Then suddenly a stream of the lightening shot out from Morgan’s chest to the ruby pommel on Excalibur’s handle which then focussed the light down onto the grave. This lasted for several seconds during which time Adele thought her teeth were going to fly out of her head and her vision blurred as the liquid in her eyeballs vibrated so badly, only to be replaced by a sudden cessation of all vibration and humming. There was a deep silence and a feeling of the world coming to a dead stop. Everything seemed to be frozen in time, not a bird could be heard nor the wind rustling the leaves. Adele had a feeling of weightlessness that lasted for several more seconds until it was broken by an almighty clap of thunder and a beam of bright light from the heavens which shone down onto the grave of King Arthur.
Everyone, blinded by the bright light, broke the circle and raised their hands before their eyes to protect them. The light was so bright that Adele could see the bones of her hands through the skin, like X-Ray pictures. But even that faded away to the comparative dullness of a bright, sunny day.
The witches stood around shocked and dazzled, unable to see properly due to the after-image burned into their eyes. That is why it took a while before anyone noticed that there was now a man, kneeling, on the paving slabs. With gasp someone cried, ‘It’s him! He’s here!’
Everyone forgot their discomfort and stared at the man, as he knelt there. He got unsteadily to his feet and looked around him. He had shoulder-length fair hair and matching beard, Adele judged him to be in his mid-forties. He was large, over six feet tall and broad-shouldered, not unusual by today’s standards, but Adele realised, in his time people were supposed to have been smaller, so to them he must have appeared as a giant. His clothing could only be described as ‘medieval’. He wore some sort of sleeved jacket beneath a blue tabard which contained the depiction of three golden crowns; a coat of arms that Adele knew to be associated with Arthur. Below the tabard he wore trousers and boots. Covering this entire ensemble was a dark, purple cloak with golden edging.
But the most notable feature of this strange man was his piercing, blue eyes through which he studied the group of witches encircling him. He looked at them curiously and then asked, ‘I am Arthur Pendragon, High King of the Britons. Who doth summon me from the great beyond?’
‘We doth, err, we do,’ said Queen Eloise.
‘Ah, witches I see,’ he said calmly. ‘Well, for what purpose hast thou summoned me? Am I here for thee to sport with, for thine amusement? It is no simple jest to bring me forth from where I dwelt. Perhaps thou should-’ he gasped as if he had choked. ‘Morgan! Morgan le Fey, is it thee? Is it truly thee? What has happened to thee?’
‘You recognise me? Even like this?’
‘I sensed it was thee, we are kin after all. But what ails thee? How is it that thou are so ... diminished?’ Adele noticed that he had chosen his last word carefully so as not to cause offence.
‘I’m like this because I’ve grown old but thanks to Merlin I cannot die. After I was unable to save you here in Avalon, he punished me with a curse that says I can never die until you forgive me. That’s why I’m still here, old and wrinkled and ugly, waiting for the world to end,’ she said, bitterly.
King Arthur replied, ‘Although we were once close, at the end thou hated me intensely. If thee are involved in my resurrection then it must be for some foul purpose, is that why I have been brought here, to be a part of one of thy vicious schemes?’
‘No wait, it’s not like that,’ interjected Eloise. ‘King Arthur, you are not here for any foul purpose or intent on our part. Briton is in grave danger and we need your help to save it. Morgan le Fay is here because she is the only one that had the knowledge to summon you back from the ... from beyond. That is the only reason she is here, I promise you.
‘The present King of Briton, King Victor, would like to meet you and explain why we are in need of your assistance, if you might permit that. If you will come with us, all will be explained.’
Arthur took a step towards Eloise. ‘Well, if Briton is in mortal danger and we-’ then he staggered towards Adele. She stepped forward and grabbed his arm to support him.
‘Forgive me M’lady,’ he apologised to her. ‘It appears the journey here has sapped my strength more than I realised.’
‘Not to worry, sire,’ she used the old term of address for a ruler, thinking he might be more comfortable with it. ‘Why don’t you allow me to assist you? It’s only a short walk to the house on the hill you can see there. Then you can sit down and rest while we bring you refreshment.’
