Arthur II Chapter 26

 

The Battles and Conflicts

 

26.

In the Caledonians forest, further North or it was known as Celidon Wood, Horsa limped to the tent where his brother Hengist sat there in wait. Since his defeat at the wall, he had retreated to the north and recuperated on his wound. The druid told him the wound was deep and had severed the muscles there. Horsa had formed a fortress of wooden walls among the trees and have his men trained there. He fed them with the wide offerings of the forest. He also offered a trade with the local Scottish clans to avoid clashes on their land. It worked for his fortress son saw the offerings of the clans to join him in fighting the Romans.

“You may not walk like before.” Horsa was told. He almost had the druid killed then but the counsels of his Elders calmed him. He relented and undergoes the painful recovery while his brother fought the battles with the Romans.

“How do you fare, my brother?” Hengist greeted him on entry to the tent. The former still looked good despite the several defeats. The Anglo-Saxon Chieftain was dressed in the thick furs of the wolf, with his faithful battle ax between his knees. He was gaunt in his appearance with the many battles fought with the Romans.

“I am better. I am rare to go back and fight them.” Horsa replied. “How fared you with the battles?”

“We met the Romans.” Hengist voiced out. “The First Cohort will be reinforced by the Auxiliaries and the mercenaries with the Ghost adding in the support. They routed us then.”

Hengist related the battle there while Horsa took the seat by the fireplace.

“It was unlike the forest here.” The Caledonian forest was covered by the Pines trees and the thick undergrowth at its base. “We met them with the ambushes on the river banks but they countered us with their riders on the wide which outflanked my men. And there were the Sarmatians; fierce fighters of the continent with their curved blades and their beheading of the prisoners unnerved the men.”

“We retreated upstream but the Romans were in pursuit. We fought no less than three battles and the blood flowed in the river. I lost three-quarters of my men in those battles. I managed to retreat and now I am at your fireplace.”

“Fill your hunger with the meat served.” Horsa offered the grouse; the large bird that dwells there. The grouse was de-feathered and marinated with the herbs from the forest. “We have also the fermented honey concoction.”

The mead drink was a mixture of honey, grain and flour brewed and left to ferment. Fruits like berries can be added to make the flavor.

“I felt sad not to fight alongside you, brother. My leg had me rendered useless here.” Horsa sighed. “I wished I was there I may have cut down the Ghost and removed his legendary tales.”

“Aye, Lawnslot fought well and was an inspiration to the local warriors. He has expanded his settlement to a village now with his manor there standing like a castle.” Hengist spat the dried berries out. “I am here not for a talk with you. I bring in dire news. The Romans are in your forest as we speak. Their relentless pursuit of my men had driven them far north.”

“And we shall meet them in battle. I hold two hundred warriors eager to fight. We have been here for over four seasons now. Their thirst for blood will be the battle cry. I also hold the alliance of the local clans. They deplored Roman's incursions here.” Horsa roared out. “Cat Coit Celidon (the ancient name for Celidon Wood) will be the turning battle.”

Further at the edge of the forest, the Romans were at camp with the Prime seated in the tent. He started with a hundred legionnaires, fifty Auxiliaries, and twenty-four riders under Decurion Percival. A hundred Sarmartians fighters were led by the man named Aubin Knur. He was reinforced by Lawnslot who has another two hundred local warriors to fight under his banner. The battles were intense and closed to each other with the Romans relentlessly in pursuit.

Their losses were not light, two-third of the legionnaires have perished, half the Auxiliaries but the riders were spared. They were involved in the skirmishes and not in the main battles. The Sarmatians and the local warriors were down to less than half their strength. Their last count with the local warriors was at below a hundred and eighty men. It was still the strength of the First Cohort.

Artorius sighed. He will need more reinforcements.

“Can I join you, Arthur?” It was the druid. He was clothed in the thick cloak over the knee-length tunic and the hood covered his head and part of his upper face. From the uncovered part was the unkempt beard that had turned grey. On that day, he held a cloth bag over his right shoulder. He calls Artorius by his other name.

The Prime having removed his armor was seated by the round small table crafted from the trunk of the fir tree. He was in his loose tunic but the gladius was within reach. The table was not perfectly rounded but it served its purpose to seat four persons. It was covered then with the crude map of the forest.

