Arthur; The legend and Myth Chapter 49

49.

Arthur sat by himself at the wall opening with his stare on the open sea. He was seen there many times with his mind pondering the major issues. He was King by namesake for a few weeks then but the coronation have yet to be conducted.

“Did you call me, Arthur?” It was agreed that among the twelve knights and the druid they were to call him by his name. After all, he did professed equality. Arthur looked over to the druid who had stepped into the chamber. Arthur had personally decorated the chamber form its bare walls to the elaborate adornments of the Legions with the replica eagles and the weapons. The later was stacked vertically against the walls with the swords, the spears and then the shields. There was the odd flair and hammer with the Picts daggers.

“I heard of the Anglo Saxons…” Merlin continued on what he assumed was the concern but Arthur turned to another.

“I sent the lady away.” Arthur interrupted. “I had to. She was so …”

“I heard about it.” Merlin turned away from Arthur. ”The only reason I could think of was that you were concern for her safety and Camelot may not be secured….”

The words trailed from Merlin and then he looked at Arthur.

“You were to wed her and be the King and Queen.” Merlin lost his patience then. “Why did you ride out there? To meet her or was it Lancelot?”

“I rode out to meet …Lancelot.”

“Nop, you were not.” The druid snapped back. “You were there to see the lady. I wondered why or was it the need to know who was to be your Queen. Did Morgause put you up?”

“Don’t mention her name. She has no part in it. It was one other.” Arthur words trailed off. “The coming war is my concern. And if I fail, then I will be discarded from the throne I was to be on.”

“I was approached by …No, I approached …”

“Yes, you approached an old ally to assist you.” Merlin completed the words for Arthur. “Was King Ban and Bors not sufficient? Or the Black Knight?”

“Yes, I an old ally. It was Earl Sevain. I was with him before.” Earl Sevain was a baron of the lands when Arthur had visited when he was still in the Legion. He rode in with a cohort of five hundred legionnaires and a detachment of Auxilia the mercenaries on horses. They were in the land to track down the Picts invaders that were seen there. He had seen the iron fort on the low hill and then rode in. The fort was named the iron forts for the walls that ringed it with the vertical incline and then the buildings were seen behind the walls with the hill height the castle was seen by far. There was the four towers that looms higher than the main building which may had housed the main hall and the personal chambers with the kitchen and dining. The barracks were on the right which could house over a hundred soldiers. The knights which there were fifty in the castle took their own accommodations there. The stables were on the left of the barracks and there was the armory there on the right. The servant quarters were to the rear and there was a rear gate to leave the fort.

Arthur then the Centurion rode towards the gates and was challenged.

“I want to see the head of the castle.” Arthur was then brought to the castle to meet the owner.

“I am Earl Sevain.” That was how he met the man and then the next important thing that he wished he had not forgotten.

“My daughter Lisanor.” The lady was dressed in a green gown but the waist belt with the quiver filled with arrows. The lady had her dark tresses kept long but kept it managed with the hair scarf to hold it in place at the forehead. She was plain look but her eyes were bluish and piercing. She had the bow in her right hand. The lady stared Arthur.

It was not a welcome sight but they got on along after a week’s stay in the castle.

“Do you have any more scars that I have not seen yet?.” Lisanor stared at the Centurion. Arthur turned his body to look at the scar that she was motioning. It was third deep love making in the locked chamber assigned to Arthur. Their intimate tryst began on the third visit after a slugging feast. She did hold a solid fist and Arthur have the mark to show for it.

“Yeah that was a nasty one which the arrow pierced me there when we were retreating.” Arthur rolled over to climb out of the bedding. “Normally, it will be you to be laid there.”

Lisanor strolled to the personal jug where she squatted over it. It was her morning ritual and then the cleaning of the mucks he left on her body. Arthur stood up before he flexed his muscles. Making love to the lady was one strenuous march with the weight lifting. He reached for the body cloth when she commented.

“You are going to hang it there or over your shoulders.” Arthur looked below and smiled before he replied.

“You could hang over me instead of there.” Arthur proudly moved his hips towards her. Lisanor smiled and then walked over. She reached out to his face and then leaned over to kiss him on the lips. Arthur’s arms went forward to grope at her breasts and then reached further down. She took the move to climb astride him with the legs around his waist before she engulfed him into her. Arthur leaned back to give her the leverage and then moved his lower body. It was the morning Loholt was conceived but the father was not there for the birth. He was sent back North to fight the Picts. He was not to see his lover for the Legionnaires were told to back off from there. When he met the Earl after a lapse of ten years, he was introduced to his son.

That was troubling Arthur.

“You have a son?” Merlin shook his head. This was not in his visions at all. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I would have if you have asked me but you didn’t. You were so fixated on me being the King here.”

“Where is this lady you mentioned?” Merlin contained his anger then. “Your son too?”

“I met them when…No, I met the Earl when I was there last week to seek his help.” Arthur spoke in low tone. “It was years since I was there. I came out with my request for help because the Earl holds the influence there. I knew for he once boasted to me of those allies. It was then he turned against me. He told me of Lisanor. She was kept in the castle for the last ten years while my son was sent to exile in some Baron’s castle. The bastard have not told me but sentenced my …family to that.”

“If I recalled, Earl Sevain was an ally of the Governor then. He was given the rights to rule that part of the island with his own allies. The arrangement was the Legions will not ride on there. Probably that way you were never to go back there.”

“I was his …daughter’s lover. His grandson father…..” Arthur exclaimed in frustration. “How could he…”

“You were …How was I to know?” Merlin replied. He then reached forward to calm Arthur who then continued on.

“I confronted the Earl. He finally admitted to it and I was given a condition. Be with Lisanor and make her the Queen. He also offered me his army.” Arthur sighed in despair. “What is a King when he cannot defend his own family?”

Merlin saw the despair on the Arthur and told what needed to be done.

“Agreed to it. You are in need of the army.” Then Merlin left him there. He made his way outside the castle and then to the plains. His ride was to seek the aid of another. Adjacent to the direction taken by Merlin was Lancelot. He stood by the tree trunk and looked to Camelot. He felt the hands that held him from the back.

“I am here, Lancelot.” Elaine leaned her head on the back of the knight. “If it’s was me, would you have rode off without saying hello?”

Elaine was staying at Lancelot’s smaller castle nearby. He had commandeered an old fort which used to house the guards. He had the place added with new quarters and the wall that surrounded the place. He had the place accommodate a dozen knights and the servants with the fifty foot soldiers. Elaine had taken to meet Lancelot at the nearby trees. Lancelot heard the lady and replied with his hands holding Elaine’s hands.

“The treatment by Arthur was uncalled for.” Lancelot then asked Elaine of Guinevere.

“Her name is Guinevere.” Elaine told Lancelot. “She was a distant relative but we had never seen here for years. She was a nuisance to the family which was what I am told. I don’t know why she was exiled.”

“Why was she asked to marry Arthur? Morgause could have been a …”

“Morgause? She is too young. Why do you asked? Maybe I should marry Arthur.” That statement from Elaine drew Lancelot’s concerned look.

“What about us?” Lancelot asked.

“Only if you make love to me.” Elaine was convincing then. “I may re-consider.”