A Light in the Dark: A King Arthur/Warhammer 40k Imperial Knights Story

[MysticKnightJoe]

They were stunned into complete stillness. Wart was shuddering in impotent rage beside him. Cei was gripping her knife in one hand, and a branch in the other, tight enough to shatter both hilt and twig.

Bedwyr gulped, desperate to try and wet his dry throat. By the Code Chivalric, was there nothing they could do?

"Please!" The merchant cried. "I am a loyal man! I have served the God-Emperor all my life! I pray for the return of his light and the defeat of Vortigern!"

"Lies!" The Mad Priest shrieked. "This world has forsaken the God-Emperor! It has abandoned the Imperium!" He leaned close to the poor man. "You don't pray for the return of the God-Emperor. You pray for the coming of the Pendragon. Heresy. You are all heretics."

The merchant grew strong, suddenly, at the mention of the Pendragon. He stopped weeping, and glared the Priest in the eye. "Mayhaps you're right, madman. Perhaps I am a heretic, for having faith in the return of the King. I am a Pendragon's man. I see no conflict between that and faith in the God-Emperor, for the Once and Future King and the God-Emperor represent the same rule of law and destruction of the Chaos Tyrant Vortigern." He turned his voice to the sky, yelling to drown out the mad ravings of the fanatics. "All hail King Pendragon! His coming will herald peace!"

The fanatics said nothing, but started howling even louder. The merchant ceased being intelligible over their shrieks. He was dragged, slowly but surely, to the flame.

"Dammit!" Cei snapped. "Someone help him dammit!" She didn't move though. Even in her anger, she realized the hopelessness of even trying.

Bedwyr and Wart simply watched, burning the scene of injustice in their minds. "Peace?" Wart asked bitterly. "One day, maybe."

Suddenly, there was a loud sound from the woods. A deep, throbbing yowl. Everything stopped.

The yowl ringed out again. One of the fanatics started to back away, looking around in terror. "It is the daemon! The Cait Palug!" The man held his sword out, the tip quivering with his fear.

Their victim forgotten, the fanatics gathered up, forming a crude battle line against the unknown foe.

Cei snorted. "What idiots. Jumping at shadows." She smirked a little at Bedwyr.

"Please," Bedwyr muttered, "I'm not that stupid."

The merchant took the opportunity to flee, hurtling blindly into the treeline. He vanished near instantly. Leaving the band of fanatics alone in their sacrificial clearing.

"Let's go," Cei said. She rose, bringing the mantle with her a little. "Leave them jumping at shadows."

Bedwyr and Wart stood as well. There was no need for stealth anymore, really.

Suddenly, there was another loud yowl, and a shadow leaped down on the red-robes from the trees.

It was a blue and white blur, but red quickly came into being as the first set of the purgers were caught in a fierce blender of claws and fang. Five died before they even had a chance to react.

The blur came into view. Bedwyr laughed. He pointed. "I told you! It's the cat!"

Cei's eyes grew wide. "What the hell is that?"

The leader screamed as he charged the cat, staff raised. An instant later he flew backwards, as if struck by an invisible bat. He slammed into the burning stake with a crack of shattering bones and shrieked as the fire consumed him.

Soon after, all the redrobes lay dead, and the big cat sat among them, licking its bloody claws.

"Time to go," Cei said, "seriously."

"Don't you have something to say to me?" Bedwyr asked. He tried very hard not to laugh.

"No," Cei snapped.

Wart covered his mouth. He shook a little with laughter.

"Big stupid magic cat right in front of us that just killed twelve people like it was nothing," Cei growled. "Time to go."

The cat was gone. Wart blinked. "Wait, where did the cat go?"

A soft purr behind them made all three yelp and turn. The cat was staring right at them. It's look was not blocked by the mantle, but went straight to the three. It mewled and licked its mouth with a rough tongue.

 

[Always Late]

"Lies!" The Mad Priest shrieked. "This world has forsaken the God-Emperor! It has abandoned the Imperium!" He leaned close to the poor man. "You don't pray for the return of the God-Emperor. You pray for the coming of the Pendragon. Heresy. You are all heretics."

The merchant grew strong, suddenly, at the mention of the Pendragon. He stopped weeping, and glared the Priest in the eye. "Mayhaps you're right, madman. Perhaps I am a heretic, for having faith in the return of the King. I am a Pendragon's man. I see no conflict between that and faith in the God-Emperor, for the Once and Future King and the God-Emperor represent the same rule of law and destruction of the Chaos Tyrant Vortigern." He turned his voice to the sky, yelling to drown out the mad ravings of the fanatics. "All hail King Pendragon! His coming will herald peace!"

Click to shrink...

Ah, but that is heresy to Redeptionists because the entire universe has to die in fire to be reborn pure.

Now where have I heard that logic before @MysticKnightJoe?

Bedwyr and Wart simply watched, burning the scene of injustice in their minds. "Peace?" Wart asked bitterly. "One day, maybe."

Suddenly, there was a loud sound from the woods. A deep, throbbing yowl. Everything stopped.

The yowl ringed out again. One of the fanatics started to back away, looking around in terror. "It is the daemon! The Cait Palug!" The man held his sword out, the tip quivering with his fear.

Click to shrink...

... holy shit, it really is Fou.

Suddenly, there was another loud yowl, and a shadow leaped down on the red-robes from the trees.

It was a blue and white blur, but red quickly came into being as the first set of the purgers were caught in a fierce blender of claws and fang. Five died before they even had a chance to react.

The blur came into view. Bedwyr laughed. He pointed. "I told you! It's the cat!"

Cei's eyes grew wide. "What the hell is that?"

The leader screamed as he charged the cat, staff raised. An instant later he flew backwards, as if struck by an invisible bat. He slammed into the burning stake with a crack of shattering bones and shrieked as the fire consumed him.

Click to shrink...

Psychic Fou. And Beddie's already on great terms with him.

"Time to go," Cei said, "seriously."

"Don't you have something to say to me?" Bedwyr asked. He tried very hard not to laugh.

"No," Cei snapped.

Wart covered his mouth. He shook a little with laughter.

"Big stupid magic cat right in front of us that just killed twelve people like it was nothing," Cei growled. "Time to go."

The cat was gone. Wart blinked. "Wait, where did the cat go?"

A soft purr behind them made all three yelp and turn. The cat was staring right at them. It's look was not blocked by the mantle, but went straight to the three. It mewled and licked its mouth with a rough tongue.

Click to shrink...

... I really hope Fou still likes Beddie.

