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paperlegends Story - Line of Dance, part 6
For notes, see part one
From Merlin's position, the entire battle was laid out to view, but so busy that the small movement at the northern end went almost unnoticed. Men were creeping out of the trees behind the Escetian archers and the figure in the lead had to be Lancelot. The rain of arrows decreased dramatically as the archers turned to address Lancelot's and Gwaine's attack from their rear. A flurry in the ranks signalled foot soldiers also turning to meet Lancelot's small force.
Kay's knights, in close formation, crashed into the shield wall at the northern end. From across the valley it was not possible to see any detail, but their lances had to have penetrated the first and probably the second rows of men. For a moment it appeared that Arthur's tactic had succeeded and they were going to break through, but somehow the line held. The galloping horses seemed to shudder to a halt.
Meanwhile, Lord Connal's infantry had reached the enemy's lines. The Escetians stood firm and, unsupported by cavalry, Connal's advance also stalled into a mess of hack and slash. Unable to make progress, they also could not prevent some of Cenred's men turning to meet the stronger attack from the north, the movement of a group being discernable even from across the valley.
Alwin appeared at Merlin's side, holding Algar's reins. He nodded to Merlin and, surprisingly, spoke. "Hot work," he said.
"Aye," Merlin agreed, but kept his eyes fixed on the opposite slope. He scanned his eyes back and forth across the field, logging the plumed helmets of the mounted knights on each pass. To the south, Dagonet's yellow plume caught the sun. Ilyan's dark red was just discernable amid the other Camelot scarlet. To the north, Bors' green and Isen's bright blue were visible.
"My wife's brother is following Sir Kay," Alwin said suddenly.
Sparing him a quick glance, Merlin said, "He'll be all right then."
Alwin nodded. "Aye, like enough."
After that they watched in silence as the sun rose higher and the day got warmer. At some point, Alwin called to a boy to fetch buckets of water for Algar and Ajax. Bevyn came over and pulled bread and cheese from his satchel. They sat on the grass and shared it while they watched, until Merlin remembered himself and sent Bevyn back to keep an eye on Ajax. It would be so good to lie back and stare at the sky and possibly sleep in the sun, but it wasn't possible, not when there were men fighting and dying half a mile away. Not when Arthur's kingdom hung in the balance of their efforts.
The sun was getting higher in the eastern sky and it appeared that Camelot's attack was still making little progress. With the two armies engaged across their entire fronts, it was as if the battle was frozen. There were small, individual knots of confusion, like the one that marked Lancelot's attack, distinct from the rest behind Esetia's lines, but most of the field was a single mass where friend and foe could not be distinguished. An Escetian knight on horseback led a company of foot soldiers from Cenred's position towards the northern flank. Across the field, at the southern end, Dagonet's yellow plume disappeared from view.
Alwin gave a sudden cheer and his hand clapping onto Merlin's shoulder, pulling his attention away from his search for any sign of Dagonet. "Look," Alwin said, pointing.
There was a surge at the northern end of the line and the defenders abruptly caved. Camelot's mounted knights broke through and, in the lead, Isan's bright blue plume galloped forward to engage the knight who was attempting to bring up support.
Camelot's infantry flooded the gap made by the horses, creating confusion in the enemy's ranks. Engaged at front and rear and now broken in half, the ordered formation of Escetia's northern arm began to collapse.
Further along the line, at the centre, however, the defenders held firm and, to the south, Brolin's and Dagonet's joint attack was similarly hard pressed.
So caught up in watching the action was he, that Merlin had no warning of Arthur's intentions. It was only when Arthur yelled, "For Camelot!" that he turned to see Arthur swing his arm forward over his head and Bran burst into a gallop. The band of knights who had waited with him by the knoll echoed his cry and charged after him.
Merlin tracked Arthur's helm, with its gold band and bright red plume as Bran leapt the first wall, crossed the field to the brook, jumped that and started up the opposite slope. Leon and Sir Cas of Lamorak appeared to be trying to keep close on either side. At times it looked as if they were attempting to pull ahead, but with little success; Bran was a fine horse. The rest of the knights held close behind as they galloped towards the centre of the battle.
Arthur's charge crashed into the melee of foot soldiers, just to the south of the centre of the line, knocking aside and crushing friend and foe alike, or so it appeared. The sun caught and flashed off swords raised to swipe down on the heads and necks of men. But the cost in horseflesh was high. One by one the knights, high in their saddles, disappeared into the mass of bodies below them.
Merlin edged forward, keeping his eyes fixed on the gold crown on Arthur's helm and watching its slow progress forward. Bran reared and for a moment he had a clear view of Arthur towering above the battle. Then he was gone.
Frantically Merlin searched, but Arthur was invisible in the mass. Clenching his hands at his sides, he felt the pressure of need tingling and pulsing in his palms, with a dull ache as sharp as needles. He fought to keep it under control, even as he strained his eyes for a flash of red and gold. From behind him, Alwin appeared mounted on Algar and galloped towards the battle.
Camelot's attack faltered. To the rear, a few men began to retreat. In ones and twos, they hesitated and started to pull back. Within moments, it seemed that there was a general movement in Camelot's line, back down the slope. The Escetians gave a roar and started to push forward. There appeared to be a tight knot of men fighting where Arthur had disappeared and that knot was carried downhill also, part of the bulge that was forming in the line of the battle, like a slowly turning tide.
Two knights, Bedwyr and Cas by their helms, were fighting their way in towards the centre. Bedwyr's sword flashed as it caught the light. Suddenly Cas disappeared and Merlin began to raise his hands.
And then, out of the chaos, Arthur's helm reappeared, once more on a horse. He lifted his sword high and by some power beyond Merlin's understanding, the retreat of Camelot's men halted. They turned and Arthur swung his horse around. The mounted knights rallied to his side and he led the charge through Escetia's open line. His men turned too and joined the knights in cutting down the defenders, who a moment before had been chasing them.
Merlin watched Arthur break though Escetia's position, splitting the defending force again, his army behind him. He spared a moment to check the flanks. Red surcoats surrounded the northern end of Escetia's force and were pushing towards Arthur's position. He glanced back to the centre to check Arthur was still alive and mounted. Absently, he noticed Alwin returning, still on Algar. It appeared that, in Alwin's judgement, if Cas of Lamorak gave up his mount for his king, he still did not warrant the king's spare in return. Looking past the thick of the fighting, Merlin saw the beginnings of a rout as the Escetians in the centre began to retreat up the hill.
The battle to the south had concentrated into a knot. There were no mounted knights left at that end and it appeared Camelot had not managed to break through.
To the north, Kay's and Lancelot's joint companies pushed inwards and the Escetians, caught between them and Arthur, also began to retreat up the slope. Camelot let them go, the northern fighters concentrating on reaching their king. As more Escetians fled the field, they speeded up, until the two groups merged and turned as one towards the south.
After that, victory was assured. The sun at its zenith beat down on the field as the southern half of Cenred's army, under attack from two sides, broke and ran.
Merlin scanned the line again, seeing the Escetian forces in full retreat and Camelot charging towards the remaining pocket of resistance near the southern end where Cendred and Broga had stood watching. It was impossible to tell if they were still there.
The northern end of the field was slowly clearing, only the fallen remained, except for two men. By his size, one of them was Kay. The other could not be identified. They faced each other amid the carnage and Kay raised his sword. His opponent did the same. Then Kay attacked, swinging his sword in a blow that his opponent parried against his own raised blade. They leaned into each other. Kay, bigger and apparently stronger, pushed forward and the other knight jumped back, disengaging.
Merlin looked over to where he had just seen Arthur and again failed to find him. He searched the mass of men across the valley, looking for Arthur's scarlet plume, or a glint from the golden band around his helmet. For long moments there was nothing. Then, a single flash in the middle of the fleeing Escetians caught his eye and he was just in time to see Arthur, on a grey horse, disappear over the crest of the hill at a gallop. Merlin wheeled around and ran to where Bevyn still stood with Ajax.
Grabbing the reins from Bevyn's hands, he pointed to the small gathering of cooks, drovers and camp followers who were watching from the brow of the hill and said, "Go and tell that lot to fetch buckets from the camp. When the men start to return, take them down into the valley, get water and see to the wounded." He gave Bevyn a hard stare. "Not just the knights, the soldiers too, understand?" Bevyn nodded. "I'll be back to help, as soon as I can."
Bevyn gaped at him. "Isen?" he asked.
Merlin scowled. "No. I don't know. Now, go!" he said and scrambled onto Ajax's back, wincing slightly as the saddle reminded him of his activities of the night before. He didn't look back to check that Bevyn was doing as he was told. He didn't check to see where Alwin was. He dug his heels into Ajax's sides and set off in pursuit of Arthur.
