123.
Guinevere sat by
herself soon after the half-sisters have left. She felt like a total let down
then. She was led by a lady who had ideas of her own on being Queen. She
recalled when young. Lady Igraine took an interest to her. She was comforting
her then with smiles and the constantly telling her that she was to be a Queen.
Was it pre planned then?
“You may play
nice with Mealegant.” Lady Igraine told her then. “One day he may be a King and
you the Queen.”
Guinevere played her role as Queen well. She had the command of many at her side. Beauty had a
role and so was Lady Igraine instruction. Every one treated like the Queen.
Mealegant was indeed a possible King for his father was close to Lady Igraine
but later in her life, Mealegant was shielded from her. She never knew why and
it was later when Arthur came to their attention. Guinevere was swept off her
safe haven to meet the knight who was to be King. All she needed to do then was
play nice. Guinevere did just that, and found that being a real Queen was not
much different from playing it. Her lover then was all attentive to her despite
their age difference. It worked for a while until Arthur began to focus on his
battles.
A battle to
Arthur was like a affair that he cannot deny. He had to do it and when he did,
he forgot all about her. It hurt ever more when he was not around with her
during her hardship of pregnancy. She got more upset when her only son died
because Arthur won’t believe her. She blamed him for all of it.
Guinevere had
Lancelot but he was not a King. He was a stand in lover then. She knew that she
could not love him but she needed a man. He was there. He was Elaine’s lover
but she was the Queen, and no one says no to her. Soon she have her King back
but it was different. Lancelot kept away and she was alone once more. A Queen
with no servants to call on until Mordred came. Mordred who claimed to be King
who is also the nephew of her half-sisters then had come to her side.
“You will be
Queen while I am King but it will only for the show to the people.” Mordred
words to her and it was hurting then but she resigned to the facts that no
matter what she was still Queen.
It was then she
decided to be the Queen she wanted to be.
“Call me the druid.
I want to see him now.” Guinevere commanded the servant who was summoned to the
chamber.
Elaine was also
back in Castle Joyous summoning her own courage to the words said by her
sister. She was shocked although she knew at some stages that Lancelot might be
the son of Pendragon. It was rumoured then but she ignored it. If he was, then
their relationship was taboo. If her mother knew, why didn’t she stop them
moving forward? Was it true that her mother had kept Lancelot as the next King
if Arthur failed? Was it the truth as mentioned by Morgan?
“Mother, how
could you?” Elaine cried out in pain. In her pain she went into Lancelot’s case
and tossed his personal items out. She was hoping with fear she could find
something that will assured her of Lancelot was somebody’s son. She found then
the one item which Lancelot had not displayed to her for a long time. She had
known he was using it form the scars on his back.. She had indulged into it. She
also thought he had discarded it but there it was in her hand.
“It’s a cat o
nine, my Lady.” Bran was the one who spoke to her from the doorway. “I had seen
my Lord used it on himself. It’s a tool for redemption of the faith. A penance
for …”
“I know what it
was used for. I was just….” Elaine was surprised then. He held the whip in her
right hand and swung it softly. The leather whooshed through the air in its own
motion and sound. She turned to look at the servant.
“Strip your tunic and lay on the bedding.”
Bran was
frightened to challenge the lady and did as he was told. She stepped before him
and released her anger onto him with the whip. She lashed at him till his back
was red with the welts and then the blood appeared. Bran did not scream then
for he had bitten into the sheets there to quell his voice. His tears flowed
but it would have no mattered.
Bran was
enjoying it. Soon the lashing came to an end, and then he felt a warm body onto
his back. The body rubbed into his pain and blood with the arms reached out to
pin him down. He tried to voice out but there was no sound from him. He felt
the body above him caressing him and then the kisses. He loved it but he was
not ready. Bran turned his body and rolled away. He stood up and faced the
lady. She was in her gown covered with his blood.
“I am sorry, my
Lady. I can take the lashing but I am not to be with you. I will rather die
than be …”
Elaine pushed
herself up and approached the servant.
“You will tell
no one of this. You will come here when I command. You will …” Bran heard the
lady and nodded. He grabbed his tunic and left. Elaine once alone again
straightened her body and then picked up the whip from the flooring. He picked
up the items she had tossed out form the case, and replaced them all except the
whip. She then proceeded to the wash basin and stripped off the dress. She
washed the blood off her body before she paraded to the wall mirror.
“You will tell
no one of this. It’s our secret.” Elaine spoke to the mirror before she climbed
onto the bedding to indulge in her own private pleasures with the whip. It was
her’ once more to use like before.
“Why did you
hide it, my love? It’s you for me when you are not around.” Elaine moaned her
urges.
If it’s to
replace someone was simple then Arthur would had not felt the pain then in his
heart when he looked at the assembled.
He looked at the knights then and counted half the familiar faces were
not there. He felt defeated then for he was facing an adversary that
outnumbered his own.
“We can fight
them in an open battle. They will slaughter us.” Lancelot was the first to
voice out. “I will suggest we withdraw.”
“No, there will
be withdrawal. We fight them here or surrender.” Arthur voiced back. “I am not
for … sacrifice.”
“And you need
not be.” The voice came from the entrance to the tent. It was a warrior dressed
in the highlands kilt and tunic. “I came here representing the Scottish clans.
We are here to fight with you.”
“If you are
concerned that we have not the numbers we are trailed by another column of
warriors. They are Anglo Saxons to be exact with some Picts. They are allies.”
“Why help me
when I chased all of you to the hills so why now the alliance?” Arthur
questioned the newly arrived Chieftain.
“Because they
hated the Romans more after the long battles during the invasion and the wall
that the Roman built.” Tristam cut in. “I have lived with them to know whom
they hated more.”
The Chieftain
nodded and then looked at Arthur.
“Do we fight or
withdraw?”
It was the same
dilemma of the druid. He was summoned to see the Queen and he disliked it. He
had wanted to avoid seeing her and figured out how to counter the spirits. When
the Queen commands he has to go.
“Druid”,
Guinevere avoided calling him by name. “I want to ask you why you selected
Arthur to be King.”
Merlin did not
reply then but he was pressed on.
“I saw it in
him. I saw him that he was to be the King. The first sword prophesied it then.
Then Excalibur voted for him.” Merlin defended his choice for Arthur. “He was
to be but tainted by your mother…so named guardian. She was the unknown
factor…”
“What are you,
druid? The King Maker or a miserable bastard who wants to play as King Maker?
You are pathetic, druid.” Guinevere hit back hard. “How many have you placed on
the throne to be overthrown?”
“That is not a
concern of yours….” Merlin got defensive. “You were not my choice for him. He
would had ….”
“Done better
with Morgause? Druid, you are mistaken I am the Queen so learned to live with
it. Now get out.”
Merlin was not
leaving and then he asked the Queen.
“Why did you
summon me here?” Guinevere glared at him.
“I need to tell
to feel how the Queen should do in her task. I have been a bad Queen, and now I
will be one nasty one. So get out!”
“I will but let
me tell you this…… Queen. I will destroy you.” Merlin then took her call to
leave.
The war had
resumed then.
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