Ides of the May (Children of the May 2 - updates weekly)

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Decisions

The gates swung shut behind us. We heard the bars scrape back into place.

At the centre of Merlin's sphere of power the distortion was much less than at the edge. I could feel the magic in me being drawn towards the wizard, but the world appeared as it did the others, save for my awareness that we were within the crystal bubble. It created a glassy distortion above our heads, not unlike the border of the Lake.

The six riders — Arthur, Gawain, Gareth, Tristan, Sir Breuse and the Sessite general — stared at us in silence. They had been joined on the ridge before the castle gates not just by Merlin, but also by hundreds of soldiers. A battalion of bearded Sessites crowded the narrow road to the left, while a more regimented troop of clean-shaven British waited for orders on the right. Beside me, Alisander sobbed at the sight of the Sessites. I placed my hand on his shoulder, while Aglinda hugged him to her on the other side. The girl was full of courage, and stared at each of the six riders in turn, though none of them paid her any attention. Sir Tristan's eyes moved between Melwas, Iseult and Bellina. The foul, dirty man licked his lips at the sight of the three girls. King Arthur giggled to himself, amused by the poor, unarmed army King Mark had sent to meet him. Sir Gareth curled a white-gloved finger at his brother, inviting Agravaine to cross over to him and Gawain.

It was Bellina who broke the silence. 'Elia,' she said, looking straight at her father, 'would you like to re-enter my service?' It was a generous offer, and one I was surprised she made; Bellina had never much cared for having Elia as part of her entourage of servants.

'No, Damosel B,' said the bard, not looking at her former mistress. 'Thanks, but no.'

Without a glance at the rest of us, Bellina ran towards her father. Sir Breuse nodded at her, unsmiling. He helped his daughter climb up in front of him on his horse. With a last glance at the rest of us beneath the gates, he pulled on his reins and set their mount to walking. The British soldiers parted to allow Sir Breuse and his daughter through. Bellina never looked back.

'There's a surprise,' said Piers with a sigh.

Still amused by the sight before him, King Arthur dismounted and came towards us. He looked up to the top of the wall and smiled witheringly. I followed his gaze and saw King Mark on the battlements, observing the scene below. The three remaining knights of the round table followed their king's lead; they dismounted and lined up behind Arthur.

The king of the Britons stopped ten paces from us. Arthur looked from face to face, his tired eyes expressing immense pleasure at our predicament. He reached down to his belt, and drew Excalibur with a flourish. The fighters amongst us tensed, but the king did not attack. I felt the wash of familiar magics from the blade. Up close it seemed not to glow, but rather to reflect green light, though there was no light source to give the shining blade that colour.

He held up his sword and drew it along the line, pointing at each of us in turn. The blade shook slightly in his hand, as if it was too heavy for his thin wrist. The point came to rest on Palomides, who was furthest down the line from me.

'Sir Palomides,' said Arthur in his thin, grating voice. 'You have made your decision? You are too clever a man to die here. Why suffer for a cause not your own? Go, good Saracen; leave these shores and multiply your father's riches elsewhere.'

Palomides stepped away from the wall.

''Mides!' cried the anguished Piers. 'What about those who drowned with us, man? What of Epicene? Where's your loyalty?'

'This is not my fight, and not yours either, my love,' said Palomides. 'This is a battle for lords and kings, not traders and peasants. Come with me, please. The lands I could show you, the plants and the flowers. There are things you could not dream of in this world that I will show you. It is not worth us throwing away our lives here.'