Arthur had a huge head start on him, but Ajax was a good horse. He galloped down the hill, held on tightly as Ajax flew over the brook and spurred him on when they began the climb on the other side. All around them lay bodies, like rag dolls thrown carelessly on the floor. The wounded groaned under the mid-day sun and calling for water, if they had enough voice to do so. Flies were already crawling over the faces of the living and the dead. Small bands of Cenred's men were being rounded up by Camelot's soldiers and disarmed, before being corralled under guard to await their fate. Individual soldiers wandered among the bodies, looking for fallen friends, or for plunder. Lancelot had Broga in his care and was directing him towards a group of knights that included Gwaine and Bedwyr. Merlin fixed his attention on the point where Arthur had disappeared from view.
Ajax reached the top of the hill and below them was the valley of Freydale, full of fleeing men. Trusting Ajax to avoid any pitfalls underfoot, Merlin searched through the crowds for a mounted man.
Freydale was very different from the narrow and shallow valleys of Avarldale and Crybrookdale. Long, steep slopes led down to a valley floor where wide water meadows stretched out on either side of the Freyl River and the main road from Escetia to the Sea of Gaul meandered around the curves of its contours, just above flood level. At this point, the River Freyl was wide enough and deep enough for shallow barges to navigate. Large groups of trees dotted the landscape, between fields of oats, barley and rye. In every way, it was a more prosperous living than the poor hill land behind him, but he spared it little more than a cursory glance, scanning the landscape for any sign of Arthur. A flash of red caught his eye near a copse to his left and he veered towards it.
When he got close to the trees, he tumbled out of the saddle and led Ajax towards the sound of steel on steel. He rounded a thick growth of elder and may and there were Arthur and Cendred, circling each other on foot. Cendred's horse was untethered, but didn't appear to be in danger of straying. He was standing with his right foreleg bent, the hoof held clear of the ground. Cas of Lamorak's grey mare was placidly grazing nearby, her reins hitched around a branch of the elder. Merlin gave a snort of disgust and tied Ajax next to her.
Cenred was backing away from Arthur and Arthur advanced, bringing his sword high and swinging it down like a hammer. Cenred caught it on his shield, his knees bending to accommodate the blow, and took another step backwards out of range. He got his feet squarely under him and as Arthur was bringing his sword back, Cenred surged forward. Arthur raised his blade to block and danced away. He was tired, anyone who had studied Arthur in tournament could see it in the way his body moved, and Cenred was fresh, having taken no part in the battle of Avarldale.
Cenred followed his sword with his shield, slamming it into Arthur's side and Arthur had no shield of his own. Arthur managed to keep his feet as he staggered back. Cenred tried to follow up, but his foot caught on something on the ground and he stumbled, giving Arthur time to steady himself. They circled each other. Arthur spun his sword teasingly. Cendred tensed and Arthur brought his sword back to the position he always held at the beginning of a duel, almost parallel to the ground and just above waist height, ready to respond to whatever move Cenred made. Cenred chose to launch a low attack and Arthur jumped back from the slash. He twisted to the side, bringing his own sword up and around. It crashed against Cenred's helmet, knocking it from his head. Cenred staggered and almost fell, and Arthur stepped back to allow him to gain his feet again. Merlin groaned in frustration, tugging at the leather bracelet on his wrist and pulling it off. Arthur shot him a glare from beneath his visor.
Once again, Arthur swung his sword loosely around his wrist and Cenred charged. Arthur braced his legs and once again he twisted around the thrust. Attacking in return, he threw himself forward, ramming his shoulder into Cenred's chest. Cenred staggered, the impact knocking him off balance and while he fought to regain his feet, Arthur crowded close. He threw his left arm around Cenred's neck, pulling him into a parody of an embrace. As he did so he brought his right arm back and buried his sword in Cenred's side.
Cenred froze. Arthur relaxed his hold and Cenred crumpled to the ground. Arthur stepped backwards, staring at the body.
Merlin started towards him. "Sire, are you all right?"
Slowly Arthur turned, a weary smile already forming on his lips. "Respect?" he asked. "Were you worried, dear?"
By that time, Merlin was close enough to swat him on the shoulder. "Bugger off, you great prat. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Merlin. Honestly. I'm fine."
He swayed slightly and Merlin jammed his shoulder under Arthur's left arm, throwing his right arm around Arthur's waist. "Sure you are, you idiot." He reached across Arthur and took Excalibur from his hand. "Come on," he said. "Let's get you back to camp. Lancelot's probably already got search parties out. And you have to go and be kingly. Lord it over your defeated enemies, and all that."
As a ploy, it worked. Arthur took a deep breath and stiffened his back. "Right," he said. He grabbed Merlin's left arm and pulled him around for a quick kiss, snatching Excalibur back at the same time.
Drawing away before Merlin could try and make the kiss go anywhere, he pulled an expression of disgust. Pointing at his own face and waving his finger in a circle before pointing at Merlin's nose, he said, "You'd better do something about your own appearance, too."
He turned and walked over to his horse. Merlin followed, dragging the leather bracelet back over his hand and smoothing it into place.
"If Lancelot has search parties out, we'd better go and find one and tell them to come and collect that," Arthur said over his shoulder, gesturing in the general direction of Cenred's body. When he reached Cas's horse, he seemed to notice Ajax, for the first time. He turned to regard Merlin with a smirk and although his eyes widened when they met Merlin's, he didn't hesitate. "Myrddyn," he chided. "Have you ridden off with your master's spare horse?"
Sir Brolin's body was carried back to camp with reverence, for transport home to his wife, as were both Lords Oran and Kenzie. Gwaine was limping with the help of a makeshift crutch, but insisting he was fine. Dagonet had taken a slash to his face and was lamenting the loss of his good looks. Kay was nursing a deep gash to his upper arm. Isen's right arm was secured to his chest with a rough sling and he had a bandage around his left shoulder. Cas of Lamorak was laid up in the infirmary tent, in a deathlike sleep from a crack to the head. Bedwyr had a huge bruise on his jaw, but otherwise appeared unharmed. Lancelot didn't even have a scratch.
"Lord Lamorak?" Arthur asked.
"Didn't make it," Kay replied, looking him straight in the eye.
Arthur nodded. "Right," he said, adding, "His son gave me his horse, when Bran fell."
Kay smiled. "As any loyal subject would."
Merlin returned Ajax to his place with Rom and allowed Bevyn to help see to them both. As they were finishing up, the carts began to arrive and Merlin volunteered to help erect Arthur's tent at the base of the knoll. Once it was done, he hung around outside, sitting on the grass cleaning and repairing Rom's tack.
When Arthur finally arrived, with Bedwyr at his side, he grinned privately when he saw Merlin. Turning to Bedwry, he said something that caused Bedwyr to bow and withdraw towards the hospice tents. Merlin scrambled to his feet. Arthur watched Bedwyr go and then turned back. As he came closer, it was as if he began to finally relax and allow the weariness he was feeling to show in his shoulders and face. Always aware of possible evesdroppers, however, he plucked at his vambrace and in his most imperious voice ordered, "You there, Myrddyn, help me with this, will you?"
Merlin bowed and followed him inside the tent, pulling off the leather bracelet as soon as the flap closed over the entrance behind him.
He had barely taken two steps before Arthur grabbed him by the front of his jacket and dragged him close. Arthur's kiss was hungry and rough, his lips demanding and Merlin went with it, giving as good as he got in fisted clothes and grasping hands.
Gradually, the mood mellowed into something calmer and gentler, and Arthur's grip on Merlin's hair relaxed. He loosened his own hold on Arthur's jaw and, when they broke apart, their foreheads came to rest against each other.
Merlin sighed. "You're really not hurt?" he asked.
Arthur pulled away, held out his arms and turned slowly on the spot for Merlin's inspection. "I am really not harmed," he confirmed. "Now, can we get this bloody armour off?"
With a choked off laugh, Merlin stepped forward to undo the buckles and straps, peeling the pieces away, one by one. As he did so, he said, "I can't believe it was just this morning." He struggling with one of the buckles that had taken a blow and been bent out of shape, until, with a snort of frustration, he stared at it, causing it to snap and part. "It seems so long ago, but now, it feels that, while I was watching, it all seemed to happen so fast."
There was a bucket waiting and Merlin assisted Arthur in washing the dirt and sweat from his body. "Battles are like that," Arthur agreed.
He allowed Merlin to dress him, standing and sitting where he was pushed, as Merlin manhandled him into fresh breeches and shirt.
Finally, Merlin picked Arthur's crown out of its travel box and placed it carefully on Arthur's brow. "You have to go," Arthur said. "You need to be in Camelot when the news arrives." He saw Merlin's expression and his lips twisted. "I promise not to fall off my horse on the journey home. But I'm sending you ahead."
"Thank you," Merlin replied. "For not sending me home before."