‘That is most kind of thee fair lady. I think I must avail myself of thy offer.’ To Eloise he said, ‘Please lead on and we shall meet this king of thine.’
With a glance at Adele who indicated that she was okay and could manage Arthur, Eloise led off, followed by him and Adele. Arthur looked distrustfully at Morgan le Fay as he passed her.
‘Tell me thy name, witch,’ he commanded Adele.
‘Adele, Adele Curran, sire.’
‘No, I mean thy witch name.’
She thought back to that night several years earlier when a senior and powerful witch named Zelda, in the country of Pils-Holstein, had done Adele the singular honour of bestowing Adele’s secret witch name on her. ‘Melina, Your Majesty.’
‘Melina ... Melina. In the Roman tongue that means Honey Sweet does it not?’
‘I believe it does, sire.’
‘Melina. Not quite Merlin but close enough. It will have to do. I will need someone to guide me through this strange world of thine. Wouldst thou help out thy kin- ... a king?’
‘It would be my honour, Your Majesty.’
‘Very good then. Stay close Melina, I shall have need of thy help.’
Together they climbed the slope and entered the drawing room. Everyone began to crowd around but Eloise shooed them all away from Arthur to give him space. There were two high-backed armchairs either side of the fireplace and Adele helped him sit in one of them. Looking around the room she spotted what looked like the drinks cabinet, she sent Won Lungh to fetch a drink. Going to it he found a bottle of brandy and poured a generous measure into a brandy ‘snifter’ and took it to Arthur.
‘This will perk you up a bit, sire,’ Adele told him. ‘Careful though, it is stronger than the ordinary wine that you will be used to.’
He took the glass and stared at it. He seemed intrigued by the bowl shape. Adele reasoned that he had probably never seen such fine glass before. They had glass in his day, that she knew because there were plenty of examples of stained-glass windows in churches and temples. Drinking vessels however were usually made of metal or wood, even if they were glass she doubted they had the skills to produce anything but a thick, chunky goblet, certainly nothing as fine as this brandy glass.
He ran his finger around the rim and then flicked the side of the glass with a fingernail. It gave a pleasing ‘Ting!’ at which he smiled. ‘Fascinating,’ he muttered.
Taking a swig of his drink, he exclaimed with surprise, ‘Brandywine! From Gaul! We had this in my day and drank it regularly.’ He drank more of the brandy until the glass was empty and he held it out for a refill. Adele noticed that the colour was coming back to his cheeks.
While this had been going on, one of the soldiers who had gone with the witches to the grave had had the foresight to collect Excalibur and bring it back to the house. He gave it to the Aide-De-Camp who had given it to the king, whilst urging him to be the one to return it to Arthur. Victor took the hint.
As Won Lungh was refilling Arthur’s glass, King Victor stepped forward. ‘I am King Victor, welcome back. Perhaps this might speed your recovery, it was always said that Excalibur made you strong and protected you from injury.’ He held out Excalibur handle first to Arthur.
Arthur’s eyes lit up and he took the sword gratefully. One could almost swear that the eyes of the two dragons flashed as he grasped it but that was probably only a trick of the light. He almost seemed to swell in size as he gently waved the sw
ord in front of him. ‘Excalibur, my old friend. My arm has felt incomplete without thee to grace it. I’ve missed thee and all the times we didst battle together.’ He transferred the sword to his left hand and held out his right arm to Victor, who meant to grasp his hand in a handshake but Arthur gripped his forearm so Victor did likewise.
‘I thank thee, King Victor, for returning Excalibur to me. It felt like a part of my body was missing until I held it again. And it will aid my recovery for as thee rightly state, Excalibur can fortify me when I am weakened.’
Won Lungh returned with Arthur’s drink. Not wishing to come between the two kings, he handed it to Adele. Once Adele had passed it to Arthur, she backed away to leave the two of them alone but he grabbed her arm and drew her back to stand beside him.
