Arthur: The legend and Myth Chapter 96

96.

The generation of the Lady Igraine’ daughters sat there in the chamber of Guinevere. They were without their lovers or son.

“Was it true, Guinevere?”  Morgause started off the discussion. “I heard of news that you were with Lancelot.”

“If it was and if it wasn’t, the matter does not arise here.” Guinevere looked towards Morgause and then Elaine. “We are here to discuss ourselves.”

“Over the last few years, I have discovered that we the lovers of Kings and knights remained as indifferent to them when we are not needed. The one thing I learned from Lady Igraine was to establish one’s own relevance in the affairs of our Kings and knights. Lady Igraine was exceptional in her doing; the wife of King Gorlois and then Lord Pendragon. She was not their lover but Queen to all who served her lover. Even after his death, she still retained the influence as if he was still at her side.”

“We are her daughters.” Guinevere looked at Elaine. “I was not of blood but of relationship. She cared for me and took me to educate me in the best way I could be taught. I admit I was a miscreant and admitted to be a rebel. I learned to be a lady and then as Queen.”

“And once a mother but I failed in all because I was ….alone.”

“We need to stay together. You, me and all of us here as one family or kingdom. I may be the Queen of the lands, but in every right you are Queens too.”

“We must be as strong as Lady Igraine or we will fade into the kingdom as just another lady.”

For once among the ladies of the kingdom that originated with Lady Igraine, they agreed to be together.

Talking of together then, there was once three brothers which ladies caused them to break and one went away to search for more meanings in life.

Galahad adjusted his body to adjust to for the weight of the borrowed lance he held while mounted on the horse. It was a fine morning and the sun was almost at the peak. He looked at the other knight passed his narrow slot at the eye level on the head cover. It resembled a Viking head cover with the double horn on the side but the face cover extended to his jaw with the eye slot. He had worn the armour given to him by a dying knight he met soon after he left his brothers. It was all silvery and fitted him. He had called himself the White Knight.

He wished he was pure like the shade of white. His brothers were pure then in his mind.  

Gawain was the pure and most times, he stood for all three of them or between them. He was the good one compared to Gaheris. The later was considered his brother till he discovered the one lady he loved had loved Gaheris. It was an emotional hurting moment and it drove him to leave them.

It had been some years then.

“Are you ready, Sir Knight?” The squire assigned to him by the challenging knight asked of him. Galahad nodded and then kicked at his horse. The horse was trained to be a joust horse with its run controlled by the knight’s legs and knees. It responded to the pressure on the front upper limbs, and it picked up speed in its gallop. The two knights went for each other with their lances, and one of them fell.

Galahad then stopped his mount at the other side and then lowered his lance. It was his latest conquest, and then he dismounted. He approached the fallen knight was still on his back. The squire attending to the fallen knight then told Galahad that his master was hurt and will not continue.

Galahad had won and with it, he took his reward; the bag of coins. Funny that was not the glory in the joust but the coins was to pay his meals. He took to mount back his horse and then rode off.  It has been his life then, the joust and the rewards with the glory of being known as the knight when he was not one anymore. He was once of the round table but since he left Ceredig he felt he was not worth the title. His ride took him to a pond where he stopped to wash.

“My fair knight, may I wash your back?’ A lady had appeared on the edge of the pond with her body nude. Galahad turned to look at the lady and then he shook his head.

“I will wash my own back. You may return to where you came from.” Galahad replied then. He then felt the lady hands on his back. He stood there feeling then the smooth rub on his body. He felt nice and his mind drifted back to when he saw Gaheris with the woman he loved. Since then he had avoided any feelings for ladies. They were instances when he felt that it was coming on and he would delve into his reading of the book of faith. He kept his vow of chastity. 

“Please leave me alone.” Galahad took his walk from the pond and then dressed himself by the tree. He picked up his sword and then turned to the lady still in the pond.

“Have you finished your bath, my Lady?” Galahad looked to the lady. “Or should I address you as  the witch?”

The lady in the pond then laughed out from a feminine voice to that of the shrill screeches of the witch. The young lady then devolved into a hideous form. She raised her arms and then from the treeline, a pack of beasts appeared. They were not of the wolves but of the familiar canine were huge with their fangs bared. Galahad counted three of the canines. It was alike the number in the unholy trinity.

“Witch, you should have brought more.” Galahad smiled. He had fought with them before ever since he had the visions of the plate that was once served to Jesus. He had not taken well with the vision but it recurred of then frequently. It was then he found himself pursued by the followers of the dark arts.