Standing up straight, Arthur visibly redonned his kingship, as if it was a stiff, formal coat. "Go and ask Alwin to attend me, now," he said.
Merlin bowed and left.
The wounded were recovered and placed under the care of the surgeons. The dead were gathered and the prisoners were sorted, with the peasants allowed to go free while the land owners and most obvious mercenaries were made secure. As evening fell, the remains of Camelot's army gathered below the knoll to bear witness.
A single pyre was built for Camelot's dead and their broken swords laid with them. A separate pyre was built for the Escetians and Leon had overseen the piling of their weapons to one side. Arthur, however, ordered that their weapons also be broken, to accompany them into the afterlife. Cenred's body was hung from a frame, for all to see.
A chair was set up for Arthur. Red cloaks were swathed over a frame made of spears behind it, to provide an imposing and suitably regal backdrop. In the early evening Arthur walked from his tent, through the crowd and took his seat.
One by one the Escetian lords were marched past Cenred's body and brought forward to decide if they wished to keep their holdings under Camelot's rule. None refused and they all knelt to swear fealty. They were then led to one side to talk to Leon and Kay about which of the younger generation of their family they held dear enough to foster at Camelot, where they could be brought up in the company of similar young men and women of Camelot's own and taught the arts of peace, as well as the laws of their new rule.
Those without family agreed to return to Camelot themselves, to stay with lords of similar rank to their own. Kay organised that, while Leon arranged for suitable caretaker wardens to look after their lands and interests and to ensure the peace while they were away from home. The mercenaries were sent on their way, their weapons confiscated.
Arthur sat back in his chair and called Bailoch forward. "Lord Andras," he said. "To you I charge the announcement. Take Lord Isen and ride home and announce this victory. Alwin and Myrddyn will go with you. I want the town and the Council to hear all is well, as soon as may be possible."
Pleasure wiped the weariness from Lord Bailoch's face and he immediately knelt and bowed his head to Arthur. "I will do so, Sire," he swore.
"And please," Arthur added with a smile, "tell my steward and chatelaine that we have guests of all ranks with us, who will need accommodation fitting to their stations."
So Merlin was robbed of the battlefield victory feast and a good night's sleep. Instead, he rode through the night and into the next day. In the villages and towns, Isen passed on the good news to the folk at their doors. "Camelot is victorious!" he shouted, as they cantered by. Unencumbered by arms and baggage, they reached Camelot just after noon.
It was as if by some magic the people of the city already knew the outcome, because the streets were lined with cheering crowds as they entered under the arch of the town gate. All the way up Market Street, more people seemed to gather. By the time they passed the Rising Sun, there was a cheering mob on their heels and, when they reached the gatehouse of the castle, the older Council members who had stayed at home were already gathering, with Gwen, on the top step.
Lords Bailoch and Isen disappeared into the Great Hall. Bevyn and Lord Bailoch's squire were sent with a servant to see to their masters' gear, while Alwin and Merlin took the horses to the stables and handed them over to the boys on duty.
They leaned against a wall together, watching the stable boys un-tack and groom the horses, before leading them into their stalls and filling their water troughs. A small boy of about five years clambered down the ladder from the loft, hefting a bucket of grain and presented it to Lord Bailoch's horse and to Rom, as the aristocrats among their six new charges.
Satisfied by the standard of care, Alwin pushed himself away from the wall with his shoulders and stretched. "I'm for my bed," he said. "Once I find the wife at the market and tell her she's not a widow yet. She'll not be happy, but she'll pretend to be."
Merlin grinned, safe in the knowledge that Alwin's wife was devoted and Alwin knew it. He stood up straight himself and looked around the stables, avoiding Alwin's eye. "I'm moving on," he said.
Alwin hefted his saddlebags from the floor and onto his shoulder. "Aye?" he said. "Reckoned you would." He glanced back on his way to the door. "Probably best be away then."
For a moment, he was silhouetted black against the bright sunlight outside. Then he was gone. Merlin shook his head and followed, chuckling to himself.
Once in the courtyard, he did not follow Alwin to the main gates. Instead, he turned towards the small door hidden in a deep recess at the base of the South Tower. Dragging a key from where it hung on a thong around his neck, he unlocked the door and ran up the stairs, pulling the leather bracelet off his wrist as he did so.
Another door, opened with the same key, let him into his private workshop, which was not quite as pristine as it had been when he saw it last, the day before the army marched.
Gaius looked up from where he was sitting at the desk. "You're back," he exclaimed, hauling himself to his feet and walking around the end of the desk to embrace him. "And from your face, I assume it went well?"
Merlin hugged him fiercely. "Yes, it went well." He pulled away and looked around the room. "What's going on?" he asked.
Going over to a chest, Gaius opened it and pulled out a clean shirt. He pointed at a jug and bowl standing on a shelf against the wall. "Water, over there," he said. "At least clean your face and hands and get dressed. They'll be expecting us downstairs."
Merlin scrambled to obey. He pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor. Grabbing the cloth that lay ready, he didn't bother pouring the water into the bowl. He simply dunked the cloth straight in the jug and gave it a cursory wringing out, before scrubbing it over his face.
While he waited for Merlin to make himself more presentable, Gaius explained. "You and I have been locked up in here for the past week," he said. "Apart from when I did my rounds. Gwen, the dear girl, has been bringing us our meals, personally."
"That's kind of her. What have we been doing?" Merlin asked when his head emerged from the neck of his clean shirt.
Gaius shrugged. "Oh, I don't know," he said. "Something frightfully complicated that required uninterrupted concentration. Just be vague and you'll be fine." He picked up a long coat from the back of a chair and handed it to Merlin who shrugged it on. "I will admit, I have very much enjoyed the five days of uninterrupted peace and quiet. I think I might be sorry you're back." He opened the other door into the castle. "Shall we?" he asked.
Merlin grinned, bowed and, with a sweep of his arm, signalled for Gaius to precede him.
Arthur and his most trusted knights rode into town in the late afternoon, two days later, and once again the cheering crowds turned out, to welcome him home. Flags hung from every window and a couple of urchins ran across the roofs of the houses, keeping pace with the stately procession. Merlin waited with the rest of the court outside the castle gates.
Arthur led the small group of knights up the road, between the brightly garbed courtiers, to where Merlin, Gaius, Gwen and Edgar stood with the Council. He pulled Algar up and Lionel dismounted to run forward and take his bridle. Arthur smiled his thanks and walked the last couple of yards on foot, pulling off his gloves as he came.
Merlin went to meet him and knelt to kiss Arthur's hand and because he was Merlin and couldn't resist, he pushed the tip of his tongue between Arthur's ring and forefingers and licked at the web. From between gritted teeth, masquerading as a smile, Arthur muttered, "Behave!"
Three days later, Broga was brought before Arthur in open court. Marched down the centre of the crowded hall, between Sir Lionel and Sir Dagonet, he chose defiance. When signalled to kneel, he straightened his back instead. He had to be forced to his knees and Sir Dagonet put a hand on the back of his head to roughly push it down, making him bow it before his king.
Arthur lent forward and braced his right forearm on his knee. "What have you to say for yourself, traitor?" he asked.
Sir Dagonet released Broga's head and Broga looked up, straight into Arthur's eyes. "I am a man," he declared, "and I do not bow to anyone,"
"You bowed to me, this winter past." Arthur observed mildly. Beside him, Leon shifted uncomfortably. "You are a vassal of Camelot and you bowed to my father." A whisper of speculation passed through the court. Arthur smiled without humour. "Or are you hoping to spark the Pendragon temper and win yourself an easy death?"
Finally, Broga did bow his head and more than one person gathered in the court smiled with relief.
Arthur sat back in his chair, his hands resting along the arms and his head high. "You are guilty of rebellion and treachery," he announced. "In addition to your other crimes." The room was silent, waiting. Arthur never looked away from Broga's face. "You are guilty of abusing the common people of Camelot and of the murder of a defenceless child." There was some shifting among the courtiers at this, as if they had forgotten the girl whose death had sparked the war.
At a nod from Arthur, Broga was pulled to his feet and Arthur stood to pronounce sentence. "You will pay with your feet for the peddler you abused when you first arrived," he said. "With your hands for the weaver you stole from and with your balls for the servant you raped and murdered. But, most importantly of all, you will pay with the rest of your life for your treachery to your king."
Merlin, standing behind Arthur's shoulder with Leon on Arthur's other side, gasped. A similar sound rippled through the crowd and Broga collapsed, sagging in Lionel and Dagonet's hold.
"You're no longer a man," Arthur said. "The Druids will care for you, as a favour to me. They will make sure you live a long life. But you are no man."
Turning away from Broga, Arthur looked at Merlin and must have read the shock Merlin felt in his face. Very quietly he asked, "For what he did, are you, of all people, telling me Mary's life is worth less than his?"
