by Paul Green
*** *** ***
The twelve men silently and cautiously approached the hidden tunnel entrance. And sure enough, the tunnel was filled with water. After Uther dove into the cold and chilly depths of the underground waterway, Bors posted the men around the entrance to keep watch, while he remained at the spot where Uther entered and did his best to listen for Uther's progress.
The underground stone tunnel was long; over one hundred feet in length, and the water filled the deep passageway to its rocky ceiling. Fortunately, there were several places along the way where Uther could surface to find pockets of air. By the time he reached the end, Uther could see the firelight of guard torches above the water, from where he remained submerged beneath the water's darkness.
"I knew this was not going to be easy." Uther thought to himself as he considered his options. Finally he decided his only option was to surface quickly and try to take the guards above by surprise. He knew there would likely be several armed men guarding the tunnel's exit, so he drew his sword, and prepared to surface in a surprise attack.
Only the moment his head surfaced the water, Uther was shocked to feel the cold, hard steel of a sword enter his shoulder.
Uther screamed out in pain as two enemy soldiers then grabbed him by both arms and violently yanked him up out of the water and threw him down onto the cold stone floor of the underground chamber.
With an evil grin, the two soldier raised their two swords to end the life of their intruder, when suddenly! In the blink of an eye, both soldiers lost their heads as another man exploded out of the waterway with his own sword flashing.
Uther looked up at his rescuer in stunned surprise.
"Ambrosius!?"
"Hello, little brother." he grinned. "I decided I could not let you take all the glory. It would just not be right. What can I say? I am a glory hog."
As Ambrosius knelt beside Uther to inspect his injury, Uther chuckled. "I have never been so glad to see a glory hog in all my life."
"You have torn muscles, Uther. Can you move your arm?"
Uther tried moving his right arm and found he was able to bend it. "I think I can still fight. But I lost my sword."
Ambrosius snatched up one the swords from the dead enemy soldiers and handed it him. "Will this do?" he grinned.
"It is not as pretty as mine." Uther grinned back, sitting up and testing the blade. "But I think I can make do."
Ambrosius offered Uther his hand, which Uther gratefully accepted. "Now, little brother, let us find this source of water."
Now standing upon his feet, Uther pointed his sword over to the right where a small canal had been dug, emptying into the tunnel passage. "Might I suggest we follow that, my king?"
"Almost, little brother. But not yet. Where do you think we are?"
"We are in the lower catacombs. I believe there is a spring a short distance away. The spring must have been rerouted to here."
"Then let us reroute it back. Are you sure you are okay? You look as if you have lost a lot of blood."
"It is royal blood." Uther grinned. "We seem to have an abundance of that."
"Good answer." Ambrosius chuckled, as he punched Uther on the arm.
"OUCH! WRONG ARM!"
"Oops. Sorry."
*** *** ***
Surprisingly, they didn't run into any more guards. When they found the spring, Ambrosius knelt down and began placing rocks and large chunks of stone in the small canal to dam up the flow. "Perhaps the guards ate each other." Ambrosius chuckled.
"Perhaps there is some merit to your 'starvation plan' after all." Uther grinned.
"In truth, brother, I think they have less guards because of my plan." he said, as he placed the last of the rocks in place. "There, that should do it. Hopefully there shall not be a guard shift before the waterway lowers."
"We should remain here, just in case."
"Agreed."
"How long do you think it will take to lower?"
"It needs only lower enough to allow our men passage on foot whilst keeping their head above water. It should not take long." Then Ambrosius began removing his chest armor.
"What are you doing?"
"I need to wrap your shoulder." Ambrosius said, as he then pulled off his shirt and began ripping it into strips. "You are bleeding too much."
"What if guards come!? You are not protected!"
Ambrosius grinned. "I have my brother at my back. That is all the protection that I need."
"Father would be proud of you, Ambrosius. I wish he were here to see this day."
"And Mother would be proud of you, little brother. You were always her favorite."