 

[Icipall]

The merchant took the opportunity to flee, hurtling blindly into the treeline. He vanished near instantly. Leaving the band of fanatics alone in their sacrificial clearing.

Click to shrink...

He got really lucky.

"Big stupid magic cat right in front of us that just killed twelve people like it was nothing," Cei growled. "Time to go."

The cat was gone. Wart blinked. "Wait, where did the cat go?"

A soft purr behind them made all three yelp and turn. The cat was staring right at them. It's look was not blocked by the mantle, but went straight to the three. It mewled and licked its mouth with a rough tongue.

Click to shrink...

Stealth cat has found you.

 

[MysticKnightJoe]

Bedwyr stared down the cat. Cait Palug, the fanatics had called it. He had already seen this. It hadn't killed him then.

"I'm sorry Bedwyr," Cei hissed, "I didn't believe you."

"It's ok, Cei," Bedwyr responded. "I almost didn't believe it myself."

The Cait Palug shifted closer, one quick motion after another. It cocked its head curiously.

Wart gulped softly. "No sudden moves, ok." He looked to Bedwyr. "You met it before, right Bedwyr? Do you have any ideas of how to calm it down?"

Bedwyr flinched. "It was really quick." At a thought though, he threw off the mantle. The cat could detect them anyway.

"Bedwyr!" Cei hissed. "What the hell?"

Cait Palug lept back in surprise. It tilted its head and let out a curious sound.

Bedwyr held out his hand, half-remembering something Pellinore told him about greeting dogs. Maybe it would work the same way with a large cat.

The large cat looked curiously at Bedwyr's offered fist. It leaned forward, and licked it with its rough tongue.

Bedwyr started. Then he calmed and grinned. "I think it's friendly."

Cait Palug's eyes narrowed a little at that, and Bedwyr felt something in his mind stir.

"Er, he," he corrected.

"How do you know that?" Cei asked. She was still looking at Cait Palug with nervous fear in her eyes.

"I just know," Bedwyr muttered, flushing.

"He's psychic," Wart said. He reached out his own hand. "Much smarter than an ordinary cat as well." Cait Palug met his hand by rubbing into it, letting out a rumbling purr.

"Think he liked being called smart, Wart," Bedwyr said. He reached out and started petting the powerful being himself. Cait Palug's fur was surprisingly soft to the touch, like stroking a cloud.

Cei started. "Are you seriously petting that thing? We just watched it kill twelve people like it was nothing!"

Cait Palug purred loudly, a sound that rumbled through the woods.

"See Cei?" Bedwyr said, grinning. "He isn't scary, he's just a big old kitty."

Wart, stroking Cait's chin, smiled at Cei. "I thought you had no fear, Cei?"

Cei flushed, shifted from one foot to the other in her anger, and then finally reached out to stroke Cait. She did so for a moment, and then muttered, "He's soft."

Finally, the three stopped petting the strange cat. Cait leaned back on its haunches, and licked its foot cheerfully.

"Right," Wart said, "Good to meet you Cait." He patted Bedwyr on the shoulder. "You have a good friend, Bedwyr."

Bedwyr grinned a little. "I guess so," he said a little awkwardly.

The smell of blood, ash, and pain still hung thick. Behind them, the last embers of the fanatics' death-fire finally sputtered out. "We should get moving," Wart opined. "We need to find Myrddin."

Bedwyr could have sworn something passed over Cait's features at the mention of Myrddin. Must be his imagination. "Right. But where do we go?"

Cei flung her hands in the air. "Who knows! The old bastard didn't give us the slightest hint!"

Wart looked between his two friends, slight distress on his features. "Look, he wouldn't make it impossible."

Cait Palug let out a rather loud sound, and walked between them. It bent deep, like a horse awaiting a rider.

"I think he wants us to ride him," Bedwyr said. Cait Palug was certainly large enough to hold all three of them.

"That's where I draw the line," Cei said, dryly.

"I don't think he wants to hurt us," Bedwyr defended Cait.

Wart sprang on Cait's back. He smiled broadly. "I trust you Bedwyr, and so I trust Cait as well."

Cait didn't move, and looked at Cei and Bedwyr with his intelligent eyes. Waiting for them as well.

Bedwyr awkwardly clambered on the cat. He was unused to it still, having not had the experience with horses that he'd like. He managed it, though, and Cait was still and calm throughout.

Cei watched a little incredulously. She groaned, and finally lept on herself. "Ugh, fine. But if we die, I will never forgive either of you."

The instant they were situated on the large creature, Cait Palug was off, hurtling with massive speed up and into the trees.

They tore through the branches and up into the canopy. The sun gleamed, and the forest spread out before them like a sea. Deep on the horizon, they could even just make out the highest towers of Caer Gei.

"Beautiful," Wart said, softly.

Bedwyr could only nod in agreement. Behind him, Cei muttered an affirmative. Her fingers had dug deep into his shoulders from the moment they had started moving.

Cait Palug mewed an agreement, and then started to run, hurtling across the treetops as easily as walking on land.

The wind rushed by them as the beast ran. Cei's nails dug deeper into Bedwyr's shoulders. Wart whooped with excitement. Bedwyr closed his eyes and tried to let the moment sweep over him. Even Cei's sharp fingers couldn't distract from the simple exhilaration of the moment.

It was in this moment of strange, joyful, bliss that the song reached his ears. The soft, delicate sound of a harp. Bedwyr opened his eyes. "Do you hear that?"

Wart looked back at him, and nodded. Cei grunted something that sounded vaguely like a no.

Cait dove through a gap in the cover, and an instant later they were in yet another clearing.

Myrddin sat on a stone in the center, a beam of light illuminating him as he played a golden harp with careful, expert strokes. He actually jumped when Cait Palug landed in front of him.

"You are early!" he declared.

The three lept from Cait Palug. Cei stormed forward, seething with rage. "You arrogant enchanter! We almost died out there!"

"You were fine," Myrddin said dismissively. He set down his harp and rose to his feet. He frowned past Cei at Cait Palug. "Cait Palug? What are you doing here?" He put his hands on his hips. "Did you interfere in my lesson?"

Before anyone could do anything, Cait Palug pounced on Myrddin. A voice rang out, "Die, Myrddin!" And then the wizard was brought down with a cry of shock under a ton of large, psychic, cat.

Bedwyr's jaw dropped, frankly stunned about what had just happened.

Wart protested immediately. "Wait! Cait Palug! Let him go, please!" He moved close, not even attempting to pull Cait off, but instead simply trying to mediate.

"Did that cat just talk?" Cei finally asked.

Bedwyr didn't answer. It wasn't something he could process at the moment.

 

[QuietlyObserving]

Heh heh. Never change, Fou.

