Arthur II Book II Chapter 20

 

20.

 

Hengist stood by the campfire and awaited the return of the others. He had waited for three days; the time he gave those the tasks to stir up the peasants on the raids. They will in turn look to their Chiefs and Lords for help and that will ripple towards the Romans.

The next stage of the war was to begin. It may be the final battle and it will decide the outcome of the war.

“Hengist Alger, what did you do? Your senseless raids have angered the locals. We are at risk to be attack.” It was Cedric the Big and he was angry.

“I have done what any leader will do. Fight and try to win.” Hengist replied. “Cedric, you have to get soft at the Rock?”

“Me? Soft? I am Cedric. No one tells me that stuff. I will kill you.” Cedric's grip on the battle with both his hands but he did not approach Hengist.

“Kill me? Why don’t you kill the Romans? They are the ones that are going to attack the Rock.” Hengist taunted the other.

“I will but I don’t need you to remind me.” Cedric swung the ax on the tree trunk. “I am Cedric the Big.”

“Tell me, Cedric the Big. How often have I come with the collections to add to your treasury each season? How often have I shared your food and drinks while my wounds are tended by the healers? Am I not your friend?” Hengist stepped towards the other Chief.

“You are…”

“I am your friend. I am telling you the war is not lost. We can win.” Hengist told Cedric. “We defeat the Romans here and they will never come north again.”

It was the opposite in the mind of Artorius then.

“If I am to be King, I must stop the invaders to the land. I must defeat the Anglo Saxons at their secure camp; Mount Badon.” Artorius looked at the gathered leaders of his; Lamorak the Optio, Belvedere the leader of the Auxiliaries and then the leader of the Welsh at Gurnion, and Aubin Knur of the Sarmatians’ with the one other outsider then, Lancelot as he preferred to be named. They sat at the new small rounded table with the servings of the honey added mead drinks. The druid was invited but he sat far from the gathered as if he was not to be there.

“King, Prime?” It was Lamorak who had spoken out. “I don’t understand.’

“King…” Artorius was to reply when Merlin the druid cut in.

“Arthur meant the King as if he was to rally the people here to unite under his name; he had to hold a title. He can’t be… Prime Pilus for is Roman….”

“What is wrong with being the Prime Pilus? We are the Legionnaire.” Lamorak defended the Legion.

“We are still the Legionnaire but at here, north of the wall, we are …. Only Cohort strength, distanced from the others. The Legio Xi Victrix may still be with us, but I was told that remains the only Legion in this land.” Artorius sighed. “We have new commands from the Legatus.”

“Prime, that does not mean we are abandoned.” Lamorak defended the Legion. “We may be asked to hold the borders.”

“With one Cohort although the best in the Legio we are outnumbered. We need to be reinforced. I need more men to fight the Anglo Saxons. How many times can we expect reinforcements from the defenses at the wall?” Artorius looked at Lamorak. “We are …. Alone.”

“Tell me what you need?” It was the voice of Lancelot. “I will get the local warriors to help you. With the death of Lord Pendragon, there are factions among the Lords and Chiefs. I can rally them to our cause if they are convinced that we fight for their land too.”

“I have taken heed of your call, Lancelot. We may need it now more than ever. I heard the Anglo Saxons have been carrying raids on the settlements. Far from us but the news had reached us.” Artorius looked at the others.

“Belvedere, there are many Welsh scattered in the land. Please see to them and if you can, rouse them to the banner. We fight for your people also.” The one named Belvedere smiled. He had been receiving many of the Welsh at Gurnion with the victory there.

“Where is Percival?” Lamorak felt his solitary presence among the others. “I saw him ride out with the brothers.”

“Percival is on the task of mine. He is to escort Lady Guinevere to her home.” Artorius replied. “She is paying her respects to her mother. Her father Lord Pendragon had died but the Elders have forbidden her to return there. She heads for her own home.”

“Lord Pendragon is her father?” Lancelot voiced out his surprise. He was not at Camelot when the lady told Artorius of her identity.

“Yes, she is but her mother is Lady Penelope. She was the first with Lord Pendragon in the earlier years.” Artorius revealed it then once more. “I was like you, surprised but I am not of the land. We can only pray for her safe return.”

Lamorak was to speak when Aubin cut in.

“I may not have much to offer but there are Sarmartians that are no longer in the service of the Legion. I can rally them to our cause. All they want is the shelter and food with the coins to buy their passage back when they are ready to leave.”

“The Sarmatians are welcomed. We will pay them with coins and a part of the loot. The more the merrier.” Artorius smiled. He then went onto the next issue. “I have another matter to tell.”

Artorius held out the sword to the gathered. He drew the sword out from the scabbard.

“This is Excalibur.” Lancelot heard the name and drew his deep breath. He reached for his sword and felt the vibes is Arondight.

“Excalibur is the sword of the people here. Only the King can wield it” Artorius introduced the sword. Lamorak was to intervene but Artorius hushed him. “The sword claimed to bring unity to the people of the land.”

“I am given the task to do that. The path I am to take on will be my destiny.” Artorius called out. “I am to adopt the namesake of the people. I am no more Artorius but shall be named Arthur, the Bear Warrior.”

“Hail Arthur! Hail King Arthur!” The loud voice of the druid resonated in the Hall. “Hail…”

“I am no King until the land is united. I ask for are your strength and loyalty as the knights of the new realm. A table will be built and it will be rounded in shape. There will be thirteen seats by it. All of you will have one seat and the next knight that proves himself to the land will hold the next seat until all twelve are occupied. The last seat will be kept vacant for now. I will seat with all of you, not as Prime…. I meant King but as another knight. We will speak our mind, and without favor or fear.”

“Why that seat which is the thirteenth shall be …” Lancelot asked.

“It’s reserved for the greatest knight that this land will ever meet.” Artorius declared. “Even I have to earn the honor to be seated there.”

Artorius looked at Lamorak; his most trusted officer among the legionnaires.

“Do I have your trust and loyalty, Sir …... Lamorak?” Artorius asked.

“Yes … Arthur. You will have my oath as always.” Lamorak replied. In the side, Merlin drew a deep breath. The potion in the mead drinks had worked. They will listen to Arthur.

“Then be prepared for the final battle. We marched at the beginning of the next moon. I want to be on Mount Badon as its King.”

The Green Knight has shadowed the lady soon after she left Camelot. She traveled in the covered wagon with her lady servant and the driver and was escorted by the five guards. He had seen those men before; hunters they were but not of warriors. He looked to his squire Jaseth who had the mule for his mount.

“The lady is not …”

“She may be. I see the Legionnaires are on the rear. Four riders following her.” Jaseth had reported to the knight. The young lad has better vision than him.

“Aye, but she is mine to protect.”