The canines came in a rush but they were stopped by the sword that swung at it. The sword in its sweeping arc had removed two of the canines but the third one on the right was untouched by the sword leap at Galahad. He fell backwards with the canine fangs on his right forearm. He felt the fangs that had bitten into his flesh there, and the spread of its potent poison that was reaching into his chest. He had seconds to counter the poison then. He turned his body to push the canine off his chest and then twisted his left hand to bring the hilt of the sword into the canine left eye. He slammed the hilt in hard and caused the canine to release the bite. Once the canine was off his chest, Galahad swung the sword towards the canine at the neck. The sword sharpened edge cut deep into the flesh there and killed it. The witch saw her canines have failed and she then ran across the water to the far end of the pond. She made her escape while Galahad took to his feet with the sword as his pillar of strength for him to pull upwards.

Galahad then stumbled to his horse and removed the potion from the saddle bag. He applied the potion to his wound before climbing onto the horse. He did not need to ride for the horse had sensed its rider was in need of assistance and it took off towards the hut in the deep forest.  

“Galahad, have you returned back from your quests?” Galahad heard the voice that greeted him on his return to the hut in the forest. He dropped his armour at the doorway and then proceeded to the dining area. There was seated the friar known as Friar Tuck.

“The stew is ready.” Friar Tuck told him. They met some years back and soon became friends with the friar dropping by to converse with him. The friar had calmed him and then taught many virtues of life. And his secluded life was to change.

“I am hurt, Friar.” With that Galahad fell to the flooring. It was hours before he woke and found his forearm bandaged. He turned on the bedding and saw the friar. The later saw the young knight awaken then told him that his meal was ready then.

“You came back in time.” Friar Tuck explained. “Your body have too many injuries to work on and adding in that poison was a bad move.”

Galahad did not replied for he knew his wound was not the first. It was the first that hurt him more and with it almost came death. It was not a canine but a possessed wolf that he battled then. He recalled lying by the tree trunk and then darkness. He dreamed of the plate and Jesus then. When he woke up, he was in the hut with the friar tending to him. During the time he took to recover, they became good friends.

“I met King Ban and Bors. You do recall them.” Friar Tuck mentioned the names he once served with. The friar knew of Galahad’s past and never did once he asked of that matter until then.

“I was telling them of you. I kept your identity quiet. I told them of a great knight I knew. They may not recognize you at all. Maybe not even Gawain.” The years have taken away his boyish look and with the battles his body had been battled to a more muscled look. There were scars that marked his face and at times he was not sure if it was his face. He had grown a beard to cover his facial scars.

“I am not ready…I meant I don’t want to meet them. I will have nothing to do with Arthur. Not again.” Galahad replied. “I am contended with my life now.”

“It’s not a reunion. It’s about the Grail. And you need to be there.” The friar brought the matter up. “You can avoid them but not the quest for the Grail.”

Galahad then was finishing his meal and looked at the earthen bowl he was served with. He was to reply when the friar spoke up.

“Your dreams of the Grail and HIM tell me that you are the servant to pick up.” The friar looked at him. Like the bowl and the stew, they taste better in it. You will take the plate for it will cool before you could consume the last scoop but not the bowl. It’s poured in hot and the hat dispersed into the wider and deep surface deep retaining its warmth for each scoop. Like the Grail inside you, it will stay inside deeper than any of us and wide it spread in you for you are its intended guardian.”

“Go with your faith. Let it guide you.” The friar told him. “The Grail is yours to find and may it then guide you to your true destiny.”

It was destiny defined for some that least expected it.

Sir Lancelot was not expecting it then when he met Elaine in the hall at the castle he had named Joyous Castle. His castle then named but joy evaded it inside the chambers and halls. It was his usual routine to drag himself to the hall for his meal but that he felt a sense of joy. He saw the servants beaming with smiles during his walk, but he was soon smiling when he saw Elaine there being served by the servants in the hall. He did not speak then and took his seat across the table. He took his meal without a word and then looked up to see her staring at him.

“When did y…” Lancelot was interrupted by the lady.

“You are rude and obnoxious. I have been seated here and you did not even greet me.” Elaine was upset and then stormed out. Lancelot sat there and smiled. He was glad that Elaine was back.

“Such joy we have here in the castle.” Lancelot muttered to himself and then a smile broke up on his face. To him then, Elaine had forgiven him. He felt good although his thoughts of Guinevere were slowly fading then. She was back with Arthur. He could dream of her body but he felt then it was not his to hold anymore. Lancelot stood up and stared at the table that he had his meal.

“It was at high tide when we see the beauty of the sea but when its low tide, the dirt on the beach floated up.”

“Pardon me, my Lord.” The servant serving asked him. Lancelot looked at the servant and then smiled.

“Nothing to worry about. It’s just a part of the journey of life.” Lancelot mellowed then. “It’s my journey.”