Knight Purged

by Jason Hamilton

  The voices in her head, or perhaps the magic itself, tried to wrench control away from her, to use the magic as it wanted to be used. But Una strained her mind in retaliation. Yes, Pyrochles was her enemy, but she would not use her magic while he was in battle with Guyon and Kay. Chances were, she would never be able to protect them and kill Pyrochles at the same time. For all Una knew, she could destroy this entire fort, judging by the power welling up inside of her.

  To the outside observer, Una looked like she was simply standing very still, watching the fight unfold, but inside her mind was a battle just as intense as the one in front of her. A battle of will. She grunted slightly as she wrestled control of her magic away from whatever personality or power wanted it for themselves.

  She could not use her magic, not even to kill Pyrochles. If she did, she might fall deeper into whatever madness she was experiencing. Her use of the magic over time, especially at Castle Silene, had been the cause of her troubles. If she could, she would never use it again. She would just have to keep fighting off these internal urges until the voices got the idea.

  Give it to us, said one.

  I...will...not! Una thought hard, forcing the words to penetrate her soul, to reach her innermost parts.

  Something released inside of her, and she found she could breathe easier.

  “Are you alright?” It was Medina, looking at her with a concerned expression.

  Una blinked and took a deep breath. “Yes, I’m fine.” she said. “I...I think I just need to sit down.”

  “I’ll have someone bring you a chair, immediately.” said Medina, hurrying off to do so, and leaving Una alone.

  Una looked around. The sound of the battle had stopped. Guyon stood with his sword still drawn over Sir Kay, who lay on the ground looking winded but still conscious. She could see no sign of Pyrochles, who must have left. The younger sister had gone as well. How had Una missed the entire battle? She had only been turned inward for a matter of seconds, it must have been. Or had more time passed while she’d struggled to get a hold of herself?

  The baby was squirming in her arms, and she realized that she might have been holding him a little too tightly. Releasing her hold, she began rocking the babe up and down trying to calm him as he began to cry with discomfort.

  Medina returned with a servant bearing a small stool, and Una sat gratefully. After the long ride on Fairstep, she’d never thought she’d be so grateful to sit down so soon. But something about her own inner struggle had taken all the energy out of her.

  “Una?” it was Guyon. He’d turned around and was staring at her with concern. Taking a few steps forward he stooped to one knee so as to be level with her. “Are you alright?”

  Una nodded, but at that moment, Kay hoisted himself up on his elbows, his plate armor scraping along the stones. “Una?” He asked, as though testing the name on his tongue. “Where have I heard that name before?”

  He squinted at her, but a moment later his eyes widened. “You!”

  Kay rolled over in a rush, as though he was preparing to rise and leap at Una. Guyon straightened and placed himself between the two of them.

  “It’s alright,” said Una. “Kay won’t hurt me.”

  “I should bloody well hurt you after what you did, you bloody wench.” Kay retorted.

  Guyon put a hand out and opened his mouth to speak, but Medina got their first. “I will not have that kind of language here. You will behave in a civilized manner if you intend to stay. Otherwise you can leave like Pyrochles did.”

  Guyon turned to look at Medina. “Pyrochles?”

  “The other man who was here earlier,” she clarified.

  Guyon looked at Una, “The man you told me about from earlier? In the forest?”

  Una nodded. “The same.”

  “Oh, you know him too, do you?” said Kay in an accusatory tone. He began pushing himself up with his arms, wincing a little as he did. It looked like Guyon had thrown him hard on the ground.

  “Excuse me, but how do you know each other?” asked Guyon, pointing between Una and Kay.

  Una spared him a cursory glance. “We met at the tournament in Londinium, three years ago.”

  “Three years...oh.” Understanding lit Guyon’s eyes. “Oh…”

  “What?” Medina asked, looking at each of them in turn.

  But before Una could answer, Kay was yelling at the oldest daughter who still sat on the sidelines, “Elissa! Why don’t you give your suitor a hand.”

