Arthur: The Legend and Myth Chapter 82

82

“I say my friend, how was your joust?” Arthur sat there on the makeshift platform watching the so named tournament of the knights. He had laughed at it some time back but the he saw the enjoyment of it soon enough. His knights have taken to train on it and there were some of them trying at it.

“I would have done better if not for this armour.” Sir Kay was the more adventurous one but he felt suits were too tight or heavier. “I feel like a tin can in it.”

The assembled there ranging from nobles and servants roared to the joust that had just taken place. The fallen knight was on the ground while his mount was running without its rider. The other knight was on still on the horse and held a broken end lance at the tip. The riding knight removed his face cover on the bucket shaped head cover.

“Its own Black Knight. I like that.” Arthur shouted out in glee. “We have done well.”

Then Arthur asked the servants.

“Who was the other knight?” A servant told him that it was one of his.

“It was Sir Percival.” Arthur roared into laughter.

“Then we will have to fight more at this.”Arthur laughed, but his laughter was soon stifled when he saw the figure approaching.  He had seen his share of members of Senate.

“I am Governor Frollo Digure of…” The Governor was unlike any of the nobles ten. He walked towards Arthur in the erect posture that came from years of army training. The man was not shorter than most but he was held taller than the two legionnaires following him then.

“The Greater part of Gaul, I am familiar.” Arthur replied. “How may I help you?”

“I came on the request of King Leo of …”

“Of which I am indebted to him but I have no wishes to return his land.” Arthur replied. “That part of the land was part of the Anglo Saxon and as such now defeated by me will be annexed by me.”

“I came, I saw and I too it back.” Arthur improvised on the words of the leader he had read about.

“You were once a Optio and foremost a Legionnaire. A Roman Legionnaire by rank.” Frollo reminded Arthur. “Once a …”

“I may choose to remind you that I am King now. I stand before you peer to your Emperor and above your Senate. So I am not yours to command.” Those words by Arthur were taken with distaste by the Governor.

“Then we will wage a war on you.”

It was war then.

Arthur against the mighty Rome.

“Who are they and how was it I was not informed of their ….arrival or presence?” Lancelot was enraged that another Lord had occupied a castle near Camelot and he was not aware of it. A number of Lords and Kings have ridden off to join Arthur in the war that had then taken three years while Lancelot was still seated at Camelot.

“When is Arthur returning? A question he hold no answer for he does not know and Guinevere have plagued him on it.

“I know not when but they are there. They called themselves the Guards of Dolorus. The castle sits on a high hill that with a sloping side that allowed the inhabitants to ride up to the castle gates, whereas on the other side of the hill is a steep cliff.”

Lancelot took his armour and with a column of knights he rode towards the castle. It was off the main trails and was hidden in a secluded valley. They rode over some streams and the tall trees before they chanced on the castle walls The castle had only three towers unlike other castle. Two of it faced the front sloping part of the hill and the third one is on the rear facing the steep cliff that shaved off to the river below. The towers were built by the high wall with slots for archers to defend the wall. The height of the walls was about six times the height of man and the towers another two more length in height. The walls hid the inner structures from the outside view. Soon Lancelot was to view the inside of the walls which was a large building which house the Main Hall, library, cooking area and also the Discussion Chamber of the Lord on its ground level. Its mezzanine floor however has nine large chambers which are the personal ones of the Lord and his family, or invited guests. The mezzanine floor is access by two large staircases at the Main Hall and there is the servant's access at the cooking area. That structure despite its large and wide chambers only requires ten servants in attendance while the cooking area is well covered by the chef and her three assistants. To the right of the main building was the barrack which housed the dozen more guards with another detachment of foot soldiers who patrols the nearby area daily. Their foot soldiers abode was above the stables which forty fine horses were kept. On the left of the structure was the guards cooking area; served by a nasty looking chef with two assistants, and there is the main store for the food, and also the armoury situated there. To the rear of the structures were the bath houses and the basic pits for the waster to be rolled down the steep cliff into the river.

Lancelot met the old man who had taken the sheep out for their grazing that morning near the castle. He had left his column of knights at the tree lines.

"Hello, old man. I am looking for the castle named Dolorus." Lancelot rode up to the old man holding a long staff to balance himself on his limp left leg.

"There is no such castle. Be away, young one or be cursed to serve it forever." The old man shooed him off. But Lancelot dismounted from his horse and took out the small container of wine and bread.

"Surely, you can still share with me some wine on this fine morning." Lancelot can see the gleam in the servant's eye on the offering. After some swipe at the wine and bread, the old man soon began telling to Lancelot of the tale of Dolorus.

