ARTHUR & THE SWORD FORGED FROM THE MAGIC STONE (CH-2)

 

   THE HERMITAGE

The boy/man arrived at the hermitage and showed the horse the beaten up corral the old man had built decades ago; just an old donkey residing there. Ralph did not seem to mind and he seemed to be familiar with this ass, so Arthur led him in and closed the corral door. He used the old rope-latch but he knew it would not hold if this giant steed grew tired of his temporary quarters.

The Steed must be tested, Arthur thought. A trust must be tested. A more experienced horseman would not take such chances. But a more experienced horseman was not next in line to become Dux Belorum.
With plenty of hay and water in the stall, the horse would fare well through the night. Arthur entered the humble abode and found the old man waiting.

Well Arthur, a big night and a glorious new day. Come sit down here, pointing to an old pillow-like pile resembling a chair.  This is your bloody thrown for the night. Ha 


Francis got up while the boy/man sat down and found an old cup. After spitting in it and wiping it out with an old cloth, he filled it with his own brand of meade made from the honey he gathered twice a week from bee hives in the area. There was a warm fire in the hearth with smoke escaping through a strange opening to the sky in the corner of the rustic room. Francis called it a chimney which was a strange fixture in this new land.
Your time is not yet come Arthur, Francis said while handing him his meade. But it will be here soon. Word has it that Ambrosious is dead and Uther, the new king is severely wounded in Coritani somewhere.


You know that this is where the real blood is, do you not Arthur. You were born not more than seventy five Roman miles from this place. 


Tintagel, Francis is a grand castle on the coast, at the point, at the ends of the earth for the Celtics and the Romans. 


That's right Arthur. Igraine is your mama. You know this. Now you might have heard that your father was the late great Gorlois, Grand Duke of Cornwall. 


Yes I have heard of such things though I have never met mama. Arthur was warm now, and comfortable. He was always at ease in this place and felt it so remarkable that Francis would offer him his famous meade. It might have been the remarkable events that he had witnessed that night. It might have been the discovery of his new steed, the gift from the gods, or it might have been the meade that made Arthur so elated. And he always loved the stories from Francis his favorite monk.

But Gorlois is not your father; for he died a night or two before you were conceived. Uther is your father and you are Uther's only son. You are to be the new ruler, you are the once and future king of Britannia, Arthur. 


But that would make me a bastard!

Francis, Arthur pondered, do you mean that I am the product of a one night stand? Are suggesting my mums was a whore? I mean would or should there be some period of mourning after your husband dies? What the hell is Igraine doing, sleeping with Uther while Gorlois body lies steeped in blood and still warm?

Well it's more complicated than that. You know son, when a man loves a woman very, very, very much the two....

Francis...

Yes Arthur...

I have been watching chickens, horses, cows and canines fuck since I was first able to ambulate on legs. Whom exactly do you think you are addressing?

Okay, look. I will tell you the entire story.

Uther kind of took a...er...real liking to Igraine. Gorlois, her lawful husband, was disturbed by all this. So when two men have designs upon one woman, they take the only logical course of action. 

They go to war with their armies. 

Well after much todo along with the loss of a score or two of young men, Gorlois was found impaled upon some mace a farmer had discarded years before upon the battlefield. 

And Uther, knowing that Igraine was not that kind of girl, came to Merlin with a plan. Remember son, men of honor always come up with plans. Anyway, Merlin disliked the entire proceedings leading up to all this. He chastised Uther for losing all these good men when the barbaric pagan Saxon dogs were running helter skelter across his island. 

Uther asked if he could 'approach' Igraine at the Castle Terrible in the guise of Gorlois. "Guise of Gorlois"...pretty good. You gotta admit, I have the gift. Anyway, Merlin says Okie Dokie, but if there is a child  born following this tryst, I get the baby. Got it?

Uther agreed upon a solemn oath. He knew Merlin liked the youngun's but...well I mean Merlin's gifts were of use so many times that your father overlooked some things.

So Uther went into the Castle Terrible in the guise of Gorlois . So your mumsy was not and is not a whore.

The end.

Tell me this Francis. Do I look more like Gorlois or Uther?

Do not really know Arthur. Never met either gentlemen.  


No, son, not under our old laws; for your father, Uther married Igraine within the time of the full moon following your conception. It was a secret ceremony recognized by our Celtic clergy. And a sacred document attesting to this ceremony is currently in the possession of Merlin.

I must, I must immediately rush to my father's side to defend my nation....Arthur attempted to get up which was not impossible in his condition but Francis feigned to hold him down.
No no no. Do you trust me?
...

DO YOU TRUST YOUR FRIEND FRANCIS?
Yes I do, for whom else is there to trust during these perilous times? Replied Arthur.

You now have a steed if you can keep him. You also need a sword and a shield. I have a saddle for you and some rigging to carry your material needs. You are strong and sharp and you have already learned the secrets of the forest and how to fend for yourself. 


You must begin a quest. A quest for your sword and your shield and some coin....I mean some coin would be a fine idea. 


But Francis, my father is Dux Belorum for chrissakes--both men blessed themselves--and I would receive all the armaments and such that I would ever need. 


Arthur, listen close. Please. There are men with lean and hungry eyes at your father's side right now. If you were to appear at the battle site now, before certain things are accomplished, the Saxons would be the least of your problems.  Besides, under your logic, you could just have gone to the battlefield without a horse. 