Merlin shook his head but also whispered, "Sire, Arthur, you are a civilised man."
Placing a hand on Merlin's arm, Arthur drew him aside. Still speaking softly, he explained for Merlin, as he would never do for anyone else. "Civilised?" he asked. "Like the Romans? They crucified their enemies. It's not an easy way to die - struggling to draw breath, until you drown on dry land." He looked into Merlin's eyes, as if searching for something. After a moment his lips tightened and he looked down. "I do this now," he said, "so I will never have to do it again." He raised his eyes to meet Merlin's. "Lord Broga is the last of his line. He has no heirs, no brothers and no cousins. There is no one who will swear vengeance against me." He smiled slightly. "This is not an expensive lesson for my neighbours to see, but it will be no less effective for that."
Merlin bowed his head. "Yes, Sire," he agreed.
Arthur considered him, the smile lingering on his lips. "You are giving your permission?" he asked.
"No, Sire. I am giving my understanding."
Later, after the sentence had been carried out and witnessed, after the wreck that remained of Broga was roughly seen to by Gaius and taken away in the back of a cart, and after the victory feast was celebrated, Arthur entered his room and walked straight through to Merlin's.
Merlin rose from where he'd been sitting at his desk, waiting, and went to meet him. He lifted his hands and removed the crown from Arthur's head. "It's done," he said. "It's over and now you have peace."
Looking at him with that smile he reserved for when Merlin said something particularly naive, which also amused him, Arthur held out his wrists for Merlin to undo the tight buttons on his sleeves. All he said, however, was, "Yes, it's done, for now. Maybe for this year. And if that is so, it might be that we will be left in peace next year too. After that? We'll see. I only hope for long enough to consolidate my hold on Escetia and get my knights home."
Merlin walked around behind him to help him off with his robe and went to hang it on a hook on the wall by the connecting door. Returning to stand in front of Arthur, he tugged Arthur's shirt clear of his waistband. "But this one's done and it was a good fight?" he asked.
"Yes," Arthur replied. "It was quick." He sighed. "But the cost in good horse flesh was too high. The knights have armour to protect them. We need something similar for the horses, if we are to use them so again."
"Something for you to think about tomorrow, then," Merlin replied, manhandling him over to the bed and pushing him in the chest so he toppled backwards.
Arthur grinned up at Merlin and held out his hands. "Tomorrow," he agreed and pulled Merlin down into his arms.
The End
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Notes:
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choco_souffle's livejournal post of the art he did for this story, and tell him how brilliant it is. He is new to LJ, so you could just go and say hello.
Also, if you have enjoyed this story, I would love it if you would pause for long enough to tell me so. I won't write any less if you don't; it's just really nice for me.
I set this story in the period of relative peace between the successful Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain and the major Viking invasions, but any pretensions towards historical accuracy are completely spurious. In fact, it is about as historically accurate as the show itself.
I decided that either Bedwyr wasn't actually killed by The Questing Beast, or there were two men called Bedwyr in Camelot.
Cataphracts were a form of armoured heavy cavalry utilised in ancient warfare by a number of peoples in Western Eurasia and the Eurasian Steppe. Historically they were very heavily armored horseman, with both the rider and steed draped from head-to-toe in scale armor, while typically wielding a kontos or lance as their weapon. They served as either the elite cavalry or assault force for most empires and nations that fielded them, primarily used for impetuous charges to break through infantry formations. Chronicled by many historians from the earliest days of Antiquity up until the High Middle Ages, they are in part or wholly believed to have given rise to the Age of Feudalism in Europe and the later European equivalents of Knights and Paladins, via contact with the Byzantine Empire. Wikipedia Reference
Arthur's Latin quote was from the writings of Augustine of Hippo (November 13, 354 – August 28, 430). He was also known as St. Augustine and was Bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria). A Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province, his writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity. Wikipedia Reference
He is not the same Augustine who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury a couple of hundred years later.
Gwaine's coat of arms is from Arthurian legend. The red lion I gave to Leon belongs to the de Leon family. If you are the real owner, I hope you will forgive me for borrowing it for one of our favourite knights of Camelot. You never know, you might be one of his descendants. Lord Isen's coat of arms is totally made up, as are most of the others.
A four gallon cask would have capped ends about 8 inches in diameter and be about 18 inches long, depending upon the convexity of the sides and the thickness of the planks it was made from. Nowadays, barrel sizes are standardised and a 4.5 gallon cask is called a pin. Back in Merlin's day, I figure they would be whatever size the planks made practical and the king's personal beer would be transported in small barrels, to stop it spoiling.
Arthur's speech before the battle draws heavily upon Colonel Tim Collins' inspirational speech to around 800 men of the battle group of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, part of the 16 Air Assault Brigade, given at their Fort Blair Mayne camp in the Kuwaiti desert about 20 miles from the Iraqi border on Wednesday 19 March 2003. By using his words as inspiration, I do not intend any disrespect and I hope that no one interprets my actions in that light. Google it, if you are interested. Or, you can read it here. It is worth reading. It was also interesting to note that his offer to allow any who did not wish to fight, to leave, was also a part of King Henry's St Crispin's Day speech before Agincourt, in Shakespeare's play, Henry V.
I recognise that the very existence of tournament jousting in the series means that cavalry was already using lances, but my position (also supported by canon) is that most battles were still conducted on foot. If knights on horseback, with lances, did not operate as coordinated units, then the existence of heavy shock cavalry tactics was probably not known. This would, therefore, be the beginning of Arthur's development of that strategy. It would certainly give him a huge advantage over his enemies and provides a possible clue to his success in uniting Albion.
A small note about one of the names - Broga is a Saxon name meaning Terror.
ETA: I have made some small additions to this 'verse - I wanted to see what how Gwen and Gaius faired, while Merlin and Arthur were away. Click the link for The Alibi
From Merlin's position, the entire battle was laid out to view, but so busy that the small movement at the northern end went almost unnoticed. Men were creeping out of the trees behind the Escetian archers and the figure in the lead had to be Lancelot. The rain of arrows decreased dramatically as the archers turned to address Lancelot's and Gwaine's attack from their rear. A flurry in the ranks signalled foot soldiers also turning to meet Lancelot's small force.
Kay's knights, in close formation, crashed into the shield wall at the northern end. From across the valley it was not possible to see any detail, but their lances had to have penetrated the first and probably the second rows of men. For a moment it appeared that Arthur's tactic had succeeded and they were going to break through, but somehow the line held. The galloping horses seemed to shudder to a halt.
Meanwhile, Lord Connal's infantry had reached the enemy's lines. The Escetians stood firm and, unsupported by cavalry, Connal's advance also stalled into a mess of hack and slash. Unable to make progress, they also could not prevent some of Cenred's men turning to meet the stronger attack from the north, the movement of a group being discernable even from across the valley.
Alwin appeared at Merlin's side, holding Algar's reins. He nodded to Merlin and, surprisingly, spoke. "Hot work," he said.
"Aye," Merlin agreed, but kept his eyes fixed on the opposite slope. He scanned his eyes back and forth across the field, logging the plumed helmets of the mounted knights on each pass. To the south, Dagonet's yellow plume caught the sun. Ilyan's dark red was just discernable amid the other Camelot scarlet. To the north, Bors' green and Isen's bright blue were visible.
"My wife's brother is following Sir Kay," Alwin said suddenly.
Sparing him a quick glance, Merlin said, "He'll be all right then."
Alwin nodded. "Aye, like enough."
After that they watched in silence as the sun rose higher and the day got warmer. At some point, Alwin called to a boy to fetch buckets of water for Algar and Ajax. Bevyn came over and pulled bread and cheese from his satchel. They sat on the grass and shared it while they watched, until Merlin remembered himself and sent Bevyn back to keep an eye on Ajax. It would be so good to lie back and stare at the sky and possibly sleep in the sun, but it wasn't possible, not when there were men fighting and dying half a mile away. Not when Arthur's kingdom hung in the balance of their efforts.
The sun was getting higher in the eastern sky and it appeared that Camelot's attack was still making little progress. With the two armies engaged across their entire fronts, it was as if the battle was frozen. There were small, individual knots of confusion, like the one that marked Lancelot's attack, distinct from the rest behind Esetia's lines, but most of the field was a single mass where friend and foe could not be distinguished. An Escetian knight on horseback led a company of foot soldiers from Cenred's position towards the northern flank. Across the field, at the southern end, Dagonet's yellow plume disappeared from view.
Alwin gave a sudden cheer and his hand clapping onto Merlin's shoulder, pulling his attention away from his search for any sign of Dagonet. "Look," Alwin said, pointing.
There was a surge at the northern end of the line and the defenders abruptly caved. Camelot's mounted knights broke through and, in the lead, Isan's bright blue plume galloped forward to engage the knight who was attempting to bring up support.