"You were Father's favorite, so we are even."
Ambrosius sighed.
"Do you miss them?" Uther asked.
"Every day." Ambrosius replied. "Vortigern shall pay for what he has done."
"Are you sure he is here?"
"I am sure. I still receive signals from my spies within. He is here."
"Do not take him without my being present; I want to be there."
"Oh, you can count on it, little brother. I would have him look upon both of our faces as he dies."
"May it be a slow and painful death."
*** *** ***
It was less than an hour when the two brothers began to hear splashing in the waterway.
"The water does not look low enough." noted Uther.
"Not doubt the tallest are coming first." Ambrosius smiled.
Uther chuckled. "Then I guess we know who shall be first."
And sure enough, moments later, Bors burst through the last leg of the waterway, followed by an endless long line of Knights and soldiers behind him. Bors instantly halted when he saw Ambrosius and Uther sitting upon the floor. He saw Ambrosius was shirtless and Uther was covered in blood.
"You are injured." Bors said, matter-of-factly.
Uther grinned at him. "And you, have a leech upon your face."
"WHAT!?"
Bors slapped at his face and ripped off the bloody parasite.
Both Uther and Ambrosius began to laugh as Bors and several Knights began to panic and started checking themselves for leeches.
Once Bors was satisfied there were no more, he looked at back at Ambrosius. "It is not funny. Did you have leeches?"
Ambrosius shrugged. "Apparently they care not for royal blood. You seem to be more to their liking."
Bors growled as he climbed out of the waterway and stood dripping on the chamber's stone floor.
"You missed one." Uther grinned, pointing at his leg.
"WHAT!?"
Ambrosius and Uther both laughed again, as Bors discovered there were no leeches on his leg.
"Not ... funny." he growled, again. "Now you know why I never learned to swim."
"That shall be my first decree." Ambrosius chuckled. "All Knights must learn to swim."
Bors sneered at him.
"Frederick!" Uther laughed, as Frederick now climbed out the water. "Do you think your sister would be willing to teach our large leech-fearing Knight how to swim?"
"She still suckles her third child. Perhaps after the child is weaned."
Bors then spat upon the floor. "I shall NOT learn to swim from a ... a ... a woman!"
Ambrosius and Uther both burst out into laughter as they rose to their feet.
"Come." Ambrosius said with a smile. "Let us begin taking this fortress."
"Our first stop..." said Uther, "...is to open the front gate and let in our troops. How many are behind you, Sir Knight?"
"Seventy men accompany me." Bors replied.
"More than enough." Ambrosius grinned. "Bors? Stay to the right of my brother; it is his right shoulder which is injured."
Bors clapped his fist to his chest and bowed.
Uther then winked at Bors "Oh, and Bors? Try not rust before we get to the gate."
Bors growled at him, once more.
*** *** ***
The moment they exited the catacombs they were m
et with a full company of enemy soldiers. The battle was fierce and intense, but the only casualties were the enemy. The seventy Knights and soldiers valiantly battled their way towards the main gate; but by the time they reached the gate, more and more enemy soldiers began pouring in from all directions. The small group of seventy men found themselves outnumbered a hundred to one. But they stayed together as a group, knowing they only had to make it a couple of hundred yards; it was two hundred yards which separated them from victory, as the rest of Ambrosius' seventy thousand troops were just outside the fortress walls.
But Ambrosius had one other trick up his sleeve; as the thousands of infiltrated soldier from within were not supposed to tip their hand until they received the signal.
And finally the signal was given. Suddenly! From all across the inner courtyards of the fortress and atop the fortress walls and in every nook and cranny of the royal compound, Vortigern's own troops began fighting each other.
It was all that was needed. As the seventy men quickly rushed the gate, they were aided by hundreds more loyal to Ambrosius. And in a matter of moments, the barricade was torn down and the drawbridge was lowered, allowing the massive influx of Ambrosius' army to begin pouring into the fortress.