 

[Always Late]

Before anyone could do anything, Cait Palug pounced on Myrddin. A voice rang out, "Die, Myrddin!" And then the wizard was brought down with a cry of shock under a ton of large, psychic, cat.

Click to shrink...

Heh heh. Never change, Fou.

Click to shrink...

Aaaaaaaaah yes. Houston, we have noooo problems.

Now where's Medusa at?

 

[MysticKnightJoe]

Aaaaaaaaah yes. Houston, we have noooo problems.

Now where's Medusa at?

Click to shrink...

I mean, Ana is here already.

 

[Icipall]

"I think he wants us to ride him," Bedwyr said. Cait Palug was certainly large enough to hold all three of them.

"That's where I draw the line," Cei said, dryly.

Click to shrink...

Accept your battle cat.

Before anyone could do anything, Cait Palug pounced on Myrddin. A voice rang out, "Die, Myrddin!" And then the wizard was brought down with a cry of shock under a ton of large, psychic, cat.

Click to shrink...

That's our Fou.

Aaaaaaaaah yes. Houston, we have noooo problems.

Now where's Medusa at?

Click to shrink...

Gotta find Ushi, as well as Ana.

 

[MysticKnightJoe]

Wart managed to get Cait Palug to stop mauling Myrddin. It cost the remainder of their fish, but Myrddin survived the encounter with only a few bruises. He returned to his seat on the stone, and picked up his harp, dusting it off and shooting an irritated look at Cait.

The giant creature was happily munching down on a salmon, purring loudly.

"Blasted thing," Myrddin muttered. He strummed a lazy note on the harp.

"Why does it hate you?" Bedwyr asked.

"I haven't the foggiest clue," Myrddin admitted. "Every time we meet, he tries to kill me. So I give him a wide berth, naturally."

"I simply can't imagine why anyone would want you dead," Cei said, voice drier than the deserts of Baal.

Wart elbowed her gently, but Myrddin ignored the obvious sarcasm.

"Now then," the wizard said cheerfully, "you have expertly navigated my lesson. Pray tell me, what exactly did you get from it?"

"That Chaos is a losing game," Wart said softly. "It makes victims of the innocent and guilty alike."

"Very clever," Myrddin declared. He strummed another cord. Bedwyr recognized it as the opening of the Tale of Gwydion. "But don't feel too much pity for old Gwydion. He brought a lot of his suffering on his own head."

Wart nodded. "I understand that." His voice was grim.

"Anything else?" Myrddin asked, looking at Bedwyr and Cei with wide, bemused eyes.

"You're an asshole," Cei said immediately. She crossed her arms.

"Correct, but you should have known that before." Myrddin laughed. He looked to Bedwyr. "What about you, Bedwyr?"

Bedwyr flinched. He hadn't learned much more then Wart, really. "Gwydion said something about the Tuatha," he said lamely.

"Ah." Myrddin stopped strumming his harp and stroked his chin. "So the old hunk of rust told you about the elder race, then? I take it he didn't give the Imperium sanctified version?"

"The way he spoke of them seemed to suggest they weren't exactly human," Wart admitted.

"They aren't," Myrddin said. He considered for a moment. "Have you heard the tale? Of the coming of the Tuatha de Danum?"

The three Knights in training shook their heads, and settled down in front of the wizard. Cait Palug stretched from its position, and curled up beside Bedwyr, soon adding rhythmic snores to the air.

Myrddin took up his harp and began to play. His voice, surprisingly lovely, rose into the glade. And for a moment, the children were swept into his song.

****************​

Once, long before any human set foot on the world that would be Avalon, the beings known as the Tuatha came from far away.

The Tuatha were long lived, and fair of feature, but also prone to ferocity and violence. Wild as the winter storm were they, and proud as Gods.

They come upon Avalon, which they knew was a beautiful place, perfect for their temperament. But they were immediately sickened and angered when they discovered that the realm was inhabited already.

A fierce race of warrior beings known as the Fomorians had built their crude civilization on the world's surface. The Fomorians were as wild as the Tuatha, with none of the refinement. They were simply feral animals, who lived for nothing but conflict.

Incensed with rage at this intrusion, the Tuatha fell on the Fomorians with all their hatred. They brought to bare all the deadliest weapons and brutal magics they had.

Still, the Fomorians held firm. Against the onslaught, they fought with the doughy courage of their mighty race. Soon the planet was littered with the corpses of both Fomorian and Tuatha. And still they battled with unrelenting hate.

Finally, the wisest among the Tuatha came forward. Her name was Don, and she had built a device that she claimed would turn the tide.

Using the magic of Don, the Tuatha transformed themselves, reaching a level of might that nearly touched the point of Godhood.

They fell upon the Fomorians with renewed ferocity, and this time the monsters fell before them. They were driven deep underground and sealed away.

But when the dust cleared, the Tuatha looked among themselves, and realized the cost had been high. They had lost many of their number in the fierce battle, and Don realized that even with their new forms, they would soon reach the point of extinction.

So, the Tuatha settled bitterly on their new home, not the paradise they had expected and desired, but a tomb. Many choose to sleep, simply waiting for the eventual weight of entropy. Others made mighty palaces and lived in cold opulence. Still others simply tried to live the best lives they could.

Don, however, fell into bitter despair. The other leaders of her race: Lugh, Bel, Ierne, and so many others, abandoned her as the Tuatha Queen went mad in grief. How hard she had fought to save her people. All her power and intellect poured into one magic artifact. And all she had done was damn them all.

Many, many years passed. Some Tuatha faded away, but others persisted. Avalon returned to its prior beauty. Its forests, tended by delicate hands.

New, unknown ships entered the system. Watching from their hiding places, the Tuatha watched in horror as new beings came into the realm.

They dubbed them Firbolgs in disgust, for these beings were, to Tuathan eyes, clumsy and awkward beings. But they were also hardy and noble after a fashion, and the Tuathans watched with budding rage as they began to leave their mark on the world, building their own cities and hacking down forest after forest.

The Tuatha, sick even now of war, came together in council to discuss what should be done.

Many, led by Crom Cruach, called for the slaughter of the Firbolgs. For they were cruel creatures, and longed for further bloodshed and battle.

Others, led by the wily Lugh, called merely for them to be removed from the world. Surely they could use some form of illusion or enchantment to trick them back to their ships.

Bel, calm and unhasty, simply offered the idea that they keep things as they were. The situation had not yet reached the point of no return, and the Firbolgs remained unaware of the existence of the Tuatha. They could watch, and protect their borders with their magic.

