Arthur; Teh Legend and Myth Chapter 46

46.

Guinevere ignored the ramblings of the elderly lady while she perused the volumes there. She was taught Latin by the tutors and the volumes spoke much on the subjects that she had not seen.

“Guinevere, if you persist, I will be forced to take you out of here.” Lady Elise told her care off but the other just ignored her. She had then taken her seat on the bedding and the long rides have taken toll on her needed sleep. They had changed into their nightly tunic that was of the fine silky material and its length reached just below the knee. She saw the other had ignored her and she herself took to the bedding like a stone. Guinevere herself tired then but was amused by the volumes. She picked up one that spoke of love and matrimony. It was buried under the piles but it pages were creased. She was intrigued by the illustration then. It made her felt uneasy on her body with the volume piled on her lap. The spine of the book rested between her legs and with its heavy weight, it sank in deep. She found herself flipping the pages and with the single flickering candle light, she had to move her body to get the best illumination. She then found that uneasy feeling that was creeping from between her legs and soon find herself adjusting to it with her wriggling of the legs. Her hands reached for the book edges and nudged it hard against her flesh. She found the spine of the spine of the volume was giving her the silly feelings when she rubbed it against her body and then with the intensity build up she was pushing herself against it. It was the same feeling that she felt astride the saddle of the horse when took on the position like the stable boys.

“Oh…” Guinevere felt the sensation on her body and had to muffle her cries with the bite on her right fingers joints while her left hand held onto the volume spine.

Guinevere then released her hold and slumped backwards onto the bedding with the volume still laid on her legs then. Her mind drifted to the man she had been with and the image of Lancelot appeared. She had been infatuated by that person who had in some ways saved her life then in the castle. She reflected her life before she met Lancelot. It was not her choice to be seen as a beauty by others but there were suitors to ask for her.

“Guinevere shall not be wedded.” Guinevere recalled her father then shouting out at the hall when she was just turning to puberty. Her father, the Lord Leodegrance was an ally of Pendragon held his own land far from the Lord he served but he kept peace there for the Lord. 

“My Lord, the Lord of mine merely asked for her hand not for now but in the future.” The emissary of the Lord Reince of the far isles took to explain himself. “I do hope that you will consider. The Lord himself is without an ….”

“Heir of his own doing. He done it with …how many were there? I think he wedded three and they all died from childbirth. Your Lord may not have my daughter for his fourth and more to it he is of my age. Heaven forbids me to called him my son in law if ever my ally.”

“Lord Reince, I begged of thee to see…” The one that intervened was one named King Urien.

“King Urien, you are a guest of mine on the favors of Pendragon. Do not dispense with the friendly gestures I have extended.” Lord Reince cautioned the younger King then. “Even if you are to ask for her hand, I will forbid it.”

With that, Guinevere was saved from an early marriage but there were several which were all refused. Young Guinevere then had found it amusing and shared it with one named Young Mealegant. The later was a guest of her father having stayed there for some years. He was Young Guinevere friend and shared a lot with her then. They played games together and on the few occasions pretended to be King and Queen. They even played at being married.

“Guinevere, are you going to sleep in that manner? It’s inappropriate for a lady.” Lady Elise awaken from her slumber had reprimanded the other. Meanwhile in the main hall, a weary knight had picked himself up from the flooring. Lancelot staggered to the nearby bench to rest but once his back touched the cold wood there, he cringed in pain. It was pain he felt but the pain was worth the effort. It was how he felt in the battles, when the wounds were inflicted by the foes but he used that to fight back. It renewed his vigor to do the same for the foes. He looked up at the cross that was inlaid onto the wall.

“Like Him, I will not be defeated. I will stand up again and be the person I was.” Lancelot made the vow then. He smiled to himself renewed then but it was the call of night that startled him. It was an eerie howl that resonated through the walls and corridors. It came from the forest and it was a bad sign. Lancelot grabbed his sword still in the scabbard on his waist belt and rushed to the wall opening. He saw his knights had taken to the howling and were prepared to fight He was then met by a younger friar.

