Defense
Disclaimer: I don't own 'nuffin.
Author's note: I got this idea after reading an encyclopedia entry about sir Lancelot on Wikipedia (http - Look up 'Sir Lancelot'). To briefly sum up what I read was that in one of the earlier versions of 'Lancelot' (the German version called 'Lanzelet') Lancelot marries a woman named Iblis, and lives to be an old man - both he and his wife die together on the same day. It is also interesting that in the earlier versions of Lancelot, the knight was not carrying on an affair with Queen Guenevere, it was actually Mordred. So I actually have some basis for my story :P
Another reason I started working on this was because I was generally unhappy with the typical Mary-Sue-ish main character associated with OC fics. So there. !
I've already finished writing - if this is reviewed well I'll post the rest.Oh, and for this I had to assume that Lancelot didn't die in the final battle (Duh!). Just like everyone else.
Chapter 01 : Bitter
01.00
Morning came again, the steady stream of sunlight through the window was not pleasant to Sir Lancelot's eyes. He groaned and tossed his head to the side in an attempt to escape the sun's glare.
Just beside his bed there was a sharp 'clang!' followed by the sound of something shattering. Lancelot, suddenly aware of another presence in the room, bolted upright. There was a sharp pain in his chest, and he winced.
"M-My Lord, I - I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you - I..." A girl's voice - shaky, nervous. She posed no threat. Lancelot would have liked to get a better look at her as she helped him to lie down again, but his vision was a little blurred.
"Oh..." The girl sounded disappointed, kneeling down to inspect the broken shards of the bowl she had dropped. "Stepmother's going to be so mad at me - Ow!" She exclaimed, cutting her hand on one of the shards. She stuck her bloody thumb in her mouth when she realized that Lancelot had been watching her intently. "Sorry..." She said quickly. "I - I'm a bit clumsy." She looked away. Lancelot smiled in amusement as she began to gather up the broken bits of bowl into her apron.
Lancelot's vision had mostly cleared by the time the girl had finally returned with a bruised cheek and a new bowl.
"Something to eat, My Lord." She said sullenly, removing a wooden spoon from her apron pocket and placing it next to the bowl.
Lancelot was finally able to get a better look at her. Young, thin - too thin, almost like she hadn't been eating. Rounded face dotted with a few freckles across the nose and cheeks. Her hair was a mousy colour, tied back with an old rag. She wasn't pretty, but she wasn't ugly either. Her face was halfway between beauty and ugliness - all in all, she didn't stand out much, Lancelot could have seen her a hundred times and not have remembered her - she was probably a scullery maid. Her eyes were a plain muddy brown, red around the edges either from crying or lack of sleep.
"The Lady Guenevere is waiting to see you, Sir." She sniffled, wiping at her face with her sleeve.
"Let her in." Lancelot said automatically. Obediently, the servant girl opened the door, and the Lady Guenevere, a true exquisite beauty, entered the room. The girl bowed her exit, but before she could leave, Lancelot called out, "No, please stay."
Guenevere looked confused by this, perhaps embarassed, but Lancelot didn't trust himself to be alone with her. He didn't want to betray Arthur.
"I am glad to see you've recovered." Guenevere said finally, eyeing the poor servant girl who shrank from her gaze. "I've already told Arthur that you were awake. He's on his way, now."
"Why have you come?" Lancelot asked, his voice sounded bitter.
"I wanted to thank you." Guenevere said softly.
"For what?"
"For saving my life."
Off in the corner of the room, the servant girl stood idly, unsure of what to do with herself, when Arthur himself entered. Lancelot nodded at her, giving the girl permission to leave.
"I'm relieved to find you well Lancelot." Arthur spoke in a deep voice. "How are you?"
"Everything hurts, but other than that, I'm fine." Lancelot smirked. "How did we do?"
Arthur's face turned grave. "Tristan has fallen."
Lancelot turned his face away and cursed under his breath. "How long was I asleep for?"
"Two days."
"Tristan was a noble man - I will miss him."
Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, Guenevere had slipped out of the room.
'You need your rest." Arthur said gently.
"I've rested enough." Lancelot said bitterly. He made a feeble attempt to get up, but Arthur stopped him.
"You must rest."
"My Horse-" Lancelot began to protest.
"I will see to it that your horse is taken care of." Arthur promised before leaving.
Lancelot turned his attention to the unidentifiable mush left by the scullery maid. It wasn't bad, but the food turned sour in his mouth. He forced himself to eat a little before falling asleep again.
02.00
The girl returned again at mid-day, this time with a cup of water and some stew.
"If there's anything else you need-" She began.
"Don't let the Lady Guenevere in here again." Lancelot cut her off.
She nodded, startled, and then removed a small roll of linen from her pocket. "I'm supposed to change the bandages." She pointed to his shoulder. Lancelot shot her a look and was silent.
The next day, sometime in the late afternoon Lancelot was able to get out of bed. He wandered down to the stables to see about his horse, alas, the noble steed was nowhere to be found, and so he ventured out into the fields where he found his horse out in the enclosure nibbling at the grass.