It was then that Don, now considered a mad recluse, barged into the proceedings. Quivering with power, grinning with confidence, she declared, "I have saved our people!"

Confusion gripped the council. For, to them, the Firbolgs represented an existential threat. Rarely did meetings between two species go well, and aside from Crom and his ilk, they had wearied of war.

But Don was unworried. She smiled widely, and gestured to her belly. She had found a way to continue their blood. For she had discovered a truth: Tuatha and Firbolgs bred true.

This was greeted with stunned horror from the assembled Gods. For many, the idea was as vile as bedding down with beasts.

However, many were intrigued by the idea. Some had a strange attraction for the Firbolgs, and had grown to admire them after a fashion.

Others were curious, out of a sense of boredom and simple interest.

But, the majority held the idea with antipathy. They considered it a foolish concept. A lie as mad as Don's prior experiment, which had led them to this point in the first place. The council forbade the mad enchantress from attempting such an abomination.

And Don smiled. And she said, "I already have."

**************​

Myrddin stopped playing his harp. He set it down once again, and looked at his three students expectantly.

Cei blinked. She scowled. "Wait, that's it? What happened next?"

Myrddin smiled easily. "Oh, who can say. Perhaps they killed her for the abomination she committed. That would be in-line with Imperium thought, at the least."

"You don't know, do you?" Bedwyr asked dryly.

Myrddin chuckled. Then he looked up, towards the sky. "This all happened so long ago, beyond human memory. Well beyond. Some things are simply forgotten. Don's name comes up often enough, but who knows if that is the same Don each time. This is simply the oldest tale I know. The Fomorians, at least, are real enough. Their descendents still lurk deep underground." He smiled, looking back down at them. "Though really, take what I said this day with some salt. I'm only a mad old wizard, after all. I can't be expected to know all the things that occurred so very long ago."

Wart laughed. He reached out, and Myrddin handed him the harp. The young boy started to play himself, a sweet and gentle tune that calmed the soul. Wart raised his soft voice into song.

Bedwyr and Cei leaned against the dozing Cait Palug, and let their minds wander. Tonight was a night of song. No doubt more was to come. They let the strange tale of the Tuatha de Danum float from their minds. At least for now.

 

[Radmelon]

Well the fomorians sure sound like orks to me.

 

[Always Late]

"Blasted thing," Myrddin muttered. He strummed a lazy note on the harp.

"Why does it hate you?" Bedwyr asked.

"I haven't the foggiest clue," Myrddin admitted.

Click to shrink...

You took him away from his waifus, fine wet food, and belly rubs. Of course he's pissed!

"What about you, Bedwyr?"

Bedwyr flinched. He hadn't learned much more then Wart, really. "Gwydion said something about the Tuatha," he said lamely.

"Ah." Myrddin stopped strumming his harp and stroked his chin. "So the old hunk of rust told you about the elder race, then? I take it he didn't give the Imperium sanctified version?"

"The way he spoke of them seemed to suggest they weren't exactly human," Wart admitted.

"They aren't," Myrddin said. He considered for a moment. "Have you heard the tale? Of the coming of the Tuatha de Danum?"

The three Knights in training shook their heads, and settled down in front of the wizard. Cait Palug stretched from its position, and curled up beside Bedwyr, soon adding rhythmic snores to the air.

Myrddin took up his harp and began to play. His voice, surprisingly lovely, rose into the glade. And for a moment, the children were swept into his song.

Click to shrink...

And so we're getting the details behind the Eldar presence.

The Tuatha were long lived, and fair of feature, but also prone to ferocity and violence. Wild as the winter storm were they, and proud as Gods.

They come upon Avalon, which they knew was a beautiful place, perfect for their temperament. But they were immediately sickened and angered when they discovered that the realm was inhabited already.

A fierce race of warrior beings known as the Fomorians had built their crude civilization on the world's surface. The Fomorians were as wild as the Tuatha, with none of the refinement. They were simply feral animals, who lived for nothing but conflict.

Click to shrink...

Hm... Fomorians are from Irish mythology and associated with daemons. So was Avalon a daemonworld that yet remained in the material realm?

Incensed with rage at this intrusion, the Tuatha fell on the Fomorians with all their hatred. They brought to bare all the deadliest weapons and brutal magics they had.

Still, the Fomorians held firm. Against the onslaught, they fought with the doughy courage of their mighty race. Soon the planet was littered with the corpses of both Fomorian and Tuatha. And still they battled with unrelenting hate.

Finally, the wisest among the Tuatha came forward. Her name was Don, and she had built a device that she claimed would turn the tide.

Using the magic of Don, the Tutatha transformed themselves, reaching a level of might that nearly touched the point of Godhood.

They fell upon the Fomorians with renewed ferocity, and this time the monsters fell before them. They were driven deep underground and sealed away.

But when the dust cleared, the Tuatha looked among themselves, and realized the cost had been high. They had lost many of their number in the fierce battle, and Don realized that even with their new forms, they would soon reach the point of extinction.

Click to shrink...

So this bunch of Eldar did some kind of psychic manipulation to themselves, something that made them akin to what Astartes is to a normal human. Or maybe a Custodes. Or a Primarch. But the daemons were still strong enough to kill until it put the Eldar below a sustainable population.

Many, many years passed. Some Tuatha faded away, but others persisted. Avalon returned to its prior beauty. Its forests, tended by delicate hands.

New, unknown ships entered the system. Watching from their hiding places, the Tuatha watched in horror as new beings came into the realm.

They dubbed them Firbolgs in disgust, for these beings were, to Tuathan eyes, clumsy and awkward beings. But they were also hardy and noble after a fashion, and the Tuathans watched with budding rage as they began to leave their mark on the world, building their own cities and hacking down forest after forest.

Click to shrink...

And those're humans. Definitely humans. Although the lack of mentioning the Fall Of The Eldar is... very deliberate and obvious in its absence.

It was then that Don, now considered a mad recluse, barged into the proceedings. Quivering with power, grinning with confidence, she declared, "I have saved our people!"

Confusion gripped the council. For, to them, the Firbolgs represented an existential threat. Rarely did meetings between two species go well, and aside from Crom and his ilk, they had wearied of war.

But Don was unworried. She smiled widely, and gestured to her belly. She had found a way to continue their blood. For she had discovered a truth: Tuatha and Firbolgs bred true.

This was greeted with stunned horror from the assembled Gods. For many, the idea was as vile as bedding down with beasts.

Click to shrink...

Yup, definitely humans.

However, many were intrigued by the idea. Some had a strange attraction for the Firbolgs, and had grown to admire them after a fashion.

Click to shrink...