The Lord of Dolorus was once a great knight who battle many and lost none until one day, he found himself alone to ponder on his coming years. In his quest to ensure that the castle would survived after his death, he had adopted orphans to be his apprentice; eleven he had found to date who now trained on the courtyard of his castle. Eleven fine boys who would one day be the Lord of this castle, and marry his only daughter, Leoni. She was also his twelfth apprentice albeit that one he finds difficulty in training or even to discipline.

"Father, who would I marry when I am to choose?" The Lord was shocked at the words uttered by his daughter who was just ten on years of age. She was a fine lady, whose mother came from a fine family of knights and lords, but she was to breathe her last on the birth of their child.

"Why do you asked, Leoni? There are eleven fine lads there. Choose the one who is the bravest of them all and he shall be yours."

"But I choose not to, what would happen to them?" She asked of her father, with her grin and the dimple on the cheeks.

"That is also your choice, I guess. But you would not remain in this castle as this castle belongs to one of them who best the others." The Lord told his daughter of his wish.

"That's not fair, father. I am your child and they are not. How can they inherit something which they are not entitled." Leoni burst out in emotion and ran off to her chamber. Lord Dolorus tried to call her back but in the end he gave up. She has been like this since last season when he told her that the twelve of them was to serve her when he is gone. But she must choose one to be Lord, and to him she would serve back in return as his Queen. Since then, she had gone around to command the boys to her biddings and reprimand them if they ignored her. It can't be helped as all of them are older by her in years. They complained to the Lord, but he told them, they must oblige her on his command.

It was the first break in the joyous mood among the boys.

The second was to come when a young lad was found outside the gate of the castle; near death and with a feverish body. The Lord asked he be brought in and tend to by the servants. It took them weeks to rejuvenate the lad and his health, but he did recovered. His first words were to thank the young nurse who tend to him daily and fed him his broth. Lord Dolorus asked of whom did he refer to, and was he surprised when told that it was Leoni who was the nurse.

Soon the boy recovered and became part of the household, and he was always asked to attend to the young lady. He did this without a whimper although seen by the Lord, his interest lies in the courtyard with the other boys. Lord Dolorus then offered him the chance to train with them as his thirteenth knight, but Leoni protested that she needed her servant to do the works.

For that, she was reprimanded harshly by her father. His words were loud and heard by all in the castle; "Till the man is your King, you are no Queen to command on anyone."

His harsh words spoken in rash was not forgotten by Leoni who then watched at the side to whom she would make her King so she can be the Queen to command them all. During the coming years, she also flirted with the growing lads, and holding no one dear to her heart, until one day, she saw her feelings was more towards the last knight. He was named Jude by her father. Jude turned out to be a good fighter and fast to learn any weapons of use.

Jude as a growing lad, also found his interest in Leoni developing as well. But there was more just the two of them as there was another who was keen on her; his name is Ben. Soon the day came when the thirteen lads grew to become man, and then it was time for them to receive the title of Lord Dolorus. A tournament was setup and the men fought with zeal to win the coveted title. Finally it was down to Jude and Ben in the final round, and just before the fight was to take place, Leoni walked up to Ben.

"If you win, I am still not marrying you. My heart belongs to Jude." That irks the young man who was to go to battle with the ultimate prize of securing the hand of this lady. Ben glared at Jude who was warming up for his final battle; he knew naught of what Leoni said to Ben. Ben came out charging at Jude swinging his sword. Jude was fast to react with some blocking moves why he moved the fight to the centre of the arena. He then used his weight to push Ben back.

"Wow! You are keen to win this contest." Jude jokingly remarked. "She must have meant a lot to you."

Ben did not reply but came on strong again, and this time he had the upper hand on the moves. He finally did it; he had a swing on Jude who did not foresee in the move, and the blade cut into the flesh at the right forearm. Jude stepped back to hold his wounded arm and looked at Ben. It was the first time in this contest, that anyone was hurt. Ben did not stop then and he came in with more swings which Jude blocked while retreating back. It was Lord Dolorus who stepped in with his sword to block the swing.

"What had overtaken your manners, Ben? You are a senior of this group and yet you act like a young fool here." Lord Dolorus countermanded the young man. Ben looked up to his mentor and Lord, and then at Leoni. He threw down his sword and walked away.

"Stay your step, young man. Address me before your leave, or leave forever from my castle." It was not something that was ever heard in this castle. Ben paused in his steps and then he turned around.

"Thank you for taking care of me but I have to decline the honour of being the next Lord." Ben then walked off to the gate and out of the castle. The contest was called off and Lord Dolorus took his leave to go back to his chamber.

The issue did not end there.

