Chapter Ten: History Lessons

            Gawain was the first to speak up. ‘What’s this?’ I walked over and showed him what I meant. ‘Oh, when did that happen?’ Somehow he wasn’t as overly astonished as I was expecting.

            ‘The other night,’ I answered.

            Then they each turned to me and it was clear that they seemed betrayed somehow. ‘And you didn’t think to tell us?’ Bors asked.

            ‘Well I know what you lot are like and you always jump to conclusions but anyway, now you know so no harm done. You’re like brothers to me so I hope you’ll understand. Having a load of men watching over me all the time, of course I’m going to do something rebellious.’

            Lancelot spoke out then, but his reaction was better than I’d hoped. ‘We aren’t mad and it’s not that we don’t like it. We just don’t want you going off anytime soon. We will always be here for you and stand by your decisions, as we are with Arthur.’ He smiled and I smiled back; I could tell from the absence of a particular glint in his eyes that he had finally let go of his feelings for me and we were now friends again.

            ‘Thank you, and I’m sorry that I was going to keep it from you. Can you all forgive me?’

            They burst into laughter and I suddenly found myself tightly packed into the middle as they all hugged me.

            ‘Sometimes you say the silliest things, Elara,’ Galahad whispered to me. ‘We will always be friends, even after...’ His eyes shifted but I kind of knew what he meant.

            Stepping away, I walked back to Delrand’s side who was smiling away and was rather relaxed. He took my hand and kissed my cheek but just as we were about to walk out together, Tristan spoke up again. ‘Delrand...’ he said. Delrand turned around and nodded his head. ‘Take care of her.’

            I saw him smile as I looked at his profile. ‘Oh I will. Don’t worry, though she doesn’t really need me to watch over her anymore.’

            Walking out, slightly pulling him behind me, I wondered what he was thinking yet without actually getting into his head and I didn’t really want to ask either. Finding my way up the first flight of stairs to get to my quarters and walking into a darker corridor, I remembered how I felt when I first opened my eyes from Mordred taking me. I was so frightened and that scared me as I had never felt anything like that in my life; I’d never needed to fear for my life the way I did over those days. The sudden flashback of memories made my heart pound in my chest and I collapsed to the floor with the shock of it.

            Delrand was soon knelt down beside me. ‘Elara? What is it?’ He put his hands under my chin and made me look up at him.

            ‘Hmm? What?’ I said, slurring a little.

            ‘What happened?’ he asked.

            I shook my head and put my hands in his as I pulled them away from my face. ‘It’s nothing, just remembering. Help me up?’ I asked softly.

            He pulled me sharply and I bounced up and into his arms. ‘You can tell me all about it when I get you into bed.’ He smiled and picked me up off my feet and into his arms; I wrapped mine around his neck.

            On the covers of my bed, I was sat up and leaning against a pillow that Delrand had propped up for me. He was sat down next to me but one leg hanging over the edge as he faced me; he had shuffled his hand under mine as I told him the reason for me dropping to the floor.

            ‘That might happen now and again, but you’re safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you again.’

            Shaking my head, smiling, I reassured him. ‘You don’t need to look out for me all the time now; I can take care of myself.’ I reached over with my hand and gently touched my palm to his cheek.

            He sighed softly. ‘That gives me no reason to still watch over you, that’s kind of part of my job.’ He shuffled up the bed closer to me. ‘Hmm, I’ve missed that look in your eyes,’ he added.

            I frowned. ‘What look?’

            He didn’t answer that, at least not verbally. Leaning closer, and brushing his nose against mine, he touched his lips to mine before kissing me harder. It wasn’t uncomfortable; it was sweet and romantic. Wrapping my arms round his shoulders, I shuffled myself closer to him and he wrapped his arms round my waist in return. Pulling away, he stared into my eyes and smiled. ‘That look. Like you don’t want me to let you go or afraid that I’m going to...’ he hinted as though unsure of which one it really was.

            Running my hands down his arms, I slipped them into his. ‘It’s a bit of both, I think. Plus I won’t let you go either.’ And I smiled darkly at him in the candlelight.

            Kissing my cheek, he smiled more. ‘And I never want you to,’ he whispered.

            Not helping myself, I flung my arms round his neck again and pulled him close, catching his lips with mine. Ohhh, I don’t want to lose you again, I declared into his mind.

