Arthur II Book III Chapter 24

 

24.

 

Lady Angharad greeted the knight on his return from his travel. Percival did not know why he returned to the castle of Erec who had married Enide. He was not surprised to see the other lady there; after all, she had no place to go. He was invited to the hall and given a feast. He looked at the hall there familiar to him and saw the armor once given to Erec missing.

“Erec rides with it on his travel. Ever since he donned the armor, he had changed. He had wedded Enide but he was hard with her. He prefers to perform his knightly duties than to be with her.” Lady Angharad told Percival. The latter sat there holding the goblet with the mead was with a heavy heart. He had declined a lady to continue on his travels. He had no siblings to look for, nor any particular quest but the need to be alone.

“I think …” Percival was cut off by the other lady.

“Erec may have his reasons but he held a responsibility to Enide. She had remained silent to his needs but she held her own. How can she remain here for she was no better than with Yder?” Lady Angharad spoke her mind. “I am still here because of her but her silence had been dampened my hopes.”

“I am sure Erec meant well. He may be concerned about her well-being and left her here.” Percival defended the other knight.

“If it was true, why did Erec command her not to speak unless he wills it?”

“Is it true? I can’t believe it.” Percival was stunned by the accusations. “Did she tell you?

“How could she if she was silenced? It was my ears who heard it utter by Erec towards her in this castle. I was to see them tell them I was leaving and heard it. I changed my mind and decided to stay on to accompany the silent lady.”

“Why?”

“He perceived her nosy, or perhaps she was too  ...”

“The voice of my love will be music to my ears. I will not get enough of it.” Percival revealed his heart thoughts.

“Enide had a voice before. She told me that she spoke to Erec that she felt neglected and needed love. Erec mistook his lover that he had failed in his role. He feared that she held lovers behind his back. He did take her on the travel then; a short one and silenced ruled their rides be day or night but her voice was heard when he was attacked or in danger. She called his name but he heeded her not. She was upset and he felt it. They returned here and me being joyous thinking all was well, heard otherwise. Erec had not taken her out since then.”

“In a battle, the knight cannot be distracted. It may be his life at stake” Percival again defended Erec.

“It’s true on that, but would your heart not cry out when you see pain?” Lady Angharad challenged the knight. “When its false accusations of being unfaithfulness cuts in deep when she was pure in her love.”

“Enide suffered in silence, as I have.” Lady Angharad sighed.

“You? I meant no disrespect but why should you?” Percival asked.

“I am alone and unwanted.” Lady Angharad looked at the knight.

“I …. Did not mean it that way.” Percival's explanation was cut short when Erec appeared.

“I thought I saw you afar. I had trailed you and you came here.” Erec looked at Percival.

“Yes, I have returned and found you not here. Lady Angharad was kind to give me some food and drinks.” Percival smiled.

“The ladies here can be hospitable even when its Lord is away,” Erec replied with a tinge of sarcasm. “Rest well, my friend. I require it too and we will feast later tonight.”

The perception was the thought on their minds.

Betrayal? Unfaithfulness or just loneliness.

Gawain was without any. His faith was stout inside him even without his mentor, and he was no lonely with God in his mind. He rode on the coastal trails towards North with his eyes averting now and then to the main continent. Maybe he should have followed the Bishop and complete his travel there but his mind was on his brothers. He felt sadness at how he treated Gaheris.

“An outsider shall not have made our stay apart,” Gawain spoke to himself. He thought of Galahad who had joined the Legion because of his hasty decision. The three siblings had signed the letter of loyalty for twenty-five years of servitude for the citizenship and land. A reward that they will only collect upon completion or death will forego it all.

He had slept under the stars and even at the huts offered by generous folks with meals and drinks, but alone he rested for his companion was God to read with him. He shunned the offers of the ladies not because of their wanting desire to him but his sworn oath to be pure of such sins. That was also why he preferred the stars and skies.

So was Galahad then without his affection for Molly, he had slept under the stars too. He had stayed in Camelot but he avoided the tavern. He had seen Lamorak there and assumed that the Optio had taken his space. He felt no regrets for it. He had liked Molly; love was too discerning to admit. It was a joint effort to fill in the gaps in their lives then but soon the gap widened and he left. He was then with mixed thoughts on a few issues; his role as a knight fighting at the tournament and never winning it. It was Percival or the others. Lamorak was never a participant but in the audience to laugh and mock at the defeated.

And Molly was his flesh to release his frustration. He was at until he felt the emptiness to the feel. He had encouraged others to see Molly; for drinks, they went and paid with coins but not of her flesh. They feared him he guessed or respected him with Molly. Even Percival, his Decurion shied away. And why must his brothers fight over a lady who was playing them for their attention?

“Elaine…You Roman bitch!”

“Brother, the bastard is at the tavern.” It was Gaheris who interrupted the campfire. “I will kill him.”

“Stop your ill feelings, Gaheris,” Galahad told his brother. “Molly is not mine to hold …. Not anymore. She is a lady of her right.”

“Molly was yours. She had said to my ears, that she loved you.” Gaheris confronted the elder brother. “Are you not…”

“I am who I am, and she does not love me anymore and neither do I. So leave it.”

“I can’t…” Gaheris seething with anger.

 “As you were Elaine. She is now wedded to Lancelot. Will you challenge Lancelot for her? She whom have spun your feelings.”

“Elaine was not mine. She was for Gawain.” Gaheris said. “I …”

“Fought with your brother over her? For what? She is now the lover of Lancelot. Sleep on that, or waste your frustration on the barmaids.”

“I am not to do that. I will hold my … myself for the right lady.” Gaheris said. “But mark my words, brother. I will kill Lamorak if I ever catch him with Molly.”

“Don’t do that, Gaheris. He is not worth your sacrifice.” Galahad stood up to face Gaheris. “If there is to be any killing, it is mine. I will do it but these words are meant for us alone. Say no more and be away. I need to rest.”

Lamorak then was drunk with one too many drinks of the mead, had staggered to the entrance of the tavern. He was tempted to knock on the door at the late hours but he held himself back. He could do it to Molly no more. He felt remorse standing in for Galahad. He was the Optio and needed to set an example to all.

“Arthur won’t do it. Nor will I.”

Lamorak turned to leave and walked back to the castle. It was not a far walk but his legs will make it longer. He took his first step missing the audience of the lady at the window above.

Molly felt the pain in her heart. It was not the same with Galahad. His was a fling to her. She had liked the man and his brothers but she felt not the deep love she had for Lamorak.

Why that man? Molly had asked herself many times. She had many others even before those two; a frivolous need then to satisfy her urges or at worse to surface for those who cannot last her pace. Those she will toss out faster than they can grasp their pride back. She had wished that one will give her back the sons that she lost but none was there.

Molly felt with Lamorak no more of that need but a more stirring one inside. When he was with her, she felt contented and at ease. She had not felt the same ever since the death of her first lover or that of the father of her children. She looked at the knight took the slow walk back and felt that all was lost. 

Lamorak staggered on his walk and then saw the shadow cast before him. The shadow wields a sword. He reached for his but with his reflexes dulled by the mead; he was fumbling to pull it out. The thrust of the blade was not from the shadow but another hidden in the rear. The blade went in deep at the right side of his back, and then it drew out to plunge once more into his right waist. He fell to his knees clutching his wounds. He felt the blade at the back of his neck and wished it would end his pain.

“He shall not die that so easily. Let him bleed and suffer.” Lamorak’s attackers fled the scene.