Arthur II Book II Chapter 18

 18.

 

“Excalibur is his.” Merlin felt the vibes that went through his body. He saw the trees had retreated and the undergrowth had all resided towards the ground. “Arthur is here.”

“And you are mine now.” Morgause raised her hands to call on the spells. She was to call on the dark spells at Merlin but Lancelot stood in between the two.

“Strike at him and I will strike at you.” Lancelot challenged the witch.

“Lawnslot….. You must not forget me. I am Morgause who was there when you needed a …friend.” Morgause looked at the knight. “You came to Lake with sad memories. You woke up in sleep, and who was there to comfort you? Me, your Lady Morgause.”

Lancelot recalled the early stay then when he first arrived as a young boy there. He was assigned a chamber to rest but he refused to be alone. It was Lady Morgause who volunteered to be with him.

“Vivianne, he is the child. I will stay with him. Morgause looked at the frightened boy then. He was given a tunic to replace the ones that he came with. He handed over everything he had but not the sword.

“So, be it. Take care of him till he is…well.” Vivianne had replied. “He will be given food and drinks here for now.”

Morgause had the young boy to his new chamber where there were the bedding and the other basic furnishings. She gestured to him that he was to remain there.

“Will you stay with me?” Young Lancelot asked of her.

“Yes, boy. I will be here for you. As a mother would with her child.” Morgause had replied. It was then when young Lancelot approached her and held out his right hand.

“My name is Lancelot. I am the …”

“Here we are the same. We are ladies of the Lake. I am afraid never in its sanctum there was a guest like you.”

“You mean…” Lancelot looked with a baffled look at the lady.

“We are a closed community. The sanctum here holds only seven ladies at any one time. We will stay and serve the lake with its protection of the fabled artifacts and … challenged anyone who intrudes here.”

“Can you tell me … later? I am tired.” The boy slept cradled in the arms of Morgause. She reached for the sword but the boy’s grip was firmed on you. She let go of the sword and hummed a lullaby for the boy to sleep.

It took some time before the boy will explore the corridors of the chamber he was in without having a lady next to him. He walked with the sword by his side. He saw the lady speaking to the lady who had brought him there.

“How is he, Morgause?” Vivianne asked then while watching the young boy walking the corridors. He won’t go far beyond the near corridors and when approached by the other ladies, he will retreat to his chamber.

“He is better. He still wakes up with the dreams. I have tried to suppress the dreams but it’s too strong inside him. I have also …”

“Do not take his sword, Morgause. It’s Arondight. It was his father’s and handed to him.” Vivianne cut in.

“Handed? I thought the artifacts including the …” Morgause was surprised at that.

“Yes, I know but the sword had judged for itself. It held better judgment than any of us. Arondight has its will to go with whom it chooses. Like Excalibur.’

“There is one other matter…” Morgause was to speak but Vivianne had interrupted.

“He will be named Lawnslot,” Vivianne told Morgause. “Lancelot will remain hidden for now.”

“Lawnslot…” Morgause repeated the name.

“It’s the name his father had planned for him before his birth. It was similarly linked to his great grandfather who was Welsh and the name had related to Lugh, the Welsh God. I was there but soon after his birth, his name was read as Lancelot by the midwives, and buffoon for Lords at his father’s court.”

“So, jesters changed his name.” Morgause held back her laughter.

“Just no more, Morgause. The boy held a destiny that includes us. Heal him well.” Vivianne told the other. “He is exceptional.”

It was from then. Morgause had called the boy Lawnslot and had him coached in the finer skills of fighting. It was a bond that was soon to make them close and made him envious of the others.

“Morgause spends too much time with the boy.” Nimue had conveyed her view to Vivianne. The seven ladies have met in the main Hall at the inner sanctum of the Lake. “We have one other on the other side of the sanctum that is already …”

“You meant Merlin.” Vivianne cut in. She had placed the two separated in the same sanctum but a different dimension phase. “They won’t meet yet they may co-exist here.”

“Which you are with…” Morgan had contributed her point but was cut short off by Vivianne.