Camelot's infantry flooded the gap made by the horses, creating confusion in the enemy's ranks. Engaged at front and rear and now broken in half, the ordered formation of Escetia's northern arm began to collapse.
Further along the line, at the centre, however, the defenders held firm and, to the south, Brolin's and Dagonet's joint attack was similarly hard pressed.
So caught up in watching the action was he, that Merlin had no warning of Arthur's intentions. It was only when Arthur yelled, "For Camelot!" that he turned to see Arthur swing his arm forward over his head and Bran burst into a gallop. The band of knights who had waited with him by the knoll echoed his cry and charged after him.
Merlin tracked Arthur's helm, with its gold band and bright red plume as Bran leapt the first wall, crossed the field to the brook, jumped that and started up the opposite slope. Leon and Sir Cas of Lamorak appeared to be trying to keep close on either side. At times it looked as if they were attempting to pull ahead, but with little success; Bran was a fine horse. The rest of the knights held close behind as they galloped towards the centre of the battle.
Arthur's charge crashed into the melee of foot soldiers, just to the south of the centre of the line, knocking aside and crushing friend and foe alike, or so it appeared. The sun caught and flashed off swords raised to swipe down on the heads and necks of men. But the cost in horseflesh was high. One by one the knights, high in their saddles, disappeared into the mass of bodies below them.
Merlin edged forward, keeping his eyes fixed on the gold crown on Arthur's helm and watching its slow progress forward. Bran reared and for a moment he had a clear view of Arthur towering above the battle. Then he was gone.
Frantically Merlin searched, but Arthur was invisible in the mass. Clenching his hands at his sides, he felt the pressure of need tingling and pulsing in his palms, with a dull ache as sharp as needles. He fought to keep it under control, even as he strained his eyes for a flash of red and gold. From behind him, Alwin appeared mounted on Algar and galloped towards the battle.
Camelot's attack faltered. To the rear, a few men began to retreat. In ones and twos, they hesitated and started to pull back. Within moments, it seemed that there was a general movement in Camelot's line, back down the slope. The Escetians gave a roar and started to push forward. There appeared to be a tight knot of men fighting where Arthur had disappeared and that knot was carried downhill also, part of the bulge that was forming in the line of the battle, like a slowly turning tide.
Two knights, Bedwyr and Cas by their helms, were fighting their way in towards the centre. Bedwyr's sword flashed as it caught the light. Suddenly Cas disappeared and Merlin began to raise his hands.
And then, out of the chaos, Arthur's helm reappeared, once more on a horse. He lifted his sword high and by some power beyond Merlin's understanding, the retreat of Camelot's men halted. They turned and Arthur swung his horse around. The mounted knights rallied to his side and he led the charge through Escetia's open line. His men turned too and joined the knights in cutting down the defenders, who a moment before had been chasing them.
Merlin watched Arthur break though Escetia's position, splitting the defending force again, his army behind him. He spared a moment to check the flanks. Red surcoats surrounded the northern end of Escetia's force and were pushing towards Arthur's position. He glanced back to the centre to check Arthur was still alive and mounted. Absently, he noticed Alwin returning, still on Algar. It appeared that, in Alwin's judgement, if Cas of Lamorak gave up his mount for his king, he still did not warrant the king's spare in return. Looking past the thick of the fighting, Merlin saw the beginnings of a rout as the Escetians in the centre began to retreat up the hill.
The battle to the south had concentrated into a knot. There were no mounted knights left at that end and it appeared Camelot had not managed to break through.
To the north, Kay's and Lancelot's joint companies pushed inwards and the Escetians, caught between them and Arthur, also began to retreat up the slope. Camelot let them go, the northern fighters concentrating on reaching their king. As more Escetians fled the field, they speeded up, until the two groups merged and turned as one towards the south.
After that, victory was assured. The sun at its zenith beat down on the field as the southern half of Cenred's army, under attack from two sides, broke and ran.
Merlin scanned the line again, seeing the Escetian forces in full retreat and Camelot charging towards the remaining pocket of resistance near the southern end where Cendred and Broga had stood watching. It was impossible to tell if they were still there.
The northern end of the field was slowly clearing, only the fallen remained, except for two men. By his size, one of them was Kay. The other could not be identified. They faced each other amid the carnage and Kay raised his sword. His opponent did the same. Then Kay attacked, swinging his sword in a blow that his opponent parried against his own raised blade. They leaned into each other. Kay, bigger and apparently stronger, pushed forward and the other knight jumped back, disengaging.
Merlin looked over to where he had just seen Arthur and again failed to find him. He searched the mass of men across the valley, looking for Arthur's scarlet plume, or a glint from the golden band around his helmet. For long moments there was nothing. Then, a single flash in the middle of the fleeing Escetians caught his eye and he was just in time to see Arthur, on a grey horse, disappear over the crest of the hill at a gallop. Merlin wheeled around and ran to where Bevyn still stood with Ajax.
Grabbing the reins from Bevyn's hands, he pointed to the small gathering of cooks, drovers and camp followers who were watching from the brow of the hill and said, "Go and tell that lot to fetch buckets from the camp. When the men start to return, take them down into the valley, get water and see to the wounded." He gave Bevyn a hard stare. "Not just the knights, the soldiers too, understand?" Bevyn nodded. "I'll be back to help, as soon as I can."
Bevyn gaped at him. "Isen?" he asked.
Merlin scowled. "No. I don't know. Now, go!" he said and scrambled onto Ajax's back, wincing slightly as the saddle reminded him of his activities of the night before. He didn't look back to check that Bevyn was doing as he was told. He didn't check to see where Alwin was. He dug his heels into Ajax's sides and set off in pursuit of Arthur.
Arthur had a huge head start on him, but Ajax was a good horse. He galloped down the hill, held on tightly as Ajax flew over the brook and spurred him on when they began the climb on the other side. All around them lay bodies, like rag dolls thrown carelessly on the floor. The wounded groaned under the mid-day sun and calling for water, if they had enough voice to do so. Flies were already crawling over the faces of the living and the dead. Small bands of Cenred's men were being rounded up by Camelot's soldiers and disarmed, before being corralled under guard to await their fate. Individual soldiers wandered among the bodies, looking for fallen friends, or for plunder. Lancelot had Broga in his care and was directing him towards a group of knights that included Gwaine and Bedwyr. Merlin fixed his attention on the point where Arthur had disappeared from view.
Ajax reached the top of the hill and below them was the valley of Freydale, full of fleeing men. Trusting Ajax to avoid any pitfalls underfoot, Merlin searched through the crowds for a mounted man.
Freydale was very different from the narrow and shallow valleys of Avarldale and Crybrookdale. Long, steep slopes led down to a valley floor where wide water meadows stretched out on either side of the Freyl River and the main road from Escetia to the Sea of Gaul meandered around the curves of its contours, just above flood level. At this point, the River Freyl was wide enough and deep enough for shallow barges to navigate. Large groups of trees dotted the landscape, between fields of oats, barley and rye. In every way, it was a more prosperous living than the poor hill land behind him, but he spared it little more than a cursory glance, scanning the landscape for any sign of Arthur. A flash of red caught his eye near a copse to his left and he veered towards it.
When he got close to the trees, he tumbled out of the saddle and led Ajax towards the sound of steel on steel. He rounded a thick growth of elder and may and there were Arthur and Cendred, circling each other on foot. Cendred's horse was untethered, but didn't appear to be in danger of straying. He was standing with his right foreleg bent, the hoof held clear of the ground. Cas of Lamorak's grey mare was placidly grazing nearby, her reins hitched around a branch of the elder. Merlin gave a snort of disgust and tied Ajax next to her.
Cenred was backing away from Arthur and Arthur advanced, bringing his sword high and swinging it down like a hammer. Cenred caught it on his shield, his knees bending to accommodate the blow, and took another step backwards out of range. He got his feet squarely under him and as Arthur was bringing his sword back, Cenred surged forward. Arthur raised his blade to block and danced away. He was tired, anyone who had studied Arthur in tournament could see it in the way his body moved, and Cenred was fresh, having taken no part in the battle of Avarldale.
Cenred followed his sword with his shield, slamming it into Arthur's side and Arthur had no shield of his own. Arthur managed to keep his feet as he staggered back. Cenred tried to follow up, but his foot caught on something on the ground and he stumbled, giving Arthur time to steady himself. They circled each other. Arthur spun his sword teasingly. Cendred tensed and Arthur brought his sword back to the position he always held at the beginning of a duel, almost parallel to the ground and just above waist height, ready to respond to whatever move Cenred made. Cenred chose to launch a low attack and Arthur jumped back from the slash. He twisted to the side, bringing his own sword up and around. It crashed against Cenred's helmet, knocking it from his head. Cenred staggered and almost fell, and Arthur stepped back to allow him to gain his feet again. Merlin groaned in frustration, tugging at the leather bracelet on his wrist and pulling it off. Arthur shot him a glare from beneath his visor.