“It’s the cursed Cwn Annwn…The hounds are here.” The younger friar rushed to the altar to prostrate himself there. He was feverishly praying for his soul. The younger friar was joined by the other two including Friar Tuck. The later kicked at the younger one and cursed at him.

“Fools! There are no hounds but the fluttering of the geese taking flight.” Friar Tuck annoyed then had explained the howling but he was challenged by the younger friar.

“Geese do not take flight in the dark, Master.” The younger friar held his look at altar. “It could only be the hounds.”

It was then the main doors to the hall were pounded by the knights outside. Lancelot rushed over to open it and in came the group of knights while the others stood guard at the doorway.

“Sire, we saw the hounds.” It was a clear statement from the knight. “They are not one but a pack. It was a huge pack.”

“I saw their eyes. It was red.” Another knight called out. “They are hell hounds.”

More of the knights rushed in and soon the wooden doors were bolted once more. Friar Tuck looked to the once braver knights and saw then were a sacred group with nervous hands on their swords. They then heard the howling which were closer and the clawing began. It was everywhere from the doors to the wall openings. Lancelot saw the commotion and called on the knights to remain calm.

“Stand to order, knights. I command thee.” Lancelot voice loud but was lost in the commotion of the panicked crowd then. He then looked over at Friar Tuck.

“Is there another doorway to the courtyard?” Lancelot asked. The friar nodded and led the knight onto the chamber behind the hall. There was a doorway there and there were no noise of any clawing. Lancelot drew out his sword and then asked for a shield.

“There is none, Lancelot.” Friar tuck looked at Lancelot. “Arondight is best held with two hands.”

Lancelot had been wielding the sword with one hand like his gladius. He nodded and then rushed out when the friar opened the door. He found himself facing an empty backyard. It was as if the hounds never found it. It was spoken too soon. The hounds appeared out of the corner and then leaped at the knight. Lancelot took a full swing with the sword and severed the hound at the neck. He then dropped his stance into a half crouched stand and did a reversed swing on the next hound. The sword cut into the front right legs and it dropped the hound. With the two incapacitated, Lancelot took a respite to see the other hounds. There were four more. The hounds took on a siege against Lancelot. It was the first time that Lancelot studied the hounds before him. They were huge creatures with the thick furs and the snarling expression. The eyes on the hounds were reddish in shade and it added to their ferocity.

Without a thought, Lancelot charged at the hounds with the sword swinging. He stopped the swing at the last moment and did a thrust into the middle hound in the snort. He pulled hard at the sword with both his hands to pull it out. By then one hound had bitten into the left forearm of Lancelot. The later screamed out in pain and then used his forehead to butt at the snort of the hound. He had fought with hounds reared by the Picts and the snort was the softest part. He then twisted his body to shake off the hound but the later had his jaws around the forearm. Lancelot twisted his body but it was to no avail. He let go of his left hand to move his body but then he heard the hound yelp in pain. Lancelot looked over and saw the friar was attacking the hound with the hay picker. The double pronged pick had on it a hound by the right ribs.

“To the depths of Hell!” Friar Tuck heaved the pick high and then tossed the hound. “What do they feed you there? Meats every meal.”

Lancelot had then moved on the last hound there. He thrust the sword into the left ribs of the hound then. He pulled out the bloodied sword and looked at the dead hound.

“Hell Hounds! Blasphemy! These are Wolf Hounds.” Friar Tuck called out. “They are wild but this is the first time I seen them do this.”

“Why are they here?” Lancelot shouted out and he got his reply when the scream came from the chamber where the ladies were staying there.

Guinevere screamed out when she saw the face over her. Her reaction was expected but she was not expecting the intruder to be thrown back. Guinevere sat up and saw Lady Elise had wrestled the intruder into the corner and was throwing some punches. The gutsy and bosomy lady kept her huge frame as anchor on the intruder. It was then Lancelot came charging in. He saw the two bodies entwined on the flooring and had his sword poised for a thrust.

“No!” The intruder called out.

Lancelot pulled his arm back and then he saw the intruder identity.