He whistled and the horse obediently trotted over. "When did you get out here?" He asked, stroking the horse's neck.
"I let him out this morning... Lord." It was the same girl from before, adding his title hastily at the end of her sentence. She leaned against the fence, standing next to him, eating an apple. "Want one?" She took another apple out of her pocket and handed it to the knight, then produced a third and fed it to the horse. "Sir Arthur wanted to make sure your horse was taken care of." She explained.
Lancelot stared at her. "I thought you were a scullery maid." He said.
She looked down. "My stepmother is the head maid here. I end up doing all kinds of work." She said glumly. Lancelot almost felt sorry for her. "Everyone calls me 'Mouse'." She volunteered.
"That's not a real name." Lancelot commented, returning his attention to his horse.
"It's Iblis. But nobody calls me that."
The Knight nodded to show that he was listening. "I'll be able to return home soon." Lancelot said absently.
"Oh - you're not going to stay for the wedding?" Iblis sounded almost disappointed.
"What wedding?" Lancelot whirled on her - his sudden change in demeanor set the poor girl on edge.
"Arthur our Sovereign is to wed the Lady Guenevere." Iblis said, her voice becoming shaky and nervous again - she sounded as if she were quoting an official document or something.
Lancelot's face acquired a faraway, distant look.
"You're in love with her - aren't you?" Iblis regretted her words as soon as she said them. "I - forgive me, Lord." She said quickly, but Lancelot wasn't paying attention.
"I need a drink." He announced to no one in particular.
03.00
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Galahad approached Lancelot where he was sitting alone at a table out in the courtyard surrounded by empty mugs.
"Piss off." Lancelot snapped, grabbing the only filled mug and downing it in one go. It was after dusk, and there were several others milling about and drinking, but Sir Lancelot had been at this for several hours.
Unfazed, Galahad took a seat across from Lancelot. "You've been at this for hours." He informed him.
"Am I not allowed to have a drink!" Lancelot retorted loudly.
"You're drunk." Galahad observed.
"Of course I'm bloody drunk - everyone can see that!" Without warning, Lancelot stood up on the table, scattering mugs everywhere. "Hey everyone!" He shouted, arms open wide. "I'm drunk!"
Lancelot's announcement was met with a few cheers, some applause and requests for more drinks. As Lancelot tried to return to his chair, he slipped and Galahad rushed to keep him from falling and further injuring himself.
"Off to bed with you." Galahad said.
"But I don't want to go to bed." Lancelot protested, sounding like a child.
"What's going on?" Vanora, lover of Sir Bors, appeared, carrying a small child.
"How much did you give him to drink?" Galahad asked, supporting Lancelot to keep him from falling over
"I don't quite remember. I've never seen him so upset before." Vanora thought aloud.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Lancelot announced.
"Mouse!" Vanora called, placing the child on her hip. "We need a bucket!"
Iblis quickly came running with a wooden bucket, her face covered in soot. She had to look away and cover her nose when Lancelot vomited.
While he was doubled over, Iblis went and stood next to Vanora and Galahad.
"Is he gonna be okay?" The girl asked.
"Okay?" Galahad looked at her. "He's not going to be able to get up in the morning, that's for sure."
"I think you should fetch another bucket." Vanora said to the girl. Iblis nodded and cast a sympathetic glance at Lancelot before running off.
"My head..." Lancelot complained loudly upon waking up in the late morning of the following day. Somehow he was back in the Keep.
"Oh - you're awake. I'll go get Sir Galahad." Iblis jumped up.
"What happened?" Lancelot asked.
"You had too muck to drink. Then you got sick and passed out." Iblis explained.
"Oh, no..." Memories of last night quickly came back to him.
"Is... something wrong... Lord?"
"Please- just go and Galahad." He grumbled.
The wedding ceremony of Arthur and Guenevere was held later that day - Lancelot stood in the crowd and tried to look happy. In a way the constant pain in his head was good because it took his mind off of what was happening around him.
Their happiness caused him anguish and he couldn't make the feeling go away.
After the ceremony, there was a great feast - Arthur's halls were alive with bright colours and music and dancing. Lancelot stared at his food, unable to eat. Beer was the only thing he could stomach.
"So you're going to be heading home soon, eh?" Bors sat down next to him with two large mugs filled with ale, one of which he handed to Lancelot. "Vanora and I are finally getting married. Seeing Arthur and... well, it just made me think about some things." He looked thoughtful for a moment. Lancelot smirked, and was about to speak when Bors cut him off: "And if you say anything about the little bastards bein' yours-"
"You want me to stay a bit longer is that it?" Lancelot asked.
Bors didn't deny it.
"Ah, why not?" Lancelot took a hefty swig from his mug.
"I know it's hard for you." Bors said, drawing attention to Arthur and Guenevere dancing in the middle of the hall. "Seeing her with him. But you're a good man, and honorable man, no matter what you might say - I know your loyalty to Arthur is greater that the love of any woman."
Lancelot looked at Bors. "You sound smarter when you've been drinking." He said, getting up.