Once again, Arthur swung his sword loosely around his wrist and Cenred charged. Arthur braced his legs and once again he twisted around the thrust. Attacking in return, he threw himself forward, ramming his shoulder into Cenred's chest. Cenred staggered, the impact knocking him off balance and while he fought to regain his feet, Arthur crowded close. He threw his left arm around Cenred's neck, pulling him into a parody of an embrace. As he did so he brought his right arm back and buried his sword in Cenred's side.
Cenred froze. Arthur relaxed his hold and Cenred crumpled to the ground. Arthur stepped backwards, staring at the body.
Merlin started towards him. "Sire, are you all right?"
Slowly Arthur turned, a weary smile already forming on his lips. "Respect?" he asked. "Were you worried, dear?"
By that time, Merlin was close enough to swat him on the shoulder. "Bugger off, you great prat. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Merlin. Honestly. I'm fine."
He swayed slightly and Merlin jammed his shoulder under Arthur's left arm, throwing his right arm around Arthur's waist. "Sure you are, you idiot." He reached across Arthur and took Excalibur from his hand. "Come on," he said. "Let's get you back to camp. Lancelot's probably already got search parties out. And you have to go and be kingly. Lord it over your defeated enemies, and all that."
As a ploy, it worked. Arthur took a deep breath and stiffened his back. "Right," he said. He grabbed Merlin's left arm and pulled him around for a quick kiss, snatching Excalibur back at the same time.
Drawing away before Merlin could try and make the kiss go anywhere, he pulled an expression of disgust. Pointing at his own face and waving his finger in a circle before pointing at Merlin's nose, he said, "You'd better do something about your own appearance, too."
He turned and walked over to his horse. Merlin followed, dragging the leather bracelet back over his hand and smoothing it into place.
"If Lancelot has search parties out, we'd better go and find one and tell them to come and collect that," Arthur said over his shoulder, gesturing in the general direction of Cenred's body. When he reached Cas's horse, he seemed to notice Ajax, for the first time. He turned to regard Merlin with a smirk and although his eyes widened when they met Merlin's, he didn't hesitate. "Myrddyn," he chided. "Have you ridden off with your master's spare horse?"
Sir Brolin's body was carried back to camp with reverence, for transport home to his wife, as were both Lords Oran and Kenzie. Gwaine was limping with the help of a makeshift crutch, but insisting he was fine. Dagonet had taken a slash to his face and was lamenting the loss of his good looks. Kay was nursing a deep gash to his upper arm. Isen's right arm was secured to his chest with a rough sling and he had a bandage around his left shoulder. Cas of Lamorak was laid up in the infirmary tent, in a deathlike sleep from a crack to the head. Bedwyr had a huge bruise on his jaw, but otherwise appeared unharmed. Lancelot didn't even have a scratch.
"Lord Lamorak?" Arthur asked.
"Didn't make it," Kay replied, looking him straight in the eye.
Arthur nodded. "Right," he said, adding, "His son gave me his horse, when Bran fell."
Kay smiled. "As any loyal subject would."
Merlin returned Ajax to his place with Rom and allowed Bevyn to help see to them both. As they were finishing up, the carts began to arrive and Merlin volunteered to help erect Arthur's tent at the base of the knoll. Once it was done, he hung around outside, sitting on the grass cleaning and repairing Rom's tack.
When Arthur finally arrived, with Bedwyr at his side, he grinned privately when he saw Merlin. Turning to Bedwry, he said something that caused Bedwyr to bow and withdraw towards the hospice tents. Merlin scrambled to his feet. Arthur watched Bedwyr go and then turned back. As he came closer, it was as if he began to finally relax and allow the weariness he was feeling to show in his shoulders and face. Always aware of possible evesdroppers, however, he plucked at his vambrace and in his most imperious voice ordered, "You there, Myrddyn, help me with this, will you?"
Merlin bowed and followed him inside the tent, pulling off the leather bracelet as soon as the flap closed over the entrance behind him.
He had barely taken two steps before Arthur grabbed him by the front of his jacket and dragged him close. Arthur's kiss was hungry and rough, his lips demanding and Merlin went with it, giving as good as he got in fisted clothes and grasping hands.
Gradually, the mood mellowed into something calmer and gentler, and Arthur's grip on Merlin's hair relaxed. He loosened his own hold on Arthur's jaw and, when they broke apart, their foreheads came to rest against each other.
Merlin sighed. "You're really not hurt?" he asked.
Arthur pulled away, held out his arms and turned slowly on the spot for Merlin's inspection. "I am really not harmed," he confirmed. "Now, can we get this bloody armour off?"
With a choked off laugh, Merlin stepped forward to undo the buckles and straps, peeling the pieces away, one by one. As he did so, he said, "I can't believe it was just this morning." He struggling with one of the buckles that had taken a blow and been bent out of shape, until, with a snort of frustration, he stared at it, causing it to snap and part. "It seems so long ago, but now, it feels that, while I was watching, it all seemed to happen so fast."
There was a bucket waiting and Merlin assisted Arthur in washing the dirt and sweat from his body. "Battles are like that," Arthur agreed.
He allowed Merlin to dress him, standing and sitting where he was pushed, as Merlin manhandled him into fresh breeches and shirt.
Finally, Merlin picked Arthur's crown out of its travel box and placed it carefully on Arthur's brow. "You have to go," Arthur said. "You need to be in Camelot when the news arrives." He saw Merlin's expression and his lips twisted. "I promise not to fall off my horse on the journey home. But I'm sending you ahead."
"Thank you," Merlin replied. "For not sending me home before."
Standing up straight, Arthur visibly redonned his kingship, as if it was a stiff, formal coat. "Go and ask Alwin to attend me, now," he said.
Merlin bowed and left.
The wounded were recovered and placed under the care of the surgeons. The dead were gathered and the prisoners were sorted, with the peasants allowed to go free while the land owners and most obvious mercenaries were made secure. As evening fell, the remains of Camelot's army gathered below the knoll to bear witness.
A single pyre was built for Camelot's dead and their broken swords laid with them. A separate pyre was built for the Escetians and Leon had overseen the piling of their weapons to one side. Arthur, however, ordered that their weapons also be broken, to accompany them into the afterlife. Cenred's body was hung from a frame, for all to see.
A chair was set up for Arthur. Red cloaks were swathed over a frame made of spears behind it, to provide an imposing and suitably regal backdrop. In the early evening Arthur walked from his tent, through the crowd and took his seat.
One by one the Escetian lords were marched past Cenred's body and brought forward to decide if they wished to keep their holdings under Camelot's rule. None refused and they all knelt to swear fealty. They were then led to one side to talk to Leon and Kay about which of the younger generation of their family they held dear enough to foster at Camelot, where they could be brought up in the company of similar young men and women of Camelot's own and taught the arts of peace, as well as the laws of their new rule.
Those without family agreed to return to Camelot themselves, to stay with lords of similar rank to their own. Kay organised that, while Leon arranged for suitable caretaker wardens to look after their lands and interests and to ensure the peace while they were away from home. The mercenaries were sent on their way, their weapons confiscated.
Arthur sat back in his chair and called Bailoch forward. "Lord Andras," he said. "To you I charge the announcement. Take Lord Isen and ride home and announce this victory. Alwin and Myrddyn will go with you. I want the town and the Council to hear all is well, as soon as may be possible."
Pleasure wiped the weariness from Lord Bailoch's face and he immediately knelt and bowed his head to Arthur. "I will do so, Sire," he swore.
"And please," Arthur added with a smile, "tell my steward and chatelaine that we have guests of all ranks with us, who will need accommodation fitting to their stations."
So Merlin was robbed of the battlefield victory feast and a good night's sleep. Instead, he rode through the night and into the next day. In the villages and towns, Isen passed on the good news to the folk at their doors. "Camelot is victorious!" he shouted, as they cantered by. Unencumbered by arms and baggage, they reached Camelot just after noon.
It was as if by some magic the people of the city already knew the outcome, because the streets were lined with cheering crowds as they entered under the arch of the town gate. All the way up Market Street, more people seemed to gather. By the time they passed the Rising Sun, there was a cheering mob on their heels and, when they reached the gatehouse of the castle, the older Council members who had stayed at home were already gathering, with Gwen, on the top step.
Lords Bailoch and Isen disappeared into the Great Hall. Bevyn and Lord Bailoch's squire were sent with a servant to see to their masters' gear, while Alwin and Merlin took the horses to the stables and handed them over to the boys on duty.
They leaned against a wall together, watching the stable boys un-tack and groom the horses, before leading them into their stalls and filling their water troughs. A small boy of about five years clambered down the ladder from the loft, hefting a bucket of grain and presented it to Lord Bailoch's horse and to Rom, as the aristocrats among their six new charges.
