Batman and King Arthur

Paladin of Gotham

by Matthew Snee

Chapter Nine

By the time Mordred's fleet had been subdued, the villain had long since fled from Dover with his men. When Arthur finally landed on the beach, he immediately asked about Gawain, and it was Batman, assembled with Lowry and the other knights in greeting, spoke up. Batman quickly led Arthur to the boat he had left Gawain in, and Gawain was still, surprisingly, alive.

Arthur was a tall, blond man in his late forties with a yellow beard and cautious blue eyes. He was clad in glorious, engraved armor, and carried a magnificent scabbard with Excalibur contained within at his side.

Arthur introduced himself to Batman as "King Arthur, of the Round Table," and noted that Merlin had told him an ally from beyond the Western sea would arrive to see them through these dark times.

Batman bowed and introduced himself as "Sir Bruce, Paladin of Gotham," and then complimented Arthur on his victory.

"No, no victory yet, as long as Mordred is still free to spread his evil," said Arthur. "Now, my men tell me you rescued Guinevere from Mordred's clutches?"

"I did, with the help of Sir Durant, who gave his life in the bargain," said Batman. "But where she has fled to, no one knows."

"It is for the best, I think," said Arthur, sadly.

Then they saw to Gawain. The great knight had lost a lot of blood from the wound to his head, and was obviously dying, but he could still speak, and his first words to Arthur were not congratulations, but a plea for ink and paper so he could write an apology to Lancelot. Arthur was stunned by this, but told his men to fulfill the request. Once Gawain was so supplied, he feverishly wrote his letter.

Mordred no doubt was already hastening his plans for the next battle, but Arthur saw to it that the men who were dying on the beach - both his own and Mordred's - received the sacrament before they succumbed.

By noon, Gawain's letter was finished, and the knight himself was dead.

Looking among the broken bodies, Batman found that Korone was not one of them. He must have escaped after all, no doubt with someone's help. The wound Lowry had given him would probably kill him, but not here, and Batman's guilt over what had happened could not be assuaged, despite Korone's desire and attempt to kill the Dark Knight.

Arthur was obviously tremendously heartbroken over the loss of Gawain, and indeed all of his friends who had died in the recent war with Lancelot and now the war with Mordred, but he did not hesitate to prepare his army for the next battle.

Before he had died, as he had handed Arthur his letter, Gawain had pleaded for the king to send for Lancelot, whom he knew would come if the king asked it. "I fear without him, you are doomed," Gawain had told the king.

But Arthur could not wait for such, and no doubt still was pained by Lancelot's betrayal and all the misery that it had caused.

Then news came that Mordred was some miles away awaiting with fresh forces, and the king's plans were sealed.

As they all hurled themselves towards the next battle, Batman considered the wounds he had received, which were all shallow, and the future bloodshed ahead of them. Though he was resolved to fight, he would never kill intentionally. He did not bother asking the king to show Mordred and his men mercy. It was obvious it was too late for that. But Batman hoped that - should the moment come - violence could still be averted somehow.

Batman asked for a rod of metal that was not sharp that he could deal blows that would not kill, and he was accommodated by the king's men. Then they made their way North, to a place called Barham Down.

The Dark Knight remembered his first day here in the past, and his meeting with Korone and Affelette, and his rescue by Durant, and their time in the cave in the forest. He remembered the taste of the bat in his mouth, and all the men he had defeated in combat, but had not killed - who, if they still fought, no doubt had killed others since. It was a familiar argument, and one many rational souls had made about his dealings with the Joker - if the Dark Knight had just killed the madman, he would never murder again. Instead, he captured and imprisoned the fiend only to have him escape and kill again.

But the Batman had to show this mercy, as fruitless as it was, or else all he did would be meaningless.

Perhaps it was meaningless anyway.

The battle at Barnham Down was as bloody as the one before it, and many knights on both sides were slain. But Mordred's power was obviously waning. The dreaded knight now kept himself away from the battle, even as Arthur fought, and they could all feel that fear had poisoned the cowardly Mordred. Still, the war was far from over, and great hosts of men on both sides continued to bash and strike at each other, all hoping their side would triumph, never considering neither would.