Iblis was in the kitchen, busy stoking fires and trying to be useful so that her stepmother, the head maid, wouldn't come and start screaming and throwing things at her again. She wiped at her face with her apron and then looked around for something else to do.
"What are you doing just standing around?" A shrill voice asked from behind her. Iblis's face went pale.
"Dance with me." Guenevere laughed, holding out a hand to Lancelot. The Knight stared at her, unsure of how to react to the Queen's request.
"Get back here you lazy good for nothing!" A loud voice coming from the kitchen echoed through the halls. The music had even stopped, all eyes were on the archway leading into the kitchen.
Iblis suddenly came running out of the kitchen followed by a barrage of pots and pans.
"Go on - get out of here! I hope you rot!" A rather large woman stood in the archway, waving a meat cleaver menacingly.
As Iblis was running, the fat woman aimed another pot at the at the girl's head. It hit its mark, and Iblis pitched forward, hitting the floor.
Bors and Lancelot had stepped forward in an effort to save the poor girl. Iblis quickly scrambled to her feet and ran to hide behind Lancelot.
"What's the problem here?" Arthur came forward to ask the woman calmly. The fat woman's brow furrowed, not taking her eyes off Iblis.
"This-" She pointed the meat cleaver at the girl, "This... this pig has done nothing but loaf about and eat my food since her father, my husband, died - she's not even my daughter. She was his first wife's child. And she's not even his daughter either 'cos her mother was a dirty whore!" She threw the meat cleaver at Iblis's head, but she ducked and the cleaver clattered to the floor, leaving marks on the stone. "You can curl up in a hole and die for all I care!" The fat woman proclaimed. Iblis was terrified - she had never seen her stepmother so angry before.
"Please!" She begged, latching on to her stepmother's arm. "Please don't throw me out - I've nowhere else to go! I-"
"Silence!" The fat lady boomed, backhanding the girl, sending her sprawling. Three neat drops of blood fell to the floor, and Iblis stared at the woman, wide eyed, holding a hand to her face as if that would ease the pain.
The stepmother began to move forward, but Arthur held up a hand for her to stop and even the fat lady didn't dare defy the Lord.
"What is your name?" Arthur asked the girl, who looked dazed.
"I - Iblis, my Lord. They call me Mouse."
"You will always have a place to stay within Hadrian's wall. I have seen you work and know that you do not sit idly. Your name I do know." Arthur turned to the fat lady. "You are Morgan. Your conduct this evening was inexcusable. I dismiss you from my service and request that you be gone by the end of the week. A horse I will provide for you so that you may find work elsewhere." He spoke to the fat woman calmly and evenly, and all she could do was stare at him in shock. "Now go." Arthur commanded, and she left. He signaled to the band to strike up again, and they continued as if nothing had ever happened.
Lancelot turned to find the girl they called Mouse gone, and he himself discreetly left the hall when he was spotted by the Lady Guenevere.
The Knight headed for the stables, where he could be alone. Lancelot tended to his horse, brushing the black stallion, when he heard a muffled sound coming from elsewhere in the stable.
Lancelot drew his sword, taking careful steps toward the noise.
But where he half-expected to find a crying girl, he found instead Bors and Vanora who had situated themselves in a rather compromising position.
"Dear God." Lancelot grumbled, throwing a horse blanket at the pair before Bors could protest.
Leaving the stables, Lancelot wandered out by the cliff where the wedding had taken place mere hours before. He stood a distance away from the cliffs edge, by an apple tree, looking up at the sky.
"Why does God feel the need to punish me like this?" Lancelot asked out loud.
"You sound sad." Came a voice from somewhere above him. At first he thought that either he was going mad or perhaps God had spoken to him, when he realized that it was Iblis who sat up high in the tree's branches.
Making her way down, there was a loud 'crack!' and the branch she was standing on gave way. Iblis fell to the ground in a tangled heap and Lancelot stared at her, startled by her sudden appearance. Iblis quickly stood up and dusted herself off.
"I - I'm sorry... My Lord." She said quietly.
"It's all quite funny, actually." Lancelot suddenly laughed a bitter laugh. "The one woman I want I cannot have."
"You speak of Guenevere." Iblis said earnestly. Lancelot looked at her.
"Why is it that everyone knew I loved her before I did?" He turned his attention to the stars above. "I could never bring myself to betray Arthur, but all the same, I'm beginning to wish that I really had died on the battlefield that day." His voice was filled with bitterness.
"But you didn't." Iblis interjected. "And everyone was so happy when they found out that you were going to live."
Lancelot sighed.
"You're lucky... to have such good friends." Iblis said gently.
"I know." Lancelot said, not looking at her.
"And now..." Iblis began to walk away. "I'm going to go back to the kitchen and then I'm going to sit on the hearth all alone, because that's what happens every night. I sit all alone by the fire until all the embers have died and I am asleep, because no one cares about a little Mouse." She said, her voice inaudible.
"Did you say something?" Lancelot asked, turning around.
"Oh, no my Lord." She shook her head. "Goodnight, Sir Lancelot." Iblis turned and walked away, leaving Lancelot to look at the stars.