Arthur; The Legend and Myth Chapter 77

77.

Lancelot approached the newly restored door to the chamber. He stopped there and knocked. He was greeted by the hand maiden who was assigned to the Queen. The previous one that was possessed by the Banshee was removed and executed. It was the only just thing to do for the maiden was already mad in her mind and her lips babbled on some unknown languages.

“The Queen is not convenient…” The hand maiden had tried to tell Lancelot but the voice of the Queen was heard. “You may go in.”

Lancelot took his steps in and was confronted by the Queen seated on the bedding with her back to him but she was naked from waist up. She had placed the sleeping child to the cradle by the bedding side before she was to pull the dress onto her shoulders. For Lancelot then it was a sight he could not take his eyes off.

“Beautiful…” Lancelot muttered out at her creamy white skin on the back and with the turn of her body to place the child, he was feasted by the sight of her milk heavy bosom with the extended nipples. He watched as she leaned down with the breasts hanging down. The child was giving out cries and she had to soothe him. When she leaned over to caress the child, her breasts hung over like over ripe fruits on the tree. He had then the vision of his own lips reaching for the trickle of milk. The child stopped crying when the comfort of the mother’s fingers rubbed his face. The mother then sat up straight and then reached for the dress to pull it over her shoulders before she buttoned it. Her long tresses of hair then were then undone on the scarf that held it up. It flowed down her back like the colors of the rainbow shades from his view. She rummaged her fingers on the hair from the top to the ends of it, caressing it with care and sorting out the tangled ones. She then felt the presence of another in the chamber and with that Lancelot turned his back on her.

“Sir Lancelot, I did not know you are here.” Guinevere voiced out. “I thought it was Essie who had stepped in.”

Lancelot turned around and greeted the Queen.

“I just came in and …you were busy so I looked to the view of the sea.” Lancelot stammered his reply and then approached her. “I came with better news.”

Lancelot stunned himself with those words. It was ironic for him to say better when it should be good new. He corrected himself with the better choice of words.

“I meant good news. Arthur is coming back. He has defeated the Anglo Saxon and news of his child must have reached him.” Lancelot told her. “He is coming back.”

It was a sad tinge of taste on his tongue when Lancelot spoke the last words. He felt as if he was at a loss then.

“How is the child? We have not been told ….”

“It’s a boy. I had the maids held the news until later….” Guinevere swallowed her words. The incident just before the birth had shaken her a lot. She had asked Merlin soon after the birth and he told her it was the works of the witches.

“You need to rest, my Queen. I will protect you.” The druid had spoken then but Guinevere was still uneasy on herself then and with it she had the maids hushed on the child till she felt the right moment.

“My Queen, I have doubled the guards and knights patrol the land around Camelot. None will harm you or the child.” Lancelot assured her. He had recalled the times they spoke in the chamber, she had told him that she wished Arthur was there with her but he is the King and holds his responsibility as one.

“Soon my Queen. Arthur will be back here.” Lancelot re-assured her once more. “I must leave now to prepare for my King’s return.”

Guinevere watched the knight leave the chamber and then she sighed. She had heard him coming in when she was breast feeding. She had then pulled the child off her to rest him but the child was like the father. He had not his fill and will throw his tantrums. Her caress on his face had then soothed him, and with that he lay back with a smile.

“You are like your father. When he wants he demands it.” Guinevere unbuttoned her dress to draw it down once more. She carried the child back to her bosom and let his lips once suckled the milk from her. She sat there with child and her mind shifted back to the moment when she first felt Arthur’s hands on her body.

“My Lord…” Arthur had hushed her lips while his arms held her from the back. They were in the same chamber she was seated at but then they were before the window opening facing the sea. His fingers then were on their trail of unbuttoning her dress before they reached her inner tunic.

“My Lord…” Guinevere felt then the touch of his hands on her breasts..

“You are mine, and only mine.” That was Arthur.

“My Queen, I need to speak to you.” It was Merlin who had stepped into the chamber. “It’s regarding your child.”

 In regards to the child, Morgan Le Fay had seen her master took to flight towards the Queen’s chamber. She had seen the signs that Merlin did. One of his many skills was the ability to interpret the signs. It was practice by the ancient Oracles and carried down by the generations. It was well recorded in the volumes which were also studied by Morgan. She took the task to interpret the bones and read about the same as her master but he had rushed off to seek the Queen.

“The curse on you, Arthur. Your son will not take your throne.”

 Soon after the victory at Somerset and without their King, the round table had moved on to continue the battles. The Duke of Cador have taken his own force to pursue the fleeing King Cheldric. The Duke was relentless in his pursuit and he trapped the King at the Isle of Thanet before he killed the King.

“I salute the death of King Cheldric.” Percival had called for a celebration on the victory. “Tomorrow we marched onto Scotland. We will fight on without Arthur.”

With their King riding south west, Percival had taken command of the army with Lamorak, Sir Kay and Trsitram. King Ban and Bors had withdrawn to return to their land. Tristram had argued with Percival on the march without Arthur.

“We are his knights and he told us to wait here.” Tristram had argued then. “How can we do this?”

“Tristram, you are wrong. The King did not ask us to move or stay. Neither did he say we were to stop the battles.” Percival looked at the younger knight. “We were all from the Legion. We never wait when we are winning.”

“The King …”

“The King is not here. Neither is Lady Igraine.” Percival struck a nerve there which Tristram looked at the other. “I knew that a long time when you joined us. You were sent by the Lady and we will hold that respect for her as long as she respected our King. We aimed to do what Pendragon never did; we will unite the lands and strengthen the borders so the enemies will not return. You either ride with us or return to Camelot.”

It was not a choice offered to Tristram by Percival for his words were a command as he was still in the Legion. Percival saw the need to continue the battles before the enemy recovered.

“Where are we headed, Percival?” Lamorak had asked.

“Lake Lumond.”

Nearby to Camelot, Elaine stood by the window opening looking at the man she still believed loved her dismounting from the horse. She stared aimlessly outside at the setting sun, and wondered how may time it had set with her looking out. She heard the chamber door opened and in step her lover. There were no words between them while Lancelot took to the bucket of water to freshen up. He then removed his waist belt and then his clothes. He stood there naked to wash himself.

Elaine had turned to watch her lover took his wash then. She saw the ripples of his muscles on the back with the scars and the rounded buttocks trailing to the thighs where more cuts were seen. It amazing that the wounds on the arms healed fast and soon disappear but never the ones on the back Thee scars took a longer time to disappear.

“Have you washed yet?” Elaine heard the voice. She was stunned that he spoke. Most times when he does come back, it was to get something or give more instructions. He had never asked if she had taken a wash. Elaine stepped over and stood behind him. She unbuttoned her dress and stepped out of it. When she was naked she approached the bucket but he had moved onto the bedding. He climbed in without looking at her. She wiped her body slowly and her mind wandered.

“Do I or not?” Elaine was unsure. It was not that she does not desire him but it has been too long. And her lover was not himself like before.

Elaine made up her mind. She stepped to the bedding and climbed in. She lay there and waited. He did not move nor did he speak. She waited and then she found herself asleep.

It was soon to be over for them.