            He connected his thoughts similarly to mine. You didn’t lose me, not in the literal sense; and you won’t. Can I stay with you tonight? As always he was being courteous.

            Giggling as my lips stayed on his; I opened my eyes as I next spoke to him. ‘You don’t ever need to ask that. You’re always welcome in my bed.’

            ‘Still, it seems right to ask you. That’s just how I am and you’ll have to put up with it.’ He tapped my nose before leaning over and kissing down and up my neck as softly as a feather.

            Going slightly limp as ever when he did this, I shuffled down and lay on my sheets. ‘Come to bed?’ I asked quietly.

            Smiling affectionately, he stood up, took his shirt off then slipped in under the sheets. ‘I want you warm tonight. Come in,’ he said.

            Pouting my lips as I was just getting comfy, I slipped off the bed and pulled my own shirt off as he had done before climbing back in under the warm covers where I had been lying. ‘I was comfy and you made me move,’ I complained, still pouting.

            Brushing his fingers through my hair, he relaxed my body again. ‘I am sorry but at least you’ll be warmer. I don’t want you getting a cold. Besides, I’d rather cuddle up with you than just lie next to you,’ he explained.

            Rolling onto my front, I leaned over him and stroked my fingers on his shoulder. ‘Hmm, being in your arms makes me feel safe but in a weird way; I mean I’ve always felt safe being with the others and knowing I can defend myself if I have to. But this is a different feeling and I don’t think I can describe it in words.’

            He twirled his fingers in my hair as he looked up at me. ‘I think I understand. Next time you can try and show me how you feel, like you sometimes do with your emotions. You look like you don’t want to sleep,’ he commented as he seemed to examine my face.

            I shook my head. ‘I don’t know if I can, even if I am tried. I want to spend as much time awake with you after spending so long being apart,’ I spoke truthfully. ‘All that time I was with him, I didn’t know how long I had actually been away and how far I was from you.’ Pent up emotions began to spring out again and my eyes welled up. ‘I tried not to imagine the worst but you can’t help that when you’re being imprisoned. Every hour was so dark for me until I knew I could get out of there. I’m lucky I even attempted to make some light; if I hadn’t done that then I don’t know what would have happened and...’

            He pressed his fingers to my lips, stopping me from saying anymore. ‘You don’t need to think about all that and I’d offer to remove those memories but, as horrible as they are, they are useful and you have learnt a lot from what went on. I’m just so happy that you finally realised your potential,’ he confessed.

            ‘Hehe,’ I giggled as a few tears dripped from my lashes. ‘It only took over a year to achieve but you never gave up on me and that made me not give up on myself. And I knew you would be looking for me, as well as the others; I owe you all a lot.’ Shuffling a bit, I lied down and rested my head on his chest while placing my hands just under his shoulders.

            His fingers traced up and down my spine, making me shiver but it was soothing. ‘You don’t owe anyone anything; we had to find you and the knights would say it was their duty. And I know you’ll understand that.’

            ‘Hmmm,’ I sighed happily. ‘Yes, I do; but that doesn’t stop me feeling like I do owe something... even if it’s something small.’ I raised my head and chest off him and looked longingly into his eyes with a soft smile on my lips. ‘Though I don’t know what that would be with you other than sticking around...’

            ‘There’s nothing I need for you to do other than love me. That will always be enough.’ His words made me smile more along with filling me up with passion and, as he rose up, I met him half way and kissed his lips.

            My hands gripped his shoulders a little as I slipped my leg between his and then smirked as I pulled him on top of me as I rolled over. He looked at me sceptically but nonetheless continued kissing me. By this time I had slipped my arms round his neck again so he couldn’t pull away from me but I knew he wouldn’t as he ran his hands gently over my sides. Pausing as he reached my hips, he slowly dropped down onto me but not so it hurt and I lifted my knee up between his legs. We both knew to be careful and this would always be pleasure enough for me in the meantime; I couldn’t begin to guess if it was enough for him though.

*****

Delrand’s PoV

            If there was one thing I should be happy about, it was that she was smiling again; though I could tell from her eyes that there was still a darkness hanging over her mind. I only had one person to blame for that and if I got my hands on him again it wouldn’t be soon enough.

