Arthur II Book II Chapter 22

 

22.

 

From the hill, Percival kicked at the horse to spur it on at the fight below He and his riders; the three brothers have followed the lady for some distance. He saw the other riders at the right flank. He had the riders took a turn to watch them but they were never to approach them.

“Decurion, should we not meet them?” Gawain had asked.

“No. They have not posed a threat to us or the lady. They may be on the same trail.”

That was soon to be questioned when the Decurion saw two groups of riders have approached the lady from different directions. The riders had remained in wait at the nearby treelines and rode towards the covered wagon in two groups. He counted six of them in each group. He saw the riders accompanying the ladies took off in the opposite direction.

“Fools!” Percival had then spurred his horse towards the wagon. The brothers have done the same. While he was riding down the hill, he saw the solitary rider had reached the wagon. He will see to that with whoever that was to watch the other rider of his own. Complacency will be punished.

The Green Knight rode into the rear of the right group and slashed with his sword on the rump of the horse. It caused the horse to stumble and threw off its rider. He moved onto the next rider and saw the threat of the crossbow. The bow was a new design like a small version of the ballistae but hand-held. It fired a wooden bolt instead of an arrow. At the close range, he was to the other, the bolt will penetrate his armor. He turned to the side when the bolt was released and felt the bolt barely missed him at the left shoulder. He spurred the horse on and slashed at the other on the right thigh near the hip. The rider wounded by the deep cut had fallen off the horse.

“We are being attacked!” An obvious alert by the other four riders.

“Take him on. Let Hubert pursue the wagon. Remove the driver.” The apparent leader of the four riders called out. They veered their mount to meet the knight. It was then the Green Knight had his look on the riders.

“French warriors! I should have known.” The French mercenaries were there on the land and offered their services to the highest bidder.

The knight did not hesitate and rode towards them. He picked up his shield with his left hand, while his right hand held the sword. The horse had served him well as all his previous horses. He had a way to train the horses, and they respond well to his knees and legs to direct them.

The knight went for the leader. It was said that removed the head of the serpent and the others will flee. The knight rode towards the leader and used his shield to block the sword from one other rider while he swung his sword at the leader. The swing missed and he rode past the leader. He turned his horse and went for the leader but his path was blocked by another. He ducked on the swing of the mallet, and in turn, cut his sword on the attacker in the ribs. It was a deep cut but the blade won’t get held there.

The knight pulled his sword away with the blood spurting from the attacker's side, but he was soon to block another attack. The knight used his shield sharp end to cut into the attacker’s right shoulder. He rode past and was in pursuit of the leader. His chase was short when he saw the leader brought down with the arrow in the chest. It was those other riders he had seen on the hill.

Percival had caught up with the second group but they broke loose of their formation. Two riders have taken to grab the wagon’s horse reins and led it to the trees. He saw Gawain had taken down the fleeing rider with an arrow. That left the four who had decided to cover the flank against them five riders including the knight.

Percival wasted no time when he drew the bow and released the arrow at the attacker. He brought down the rider and the other three were taken care of by the brothers.

“Chase the wagon,” Percival told the brothers. He then faced the unknown rider in the green armor.

“Hail knight.” Percival addressed the green armored rider. He heard and seen of such warriors who called themselves knights and they fought for the weak, but not all. He had heard of some who fought for coins like the mercenaries.

“I am Decurion Percival. It seems we are on the same trail and with similar intentions.”

“Lady Guinevere is my care. I am task to protect her.” The knight replied.

“As I am by the Prime Pilus of the First Cohort.” Percival declared.

“Bah, Roman legionnaires…. I detest all of you.”

“Pardon me, Sir. We are not like the Anglo Saxons or them. We…”

“Invaders to the land.” The knight snapped back. “We will not ride together. I need to check on my care.”

Percival turned to look and saw the wagon was in the safe custody of the brothers. The two mercenaries had fled towards the treelines. He turned towards the knight and saw the other had ridden off to the hill where another awaits him with a smaller mount to ride on.

“Decurion, the lady is safe. She is in shock but safe.” Galahad had reported. “Who is the other one?”

“I never got his name. He is the caretaker of the lady and detests us.” Percival then turned to Galahad. “We will continue our task. We are near to the coasts now.”

The Green Knight met his squire on the slower mule. He handed over his shield before he sheathed the sword. He then slumped forward on the saddle.

“The lady will be safe for now. We will rest nearby. I am weary.” The knight then turned his horse to look for a proper place.

“Sire, there is a hut back there. I traded our coins for food. We can rest there.” Jaseth told the knight. They rode there. Meanwhile, Percival knocked on the covered wagon side.

“Lady Guinevere, my name is Percival. We are assigned by the Prime Pilus Artorius to escort you home.”

“Thank you.” The lady replied in a soft tone. “Thank you.”

“Take her there, driver.” Unknown to the Decurion, there was not Lady Guinevere in there. It was her maid in disguise. The real lady Guinevere was on a different trail on horseback with two guards of Lady Igraine. She was given a spell to hide her identity. 

“We are near your home, my lady.” The guards told her but the sight that greeted her was not known to her. Lady Guinevere panicked and then she saw Lady Igraine before her.

“Hello, my dear. You need not get worried. I am here.”

“Lady Igraine, you can’t be…. You are not her.” Guinevere tried to move her horse but her body was stiff.

“Very observant, Guinevere. Please allow me to tell you who I am.” The Lady Igraine image changed to a younger lady in the green gown. “My name is Morgause. I was one of the ladies of the Lake but I am my own now. I have taken you here to see you, and more to it I am intrigued by the lady who was to be Queen. Arthur likes you. Unfortunately for you.”

“Let me go. I am not a threat to you.” Guinevere pleaded with the other lady. She recalled when she was to leave; Lady Igraine appeared at her chamber.

“Come, my dear. We must be discreet. There is peril on your trip. I will have you travel with two of my guards. You do so on horseback and the ride will be long but swift. Here, dressed like a Man, and you can be on your way.”

Guinevere complied with the wishes of her caretaker. She was whisked off to the stables and rode off in the dark before dawn. Their stops were brief to water the horses and then they took off. Then she regretted her action not to check on the ones who were her.

“Emile, take her to the abandoned temple. Keep her secured and unharmed. I will be back.”

“Why me? I am no Queen. I did not …”

“You will be. Your destiny will be a Queen but to which King you shared your bedding will be of your choice.”

“I have not …. Consented to Arthur.” Guinevere voiced out meekly. “He is not my King.”

“Arthur? Are we on first names now? I am impressed by your character, Guinevere. You will be the bane of many hearts…… which I was denied. Do you know what it like was to be incarcerated into the realm to do nothing but learn the spells there? First, I am a woman. I held the comfort of a lost child in my arms. I cradled him to rest and looked at him like my own. I wanted then a life like that but my vow was to the Lake. I met Merlin the rascal was …. There and yet not to be mine. He was into Vivianne and although he spurred me on, yet he desired me for my warmth and not my heart.”

“I…” Guinevere was innocent to the feelings of love then.

“You will learn it soon. For now, you are a pawn in the game I am playing. I am holding Arthur’s Queen as my … bidding piece.” Lady Morgause looked to the two guards. “Take her away.”