Arthur II Book IV Chapter 26

 26

Be is about of skills or strength, Jaseth found himself losing to the other who was improving in the battle. Lancelot himself in his short exile had lost the thirst for battle then found his skills back. Arondight familiar once more in his hands lent to his blows and soon Jaseth was on his back twice that bout.

“I yield, Lancelot.” Jaseth smiled while laid to his back, with his halberd dropped to the side.

“You have to, Green Knight for I am back in form.” Lancelot drew his sword from the chest plate of the other. “If you had not, I will have you a wound that you may not heal from.”

“We have battled for three days and my mind remains the same. I will not ride with Arthur. He had done me many damages that I cannot redeem from him.” 

“Lancelot, he was your King.” Jaseth had then sat up.

“Let me tell you a tale of mine with Arthur. We had different names then. He was a Roman then; Artorius the Prime Pilus by the name and I was Lawnslot the Ghost. Both of us were on opposing sides, and we fought until the Anglo Saxon’s threat made us allies. We became friends but not for long. We were taken to task n our love for a lady, and she chose me for her lover in the flesh and him in her protection. The latter he had failed for I had to rescue her several times for him while he was King. We became allies and no more friends like before. When he tried to burn her at the stakes, I became back his enemy.”

“The Queen…. Guinevere?” Jaseth was speechless. “I know not of …love for I was raised in the monastery and then a life of serving the people.”

It was between those words, that Jaseth thoughts reverted to Morgan whom he was supposed to father a child, and yet he knew not of how. That child was to be the King now.

“You are spared life’s misery, my good friend.” Lancelot laughed. “The pains of the lovers is not in the making but the aftermath of it. If we are not we may be shouldered with the burdens of a lifetime.”

“Like a …family? A child you do not…” Jaseth looked to words to hold his speech.

“Yes, a child can be a blessing or a burden.” Lancelot smiled. “I was hoping for one. With both my lovers, I have none. I may just die alone. Like you.”

“I…You are right. We are both lonesome.” Jaseth replied. “I must go now. Arthur needs me. We are battle soon.”

“Ride with safety, my friend. I shall not join you.” Lancelot stepped away to retrieve his mount. He mounted the horse and then looked at Jaseth. “Lancelot bid you farewell. If we meet again, call me Lawnslot.”

“You are a fool, Lancelot. That will remain your name for a lifetime.” Jaseth had stood up then replied. He watched the knight rode off and then retrieved his own.

“Horse, we are all fools.” Jaseth held the horse by the rein and mounted it. “We ride now.”

Fools were they then the thought on Lord Bors’s mind when he remembered his brother, Lord Ban. He was shackled to the wall, and tortured by the King’s men on the whereabouts of the sword. When he returned the sword to Vivianne, he had asked her to remove his memory of it.

“I do not want to reveal the sword's whereabouts. Please help me.” Lord Bors had requested. “I will not have the blood of another on my hands.”

Lord Bors wish was granted thus him ending up at the dungeon. He scoffs at his predicament. He recalled his younger days with his brother riding freely and pillaging when they need to. It was a life of freedom and despite their father’s plea to return to manage their family land. It was only upon the death of their father, did they return and was soon conferring with the Elders on the land and other matters. It was the other matters which intrigued them for it involved also pillaging and in some incidents, the death of the others.  They led on their life under Lord Pendragon, and soon later with Arthur. It was a good life until he betrayed his brother on the advice of the Elders.

“Ban is a threat to you. He wants to take on what is yours for Bern.” Bors was without a child, and Bern was his nephew. “Remove him and all is yours.”

Bors did that but regretted his action. He confronted the Elders on it.

“You did act on our instruction for we knew both of you were planning to remove us. Now that you killed your brother, and if you do us all, Bern will be told.” Bors was warned. “You killed Bern’s father.”

Lord Bors had wanted to end the Elder’s lives but he did not. Instead, he rode to see Arthur seek redemption but was surprised by the quest laid out. He volunteered to join in to cleanse his sins. It was a long journey and longer still was his stay at Sarras where he was given the light to the pathway to see redemption from God. He repented and offered to return to clear his name. Instead, he was imprisoned. Every form of torture was used on him and yet he will not tell. All he ever uttered was the words he had learned at Sarras, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).

“Lord Bors, it's me. Friar Tate. I am here to help you.” Lord Bors heard the words but with his pains, he understood little of it.

“Friar, who are you? Did God send you?” Lord Bors asked.

“No, I was sent by Molly from the Tavern. She heard of your imprisonment and told me to do the rescue. I will do so, and you will be kept at her tavern.” Friar Tate replied. “I had bribed the guards and those I could not, I left senseless with the barrels of wine. We will leave now.”

It was how Lord Bors was rescued and took refuge with Molly. He was not told of Arthur’s return then.

Merlin knew of the Le Fay’s sisters' return though from Vivianne. She met him at the fabled forest where she met Ronin, and Merlin was summoned.

“I am banished from the lake but I held the Balin’s sword with me. We can battle the sisters with it.” Vivianne looked at Merlin. “With their defeat, I can claim my rank back.”

“Lady Vivianne, the Le Fay’s sisters are powerful in their spells. They were once the ladies of the lake and learned much of its secrets. They also have Camelot in their hands. And I was told that the dragons that were once the guardians of the land there have returned. They were banished by Merlin when he tricked them with Gorlois.” Ronin spoke up. Both Merlin and Vivianne looked at him.

“Well, we have the news via the magic vibes, and I guess neither of you is on the lines.” Ronin sighed. “We cannot battle the sisters alone but needed new allies.”

“Where are we to find allies now?” Merlin asked.

“We came on request from Ronin.” The voices came from behind Merlin. It was the Centaur; dozen of them armed with the bow and arrows with the long sword on their waist belt. They were not alone; the dwarves were there, a small group of seven dressed in the chain mails for armor, and held their picks and axes. They arrived with what was to be named the ballista cart

“We were told there are dragons to flay and where there are dragons, are the hoards of gold.”

There was also the arrival of the hand-sized pixies with their tiny spears that stung on contact. There were the five huge ogres with a single eye, standing twice the height of Merlin and held the cudgel.

“The others are not too worried about the affair of Man.” The Centaur leader spoke for the new arrivals.

“And he may be right but we came because of the fabled forest.” Ronin was surprised by the arrivals of his clan from the elves, with their swords and shields. He rode with two dozen of them.

“Lord Elfin, I did not expect…” Ronin bowed to his Lord.

“And you did the unexpected. You brought in Man into the forest and offered them sanctuary. Now you offered to battle with them, and risk the fabled forest to be destroyed should you be defeated. We will not battle here but in the place of our selection.”

“Where will that be?” Ronin asked.

“At the lake and also at Camelot. As we speak now, the dragons are back at Camelot, and the lake is under attack by the Le Fay’s sisters.” Lord Elfin replied. “I have with me a dozen soldiers to assist me.”