            I tried not to lean too heavy on her but while the sweetness of her lips were on mine, I couldn’t help but want her wrapped around me more and more. Right now, the only thing on my mind was her and she was all I wanted in this moment. Even with these overwhelming emotions, I couldn’t help but notice a certain tension in her body; that lingering in her mind was concerning me but I kept my curiosity at bay.

            I woke unusually early (unusual compared to recently) with her arms resting over my chest as she lay on her side beside me. Watching her for a few moments, I noted how peaceful she appeared after what had happened to her. I slipped out from under the covers, careful not to wake her, got dressed and stood on the balcony leaning on the barrier. I thought on what had happened over the last few months and looked over the landscape before me.

            The forest to the right seemed to beckon me to its depths; I knew the reasons why as I recalled the many happy memories I held from being within it. Then my eyes turned to the openness of the hills and fields that filled the rest of the scene up to the horizon. It was strange that these open plains were an opposition to the state of my mind; I had been so closed up in my own world since Elara was taken and I was finding it rather difficult to open up again. Though I was trying so hard to be the way I was with her again, there was still that new hardness in her mind that hadn’t been there before, and I wasn’t sure if she was even aware of it.

            On the edge of my hearing, I heard her shuffling as she woke up. Turning around, I walked back in and sat on the bed as her eyes fluttered open. ‘Good morning, dear,’ I whispered as she smiled when she saw that I was near.

            ‘Morning. What time is it?’ she asked sleepily while stretching and rubbing her eyes.

            Letting her clamber out from under the sheets, I remained where I was as she dressed behind the screen, strangely. ‘Early. I think breakfast time, maybe,’ I mused.

            She popped her head out from her concealment as she slipped on a cotton shirt. ‘Oh good. I’m pretty hungry and my head hurts a little.’

            I laughed as I went over to help her with the buttons. ‘That would be from the wine, I guess.’ I looked up from doing up the last button and caught her gaze with mine. ‘Shall we get going?’ I asked politely.

            She ran her hands up my front until she reached my shoulders where she slipped them round to my back. ‘I think they can miss us for a few more hours.’

            Widening my eyes, I tilted my head. ‘Hours? Surely you mean minutes?’

            She shook her head with a childish grin. ‘No, I meant hours.’ And she reached up with her head and kissed my lips as softly as ever.

            Placing my hands on hers, I pried them off me. ‘After last night, with everything that went on, I want you to get your energy back up.’

            ‘Oh come on. Pleeeease.’ I shook my head stubbornly. ‘Fine.’ And with that, I led her out of the door and walked hand in hand with her until we reached our destination.

            Not feeling majorly hungry, I sat there in silence while eating my way through a pear. Elara, meanwhile, was working her way through a large bowl of porridge. Watching the rest of the table closely from the corner of my vision, I noticed how the others seemed to watch me with wary eyes. Remaining in my silence, I let them judge me how they wanted but I reminded myself that they should know me well enough by now as to know why I’d proposed to her.

            I knew deep in my heart that Elara was the only woman that could complete me within all of this world. Although she was stronger than me in a magical sense, it was the only strength that came close to mine (as well as exceeding it). Ever since I’d met her and started showing her how to control her powers, I had only really shown her my true strengths a handful of times and those were never for very long. Thinking of that, I wondered how much she believed in my abilities given that we both knew there were things she could do so much easier than I ever could

            Coming out of my pondering, I focused on my surroundings and found that I had been absent-mindedly staring at the cast iron legged fire pit that sat in the centre of the table (it was a circular ring). I then turned my eyes to the surface of the table itself. There were strange markings that were etched into the surface in a band around the inner rim. Then I realised they were ancient runes, and it wouldn’t surprise me that the start of the message began and ended where Arthur sat. I wondered what it said but the urge was not great enough to make me move and check it out. Between that written band and the outer rim, there was a Celtic pattern that intertwined and repeated around the whole ring of the table. The intricate lines branched off slightly into leaves and flowers but the main pattern made the body of the design.

            Suddenly, I was being nudged from where Elara sat; her elbow pushing into mine.

            ‘Hmm? What is it?’ I asked in a whisper.

            ‘Are you alright? You seem far away,’ she explained.

