Drunken tales chapter 7 – Love, Lies and Swords
Please forgive this long break between chapters, live has been crazy and I've been recovering from surgery. This chapter starts right at the end of chapter 6, Marcus Constantine is having a mock sword fight after having the dinner with the Duke. I would like to thank my Beta reader Anaika Skywalker, and Winter. As always I don't own Highlander and make no money off this story, please post a review and let me know if you like the tale.
This Is Our End - By Jessica A. Phillipi
You can stand there and smile, you can sit there and laugh,
But you can't trick me, I know it's a mask,
You're trying to lie to me and everyone else,
But why is it that you're lying to yourself?
Ceirdwyn tells the tale -
Methos and Marcus Constantine drew their swords and held a painted wooden shield so they could begin to put on their performance of a mock sword fight; regrettably all too soon it started to turn very real. Methos watched as sparks showed in Marcus' eyes reflecting all the hate and pain he had been storing up. The old Roman began lash out at his opponent. Methos knew Constantine was still in mourning for his dear mortal wife, and her loss was opening a door to feelings that made his Immortal life difficult to bear.
Being old friends and sometimes rivals, Methos remember this wasn't the first time Marcus had worked out his pains by lashing out with his old spatha blade. The difference was his time the two men were in front of an audience and were supposed to be just playing fighting.
Both swordsmen parried and thrusting at each other, matching blows for blow as they moved up and down the length of the hall. Methos countered each and every thrust and parried the Roman threw at him. Marcus was an excellent swordsman but both men knew that Methos was the far more experienced fighter. Methos' welded his Viking Ulfberht sword. These swords were made with very few impurities or slag in the steel, plus had unusually high carbon content, making Ulfberht swords stronger, more flexible, and less brittle than most other broadswords of the time. Methos prided himself in always using the best of new technology.
Using his eons of training he continued to make jabs at Marcus. The steel blades clanging together with loud reverberates echoes that filled the hall with sound. Both Immortals hoped no one would notice faint flickers of sparks that showed when the swords touched. The swordsman used their wooden shields to counter many attacks, hacking pieces that flew in to air.
The Duke, his guards, Rebecca and Ceirdwyn, all watching were mesmerized with skillful action of the two sword-masters. To the mortal observing it was a beautiful demonstration, almost like a dance, but to Methos this fight was staring to becoming very, very real.
The Duke was caught up in the sheer beauty of beholding the two men parrying. Methos jabbed and trusted at Marcus but still was unable to draw the first blood. The old Roman's anger and force of blows seemed to continue to increase. He shoved his shield in to Methos' body causing him to lose his balance, and tumbling to the floor. Methos quickly regained his footing rising up then charging and attacking. Even Rebecca could tell that there was a fire burning in his eyes. Now Methos was annoyed with Marcus in view of the fact that of the dangerous game Marcus was playing. Soon Darius and Lydia would be here and the old Immortal had an agenda to follow. There was no way Methos was letting anyone especially an old friend alter the plans he had so carefully prepared.
Both men took advantage of every move in their playbook using their footwork to put them each into position so they could be the winner. Methos used his longer more flexible blade to thrust and strike at Marcus' hands in hopes of injuring the Roman so he would drop his sword. But Marcus used his great speed and force in countering Methos' attacks. He concentrated at stabbing, while Methos swung more slashing and thrusting strikes that landed against Marcus' shield. Finally Methos managed to nick Marcus' elbow. First blood went to Methos. The fighter took a quick break to plan their next move as the Duke's table stood and clapped.
Soon the two men were back to traveling up and down the great hall, swinging and slashing parrying and thrusting meeting blow for blow. Marcus tried to charge him again, but Methos sidestepped this time. But Marcus attacks kept coming until he swiped his blade directly at Methos neck; suddenly the old Immoral realized this was turning from harmless play to something of a more serious nature.
Methos moved suddenly but couldn't prevent Marcus from nicking the old Immortals shoulder just above his very fragile neck. First blood for Marcus' now they were even, either man could win.