Jude and Leoni eloped that night from the castle, leaving the Lord himself heartbroken. He looked at his remaining ten apprentices and told them they are free to leave or stayed on. But there would be no Lord in this castle until that one can defeat all of them in battle. He also told the apprentice to take on each of their own apprentice so that there would a generation of knights to carry on the tradition. It has been three generations then, and there were twenty knights in the castle.

"Old man, were you one of them?" Lancelot asked of him.

"Yes, I was. I was part of the ten who was with Lord Dolorus. My other brothers have all died, but not me; age does not kill me. It would be the edge of the sword that can do it." The old man smiled at Lancelot. "The castle could do with a new Lord. But promise me one condition; please change the castle name. It’s too dreadful to remember."

Soon Lancelot find himself before the gates, and to his surprise, it was opened for him. He walked in and was confronted by ten armoured guards armed with swords. Lancelot removed his waist belt and pulled the scabbard off with the sword inside.

"I shall fight you all with this. Come and get me, lads." Lancelot challenged the guards, but none charged him yet.

"So be it." Lancelot waits no more as he charged at them. He thrust the first guard he encountered with a jab at the right armpit causing the guard to drop his sword. And then he swing the scabbard to hit the other guard at the side of the face. By then he was standing among them and he crouched down to avoid the swinging swords and used his current leverage to swing his scabbard into two knight knees causing them to fall on the others. Lancelot did not stop just there as he swung to the right and kicked away at the fallen guards who was caught in the unexpected moves. Lancelot stood over one fallen guard who was trying to get up and find the scabbard coming down hard on his nose bridge. Lancelot climbed over the other fallen guards and looked at the ones still standing up. There were three of them on the other side.

"I am having fun. It’s a joyous day." Lancelot shouted out as he charged at the trio and body slammed into them, like a ram. The all fell down in a heap of bodies on the ground but Lancelot was already using his gloved hands to knock those guards in the face. Then he used their body as leverage to stand up before he lay his eyes on those there.

"You are not really a worthy foe." Lancelot smirked at them. He was stunned when he heard the voice to challenge him. There was an armoured guard standing there at the door to the Hall. He was inviting Lancelot in. Inside were ten more armoured guards standing in a row. Four of the guards were armed with spears and shields, while the other six were holding either a mace or sword.

"My name is Mason, and we are the second generation of guards for the castle. We offered to fight you but we would be fair to you. We would not attack you together but we would elect a champion among us to fight you." The one who invited him in spoke out to him. "And they have selected their champion."

The armoured guard holding a mace and shield stepped forth. The fight was bruising and long, with blows exchanged with their armour or shield; both warriors were quite well matched in the skills. The armoured guards of Dolorus have practiced their skills here among themselves, and they hone it to near perfection. Deftly, Lancelot cornered the guard and then he feigned to thrust at the guard which the mace was brought down to block it; Lancelot at the last possible moment let loose of his scabbard and released his sword. The mace hit at the thrusting scabbard but failed to see the coming blade which stopped just before his neckline.

"Do you yield?" The voice that accepted the defeat was behind the guard. It was the old man who tending the sheep.

The 0ld man sat there with the two generation of guards to celebrate the victory of Lancelot at the Castle.

"Many years have passed since we have a Lord at this castle. Many have tried and they lost in their bid, but today, we surrender that to this knight, Sir Lancelot to be the new Lord. His skills are unmatched and we are honoured to be humbled by his fight." The Old man looked to Lancelot and continued. "My Lord, today you have also brought us joy to the Castle after so many years. We have a wish for you. Do you remember my condition at the field?"

Lancelot looked at the joyous guards who sat before him at the Hall. He thought hard and then he made his announcement.

"As of today, Castle Dolorus shall be named Castle Joyous. Its guardians shall be named as the Joyous Guard. There would be always joy in this Castle."

Lancelot then raised his goblet and drank to that name. In the cooking area, there was the old chef and his wife who heard the announcement. The wife held her husband and smiled.

"I am happy that the Castle is back to its glory again." She held him tighter as she recount the event that made it before. "My father would be happy now with his new Lord. Just as I am happy with my Lord."

"Leoni, do you miss the life you had then?" The mate of her asked but she shook her head.

"Glory and honours are never my liking, but love and kindness is what I cherished. We made the right move then, as we do not want to live a life fighting off challengers to our home. We like ours peaceful and quiet."

"I agreed with you, my love. I gave up my sword for the ladle and now my children grew well with my cooking." They both laughed at their changed of destiny from Lord of the Castle to Lord of the Cooking area. They came back here on the death of the previous Lord, and assumed this new identity. It was Ben became the shepherd for the new flock of Guards.