            I looked around the room. ‘I was just concentrating on the table. Its design is intriguing.’

            She smiled with the knowledge she had of how this table came to be, as she went on to tell me. ‘Some say it was a gift but in reality it was ordered by my father to be built but before he was king. Years ago, before I was born, there was a dispute between the elder knights of the court of who was favoured most or was the more worthy. So, to dissipate the arguments, my father commissioned this to be built for his hall.’ She then smiled as she dropped her head and traced her fingers over the runes that I had just been scanning. ‘Would you like to know what it reads?’

            I tipped my head to one side. ‘You know what it says?’ I asked, stunned.

            ‘Of course. I can read these runes, I was taught how and one day I came here and noticed them; so I took the time to memorise what they said.’ She lifted her head up and closed her eyes as she recited from memory. ‘Amongst those who sit at this Round Table, in the Court of Pendragon, there will not be one who is greater than the next. All are equal and all are worthy to hold a place at this Circle. Honour, Honesty, Valour and Loyalty will be the Code of Conduct that each Knight must follow and abide by to remain worthy of a seat.’ She stopped and slowly opened her eyes. She didn’t look at me straight away but looked to each of the knights in turn and held their gazes one by one for a second or two. They each then stood up, including Arthur himself who had been sat with us and placed their right hand over their hearts before bowing their heads with shut eyes.

            I didn’t understand this gesture nor what it meant but something told me that I was amongst the most noble company in all of Albion.

            Elara then sat down again and looked to me with pride in her eyes as she took my hand. ‘And I am one of them. Always have been, always will; no matter what I become as a sorceress. But I will always follow that Code.’

            At least now I knew why she had done certain things in a certain manner. ‘And it only seems right. So how many seats are there around this table?’ I asked curiously.

            She pondered for a moment. ‘There are twenty four, including mine which happens to be the newest.’ I looked confused. ‘Oh, erm... See, the table was made by carpenters but Merlin was the reason for the seating; or rather, fate was. As I was told that Merlin waved his arm over the table and each of these seats appeared by magic. He had said that as each of the knights are revealed in time, other than those who were already part of the court, then the seats will reveal their name upon the back.’ She twisted around in her chair and pointed at her name that was embellished in gold at the top. ‘See?’ I nodded. ‘Well, these names cannot be removed or replaced. So the seats that are empty will always remain so; apparently until I take the throne, then I don’t know what happens.’ She looked shiftily over her shoulder as she said this but then turned back to me. ‘Anyway, my father’s name was the first to appear and then the others were. As the current knights at the time saw their names, they took their seat until each was placed; and so, the first of the company was made.’

            Curiosity once again filled my mind. ‘And who made up that first company?’

            Her eyes wondered around the table, I guessed it was so she could try and remember. ‘Some I know off the top of my head but others remain elusive to me at times.

            ‘Arthur as he is king. His good friend, Kay took the next one. Ector who was Kay’s father.’ I nodded with the known story. ‘Then there was Percival, Lionel and Gareth.’ Her voice became a sudden whisper. ‘Lionel was Bors’ elder brother.’ Then she spoke up again. ‘Kay mentored Gareth to be a knight. Bedivere was the biggest, strongest of them. Brunor was a French knight before he travelled here and joined father’s court.’ She continued with sudden elation of memory. ‘There maybe some that you might have heard of in stories. Erm, let’s see.’

            She looked around the table once more but reading the seats as she went around. ‘Bleoberis was the most arrogant and he now lives in solitude as a hermit. There were a couple of Saracen knights too; Palomides and Safir but they were very loyal. Lucan was the most trustworthy and then there’s Lamorak, Tegyr and Lybyus. Lybyus you might have heard of under the name of Guinglain. He and Tegyr came from Wales and I believe Lamorak might have been of Irish descent; but I am only going by their names. Pelleas was of low birth but he greatly earned his place; and finally there was Alymere...’ There was then a hushed silence that filled the hall and it seemed to be a tense one at that. ‘I think I should leave it at that,’ she finally added as she bowed her head heavily.

            I counted in my head; that made a total of sixteen so I assumed that Elara and the remaining unmentioned knights made the full twenty four. ‘You can tell me more later. I’m guessing Alymere is a story to remain untold here.’ She looked at me from the corner of her eye and nodded solemnly.