Methos dropped his shield and wiped off the blood from his healing injury and acknowledges this current plan of action was not working. Methos had to change the direction of the battle, so before the spectators realized that Marcus had him on the defensive. Methos held his sword in a way Marcus wasn't familiar with. With both hands on the hilt so that the sword pointing straight down. He was able to deflected several blows from Marcus's sword. Then Methos turned his wrist to the right and the sword moved with his hands to a straight across parallel with the ground swinging wildly at Marcus neck scratching it. Second Blood had been drawn. Methos held his great Viking Ulfberht swords next to Marcus neck for a moment, and then smiling retreated knowing he had won the not so mock fight.
Everyone stood and clapped as Methos and Marcus stopped their swordplay and bowed to each other.
"Sorry my old friend this wasn't a fair fight, Marcus you need to get with the times a use the latest technology." Methos egged the Roman on.
"I guess you are correct Methos what was that new type of sword you were using? Next time we fight I will remember to get one like you have so I can cut off that overconfident head of yours off," Marcus sarcastically replied.
"Marcus, this sword is from a Norseman artist, you are still stuck using Roman blades, anyway I have to be better because what would our master think of you if you killed me?"
"Methos, he is dead and the dead do not think." Marcus smiled as he replied.
"True, so you're finally turning away from his ways peace? To think he praised you as his last and best student. I never coveted that prize." Methos sighed, "Friend why do you hate me?" the old immortal asked.
"I don't hate you; I hate Darius and the Visigoths who killed my family and sacked my city. But Methos you have been a good scapegoat for my anger." Marcus looked Methos in the eyes. "Besides you have the lovely Ceirdwyn's attentions and I am jealous she wants you now and might reject me."
Methos placed his sword into its scabbard and dropped on to one knees. "Then if you need a scapegoat, kill me here my old friend the Lady Ceirdwyn and I are just friends. She knows my heart belongs to another."
"Old man, you're in love with some mortal! I thought I saw that hint of passion in those old eyes of your," Marcus said as he went over to shake hands with the victor pulling Methos to his feet.
Methos smiles, "Yes, but it a long story and one best not to be told here."
"Methos, I may have thought about taking your head but not here in front of an audience. Instead let us drink, entertain the Duke with stories of our valor on the battlefield and later we in private will can talk of old times." Marcus smirked at his old friend.
"Thank the Gods Marcus. Trust me just because I have lived a few years longer than you it doesn't guarantee my quickening would be so great. As you have said to me yourself I am just an old coward who refuses to die. I just keep my sword arm up to scare off those stupid enough that would try to kill me. But on another topic I think I might be able to persuade the Lady Ceirdwyn to see you in a romantic light." Methos continued whisper with Marcus.
"The Lady Ceirdwyn and I were lovers before you stole her from me."
"Marcus I had no idea at the time she was you're women. She and I are just old friends now and I did warn her from the first moment I met up with her that I was in love with someone else."
"Yes, but will she leave your bed and come into mine? You have always been the master with the ladies, only I never understood why they would want a skinny ruffian like you when then they could have me." Marcus laughed.
Methos laugh, "At least I'm not pompous Roman who still thinks he still singled handily conquered the world. Let me will remind her that we both received our lessons on love from the same women, Nefertiri."
Marcus became angry grasping Methos' clothes and held him just a breath away. "You do not have the right to even mention her name."
"Marcus my old friend you do not wish to employ an advantage? You are the one who desires Mistress Ceirdwyn not I and stop being such a hotheaded fool. I know you are in mourning for you dear late wife but even with our friendship there are limits." Methos' voice was firm and steady on this point.
"When did you become so old and wise Methos?" Marcus said as he slapped his face and pushed him back a few feet.
"I never claimed to be either, I'm just observant and I know you Marcus. Now do you want help to woo Mistress Ceirdwyn? Or are we destined to become enemies?" Methos said with a smile on his face.
"Methos, Methos, Methos, we are old friends and never destined to be enemies, relax and yes I will accept your good word do you really think. Ceirdwyn will come back to me? Nefertiri herself told me you both were just friends, teacher and student, nothing more. I know she never loved you. It is just I miss Nefertiri and to think of any man being with her makes my blood run hot. You and I are brothers and as you say you knew her over a 1000 years before I was born."
