Arthur: The legend and Myth Chapter 97

97.

It took another year before Arthur realized that he was aging. He sat by himself on the platform overlooking the field where the younger knights will try their skills at the joust tournament. He found himself rejecting the calls to do it for his body was no longer the same when he was years ago. It was close to a decade with the last war, and his role as the King was taking its toll on his body strength.

The aged Black Knight himself had asked to exclude from the round table and the seat vacant then.

Arthur turned to look for his Queen but she was not at her seat on his left. He looked around and saw her with the other ladies on the next garden where the food and drinks were laid out. She had been cold to him and with them in separate chambers he had not approached her at all. Even their meals were taken with minimal conversation but he found her rejoicing among her friends. He looked for Lancelot and saw him with his love, Elaine. Have returned to the knight but he heard that they were no different from him and Guinevere.

Were they still meeting together? Those were the words in Arthur’s mind. Arthur had never questioned Guinevere on her alleged affairs with the knight, but he had suspected there may have been one. In his earlier years, he might have going into a rage and challenge Lancelot but the years had mellowed him. He needed to think of his knights and the lands. If he was to fight Lancelot, he may unearth sides to the conflict. It may split his forces then, and maybe war will come then. He feared that the war will soon have his old enemy warring on him then, and maybe even the ones he placed on the throne may revolt. King Lot of Gail have grown strong then with his army expanded and there were capable knights then with the King. That was one King he feared then.

“Mordred, I welcomed you to my castle.” Arthur greeted the young man to the seat on the platform. The young knight had arrived then in place of his aging father. “How fare your father and your King?”

“Both of them are good, my King.” Mordred made known of his father Accolon and the King which was King Lot. His father Accolon served the King as the knight. Mordred himself then have turned adult but he was tall and huge in the frame. He was also an accomplished fighter and was a winner at the jousts. The knight then took his seat and watched the tournament.

“Your knights fought well.” Mordred complimented the knights in the tournament. “I am sure they will give the Gaul knights a good challenge.”

“And they shall. I will have the servants prepare a series of challenge with our knights. It bore me to see the same knights at it.” Arthur was all excited at it. “Shall we do it now?”

Mordred declined then citing that they were not prepared.  He asked for a deferment of a few days. It was all agreed then and the eyes were on the winning knights. Winning was the main theme of any tournament but there were some discontents then.

“I am not agreeable to the challenge.” Percival then spoke out when he was alone with Arthur. “We do have their experience and more to it, our knights are not that good.”

“Then get me the good ones. What has happened to the spirit of the knights of my round table?” Arthur argued back. “Have the missing wars mellowed your desire to battle?”

“No, Arthur. We are ever keen to battle with you but jousting had been a passing game for us. We do not take it seriously like the younger lads but those are weak in their approach. Unlike the knights that rode with Mordred, I hear that they fight for real in their joust.”

“I will not hear any more from you. Find me my challenger.” Arthur was upset that Percival had shown such reluctance in the coming tournament.

The words went out and there were many who wanted to join in the tournament but Percival viewed them with vain that most of them were bound to fail. He needed five knights and the ones he had then were Lancelot and Tristam.

“I heard of one who was considered as the greatest knight.” King Ban spoke up during their search. “He called himself the White Knight. I was told that his other name was Galahad.”

“Galahad? Have you tracked my brother?” Gawain asked. “He has been missing for years.”

“Galahad? You could be right. He may be your brother but this one hardly speaks.” King Ban voiced out. “He lives in the deep forest.”

Deep rooted was the hatred of Lancelot then of Hengist the Black Knight that he refused to see the knight on his request. Hengist then had left the round table and on his way to his own land, he stopped by Joyous Castle. He was however met by Lady Elaine.

“Lancelot was my apprentice then but we went separate ways. When he met then after many years, I bested him in combat and that was when he disliked me. He held an ego on his skills and refused to be defeated. “The elderly knight explained. “He was wrong then for he fought with rage at times. I cautioned him on that but he had to learn it.”

“My Lord, you knew my mother and my …father.” Elaine asked. “Tell me then what did happen at the gathering?”

Hengist looked to the lady and sighed. He had not spoken on the matter for years and the lady had asked. He told her of the plot to kill the family members and Lords that were there. He had done it out of greed and since then regretted.

“Why did you asked?” Hengist looked to the lady.

“I am asking if ….no, I am asking for who are you inside that shell of flesh. Your initial action was to invade our land, and led to the occupation of the Anglo Saxon here. Then after the slaughtering between the Anglo Saxon and us for years until a new King was to regain back that land. You then joined the King to slaughter others and gain more land.” Elaine looked at the elderly man. “It’s a miracle that you are still alive.”

Hengist was stunned by the lady who was more than half his age telling of his misdeeds from what she spoke of. He then stood up but left his armour behind. He took two steps before he spoke.

“I won’t deny my action of then but I have also done more for your land by protecting it then from the others. I even fought my own people to defend yours. I have given the major part of my life for your King, and since death did not claim me then I will considered myself as a miracle.” Hengist looked at the lady. “I also trained your lover to be what he is today but spare me your merits upon me.”

“I am leaving now and leaving this for my apprentice. May he wear it to be the next Black Knight” Hengist then turned to walk out of the castle Elaine did not say anything then and left for her chamber. She approached Lancelot who was in his own chamber.

“The Black Knight had left. He left behind his armour for you. He does not regret his previous actions and shall retire now.” Elaine completed her words and turned to leave.

“Elaine, why did you see him? Why asked him of his past? Why now?” Elaine glared at Lancelot and then replied.

“I wanted him to confront his past misdeeds as many of us should do. We cannot hope to walk on without clearing the past. Hengist held one and I just confronted him on that.” Elaine then smiled. “You have yours too. Confront it yourself before someone do on you. If that would to happen, even being the knight on the round table will protect you.”

“Are you threatening me?’ Lancelot snapped back.

“No, my Lord. I am just telling you. The sins of the past will be the surfaced in the present soon.” With that Elaine left the chamber.

Back in Camelot, Percival stared at the knights that were in the jousts. He counted not one that was good to joust with the Gaul’s then. He looked at ones with him. Lamorak was there but the knight was not well versed in the art of jousting and neither was Sir Kay along with the others. He sighed when he considered his choice lies with Lancelot, Gawain and Tristam. Of the three only Lancelot was the one who was proficient at it. The others may stand a chance especially Gawain if he was not distracted into his moods. He was still one short.

“Gawain, can we call on Gaheris?” Percival asked. The reply was a glum shake of the head. “Then find me one.”

It was King Ban who spoke out then.

“I heard of one knight that was named the Greatest Knight. I shall seek him out for you.” It was then the knight named Galahad was searched then by the knights

“He is named Galahad but he claimed not to be one with Gawain.”