A Battle to Remember
I wrote this story for my english class. Please R&R. It's a short story. It's all in first person. I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own any thing except for my idea's.
A Battle To Remember
I sat waiting in the dim chamber for what was to come. I wondered if I would die, if it would hurt, what was to come afterwards. I knew none of these things, but I was sure that I was about to find out. The seconds, minutes and hours counted down until the battle would begin. All the young men had been summoned to fight in the battle against Scotland. I looked around to see all the faces around me. They all looked as I felt: they wrung their hands, their faces etched with lines of apprehension. I had heard young men retching and crying for their mothers. Young men only about fifteen years of age- my age. But why me? Why had this war come about anyway? All these young lives lost for nothing, or so it seemed. I stood and paced the floor once again, like so many of the others around me. I looked over to find a boy just about a year younger than me sitting on the floor cradling his head repeating "No God! Why me? Why?" This broke my heart. This boy was playing out my exact feelings. I went over to him with plans of comforting him, but as soon as I approached him, I found that I had no comforting words for him, let alone myself. There was nothing comforting to be found in a battle. I gave up my attempt and walked to the corner to get my sword, tighten my belt around my tunic and strap my quiver of arrows around my shoulder. Now all there was to do was wait. Time passed, all the man getting more and more nervous by the second. I feared that if this was to last any longer, I would be tempted to run away and attempt to save my own life. Just as I was thinking this, there came a sound. Just the one I had feared I would hear. The rumble of thousands of feet trampling near to us to fight. I heard the sound of a horn being blown. I felt my blood run cold. This was it. I heard our own horn blow to summon all of the warriors (if warriors we were). Before we went outside, the captain of the army gave some sort of a speech; one I did not hear very well because my nerves were to shaken. I only caught a fragment of his speech:
"We are all in this war together. We fight to the death! No one can stand in our way, surely we will win with Merlin on our side! God speed!"
Shaking, I ran along with the rest of the men to the outdoors. The frigid wind and rain blew against our faces. We all shivered in our armor, more of fear than of cold. We all stood in a line like a shield around our castle, our arms welded together. We would not give way to the army before us. I drew out my sword and tried in vain to keep my hand steady. The lines in front of us were now charging. I, along with my fellow army-men, with our swords in hand began to charge as well. The last thing I remember was running, running towards my possible fate, but I didn't feel fear anymore. Instead, I felt a welling up of excitement, or maybe it was pride. Pride of protecting my king and country. I could only pray that Merlin really was on our side. Running, running, all at once we collided. With roars from both armies, clashes or armor, shields, and swords, the battle had begun. But something strange happened. My sword began to glow. I began to feel such a feeling of hope and power as I had never felt before. I began to attack the other army. I slashed my sword, not really sure if I was actually hitting anybody; my only goal was to stay alive, and prevent myself from being harmed if at all possible. An arrow flew by my face, while clipping my neck. Another hit my arm and was buried deep. I screamed with pain as I kept fighting. My sword, still gleaming filled me with hope. My arm and neck were throbbing, but there was no time to break off the arrow which now lay imbedded in my arm. My pains were minor compared to the screaming solders which lay around me.
The battle seemed to go on for at least three hours. Hope seemed lost.
"Where was Merlin now?" I asked myself. I could not see any signs of him. My army was dying off; our number few. All at once, a blinding flash of light came and surrounded us. We all covered our eyes, and looked away for fear of being blinded. The army opposite us were all screaming and were down on their knees in anguish. This light was somehow affecting our enemies, but not us! But how? What was it? Was it- could this possible be a work of Merlin? My thoughts were racing as the flash grew brighter and brighter. The opposite army began to fall face down. Dead. They were all dying right before our eyes! The light began to fade, leaving only about forty of the men on the opposite side of the line alive. They were all quaking with fear. All at once, they ran. They ran as I had never seen anybody run before, trying to save their own skins. I stood swaying on my feet. I wiped a mixture of blood and sweat from my brow and surveyed the scene before me. My fellow men laying dead or seriously injured. Only one hundred men stood at the end of the battle. All with wounds, and blood smeared on their faces and down their armor.
I must have passed out, because when I woke up, I was in a bed with white sheets. The room in which I was put had white walls and large windows that let in a flood of light.
"Am I in heaven?" I muttered out loud.