But I needed MY HORSE. 


Yes, and the Good Lord provided, did He not?

After blessing himself, the boy/man contemplated all of this. How long should this quest of mine take?
Within two full cycles of the moon, Merlin shall arrive here to escort you to your destiny. But it was I who had an angel come to me in a dream and foretell of all these amazing things. And the presentation of Ralph  as come to pass as well as just your presence here tonight. 


Was that the little red headed sweetheart from Gloucester that was visiting last year at this time following your biannual sale of meade to the local hostels there? 


No Arthur, and if you ever speak of this again I shall...I shall never speak with you again. Even old monks need some ease and comfort at times. I mean winny the ass starts looking pretty good after a couple three months and....

NEVER MIND ABOUT THAT. Now son, you know of the mysteries of metallurgy, do you not?
Merlin showed me the ways of Hephaestus and Ernie the Sludge apprenticed me for two years. Did you know he had this secret room at his works where he kept this hunchback dwarf woman. And he would tell me stories of how she had two sheaths, so to speak and...What a smelly godless peasant was he...but he was so clever with the use of ore and we used to make the finest swords....
I have an idea..Yes, Francis I shall go on a quest upon my new mount and I shall return having completed all my tasks within the time of the cycles of the two moons. 


Agreed? 


Agreed, replied Francis, smiling now as he filled both cups with the last of the meade and as he took out his lute:

                   OH MY BRITANNIA*

What has happened down here, is the times 
have changed.

Romans be long gone and the Saxons startin
to gain.

Saxons comin real hard, and they gainin for
a real long time.

Saxons comin down harder in the old 
Domnonian Plains

The Saxons raid all day, and they raid all 
night

Some people got lost in these wars, some 
people got away all right

Our soldiers have been slain clear up to 
Coritani

Some have landed in the fields of
Tintangeline

Oh my Britannia, Oh my Britannia

They're trying to scare us away, 
they're trying to scare us away

Oh my Britannia, Oh my Britannia

They're trying to drive us away, 
they're tryin to drive us away

Old Duke Ambrosius come down here, in
a big parade

With a Seneschal asking if more of our 
hardy boys would lend a hand

Ambrosius say "Seneschal, oh isn't 
it a shame,

What the Saxons have done to this 
great Celtic land."

Oh my Britannia, Oh my Britannia

They're trying to scare us away, 
they're trying to scare us away

Oh my Britannia, Oh my Britannia 

They're trying to drive us away, 
they're trying to drive us away

They're trying to drive us away, 
they're trying to drive us away

Arthur awoke with a head on and proceeded 
outside to respond to his immediate call 
to duty. 

This is dangerous. I could poke someone 
in the eye with this woody and do some 
real harm; where are the Saxon dogs when
you need one, he thought. 

Oh saints preserve me. This is the dawn 
of a new era. With that thought, almost 
fearfully, he snuck a peak 
at the corral. Sure enough, there was Ralph.  

Hey Ralphy. How ya doin? You know I could 
have returned your favors from last night 
if I had only thought about 
it two minutes ago. Hahahahah

Arthur went over and stroked the majestic 
animal's brow. Ralph snorted kind of a 
harrumph his way. Ha 

You aint agoin nowhere are you, your majesty? 

As any good guest would, and to work the sleep 
out of his bones--as well as some of the left 
over meade--he chopped up some wood on the old 
stump in back of the hut and carried it inside. 

He got that fire going again and did 
that feel good.It is strange how a fire can 
warm the heart and dry the dew from a man's 
clothes, he pondered.  

The old man began to stir, probably feeling 
safer as a result of the warmth from the emanations 
of the hearth. Tossing off the covers made of skins,
Francis knelt in prayer.

Arthur cooperated as he always had when he witnessed
a member of the clergy acting out of piety instead 
of hypocrisy. 

Lord of Hosts, hear my prayer

We ask not for You to slay our enemies

We ask instead for the inner strength

The inner fortitude to perform in the 
face of immediate danger

To perform so that we may maintain 
our land

To perform so that we may maintain 
our family

To perform so that we may maintain 
our customs

This boy/man is about to seek 
full manhood

This boy/man is about to earn his rightful 
knighthood

This boy/man is about to be crowned a king

This boy/man may represent all our hopes 
and dreams

Help this Arthur in his quest

Help this Arthur find his best

Amen 

Oh and Lord

Please give those heathen 
Saxon dogs no quarter.

Francis fed Arthur some porridge made of locally 
ground grain cured with a little boiling water 
and topped with some honey. 

An apple finished off the feast and the two 
proceeded to the corral. Ralph was fitted with
a saddle as well as a bit, 
of which the steed was none to fond.  

Blankets and packs were attached to this self 
sufficient system of travel. The old monk included 
dried meat as well as some grain.

A simple bow and an old rusted sword would make 
the ride easier.  

How do I repay such kindness Francis? Yesterday I 
was a boy alone in the forest. Today I am fitted 
as a would-be knight. 

You shall thank me by completing your task and 
returning by the end of the second cycle of the moon. 
The goddess Luna shall watch over you but shall 
heed the movements of Luna. 

Arthur kissed the hermit on the cheek and led his 
new steed toward Gloucester.  His first task lies in 
that direction and he knew he needed the old Roman 
Via to complete it.  

At last the once and future King had a singular
purpose.
 
A quest takes many steps, and the first steps, 
important steps had been taken.