"Marcus one more thing, Darius he has changed with Emrys Quickening he is now like our master full of light and goodness. Darius is no longer that man that sacked Rome. You will find me your enemy if you touch one hair on his head, and I will take your head if you take his." Methos said in a deadpan voice.
"Your message is understood, and I have no wish to die, but I do have a wish to court the lovely Ceirdwyn."
"It is simple Marcus I have told Ceirdwyn we are friends nothing more, yes there are times we have found warmth together but this time it was Ceirdwyn ideas not mine. My last wife died a long time ago and I had chosen to remain celibate after her death. But when I found Lydia I was overwhelmed with emotions. I made a mistake, and got involved with Ceirdwyn. Go ask Rebecca for the last time I saw her we remained at arm's length. I will explain this all to Ceirdwyn and tell her of your desires and how they are true and just towards her." Methos said all this with grave seriousness in his voice.
"Methos you have lived too long and have morals from civilizations that no longer exist." Marcus put his hand on Methos shoulder and smiled. Then the two men embraced then laughing returned to the Dukes table.
Methos disagreed with Marcus but didn't tell him. The old Immortal wasn't even sure what his own morals codes were any longer. The civilization he was born into was based on merely surviving. You helped someone else because it helped you chances to live, you took someone into your bed to increase the tribe's population therefore the tribe's chance of surviving. If it hadn't been for Emery's teaching Methos doubted Marcus and him would have become friends, must less have a moral code to argue over.
The old Immortals thoughts turned only to Lydia and remembering their last kiss, he was sure Ceirdwyn was going to be unhappy with this news but there time was over. Lydia was coming and he had to tell Ceirdwyn he could no longer keep any another women in his bed. Ceirdwyn would just have to make the best of it and either accept or reject her old master's advances. Methos felt a tinge of guilt, which was an emotion he had little use for. Someday he would teach himself to rid his life of all guilt, but that would take a few more centuries to carry out. Right now Methos was willing to do whatever he needed in order to accomplish the task of getting his lovely Lydia to be his bride."
Back In the present ...
MacLeod stood and looked Methos in the eyes, "I always knew you were a self-center bastard but you're telling us you practically sold Ceirdwyn to Marcus Constantine for sex?"
Methos leaned back on the sofa and rolled his eyes. "Honest Ceirdwyn you made this sound so dramatic, you had been screwing Constantine on and off for centuries and now you're complaining about it? Tell Duncan the whole story and see if he still wants to defend you."
"I was telling the whole story. I am a warrior, but also a woman and in the past I've been considered less valuable than a man. Women back in the Dark Ages had little choice but to obey or suffer. Admit you were treating me no better than a common whore!" Ceirdwyn exclaimed.
"Ceirdwyn you never suffered at any man's hands and I never valued you any different from I would have any other Immortal. In fact I have always respected you as a warrior and you know that." Methos plainly stated.
"Methos you're the one who is lying! The night of the banquet when you said you were pining away for your love Lydia than in secret you spent the night with Rebecca. If anyone was acting like a whore it was you. Accepting my favors and that of Rebecca when you're supposed to be in love with a sweet virgin like Lydia. You're a hypocrite! How can you say you loved that sweet child and sleep with every women around you?" Ceirdwyn snapped at Methos.
Methos moaned and rubbed his finger through his hair. "Honestly MacLeod, Ceirdwyn was willing to let all of us die to save herself. That included the Duke raping Lidia then killing Marcus, myself and Rebecca and as usual, you the gallant Scott defends her."
"I do not need Duncan to defend me, step off holy ground and we can finish this old one." Ceirdwyn tossed his words back in his face and reached for her sword.
"Is that why you came tonight, to challenge me for my head?" Methos accused Ceirdwyn with the usual Paranoid in his voice.
"Enough you two!" Joe yelled, "Hell go out and cut each other's heads off, I don't really give a damn! But is there any possible way you two could arrange to do it after you finish the story!" Joe staggered over to the bar refusing to look at anyone.
"Okeydokey, Methos and Ceirdwyn let's stop this bickering and start to playing nice." Amanda intervened as they broke out some good Irish whiskey. Then pulling Duncan to his feet she got him to help separate the feuding couple. The Highlander took Ceirdwyn out front for a breath of fresh air in the street while the little thief shoved Methos out the rear door.
