. He looked to the young lad.

“Me? I am not with any family I do long for….”

“Then I will have my mother see you. You can visit her when you have your papers.”

“Are you not too keen to …” Marcus was looking for the words to say. He was more used to whoring and foul terms than the family heard words.

“Marcus, she is as old as you and my father had died years ago. It will be good for her to have a companion as I am now with you. I will look up to you for …. Guidance.”

Marcus smiled at the thought. He kept his silence and marched closer with Glaco.

If it was easier to locate Lawnslot, then Merlin would not have sighed with frustration. He found the Ghost after a day of fruitless findings. Lawnslot was at a new campsite with some Chiefs that he met and was at the conference when Merlin stumbled in. The druid having no part in the conference just walked up and sat himself down at the circle. He reached for the goblet of mead before he spoke.

“Lawnslot, I was looking for you since dawn. Where…... why are you here?” Merlin looked at the other. He found himself the center of attention with the other two guests of the Ghost staring at him.

“Druid, I am in discussion with the Chiefs here for the battle with the Anglo Saxons.” Lawnslot snapped at the druid. “What manners of you to intrude on here?”

“Sorcery! I come to warn you.” Merlin called out. “I sensed sorcery at works. More like mine or maybe not but it’s on the path of the Romans. They had marched to Gurnion.”

“So, it’s true then. You are allied to the Romans.” One of the Chiefs confronted Lawnslot. “We will not be allied to you then. We despise the Romans as much as the Anglo Saxons.”

With that, the two Chiefs left the circle with Lawnslot fuming in anger. He glared at the druid.

“Have you lost your mind? I have enough of the Romans. I am down to about twenty of my men. Some had left at dusk before.” Lawnslot hit out.

“You may be low in the numbers but Arthur is in danger. The Big Bear needs the Little Bear.” Merlin pleaded. “And I have to counter the spells that were sent onto them.”

“Madness prevailed in you, druid.” Lawnslot stared at the druid. “The Romans are in the hundreds while I have twenty only.”

“But you hold Arondight. It will shatter the spell over the Romans. It’s the demon slayer.”

“Arondight? My sword is mine. The Romans have to find their own.” Lawnslot replied. “We have parted ways.”

“Arthur will find his sword but for now he needs your help. Think about that, the Romans needed your help. Can you see the …” Merlin looked for the word to use then to state the point across?

“Your Arthur has to do …. Alone.”

Arthur or Artorius as he still then tapped the reins to move his horse. His faithful mare, Llamrei had ridden him from Gaul to Britannica, and in many campaigns. It was a warhorse seasoned by the noise of battles and the sight of blood. It was wounded on its flanks but the healers have mended it with the potions.

“Steady on, Llamrei. We had been through worse.” The horse neighed on the voice of its master. Artorius leaned forward to look at the path ahead but it was covered with fog. He swore he had seen some movements there but he was unsure and decided not to alarm the men.

“Prime, may I call upon you to carry the shield? It may not be much but it may lend light to your sight.” Belvedere motioned to the shield. Artorius took it up with his left hand and then saw the red dragon motif on it.

“It’s a fiery dragon, Belvedere.”

“Aye, one whose flames will light the darkness.”

Artorius held it high. He felt the vibrations to his left arm as it traveled to his chest and then to the legs. His horse had then picked up its paces and unbelievably then, Artorius sight of the path ahead was clearer. It was indeed a miracle.

“I can see ahead,” Artorius called out. His call was echoed by the men behind him.

“We are leaving the forest soon,” Artorius called out.

It was just then when Hengist arrived at the castle. He met Garth in the yard.

“I lived my pledge towards you, Garth of Gurnion. I brought with me a hundred men.”