"Hey, uh, Don? Can love bloom on the battlefield?"

But, the majority held the idea with antipathy. They considered it a foolish concept. A lie as mad as Don's prior experiment, which had led them to this point in the first place. The council forbade the mad enchantress from attempting such an abomination.

And Don smiled. And she said, "I already have."

Click to shrink...

... and suddenly Merlin makes more sense. And the other "Eldar" living around the world.

The Fomorians, at least, are real enough. Their descendents still lurk deep underground."

Click to shrink...

Wait, Warhammer Fantasy Firmir have one eye. But they don't live underground. The only Warhammer faction that does that is...

No. Nonono. NONONONONONONO! THIS CANNOT BE ANOTHER FUCKING NECRON TOMB WORLD!

 

[Icipall]

"You're an asshole," Cei said immediately. She crossed her arms.

"Correct, but you should have known that before." Myrddin laughed.

Click to shrink...

Heh.

Using the magic of Don, the Tutatha transformed themselves, reaching a level of might that nearly touched the point of Godhood.

Click to shrink...

Tuatha.

But Don was unworried. She smiled widely, and gestured to her belly. She had found a way to continue their blood. For she had discovered a truth: Tuatha and Firbolgs bred true.

This was greeted with stunned horror from the assembled Gods. For many, the idea was as vile as bedding down with beasts.

However, many were intrigued by the idea. Some had a strange attraction for the Firbolgs, and had grown to admire them after a fashion.

Others were curious, out of a sense of boredom and simple interest.

But, the majority held the idea with antipathy. They considered it a foolish concept. A lie as mad as Don's prior experiment, which had led them to this point in the first place. The council forbade the mad enchantress from attempting such an abomination.

And Don smiled. And she said, "I already have."

Click to shrink...

"And they named the child Merlin. Totally unrelated to me."

The Fomorians, at least, are real enough. Their descendents still lurk deep underground." He smiled, looking back down at them.

Click to shrink...

...Oh dear.

 

[Radmelon]

That's another good candidate for them. And they are the ancient enemy of the Eldar too.

 

[MysticKnightJoe]

Shortly after, they had a quick meal and fell asleep beneath the stars. It was more comfortable then expected, the embers of the fire keeping them warm.

Bedwyr woke up beside Cei the next morning. The two of them had used Cait Palug as a pillow, and the beast was purring gently, body rumbling in sleep.

Wart and Myrddin were awake already, sitting next to each other on the rock. Wart was strumming the harp still, another soft and haunting tune. Myrddin was directing him miming the notes a second before Wart struck them.

Bedwyr walked towards them, leaving Cei dozing. "Good morning," he said.

"Good morning Bedwyr." Wart set down the harp.

Myrddin waved an absent greeting, then bent to pick the harp up. He gently slid it back into its case.

"Why music?" Bedwyr asked, curious. It didn't seem to have that much use, for a Knight.

Myrddin sniffed. "You think it useless? Don't be so arrogant, boy. Music is one of many routes to Awen."

"Awen?" Bedwyr asked. He had never heard of such a thing.

"Awen," Wart answered, "is an ancient manner of knowledge and understanding. By integrating with the flow of the universe, one can be aware of what is occurring around them at any given time instantly."

Bedwyr stared at Wart. He flushed a little in embarrassment. "I don't get it," he admitted.

Myrddin chuckled. "It is something you need to experience, rather than have it explained. Music is just one of the ways to achieve it. There is also Awen through Psychic ability, Combat, even…" he stopped short, taking in the two young boys looking at him. "Er...private activity."

Cei, having finally gotten up, said dryly. "You mean sex right? We know what sex is, Myrddin."

Bedwyr turned red. "Why would I want to be aware of everything during that?"

"You will find out when you are older," Myrddin said quickly. He gestured to all three. "Now, sit down, and I will teach you some basic meditation. Wart already knows, of course, but no harm in practice."

Wart nodded gravely at that, and slid into position. He took a long, deep breath, and slowly settled into absolute stillness.

Feeling rather silly, Bedwyr sat beside him.

Cei set down an inch away from him. She leaned over and muttered, "It's weird, just go with it."

Myrddin reproduced the harp and started playing another calm, delicate tune. The music washed over them all, and Bedwyr felt suddenly calm. His body, shortly before shuddering with involuntary energy, stilled.

Over the music, he could hear all the sounds of the area. Birds chippered gently, and he could make out Cait Palug's rumbling purrs as if he still lay on his belly. The breeze ruffled through the trees, and leaves scrapped gently together.

It was a strange, haunting, sensation. The sounds became more clear, filling him with their power. Slowly, the music vanished, replaced by the steady shiftings of nature.

His heart thudded in his chest, and he could count the individual pumps as blood was forced through his body. He could even feel the gap between his biological matter and the metal of his false limbs. The distinction between the throb of his heart and the mechanical shifting of his hand and foot became clear and distinct.

Bedwyr took a deep breath, and the illusion broke. His eye snapped open, and he found himself in the clearing. Cei was right in his face, a curious frown on her face.

Myrddin had stopped playing the harp. He was smiling. "Not bad, Bedwyr. You got the idea quickly." He gestured to Wart, who was smiling at Bedwyr. "It took Wart a few days. You got it near instantly."

Bedwyr wiped sweat from his brow. He was shaking a little. "That was terrifying," he said softly.

"It can be overwhelming," Wart agreed. He patted Bedwyr's shoulder. "You will get used to it. Or you can stop. It isn't a big deal."

Myrddin rose to his feet, harp under his arm. He was looking at Bedwyr with an unreadable look on his face.

"I just don't get it," Cei grumbled. She crossed her arms. "I don't need this weird mystic crap."

"In a way," Myrddin said with a smile, "you may already have exactly what you need, just the way you are."

Cei sniffed. "Damn straight," she declared. "I'm already perfect."

Bedwyr laughed. All the strange tension he had felt prior bubbling out. Nevermind that he could still feel the machine throb of false limbs, he was among friends.

"Now," Myrddin declared, "for the next lesson. Come along." With that short declaration, the wizard turned into the woods, leaving their sight almost instantly.

Bedwyr, Wart, and Cei watched him go. Bedwyr sighed. "He just vanished again, didn't he?"

"Yeah," Wart said.

Cei groaned, loudly. "Wizards."

 

[Always Late]

... that sounded, pun morbidly intended, like a path to Slaanesh. Or at least it can be one if misused.

 

[Icipall]

Myrddin chuckled. "It is something you need to experience, rather than have it explained. Music is just one of the ways to achieve it. There is also Awen through Psychic ability, Combat, even…" he stopped short, taking in the two young boys looking at him. "Er...private activity."