"No," said a kind voice behind me "you are in the apothecary. I turned to see the captain that had led us into war.
"You are very brave, young man." He said, looking down on me with piercing blue eyes.
"My name is Arthur." I said a bit timidly.
"Well, Sir Arthur," said the captain, "How do you get along? How is your neck? Pretty nasty cut if you ask me." He said surveying my neck from a distance.
"It is better." I said. I was at a loss for words. I was clueless as of why this man of such importance would come to see me.
"Arthur," he began, something strange happened on the battle field that I am sure you noticed."
"You mean that blinding flash that killed most of the other army?"
"Yes. Only something or someone very powerful could make that happen."
"It was Merlin, wasn't it?" I asked sitting up fast and feeling a sharp pain in my neck.
"Yes, it was Merlin. But he wouldn't have come unless something very powerful and summoned him." He looked at me as if I was supposed to know what he was talking about. I only stared at him in turn with a questioning look on my face.
"Young Arthur, where did you get that sword?"
"I found it deserted in a churchyard in London, sir." I said still oblivious of what his point was. "I found it in a stone. It looked as though it had been there for a long time. I expected it to stay put, and not come out, but it came right out!" The captain looked at me sternly but with surprise.
"Are you sure this is how you came by the sword?" he asked with a bit of urgency in his voice.
"Positive," I replied coolly.
"In that case, Merlin wishes to see you.
I gulped. "What?" I asked. Umm, are you sure Merlin wants to see me?" Merlin's a great wizard, and I'm only a scrawny kid!"
The captain seemed set on his decision.
"Get dressed and come down to the castle as soon as possible."
With this, he walked out. I had no clue why Merlin would want to see me! Nonetheless, I got up and got dressed. I met the apothecary man on my way out. I inquired as to how long I had been in his care. He replied that I had been in the apothecary for over a week. I was amazed at how long I had been there. It seemed as though only a day had passed since the battle.
I walked slowly to the castle, thinking of why I was wanted by Merlin. I could not think of a good explanation, though. I reached the castle and informed the guard of who I was, and he let me in the castle with a bow.
Upon entering, I saw the captain and Merlin himself. There was no mistaking Merlin. I had seen pictures of him in books before. His long silver gray hair and silver beard. He had light blue eyes that had a certain twinkle to them. He wore long robes of blue and on top of his head was perched a blue wizards hat.
"Ah, Arthur," he said kindly as I approached. " We have been waiting for you! Come have a seat." He motioned to the chair next to him.
"Now," he said as I sat next to him "do you know why you are here?"
"To tell you the truth sir, I'm not quite sure. I think it might have something to do with my sword, though."
"Exactly so!" he said, his eyes twinkling. "If I am correct, you pulled this sword from The Stone."
"Yes I have." I replied.
"Do you have any idea what sword this is?"
"No sir. All I know is that it works in some strange way, filling you up with hope and joy."
Merlin smiled at me. "Correct." He said. This sword which you behold is none other than Excalibur."
I stared open-mouthed at Merlin.
"You've got to be joking!" I almost yelled at him. "But- but that would mean that I'm the king! No, you've got the wrong person! I'm sorry to have wasted your time, but I'm no king! I had no idea that that was The Stone when I pulled the sword out, or I never would have touched it!" By the end of my speech, I was almost frantic. How could I have been so stupid to mistake Excalibur for just an ordinary sword!
Merlin got to his feet and replied as coolly as anything: "Arthur, you are the rightful king. Only the rightful king could have pulled Excalibur out of the stone.
So, this was it, I thought to myself. Was I the king of England? Was this really happening?
Merlin looked at me and as though reading my thoughts, said, "yes, this is really happening. Now, I'm sorry if you feel a bit rushed, but England needs a king, and you are the only one we have. There will be a crowning ceremony this evening.
"W-w-what?" I stammered. "Crowning ceremony? Are you sure?"
Merlin looked stern, and without any words, I could tell that I shouldn't argue with him.
That evening was the craziest I had ever had in my life! I was crowned, and all the crowds started yelling: "hail king Arthur! Long live the king!" over and over! I had gone from ordinary peasant boy to king all in one week.
Merlin became my best friend and advisor. Together we won many battles and put peace between the lands. Together we put The Knights of The round table together. And together we would always remain friends.
I hope you enjoyed it! Again, please review! I really like to hear what others think about my stories.