The golden city of Camelot was nearing completion. From impossibly high towers, banners fluttered in the breeze. There were many visitors in Camelot this season, for the mothers of the May Babies had come to collect their children, and receive a purse of gold from King Arthur for their upkeep. Sir Ywain, Sir Gawain and Sir Marhaus, the Triple Questors, had returned, and were being feted for their great deeds. The White Knight was speaking with all who would listen of a new order of Grail Templar knights, who would swear monastic oaths and safeguard pilgrims. From a foreign land came dark-skinned King Esclabor and his sons, all of whom were accounted mighty and courteous, handsome and wise. The influence of the de Ganis knights was growing as well: the French language had become more popular at court, with everyone giving themselves French names. Sir Tor was seen sporting a strange hat that he called a beret. Only Sir Kay seemed to be put out by this: "Look at me, I'm Le Chevalier avec Baguette!" he was heard to say as he mocked the continental fashions.
The next morning, the two met at Camelot's gate to head on their errand. Sir Gaheris was hung-over and grumpy. They were accompanied by Aelfwynn's husband, Sir Athelwulf, and their friend Sir Donna, who was renowned for her fair and unprejudiced nature. Trouble arose before the end of the day. At the borders of Silchester, the group were intercepted by a band of ten knights and told to turn back. Count Uffo of Silchester was in rebellion against King Arthur and had closed his roads against his knights until the High King granted him all the honours that his father, Duke Ulfius, had held in his lifetime. While Sir Gaheris was willing to fight, the rest of the group knew that they could not win. To continue, they would have to travel by an alternate route: through the haunted Purdue Forest.
On the outskirts of the forest, the travelers stopped at Borough Hill, where they found simple lodgings with the local priest, Brother Cecil. He told them of the strange legend of Borough Hill: that fairies dwelt in a cave at the base of the hill. Anyone who went there would receive anything that they asked for, but they would have to return it or suffer the fairies' curse. Intrigued by this legend, the knights sought out this cave in the morning. Sir Gaheris asked for a sword and Sir Athelwulf for a cooking spit, which they received. Aelfwynn set out to test the fairies' capabilities, and was cursed. Sir Donna asked to be reunited with her cousin Sir Cuthbert's magical dog, who was waiting for her outside the cave, and they had an enjoyable time playing together before he had to depart.
The knights entered under the shadowy boughs of the forest. There was no road, only a rough-hewn path. As the light began to fail, they found themselves at Farnham, a small hamlet with a fortified manor, and sought shelter there. The local lord, Sir Berran, told them that the peasants had seen some sort of large black panther in the forest. He intended to hunt it on the morrow, and invited his guests to join him. They agreed, and decided to have a competition to see who could find the best game. Sir Berran and his hunters would work together, as would Sir Donna and Sir Gaheris, and Sir Athelwulf and Aelfwynn. The Saxons were the most experienced hunters, and managed to catch a red-furred fox. Suddenly, they were surrounded by the jingling of bells, as a party of Elvish knights all in silver rode into the glade. Their leader saw the fox and exclaimed that they had just slain his brother! In recompense, he demanded the eyes from their heads. Not wishing to have their eyes cut out, Sir Athelwulf and Aelfwynn fled, and were cruelly hunted by the elves, barely managing to escape with their lives and return to the castle, where they recounted their story to the others.
The next day, Sir Berran invited his guests to stay and hunt for the panther again, but the knights politely declined and set off on their way once more. Around midday, they came to a river too deep to ford, with a stone bridge over it. Upon the bridge was a mounted knight, whose pavilion lay on the far side of the bridge. This knight announced himself to be Sir Telus, and refused to let any pass unless they jousted with him. However, the loser would owe military service to the other for a season, or have to pay scutage (which Sir Telus said that he intended to do). This was a strange custom, but it did not seem as if the knights could cross the river anywhere else, so they agreed to Sir Telus's terms. Sir Donna was the first to break a lance with Sir Telus, and she was knocked from her saddle. Then Aelfwynn tried, and she unhorsed Sir Telus - who fell into the river! The knights rushed to save him as he was swept downstream, and managed to rescue him. In exchange, Sir Telus waived all requirements of knightly service from them. He exclaimed that his lady love had been imprisoned in the castle of another, and that he was trying to raise an army to rescue her. The knights wished Sir Telus well, and told him that if they could, they would help him.