Satisfied by the standard of care, Alwin pushed himself away from the wall with his shoulders and stretched. "I'm for my bed," he said. "Once I find the wife at the market and tell her she's not a widow yet. She'll not be happy, but she'll pretend to be."
Merlin grinned, safe in the knowledge that Alwin's wife was devoted and Alwin knew it. He stood up straight himself and looked around the stables, avoiding Alwin's eye. "I'm moving on," he said.
Alwin hefted his saddlebags from the floor and onto his shoulder. "Aye?" he said. "Reckoned you would." He glanced back on his way to the door. "Probably best be away then."
For a moment, he was silhouetted black against the bright sunlight outside. Then he was gone. Merlin shook his head and followed, chuckling to himself.
Once in the courtyard, he did not follow Alwin to the main gates. Instead, he turned towards the small door hidden in a deep recess at the base of the South Tower. Dragging a key from where it hung on a thong around his neck, he unlocked the door and ran up the stairs, pulling the leather bracelet off his wrist as he did so.
Another door, opened with the same key, let him into his private workshop, which was not quite as pristine as it had been when he saw it last, the day before the army marched.
Gaius looked up from where he was sitting at the desk. "You're back," he exclaimed, hauling himself to his feet and walking around the end of the desk to embrace him. "And from your face, I assume it went well?"
Merlin hugged him fiercely. "Yes, it went well." He pulled away and looked around the room. "What's going on?" he asked.
Going over to a chest, Gaius opened it and pulled out a clean shirt. He pointed at a jug and bowl standing on a shelf against the wall. "Water, over there," he said. "At least clean your face and hands and get dressed. They'll be expecting us downstairs."
Merlin scrambled to obey. He pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor. Grabbing the cloth that lay ready, he didn't bother pouring the water into the bowl. He simply dunked the cloth straight in the jug and gave it a cursory wringing out, before scrubbing it over his face.
While he waited for Merlin to make himself more presentable, Gaius explained. "You and I have been locked up in here for the past week," he said. "Apart from when I did my rounds. Gwen, the dear girl, has been bringing us our meals, personally."
"That's kind of her. What have we been doing?" Merlin asked when his head emerged from the neck of his clean shirt.
Gaius shrugged. "Oh, I don't know," he said. "Something frightfully complicated that required uninterrupted concentration. Just be vague and you'll be fine." He picked up a long coat from the back of a chair and handed it to Merlin who shrugged it on. "I will admit, I have very much enjoyed the five days of uninterrupted peace and quiet. I think I might be sorry you're back." He opened the other door into the castle. "Shall we?" he asked.
Merlin grinned, bowed and, with a sweep of his arm, signalled for Gaius to precede him.
Arthur and his most trusted knights rode into town in the late afternoon, two days later, and once again the cheering crowds turned out, to welcome him home. Flags hung from every window and a couple of urchins ran across the roofs of the houses, keeping pace with the stately procession. Merlin waited with the rest of the court outside the castle gates.
Arthur led the small group of knights up the road, between the brightly garbed courtiers, to where Merlin, Gaius, Gwen and Edgar stood with the Council. He pulled Algar up and Lionel dismounted to run forward and take his bridle. Arthur smiled his thanks and walked the last couple of yards on foot, pulling off his gloves as he came.
Merlin went to meet him and knelt to kiss Arthur's hand and because he was Merlin and couldn't resist, he pushed the tip of his tongue between Arthur's ring and forefingers and licked at the web. From between gritted teeth, masquerading as a smile, Arthur muttered, "Behave!"
Three days later, Broga was brought before Arthur in open court. Marched down the centre of the crowded hall, between Sir Lionel and Sir Dagonet, he chose defiance. When signalled to kneel, he straightened his back instead. He had to be forced to his knees and Sir Dagonet put a hand on the back of his head to roughly push it down, making him bow it before his king.
Arthur lent forward and braced his right forearm on his knee. "What have you to say for yourself, traitor?" he asked.
Sir Dagonet released Broga's head and Broga looked up, straight into Arthur's eyes. "I am a man," he declared, "and I do not bow to anyone,"
"You bowed to me, this winter past." Arthur observed mildly. Beside him, Leon shifted uncomfortably. "You are a vassal of Camelot and you bowed to my father." A whisper of speculation passed through the court. Arthur smiled without humour. "Or are you hoping to spark the Pendragon temper and win yourself an easy death?"
Finally, Broga did bow his head and more than one person gathered in the court smiled with relief.
Arthur sat back in his chair, his hands resting along the arms and his head high. "You are guilty of rebellion and treachery," he announced. "In addition to your other crimes." The room was silent, waiting. Arthur never looked away from Broga's face. "You are guilty of abusing the common people of Camelot and of the murder of a defenceless child." There was some shifting among the courtiers at this, as if they had forgotten the girl whose death had sparked the war.
At a nod from Arthur, Broga was pulled to his feet and Arthur stood to pronounce sentence. "You will pay with your feet for the peddler you abused when you first arrived," he said. "With your hands for the weaver you stole from and with your balls for the servant you raped and murdered. But, most importantly of all, you will pay with the rest of your life for your treachery to your king."
Merlin, standing behind Arthur's shoulder with Leon on Arthur's other side, gasped. A similar sound rippled through the crowd and Broga collapsed, sagging in Lionel and Dagonet's hold.
"You're no longer a man," Arthur said. "The Druids will care for you, as a favour to me. They will make sure you live a long life. But you are no man."
Turning away from Broga, Arthur looked at Merlin and must have read the shock Merlin felt in his face. Very quietly he asked, "For what he did, are you, of all people, telling me Mary's life is worth less than his?"
Merlin shook his head but also whispered, "Sire, Arthur, you are a civilised man."
Placing a hand on Merlin's arm, Arthur drew him aside. Still speaking softly, he explained for Merlin, as he would never do for anyone else. "Civilised?" he asked. "Like the Romans? They crucified their enemies. It's not an easy way to die - struggling to draw breath, until you drown on dry land." He looked into Merlin's eyes, as if searching for something. After a moment his lips tightened and he looked down. "I do this now," he said, "so I will never have to do it again." He raised his eyes to meet Merlin's. "Lord Broga is the last of his line. He has no heirs, no brothers and no cousins. There is no one who will swear vengeance against me." He smiled slightly. "This is not an expensive lesson for my neighbours to see, but it will be no less effective for that."
Merlin bowed his head. "Yes, Sire," he agreed.
Arthur considered him, the smile lingering on his lips. "You are giving your permission?" he asked.
"No, Sire. I am giving my understanding."
Later, after the sentence had been carried out and witnessed, after the wreck that remained of Broga was roughly seen to by Gaius and taken away in the back of a cart, and after the victory feast was celebrated, Arthur entered his room and walked straight through to Merlin's.
Merlin rose from where he'd been sitting at his desk, waiting, and went to meet him. He lifted his hands and removed the crown from Arthur's head. "It's done," he said. "It's over and now you have peace."
Looking at him with that smile he reserved for when Merlin said something particularly naive, which also amused him, Arthur held out his wrists for Merlin to undo the tight buttons on his sleeves. All he said, however, was, "Yes, it's done, for now. Maybe for this year. And if that is so, it might be that we will be left in peace next year too. After that? We'll see. I only hope for long enough to consolidate my hold on Escetia and get my knights home."
Merlin walked around behind him to help him off with his robe and went to hang it on a hook on the wall by the connecting door. Returning to stand in front of Arthur, he tugged Arthur's shirt clear of his waistband. "But this one's done and it was a good fight?" he asked.
"Yes," Arthur replied. "It was quick." He sighed. "But the cost in good horse flesh was too high. The knights have armour to protect them. We need something similar for the horses, if we are to use them so again."
"Something for you to think about tomorrow, then," Merlin replied, manhandling him over to the bed and pushing him in the chest so he toppled backwards.
Arthur grinned up at Merlin and held out his hands. "Tomorrow," he agreed and pulled Merlin down into his arms.
The End
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Notes:
Please, please go to
choco_souffle's livejournal post of the art he did for this story, and tell him how brilliant it is. He is new to LJ, so you could just go and say hello.Also, if you have enjoyed this story, I would love it if you would pause for long enough to tell me so. I won't write any less if you don't; it's just really nice for me.
I set this story in the period of relative peace between the successful Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain and the major Viking invasions, but any pretensions towards historical accuracy are completely spurious. In fact, it is about as historically accurate as the show itself.
I decided that either Bedwyr wasn't actually killed by The Questing Beast, or there were two men called Bedwyr in Camelot.
