7. The Fall of Quequeg
A year had passed when Sir Mulder arrive to Quequeg, the last of the surviving quest knights to return. Only two knights were lost: Sir Jerry and Sir Jack Willis. Sir Jerry had fallen from a cliff while Sir Jack was killed two black knights. Upon the knights' return, there was much rejoicing and celebrating. In the midst of the celebration was the wedding of Lady Scully and Sir Mulder.
Since Deep Throat had not made another appearance to the knights of the conference table or to King Skinner, it was decided that nothing would be done until they got word from the wizard even though Smoking Man's black knights still continued to attack as ferociously as ever. Yet people went on living their daily lives. The entire kingdom, inspired by Sir Mulder's success on the quest, was in high spirits and life was almost as cheery as if the threat of the Smoking Man didn't exist.
Mulder and Lady Scully's happiness together was evident wherever they were seen. Out of his love for Scully, Mulder continued doing great deeds, saving her from evil many times over. Scully surprised everyone by doing the same for Mulder. Many occasions arose where Mulder would have perished if Lady Scully had not been at his side.
It was not long before Lady Scully was with child. Once the Dark Lord learned of this, the attacks on Quequeg increased tenfold and Scully's life was frequently in peril. It was on the night that their son was to be born when the Smoking Man's black knights broke through the kingdom's walls. The knights of the conference table held them off for as long as they could. In the process, many lost their lives.
At the climax of the fighting, Deep Throat appeared to Lady Scully who was beginning to feel birth pains. Taking her and her maid, Lady Reyes, by the hand, they disappeared.
Meanwhile, King Skinner and his remaining knights were at their wits end. No matter how many knights they killed, more kept coming back. Sir Doggett took on Sir Folmer while Sir Martin fought viciously with Sir Kersh. King Skinner found himself in one on one combat with the Smoking Man's most prized knight, Sir Krycek. They fought savagely with against each other; blood flowed freely from their bodies.
The struggle between the Smoking Man's black knights and King Skinner's knights of the conference table ended when Skinner knocked Krycek onto his knees. He drove his sword into Krycek's head just as Krycek stuck his own sword into the king's gut. Those around them watched in horror as the two men sunk to the ground.
Mass chaos broke out. Word of the death of the king spread like wild fire. The Smoking Man had finally defeated King Skinner and conquered Quequeg. All hope that Mulder's success had ignited was lost.
Skinner's knights and men surrendered. There was nothing else they could do. The black knights smugly rounded up what was left of the knights of the conference table and took them prisoner.
Among them was Sir Mulder who had decidedly given up on life. The Smoking Man had succeeded again in taking away his family and Mulder felt that there was nothing left to live for. Without struggle, he let the black knights throw him into prison in his own castle. They spit on him and taunted him through the bars of his cage, crowing that the great Sir Mulder had finally fallen.
When the black knights left, Mulder had fallen into a deep stupor. He didn't notice when Deep Throat suddenly appeared in his cell. He didn't even notice when Deep Throat, fishing out a key from his sleeve, unlocked the door to his prison.
"Sir Mulder," hissed Deep Throat. "Sir Mulder!"
Not getting a reply Deep Throat walked up to Mulder and gave him a sharp kick.
"Mulder!"
Slowly, Sir Mulder's head rose up, his eyes unsteadily focused on Deep Throat who was hunched over him.
"Sir Mulder, I suggest that you get up this instant and find your way out to the court yard. Your horse is waiting for you there."
"What is the point?" asked Mulder fiercely. "I failed. I failed in protecting my kingdom, in protecting my king, in protecting my family! Skinner is dead, God knows what's happened to Lady Scully and where she is now! And what of our child that was to be born tonight? They're all gone. The Smoking Man has seen to that. And in a matter of time, I will be next. What is the use of delaying it any longer?"
"There is a reason," said Deep Throat impatiently. "So you can save this world. Save the people from the wrath of the Dark Lord."
"You crazy old man, don't you see it's over? He's won!"
Deep Throat straightened up stiffly.
"He hasn't won until I've said he's won. Now, if you don't want to go find your wife and your newborn son, that's fine. I'll find a different knight to fulfil my prophecy, to fix this mess that history has made of itself. He'll raise your son and make him the perfect knight. And in thirteen years' time, he'll be the one to see your son finish off the Dark Lord. In fact, I believe that Sir Doggett would be just the right knight to do it..."
Mulder gave Deep Throat a sharp look.
"Where are they?" he asked pushing himself up from his little corner on the ground. "Where is Lady Scully? Where is my... son?"
Deep Throat smiled. "In the forest, in a little hut. I believe you know it well."
Mulder hurried out of the cell, then stopped to take a last look at the wizard.
"Don't worry, Mr. Mulder, I'll see you once again."
As inconspicuously as possible, Mulder slipped his way out of the castle and into the courtyard where a maid, Lady Diana, waited with Blue, all saddled and anxious to leave.
"Good luck," she whispered as Mulder rode off into the night.
Mulder raced through the forest, sometimes barely avoiding the suspicion the black knights that patrolled the grounds. He found himself in the familiar little clearing where the hut stood just before dawn. Mulder knew that this could not be possible, the ride should have taken a day or two at the least, but suspected Deep Throat had something to do with it.
Pausing only for a minute at Samantha's grave, he hurried into the hut where he found Scully lying on a bed, a bundle of sheets in her arms. Lady Reyes was tending to her.
"Mulder," her voice filled with relief.
Sir Mulder made his way to the bed and took the bundle that Scully held out to him.
"I named him William, after your father," she said, a soft smile playing on her lips.
After that, Mulder did not hear another word anyone said. Enchanted by the baby boy that lay in his arms, the presence of his true love, and the cozy home he grew up in, Mulder needn't hear anything else. He had all he wanted in the world.