“You may, druid. And don’t call me Arthur. I am ….”

“In my vision, you are King Arthur.” The druid cut in. “The words on the land tell of the new King that had stopped the Anglo Saxons from raiding their harvests. You are that King.”

“I am no King except to the …”

“The First Cohort? Perhaps they shall be named as the First Knights. It befits them for they are truly the knights on the land now.”

“First knights? You amused me, druid.” Artorius laughed. “It’s good to have laughter when faced with such challenges.”

“Merlin is the name, Arthur.” The druid addressed the other once more. “Look to the map. You are….”

“Alas, the table is rounded and yet it’s small.” Merlin lamented on the table radius. “Let me show you the full map.”

The druid pulled a rounded glass from his bag. He made some chants over it and then an image of the forest was projected onto the tent walls.

“Behold Caledonian Forest.”

“What witchery is this?” Artorius called out.

“Witchery? No, it’s sorcery. I am a sorcerer. I hold no Witches potions or bad vibes.” Merlin corrected Prime. “I am calling up the map to your mind. What you see is not here but an image onto your mind.”

“It’s still ….”

“Hush! I sensed the presence of another great force in the forest. Hengist has joined his brother to battle us.” Merlin voiced out. “Their strength had doubled or if not tripled.”

“Could you not count, druid?” Artorius snapped back.

“Do I need to when I am this old? I only need to know and you may count yourself.”

“Bah, where are they?” Artorius asked.

“They will come to us by mid-day tomorrow.”

Across the land back to the wall, Lady Igraine pushed the advances of the Lord Pendragon off her. Her moods were bad and he had tried everything to woo her.

“What is wrong with you, woman?” Lord Pendragon was getting upset at being rejected. “It’s been one season now and yet you secluded yourself from me.”

“I am unwell, Lord Pendragon. I feared my sickness will pass onto you.” Lady Igraine replied. “It will pass soon.”

“So be it.” Lord Pendragon got up from the bedding to distance himself from the unwilling lady. He stepped to the table there in the chamber. “I meant to ask on the younger lady…”

“You do not touch her. I will ….” Lady Igraine reacted in anger.

“I would not do that. I am a Lord and a decent one.” Lord Pendragon defended his intention. “She has been my guest. I meant our guest for some time and yet she has not shown at the dinner table nor has she greeted anyone she may meet in the corridor.”

“She is my…. a cousin from afar. She does not speak our language well.”

“Can I have her name please?”

“She is called …. Gentry. I will have her introduced to you soon.” Lady Igraine replied. “Tell me of the Augustus.”

“Woman! Are you not obsessed with that family?” Lord Pendragon sighed. “I am waiting for,”

“For what, Utter? I want him dead. And I want it now.” Lady Igraine hit back. “You don’t know Auric as I do.”

“Auric Augustus is a powerful man. He held many friends in the Senate. It was him who got us the reinforcement and Prime led them to victory over the Anglo Saxons. He freed us of the raids.”

“And what have you done, Lord Utter Pendragon? Have you consolidated your power and influence on the local Lords?” Lady Igraine challenged the man.

“What is ailing you, woman? One moment it was the Augustus and then on my Lordship. I think it’s time you rest. I will leave you now.”

“Don’t ever regret those words, Utter Pendragon. I am not any lady you can discard that easily.” The Lord had ignored the lady and left the chamber.

“I can help.” That voice of Morgause appeared on the table. The image was over the top addressed to the lady.

‘Leave me alone.” Lady Igraine was plagued by the witch for many nights.

“Only if you agreed to my request,” Morgause replied. “Guinevere is not yours to protect forever. She will be mine one day. Remember this; Utter was to be mine before he met Penelope.”

“Have you no shame, vixen.”

“Shame? Was it shameful to have our lovers?” Morgause hit back. “I had wanted Utter but my vow came first. Yet you took a vow with Lord Gorlois and broke it with Utter. And with me now. Vixen, are we not all?”

“Leave me.” Lady Igraine looked away. She was losing her soul with the vengeance of Auric. He did not violate or harm her physically but she was subjected to mental anguish. That had eaten into her since then.

“I will have my vengeance.” Lady Igraine swore.