Click to shrink...

The Eldar paths.

"Now," Myrddin declared, "for the next lesson. Come along." With that short declaration, the wizard turned into the woods, leaving their sight almost instantly.

Bedwyr, Wart, and Cei watched him go. Bedwyr sighed. "He just vanished again, didn't he?"

"Yeah," Wart said.

Cei groaned, loudly. "Wizards."

Click to shrink...

Hey, if you could do that, you'd show off.

 

[MysticKnightJoe]

Despite the immediate worry, Myrddin was easily tracked down. They leaped onto Cait Palug, and with an annoyed growl, the large cat shot off after the enchanter.

Barely an hour later, during which they flowed by hundreds of trees at a rapid tilt, they came across the wizard. He was waiting for them, leaning on his staff, and smiling faintly.

"Cait Palug does, at least, make it easier," he mused absently.

"How do you move so quickly?" Cei snapped immediately. She jumped off their odd mount, and placed her hands on her hips.

"Magic, obviously," Myrddin said dryly.

Bedwyr had to cover his mouth to stop himself from laughing. He climbed down from Cait Palug, and helped Wart down. He then looked past Myrddin, to the massive maw of the cave behind him.

The cave was pitch dark, nothing could be made out beyond the entrance, to the point it almost didn't look like an entrance at all, but a wall of dark solid stone.

"What is that?" Wart asked. He stepped forward ahead of Cei and Bedwyr. He swallowed. "There is something wrong with it," the wise one among them said, voice soft.

Myrddin turned, as if seeing the cave for the very first time. He said nothing for a moment. Bedwyr walked up beside Wart, and was able to see the wizard's face.

Myrddin looked tired. More than that, Bedwyr realized, he looked truly ancient. Like the weight of the world had settled down on his shoulders.

Wart noticed it as well. "Myrddin? Are you ok?"

Myrddin seemed to shake, and the exhaustion faded away as if it had never existed. "I am fine." He gestured at the cave. "This is where he died."

"He?" Cei asked, sounding a touch exasperated. "Who is he?"

Myrddin leaned a little harder on his staff, and inched away from the cave. "The First Enchanter," he said.

Bedwyr frowned. Cei mirrored the expression quite a bit more harshly. "That doesn't answer my question," Cei grumbled.

Cait Palug let out a strange, sad, sound. And Bedwyr felt that pain inside him, like it was his own. It was an almost personal sorrow.

Suddenly, Myrddin smiled sunnily. "Well! The day won't last forever!" He gestured to the cave. "Get in, kids!"

Cei gave him the flattest stare Bedwyr had ever seen. "You're joking, right?"

"No. Get in the cave."

Wart took a deep breath. "Myrddin wouldn't do anything that we couldn't get out of." He stepped forward, starting to shift from the light into the dark. He looked back, smiling.

Bedwyr followed, his friend's reassurance filling him with confidence. Together, he and Wart entered the cave. The light vanished instantly, to be replaced by silken dark.

Behind them, he could make out Cei's irritated groan, and then her hasty footsteps as she fell in behind them. In quick measure, she was beside them.

For the first steps, the cave was pitch dark. No details of the wall around them could be parsed. It was like the sun had been turned out.

"This was a mistake, Wart," Cei growled. She looked around, nervous. "You know how I feel about caves."

Wart had grown somber from the moment they had entered into the dark. His eyes were downcast. "We will be ok, Cei."

The darkness turned to light so quickly, it was almost instant. One instant, the cave was pure dark, the next gleaming stone started to fill the air with strange, dim light.

"Oh thank the throne," Cei groaned. She wiped sweat from her brow. "Light."

Bedwyr looked around curiously. He walked up to the wall. "It's crystal! Glowing crystal."

Wart nodded. "Yeah. Myrddin told me about this place. The crystal cave. It's a powerful, strange place."

"Did he tell you who died?" Bedwyr asked.

Wart shook his head. He sighed. "He never mentioned anything like that."

The crystal suddenly seemed as foreboding as the prior dark to Bedwyr. The dark was expected, in a way. The crystals seemed unreal, eldritch. An expression of some strange, unknown death.

And slowly, the light grew, until it seemed that the entire cave was composed of the same crystal. The light became as overwhelming as the dark.

Slowly, patterns could be made out in the crystal. Some were darker then others, and those formed the recognizable silhouette of a massive wolf.

"Did someone make these?" Cei asked, stunned.

"It is very clean," Wart said. He reached out a hand, touching the crystal. "But I don't think there is anything human here."

Bedwyr gulped audibly. He was no longer afraid, the nerves replaced with a sense close to that of a funeral. "What do you think Myrddin wants us to see here, Wart?" he asked.

Wart sprang back suddenly, as if burned. At the moment his hand left, the wolf moved. It wasn't smooth enough to be natural, something closer to the puppet show Bedwyr had seen in the court.

With quick, jerky motions, the wolf rushed through the crystal. Cold purpose gleamed in his eye. Bedwyr knew it to be a male wolf, somehow.

"Follow it!" Wart declared. Without another word, he started to run, following the path of the wolf.

Cei cursed, and followed after her brother. "Wart!" she cried.

Bedwyr shivered, gripped his arm tightly, and then followed. Deeper into the cave of crystal. The sensation rolled down his spine again.

The wolf was singularly focused on his goal. He bounded forward, fierce and brash. Bedwyr could almost hear the pads of the wolf's massive feet. The growls under his breath.

In front of them, the crystals formed something else. A throne carved from them. Like the wolf, it was nothing more than a reflection, flat on the wall.

Slumped on the throne was an old man. Head bowed, with his long, white, beard and hair covering his face and most of his body, the man didn't even look up as the wolf came to him. He didn't even make a motion to defend himself as the wolf sprang at him, ripping into him.

Crystals all around flickered red, representing the blood of the old one. It was over in an instant. The wolf flung back his head and howled in bitter, strange, sorrow. A moment later, the wolf vanished. The corpse of the old man faded away.

For a moment, the vision they had witnessed hung over the young warriors. "Was that the person who died here then?" Cei asked. "Not so dramatic, getting mauled by a wolf like that."

Bedwyr tried to crack a weak smile, but it died on his face almost immediately. "Yeah."

Wart said nothing. He took a step forward, and was suddenly simply gone. The crystals seemed to envelop him, and Wart vanished within them.

"Wart!" Cei shrieked. She rushed forward, pounding on the crystals with her fists. "You xenos filth! Whatever you are! Let Wart go! Let him go!"