A year had passed when Sir Mulder arrive to Quequeg, the last of the surviving quest knights to return. Only two knights were lost: Sir Jerry and Sir Jack Willis. Sir Jerry had fallen from a cliff while Sir Jack was killed two black knights. Upon the knights' return, there was much rejoicing and celebrating. In the midst of the celebration was the wedding of Lady Scully and Sir Mulder.
Since Deep Throat had not made another appearance to the knights of the conference table or to King Skinner, it was decided that nothing would be done until they got word from the wizard even though Smoking Man's black knights still continued to attack as ferociously as ever. Yet people went on living their daily lives. The entire kingdom, inspired by Sir Mulder's success on the quest, was in high spirits and life was almost as cheery as if the threat of the Smoking Man didn't exist.
Mulder and Lady Scully's happiness together was evident wherever they were seen. Out of his love for Scully, Mulder continued doing great deeds, saving her from evil many times over. Scully surprised everyone by doing the same for Mulder. Many occasions arose where Mulder would have perished if Lady Scully had not been at his side.
It was not long before Lady Scully was with child. Once the Dark Lord learned of this, the attacks on Quequeg increased tenfold and Scully's life was frequently in peril. It was on the night that their son was to be born when the Smoking Man's black knights broke through the kingdom's walls. The knights of the conference table held them off for as long as they could. In the process, many lost their lives.
At the climax of the fighting, Deep Throat appeared to Lady Scully who was beginning to feel birth pains. Taking her and her maid, Lady Reyes, by the hand, they disappeared.
Meanwhile, King Skinner and his remaining knights were at their wits end. No matter how many knights they killed, more kept coming back. Sir Doggett took on Sir Folmer while Sir Martin fought viciously with Sir Kersh. King Skinner found himself in one on one combat with the Smoking Man's most prized knight, Sir Krycek. They fought savagely with against each other; blood flowed freely from their bodies.
The struggle between the Smoking Man's black knights and King Skinner's knights of the conference table ended when Skinner knocked Krycek onto his knees. He drove his sword into Krycek's head just as Krycek stuck his own sword into the king's gut. Those around them watched in horror as the two men sunk to the ground.
Mass chaos broke out. Word of the death of the king spread like wild fire. The Smoking Man had finally defeated King Skinner and conquered Quequeg. All hope that Mulder's success had ignited was lost.
Skinner's knights and men surrendered. There was nothing else they could do. The black knights smugly rounded up what was left of the knights of the conference table and took them prisoner.
Among them was Sir Mulder who had decidedly given up on life. The Smoking Man had succeeded again in taking away his family and Mulder felt that there was nothing left to live for. Without struggle, he let the black knights throw him into prison in his own castle. They spit on him and taunted him through the bars of his cage, crowing that the great Sir Mulder had finally fallen.
When the black knights left, Mulder had fallen into a deep stupor. He didn't notice when Deep Throat suddenly appeared in his cell. He didn't even notice when Deep Throat, fishing out a key from his sleeve, unlocked the door to his prison.
"Sir Mulder," hissed Deep Throat. "Sir Mulder!"
Not getting a reply Deep Throat walked up to Mulder and gave him a sharp kick.
"Mulder!"
Slowly, Sir Mulder's head rose up, his eyes unsteadily focused on Deep Throat who was hunched over him.
"Sir Mulder, I suggest that you get up this instant and find your way out to the court yard. Your horse is waiting for you there."
"What is the point?" asked Mulder fiercely. "I failed. I failed in protecting my kingdom, in protecting my king, in protecting my family! Skinner is dead, God knows what's happened to Lady Scully and where she is now! And what of our child that was to be born tonight? They're all gone. The Smoking Man has seen to that. And in a matter of time, I will be next. What is the use of delaying it any longer?"
"There is a reason," said Deep Throat impatiently. "So you can save this world. Save the people from the wrath of the Dark Lord."
"You crazy old man, don't you see it's over? He's won!"
Deep Throat straightened up stiffly.
"He hasn't won until I've said he's won. Now, if you don't want to go find your wife and your newborn son, that's fine. I'll find a different knight to fulfil my prophecy, to fix this mess that history has made of itself. He'll raise your son and make him the perfect knight. And in thirteen years' time, he'll be the one to see your son finish off the Dark Lord. In fact, I believe that Sir Doggett would be just the right knight to do it..."
Mulder gave Deep Throat a sharp look.
"Where are they?" he asked pushing himself up from his little corner on the ground. "Where is Lady Scully? Where is my... son?"
Deep Throat smiled. "In the forest, in a little hut. I believe you know it well."
Mulder hurried out of the cell, then stopped to take a last look at the wizard.
"Don't worry, Mr. Mulder, I'll see you once again."
As inconspicuously as possible, Mulder slipped his way out of the castle and into the courtyard where a maid, Lady Diana, waited with Blue, all saddled and anxious to leave.
"Good luck," she whispered as Mulder rode off into the night.
Mulder raced through the forest, sometimes barely avoiding the suspicion the black knights that patrolled the grounds. He found himself in the familiar little clearing where the hut stood just before dawn. Mulder knew that this could not be possible, the ride should have taken a day or two at the least, but suspected Deep Throat had something to do with it.
Pausing only for a minute at Samantha's grave, he hurried into the hut where he found Scully lying on a bed, a bundle of sheets in her arms. Lady Reyes was tending to her.
"Mulder," her voice filled with relief.
Sir Mulder made his way to the bed and took the bundle that Scully held out to him.
"I named him William, after your father," she said, a soft smile playing on her lips.
After that, Mulder did not hear another word anyone said. Enchanted by the baby boy that lay in his arms, the presence of his true love, and the cozy home he grew up in, Mulder needn't hear anything else. He had all he wanted in the world.