"Have you ever heard of an attitude adjustment because you need one my old friend? In other words lighten up!" Amanda yelled at him.
"I'm the picture of sensibility, it's that woman that causing all the trouble, see how she's painting me, like I would just toss a lover away like yesterday's trash. I didn't do that. Marcus and Ceirdwyn had an on and off again relationship since she became an Immortal. I didn't force her to do anything, she implied I did, Amanda you know me, better than anyone here. My days of raping women and treated them like property were very far behind me."
"Methos what happened back then, what did Ceirdwyn do?"
"She betrayed all of us."
"You're saying she betrayed… you?" Amanda asked look deeply into his hazels eyes.
"No, she thought she was protecting me but, it wasn't like she planned on doing anything wrong. If Lydia hadn't stop her, everyone including myself, would have died because of Ceirdwyn's actions."
"Methos wait one minute, you never talk about your past, what's going on tonight! Is it Rebecca's anniversary that's got you acting so depressed or is it something more?"
"Oh it's a lot bigger than just Rebecca's death, so much more than you think." He placed his hands in Amanda's hair, "You're over one thousand and still a child, talk to me in a few more eons and tell me what regrets you have."
"You don't think I have regrets? Ninety percent of my life is one big regret, just because you're older you think you've cornered the market you pompous egotistical bastard." Amanda pushed him away from herself.
"Come on Amanda let's go back in Joe wants to hear bloody story."
"And the point to all this is what? Oh yea it's just a love story about a girl named Lydia. Methos I'm starting to doubt that is really the gist of this story, tell me what really this is about? Why are you behaving so strange tonight?"
"Ha, we have to get to the end of the story to hear that answer. Every fable has many parts to it and, this is just more complicated than the average Grimm's fairy tale."
"Methos is this story true?" Amanda asked.
"Do I ever tell stories that are true about immortals? No, I think not." Methos looked the little thief in the eyes. "Sometimes Amanda you do remind me of your mentor, you share with her spirit and her tenacity."
"Did you really pass Ciedwyn on to Marcus just so you could sleep with Rebecca?"
"No. Amanda, my liaison with Rebecca tended to be a bit more involved and complicated than many of my other relationships, she was perhaps one of the only Immortal I could completely trust. If I spent the night with Rebecca it had nothing to do with Ciedwyn. You have no idea who I really am?
"Methos I know you better than MacLeod does, better than anyone else alive."
"And I know you too well my little Thief, I know you want the Boy Scout to come back to you."
"This has nothing to do with my relationship with Duncan."
"Your entire life spin around the Highlander. And in truth he is in love with you so don't worry Duncan MacLeod will be back. Relax, be happy and wait for your brooding Scott to return."
"Stop changing the subject! This isn't about Duncan and me and your just trying to find a way to shut me out. I think you're just as lost and confused as the rest of us Methos, except you will never admit it."
"I am not lost or confused and never was, that's the thing that makes me different from you and for your information Rebecca wasn't lost or confused either. Emerys taught us how to live and survive in the game centuries before you were born. It's his teaching that are the main reason I'm still alive."
"Then why isn't Rebecca?"
"She got tired and decided to quit, it was easier to just die than to keep fighting."
Amanda slapped him on the right cheek as hard she could. "Why do you act like you're better than everyone else?"
"The truth is Amanda I'm not, I'm worse than the lot of you for I have become jaded with this world. I should've never started telling the story it's filled with pains that are very old, and the ones that I was hoping I had forgotten."
"You want to forget about Lydia?"
"No, I promised her I would never forget her, no I simply want to forget someone else. Just as you will always mourn Rebecca's death I will always mourn him. This story I am telling is as much about him as it is about my sweet Lydia and Cedwyn knows that."
"Methos you talking about Emerys? What was he like? I doubt he was like Darius even though they shared a quickening? " Amanda questioned him.
"First and foremost he was my friend, and I owed him more than I could tell you. But he died long ago, and when Darius died his Quickening was lost into the earth. Rebecca knew all about him, she never told you? So why should discuss it now?"
