Valiant: List of duties
In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy and girl. Their names: Merlin and Sapphire.
Very early in the morning will find Knight Valiant entering a shady merchants shop run by a bald man called Devlin. He knew if he could get the shield he wanted it could be his chance to win easily at the upcoming tournament at Camelot, even against the most famous swordsman of the land: Prince Arthur Pendragon. It will also allow him to win the gold that's delivered to the winner and maybe have a chance at winning the Lady Morgana's hand at marriage. He'd be the richest and one of the most powerful men in the land if he could get into Uther's good graces and one of the ways to do that would be to be a good swordsman. This will highlight him in the eyes of Uther and Uther might then offer him the chance to become one of his knights.
"I understand you have a shield for me," Valiant inquired.
Devlin, after making sure no one was looking motioned for Valiant to come behind the counter. "With your swordcraft and this shield, I guarantee you'll win."
"Show me how it works."
"Certainly," Devin grinned before turning to the shield. "Tharanai im bis entra ofra honra stolle." The green and yellow painted snakes with red eyes on the shield came to life and slithered half out of the shield. "When you're competing in the tournament, you pin your opponent under the shield, a snake strikes. Your opponent will be paralyzed." Devlin hands him the shield. "The snakes are now under your command. They will do anything that you tell them to do," he grinned in evil anticipation. He couldn't wait to see how his creation would help kill in the upcoming tournament.
"Anything?"
"Just say the word."
They both laugh maliciously before Valiant schools his expression. "Kill him."
A snake darts out from the shield and strikes Devlin, killing him. That's a good strike. He'll definitely win.
~MAS~
Valiant rides for Camelot and places his helmet and seal (a miniature version of his shield) on the registration table.
"Knight Valiant of the Western Isles. I'm here for the tournament."
"Welcome to Camelot," the Steward sitting at the registration table says. This is where it begins.
~MAS~
It's our first day as Arthur's manservant and maidservant. We're outside on the castle ramparts with Arthur dressed in his standard armour sans helmet. We have to help Arthur train for an upcoming tournament that's coming up where knights all over the realm will compete and fight against each other. Last man standing is the winner.
I was sitting on a bench watching as Arthur and Merlin got ready to practice. Merlin could barely stand up with all of his practice armour and helmet on.
"Ready?" Arthur asked him, though he didn't sound very concerned for my best friend.
"Would it make any difference if I said no?"
"Not really," Merlin draws his sword and Arthur attacks. "Body. Shield. Body. Shield." Arthur called out his movements as he made them, with Merlin barely blocking them in time.
"Shield."
"Head."
"Head?" Merlin asked, seconds before he got hit in the head. "Ow."
"Come on, Merlin. You're not even trying."
Arthur takes a quick tag to Merlin on his back.
"Ow! I am."
"Once more."
"Oh, no," I laughed, it was funny watching them.
"To the left. To the right. And left. Head."
"Ow!"
"Come on, Merlin! I've got a tournament to win."
"Can we stop now, please? Why can't you use Sapphy instead?"
"Hmmm, that's not a bad idea since you can't seem to do anything right. Sapphire take his armour off on put it on yourself." Let's see if she can do anything better then this useless manservant.
"You've got to be kidding me!" He expects me to get battered and bruised? No thank you!
"Now."
As quick as I could I helped Merlin out of his armour and then he helped put it on me. The moment my helmet was on I almost tumbled to the ground as the armour was ridiculously heavy.
"Shield. Body. Shield. Body." Arthur called once I'd gotten my footing. I was blocking the moves a little better than Merlin did but only just. "Not bad most servants collapse under the first blow. You're definitely better at this then Merlin. I think I'll use you for this more often."
"Is it over?" I asked him, feeling slightly dizzy.
"That was just the warm up. How's your mace work coming along?" Arthur swings a mace over his head.
I sigh and Merlin just hands me a mace. Beginning some more training.
~MAS~
A while later we get to leave after being told to polish the armour. We carry it and stumble our way into the physicians chambers.
Gaius chuckled as he saw us. "So, how was your first day as Arthur's servants?"
