Arthur II Chapter 30 End of Book One

 30.

Caer Lion may have been a fortress but the sight of its current look was another neglected castle. It was perched on the cliff overlooking the huge lake to its rear while the path towards the castle was by its narrow entrance. It was like an island but it sat on the cliff instead of the water. The sides of the castle were bordered by the sheer drop cliff.

“It’s a secured location, impregnable by the looks of it. I wondered how it withstood a siege.” Artorius studied the castle design. They have reached the castle camped on the land near it. The castle was about another eight hundred feet away sloping upwards on the terrain. “It held the main gate here and none to the sides. I wondered how they could get supplies if are blocked at the front gate.”

“Aye, Arthur. What you see now is the inner castle. Caer Lion as it was named held another section to the front here where the area is wider. The walls were to here where we stand now.” Merlin stomped his feet on the overgrown grass. “There are stones below us. Over the years, with the fall …. Or, shall I say emptied the castle of its Lord, the local warriors here have removed the outer walls of its stones.”

“Where you stand now was its the gateway to past the outer walls. The walls were high and covered the length of the land here from that cliff to the other. It held three tall towers for the sentries, and housed the barracks and stables for its army.”

“You know well of its design, Merlin.” Artorius looked at the druid.

“Do not balk at my knowing, Arthur. Here lies once before the castle of Lord Gorlois.” Merlin told Prime. “I was his adviser and with my help, the castle was built.”

“Lord Gorlois? Was he not deposed by …” Artorius searched for the name in his mind?

“A great Lord and he held much of the land here in his name. He had a lady named Igraine. He loved her but she betrayed him to her lover, Lord Pendragon.”

“Lord Pendragon, yes. That was the name I was reaching for.” Artorius tapped his right hand at his head. “Age has taken hold of my memory.”

“You are not old, Arthur.” Merlin smiled. “It’s your campaign that dazzled your mind. Let it clear and you will be fine.”

“Tell me of Lord Gorlois,” Artorius asked.

“The Lord was a great leader, and he united a large part of the lands under his banner. He fought off the invaders and even the Romans. He kept them to the South while he ruled the North. He was with good knights but one betrayed him.”

“For the love of the Lord’s bride.” Merlin sighed.

“It was a beautiful ceremony held by the Lord for his bride. He was older but he loved his wife who was almost half his age. He boasted of her beauty to the others, and many praised his bride. She was a lucky lady to be picked by the Lord.”

“You sang praises for the lady. Was she …?”

“Lady Igraine but she was soon taken in by deceit from the vassal of the Lord. It was Lord Pendragon then having been younger had laid his lust on Lady Igraine. He used witchcraft to seduce her. He got himself the disguise as the Lord and visited the Lady in her chamber when Lord Gorlois was away on a hunt.”

“How did you know of this?” Artorius asked.

“It was I who administered the spell,” Merlin admitted. “I was …”

“Witchcraft? I am surprised. I thought you for a sorcerer.” Artorius mocked the other.

“I am but I knew some of the witches’ spells too. “Anyway, Lord Gorlois found out and wage war on Lord Pendragon. They fought and Lord Pendragon won. However, he was ostracised by the others. Lord Pendragon soon left for the main continent and the Lords leaderless soon squabble and fight. The land was fraught with war for a long time.”

“And yourself? The one who assisted in the betrayal. What did you do?”

“I was …. I did not betray my Lord. I was misled by another. Lovers do.” Merlin defended himself. “Thereafter, I was without a Lord, and I wandered the lands. I assisted no one and fought no one.”

“Till you met the Ghost?” Artorius stamped the mark on Merlin.

“Yes, Lawnslot is the real son of Lord Gorlois but was given up to his friend, King Bon to rise. It was an unsettling period then on the land.”

“Say that again, druid.” It was Lawnslot who re-joined them then. “My father is Lord Gorlois?”

“Lawnslot, King Bon was your Lord Gorlois’s friend.” Merlin looked at the other.

“He never…” Lawnslot looked away. “I was sent away before I could even know my real father.”

“King Bon was a great King of Normandy. He befriended Lord Gorlois and they maintained peace on their land.”

“I was told that my father was killed before me. I know not who it was then. King Bon, He sent me off to the ladies before he was killed.” Lawnslot recalled the death of King Bon. “He was killed by his own.”

“It was the bargain your father had to do to ensure you were safe. He got you sent off so that you can return to reclaim his throne, Little Bear.” Merlin called Lawnslot by the name that was seen on the stars. “Arondight was his gift to you to mark his legacy onto you.”

“And what is my legacy? To avenge King Bon or Lord Gorlois?”

“To rightfully unite the Lords on the land as your father did,” Merlin told him. “But the stars stated that …”

“I am Little Bear. I can be the Lord but not the King. I am unworthy to be one and yet I am to unite the Lords. What lies are you spewing out now?” Lawnslot glared at Merlin. “I distrust you more. I am leaving now.”

“With my men, Roman,” Lawnslot replied to Artorius. “Big Bear.”

“What ails him, druid?”

“He is troubled, Arthur. He will recover and then he will re-join us.” Merlin replied. “I must …”

No, I will not hear of the legacy. I would like to know about the castle here. You mentioned of the grandeur but I could not see the …’

“It was the conceptual design then. I was the one who crafted the layout for Lord Gorlois but he only got the inner castle build. He was always at war and had not the time to complete the entire castle. We did prepare the foundations but the works were halted many times. In the end, with the death of Lord Gorlois, the castle was left incomplete.”

Artorius looked at the castle and then at the land before it. He liked the location and decided to complete the castle.

“It shall be done. It will carry a new name.” Artorius spoke. “I liked its location. It oversees the huge lake that resembled the sea from the view here. To the land, it’s bordered by the trees that looked like it fruiting for the season. There was one place like this named Avalon. Yet, it mystical for it was never visited it’s heard by many.”

“Avalon is in the nether dimension,” Merlin explained. “It’s the very dimensions of the Gods and the …”

“And imaginable friends of yours.” Artorius laughed. “Forget Avalon. Look to the South. We have Camulodunum to the South. The first Roman city was erected on Britannica. It once belonged to King Cunobelinus. He was a great King then and was once called the King of the Britons; He united the land under his rule. He and his lineage had occupied that town until the Romans took its stake there. We built the first castrum (Roman legionary fortress) there.”

“And here in the North now, I will build a new castrum. I will name it….”

“Camulodunum,” Merlin interjected in. “Camulodunum sister fortress in the North.”

“No, it shall not be the sister but the elder brother of it …... No, it will be greater than that. It will rival Rome to build over five hills.”

“Hills, Arthur. We hold no hills here.” Merlin looked baffled.

“It cannot go up then it will go down. The castle will cover the length to here where I stand so it can be seen from the treeline, and …... it will cover the cliff downwards to reach the waters where I will have ships to dock. It will present a great castle that no other can rival it.”

“I …” Merlin was taken aback by the design that overshadowed his own. “I …”

“I will not have your head as Lord Gorlois had threatened. You will appease the dragons of my castle. I shall not overtake their lair but shared it. Their lair will be known on the name as …... Camelot, the great castle in the North.”

“Camelot it’s.” Merlin smiled. “And the castle needs its Lord. Or …... King.” But Arthur had stepped away to his men. Merlin shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

“You can avoid your fate for only so long, Arthur. Soon it will come for you.”

 

 

End of Book One