After leaving Sir Telus behind, the path wended its way along the edge of the river. The knights set up camp, and then continued on their way on the next day. Before long, they could hear the sounds of lamentation coming from a small island in the middle of the river. They decided to investigate, and found three pale and emaciated women crying over a tomb, next to a pavilion. They introduced themselves as the Three Fairies, so called because their grief has made them appear insubstantial. They had been cursed to remain mourning at the tomb until the murdered knight who lay within it should be avenged. Sir Gaheris immediately swore that he would avenge this knight, with the others not far behind him. The Fairies explained that it was King Pellinore who lay within the crypt. At that, Sir Gaheris had a strange expression come across his face. He went to check on his horse - and immediately rode off without so much as a word! Did he know something about what had happened to King Pellinore?
That night, the three travellers reached West Clandon, which lay close to the eaves of the forest. The folk there begged the knights to help them, for the Clandon Worm had been attacking their livestock. This foul dragon lived in a nearby lake, which it had polluted with its slime. It was easy to track also, for it left a trail of slime behind it everywhere that it went! The knights agreed to help, and rode to the stinking lake. There, the beast came forth to offer battle, and they began to hew at it. However, so thick was its slime, that it was surpassing slippery! Their weapons would bounce off it to no avail. If only they had some way to pin it in place, so that it could not slip around! Disgusted at their futile efforts, the knights abandoned the fight, but swore to return at a later time to put an end to the monster.
Leaving West Clandon behind on the next day, the knights finally emerged from the Purdue Forest, south of London. With its perils behind them, they were able to journey much more swiftly. They soon reached London, and then followed the road north into Anglia. This leg of the journey was without incident, and soon Sir Athelwulf, Sir Donna and Aelfwynn arrived. They decided not to see Duke Hervis in Norwich, for he would surely react poorly to Sir Athelwulf and Aelfwynn. Instead, they toured the countryside, questioning the common folk about Ganulf the Wake and his rebels. They received different answers depending on whom they asked. To Saxons, Ganulf was a freedom fighter, standing up against the oppressive rule of Duke Hervis. To Cymrics, he was a bloody-handed thug. Most alarming, both sides appeared to be right. During their search, the group discovered that Ganulf had been driven into the Fens: the same Fens where Athelwulf had grown up with the Thulian exiles.
Leaving horses and squires at Ely, a cathedral town on the outskirts of the Fens, the three travelers acquired a boat and set off in search of Ganulf. They were soon ambushed by Ganulf and his band. Sir Athelwulf convinced Ganulf of their good intentions, and the Saxon rebel took them back to the Thulian village. He explained that many of the Thulians, led by King Aguar, had left to return to their homeland, but the new Thulian king had offered them succour. To Sir Athelwulf's shock, it was Sligon the Usurper! Sligon had allowed King Aguar to reclaim his throne, and gone into voluntary exile in the Fens. However, Sir Athelwulf had a blood feud against Sligon for the death of his parents. Ganulf forced Sligon to accept Sir Athelwulf's challenge, and the old man was brutally slain in a duel.
That night, a feast was held in Sir Athelwulf's honour, and Ganulf attempted to convince the two Saxons to join him in his rebellion against the throne. In only a few days, he would join forces with another rebel, Ealdorman Morcar of Essex. Sir Athelwulf told them that he was on a mission from King Arthur, and tried to convince Ganulf that the rebellion was doomed, and that he should bring his grievances to Camelot, but with little success. Meanwhile, Sir Donna was keeping her head down, as she was made to feel very unwelcome. Suddenly, a wizened Saxon witch appeared before her. Her name was Nelda, and she told Sir Donna that Ganulf did not intend to let any of them leave the village alive. Then she vanished, leaving Sir Donna feeling very perturbed.
