Arthur II Book IV Chapter 25

 25.

“I feared then if we are not ready to battle the sisters it will be the end of our role here.” Vivianne looked at the ladies. “We have not a crisis like this since Lady Madeline.”

“I doubt Lady Madeline deserved to be dragged into this. She left the Lake on her own accord and was not banished.” Vivian cut in with her remarks.:” I am more concerned about your leadership here. You have handed over our powerful artifacts to others.”

“I stand …” Vivianne was stunned by the accusation.

“I am challenging you, Vivianne.” Vivian took to the fore and faced the other lady. “We will all challenge you today.”

Vivian stood with Ninianne, and Nimue. Only Nymue had taken to stay away from the conflict.

“A fine time to battle me when we are to face a bigger threat from the Le Fay’s sisters.” Vivianne snapped back. “Are you all mad?”

“We are not but you are for you have sided with Merlin and Camelot once too many times. You have given away what was ours to keep. We cannot have you as our leader no more.” Ninianne voiced out.

“You were the silent one, Ninianne and now you speak of defiance on me.”

“I had to, Vivianne. You led us to this moment today.” Ninianne defended her action. “Nymue being the youngest dare not defy you nor us, and stand at the side.”

“What did I do to deserve this revolt?” Vivianne asked.

“Balin the Sword. You gave it away like Excalibur.” Ninianne hit back. “You knew the sword was cursed.”

“I …Yes, I did. It was to assist in the retrieval of the Grail. The Holy Grail.” Vivianne looked at the others. “Do you not desire that?”

“Vivianne, the Holy Grail was not ours to keep. There are some artifacts best left alone and not to be treasured by us.” Nimue looked hard at the lady.

“Yet, it was kept away and if we can have it, no one will ever dare to question our role here.” Vivianne looked to the others. “Don’t you know its priceless value? It will be monumental to what we hold here.” 

“Vivianne, what I see before me is greed. For that, you are to be imprisoned until the Lake decides your fate. Surrender now, Vivianne.” Ninianne made her statement then. “Desist and we will retaliate in force. Do you yield?”

Vivianne looked at the others before her. She was their elected leader and kept the realm of the lake safe until the arrival of Merlin. Her feelings got over her action, and then with the departure of the Le Fay’s sisters, it all crumbled with her. She could battle the ladies with the return of the Balin’s sword, but it will mean more destruction to the realm.

“I yield but only after I defeated the Le Fay’s sisters.” Vivianne called on the spell to sent her away from the realm. Nymue wanted to follow but was stopped by Ninianne.

“She may be defeated.” Nymue protested but was overrode by Ninianne.

“Vivianne is not without allies out there. We will see to her needs from here.” Ninianne made her words heard by the others. “Let us prepare the defense of the realm. Le Fay’s sisters may attack us too.”

Attack was on the mind of Mordred who given the report that Arthur had raised an army at the Antoine Wall. He stood in the Hall looking at the knights on the round table. Sir Erec still, harbors vengeance on Percival, Slaine for his people's humiliation, Octavia for his lust of the Queen, Lord Bern led by the Elders to serve his father’s role, and Owain, the one whose oath was to Erec.

“Arthur is without his knights; Sir Kay, Lamorak the disables, those are Percival, Galahad and also Lancelot all in exile, Gaheris with Gawain dead, Lord Bors in the dungeon and also Lord Ban dead.” Mordred looked at the knights there. “Belvedere, Tristam, The Green Knight and himself whom I was told was wounded in Normandy.”

It was then Mordred felt the wound that he was inflicted by Lancelot. He grim his expression and then spoke up once more.

“We are twofold the army he holds now. And double his knights. The Lords are also with ..” Mordred was interrupted by Sir Erec.

“My King, some of the Lords had left our sides to join with Arthur. They favored him as their rightful King.” Sir Erec voiced up. “I heard about two hundred rode with them to meet Arthur at the Wall.”

“Not an issue to concern on. I have a new ally. King Lot may have been defeated but his defeat held hatred among his surviving knights and they will ride with us.”

“My King, they are Normandians. We cannot accept the enemy of ours to ride on the land…” Octavia snapped out. He recalled the tales of Normandy by the Romans who fought them. “They are savages.”

“Savages? Are we not savages here? You sit with the Sarmatians who are considered as barbarians, and savages bought in by the Romans, and yet they fight for us now. They are no more the barbarians but the rightful defenders of the land that they plow and grew their harvests. Some of the harvests were served at your dining table.” Mordred glared at Octavia.

“More to it, I hold another ally whom you may have met.” Mordred beckons toward the door. At the entrance stood a northerner warrior.

“Behold, the emissary of Anglo Saxon; Lord Alfred Cnut. He will ride in with two hundred soldiers. His emissary, Adam here bears the new alliance to us.”

Adam dressed with the animal felts and armed with the heavy long sword at the waist. His headcover was the metal round cup design with two horns on the side.

“I will not battle with them.” Slaine stood up. “They were once my enemy and …”

“You were paid to kill them.” Mordred reminded the other. “They are no more the invaders than you are the landowner. They came to claim not our land but the right to battle Arthur. And after they will leave or left their blood here.”

“I am the emissary of Alfred, and am here to regain my people’s honor.” The Anglo Saxon emissary stepped up to the round table and seated at where Sir Kay used to seat. “I claim my right here.”

“Where are the wenches?” Adam made himself at home.

Not only was Adam making himself at home, Guinevere tried to claim her right as Queen to see Mordred that he stop his foolishness but her journey was misled to imprisonment once more by Octavia. The latter was to meet her at the chambers in his manor.

“I beg of you, Octavia. Let me go to see Mordred. He cannot battle Arthur. He is loved by the people.” Guinevere pleaded with the other.

“So were you and yet he chose to burn you on the stake as a …witch?” Octavia hit back. “That man held no love for anyone.”

“Yet, he is loved.” Guinevere sobbed.

“And do you love him?” Octavia asked. It was a question that he never could bear to raised till then. “You were ravished by him, imprisoned, made to sit by his side, and when you ran, he took you back a captive, and last not least to burn you.”

“I don’t…loved him but I …. Adore him as my King.” Guinevere muttered her heart content. “He is …He was not my lover in my heart.”

“Your King and yet you don’t …loved him. What mockery is that?” Octavia hit back.

“Arthur is not my love. Lancelot is the one. And will still be.”

“Lancelot….The bastard took you away from me too.” Octavia hissed the words at her. “What hs he that I am not?”

“Octavia, please remain calm.” Guinevere looked at the person that she grew up with. “Lancelot …”

“He will soon be dead. I have employed mercenaries to hunt and kill him. He will not live long.” Octavia looked at Guinevere. I will not hear of his name in this Manor. I must go now. I have a war to prepare for. If I die, you may leave. If I live, you ….will stay here till I die.”

Octavia then walked away.