Merlin taps his head. "Do you hear clanging?"
We sit at the table where Gaius massages Merlin's shoulders.
"Ah! It was horrible and we've still got to learn all about tournament etiquette by the morning. OnhrÃne achtung bregdan!"
After he casts the spell that we learnt from our new magic book, a book slides to Merlin on the table and opens up.
"Oi!" Gaius slaps the back of Merlin's head. "What've I told you two about using magic like this?" He was pleased that they were learning how to control their magic but if the King say came in then what would happen? He would prefer it if they only use it to save their new found destiny, as Sapphire called Arthur the other night.
"If I could actually feel my arms, I'd pick up the book myself."
"Never mind your arms. What do I do if you two get caught?"
"What would you do?" I asked him, curious. Mother did say he'd protect us but we haven't been in Camelot long enough to call us being in a close family relationship.
"Well, you just make sure it doesn't happen, for all three of our sakes." Gaius goes back to treating Merlin's shoulders. Arthur needs all the protection he can get while he's training to become king. He was sure that there would be dangers along the way.
"We save Arthur from being killed and we end up as his servants. How is that fair?" Merlin wined. When Uther said they'd be rewarded he'd thought it might have meant money or something like that. Becoming Arthur's servants was not on their agenda when they came to Camelot.
"I'm not sure fairness comes into it. You never know, it might be fun."
I scoff at that. "You think mucking out Arthur's horses is going to be fun? You should hear our list of duties." We'd only just started being servants (never having been one before) and he expects us to complete our chores by the end of the next day? It's a good job Merlin's here with me because that way at least we can share the work load but it will still take a long time to complete.
I think the only reason we've still decided to be Arthur's servant is because it's a job and we've got to survive some how in Camelot. We can't just let Gaius spend all his money on us as that wouldn't be fair to him. He'd given us somewhere to stay the least we could do was to help him out a bit. Merlin and I agreed that he would be the one that helps clean the room and I would be the one to help Gaius with his potion making.
"We all have our duties. Even Arthur." He has to look after the land and protect it's people, help Uther with making peace treaties and keep an update on the lives of the villagers around Camelot.
"It must be so tough for him with all the girls and the glory," Merlin remarked. He's got to keep in shape and become a good knight to help protect his people. That must put him in the spotlight all the time so his presentation probably has to be perfect every day. We haven't seen much of that. Just three days ago they'd seen him bulling his own servant. He was not making the best impression on them in fact they both thought Arthur to be a prat.
"He is a future king. People expect so much of him. He's under a lot of pressure." He presses hard on Merlin's arm.
"Ah! That makes two of us." That looked really painful. I hope he doesn't do that for me but then he did.
~MAS~
Gwen said she could help us with learning how to put on Arthur's armour for us. We were in her house in the upper quarter of the city right now.
She decided the best way to teach us would be to actually show us how to put it on ourselves and then label all the material which she was doing write now. "So, you've got voiders on the arms."
"Mmhhmmm," Merlin agreed. 'Voiders on the arms', he repeated in his head.
"The hauberk goes over your chest."
"The chest. The arms. The chest."
"I guess you both know what to do with the helmet."
"Erm, yeah. Yeah, that was the only bit we'd figured out." Gwen and I giggled at that.
Merlin puts the helmet on. "How come you're so much better at this than us?"
"I'm the blacksmith's daughter," she'd already told me that last night. I'd forgotten to tell Merlin in return. "I know pretty much everything there is to know about armour, which is actually kind of sad." Being a maid to the Lady Morgana is the only other thing she knew a lot about. Her father was a Blacksmith so she grew up around swords and armour which was usually not how ladies are brought up. She was still brought up in manners but she knew how to fight if the time arose and she knew how to make armour and weapons which was not the occupation most women had.
"No, it's brilliant!" It really was, without Gwen we wouldn't even have a clue on how to put on Arthur's armour.
~MAS~
It's later on in the day and we we're struggling to get the vambrace on Arthur's lower arm. It's at a really awkward angle.
"You do know the tournament starts today?" Arthur asks us in. He was feeling very annoyed by his two new servants. At least the old could put on his armour faster then this.
