Arthur II Book 2 Chapter 14

 

14.

 

There was not much the lady known as Elaine could do in the manor. She was without the companion of the brothers Gaheris and Gawain. She was restless that even the Green Knight was unseen. She pranced on her horse around the lands owned by her father with her escort of two guards within the distance of her. She chanced on the visit to the settlements, the Shire. It started with to huts and since then, several more were built and a market square was created. The peasants brought their harvest or reared animals to be sold there.

“A pleasant day, Lady Elaine.” The lady was startled and turned to look at the one who greeted her. It was Young Meleagant who had visited the village.

“Young Master Meleagant, I am honored to meet you here,” Elaine replied. The young man had grown in the year and was dashing to look at despite his fine drapes of silk linens over his tights and clad on shoes with the camauro headpiece normally worn during winter. It was cold then but the young man did have some poor taste for the shade. She was herself in the dark khaki riding suit with the short cloak over her white blouse and dark loose skirt with boots. Her headpiece was the embroidered piece that covers down her side of the head.

“I am honored too. It’s not every day I come here.” Young Master Meleagant bowed towards the lady. “I came…”

“To the small village here. Surely, the Shire may not be your place to buy things. Perhaps Londinium or Lancaster will …” Elaine was cut off.

“I don’t travel much South.” Young Master Meleagant smiled. “Father wouldn’t allow me.”

“You are a man already.” Elaine blushed at her blunt statement. The other blushed and covered his front with the knee-length coat that he draped over his shoulders.

“Octavius is my name.” The young man introduced himself. “Octavius Meleagant. My grandfather was once a noble from Rome, named Goorin. He was…”

“I am sure he was. If you were to excuse me, I am in need to find another friend. We agreed to meet here.” Elaine shot off in a hurry leaving the young man standing like a fool. Young Meleagant then turned to his horse and rode off. He was followed by the three guards assigned to protect him. He reached back the manor and stormed to his chamber. He closed the door and sat on the high back seat.

“Would you need me?” Young Meleagant heard the request of his loyal and personal servant, Adois. The servant was a younger lad from Gaul and toughened over the years of being a slave. He handed the leather cane to the young Master before he bent over the table with his tunic raised. Without a word, Young Meleagant lashed at the servant on the back. Adois hissed the screams of his pain through his clenched teeth on every lash. He was used to it and more so with the young master’s tantrums.

“Begone. I require rest.” Young Meleagant dismissed the servant. Adois staggered out and back to the servants’ quarters. He was by his mother, Gwent who immediately administered the soothing salve on her son’s wounds.

“He is unreasonable of late.” Gwent lamented on her son’s sufferings. “Must we take his wrath when he is ill-tempered?”

“Patience, Mother. Our time will come when we could fight back.” Adois lying on the front felt the soothing balms that eased his pain.

“Soon will be when?” Adois’ mother cried. “I fear you won’t be around then.”

“Soon, mother. We are not in Gaul but out here, we can still avenge our family.” Adois later fell asleep on the comforts of his mother's ministration on the wounds.

Physical wounds are curable but some fatal. Lord Pendragon stepped back with the sword still in his hands. He was wounded in the left shoulder and his right knee. It was a long ride and then the horse stumbled over the twine of roots that were laid across the path. The rider went over with the horse but Lord Pendragon knew how to roll his body on the fall. It was his age that made it difficult. He crouched up with his right knee hurt and saw the ambush was laid by his paid enemy.

“Black Knight, we meet again.” Lord Pendragon drew his sword. “How did you fare these years?’

“No better than you, Lord Pendragon. You were a branded traitor and I was to kill you but the fees to do it never arrived. I don’t do for free.” The Black Knight replied. “You may be worth the wait although the purse is lighter.”

“Was I branded a traitor? Who were they? The Elders I had known.”

“Trust not even your most trusted friends.” The Black Knight replied. “They are the ones that may plunge the dagger into your back.”

“Ban and Bors? Impossible, you dark evil demon. I have known them for years…” Lord Pendragon defended his two allies.

“As you had with yours?” The Black Knight removed his headpiece. He stood there with the half-burnt facial and the bald head. “I am your brother, Utter.”

