Arthurian Legend II

Deep in the enchanted forrest, Lancelot straightens from his work.  He is in a small clearing where once a large tree stood.  The forrest has yet to reclaim fully this vacant property.

​Vines crisscross the trees around him.  Dense foliage overhead brings barely a whisper of the continuous storm that has dogged him and Arthur for a month.  At his feet he has blanketedthe forrest floor in a multitude of tendrils covered in a thin layer of damp earth.  A tumbling sound rebounds behind him.

​Arthur stumbles into the clearing and collapses.

​"There you are."

​Arthur's chest reverberates with each word, "Here.  I.  Am."

​Lancelot sticks out his hand to help him up, "Is she far behind you?"

​Arthur stands and puts his hands on wobbly legs, "She's been right.  Behind me.  All day."  He wipes his brow with his arm, but the sweat just transfers from his arm to his forehead and vice versa, not helping either part of himself.  "I think.  She was...enjoying...the exercise....You better...have a plan...because I can't help.  Thank you."  Arthur takes the water bladder Lancelot gives him.  Lancelot meets Arthur's gaze.  "What is it?"

​Lancelot turns with a self satisfied smirk, "You'll see.  Follow me." He moves to a small canvas lean-to at the edge of a clearing.  The tent that they had used the night before to sleep under, Lancelot had converted into a camouflaged hole.  They both lay in the shallow hole.  Lancelot hit the wooden stick.  The canvas falls over them, with vines, leaves, and mud completing the disguise.  

​They hear the muffled clatter of hooves in the dense forrest.  Arthur's heart started to race again.  That sound had dogged his heals all day and now it was much closer.

​A tall centaur gingerly moves into the clearing, her chest bare and sword in hand.

​"I can smell you, young warrior.  This forrest is not for the likes of you."  She is beautiful but deadly.  Her faces contorts in a sniff, "Ah!  There are two of you.  Wherever you are, you cannot hide from us."  She steps so that her read legs enter the clearing as well.  

​Lancelot elbows Arthur, "Now!"  They both rise at once, weapons drawn. "Here we are, fairy bitch!"

​She screams and charges at them.  Two steps and her front legs fall into a pit.  The spiked poles at the bottom puncture her legs and torso.  She screams a grotesque cry, gargling blood.

​"You'll pay, for this."

​Arthur approaches her, "You chased us."

​She half smiles, "You will never be forgiven."  Her main has come slightly undone and hair drapes across half of her face.  Her voices gets more strength in it, "You!  You shall not help them!"

​With uncanny ability she uses her punctured legs to lift herself out of the pit and lunges.  Her weakened state makes her easy prey for both Lancelot's and Arthur's swords to dispatch her quickly.

​They withdraw their swords, both a little perplexed.

​Arthur asks the question both of them are thinking, "What did she mean?"

​A voice as old as stone replies amidst the trees, "She was talking to me."

​They both whirl on the new interloper.  Taking a step back into the clearing, steering clear of the pit, they take up defensive stances.  Lancelot calls, "Show yourself!"

​An old man bathed in blue light steps past the branches towards them.  "My name is Merlin."

​Arthur says, "A wizard?"

​"Yes, Arthur."

​"How do you know my name?"

​"I know each of you.  It is my pleasure to meet both you Arthur, and you Lancelot."

​Lancelot does not lower his sword, "Just because you know our names doesn't mean we trust a magical illusion."

​Merlin laughs, "You are as keen as you are talented.  I am not actually in the clearing with you.  This is only a vaporous image of myself I am using to talk with you."

​Arthur puts away his sword, slightly more trusting than his friend.  "What made the beast react to you like that?"

​The old man is not just bathed in light, it seems his clothing is blue as well, including a floppy hat.  He sits down on a stone, "I am not well-liked by Morgana Le Fey.  That faerie queen and I go back further than I'd like to admit.  But I did not come here to talk about her.  I came to talk with you two."

​Lancelot raises his brow.  "About what wizard?"

​Until now, Merlin's eyes had been wide and friendly, but now they narrow with purpose.  "There are many centaurs coming this way."  Arthur and Lancelot regain their composure and once again hold their weapons at the ready.  "Unfortunately, my presence makes Morgana wary and nervous.  Just by me being here she is calling her minions to converge.  But you can escape them."

​This time Arthur raises a brow, still watching the tree line suspiciously, "How?"

​Merlin stands again, "By undertaking a quest."

​They start to hear the faint whinnies of multiple centaurs closing in on them.

​Lancelot shifts his footing.

​Merlin continues, "You cannot hope to kill so many.  You're not that skillful yet."

​Lancelot puts away his sword.  "Tell us what we must do."

​The old man smiles, "For now, run."  He disappears in a flash.

​Momentarily blinded, the two boys rub their eyes.  Arthur looks at Lancelot, "I'll take point."

​Lancelot responds, "I'll grab our gear."  The whinnies are getting closer.  They both exchange stern looks.  Their day has just begun.