"Yes, Sire," we both replied annoyed.
"You nervous?" Merlin asked him.
"I don't get nervous."
"Really? I thought everyone got nervous." Can't Merlin see he's just winding Arthur up.
"Will you shut up!" Well, now he knows.
I grab Arthur's red cape with a golden dragon on and tie it on him before Merlin hands Arthur his helmet.
"Great, yeah. I think you're all set," Merlin remarked, looking at our work.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" What are we forgetting? "My sword." Oops.
"Oh, yeah. Yeah, sorry. Guess, uh, you'll be needing that."
Arthur snatches the sword and stalks off.
"That went well," Merlin muttered to me. I can't believe we forgot his sword. It was the weapon they needed to fight with. If he didn't have his sword he'd be dead in the first round which wouldn't be good for the kingdom since he was the only heir to the kingdom.
~MAS~
We headed over to the tournament grounds, peeking out behind the entrance to see Uther strutting past the front of two lines of knights.
"Knights of the realm, it's a great honour to welcome you to a tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur." Arthur's one his competition since he first entered it and he hasn't lost since. "Only one can have the honour of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of 1,000 gold pieces." that should make the knights feel more energised and ready to win the competition. It will also make this competition more exciting to watch.
A servant opens a box revealing the gold pieces.
"It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature, whether he is indeed a warrior or a coward. The tournament begins!"
The crowd cheers and the knights exit the arena. Uther stops by Arthur on his way to the stands and speaks to him in a low voice. "I trust you will make me proud." He's done so in past tournaments but who's to say this one will be the same. He was hoping Arthur was using his time training wisely and was constantly improving with the techniques he learns and practices with each weapon. Uther slaps his back before he leaves to sit in the Royal box. Lady Morgana was sitting on a smaller throne on his right along with Gwen, who was next to her but sitting right next to the Royal box.
Guards step forward to take Arthur and the other knight's capes, and they put on their helmets. The crowd cheers and Guinevere whoops. Arthur and the knight begins to fight.
"Yeah! Come on!" Merlin encouraged Arthur. We've never seen a fight before and this was really thrilling. We've never had much going on in Ealdor. The most unusual thing that's happened to the village is our magic, though none of the villagers except Will and Hunith now about it.
Arthur won and the crowd cheered. So did Merlin, "Yeah!"
A knight called Valiant then wins his bout.
Arthur, Merlin and I watch one of his fights.
"Knight Valiant looks pretty handy with a sword," Merlin remarked to us.
Valiant exits the arena and stops in front of us. "May I offer my congratulations on your victories today?" He asked Arthur.
"Likewise," Arthur replied.
"I hope to see you at the reception this evening." Valiant then walked of with his servant.
"Creep," I was referring to Valiant. I didn't like him. Not one bit.
Arthur snorted.
I laughed. We've never gotten Arthur to show such emotion before. All he's ever been so far is very displeased.
He cleared his throat embarrassed. "Uh, for tomorrow you need to repair my shield, wash my tunic, clean my boots, sharpen my sword, and polish my chainmail," Arthur then ordered as while he walked away.
"That's so not fair," I whined to Merlin. He completely agreed.
~MAS~
All of the tasks that he Arthur listed for us are magically being done while we read the magic book in my bedroom (sitting next to each other on the small bed). Gaius enters and all of the objects drop to the floor.
"Are you using magic again?" he asks us.
"No."
"What's all this, then?" he motions with his hand to all the armour on the floor.
Merlin and I shrug like we don't know what just happened.
"I just came to tell you that supper's ready." We breathed a sigh of relief when Gaius left. He was checking in on us a lot and was making sure we weren't being too obvious when we were practicing magic like we were just now.
I know he was just protecting us like Hunith asked of him but we did have to learn how to control our magic because otherwise how would we be able to protect Arthur the next time he's in danger?
~MAS~
The tournament knights queue up to meet Uther and Lady Morgana.
"Knight Valiant of the Western Isles, My Lord." Valiant introduced himself when it was his turn in front of the King.
"I saw you fighting today. You have a very aggressive style." He was very impressed with what he saw from Knight Valiant so far.
