Chapter 45 [Outer Boundary Between Gedref and Nemeth]
Leon pulled his cloak tighter about himself. The night had been a relatively cool one. However Winter seemed to hold back its icy assault…
…at least until the cold fog enveloped them ten leagues after crossing the Severn.
Hector looked about. "Where are we? We should be around Edgerston."
"Nay." Leon frowned. "This is sorcery. Be on your guard." He glanced around at the tall trees around them. "We have no choice to keep going." He spurred his horse onward down the western road (or what they assumed was the western road).
"That looks like a clearing ahead"! Hector pointed to the brightening in the distance almost like the light at tunnel's end.
"Be careful." Leon drew his sword and pressed on. He watched the trees thin around them. Familiarity nagged at him over this part of the trail. "We are close to Whitgate."
"We cannot be! Whitgate is a day and a half at least!" Hector argued. "Sir Leon, that is impossible."
"As I said before, there could be sorcery behind this!" Leon reminded his companion. He stopped at the top of the hill.
Sure enough, Whitgate stood in front of them.
"Explain that then, Hector." Leon pointed to the citadel.
Disbelief widened Hector's eyes. He turned toward the forest. Then his eyes took in the waiting city. "That…that…is…"
"Impossible?" Leon somehow kept himself to an eye roll. "We still have our mission. Perhaps King Rodor will know more." His horse galloped down the hill and toward the drawbridge.
"GOOD MORNING! HALT AND BE IDENTIFIED!" A knight atop the wall commanded.
Leon put his hand up toward Hector. "AND TO YOU, SIRRAH! I AM SIR LEON, FIRST KNIGHT OF CAMELOT! I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF MY KING AND PRINCE ARTHUR! WE ARE BUT TWO!"
The sentry waved a green flag atop the wall. "Straight on up the cobbled road to the Upper Town. The army's getting ready to ride out. Your Prince is in good health. Pass on with my regards. Welcome to Nemeth!"
"Thank you!" Leon called to the sentry. He led Hector into the city. As he rode toward the Upper Town, he saw the Solstice decorations still adorning the buildings all around. He heard a few smith's hammers banging metallic rings on forges.
Otherwise Silence stifled Celebration's splendor.
"I would have expected more celebration. They cannot know about the King's plans yet." Hector glanced about.
"Perhaps." Leon shook his head. "Merlin showed his true capabilities last night. He fooled us all for years. With that dragon, he reached here last night. That sentry had best speak the truth." He rode up the incline and toward the arch. He stopped short of it.
In front of them, an emerald wave of knights stood hundreds strong. The warriors' eyes remained trained on the citadel's front steps. Sol glistened off of their chain mail. Their weapons sat sheathed on their hips or across their backs.
"They are ready to march. Perhaps they mean to invade us!" Hector presumed.
"Wait! We are outnumbered and a two day ride from Camelot." Leon scanned the procession. He saw Galahad in the midst of everyone. "SIR GALAHAD!"
The collective group stiffened. Alarm goaded hands toward their weapons.
Galahad broke position. He strode toward the two knights. "Wait, Everyone! It is Sir Leon!" He relaxed. "Greetings, Sir Leon!" He held his hand out.
"Sir Galahad! I wish we were here under better circumstances." Leon grasped hands with his counterpart. "King Uther sent us to retrieve Prince Arthur. He has demands of your King. We are here as messengers only."
"You should speak to King Rodor at once. Events have delayed our march. You should hear of them. Prince Arthur is well and quite unharmed. He was treated as a royal guest of course. I can show you to him and my King." Galahad motioned to the stable boy. "Ernst, see to their horses. Now, my Friends, follow me."
"Thank you." Leon followed Galahad toward the citadel. He and Hector climbed the stairs and proceeded down the main passage. They noticed Gawain and Lancelot amongst the other Nemeth knights. "They are here too?"
"King Rodor dubbed Sirs Lancelot and Gawain yesterday along with Prince Merlin." Gawain turned left and started up the grand staircase.
"Prince Merlin?" Hector frowned. He couldn't wrap his head around the former servant's new title.
"Aye. He is our Crown Prince. He and Princess Mithian were to have been married this afternoon. Alas! That has been postponed." Galahad shook his head.
"But Merlin a Prince? Really?" Hector scoffed.
Galahad turned on the junior knight faster than Cobra's reaction. "Have a care, Boy! Perhaps if you would consider Prince Merlin's accomplishments while in your Prince's service, you would hold your tongue!' He shoved Hector into the wall. "Speak such things in front of the King and find yourself in our dungeon." He stalked up the stairs.
'What?" Hector raised his hands in protest.
Leon shook his head. "Galahad is correct. I have never seen a servant of Merlin's like. He has saved the Prince's life several times. He accompanied us on expeditions. He would fight the enemy at our side. Often Merlin would not have armor. One of us would give him a sword. Then strange things would start happening. We never questioned it…until now."
"He used his magic for Camelot? Why?" Hector narrowed his eyes.
"Merlin is a brave and loyal companion…servile or free. Remember Prince Arthur and King Uther freed and ennobled Merlin before his exile. I overheard King Rodor say that Merlin somehow healed the Queen here. That is probably why he was given the title." Leon saw Galahad waiting for them on the top stair. "Pardon us."
