Arthur II Book IV Chapter 1

 

Jimmy Loong

Start May 24th 2020

Ending delayed to Feb 2021

Book IV

The Fall of Arthur and the Knights

 

The tale of Arthur had to come to end. It’s like any tale on a Kingdom including many huge Kingdoms like the Mongols, the Romans and even the great Alexander. All that begin will eventually have to end; nothing lasts forever.

 

There are a few events that marked the downfall era of Arthur:

 

l  The infamous relationship of Lancelot and Guinevere. I should say illicit relationship for they were not bound by wedded terms. Well, it was then.

n  There were the events of how Lancelot in the rescues of Guinevere’ apparently she always needed rescuing. It may be the point of literary to portray the lady in the rescue needs.

n  The rescue (again) of Guinevere from the burning stake after she was accuse of being unfaithful. 

u  It was said that Mordred told Arthur of Lancelot was seen with the Queen. She was captured and put on trial for adultery.

l  The pursuit of the Holy Grail; so what was the Grail? Was it a cup as suggested in many literatures or a dish as said by others?

l  Does it give immortality? Or cure the wounds? Or repel ailments?

n  Who was there? Or rather who was the one who retrieve the Grail

u  Percival

u  Galahad

u  Gawain

u  Bors

u  Lancelot

n  They went by ship Corbenic.

n  It was told that three found the Cup, and was to send it to the Holy Land

u  Percival - who then retired and never return to Camelot He lived outside of Sarras as a hermit.

u  Galahad or was it Gawain who died after he returned it. He was quoted as returning to God’s side.

u  Bors returned to Camelot to tell the others.

 The fall of Arthur was due to two main events.

n  Guinevere

u  The fall of Arthur came about after the trail of the Queen. He had banished Lancelot from the land, who had sought refuge in France.

u  In his anger, Arthur wanted to pursue Lancelot and traveled there leaving Camelot to the care of Mordred. The later was to betray Arthur and took over Camelot.

n  Mordred

u  Arthur returned to battle Mordred and was later joined by Lancelot who came just in time to see Arthur fatally wounded inflicted by Mordred.

l  After the fall of Arthur

n  Excalibur was returned to the Lake

u   Two things varied by different references

l  One, Arthur did not die but was taken into the Lake to recover

l  Two, Excalibur was returned by whom? Some said Tristan, and some said Belvedere.

Those were the notable passages of Arthur’s tale.

Now what about the others in the tale.

l  The ladies of the Lake

n  Morgan Le Fay

n  Morgause Le Fay (or was the same as above)

n  Lady Elaine

n  The other ladies

u  Vivianne

u  Ninniane

u  Others

l  Merlin

l  The other notable knights

l  And finally Camelot

Then came the part where I am to add in my sections to the tale.

l  The Meleagant

l  Marius of the Ninth Cohort

l  The other knights

n  Erec

n  Sir Kay

n  Belvedere

n  Jaseth - Green Knight

n  Lord Ban

 

 

 

 

 

 

The conflicts of the knights

1.

I saw the barbarian charging at me with the raised mallet held in this hand. I had to wait for the right timing before I crouched down to swing my broadsword onto his lower chest and spilled his guts out on the field. The barbarian fell and I brought down my sword one more time on the back of his neck to make sure he is dead. On stabbing him in the neck, I felt the need to twist the blade to cut off his spine. Let him live his next life as the spineless mortal and never to raise a sword against me.

"Auric dies!" I shouted out to the others who are on the same battlefield. My voice traveled wide and reached their ears as they all stop their fighting. No one wants to risk death or being injured to a lost cause when the leader is not more. I removed my sword from the dead body and wiped the blood off its blade. It was then I felt the wounds on my body where the armor did not protect but they are not fatal or it would be lying there on the ground.

"We win again, Lancelot. Well done, my knights." I heard my King and good friend, Arthur of Camelot. Yes, he rejoices as we have beaten yet another foe and we can go home now. He called forth the other knights and they staggered towards their King. The battle was brief but intense and most of them were tired from the hard riding and the battle.

Arthur had hail everyone a hero of the realm while they stood upright back up ignoring the flow of blood that seeped out of the wounds in their bodies. Heroes do not get to moan and groan at those petty cuts. It was a part of involved in the battle and they were thankful, they were still there. But the ones not there were the ones who had their soul remove from the body.

Auric who lies there on the ground would be telling his tale at the grand table when he meets his ancestors. For the living ones, it would soon be a round table and feasted by the servants after they are soothed with balms and bandages to the cuts. They will drink and eat to the victory before they are called to go home or to some servant's bedding.

Lancelot’s bedding was to be with Elaine his wedded lover, but the ride back to Joyous did not beckon then. He was tempted to move to the tavern with the local wenches who would moan and screamed of his humping on their body.

“I know not to desire at times but the evil thought of my King who goes back to his wife, the lady Guinevere. My evil thoughts then would be his thrust into her as they are locked a passion of love. For every thrust he does to her, I would do the same with more force here like when I wield my sword. I care not for the wench beneath me nor of my battle wounds. I hold not the soothing of my hate on knowing my love is being served by another.”

Those were his exact thoughts when he staggered out of Camelot. He had his back turned on his King and yet in battle he fought alongside.

Soon, Lancelot stood naked inside the deserted ruined place of worship on the hill. He had stripped off his tunic and stood there naked of all clothing and also of bandages. Blood seeped from his wounds while his mind flirted with his anger.