“Ladies, they are our guests. A rarity…. No, a set of odd events unheard of here but they have a purpose and it suits …” Vivianne spoke but Morgause who was also there cut in.

“Merlin counts an event? That’s odd.” Morgause smiled. “A break …”

“Enough of the squabbling.” Vivianne took hold of the discussion. She looked at Morgause. “You may return to your tasks. I will take care of Lawnslot. He is a lad now and may be returned to his realm.”

It was a period to build trust with Lawnslot who had questioned the absence of Morgause.

“Morgause had taken on her other tasks. I will be your new tutor.” Vivianne had explained to the growing lad. She taught him more on the art of leadership and social integration which Lawnslot felt un-wanting then.

“I prefer to fight than to negotiating,” Lawnslot stated his objection.

“Both skills are needed. There are times to strike with the sword or your wits.” Vivianne had explained. It was the latter which Lancelot used then to stop Morgause from striking at Merlin.

“The druid was responsible for my banishment.” Morgause struck hard with her words. “He denied me of his affection yet he was taken in my beauty.”

“I did not…” Merlin defended his past action. “I was enticed by you’re…”

“Enticed, druid. Speak the truth.” Morgause hit back. “Whispered those words that you did.”

“I …. I will not.” Merlin sighed in his words. “I was lonely… and weak...”

“Yet you found the opportunity to seduce me…” Morgause's voice raised in tone.

“Enough the two of you!” Lancelot cut in. “I have heard enough.”

“Enough for the today, Lawnslot,” Morgause called the other by his other name. “I know both of you well and I will have my handful of the druid’s heart in my hand soon. Stop not me, Lawnslot, or suffered my wrath.”

“Lady Morgause, I will … I cannot yield to you. Or to Merlin. I have a sworn oath to protect any man or woman from demonic intrusion. So, swear by me on Arondight.” Lancelot looked into the anger of Morgause.

“I will tell you to watch your back, Sir Knight. It will be done when you least aware of it.” Lady Morgause then took off. Lancelot saw the lady whom he had befriended during a period when he needed a guardian. She was there to comfort him on the dreams he had, the late sudden frights of sounds, and the fear of shadows. Lady Morgause was like a mother to him. When she left him to the care of Lady Vivianne, he had learned to hide his fears but he had not forgotten her at all.

“Lancelot…” Merlin called out. Lancelot turned his body and lashed out with the left arm. He hit the druid in the face and then he stepped aside.

“Druid, you have lied to me. You told me that you did not have anything to do with the ladies, and yet Morgause accuse you here.”

“I did…. Yes, there were moments of weakness in me.” Merlin admitted. “She was …”

“She is the lady of the lake. They are the selected few on their sincerity and sworn oath to preserve…” Lancelot was cut off.

“They are still like us. Living beings but with a longer mortal span.” Merlin fought back. “I was with them as you had. You told me so but we never met there. I was … lonely.”

“I had sworn celibacy since then.” Merlin declared the oath. “It was not of choice but a condition …”

“A condition of what, druid?” Lancelot pressed on.

“A condition that I had to endure to learn the arts. It was my sworn oath but it was before that, when I was there, I liked Vivianne but she rebuked my affection.” Merlin sighed. “And Morgause was …”

“Lady Morgause was overtaken by the spells she was to master, druid.” It was Lady Vivianne who appeared then. “I had her banished when she was not able to control herself. She was turning into a …vixen.”

“My Lady.” Lancelot went down on one knee to bow to the lady who was his second guardian. She had brought him to the lake and offered him sanctuary at his vulnerable age.

“Vivianne…” Merlin looked to the lady.

“Whatever that may be or was it to transpire between us had ended. I am Lady Vivianne. And today, I am here to tell you that Excalibur has a new master. Arthur will fulfill his destiny as seen by you, druid.” Lady Vivianne uttered the last word with contempt.

“As the druid that brought him his destiny, you know he will plague by tribulations. You will lead or watched him fall, but you will not get help from us. We are severing our ties to you, druid. Live on your own.” Lady Vivianne then took off leaving the druid then on his knees begging for leniency.

“And I shall not be with you, druid. Farewell.” With that Lancelot took his leave of the druid.