Arthur II Chapter 6

6.

Lord Pendragon reached to hold onto the love he cherished. Lady Igraine sat in the tub of water to wash. She had freshened herself the evening before, scrubbing the dirt from the body and then soaking herself in the warm water. No matter how many times she scrubbed her body, she still felt the dirt inside her. She was badly treated by one named Augustus, and to have suffered some indignity was her fuel to anger.

“You are tense, Igraine.” Lord Pendragon had then reached to scrub the lady’s back with the soft fleece. “You are safe now.”

“You took your time to find me.” Lady Igraine hissed out.

“I could not find you then. I swore my mother’s soul, I searched for you. I was preoccupied then in the north but friends of mine were traveling wide and deep to locate you. When I did, I had the Augustus ransomed you out but little I was to know that they have treated as such.”

“Kill them for me.” Lady Igraine told him. “Do it for me or I will drown before your eyes.”

“Why would you do that, my love?” Lady Igraine felt the lips of her lover caressed her neck from the hairline towards her shoulder. “Let us not feel anger when we are now together.”

“I was …. Mis-treated by them. I was used as a slave. With my noble standings, I should be a hostage.  but they took me a slave to them.” Lady Igraine pushed the head away. “They are no nobles. Only….”

“They are allies of mine now. I have befriended them to lend their strength to me. They will finance my soldiers and horsemen. I will ride once more as the head of the tribes.” Lord Pendragon replied. “I will no more be the lackey of others as I was with Gorlois.”

At the mention of the name Gorlois, Lady Igraine slumped back on the tub. She knew the name well; her wedding to the man twice her age, a brute when tenderness was needed, the lady was in chains to him. She had borne him no child but she had herself fixed on his death. She dictated it with the other lover of her, fascinated with her beauty and even to the extent of sneaking into her chamber when Gorlois was away. He was unlike the other, the epitome of a lady’s need but her illicit affair was discovered. She was banished to her home village while her Lord Gorlois waged war on Pendragon. She was told that Gorlois perished in battle but when she thought rescued was near; she was spirited away by brigands. It was a torturous journey that one until she was ransomed by the Augustus. What she thought of rescue once more turned out to be a period of slavery.

“Who are the Augustus’?”

“Allies whom I befriended sometime back at Gaul. I met them when I served Rome as a mercenary. They backed me in my war against Gorlois allies.” Pendragon replied. He knew the Augustus from the nobles of Rome who had come earlier when the Hadrian wall was built then.

 The nobles had ridden north to seek him for trade and soon they became friends. He offered escort guard for the nobles who went north. Then he met one name Auric Augustus, also the distant relative of the Legatos stationed there in Britannica. Auric was not a Legionnaire but he served as a statesman. He liked the land more than his father and even wedded a local lady. He has a daughter and was soon asked to return to Rome. There he flourished but Britannica beckoned him. He had many friends there including Lord Pendragon. When the request came from his friend to ransom the lady named Igraine, he took the opportunity to return. He told his wife, then Lady Alicia Augustus of the ransom. He was surprised at his wife's refusal.

“Igraine is an enemy of mine.” Those words spat into Augustus’ face. “If you rescue her, I will leave you with our daughter.”

Auric Augustus had a hard time convincing her. Her final reply was the lady is a slave until her lover arrived. It was agreed and the deal concluded for Pendragon.  Although their camp was small during the journey, Auric told the others to keep them separated. It was a task left to Alain his overseer for the slaves.

It was a steamy evening then of heated passion but the lovers were then alerted to the attack of the camp just before dawn. Lord Pendragon was given a tent in the Augustus camp. He dressed in haste and then passed to his love, the gladius he had kept for himself. He took on the familiar long sword favored by his people. Two mercenaries approached the couple and reported to the Lord.

“Lord Pendragon, we are here to protect you.” The burly figure in the mail coat over his tunic stood before the other holding the spear and shield. “Master Augustus expressed his concern for you. And …. the lady.”

“How many and who are they?” Lord Pendragon asked.

“Not many but they could be scattered to attack the other camps.” The newly arrived warrior reported. “We killed three of them at the outer perimeter.”

Lord Pendragon reached into his tunic and withdrew the signet ring. He gave it to the warrior.

“Take this and ride east till you reached my castle. Tell them I sent you. Bring the warriors here.” Lord Pendragon then reached into his tunic and withdrew some coins. “This is for your trouble.”