  Una almost wanted to scoff. Kay was ever the complainer, asking a woman to help him stand up, the nerve.

  But if anything, Elissa appeared indifferent. “You look like you’re doing well enough to me.”

  “You know, if it weren’t for the fact that this governorship would do wonders for my life path…” Kay trailed off, finally rising to his feet and straightening with a groan. Then, unexpectedly, he offered a hand to Guyon. “It’s been a while since someone bested me so soundly. I’m Kay.”

  “Guyon,” he said, accepting Kay’s hand. “You were a worthy opponent, well-practiced.”

  “My father made it so,” said Kay, taking a feeble step forward, towards the nearest hallway that probably led to the guest chambers.

  “You’re just going to leave like that, like the fight never happened?” Medina put her hands on her hips. “Have you nothing to say for yourself.”

  “Nothing I’ve not said before,” said Kay, halting his step. “Pyrochles doesn’t want anything good for your sister, this kingdom, or any of you. He deserves to be flung off the island on his arse.”

  “He deserves worse than that,” said Una, folding her arms and staring off in the direction Pyrochles and the younger sister had fled.

  “It seems there is a lot that needs to be explained,” Medina said, looking at the three of them. “Why don’t you all stay for dinner. I’ll have the kitchens prepare a great feast. We recently had a shipment of pork brought in from the Scots. It will be just what you need after a long road. You’re both invited to stay of course,” she added, looking at Guyon and Una.

  “Indeed, that sounds lovely,” said Guyon. He hobbled forward, which was Una’s first clue that he was also mildly injured, though nothing serious it appeared. “If you wouldn’t mind showing me to the guest quarters. I would like to take a moment to lie down.”

  “But of course, we will prepare a warm bath to rest your tired limbs,” said Medina, her arms around Guyon, leading him forward, leaving Kay and Una alone.

  11

  Kay glanced at Una once the others were well enough away. “So you have a child now? Funny, you didn’t seem like the baby-bearing type.”

  “He’s not mine,” said Una, but offered no further explanation. “You seem exactly the same. Just as thick-headed as ever.”

  He shook his head. “Things haven’t been the same since you left with Arthur.”

  “Left?” Una frowned. “I never left. The Romans imprisoned me in Londinium.”

  “What? Why?”

  “For suspicion of witchcraft. Didn’t Arthur travel with you back to Pembrokeshire?”

  Kay narrowed his eyes at her but shook his head. “That’s why we thought he had run off with you. You both disappeared at the same time. After the assassination attempt that night, he left, and we haven’t seen him since.”

  Una’s eyes widened. “An assassination attempt?”

  “Yes, the night after he pulled the sword from the stone, three men broke into the inn and tried to kill him. Nearly killed me too while they were at it.”

  Una broke off eye-contact with Kay. An assassination attempt. Arthur hadn’t told her about that. There had been plenty of time after he helped her rescue George from the City of Pride. Why hadn’t he mentioned it? He had taken her accusations of leaving her to rot in the Roman jail, hadn’t said a word of excuse.

  “Do you know who ordered the assassination?” she asked.

  “No, we don’t, to this day,” he replied.

  “Well I do,
” she said, meeting his eyes. “Pellinore.”

  Kay scoffed and looked at her like she was mad, but she held his gaze. Eventually his face fell into an expression of shock as he realized she wasn’t joking. “But Pellinore, he’s one of the most respected kings in all of Britain.”

  “I overheard him ordering the assassination myself,” said Una. “Though I didn’t know it had actually happened. When I met Arthur later, I assumed you had all gotten out before such an attempt could take place.”

  “So you’ve seen him then?” asked Kay. “Recently, I mean?”

  Una met his eyes again. There was an earnestness there that she hadn’t expected from the dull man. It seemed he truly wanted to know what happened to his brother.

  She nodded, and Kay’s face seemed to melt. “By jove, so he’s alive.”

  Once again, she nodded. “He and I parted a little over a month ago,” she said. “He helped me with a small personal matter, but then left. I don’t know where he is now.”

