The Lay of Moldred
The Story of the so-called "black knight" in two chapters.
"Look around you King Arthur. Your country has ended. Which ever one of us emerges the victor, it matters not. As you see before you, everything is gone. You should have known it would come to this. Had you given to me the crown, this would not have happened. Did you hate me, the son of Morgan, that much?!"
Chapter II: Morded.
The downfall began with a "CRACK".
That was the sound made by the helmet of Igur The Blodthirsty, king of the Saxons that invaded Camelot. But that was the same sound made by Caliburn, the king´s beloved sword, when it pierced through the skull of Igur. Caliburn, the sword of the stone and the light of hope was gone. And with it went most of the Knight´s trust in their king.
Because both departures had the same root: In order to defeat the Saxons in the chosen battlefield, the King failed to protect the borderline village of Camlann. Hundreds of civilians were sacrificed to save the lives of thousands of soldiers. The King developed the best battle strategy and battlefield tactics, but paid for them with her chivalry oath. As she broke her oath, the sword didn´t wanted her anymore. As she left the villagers to die, the knights didn´t wanted her anymore.
Only one knight didn´t saw her king with scorn in his eyes that crimson day. The same one that fought in the front the entire day. The same that had her armor tainted black now. The same black that is in her sword Krimlidag. A black that was red before, red like the blood of their enemies. That night the black warrior scavenged the battlefield and took the pieces of Caliburn, offering them to the king.
-"No. I must pay for my sins. Besides a broken sword does me no good. Depart, Mordred. Keep them if you want."
And he departed. Not a single word of congratulations for keeping the line. Not a single thanks for standing by his side. Not a single look upon Mordred. Nothing. No matter what does he do. No matter how fiercely he fights.
Despite how hard he tries. Even if he excels over anyone, the moment he was born from Morgan, the King would look down on him as a forever as a dirtied child.
But he kept trying. Vowing to be the last knight remaining even if all others fail. He kept fighting for his king, and he kept Caliburn too.
In the next day, as the expeditionary force were traveling home, the King excused himself, telling them to continue to the kingdom. After he left, all Knights began to talk behind his back: the cold, inhuman king left them just as he did with the village. The incendiary verb took all hearts. The army was about to carry open revolution and there was no stop to it. Then a soft, calm voice spoke:
-"Quiet. It is still not the time. The king still holds the support of the people and many knights back in the castle . Camelot would be destroyed in the civil war."
They began to scream at him. "The king´s support is fading away, only Lancelot and Tristam are blind enough to follow him without a second though"
-"Exactly, the king´s support is fading away. So is just a matter of time until it reaches zero. Then it will be the best time to attack."
The plan was voted and passed. Mordred became the head of the revolution, just because he wanted to give his father a little more time. Morana sighted and looked tiredly to the sky.
-"Father, please... You already did enough for the kingdom. Don´t burden yourself anymore, you have done enough."
There was no doubt that the King´s stance within the kingdom was getting smaller. Whispering and plots were everywhere. Only a miracle would save the King from open revolution.
And the miracle came.
Excalibur, the sword that contains the wishes of mankind, not just the wishes of a country, was bestowed upon the King promising victory everywhere. No matter what, the king would be victorious at the end. With such a sacred sword, the guidance with Merlin and the rise of new Knights, such as Gallahad or Parcifal, the King could breathe again. The seeds of revolution went to sleep, but they didn´t die. Mordred tried, yet again.
-"Father, please."
Her father frowned. She always do that when Morana is in front of them.
-"I won´t hear another word, Mordred."
Morana almost pleaded.
-"But father, you are facing revolution here."
-"If they wish revolution so be it. I hear that you are leading them, by the way."
-"Father. Please, you have done enough for the Kingdom, the people are openly questioning you. Only Excalibur is keeping you in the throne now."
Arturia nodded sadly. What happened with her dreamed Kingdom?. Her wished utopia?. Only her errors, her own unworthiness could explain how she wasted the best chance for everlasting happiness in all of Britannia. With a cracking voice she answered:
-"I know and i will step back when i find a worthy successor."
Morana looked upon her king. Arturia had time to recompose herself and act firm again.
-"And i will tell you again. You are not worthy, Mordred."
-"Father, you are drowning. Sacrificing everything and nobody is thanking you."
Arturia closed her eyes tiredly.
-" My role is not to be thanked. Is to lead this country."
-" But they don´t want you to rule. And now you don´t want to rule, either."
Arturia said no more. Morana turned and walked out the chamber. She spoke the harsh words again.
-"So be it, Father."
If you don´t want to save yourself. I will save you. By force if neccesary.
Back in the chamber, Arturia seated again. Mordred was trully a black knight now. Thinking of nothing but fights. Trying to destroy instead of protect. What happened with the kind girl she knew.
-"Morana... I´m sorry."
Arturia was willing to sacrifice herself to give her country some peace, even if it costed her life. Every second of peace was worth it.