Cataphracts were a form of armoured heavy cavalry utilised in ancient warfare by a number of peoples in Western Eurasia and the Eurasian Steppe. Historically they were very heavily armored horseman, with both the rider and steed draped from head-to-toe in scale armor, while typically wielding a kontos or lance as their weapon. They served as either the elite cavalry or assault force for most empires and nations that fielded them, primarily used for impetuous charges to break through infantry formations. Chronicled by many historians from the earliest days of Antiquity up until the High Middle Ages, they are in part or wholly believed to have given rise to the Age of Feudalism in Europe and the later European equivalents of Knights and Paladins, via contact with the Byzantine Empire. Wikipedia Reference
Arthur's Latin quote was from the writings of Augustine of Hippo (November 13, 354 – August 28, 430). He was also known as St. Augustine and was Bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria). A Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province, his writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity. Wikipedia Reference
He is not the same Augustine who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury a couple of hundred years later.
Gwaine's coat of arms is from Arthurian legend. The red lion I gave to Leon belongs to the de Leon family. If you are the real owner, I hope you will forgive me for borrowing it for one of our favourite knights of Camelot. You never know, you might be one of his descendants. Lord Isen's coat of arms is totally made up, as are most of the others.
A four gallon cask would have capped ends about 8 inches in diameter and be about 18 inches long, depending upon the convexity of the sides and the thickness of the planks it was made from. Nowadays, barrel sizes are standardised and a 4.5 gallon cask is called a pin. Back in Merlin's day, I figure they would be whatever size the planks made practical and the king's personal beer would be transported in small barrels, to stop it spoiling.
Arthur's speech before the battle draws heavily upon Colonel Tim Collins' inspirational speech to around 800 men of the battle group of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, part of the 16 Air Assault Brigade, given at their Fort Blair Mayne camp in the Kuwaiti desert about 20 miles from the Iraqi border on Wednesday 19 March 2003. By using his words as inspiration, I do not intend any disrespect and I hope that no one interprets my actions in that light. Google it, if you are interested. Or, you can read it here. It is worth reading. It was also interesting to note that his offer to allow any who did not wish to fight, to leave, was also a part of King Henry's St Crispin's Day speech before Agincourt, in Shakespeare's play, Henry V.
I recognise that the very existence of tournament jousting in the series means that cavalry was already using lances, but my position (also supported by canon) is that most battles were still conducted on foot. If knights on horseback, with lances, did not operate as coordinated units, then the existence of heavy shock cavalry tactics was probably not known. This would, therefore, be the beginning of Arthur's development of that strategy. It would certainly give him a huge advantage over his enemies and provides a possible clue to his success in uniting Albion.
A small note about one of the names - Broga is a Saxon name meaning Terror.
ETA: I have made some small additions to this 'verse - I wanted to see what how Gwen and Gaius faired, while Merlin and Arthur were away. Click the link for The Alibi
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I am simply glad to have it posted *g* And very much looking forward to reading some of the other stories, now that this is done.
I am thrilled to bits that all the things I wanted to include are the things you enjoyed.
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I really liked the way you described the battle from Merlin's POV, emphasising the tactics and the difference between fighters and support crew. I especially liked the (surreal, to us) moment when Merlin wished he could sleep in the sun. I also liked the single combat between Arthur and Cenred. It was as important to Arthur as it was to his followers that he won without magical help.
I liked how you incorporated the Roman past into Camelot culture. And, throughout, I thought the characterisation -- including Gwen and Gaius -- was spot on.
I was surprised that it really was Broga who killed Mary, LOL! And I was very surprised by the ferocity of Arthur's sentence, but the reasoning behind it made sense -- and I really liked Merlin's response, "No, Sire. I am giving my understanding."
(Do you have an earlier story that explains how Arthur comes to know that Merlin's a sorcerer, btw?)
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The moment you describe, when Merlin thinks about sleeping, is adapted from a family story of the French trenches in 1916. As a story, it is surreal, but it always felt very human to me.
Yes, it was important to Arthur that he won without the help of magic. And no, I don't have an earlier story about how Arthur found out. But now that you mention it... *g* I already have a couple of other stories in my head, for this verse. I will add that to the list and let it ferment in my brain for a while.
As for Broga... I wasn't writing a mystery story. Although, now that you mention it, I sort of wish I had. I am remembering your brilliant talk at
I guess it doesn't matter if he was guilty, or not. The important thing is that everybody believes he was. And the circumstantial evidence was against him. Plus, he was a nasty piece of work, so he had to be got rid of *g*
Thank you, hon, for the lovely comment.
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But for me, after all the politics and the fighting and weight of responsibility, what makes the whole work so well is the way that the story ends – not with the king and his chief counsellor or even the man of destiny and his chief sorcerer, but with just the two of them as boys turning into men and turning to each other. Just lovely.
Bravo hon. You did really, really good.
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I really enjoyed this!
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That particular line - Sire, My Lord, My Love, was Merlin declaring his allegiance on every level, from formal to intimate. Thank you for noticing it and picking it out for comment. It is lovely when a reader does that.
Pitching the relationship was interesting. Just as Uther sometimes spoke to Arthur as his father and at other times as his king, I couldn't see how Arthur's and Merlin's relationship could not have elements of that in it, too.
I considered making their relationship more open, but decided that it was probably an 'open secret', but that they would 'keep up appearances'. (At least there is no suggestion that Arthur was in danger of meeting Edward II's supposed fate.)
Thank you, again, for your lovely comment. I am so pleased you enjoyed it.
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Way too much fun, loved the relationships, the justice, the day-to-day stuff (you had Kay saying the girl he liked was a good admin of her father's lands! yay!) and oooo, battle stuff.
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I'm glad you enjoyed the everyday, normal stuff of their lives. And yes, women could be very powerful in their management of large estates; it's a thing that should be recognised. I'm glad you liked the battle.
Thanks for stopping, to comment.
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I really enjoyed this story. :o)
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And thank you for the compliment to my historical judgement. I'm not sure it is deserved *g* but it is gratefully accepted.
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What I love about this fandom is that the two main male characters both have power (even if Merlin's is not known, yet, in canon). They have different sorts of power, but they have the potential to acknowledge equality, in that respect. Arthur is not the sort of man who would be happy hiding behind Merlin, any more than Merlin would accept the reverse.
You're going to make me read this fandom aren't you? :)
I'm no proselytiser, but if you want some good recs, *g* just PM me.
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I'm kind of surprised you don't have more comments, this is seriously one of my favorite Merlin fics to date.
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And thank you for your lovely comments. I am very happy to hear that you enjoyed my story, so much.
I think many people prefer modern AUs, but I am still working my way through the all the paperlegend stories, myself, so there are probably still a few people who have not reached this one yet.
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I'm particularly glad to know that the battle scene worked. Trying to describe an action scene, for the point of view of someone standing half a mile away, was an interesting problem. It is very reassuring to hear that it worked.
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I liked how you had moved the character reationships forward (established A/m, post-reveal) - perhaps especially that Gwen had taken on the responsibilities of chatelaine. Arthur's and Merlin's relationship seemed to have found a good working balance between private and public, and there were many little things that made me smile. Everything from the intimacy of the connected rooms to Arthur not being surprised or cross when Merlin showed up as Myrddin. As well as Merlin's acceptance that Arthur would need to prove himself as a king who could win his battles by conventional means and prowess with arms, not just by hiding behind a warlock's robes and powers.
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I love Gwen and she is so competent, I could imagine Arthur trusting her in a senior role in his household. Although, your comment makes me wonder what happened to her predecessor. *thinks* I have decided that she retired with a generous pension and a sense of profound relief *g*
Thank you for your lovely comment.
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Arthur asking Merlin's advice about something would be awesome, wouldn't it? I fear we will have to wait quite a while for that, on the show.
Thank you for stopping to tell me you enjoyed this story. I appreciate it.
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Thank you for stopping to tell me.
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Thank you for sharing this!
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I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I had fun trying to put them into a sort of historical context. I say 'sort of'... *g* because it was more fun than accurate, I'm sure. But I am very glad you felt my 'history' worked.
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Hali
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Thank you so much for your lovely comment. It is a real treat to get a comment so long after the story was posted.
The detail is only there to provide a landscape for the story to unfold against, the fact that you enjoyed the story is what matters. Thank you very much for stopping to leave a comment. You have made my morning.
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(Anonymous) 2012-09-20 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)And it seemed like a story that was following behind another story (though it was interesting to figure out as I went along just where everyone stood). Maybe I'll get very, very lucky and there will be a story before or behind this one. *crosses fingers*
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When I wrote it, I wanted to see how Arthur would become king and what he would face. Those seemed like they were enough new things, so the boys having an established relationship, post-reveal, prevented additional complications which would have got in the way.
There are a couple of pre-story one-shots, though, if you are interested. The first one is here - http://thismaz.livejournal.com/68991.html and there are links to the other LoD stories in the header of that one.
Thanks again for commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed it.