Arthur; The Legend and Myth Chapter 50

50.

Merlin waited patiently at the tree line with his glances to the clearing. He felt his messenger may have not delivered his message. He favored the pigeons but he was told to trust the crows more but of late nothing seems to work the way he wanted. His visions have failed him and it was a major concern. He looked to the trees and then spoke.

“I guess you are still my allies.” Merlin looked at the cherry tree and there was a reply. It did not come from the tree. After all trees don’t talk.

“I got your message. You must feed your crow better.” The Black Knight smiled. “My cats are still hungry but we saved the message.”

Merlin turned to look at the knight with the hurt expression. He had taken months to train the crow and then it was eaten. He did not hesitate to tell the knight of Arthur’s plight.

“I cannot…” The Black Knight tried to work the issue and Merlin cut in.

“You must. The last battle with the eleven Lords and Kings was coordinated. I know you were the leader behind it.” Merlin glared at the Black Knight. “You were the one that they were there. Today you will do the same. Get them to rally behind Arthur.”

“Who are you to accuse me, druid?” The Black Knight hit back but Merlin had his reply.

“Lady Igraine. She told me. Pendragon had it planned and got King Urien to organize it but the lot of them had already been recruited by the Lord with the assistance of Lady Igraine.” Merlin looked harder at the Black Knight. “I knew it all. The battle was to test Arthur.”

“And now he needs you to complete his test and be the King that all of you have planned for.” With that Merlin took off on his mount. The Black Knight stood there surprised at the request. He thought that by getting on the round table was the task for him. He recalled the meet with Merlin then at the tavern in the village far from Bedyr. They did not want to meet near to the others.

“You must join the Round Table. That is the only way you can be of any real use.” Merlin eyes were roving at the occupants there. There were seated at the far corner and it was shadowed. He saw the other two occupants were behaving within the likes of a drinker there but he knew that the owner was taking glances at him. Merlin looked to his clothing. He was sure that the tunic he wore was plain and should not have revealed his true identity. Then he saw the tattoos on his arms. It must have been the giveaway.

“I am an exile, druid.” The Black Knight looked at the other. He had a personal dislike of Merlin but knew that the druid was ever powerful as the King maker. “I am an exile of the Anglo Saxon clans. I led them here with other brother and gave them a home away from their land. I also have them killed when I betrayed their hideout in the village where your knights slaughter them.”

Merlin recalled then it was Sir Kay who did the task. He had allowed them to escape but the other knight was the unforeseen vision. That will be remedied one day.

“Not all, Hengist.” Merlin spoke the true name of the Black Knight. “You knew one escape. Your son, Octa escaped. He is the one bringing in the new war.”

The Black Knight had then sighed. It was rumored that Octa his son was the leader of the new Anglo Saxon threat. He had thought his son had returned home but the fool was back. It was then Merlin reinforced his view.

“If you are on the round table, you may avert your son’s death. More to it, you may help Lancelot. He is a proud man once more but he could not overcome your defeat of him. He may challenge you but with you next to him, Arthur will see that will not happen. With you on the round table, you can train your once apprentice. Make him strong and let carry your name when you are no more.” Merlin picked his words well. “You are getting old and will soon leave us.”

“Do it one last time for Igraine, Master Gareth. She loved you too like Lumbria did.”

The Black Knight regretted his past and then took to the mount to rally the others. He knew in his heart, he had to save Arthur and his other son, the one they named Lancelot. With that done, Merlin then rode on for one last quest to save Arthur and make him the King he was to be.

Merlin then sought the enchanted lady who dwell in the lake Just as Merlin was looking for his own quests, there were others looking out of the wall openings and Guinevere was not an exception. She stood by the opening and watched the sun setting on the horizon. She felt her quest was misleading then. At one moment she was headed for Camelot to meet the King and the next she was sent away.

“Guieneve, how are you?” The lady turned on the mentioned of her name. She saw then it was her hostess then. Her own caretaker and protector have been sent to another chamber for rest as she was advised.

“I am fine, my mother lady Igraine.” Guinevere did a low cutsy to the lady she had regarded as the senior of the ladies. “How are you?”

“I am fine. And I can see that your …behavior have improved.” Lady Igraine smiled. “You were one with the mischiefs then.”

Guinevere let off a weak smile with the lady’s words. It was a veiled disclosure of her past demerits by the lady’s view. Lady Igraine then took to the matter on her mind.

“I did not know why you were sent here?” Lady Igraine took the seat without looking at Guinevere. She then looked up. “Did you…”

“I did nothing to shame the House if that was what you meant.” Guinevere snapped off forgetting her manners. “I did not meet him at all.”

