Arthur; The legend and myth Chapter 88

88

"Sir Lancelot, I demand my right to restore the honour of my Queen." Meleagant shouted at the top of his voice. All the castle occupants were roused, and gathered at the Hall.  “I demand a duel with for your invasion of the Queen's honour."

“Are you of unsound mind once more, Meleagant? Do you not know your boundary? King Urien rushed in form his chamber reprimanded his son. “Lancelot is not your peer. He is a master way above you.”

It was then Lancelot hobbled into the Hall. The King saw his injury and pleaded with the son.

“He is unwell and yet you there is honour in the fight?” King Urien tried to stop the fight but Lancelot was annoyed. He challenged back the young Lord.

"You are a coward if you can't even face me with my bandages."

Soon later, Lancelot was seen previewing the armour shown to him by King Urien. Lancelot was surprised that the old King actually offered him the armours that was part of his own. He asked the old King and his reply was equally surprising.

"I did advise Meleagant to release the Queen. But he insisted on keeping her. He had made a mockery of our family honor. If you can defeat him, our honour would be restored. If he wins you then I would have him killed later. So do me a favour, do not lose. It’s not easy to kill your own son.” 

The two knights took their joust serious when they met a second time. Their shields were clashing while the lances broke upon the other's shield. The damaged lances were discarded and new ones to taken into the fight. They wasted three lances before they decided to fight on their feet using their swords. Soon Lancelot felt each blow which he blocked or deflected for his injury on the ankle was adding to his pains. Meleagant felt then that Lancelot was weakening and he went for it.

Lancelot's blows became weaker and he fell to the side holding his sword when he parried the downward swing. He then saw the face which spurred him to fight his duel from the wall opening. She was crying then and with that he found new strength. He pushed himself with the sword and defended the blows. He forced Meleagant back with his new strength.

 "Stop the duel. I can see that this duel is not equal; Lancelot is injured and I would suggest that the duel be put on hold." King Urien intervened but Meleagant refused to let go.

"You would, my son. Sir Lancelot, we would reconvene this fight to a later term when you are fully recovered."

Meleagant reluctantly agreed when his father forced him to accept the decision. The Queen returned to Camelot with the knights, but Lancelot rode back to his own castle instead of going back to Camelot. He was glad that the event was over and the Queen's honour restored. Their love acts were still fresh in his mind and he knows it won't be the last of their union.

He will fight Meleagant to end the feud on his Queen. Their next meet for battle with each other was the following week, at the same place. This time Lancelot came in his armour and carried his own lance. He rode up to Meleagant who was also armed like him.

"Sir Lancelot, I can assure you that if you want to called off the duel, I am willing to accept." Meleagant knew he was not a match for recovered Lancelot and offered a truce but the other had flatly refused the truce.

"I am unwell, Lancelot. Surely, this duel can be delayed for me to recover." Meleagant tried to offer another excuse.

"If you are unwell, I would fight you with more favourable odds to you, but the duel must be settled." Lancelot threw down his lance and dismounted.

"I would fight you without my shield and my left arm binded to my chest." Lancelot told Meleagant. "Do you accept it?"

Meleagant find himself cornered finally agreed. They stepped back so that Lancelot prepared for the fight. Lancelot told his squire to bind him tight. Then he took up the sword and faced Meleagant. The other did not wait for Lancelot to prepare his stance when he attacked. Lancelot stepped aside to avoid the swinging blade before he jumped back. Lancelot thrust his sword and almost lost his balance and he forgot his handicap.

Meleagant charged at Lancelot which made the other continue to step back parrying the oncoming thrusts, until he hit the trunk of a tree. He stood against it and held his defence until he saw the opening. He parried the swing and then he thrust downwards to cut at the right knee of Meleagant. That caused Meleagant to step back and that time Lancelot pushed himself towards Meleagant. The move then was on the right elbow of Meleagant at the exposed area on the armour. It made Meleagant reacted in frightened manner for he knew he was not matched for Lancelot.

"Lancelot...." But Lancelot ignored the other's call and continued his attack. Lancelot found another opening and went for it'; thrusting at the right shoulder knowing that the knee is hurting, forcing him to step on his right knee, and then the blade cut in deep in between the armour plates. He pushed in deep and he pulled downwards hard.

"For Guinevere...." Lancelot thrust hard and turned the blade to cut across but the armour plate stopped him, so he pulled downwards. Meleagant could not scream as there was no voice for him to scream from.

Meleagant fell to his knees after dropping the sword. He clutched his wound but he knows he is going to die. He looked up to Lancelot.

"It was Arthur who violated her. She should have been mine. I never touched her before, I swear. But he did....." Meleagant coughed out blood from his lungs.

"No, it was not Arthur. It was me. I was the one. You blamed the wrong person. I am just here to shut you up." Lancelot pulled out his sword. Lancelot was relieved that he had killed the man who would have told the King of his betrayal. He stepped away from the dead knight and then walked to the older King.

“I done your wishes and you will do mine. Let no one speaks of that night and I may just spared your family and servants.” Lancelot told the older man. King Urien nodded and the proceeded to collect his son for the funeral he had prepared.

It was not for another full moon before Lancelot took courage to visit the Queen. He approached her chamber and then he heard her calling for help. He ran inside for fear she could be in trouble but he found her seated on the bedding with her gown undone at the back.

"Lancelot, I need your help with the lace on the back. My lady in waiting is sick today." She motioned to the back of her gown. Lancelot hesitated at that as he feel that work should be done by a lady.

"Hurry up. We are wasting time." She is struggling at her gown and Lancelot rushed in to pull at the lace. It came undone and he stepped back.

"Please allow me." She turned around and slipped out the gown to the embarrassment of Lancelot, but she is not naked as expected. She had on a tunic inside her gown.

"Surely, you are not my inner friends, so I would preserve my modesty in front of you." She stepped out of the gown, and Lancelot can find she was all dressed also in leggings.

"Excuse me, but this time you have to leave."

Lancelot met her later outside the chamber, with her hair bundled inside the back of her tunic and wearing a head cover that tied the hair firm to her scalp.

"Shall we?" The queen motioned to Lancelot. "We are going riding. Teach me how to ride.”