“You will leave soon when they return with my men. Go with them. I will join you.” Lord Pendragon told Lady Igraine.

“I will fetch a friend. She goes with us or I won’t” Lady Igraine looked at the Lord.

“So be it. Go and fetch your friend. I do not want any trouble from you.”

Trouble was also at the Meleagant.

Master Meleagant held his gladius in his right hand while the shield was on the left. He was dressed in his toga loosely tied by the sash on the waist. He was alerted by the guards and from his earlier experiences, he slept with the weapons near him.

“Get the guards here.” Master Meleagant called out. He had the guards’ circle them and then the servants were stationed outside. He looked to his rear and saw his son missing. He looked around and saw the younger Meleagant in the fore.

“Son, step back here.” Master Meleagant called to the younger but the other ignored him. He was to step up when he saw his son charged into the dim light.

“Follow him.” Master Meleagant called out to the guards. There was some hesitant then and the Lord called out once more. Two of the guards took the task. They trailed the Meleagant to the wagons. Master Meleagant noticed his son missing. He saw then the young one was checking the horses. He sent two guards to fetch his son.

“Young Master Meleagant, please return with us.” The guards called him but Octavia ignored them. He proceeded to hold the horse. It was then the hound nearby charged into him. It was a huge one and pushed the younger Meleagant to the ground. The later reached up with his right arm to block the fangs from his face while his left arm was pushing at the creature. He struggled hard until the hound yelped in pain before it rolled off with the chest bleeding. One of mercenary had stabbed the hound below the neck.

“Get up, Young Master Meleagant.” The mercenary extended the arm to the fallen young master. He was pulled up and had to be held up then for his legs was wobbly from the attack.

“Hold onto me, Young Master Meleagant. You will be fine.” The younger man did just that and then turned aside to cough out the phlegm from his throat. He was patted on his back while he leaned over.

“Thank you…” Meleagant could not remember the names of the mercenaries; he never had to for it was his father who dealt with them. He was led back to his father and the other asked the mercenary for a name.

“Belvedere. I am the leader of the guards.” The one who replied was a tall figure with wide shoulders and his coat of mails reached his thigh only where his laced sandals reached below his knees. He held a long sword and the rounded shield but he wore no helmet leaving his long-braided hair to flow behind him down to his back. He had on a small ax in his waist belt.

“We need to gets you back to your father,” Belvedere told the younger man. “He will be worried.”

“Please don’t tell him what happened here. I saw the movement of the horses and rushed over.” Young Meleagant confessed. “I should have …”

“It’s only a hound. One of ours placed there to guard the wagon. It’s fine now.” Belvedere then looked to the other mercenary. “No one will speak of this tale from now.”

No words were required then by the Marcellus when they were led in the dim light towards the western direction by the ten mercenaries who had captured them. The attack had come as a surprise; the small detachments of guards were slaughtered even before they could resist then. The surviving slaves were rounded up and told to leave by the other eastern side.

“Scattered and run. Make no noise unless you see the Legions.” The leader of the attackers told the slaves. “If you get through, find your way to the seashores.”

Antonius Marcellus himself was roused from his bedding clad only in his loose toga looked back at his family. His wife was holding onto their three young daughters and the aging mother was trailing behind. They were all unharmed and were clothed in the loose clothing wore to bed. He mentally estimated that they were force-marched for half a Hoare (hour’s in ancient Roman). They are not far from the camp, and he could make out the calls for searches. He could alert them but the attackers have warned them that they will die if they do so.

“Stop here!” The leader of the attackers called out. The entire group of over twenty sweaty and dirty fur-coated figures stopped in their track and halting the captives.

“Let them go!” The leader called out. “We have dealt them a blow which they will remember well.”

“Wait!” One of the attackers stepped up. “We could hold them as a hostage and then get paid for their release.”

“No, we are not like them. We will let them go to warn the others for coming here.” The leader looked at the others. “We are here to get them to move on and not be pursued as outlaws in our land.”

“Nay, I say we kill them. But let me take the young girls for my tribe.” Another one spoke.

“Stay put your action or feels my wrath.” The leader voiced out. “I will not have them harmed.”

“Lawnslot, we are …” The one who spoke earlier broke the oath taken. There were to be no names mentioned.

“Silence you oaf. No names.” The leader warned the others and then turned to the captives. “Leave now while you can.”

No one dared to challenge the Ghost to a duel.

Not yet.