Chronicles of the Brittany Kings Chapter 18

 18

Lord Vortigern seated at his castle soon after returning from the King’s. He had taken his aide with him and called for the gathering of his leaders.

“Giskard here silenced the assassin who tried to kill the King>’ Lord Vortigern looked at the aide who was seated there. “I applaud him for his action.”

“How did the servant of Lord Anvil get to the King? And why? I was told that he was to say something of a betrayal to the King. Of whom it was from? Me? Or any of you? The other Lords?” Lord Vortigern looked to the gathered.

“We pledge our swords to you, Lord Vortigern.” One of the gathered stood to declare his loyalty. The others followed suit until Lord Vortigern motioned them to be seated.

“Our rivals for the King’s favor have the courage now to go direct to the King. It may look like Lord Anvil is more formidable than expected.” Lord Vortigern looked to the aide. “If not for the placement of my men, the King would have listened to some rumors that may be of damage to us.”

“Let us talk…..” The one who spoke earlier voiced once more but was cut off by Lord Vortigern.

“Desist from those words you were to utter. The King shall remain as …our King.” Lord Vortigern looked to the gathered. “The King needs to be protected from the others.”

“Let me be by the King’s side.” The aide stood up. “I will die for …. You, my Lord Vortigern.”

“You will but not today.” Lord Vortigern sat back and gave his mind his thoughts on the issue. It would seem that the other Lords could be plotting against him, He needs to be on guard from them.

Or could it be Gildas the monk? He was also the adviser to the King now and was to spend more time than him with the King. How do you challenge the monk? He then called the guards.

“Find me the one named Merlin. He is a druid.”

“I think I may have seen the druid. He stays in the forest after the funeral. You did forbid him to at the castle. I was told that he held sessions of work there as many other druids do so in the forest. It's their sanctuary as claimed by others. They confer with the creatures of light and dark and even the trees talks to them.”

“Find him, imbecile. I am in need to see him. And stop your tales on the practice of the druids. They are not worse off than the Anglo-Saxons or the Picts in their beliefs.” Lord Vortigern was upset. His once encounter with the druids and their so named beliefs had his army afraid to venture. The tale of the Wicker Man lent fear to the warriors.

“The druids will burn our souls in the Wicker Man.” That was the fear created then, and it took some time for the priests and monks to assure them that it was only a fable. The army soon marched on and defeated the raiders there.

“Find me Merlin now.” Lord Vortigern raised his voice. “I am tired of listening to druid’s tales.”

”He was seen at the North with the young prince; Aurelius.” The Lord was told.

“Another recalcitrant prince.” Lord Vortigern groaned out.

Unlike the King, Aurelius was a keen study of the occult and sorcery. He was an accomplished fighter with the sword and bow with the arrow and rode the horse better than most of the others. He was hailed to be a warrior but spent his time with the druids.

“Why is it called the Dance of the Stones?” Aurelius asked while seated on the saddle. He had traveled north with the druid to see the stones.

“The Giant’s Dance, my lad.” The druid who accompanied the young prince was Merlin. “Behold the wonder of it. It held healing properties to many ailments.” Merlin related the tale as was told to him by the elders. He had met the young prince soon after the funeral of the old King. They have met several times in the forest clearing where Merlin offers his words on the works of the druids. Some others have approached him for healing potions and some for artifacts or incantations that they can use to turn stone into gold. He had these gold diggers kicked out of the sessions for he vowed that the alchemy of converting stone into gold was a fable.

“A fool who believes in it will soon lose all his wealth of gold.” Merlin cautioned the ones who will listen. “Kings’ may even lose their kingdom if he is foolish.” 

“Aye, I can agree.” It was how Aurelius met the druid and soon became friends. The druid shared many tales with the young prince. One of them was the Giant’s Stones. It drove the young prince to visit it.

“Was it true the Stones were brought here by the giants?” Aurelius had asked.

“Giants they were. Or Nephilim as the others may be called them but living creatures that breathe and eat like us.” Merlin replied to the other. “They carried them from a faraway continent, and then placed them here. It was claimed that the circle was formed and it was a passage to the other realm with the Gods.”

“Gods? Yes, your beliefs hold many of them. Mine held only one.” Aurelius smiled. He was attracted to the studies but his faith was staunch to one.

“That remains to be a discussion we will have one day.” Merlin laughed. “Perhaps when you are King, that may be made into a law for all.”

“Me the King? I am not the King. My brother rules as King. His belief is impeccable, unlike mine. More to it, I will not topple him for I loved him well.” Aurelius bellowed out. “We are the bloodline of the Kings but only one can be King.”

“A bloodline worth exploring indeed,” Merlin muttered to himself. “Shall we move near the stones, my bloodline of the Kings?”

“If the stones can be moved here, I think we can move them nearer to our land. Then the people can seek to get the needed healing.” The young prince made that observation. “I can speak to the King on it.”

“Or be the King that will do it,” Merlin muttered.

“Did you say something, druid?” Aurelius asked.

“No, I was just saying a prayer that all will be well with your wishes,” Merlin replied.