Batman battled bravely at the King's side, saving his life many times, thinking that somehow, with his presence and skill, he could prevent what he knew would be Arthur's ultimate fate.

Barnham Down would not be the ultimate battle, as terrible as it was, and when it was over and Mordred and his men had fled once more, a incredible fatigue fell upon what remained of Arthur's army. All were wounded, all were sick of war, and all had lost friends and loved ones.

When it was over, Sir Bedivere the Bold, a great friend to Arthur, pleaded as Gawain had that they summon Lancelot and wait, rather than pursue Mordred again.

But the King would not be convinced, so was he injured by Lancelot's betrayal. Instead, when it was heard that Mordred now waited in a place called Salisbury, Arthur rallied his men and to battle they went.

When the two armies met a day later, once again a great bloodshed was unleashed. Blood soaked the grassy soil, as the sky looked down upon them helplessly. The King swung Excalibur, Batman swung his steel staff, and horrific violence ensued with much death and maiming. Sons, fathers, cousins, and friends were lost and killed, and a great hate rose in everyone's heart for the other side. Only Batman showed mercy, but even that was cruel, as he left many a man on the battlefield with broken bones, in a time where such wounds could mean death.

As evening fell and the crows got to their grim business on the bodies, Morded had fled, an Arthur and his men were on the brink of collapse.

The next day was Sunday, and no man wanted to battle on such a holy day. Both armies desperately needed rest, and it was agreed they would meet the day after.

By now, many in England saw both the wickedness of Mordred and felt his inevitable loss, and many of Lancelot's men and other forces changed sides and joined Arthur. It looked as though the tide had turned.

Batman, Arthur, and the men took refuge in Canterbury, where the bishop had long since left under fear of Mordred, and whoever was left still alive and in fighting condition rested where they could.

When later that night, the King was found screaming in his sleep and awakened, Arthur summoned Batman, Sir Lowry, Sir Bedivere, and Bedivere's brother Lucan, as well as two bishops to tell them of his dream.

"First I was sitting in a golden chair, until I fell and was attacked by many serpents," the King explained, "who grabbed me and tore me limb from limb. And then I came to find myself somewhere else, and visited by the departed Gawain, who promised me that, should I meet Mordred in battle again, my death is certain."

"What do you want to do, my King?" asked Sir Bedivere.

"I will treat with Mordred and summon Lancelot," said Arthur at last. "Off my murderous son, whatever he wants - lands, titles, the kingship after I have died - anything. But we must delay another battle for all of our sakes."

This news filled Batman with confidence, and he wondered if somehow, the King and the kingdom had been saved after all. Word was sent to Mordred through the bishops, and soon after a message was sent back from him that he would be amenable to a treaty. It was agreed that they would meet together tomorrow, armies absent, with only fourteen men on either side.

A newfound peace found the King's heart, and he and Batman supped that night together with the King's most dependable knights whom would accompany him tomorrow.

"Tell me," Arthur said to the Batman. "What is your land like? How does it produce men such as yourself?"

"I'm afraid I was produced through much terror and hardship," the Batman admitted. "But the land itself - it is beautiful, and the men and women are free to do as they choose, for good and ill."

"I should like to see it someday," said Arthur. "It sounds as wondrous as the distant East, this distant West. Is it a long journey?"

"It is long," Batman said.

"Will you return, once we have triumphed?"

"I believe I will," said Batman. "But I have met many good friends here, some of whom I have lost, and some of whom are with me right now."

"Yes," said Arthur, "As have we all. Gawain... he..." A tear fell out of the king's eye. "Had I only known such misery was possible, I would have changed so many of my decisions."

"There, there," said Bedivere. "We cannot know the future, and wisdom seldom triumphs over feeling."

"That is true," said Arthur. "But so much loss... are men to eternally battle evil? Will there ever be an answer to this chaos?"

Not even the Batman had encouraging words for the King. It was a dilemma he had faced every day since he was a young boy. Still, they were all here, weren't they? They did not shy from the battle, nor did they easily give in to their own evils, when they could.

"There is hope," said the Batman. "There is always hope."