But above all that, she still clinged to it. To the hope, her only hope, of a Utopic land. And now Mordred wanted to take away that from her. The only wish that kept her going. That night the king understood that her son gave away all hopes. That night the king understood that her son would crush hers as well.
And Mordred rode again, to meet her mother. With a package in her arms.
-"Mother."
Morgan Le Fay saw her child after many years and was broken by the change. Mordred is now commanding, fearless, cold at her enemies. Her eyes, instead of inspecting everything around, just pierces through everything. Only the care for her mother and the love for her father is what is left of the former Morana. Morgan suspected it, but she was sad nonetheless.
-" I need a Sword of Valor, Mother. I need Caliburn."
And so, as a mother does anything for her son, Morgan reforged Caliburn . With the little care and love she had. She ignited the flames with the pale wamth inside of her and gave her final fire to remake the sword. Caliburn, the sword of hope, was forged taking away all fire and warmth from a mother and her son. With that Sword, Mordred´s fate was sealed. That´s why when she said her son goodbye she didn´t warn her nor tried to stop her. Just a goodbye kiss and a final "I Love you." Morana smiled bitterly at her mother one last time and whispered to herself.
-"If only father would say the same."
Morgan let her go and prepared herself for battle. She would die for her son, to give her at least a bit of a hope to cling up to. She readied herself and flew to Mount Badon, to Merlin´s Castle, in a final confrontation to aid her beloved Morana. To eliminate the wizard who could single-handely squash her rebellion.
By the time Morana reached Camelot again, the kingdom was in Tourmoil. Because Lancelot, the King´s right hand, escaped with Queen Guineve. But above all, because the King didn´t even tried to stop them. Mordred stormed to the throne chamber.
-"Father."
The King was arming herself for battle. Morana smiled.
-"So, you are going after them?."
-"No. I wont. If they wish to be happy, nobody is worthy to step upon their happiness."
Shock.
-"Wha..."
-"Roman Vessels have been sighted to the south. I´m taking the army there."
-"Then let me go with you."
-"No. I don´t trust you Mordred."
Morana was frozen still. The little girl´s worst fear just came true. If she had tears, she would´ve cried.
-"Fa...the."
-"I already told you. Nobody is worth enough to stop other´s happiness. Dont take me away from my hope."
At that moment Morana remembered all the words her father told her. "You are unfit"."I dont trust you". "Depart, Mordred." She clenched her fists and grinded her teeth.
-"So be it, father."
And with that, Morana was no more.
Arturia left, knowing her fate. Knowing that open revolution was coming. But as she don´t wanted her hope to be trampled, she wouldn´t tramp over other people´s hope, either. She fought desperately the Romans to end the campaing quickly, the battle was easy, mostly because the king did all the fighting. Excalibur was trully invincible.
Then the expected news came, Camelot was in uproar. Mordred, finally revealed himself and attempted to ussurp the throne. By now the King was revered in forms, nothing else. With the loss of Lancelot, Gallahad missing and Parcifal defecting to France, only the trully faithfull, leaded by Tristam, were with him. But the king wouldn´t give her hope away. She would fight, even by herself.
Sensing the tragic fate upon his King, Tristam drugged her and lead the hosts to face the Traitor: Mordred. He took with him Excalibur´s sheat, as a sign that the King´s spirit was with him.
But Mordred´s forces were more. Because Mordred was now England´s hope and with him was Caliburn, to prove it. Mordred sailed to meet the army at Camlann, the same village Arturia didn´t protect, as a token. The battle was really gruesome. Even if Mordred had twice the men as Tristam, the battle was close. But in the end Tristam fell his forces began to fall back.
By the time the King arrived, it was ended. Only seven of her Knights were alive, surrounded in the base of the mountain. Excalibur on hand, she charged. For her hope. Nobody stop her as she hiked up, slaying Mordred´s troops along the way. Finally she made it to the top of the hill, surrounded by broken swords and the crimson sun setting. Mordred greeted her with a sad smile.
-"Look around you King Arthur. Your country has ended. Which ever one of us emerges the victor, it matters not. As you see before you, everything is gone. You should have known it would come to this. Had you given to me the crown, this would not have happened. Did you hate me, the son of Morgan, that much?!"
King Arthur emotionlessly replied back.
-"Not once did I despised you. The only one reason I would not give you the throne is that you didn't have the capacity of a King. As i didn´t have it either"
Mordred ran forward, driven on by passion. Both Holy Swords Clashed three times. Both fourth hits were meant to kill, nobody thought to protect. And so Caliburn wounded the King in the stomach and Excalibur impaled the Black Knight. The Black helmet fell, and with the embrace of dead, Morana once again pleaded.
-"Fa..ther..."
She thought, with tears in her eyes...
Please Love me, Father
She reached out to touch the King with her blood-soaked hands at least once, but not even that wish was granted as she fell.
Arturia, too, began to sense her time. Her hopes vanished, her dreams shatered. When was she supposed to be victorius?. What about her utopia?. Then she heard a voice in her head.
-"Do you want another chance, King Arthur..."
The little, blonde Knight nodded and another story began. The Story of a dream and a naive boy..