Bedwyr cried, "Cei! Wart!" He staggered forward on suddenly leaden feet. Cei didn't seem to get any closer to him, and suddenly she was gone.

Bedwyr was alone. Alone in the crystal cave. The eerie light hung over him, and he suddenly felt the weight of a tomb.

He turned to the exit, but there was nothing but crystal around him. Bedwyr paled, he slumped to his knees, and he only managed to hold in his tears with a force of will. Alone, he waited.

 

[Icipall]

"How do you move so quickly?" Cei snapped immediately. She jumped off their odd mount, and placed her hands on her hips.

"Magic, obviously," Myrddin said dryly.

Click to shrink...

For the first steps, the cave was pitch dark. No details of the wall around them could be parsed. It was like the sun had been turned out.

"This was a mistake, Wart," Cei growled. She looked around, nervous. "You know how I feel about caves."

Click to shrink...

Don't worry, Cei. Only thing that's in the cave is what you take with you.

 

[MysticKnightJoe]

Hey guys, just a slight heads up, my Laptop's charger just broke, so there may be a hiatus while I work it out. New one is coming tomorrow, but I might have to replace the whole lappy. You'll know when it works out when I post again.

 

[Always Late]

In front of them, the crystals formed something else. A throne carved from them. Like the wolf, it was nothing more than a reflection, flat on the wall.

Slumped on the throne was an old man. Head bowed, with his long, white, beard and hair covering his face and most of his body, the man didn't even look up as the wolf came to him. He didn't even make a motion to defend himself as the wolf sprang at him, ripping into him.

Crystals all around flickered red, representing the blood of the old one. It was over in an instant. The wolf flung back his head and howled in bitter, strange, sorrow. A moment later, the wolf vanished. The corpse of the old man faded away.

For a moment, the vision they had witnessed hung over the young warriors. "Was that the person who died here then?" Cei asked. "Not so dramatic, getting mauled by a wolf like that."

Click to shrink...

... Myrrdin, why did you tell the kids that the Emperor died to Horus Lupercal on this planet?
Are we in some massive AU territory? Are we actually on Molech?

 

[MysticKnightJoe]

"What is this?" Bedwyr growled. He was kneeling now, still alone in the chamber of the cave. He was convinced this place wasn't a natural place, it had been constructed somehow. "Why am I here?"

The crystals flickered, but gave no answer. No strange puppet shows anymore, just the same clear light.

Bedwyr glared up at where he was sure the dead old man had been. "Come on! Show me!" He clenched his fists. "Bring Wart and Cei back. Just do what I'm here for and then let us go."

Finally, as if in answer, the crystals changed. Immediately, Bedwyr wished they hadn't.

The light went from the clean, gentle, white to a stark red. It dripped in from the top of the chamber and flowed downward like a liquid stream. For a terrifying moment, Bedwyr was convinced that the walls were dripping blood.

Something moved within the red, a hulking black shape with a long neck. It was pulsing, strange spots bulging all over it. A gurgling sound rang out through the chamber. Bedwyr felt his body shudder in time with it.

Slowly, more hideous figures formed out of the red around the hulking alpha. Hideous, indistinct masses, with little in the way of coherent shape. They rumbled forward, letting out more gurgling rasps and calls.

The red was broken by spots of light. But before the mass of dark, they were smashed down, replaced with more red. More and more, spots of light appeared only to be smothered and recolored. A hideous tableau of pure, vicious blood.

And then, white light shined before the dark. Painted in the normal clear cleanness of the crystal cave, the unmistakable silhouettes of Knights appeared. Bedwyr thought he could recognize Pellinore's Perfect Sinew leading, Power Lance lowered.

The rest were more difficult to make out, but Bedwyr was sure there were at least seven of them. The dark loomed over them, but the light charged to meet it.

The light slammed into the dark with a cry Bedwyr recognized only vaguely. "For Pendragon!" Rang through the hall, and Bedwyr felt more thrilled for it, his heart rising in hope.

What happened next was instantly shrouded, covered away. Light and dark collided and were washed away into the red once again. Smaller pricks of light hovered, and were instantly surrounded by dark.

The figures of light rushed forth, trying to pierce through. The red flowed, and the dark wavered, but didn't go away.

And then, as suddenly as it began, it was over. Bedwyr snapped back into himself, and was suddenly back in the crystal cavern. It was back to normal. No red, no dark, and no light.

Cei and Wart were beside him. Wart had his head bowed, fists clenching and unclenching.

Cei looked uncharacteristically ashen. She was shaking, and when she saw her two friends, she smiled wanly. "Guys! You're alive! I thought this place was going to eat us alive!"

Bedwyr opened his mouth, but found it dry. Nothing came out but a dull croak.

Wart stood up mutely, and dusted himself off. He took a deep breath. "Let's go," he finally said.

That didn't need much more elaborating, and the three found themselves leaving the cave at a run. None of them looked back.

**********************​

Myrddin was leaning against the cave's mouth when they returned, watching Cait Palug wearily.

Cait Palug licked his paw absently, but stopped his grooming when he saw the children. He mewed something cheerful sounding, and rose.

Myrddin grinned and waved. "Ah! Welcome back! Did you have fun?"

"I am going to kill you," Cei growled.

Bedwyr was still mute, eye full of the madness of what he saw.

Wart, however, managed a smile. "It was illuminating, Myrddin," he said. He couldn't quite hide the shudder in his voice.

"Well, what did you all see?" Myrddin asked.

"Death," Cei snarled. "Nothing but death."

Bedwyr finally got his voice back. "Blood. So much blood."

Wart seemed to be lost in thought. His head bent in thought. He said at last, "I saw a field of darkness. All around me was the dark. Cruel, bitter, endless dark." He smiled. "But then, in the center of it all, I saw a light. The light grew and grew, and the dark fell away." His face fell. "It was fragile. Any faltering or flicker, and it would be snuffed out. The dark was ever waiting for such a moment."

Cei broke the almost sacred moment of silence with a grunted, "and what the hell was with that old man getting mauled by a wolf? What did that have to do with us?"

The tension popped at last, and suddenly, everyone was laughing. Even Cait Palug let out several mews that almost sounded like human laughter.

Myrddin wiped tears from his eyes after a moment. "Oh, nothing, or perhaps something. The cave shows what it will, and it likes showing that in particular. Very powerful scar on the framework of the area. Emotion leaves impact, kids, remember that."

Bedwyr shivered. He could see that, for a place like that. It seemed to radiate emotion. Negative things, mostly.

"Take it with some salt, of course," Myrddin said quickly. "Reading the future is a complicated business, especially when it is just based on a vague feeling like it is here. Think of this as a general idea of what to look out for."