‘If thou hast no objection,’ he said to Victor. ‘I feel I will have need of counsel in what is to me a foreign land now. I have always preferred that my guides are from the world of Magick, they help me to see what no ordinary advisor can, so I wouldst like M’lady Melina to aid me. Does that meet with thy approval?’
Victor looked at Eloise (after all, Adele was one of hers) and she nodded agreement.
‘That would be most satisfactory to us, King Arthur and you have chosen well. She has been of much service to us and will advise you well,’ Victor acceded to his request.
‘Now, I am much recovered and well fortified,’ said Arthur. ‘So it is time to ask and answer questions. Thy dress and manner of speech is strange to me. We are still in Albion, yes?’
King Victor took the other seat by the fireplace and confirmed they were indeed still in Albion. ‘This is the Abbey at Glastonbury.’
‘Glastonbury? I know not this place.’
‘In your time it was known as the Isle of Avalon. It’s where you ...’ he didn’t want to say “died”. ‘At the battle of Camlamm you were mortally wounded, they brought you here and tried to heal you ... but they failed.’
Arthur was silent for a moment while he took it in. It’s not every day that someone explains your own death to you. He nodded slowly. ‘I remember that, well, parts of it anyway. Morgan was there, she should have saved me but it did not suit her plans.’ He looked across to where she sat watching from her bath chair but said nothing to her.
‘Why was this place chosen to resurrect me?’
‘The spot down there where you appeared ... that’s the site of your grave. Yours and Guinevere’s, according to legend. It would appear now that it was true.’
‘We are buried here?’
‘Just down that slope.’
Adele could almost see the wheels spinning inside Arthur’s mind. To have someone recount your death and then point out your grave to you was enough to break the strongest of men but this was no ordinary man. She could see the steel beneath the skin that caused his name to live on in legend while lesser kings had faded into history. Such talk about his death was to be put aside and dealt with later, now was not the time. ‘Didst thou bring back anyone else besides me? Gwen? Lancelot?’
‘Alas no, you were the only one that we have need of.’
Arthur shrugged and continued with the question and answer. ‘What century is this?’
‘The 19th century. You are from the 6th century.’
‘Thirteen centuries have passed since I last walked Albion’s green fields?’ asked Arthur, incredulously.
‘Indeed. Much has changed since your day. Hopefully it will not stop you being able to help us in our trouble.’
‘Yes,’ said Arthur. ‘Why hast thou called me back from my rest?’
‘Legend states that you vowed that if ever Albion was in mortal danger you would return once again to defend it and save it from the aggressors – “The Once and Future King” they call you. That time is now. Albion is in danger of being overrun by Elves who come back to us from another world, claiming it is theirs by right.’
‘Elves?’ said Arthur, somewhat doubtfully. He looked at Adele for confirmation and she nodded. ‘Even in my time Elves were something out of legends,’ he told Victor. ‘They disappeared into myth long before I was born. Very few references even existed to them.’
‘Well now they’re back and they say they have come to claim what is theirs. I can explain all about it on the way to where we must go, if you’re willing to come with us and help fight them. It is in the Lake District. But time is short and we must go soon.’
‘Ah yes, the Land of the Lakes, I remember it well. But to get to the Land of the Lakes will take a week or more.’
‘Not these days, we have ways of getting there much more quickly. Will you help me defend Albion?’
‘If our beloved Albion is in danger then I will stand shoulder to shoulder with thee to save it, King Victor.’ He stood up and held out his arm which Victor grabbed by the forearm and they shook, pledged to defend their country.
‘Can you tell us how you intend to help us?’ Victor asked him.
‘I will not know that until I have seen what we are facing. Take me to where I can face the enemy and judge its strength, and then I can decide on the best approach.’
The king began snapping out orders to pack up and leave. ‘Colonel Frost, get everyone ready to return to the train. Colonel Sanders, after we leave you may stand your men down, we have no further need of them. Thank you for your assistance, needless to say this is all secret, so please be good enough to caution everyone involved to hold their tongues.