"She told me Emerys had an old magic and was wiser than any Immortal she ever met. She told me you had a Dark Quickening and Emerys saved you. Methos you do know Rebecca always loved you."
Methos turned away and refused to answer Amanda, she slowly approached him, putting her hands on his shoulder.
"When did she tell you that?" His tone was soft in almost a whisper.
"The year before she died, before you met Duncan. You were hiding in the Watchers organization and neither of us had seen you for a decade. It was right after Darius had just been killed. Rebecca was worried about you being discovered there and being killed too. We were recalling stories from her past, thinking of Darius and your name came up."
"So she just told you that Emerys healed me from a Dark Quickening?
"Yea, how did you guess that?" Amanda smiled reaching out to touch Methos.
"It seemed like a logical thing she would talk about given the fact Darius just died." Methos said in his deadpan way.
"But back then I didn't even know about you being one of the four horsemen? As far as you knew I was just and old Immortal that was one Rebecca's old lovers."
"And it was Darius that died that day not Emerys." He sadly said.
"Methos I have known you since I was a young Immortal, I knew you were old and full of mischief. Rebecca also told me that Darius had taken Emerys her old masters head, and that through the centuries both of you had protected Darius. She knew you would mourn the loss of the old holy man's Quickening. I knew Emerys was special to both of you and you too were one of his students. When Darius died your name came up and she explained one of the reasons you loved Emerys. He had healed you from the dark Quickening much the same way you would helped Duncan years later."
"Why didn't you tell me this before? After Emerys died no one but her and Constantine remember anything about that. They both promised to me they would never tell that story to living soul and I thought it was all forgotten now that both of them are dead." Methos' emotions were on edge and he knew Amanda could see that.
"Rebecca and I were both very sad Darius had been killed and before we knew it she was sharing so many old stories with John and I."
"Kronos and I both had a dark Quickening, after many years Rebecca and Marcus thought I had suffered too much too long and asked Emerys to see if his magic could save me. They kidnapped me and brought me to the same holy spring that I took MacLeod. Emerys met them there and turned me back into my old self. But nothing really had changed because I still had to go back to Kronos."
"Why did you do something as dumb as that Methos? Did you think you could save him too?"
"Never, but I knew Kronos would come after Rebecca, Marcus and the old holy man if I didn't return. Emerys never forgave me for doing that, he would never see the realities of the world, or understand why that I couldn't kill Kronos."
"You're wrong Methos it was Emerys that taught Rebecca to forgive you. She was angry with you for eons, but her master understood why you went back to the horseman's camp. Only when she learned you had made Kronos a prisoner in that well, did she forgive you. I bet you never even knew that she was angry with you."
"Why are you telling me this now Amanda? They are both long dead and I never offered an excuse for my behavior or as to why I became a horseman, I did what I did and do not blame anyone but myself for my past mistakes."
"Methos not everything in the past is your fault and at least confess you still miss them, Rebecca, Marcus and Emerys. Admit it."
"My dear Amanda even if I did, what good would it do? We can't bring back the dead. The game goes on without them and I know the dangers of hanging on to the past. All we can do is all just keep surviving and stay alive."
"Methos you're wrong, stop lying to yourself about what this story is really about. Its people like Rebecca, Marcus and you're friend Emerys, their memories that give us a reason to keep living. Mere existence isn't worth surviving for, it's about the love we share with other that make Immortality worth living."
"That's not true Amanda! The dead are gone, love is an illusion and this story has nothing to do with those I've lost. It's just a love story half of which is a lie."
"Methos maybe you should stop lying to yourself, and see the real truth." Amanda turned and went back in the bar, Leaving the old Immortal to contemplate on her words.
"The problem with old stories is remembering my dead friends only will cause pain." Methos mumbled to himself, as he remembered today was only an excuse to get drunk. So he could dull that long ache in his heart and try to forget those whom were gone that he had once truly loved. He turned and hurried back on holy ground. Back to his lies, his beer and the story he didn't want to tell but needed to hear...
To be continued...
Next Darius and Lydia comes the meet the Duke and Methos makes the Duke Immoral.