“I am in need to redeem my sin. My sin not of my love for my King's wife but the fact that I could have killed my King today from the back if not for the intervention of Auric. Arthur's back was exposed to me then, and all I need to do was to thrust my sword into his back.” Lancelot confessed. He then retrieved the two 'cat-o-nine' whip. It balanced well in both his hands and raised it high above him. He brought it in a swooping lash to the side of his left waist. The whip end curled itself around his waist to the back.

“Arghhh….” Lancelot screamed. The lashing had opened up unhealed and new wounds, causing scores of blood to open up. The pain was excruciating but he did not stop there. He raised his hands and brought it down again.

Lancelot discovered flagellation from the friar he saved from some French knights.

“It’s way to cleanse you of your sins. God will hear your penance in your pain.” Lancelot was told. He found it more rewarding to his mind and heart than humping some wenches in the tavern wishing it was his love he was humping. No one knew of his action for the armor concealed the wounds and if seen, it can be attributed to old battles.

"Stop!" Lancelot heard the voice and knew it well. His arms went down and slowly he turned to see the person who dares to command me. She stood there with her cloak covering her body from the cold winds. "I am your Queen. Obey my order or face the King's wrath.

She walked towards me and stood behind him. He did not turn to look at her for he felt ashamed to see her but she commanded him to do so.

"No, my Queen I cannot. I am ashamed to face you. Please go and leave me to my punishment. It’s for my foul deed to think of killing the King. "Lancelot’s head hung down in shame while he spoke of his intention to her.

"Lancelot, you did not kill him. Explain from you these foul thoughts. Was it because of......?” The Queen paused in her words.

"Yes, my Queen. Because he is yours and I cannot have you. I am destined to live my life at your side but never with you. Every time he retires to the chamber with you, I am left with a raging desire to kill him. In my mind then, he is ravaging you and not loving you. It should be who should love you." Lancelot spoke out his mind.

 "Give me the lashes, Sir Lancelot." Lancelot handed her the whip. She must have stood back for a while before she steps forth to lash his back with it. He felt every stroke that hit his body and it did not pain that course through it but the pleasure of love and lust. He fell with his hands covering his face but she did not stop at all. It must have been twenty or more lashes before she stopped. He looked down at the flooring and saw the pool of blood there. It glistens like some spreading of the bread and yet he wanted to taste it.

Lancelot placed his finger on it and then stuck it in my mouth. It tasted not of blood from the wounds of his battles but something sweet. It was then; He felt her body holding him from the back. It hurt him for her holding him had pulled at the open wounds, and the blood seeped out.

“Arghhh…” Lancelot moaned not of pain but pleasure. The Queen rubbed her body against his back and kissed him on the neck. She also licked at the blood that was spilled there.

"Lay with me, Lancelot. Do it here on the flooring where your blood flows wide. Use that as our bedding and give me my desire."

Lancelot turned to face her and she was all there in her nude body. She had removed her cloak and gown before she lashed him. He recalled her beauty from the first time they laid. He reached for her face and laid lips to hers. There was blood but they felt were desire. She pulled him down onto her body and spread herself for him.

"Do me, Lancelot. Show me your desire. I am your Queen and I command it."

“Yes…” Lancelot cried out. His consciousness soon opened up and found himself back at his chamber, in Joyous. He looked at himself wet from the body sweat nude on the bedding. He turned to his left and saw Elaine, his wedded lover seated there. She was dressed in the silky gown that she wore to sleep.

“My Lord, you were shouting.” Elaine looked at him. “Was it a dream?”

Lancelot shook his head and then stepped off the bedding. He approached the washbasin and washed. He felt her hands around him.

“I can take care of you, my Lord,” Elaine whispered to his ears.

“No, I must be going.” Lancelot pulled away.

“My Lord, you have just returned to Joyous. What rush have you to do outside?” Elaine looked at Lancelot. The latter did not reply and walked to retrieve his tunic. He was soon out of the door before she could stop him. Elaine looked to the wall opening at the chamber. It was still dark out there, and she wondered what he needed to do then. She sighed then. He had been avoiding her for days when they are together and his excuses were to do battle with Arthur.

“Lancelot, I hate you,” Elaine muttered to herself. “What has she had that I do not have?”

Elaine heard the lover of her mumbled the other name in his sleep. Initially, she was shocked but later she saw him look at his expression when he was near the Queen. How could he desire the lady who was the Queen, and he served the King. She thinks he was made to love her but she knew that she was mad to love him for she had not felt any of it for him then.

“Love is a pain to some and pleasure to another,” Elaine remembered those words spoken to her the other ladies. “You can pretend to love to be with him.”

Elaine was with Lancelot for he was her protector, as Guinevere was with Arthur. They are all fools in love. She turned away to look at the empty bedding.

“It will be filled up one day but not by him,” Elaine said to herself. As for Lancelot, all he wanted was to be away. After a short ride in the time before dawn, Lancelot reached the hut where his trusted friar had taken as the humble abode. His knock on the door was brief and the friar attended to his needs.

“Your armor is ready, Sire.’ Friar Tate saddled the horse, while the knight checked his armor. “There will be a tournament two days from today. It will be the celebration of Arthur on his victory over the raiders.”

Lancelot heard the friar. It had been two seasons of peace and then the raiders appeared on the coastal settlements. Arthur had commanded the knights to repel the raiders. It took them half a season to battle and then remained to ensure that none returned.

It was even then that Arthur and Camelot were not spared of calamities.