"Well, as My Lord said, "To lose is to be disgraced."
"I couldn't agree more. Knight Valiant, may I present the Lady Morgana, my ward."
Valiant bows to kiss Morgana's hand while Arthur looks on with a wry grin. "My Lady."
"I saw you competing today," Morgana smiled warmly at him. He was a very handsome man and he was a brilliant fighter.
"I saw you watching. I understand the tournament champion has the honour of escorting My Lady to the feast."
"That's correct."
"Then I will give everything to win the tournament." She smiles and nods to him, he nods back. "My Lady."
Valiant then walks over to shake hands with other knights, Morgana and Guinevere watch him. Arthur was next in line and bowed to his father.
"Arthur."
"Father," Arthur greeted him respectfully back with a bow of his head.
Arthur looks over at Valiant before walking to Morgana.
"They all seem rather impressed by Knight Valiant," Morgana stated with a smile. She was trying to rile Arthur up, she always got great pleasure of it when she managed that.
"They're not the only ones."
"You're not jealous, are you?" It would be very funny if it were. She always did like to tease Arthur a lot. She got great pleasure from it. He would always then make a fool of himself.
"I don't see there's anything to be jealous of." They'd tried to see if anything romantic could arise between them a few years ago and they realised they were more in the brother and sister relationship.
Morgana's smile fades as Arthur walks on.
"Could Arthur be any more annoying?" Morgana asks Gwen in a low voice. "I so hope Knight Valiant wins the tournament." It would be good to bring Arthur's ridiculously large ego down quite a bit which it certainly will if he looses the tournament.
"You don't really mean that." Every citizen of Camelot wants their Prince to win. How can Morgana not?
"Yes, I do," she replied back seriously.
~MAS~
Merlin was in the Armoury when heard a hissing sound. "Hello? Is there someone there?"
Merlin then finds Valiant's shield and sees one of the snake eyes blink. He moves to touch it when someone puts a sword to his chest. Merlin slowly gets up.
"Can I help you with something, boy?" Valiant asked him quietly.
"Nope. I'm good. I, I was just... I was, erm, gathering my master's armour."
"Then you'd best be on your way," he replied with a hint of a threat in his voice.
"Right, yeah. No problem."
Merlin picks up the armour and stumbles on his way out because he wasn't looking where he was putting his feet..
~MAS~
Arthur's armour is laid out on the table and Arthur enters, dressed in his gambeson. "You did all this on your own?" he asks, looking between us.
"Yes, Sire," we both replied.
"Now let's see if you can get me into it without forgetting anything."
We put on Arthur's hauberk and surcoat, followed by the gorget, vambraces, pauldron, and couter. Next, his mail coif, belt, sword belt, dagger, and sword. Merlin hands Arthur his helmet.
"That was much better." I think that was our first bit of praise from him. "Not that it could have got any worse."
"We're fast learners."
"I hope, for you sake, that's true."
"Good luck," we both wished him.
~MAS~
Arthur marches into the arena and acknowledges the crowd while we watch him from the entrance.
Gaius appears behind us making us jump in surprise. "Is it my imagination, or are you both beginning to enjoy yourselves?"
"It..." Merlin sighed.
"It isn't totally horrible all the time," I answered Gaius, it was what we both thinking. We thought it was going to be horrible having to serve Arthur. We both thought that nobility were all pompous arses and only thought about themselves and we still do but if we stay in Camelot it would be a fun experience getting to see all the tournaments.
Arthur fights his opponent.
"Yes!" we both clap for him when he wins yet another round.
Valiant fights against Sir Ewan in the arena. He knocks down Sir Ewan, whose helm rolls off. Valiant pins him down with his shield. "Strike him," Valiant ordered the snakes.
A serpent comes out of the shield and strikes Sir Ewan in the neck, causing Sir Ewan to fall unconscious.
Valiant stands up and the crowd cheers. Arthur, Merlin and I see Sir Ewan lying motionless on the ground.
"I think he's badly hurt," I remarked to both of them. His face certainly showed that he was in pain.
Gaius entered the arena with his medical bag.