"Prince Merlin did those things, Sir Leon. His father was a Nemeth knight before your king drove him into exile." Galahad hissed through his teeth. "Sir Balinor."
"The Dragon Lord? He was Merlin's father?" Even Leon was taken aback. "Then what is his mother doing in Ealdor?"
"She was in Ealdor. She is here now. The King ennobled her yesterday." Galahad motioned them ahead toward the Council Chamber ahead. "Remember my earlier advice. My King is not in a mood to be challenged today."
"Unfortunately that is our errand, Sir Galahad. I am to deliver this to King Rodor in person. Such are King Uther's instructions to us." Leon held up the parchment scroll.
"I understand. Follow me." Galahad pushed the door open. Then he knocked. "Sire, pardon me." He bowed.
Rodor looked up from the map on the table. Around him, Merlin, Morgana, Elena and Prince Bors followed their host's example.
"Leon? Hector?" Arthur grinned. "It is good to see you! Father sent you?"
"Aye, Sire. Are you all right?" Leon looked Arthur over to make sure there were no signs of torture. "Have they treated you well?"
"Aye. I have to deal with certain things." Arthur frowned and motioned toward Merlin. "When did you leave Camelot?"
"Two turns of the hourglass after Merlin took you from your chamber." Leon considered Merlin. "King Uther wants you back in Camelot, Merlin."
"He will be there soon enough, Sir Leon. So will the rest of us." Rodor raised his eyes to meet Camelot's First Knight's insinuation. "I imagine he wants to try and execute Prince Merlin for taking Prince Arthur? I am sure the fact that he is a sorcerer and a Dragon Lord have nothing to do with it?"
"That is correct. We are ordered to take the maid, Guinevere, back into custody." Hector stiffened.
A low growl rammed sharp daggers down both visitors' spines. They saw Malodius standing by Merlin's side.
"I would not try anything." Rodor shook his head. "The order please?" He held out his hand.
Leon bowed. "I am sorry, King Rodor. King Uther was most insistent." Leon handed over the arrest warrant.
"I imagine he was." Rodor frowned. "You know he did the same thing to Prince Merlin's father as well? An illegal threat against him, Lady Hunith and this kingdom?" He broke the seal and skimmed it. He snickered. "He imprisons Prince Arthur and yet accuses Prince Merlin of kidnapping? Uther never changes. Well if Prince Merlin and Queen Morgana are correct, this is no longer valid in any event." He rolled the document up.
"Pardon?" Leon raised an eyebrow.
Arthur shook his head. "Merlin and Morgana both claim to have seen the same visions." He shrugged. "They claim Camelot fell to Cawdorian and Mercian forces before dawn. Meleagant and the witch Morgause imprisoned my father and his council."
"What?" Leon curled his lip. "Camelot can not fall in only a few hours!"
"We received confirmation only a short time ago." Arthur bowed his head. "Their knights broke into the tunnel under the citadel. They came up through the dungeon. Something put all of the guards to sleep. My father never had a chance. I am not going to leave him like that. We have to do something."
"Of course we will. Patience, Dear Brother." Morgana growled.
Leon's eyes widened a bit more.
"Morgana, enough! I am sorry. I just found out yesterday." Arthur rubbed his forehead.
"My father leads the bulk of our troops from Southampton. They move to reinforce Tintagel's knights," Prince Bors reminded Arthur and rerouted the subject back to its original point. "You are all family now. Father and I will do our part."
"We appreciate your support, Prince Bors." Arthur nodded. He shook his head at Morgana.
"Your spats accomplish little." Elena shook her head at them. "Because of Camelot's fall, my sisters are exposed. They retreat to the mountains and wait there. King Rodor, perhaps we might recontain them?"
"Aye but where?" Rodor studied the map.
"Along the Severn?" Merlin suggested. "Tintagel holds from the south. Our forces align along the river. We keep them from the Gedref." He slid his finger up the map. "They break north. We go with them. We watch them from our side of the border."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. Incredulity forced a nod. "Where did you think that up?"
"He was paying attention, my Prince." Leon smiled at Merlin.
"And it is our best course of action. We will have to wear them down. Kilgarrah and Malodius will claim their share of enemy knights." Approval showed in Rodor's eyes for the new Prince. "That is what we shall do. I just wish Princess Josiane had returned from Southampton. Has anyone heard from her?"
"Accolon reported she disappeared into the early morning fog. Nobody had seen her since." Morgana frowned. "I hope she will not try anything rash."
"Count Boeve and his contingent are with my father, Morgana. If she was to attack, it would be at his side. She is no fool." Prince Bors gulped from his own goblet. "King Rodor, with respect, we should move within the hour. Perhaps with assistance, we can fortify the Severn within the day?"
"That would be preferable." Rodor sighed. "I will have Queen Taene and Princess Mithian reinforce our defenses here and prepare for possible siege. We will see you in the square within a half of an hourglass turn. Thank you, Friends." He rolled up the map and left it on the table. "Prince Merlin, follow me please."
Merlin finished his water goblet. He set it on the table. Then he followed his new King out of the chamber.
The time was almost upon them….