‘While that is going on, Mayor Downey, perhaps you should introduce me to the owner of the house so I can thank him for his co-operation. Eloise, Miss Curran would you be good enough to look after our guest. The four of us will travel in the coach together to the station. Right everyone, let’s to it, time is wasting.’
Adele looked around for her charge who had wandered over to the window and was looking down into the Abbey. She joined him and waited at his side for him to speak.
‘King Victor said I was buried down there. Ist that correct?’
‘Yes, sire. According to legend, you and Queen Guinevere. Although I suppose today has proven it was more than just a legend.’
He looked around the room, although everyone was bustling about it would be some time before they were all ready to leave.
‘Dost thou think we might go down there?’ He pointed down to his grave site. ‘Thou can bring some of thy soldiers along if thou likes.’
Adele looked around for someone to ask and saw Eloise standing there listening to them talking. She nodded her approval and waving over a couple of soldiers, she instructed them to follow the three of them down to the Abbey. On his way out, Arthur glanced in the mirror above the fireplace and stopped. He turned his head from side to side as he studied his appearance.
‘I was an old man when I fought my last battle at Camlamm. My hair and beard had more than their fair share of grey in them. Now I see have been restored to my prime.’ He looked at Adele and smiled. ‘Not even Merlin was able to do that, thou art obviously a good omen for me.’
Eloise led the way to the grave and Arthur stood at the side looking down on it. ‘What doth this say?’ he asked Adele, pointing at the plaque. She explained it to him and he just nodded.
‘Is that all that is left of me? No monuments?’ he asked, sadly. ‘Just a plaque and perhaps a few mentions in mouldy, old scrolls? Just like dust on the wind. Ah well, ‘tis the fate of all men I suppose, kings and farmers alike.’
He sank down onto one knee and placed his hand on the grave. ‘Gwen ...’ he said, softly. He drew Excalibur and placed it upright in the ground before him. Clasping the hilt with both hands he closed his eyes and prayed silently, while Eloise and Adele silently said their own, behind him.
After a few moments he rose to his feet, returned Excalibur to its scabbard and told them he was ready to leave. Together they made their way back to the house.
‘If thirteen centuries have truly passed, why dost thou still use pikemen?’ asked Arthur, indicating the soldiers who still had
their bayonets fixed to their rifles. ‘I’d have thought thy weaponry would be much more advanced than that.’
‘Oh they are much more than pikes, Your Majesty,’ replied Adele. ‘I’ll explain all about them on the way to the Lakes.’
***
On their way to the station Adele had, at King Victor’s suggestion, explained the principle of “steam engines” and their ability to pull heavy items such as carriages. He was a very intelligent man and seemed able to follow her explanation. After all, she only gave him a superficial overview without too much detail. He already understood how steam could push the lid off a boiling pot so it didn’t take much to make the leap that that power could be harnessed by containing it and only releasing it in a controlled fashion.
Perhaps he was naturally calm and collected, Adele thought to herself, or maybe he is just out of his depth and nodding agreement to anything that is asked of him, but when they arrived at the station he eagerly leapt out of the carriage and asked her to show him the engine.
‘Go ahead, Miss Curran. We’ll make ready for departure whilst you do that,’ agreed King Victor. She led Arthur to the front of the train and showed him around it, even urging him to climb into the driver’s compartment. After a few minutes he climbed down and walked to the front of the engine.
Looking at the rails he said, ‘So the engine runs on those rails which smooth its journey, I suppose?’
‘That’s correct sire but I’m puzzled, Your Majesty knows what rails are?’
‘I didst see them being used in the tin mines of Kernow to bring forth the carriages containing the ore. But for this to work, thou wouldst have to have these rails all over Albion, spreading out like the branches of a tree.’
‘We have that, sire. During the past twenty years we have built a network of these railway tracks over the entire country. We have different lines going in different directions and it will be necessary for us to change lines a few times, but as the engine can go as fast as a galloping horse, even pulling all these carriages, and maintain that speed hour after hour, we will be in the Lakes by tomorrow.’
The Londum Omnibus Volume Two (The Londum Series Book 12) Page 48