Lady Igraine expression was a pained one with the frown that displayed the wrinkles in the eye brows area. She had raised her right hand to motion for Guinevere to seat near her.

“I am sure Arthur has his reason. After all, as ladies of the House, we are to remain how may I placed it insignificant at times. I was just advised that he feared the Anglo Saxons are back in our land.” Lady Igraine looked at Guinevere. “You do recall the Anglo Saxons?”

It was a query that spooked the memory within Guinevere. It was before her banishment, there was a dark event that she recalled then when she was with the servants in the village. She was allowed to go over on the good behavior then but in the village, her rebellious streak made her do the worst then. She had ran from her care and ended up outside the village. She recalled then she was among the trees and lost in her way. She walked on for some time and the fear of the dark creatures dawned on her mind. Soon she heard noises and then rushed over to meet it.

“What have we here?” It was a woodsman as seen with the axe in his hands. “Are you lost, my child?”

The woodman was a huge figure then with bearded look. He was dressed in the dirty tunic and the wooden sandals. The man approached her and smiled with the broken teeth.

“I am Anders, and not here to harm you.” The woodman reached for her but she backed off. Her escape was then blocked by the tree trunk before the man grabbed her right arm.

“I said I won’t hurt you. Why are you running?” Guinevere then gave out the shrill scream and tried to pull her arm free but in the struggle, she got her dress torn at the shoulders. She looked at the figure looming over and screamed louder. Her screams were replied when she saw the figure reached for the arrow embedded in the neck. She saw the figure fell to his knees before collapsing onto her. She screamed then while her hands pulled at the heavy body on her.

“You are safe now.” Guinevere felt the heavy weight lifted off her then. She saw it was another man who was standing there with the bow in the left hand. “I am a knight. My name is Blackthorn.”

Guinevere had dreams of that incident for weeks and was down with a fever then. She had also loathed the presence of any male near here and more to it, the servants was murmuring that she was ravished by an Anglo Saxon hunter. It was the foul name that she kept on hearing until her father made the ruling that the word Anglo Saxon was not to be mentioned then.

“Are they here?” Guinevere asked in concern.

“No, they will not be. Arthur will protect us. You will stay here with us.” With that Lady Igraine took her leave of Guinevere. The later stepped away from the wall opening and slunk into the dark corner with her arms wrapped around her chest. She was shivering then and weeping at the dreams that were to recur.

“Curse to you Arthur for bringing me here.” Guinevere was muttering to herself then. At that moment across the land at Camelot, Arthur was in his chamber with the same thought on the long threat. He pondered on the offerings of the Earl. It was obviously a mistake of him to approach the Earl but he had doubts that he could be raise any army with his recent ascension. There are many lords and kings including land barons that does not see his sudden placement there as their wish. They were surprised that Pendragon will take on an unknown like him despite the news that he was the true son of Pendragon. Many have said that they were the heirs but later spoken to be untrue were executed or exiled. He may not be any exception to that. He knew that his only credential to the throne was his victory over the Anglo Saxon at the last battle but there were others before him and was won by the few leaders including one named King Urien. The later was ever sowing the seeds of discontent on Arthur but due to the respect for Lady Igraine, they have remained at the whispering levels.

“What if I fail?” Arthur called out to himself. “What…”

“Arthur, are you fine?” It was Percival who had stepped into the chamber. The older ex-Centurion approached the man he had sworn to serve. Arthur turned to look and asked of the reason for Percival to be there.

“King Ban and Bors wishes to ride for Normandy for the help of the knights there. They were with us at Bedgraine. They hold a grudge against the Anglo Saxons too. They can offer us five hundred knights and five thousand foot soldiers.”

“What is their demand?” Arhur asked then. In the last battle, the knights were rewarded with gold and foods for their effort but Arthur did stop at offering the captives as slaves. He will not have the people on his land as slaves for war rewards. Even though they were Anglo Saxons. He had seen the way the captives traded as slaves when he was in the Legion.

“They asked for land on ours.” Percival replied. “It’s near to the north and by the sea.”

Arthur thought it hard and then decided to defer this decision. He was concerned on how Pendragon had done the same and then having to fight a lengthy war against what was his allies on the land. He told Percival to hold the visit by the two brothers until his decision is made.

“But Arthur…” Percival tried to reason with Arthur then and was snapped off.

“Give me time please, Percival. I need to think if not….as a King for that is my mine to be.” Arthur lost his composure then and dismissed the other. Percival left without a word from the chamber.