"How are you doing, little brother?" Ambrosius grinned as they found themselves surrounded by friendly forces.
"I'm doing fine, Ambrosius." Uther nodded. "I am ready to go and find Vortigern."
"As am I. According to my signalers, he hides within the castle keep."
"The keep!? That is for the king's women and children!"
"Can it not be more appropriate? Vortigern is a coward at heart, little. It is time to rid our lands of that traitorous bastard once and for all."
"Lead the way, oh great leader."
Ambrosius grinned and punched Uther in the arm.
"OUCH! WRONG ARM!"
"I know." Ambrosius chuckled as he nodded at Bors. Bors then turned and ordered the same seventy men to join them, as they turned to enter the fortress in order to head up to the upper keep, high overhead.
*** *** ***
Surprisingly, they met with little resistance; for the bulk of the king's guard were outside getting slaughtered in the battle. What resistance they met were easily dispatched quickly, as most of the guards appeared to be greatly weakened after being starved for the last two months.
Their greatest fighting took place at the top of the long stairway leading up to the keep. But the castle guards were no match for Bors and his powerful Knights and the skilled and well-fed soldiers.
Both Ambrosius and Uther were pumped with adrenaline as they took out the last of the guards, leaving behind a bloody pile of bodies. They were both breathing hard; not from exhaustion but from exhilaration, as they both approached the heavy and massive iron door of the castle keep.
Uther looked at Ambrosius. "Now what? We need a battering ram."
Ambrosius winked at Uther and pulled out a key from his pocket. "Always be prepared, little brother. Never leave home without it."
Uther laughed as Ambrosius placed the large iron key into the massive iron door and began to turn the key.
Then Ambrosius frowned.
"What is it?" Uther asked.
Ambrosius began stroking his chin. "Apparently, he changed the lock."
Uther gave him a smirk. "What was that you were saying about always being prepared?"
Ambrosius punched him in the arm.
"OUCH! Would you knock it off!? You're making it bleed, again!"
"Poor little baby. Do you have a boo-boo?"
"Very funny, Ambrosius. Trust me, I'm going to pay you back, just you wait and see.
Then they began looking around.
"I guess you were right, little brother. We need a battering..."
Suddenly! Bors exploded into the massive iron door with his right shoulder. And the two brothers stood in amazement as they watched the massive door slowly begin to tip over inwards, until it crashed to the floor in a mighty cloud of dust.
"...ram." Ambrosius finished, in stunned surprise.
"I think ... we should get a bigger door." Uther noted.
"Uh huh." Ambrosius nodded, looking at Bors.
Bors simply shrugged and grinned.
Uther raised up his sword and looked at Ambrosius. "Shall we go in together?"
Ambrosius raised his sword and nodded. 'Let's end this."
And together, the two brothers stepped into the Castle Keep; the safest and most protective vault of the entire fortress.
In the darkness, cowering by himself in the corner upon his knees and trembling in fear ... was none other than Vortigern the betrayer and usurper of the throne.
The stench of urine and excrement was overpowering.
Holding his nose, Ambrosius looked at Uther. "You were right, little brother. There are only women are in here." Then Ambrosius faced Bors. "Take him. Bring him to the throne room. We shall deal with him there, in view of all."
Bors clapped his fist to his chest and ordered two of his soldiers to seize Vortigern.
Uther looked at Bors in surprise.
Bors shrugged. "Do you smell this room? I do not want to touch him."
Uther smiled and then ordered the other Knights to go outside and herald that Vortigern had fallen and to cease fighting. They clapped their fists to their chests and turned to leave when Ambrosius stopped them.
"Wait ... belay that order."
"Why?" Uther objected. "We are victorious. There is no more reason for more to die! Let them carry out my order."
Ambrosius shook his head at him. "You are too soft, brother. We must deal with all who aligned themselves with this coward. They must die."