“Merrick Pendragon. It can’t be. You died in the …”

“In battle than with the Picts. I had stormed the cave to battle them while you and the others were to join me but none did. I battled it alone inside, wounded, and was captured. They held me captive for days and I was tortured. I had sent for the ransom to be paid but none came. Instead, I got was your reply…”

“I did not know. I swear if I did…” Lord Pendragon lowered his sword. “It was Ban and Bors who told me that you died. How was I to know?”

“I escaped and it took some seasons to return to fight. I covered myself with the shade of the dark soot and fought for coins. My services were taken for I was merciless. I would have served Lord Gorlois but you had him killed. I swore to kill you but you were banished. I stayed on as a mercenary and waited my time. Your return was timely. Your Elders have betrayed you now.”

“I know of that. I am to the Romans to seek their help.” Lord Pendragon looked at his brother. “We can do it together.”

“There will no more of us. So, swear the Black Knight.” Merrick placed back the headpiece over his face. He pulled the long sword from his scabbard at the waist. He charged at Lord Pendragon who tried to deflect the swing and was slashed on the left shoulder. The knight side steps and swung the sword at the wounded knee. Lord Pendragon screamed before he fell to the side. The blade of the sword had caught him with its flat side on the knee.

“We ought to stop the fight, Merrick.” Lord Pendragon looked at the Black Knight.

“Merrick no longer exists. I am the Black Knight.” The knight stepped up to Lord Pendragon. “Die, you …”

“Not today!” The Black Knight was knocked off his feet by the blow to the back of the head. He fell on the side and when he turned he saw his attacker had dismounted from the horse.

“Lancelot…” The Black Knight staggered on one knee to face the other.

“It’s I, Lancelot. I have come to challenge you once more. I lost to you then due to my haste and inexperience.” Lancelot had drawn his sword. “I held with me Arondight to battle you.”

“The fabled sword? I heard that it’s your possession but I am not a demon to be vanquished by it. I am mortal flesh and my right arm could still wield the sword to kill you but…. I have a bounty to collect. Lord Pendragon is my target.”

“I have my dues with the Lord. He had my father killed.” Lancelot glared at Lord Pendragon. “Lord Gorlois was my rightful father and send to be raised by King Bon and then to the Ladies in the Lake.”

“You have many guardians then, Lancelot.” Lord Pendragon laughed. “I had hunted for you soon after the death of King Bon but you were never found. I should have known that you have changed your name to Lawnslot.”

“Stand aside, Lancelot. Lord Pendragon is mine.” The Black Knight swung the sword at the fallen Lord but the blow was deflected by Lancelot. The clash of the blades caused a ripple to the one held by the Black Knight.

“What the… My sword rippled...” The Black Knight was stunned by the ripple.

“Your sword had taken on too many innocent lives that it has taken its host with the demonic vibes. Arondight will break its hold on it.” With that Lancelot swung downwards with Arondight on the other’s sword. The blade of Arondight broke the other sword into two pieces.

“What…” The Black Knight called out but then Lord Pendragon had plunged his sword into the former at the left ribs.

“Die, Merrick as you should have years ago.” Lord Pendragon twisted his wrist and pushed the sword in. “Die!”

By the instinct of his action as a warrior, Lancelot swung Arondight at Lord Pendragon to behead the latter. He then stood there while the blood of Lord Pendragon drained into the ground.

“Lancelot ….” The Black Knight called out weakly towards Lancelot. “I have a request for you.”

Lancelot went down on one knee to his once time adversary.

“The Black Knight has sinned for a long time. It was not meant to be. I became the Black Knight to avenge my sufferings. I fought off the unjust and I …. May killed some innocents. I won’t deny it.”

“Say no more, Black Knight.” Lancelot tried to comfort the dying knight.

“Take my armor. Fight the wrong as I had done.  Hide your identity as you were the Ghost or… Lawnslot. Be the knight not seen on the face but fight the unjust. My squire, Alain will assist you. He resides at the castle. Give him my sword and tell him my request.”

It was how Lancelot was to don the amour of the Black Knight.