"Lovely," Bedwyr croaked. He staggered after his friends, Wart helping him mount on Cait Palug. He basically melted into the friendly cat's fluffy form, and as they bound for home, slid into exhausted sleep.

 

[Icipall]

Wart seemed to be lost in thought. His head bent in thought. He said at last, "I saw a field of darkness. All around me was the dark. Cruel, bitter, endless dark." He smiled. "But then, in the center of it all, I saw a light. The light grew and grew, and the dark fell away." His face fell. "It was fragile. Any faltering or flicker, and it would be snuffed out. The dark was ever waiting for such a moment."

Click to shrink...

Such is the nature of things. Even the tiniest light is enough to drive off the dark, but the dark is always around, ready to smother the light.

 

[zang269]

The cave shows what it will, and it likes showing that in particular. Very powerful scar on the framework of the area

Click to shrink...

Ah, a story of the past. I see that Myrrdin is teaching them their history very-

Reading the future is a complicated business

Click to shrink...

OH NO. OHHHH NOOOOO.

 

[MysticKnightJoe]

They returned to the castle early the next morning. The three squires, still weary from their strange lessons in the woods, were slumped on Cait Palug, who pranced through the empty streets.

Myrddin led the group, eerily cheerful as ever. He was whistling an unfamiliar song. Cait Palug was glaring at him with cold irritation in his eyes.

Bedwyr was only somewhat aware of this. He was still limp and exhausted, slumped on Cait Palug's back. Occasionally, Wart or Cei would rub his shoulder, trying to stir him. He muttered out, "I'm awake." At a particularly insistent poke from Cei.

Cei sniffed. "You've been doing nothing but lying on your ass, Bedwyr. We are leaving tonight, and I don't think King Geriant will like it if you keep nodding off." There was a note of worry in her harsh voice, however.

"I'll be fine," Bedwyr whispered. He finally managed to rise up on Cait, sitting upwards to look at the sun starting to illuminate the buildings. People were starting to move on their daily lives, some shooting curious glances at the strange procession.

They reached the Cair proper some ten minutes later, and were greeted by Gawain.

The Prince was in the courtyard, a weighted practice sword in arms. Ragnelle was watching him, sitting quietly on a bench.

"One-hundred!" Gawain grunted. He lifted the heavy wooden implement over his head. He brought it down for another stroke. "One-hundred and one."

"Good morning, Sir Gawain," Myrddin said airly, "or should I say Prince Gwalchmei? Your insistence on going by so many names is a quite irritating habit."

Gawain set the sword down, and smiled at the returning set. "Good morning, Myrddin Wyllt. You are one to talk about having multiple names." He nodded to Wart, Cei, Bedwyr, and Cait Palug. "Morning, Wart, Cei, Bedwyr." He arched a fair eyebrow at Cait Palug. "Cat of unusual size."

Cait Palug meowed a greeting as the squires climbed off of him.

"You're up early, Sir Gawain," Bedwyr said.

"I always get up early," Gawain said, "for a bit of training." He stepped forward and took Bedwyr's hand. "And seriously, just call me Gawain. We have fought together and I like to think we are friends, comrades in arms."

"What about in Orkney," Wart said with a smile. "Shouldn't we call you Prince Gwalchmei there?"

Gawain waved a hand, laughing lightly. "Formality is only for special occasions, Wart. As it stands, I like my friends to call me by my casual name."

Cei shook her head, grumbling to herself.

"So, what exactly were you doing in the woods?" Gawain asked. "We found the wizard's note, but it still caused quite the frightful stir."

"Lessons, with Myrddin," Wart said shortly. He didn't elaborate further.

"Jealous, Gawain," Cei added.

Gawain shuddered. "Oh not at all, I've had quite enough of Myrddin Wyllt's lessons, thank you very much." He walked to the bench Ragnelle was sitting on, and bent to pick up Galatine. "You wouldn't believe what he made me do before he deemed me worthy of this sword."

"You had lessons from Myrddin?" Bedwyr asked, a little surprised. He had thought that was something relegated to Wart and Cei, and now him.

"Yes, he did," Myrddin said. "Though not to the same extent, of course." He stepped to Gawain. "Sufficient, hopefully, for what is to come."

Ragnelle scowled and opened her mouth, but Gawain held up a gentle hand. She stilled, face flushed. "I'm sure it will be, Lord Wyllt," Gawain said, amicably. "I believe I have much to learn yet, of course, though perhaps not from you."

Myrddin smiled. He patted Gawain on the shoulder. "So do we all, Gawain, so do we all."

A voice broke the moment. "Ah, I see the madman of the woods has deigned to return with his charges."

Queen Enid entered the courtyard, her slim form moving with the dancer's grace of her old profession. She had a calm, but stern, smile on her face.

Bedwyr flushed, and kneeled quickly, recalling the manner he was taught to take if one of Vortigern's Warchiefs came through his village.

The others simply bowed, and Bedwyr stood out instantly. Queen Enid glided up to him. She reached down and helped him up. "Dear boy, there is no need to prostate yourself. Some may demand that, of course, but I and my husband will not."

Bedwyr turned a deep red. "I'm sorry, my lady. I was just trying to show the proper respect."

Enid smiled. "Respect is well and good, Bedwyr, but absolute submission is unbecoming of a young man, a Knight to be least of all." She looked between their exhausted, mud-specked forms. "I trust you are ready for tonight. You look like you need another night's rest."

"They are quite alright, Queen Enid," Myrddin said. He twirled his staff absently between his fingers. "I think they will settle it with a bath and a moment's rest."

Enid shot him a glance. She shook her head. "And whose fault is it that they are so drained? No matter, if it is as you say, Myrddin, then so be it. Tired or not, we will be leaving at the designated time. If they aren't ready to ride by then, they will be left behind."

With that, the Queen left, as gracefully as she had appeared.

Cait Palug mewed a farewell, breaking the somewhat awkward silence.

"Well," Myrddin said cheerfully. He clapped his hands together. "Best get on with it. Take your baths, get your rest, say your farewells." He smirked at Bedwyr. "Get some kisses if you can, but do take a bath first."

Cei leaned over and sniffed Bedwyr. "He is right, you know."

Bedwyr flushed. "You guys are jerks!" And yet, he felt warm, with a strange sense of joy in his heart.

 

[Icipall]

The Prince was in the courtyard, a weighted practice sword in arms. Ragnelle was watching him, sitting quietly on a bench.

Click to shrink...

Like what you see, Ragnelle? 😏

"Cat of unusual size."

Click to shrink...

I don't think they exist.