"They were only following orders! You are the new High King. They will follow your orders, now."
"I disagree, brother. I shall not be shown to be weak."
"Fine. But only the guards and troops. At least let their wives and families live; they are innocents."
"If I kill their fathers, the sons of the guards and troops may one day rise up against me. I cannot afford that."
"Then do not kill their fathers. Let them live. If you do this, no one would have any reason to rise up against you."
"We are not in agreement, brother."
"It was my idea to clear the waterway. I did it, so that lives might be saved. Let this be my reward."
Ambrosius thought to himself for a long time, while the soldiers rustled Vortigern out of the keep. He did manage to get in one powerful and brutal kick to Vortigern's groin, however, before they left, resulting in Vortigern howling in pain.
After they were gone, Ambrosius turned and looked at Uther. "No, brother. This shall not be your reward."
"Ambrosius, please..."
"You deserve greater reward than this, Uther. I shall do this for you ... because you are my brother. That is reason enough for me."
Uther sighed in relief. "Thank you, Ambrosius."
Ambrosius nodded. "Come. We have one last thing to do. Let us go see to Vortigern's end."
Uther groaned when he realized he had stepped in something. "Uh ... mind if I clean up, first? Besides, you are not even wearing a shirt!"
Ambrosius chuckled and shook his head. "You are such a Momma's boy. Fine. It is probably best to look our best, when we face Vortigern." Then he turned towards Bors. "Send to the camp to bring my brother and I a new change of clothes. Our royal colors would be appropriate."
Bors nodded. "Gold and black, I know, for you, sire. For the Golden Age you shall bestow upon us. As for Prince Uther?"
Ambrosius gestured to Uther.
"The colors of House Pendragon..." Uther answered, "...are red and black; the colors of a dragon."
Bors clapped his fist to chest and bowed. "I shall see to this, personally, sire. I shall return with haste."
"Thank you, Bors." Uther replied.
After Bors left, Ambrosius frowned at Uther.
"What?"
"You do not say 'Thank yo
u', little brother, to a Knight. They do as you command."
Uther grinned, sheepishly. "Sorry. Habit."
Ambrosius punched him in the shoulder.
"OUCH!!!"
Chapter 21
There was a great gathering in the main courtyard, just outside the royal throne room. It was a mixture of all sorts of classes and castes, for it was first come basis only. Knights and soldiers and peasants and farmers and nobles and merchants and anyone else who was close enough to arrive by dawn's light. For that was when Ambrosius had decided to mete out Vortigern's public punishment; at the dawn of the new day.
In seven days there was to be the official crowning of the new High King of the realm; to which nobles and kings from all around were 'requested' to attend.
In the meantime, there was a lot of cleaning up to do; primarily removing dead bodies and repairing what damage had been done to the fortress, to make the High King's castle somewhat more presentable for the crowning ceremony.
Many had advised Ambrosius to wait three months to give them more time. But Ambrosius was more anxious to get on to the business of ruling a nation, than he was in 'prettying up' the fortress. Thus seven days was the longest amount of time he was willing to forego.
But the very first order of business was to deal with the traitor and usurper, Vortigern; which Ambrosius planned to do at first light. Thus there were all sorts and castes and mixtures of people outside, awaiting the outcome.
They were also waiting to see Vortigern brought forth in chains, which Ambrosius had arranged to have him pass through the midst of the crowd of people. Ambrosius had made sure there were plenty of barrels of tomatoes and other fine vegetables available; should the people feel so inclined to 'offer' to the prisoner.
Inside the throne room were the seventy men who had accompanied Ambrosius and Uther on their secret mission and who had managed to open the gates. Part of the reason was to honor the seventy men, the other part was because Ambrosius wanted Vortigern to see that he was brought down by a mere seventy men.
Standing in front of the assembly were the two High Princes; with Ambrosius in the center and Uther standing beside him on his right. Also standing with them were Bors and the two ground troop leaders.
And two Concubines.