Sir Lu was pleased to be chosen by Sir Garth to patrol the southwestern coasts. The knowledge and experience she had gained during the Khundish war made her something of an expert on the region’s coasts, and Garth hoped to identify Frankish landing sites as quickly as possible.
In truth, both of them wanted to take the war to Frankish soil, a move King Rokk seemed willing to pursue. Rokk and Jonah would begin raising armies throughout Britain in the months to come. They found warm receptions everywhere they went, even among those who seemed ready to follow the would-be usurper not so long ago; the legacy of Geraint finally seemed to be ebbing. Yet Lu was scarcely more enthused by the support they found had since been garnered for the man who helped broker the peace, a name who she considered no more trustworthy than the Cornish usurper slain by Sir Thom. The mystery queen one heard occasional word of helped not Lu to trust the duke in question.
“You don’t trust this Aivillagh.” Garth restated.
“Nay. I still think he was in league with the Khunds.”
“Yet we have no real sign of this?”
“Nay. My small company snuck away to avoid the betrayal I expected. The proof would have been our slain bodies, we avoided.”
“Yet we cannot accuse the man on that alone, I fear.”
“No, I glean not.”
“I suggest we pay a visit and smooth some waters, perhaps foster the idea of winning some conscripts.”
“And sleep with one eye open,” Lu added, earning a laugh from the Breton prince.
Riding toward Exeter, they saw a rider coming the opposite way along the old Roman road. Both knights marveled at the gleam of the man’s armour – until he drew close and they saw it was not the armour that so gleamed but the man himself.
“Greetings, my friends!” the voice was unmistakable, even if it seemed to carry a quality of richness that defied one’s ability not to be awed. Beyond the voice, beyond the glow, was Sir Dyrk, a sun king more than Regulus ever hinted at.
“My friends! I have a most important message for Queen Imra. I would that you join me on my quest to Londinium!”
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada | Registered: Dec 2003
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Luornu would have almost rather have gone to Avalon than again face the clerics of Glastonbury, but rather than wait for the inevitable, she opted to seek out the chief matron of the nunnery herself.
“My dear Lady Luornu!” the abbess cooed. “How are the Queen’s ladies settled in?”
“Quite well, milady,” she replied. After going through some pleasantries and sharing news, she read the unasked questions on her hostess’ face. “The Queen had business on Avalon, including seeing a new Christian church built there.”
“In a heathen netherworld?” the matron scoffed.
“Are we all not heathens ere we learn to love the Lord?” Luornu rebutted. “If the Disciples did not bring the word out into pagandom-”
The abbess waived her commentary aside. “What news of the Grail?”
“A Josephite monk has taken it on a quest.”
“Mmmm, Josephites” she said disapprovingly. “There is enough paganism among those who call themselves Christian as it is.”
She stepped closer, speaking commandingly and unflinchingly. “And you, Luornu? How have you handled the vow you made to God, in this very hall?”
“If you refer to my pledge regarding the Grail, I pledged to you, not God. And I have relayed the message – all I ever vowed to do.”
The matron was almost brewing over in anger. “You. DARE. In this place-”
“I have seen good men and women do God’s will and fight the evils of this world! If your hospitality here is such that it reduces me to your puppet, then I shall gladly renounce your hospitality!”
“Mind you place, maiden! Speak not of God-”
“Methinks those who try to speak for God have lost track of to whose heart they are listening – and for who they are trying to speak.” Luornu turn and walked out, ignoring the abbess’ bellicose appeals.
Word spread quickly, and soon no nun was meeting Luornu’s eyes. Even Virginia and Siobhan looked at her with a mixture of awe, fear and shock. She declined the nuns’ foodstuffs and minded the maidens under her charge.
The next morning, she was summoned before the priest.
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada | Registered: Dec 2003
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The pony meandered almost aimlessly down the byway, its mistress barely heeding its course.
She had made her way back towards Exeter avoiding towns, and lost in her own hurt. It was not with intent that she found herself along the southern ridge of the Mendip hills, looking wistfully at the cluster of hills to the south.
Glastonbury.
The shape of the hills could not help but evoke their otherworldly, parallel twins in Avalon. How close they could seem, this instant.
Coming off of the hills, the path blended into a wider cart path used by countess farmers to get to the marketplace at Bath. No merchant took this route – there were too many fens, streams and morasses, and too many dead-ends and twists. This was not a through road for anyone but the intrepid or foolhardy, and brigands found it too unprofitable to bother with. But even an old woman had to keep an eye for armed men. Luckily, the one ahead was a familiar one.
“Fret not, my love!” he said. It was Accolon, with a most winsome grin and such a sparkle in his eyes it was almost contagious.
“Oh mighty seducer of crones! What old wise-woman’s heart has been stolen in our time apart?” It was easier to respond in jest than to cry on his shoulder, as much as she wanted to give her despair voice.
“None but any emptiness you feel without me, I pray.” He dismounted and approached her, kissing her hand. “No fortune with Sir Brandius, I presume?”
“No. I… wish not to speak of it further. I… failed.”
“Yet you won the beefeater Tenzil’s ear.’
