Arthur II Book III Chapter 15

 15.

 

Percival rode from his father’s estate leaving it to the care of the remaining witches. They have lamented that they are weaker without Adriane, to make up the numbers but the knight had ignored their pleas.

“I leave you the lance and may it never be used again.”

“Sire, the lance is yours. And only you can wield it now. Even if we gold the lance…” The witches have said.

“Hold as guards, and not to wield it. That is my command.” Percival looked at the remaining eight witches. “All of you were ten in the numbers and withered to nine, yet you commanded the estate like a kingdom. Now that you are eight, you will serve the King which I am here on this land of Efawg. I am the apex of your line. Do as I bid or suffer the consequences of your action like Adriane.”

The witches cowered to the far corners without a whim. Percival then rode off without a second look His heart bled for his parents and also for Adriane. Even though she had held back on her mother’s death and then his father, he still loved her as his stand-in mother.

Percival saw the lady ran out of the forest. She looked distraught and he rode towards her. He offered her to piggy ride on his horse. She got up and they rode from the forest. He turned and saw the four riders in pursuit. He reckoned that they cannot outrun the riders and decided to make a stand. He halted the horse and dismounted.

“You ride on. I will fight them.” The lady remained quiet and rode on. Percival drew his sword and held the shield with his left hand. Three of the riders stopped and looked at him.

“Ride on, Knight. We hold no fight with you.” One of the riders said to Percival.

“I am Percival. I am here to protect the lady who is in distress.” Percival replied. “I cannot stand aside on that.”

“Let me tell you to that the lady is Lady Angharad. She had run away from her wedding to the Lord. We are to return her but since you are to be her champion, we will fight you.”

“I will fight all of you,” Percival replied.

“We are fair to you. I will fight you alone. I am Owain of Edwin.” The knight dismounted in his armor and held the sword with the shield. “I fight like a lion. No quarters will be given.”

“I am Percival of Camelot. I will fight the dragon with my men.” Both men clashed with their swords and shields on the field. They were equal in skills and the battle was without any victory to be seen. Percival saw his horse had returned with the lady and led by the knight that had pursued her.

Percival withdrew from the fight and looked at her.

“Are you well, my lady?” The lady only nodded.

“Sir Percival,” Owain addressed him by that name. “I will end the fight now. I am not giving up on the fight but said we are equal and I respect that. For that, I will return to the Lord and tell him of our failure to retrieve the lady.”

“Lady Angharad, I will take my leave of you. You may go with Sir Percival.” Owain bowed to her. He then mounted the horse and turned to leave. The other three riders did the same. It was then Lady Angharad fell from the saddle but the knight had grabbed her from falling to the ground. He carried her to the nearby shade under the tree. He laid her on the ground and then retrieved his horse. He took the water container and dabbed some water on her face. It was the first time he studied the lady that was unconscious there. She was beautiful, young, and looking serene lying there. He sat next to her and looked to the horizon. There were the trees in the forest and the white clouds on the skies. Both shades were different yet they seem to blend in well. He marveled that we see them daily and yet we do not know what they mean to us.

Percival had never rested ever since he joined the Legion. He had focused his life on it; training and fighting with his riders. He had ignored the merriment of the riders with the ladies. It was not that he was not interested in the ladies but he was a puritan inside. He had the strict training of the nine ladies who taught him how to respect the others, despite the revelation that they had been involved with the killing of his parents. Maybe that was why he did not terminate the witches. Adriane was a move that he did not anticipate.

Lady Angharad woke up later at dusk to the smell of the roasted meat over the campfire. She saw the man who had saved her. She sat up and looked at him. He was older but looked haggard.

“You are awake. Please take a drink and some food. The others have not returned.” Percival told her. “Sorry, my name is Percival of Camelot.”

“Camelot? King Arthur’s Camelot?” The lady was surprised.

“Yes,” Percival replied with coldness in his voice. “Arthur’s Camelot.”

“I am Lady Angharad. I was to be wedded to the Lord which I had taken over my land. He had my parents and brothers put to death.”

“Who is he? I will put him to death.”

“No, Sire. No more killing. I have enough of it. If an eye is to take another eye, then we will all be blind to the world.”

Blindness ruled us most times.

Elaine stood upon the strike of the hour. She threw on the cloak over the new sleeping gown that was laid on the bedding. She knew not who placed it there but it was alluring and felt good to her fingers. She had put it on and waited then. With her cloak on, Elaine took the steps into the corridors and then towards the chamber she knew was Lancelot. She paused at the door.

“Should I?” Elaine muttered to herself. The door opened by itself then. She stepped in and the door closed. The chamber was lighted by the single lamp at the table. Beyond the table was a man named Lancelot lying on the bedding fast asleep with heavy breaths. She approached him and saw he had slept naked with the bed covers below his knees. He was shivering to the cold night air and yet he had not covered himself. She was drawn to look at the man there with her eyes roving from the face to the knees. She did peruse the groin with a fast glance onwards. She had blushed even though she had seen some before. She blushed when she thought of the tasks she had performed, and rubbed her hands on her silky gown.

Lancelot stirred in his sleep while his left hand reached for his groin. He held himself there before his fingers moved then. Elaine looked away and was to leave when she heard him muttered.

“Love, I am here.” Elaine turned to look and saw the man still in his dreams was stroking himself. She somehow felt the urge to hold him, and she did. She sat down on the bedding and rubbed his belly. The man moved his body towards her, and then before she could stop it, he had her lain down next to him. She felt him turning towards her and then his lips were on her. She responded and her hands held his face.

“I love you,” Lancelot muttered. Elaine felt his breath on her neck as his lips trailed down to her bosom. It was too fast but she gave no resistance to his kisses. She felt that she was his.

And soon she was when he mounted her.

He was her Lord then.

Soon, the union was over and the two slept as lovers. 

It can’t be said much for Arthur for he slept uneasily on his side of the bedding. He laid there on his side facing the night table while Guinevere had done the same towards the other night table. Since his return, he had lain with her but found his desire devoid of the need. He was thinking of the old crone at the Chief’s hall whose words had stung him deeply.

“How could I mistrust her?” Arthur asked himself. He had questioned the servants and they told her she had not left the castle. And if she did, she was escorted by the maid and two guards. There was no feast held there in the castle and neither were their tournaments.

“Why were there no tournaments?” Arthur had asked. “How could those fools remembered how to fight?”

“We have no worthy knights to join, my King. Lancelot, Percival, and even the Black Knight were not seen.” The servant told him “Neither does the Queen enjoyed the battles.”

Arthur sighed then from his side of the bedding. He felt the Queen of his stir in her sleep from his sigh but she did not attempt to soothe his woes.

“Alas! Arthur thought to himself. Now he knew what they said of cold nights with the frosty lady. He used to laugh at the drinking sessions with the men when the wedded ones spoke of their lovers when they have not returned for a long time.

“She laid there like the frost-covered ground with the tiny crack at the creek.” One cracked the nut on the subject.

“Tiny? I thought it was the well but it held icicles inside.” Another will be laughing aloud. “I had better dips in the doe of the forest.”

“You are a pervert, Marius. Never share my tent with you.”

“It’s not the tent but the gap where you may sleep from him.” Normally the session will end with a brawl but the men were united as lovers on the battlefields. They fought with love for each other against their enemies.

Arthur wide awake then wished he was back with his Legion.