  “I’d heard rumors of a man carrying the sword from the stone,” said Kay, “But I didn’t want to take them at their word. You know how it is in the east, the threat from the Saxons. If he was anywhere near there, he could have died before he knew he was under attack.”

  “No, he’s alive,” said Una, nodding her head and staring at the ground. “He’s grown since you saw him last. And it would take more than a wandering Saxon to kill him.”

  “I hope to see him again,” said Kay. He too was staring off into the distance. But after a moment, the longing in his eyes disappeared, replaced by the more familiar stubbornness. “But in any case, you’d better tell that knight of yours that I won’t just let him throw me down like that again. I’ll be back with a vengeance next time.” He began hobbling off towards the hallway where Medina and Guyon had disappeared.

  Una almost wanted to chuckle. “Tell him yourself,” she said.

  He waved a hand and continued onward without looking back. Soon Una found herself alone in the courtyard, apart from the small baby.

  She stared down at the little child’s face. He was sleeping, his mouth slack and partially open, drool slowly dripping out.

  “I wish I could be like you, little one,” she said. “Able to ignore all the trouble happening around you and just sleep. Sleep and let someone else solve all your problems.”

  Her thoughts returned to Pyrochles, now disappeared from the courtyard. The thought was enough to send a chill down Una’s spine. Perhaps she shouldn’t let herself be alone in this place. Quickly, she hurried in the same direction Kay and the others had gone.

  Not to worry, came the cunning voice in her head. We are perfectly capable of dealing with him.

  That thought did not comfort Una one bit. Yes, she knew her magic could deal with the likes of Pyrochles now, but that magic was equally a threat. She could not use it, not under any circumstances.

  Well, unless Pyrochles tried to rape her again. Then he would know the full extent of her wrath.

  Una wasn’t entirely sure if that last thought came from her or one of the voices. But it did not matter. If it was the voices, that meant one thing: they finally agreed on something.

  That night, Una joined Medina, her sisters, Guyon, and Kay at a large dinner table, meant for far more than the six of them. A handful of servants brought in the food, which smelled and tasted just as Medina had promised.

  Una handed the baby off to Guyon, who had a fresh skin of milk prepared for the boy. Neither of them wanted to leave the child in the hands of the servants, not even for a moment, not with Pyrochles unaccounted for.

  The strange knight had not returned, though the younger sister had, and she joined them now with more than a modest serving of pork on her plate, one she wasted no time in devouring. When asked about the whereabouts of her suitor, she only said her ‘sweetums’ was merely taking a walk to clear his head. No doubt, she claimed, due to the ‘dreadful and unjust blow’ Guyon had managed to score to his head.

  Una couldn’t help but smile when she heard that. Good, the knight deserved far worse than a blow to the head. If the people here knew what he really was, they would hang him on the spot.

  “So you haven’t fully explained how you know Sir Kay,” Medina said to Una, handing her a bowl of gravy. She sat next to her sister Elissa, who hadn’t touched her food other than to stir it around aimlessly. This was in sharp contrast to their younger sister, who sat on Medina’s other side, practically inhaling everything set before her.

  “We met in Londinium,” Kay explained. “She was a...friend of my younger brother.”

  Una hid her snort. They’d only known each other for a few days so she would hardly call it friendship. But she supposed it was as good of an explanation as any.

  “Oh, I did not know you had a brother,” said Medina. Then turning to Una, she added. “And did you know Sir Kay well?”

  “I stole his sword,” said Una while half chewing her food. It was true.

  Medina seemed taken aback by her response. “Oh…” was all she said.

  “Now tell us about this other knight,” said Guyon to Una. “The others will be curious to know what makes him so sinister to you. And to you too, Kay.” His eyes met both Medina and Kay.

  Una looked at Kay, then waved a hand to indicate he could go first. But the younger sister, Perissa, spoke up before he could say anything.