How did he know? Hast he been spying on me?
“Even he has his doubts.”
“For now. We’ll start convincing him, now that we are together.”
“And how shall we accomplish that?” She was not about to return to the villa – or to court.
‘He will meet us in Corinium. Next week, if the gods are gracious,” he grinned mischievously.
“You followed me? And convinced him to come along?”
“Not so. Returning from Perilous Forest, I met a woman and her son who told me of how Brandius had so dismissed you. Riding further, I learnt that Tenzil had been accidentally shot during an archery contest, and had to remain behind. After Rokk left, I visited the man and learnt his mind on your meeting. As he was not as harmed as first it seemed, I invited him to Corinium, where I have an ally.”
“And he just agreed to this?”
“Well… I pulled rank on him.” With that, the features on Accolon’s face began to morph. “I suppose I should have spoken of this earlier.”
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada | Registered: Dec 2003
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Garth was even more suspicious by the time he and Lu arrival with their guest at court.
Londinium was all abuzz at the seeming return of Sir Dyrk – or Apollo, as he now called himself. There was also much gossip of Luornu’s near-excommunication, but few ears would listen to Garth’s fears.
Apollo was Dyrk, but not Dyrk. He was what Mysa would without doubt call a “sun king,” a living incarnation of what a more religious man than Garth might call a sun god. Gath surprised himself by thinking of Mysa with anything but scorn. She was still his favourite person to blame for his shackles.
It was not that Apollo was merely so radiant, so charming, especially with the ladies (indeed, whereas so many, even Dyrk himself, had failed to seduce the chaste Sir Lu, it was not a difficult one for Apollo); his entire set of loyalties was now suspect. It was not only that he spoke of Rokk as an equal (at best), and as if all others held worth only in relation to him – it was that one believed it, the longer one spent with the transformed knight. If this version of Dyrk was the destiny Regulus had so long hinted at, Garth wished it had never come – or that he had stayed dead to never see it. Something was wrong; something unlike a Khund or Nuhorran menace that could not be driven off with armies.
Apollo had charmed the Queen and indeed all the ladies of the court, and it was only because of Garth’s insistence to triple the guard – and Apollo’s bemused acquiescence – that he was not an overnight guest in the quarters of the Queen and her ladies. Perhaps it was his own feelings for the Queen that finally let him break Apollo’s charm.
But the Queen insisted on holding a feast for the return of the presumed-dead knight, and not a company of soldiers could have pried either of the twin sisters from Dyrk’s side.
When Sir James returned from leave, Garth was delighted to have a kindred ear to speak to.
“…so such is my quandary,” he explained. From James’ expression, it was hard to tell if he’d heard a word. “What thinks thou?”
“If he’s not Dyrk, reveal him for what he is. Like Dyrk, when he found out Ayla’s enchantment, when we thought she was you.”
“How do we do that?” Garth was glad James had taken an interest after all.
“Follow him back to his lair. Seek Regulus’ aid. I don’t know!” James was suddenly irritable. “For once, use your wit for something other than wooing the ladies!”
As James stormed away, Garth was left puzzled. If James was irked by his – and Dyrk/Apollo’s – successes with womenfolk, it never seemed apparent that James was not holding his own. Garth smiled; he’d have to arrange a more fulfilling leave for his brother-in-law soon, it seemed. Surely there were plenty of pretty faces in Brittany to distract his friend from whatever smile had bespelled him.
Turning his attention back to Apollo, he noticed Carolus scowling at the new arrival. Garth long suspected the jester had more to him than appeared. Maybe it was time to find out how much more.
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Ohhhh, I've only gotten as far as chapter 6! I've wanted to read this story for a while now but it's so long I was a little discouraged! But, now that I've started, I'll keep going as much as I can. (Wednesday I'm teaching at my church, but after that I have almost a month kinda free.)
This is great, Kent. Do you mind if someone posts some pictures here? If I find some that apply, anyway. ?
posted
Here's how I see your Lu, especially in the early years, where I am currently in the story. This one is so beautiful that I've had it saved for awhile, just for me.
posted by irenkesabo It's a very little picture, but the animation is complicated. If it takes too long to upload, I'll go back to the source and try to find the picture again and post a link.
-------------------- 'In the twinkling of an eye' I'll be dancing in the sky!
Come, join me!
From: Salem, Oregon USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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Set
There's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met.
posted
I only got to 106 or something, before my eyes gave out, but I'll get back to this soon!
I'm impressed beyond the telling of it at all the historical / mythic detail, and the uses of gaelic, latin, etc. and real world locations.
And I love all the little shout outs.
"My castle will be made of gold!" "And have ruby turrets!"
Heh. Awesome.
So many characters, too! Wow, I fall apart if I use too many, but I'm not even a third of the way into it, and I'm already seeing a quartet of Subs, at least one member of the Fatal Five, etc. Cool.
This is, bar none, the most impressive Legion fic I've seen.
Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
I'm through 20 now. Really great things being done with the interweavings of the lore and the Legion. Great figuring out who veryone actually is in this reality.
Hyperpath: Email this page to someone!
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