Child of Time: The Pendragon Line

Part 18: Rumours

Galahads P.O.V

I could feel an eerie emptiness as I walked into the cold round room of the queen's legendary tower.

It was said that she often murder her own people in order to use dark blood rituals and magic. She was hell bent on destroying her brother, his realm and people at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing her soul.

The room smelled heavily of gunpowder. A scent left only when string dark magic's were in use.

Dried blood stained the floor around a single stone altar and the body of a boy, laid slumped in a far off corner near a pile of oddly broken and discarded furniture.

I turned my gaze behind me, where my guide stood, a mere boy, under the door frame. He refused to enter the queen's room and I wasn't going to force him.

"So...the rumours must be true..." he whispered as his eyes stared into the stained and bloody floor.

"My comrade isn't here, nor is the girl" I answered with a sigh, nodding slowly in his direction and stepping from the room briskly.

The boy looked up at me suddenly but quickly returned his gaze to the floor. Obviously he was trying not to get involved in my situation.

Stepping closer, I overshadowed him.

"What do you know?" I asked, watching as his brow beaded in sweat and his Adams apple began to quiver.

Closing his eyes tightly he answered with a simple, "Nothing Sir."

"Nothing Eh?" I look down on him placing a single hand on his shoulder and sighing deeply.

"My search would go much more smoothly if you would just tell me what you know. Whether it be a rumour or fact. The more I know the sooner you will be released from my service."

I watched has he began to surrender to my words.

"I've heard things" he whispered, still keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

He said nothing for several minutes but I waited, silently, patiently for him to continue.

"Some say they saw a woman arrive nearly 3 or 4 weeks past, dressed in the oddest clothing and led by Master Grey." He swallowed hard, "They say the queen took her to this very tower."

"Is that all?" I asked.

"No...Something happened earlier...before the fire, something I saw on my own while I was acting as a courier to the castle lords." His breathing was sharp as he struggled to speak freely.

"You will not be punished for telling me. I will let no one know that you assisted me in anyway."

He nodded, seemingly reassured.

"I was to pass a message from the castle guard to Sir Grey who was said to be in this, the queens tower...only...when I arrived here it was full of soldiers."

"The entire room was full of soldiers?" I asked, unable to hide my surprise.

The boy nodded again, silently.

"They were after a man in a burgundy tunic and a woman in a tattered night dress whom had scaled a pile of furniture to reach the top of the ceiling, to escape through the upper gaps of the castle stone."

"And did they escape?"

He shook his head and finally looked up at me.

"The woman seemed to, but it would be impossible for anyone to navigate such a treacherous area as the outer wall." He answered. "The man jumped back into the fray of soldiers."

My hand tightened its grip on his shoulder. Beowulf must have been in an impossible situation if he was willing to have a woman climb such a treacherous place alone. Especially after we had lost her the last time, it wasn't like a Knight of Camelot to make such an obvious error twice.

I found myself agreeing with the boy. The girl would most likely be dead. Having scouted the castle before, I knew the treacherous construction of the outer walls near the queen's wing, even a fully trained soldier would have trouble surviving the harsh winds and rickety placement of the century old stones.

"What about the man?"

"He lives, they took him to the dungeon. He was a fierce fighter, the man almost bested the whole Le Fay Army."

I removed my grip from his shoulder and the boy breathed out in relief.

It was wise to assume the girl had perished and we had failed our mission. I would focus my attention on finding my fellow in arms.

"Thank you for your honesty." I said, nodding approvingly at the boy.

Eagerly the lad turned as if to leave, stopped only by the top of my sword, extended across the doorframe.

"Show me to the dungeons."