  “Oh it’s horrible the things you say about him. He’s just misunderstood. My Pyrochles is the most handsome, strong, and loyal knight that ever graced these walls. So much more than the two of you.” She huffed and glared at Guyon and Kay.

  Kay spoke up as though he hadn’t even heard Perissa, turning to look at the rest of them. “It’s not that I find him sinister, per se. But there’s just something about him. It’s not just his strange armor, or…”

  “You’re just jealous because my Pyrochles has a better chance of marrying me than you ever will with Elissa,” said the younger sister with an upturned nose.

  Kay took a deep breath as though trying to stay calm. But a vein was throbbing in his temple, and Una knew it wouldn’t take much to properly upset the man. Based on her past experience with him, she was surprised he had tried to stay calm at all. So she spoke up instead, “He’s not a normal person.” She hesitated, unsure just how much she should reveal to these people.

  Medina, gratefully noticing her hesitation, leaned over to both her sisters. “Perhaps it would be best if you let us discuss the rest of this matter alone?”

  “What?” cried Perissa. “Behind my back.”

  “I’ll have the cook send up an extra dessert,” Medina smiled at her sister.

  The promise hung in the air, and Perissa hesitated just a moment, before hoisting up her skirts and standing, the chair scraping the floor behind her. With a final pouting face at her sister and the rest of them, she left the table and disappeared down the nearest corridor. It was almost comical.

  “You too, Elissa,” said Medina, leaning over to stare down at her sister’s untouched plate.

  “You can’t tell me what to do, I’m the eldest,” said the woman lazily, though she didn’t look at either of them. Instead she merely stared off into space. Did she even care about anything? Perhaps she was still in shock from her father’s death.

  “Very well,” said Medina. “But I know how much you hate long talks, and we will probably be up late into the night discussing this.”

  Elissa looked at Kay, who shrugged. “Don’t look at me, we probably will be talking a lot.”

  “Ugh,” Elissa rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” and with that she stood as well, leaving her plate behind as she proceeded to the corridor opposite the one her sister had taken.

  When she was done, Guyon commented. “They act as women half their age.”

  Medina shook her head in exasperation. “They have their problems, but they have good hearts underneath it all. On most days I can handle them.”

  “You are quite remarkable to maintain or
der with such a family situation as this, and so soon after your father’s departure.” Guyon smiled at Medina. And...was that a blush forming on the woman’s cheeks?

  But at that moment, Kay interrupted, staring directly at Una. “Alright then, so tell us what you know about this Pyrochles character.”

  Una sat back in her chair, staring over at Guyon who had now turned his attention to the baby, bouncing him up and down.

  “Well,” she began. “Where do I start?”

  She decided to start at the very beginning, explaining everything she knew about the Otherworld and Duessa, and how Pyrochles had been one of Duessa’s sworn protectors, one who had accompanied her from the Otherworld itself through one of the breaches. She told them of her encounter with the man, accompanied by Archimago, and how he had nearly raped her with the magician’s help. Though rather than tell them of how her magic had saved her, she made it seem as though the servants of the Faerie Queen had been the ones to rescue her. Sure, it made her look like more of a damsel in distress, but she didn’t need unnecessary questions about her magic, not when she still didn’t understand it herself.

  “Are you seriously suggesting a ‘Faerie Queen’ lives out there somewhere?” said Kay, his eyebrows upturned in an amused expression. “And all this talk of breaches and monsters. You must have taken a blow to the head.”

  “Oh the Faerie Queen is very much real, my friend,” cut in Guyon. “And so are the threats she guards against. Have you not heard of the men missing throughout Anglesey?”

  The table quieted, and Kay looked between Guyon, Una, and Medina. “I suppose we have heard a few rumors. There was a woman who came this way several weeks back, searching for her husband.”

  Several weeks, that sounded like... “Did she have short-cut blonde hair, and a thin frame?” Una asked.

  Medina nodded. “Indeed. She didn’t stay long, said she was searching for some kind of amulet.”