Meanwhile, back at Camelot, word had arrived of Count Uffo's rebellion. Sir Griflet and Sir Gawain, the Marshal and the King's Champion, immediately mustered an army and marched on Silchester. Among the knights were Sir Avain, Sir Balthazar and Sir Connor of Salisbury. The rebellion was suppressed with great haste: those of Count Uffo's men who were Companions of Arthur yielded immediately; many others did not particularly want to be in rebellion; and those that were left fled or surrendered. It did not take very long at all until only the city of Silchester, with Count Uffo in it, was all that remained of the rebellion. The army set up camp outside, reluctant to hurt the citizens through siege or assault, and called for the Count to come forth and face Sir Griflet or Sir Gawain in a duel. The craven Uffo refused, and the army waited for something to happen.
This was the situation when Sir Gaheris arrived in camp. He had abandoned the quest to warn that Silchester was in revolt! Well, that was hardly news now, and Sir Avain doubted that this was his true motive in leaving the quest in the first place. Sir Gaheris bid Sir Balthazar go and reinforce Sir Athelwulf, Sir Donna and Aelfwynn in Anglia, and the three bored knights decided to do so. With the roads now open again, they soon reached Anglia and heard that the three had been last seen heading towards Ely. They reached Ely only a few days behind the others, and met their squires there. Sir Balthazar decided to visit the lord of Ely. but he turned out to be in Norwich with Duke Hervis, leaving his sickly wife Lady Eliza behind. The knights met with the lady, and spoke to her master-at-arms Tom, who agreed to give them a boat and a guide to take them into the Fens. Their guide, Harry, was not very familiar with the twisting marsh, however, and the group soon became hopelessly lost.
In Ganulf's camp, Sir Donna sought out her companions and shared what Nelda had told her. They were all worried, especially by her motives, but decided not to flee. In a few days, Morcar, an ealdorman of Essex, brought his small band of rebels through the Fens to parley with Ganulf. At a feast that night, the two leaders shared stories of injustices suffered, and of their respective deeds to date, before agreeing to unite and attack Ely. At this, Sir Athelwulf spoke: what then? Their rebellion was doomed, and all knew it. Better to cast themselves at King Arthur's mercy and seek justice rather than vengeance. Morcar was furious. Suddenly Nelda appeared, and began to agree with Sir Athelwulf - except that she encouraged Ganulf to murder King Arthur in his court room! The knights argued back, and the argument continued until Aelfwynn realised that Nelda was dissembling. She did not want Ganulf to murder King Arthur. Was she deliberately trying to lose the argument? With that, Nelda vanished, and the feast broke up into arguing and recriminations.
The next morning, Ganulf came to see the three emissaries. He told them that most of the camp had decided to support Morcar and attack Ely. He, however, had been swayed. He and his partner Aelflaed, and a few other followers, would travel with them to meet King Arthur and seek justice from him. They slipped away before anyone noticed they were gone. Deep in the Fens, they met Sir Avain, Sir Balthazar, and Sir Connor, who were still lost. The group was finally reunited, and returned to Ely. Once they reached it, however, a difficult choice was before them. They knew that Morcar intended to lead his band against the town. Ely was on an island in the swamp, and hard to reach by land. However, that meant that its defences were weak, and it was not prepared for raiders from the marsh. Furthermore, with its lord absent, there was no leader. Sir Athelwulf and Aelfwynn rode on to Camelot with Ganulf and his followers, while Sir Avain, Sir Balthazar, Sir Connor and Sir Donna prepared to defend the town. Even though they all knew in their hearts that it was an impossible battle, they could not abandon the people of Ely to certain death.
There was not much time to prepare. Sir Balthazar immediately informed Lady Eliza and Tom of the peril, and an evacuation began. With only narrow causeways connecting the island to the mainland, however, it would not be possible to get everyone out. Sir Balthazar toured the defenses with Tom, and decided to conduct the battle from the manor rather than the cathedral. Sir Connor tried to give an inspiring speech to the men-at-arms, but he was depressed by the prospect of his impending death, and his accent was near-incomprehensible at best: his speech was not as motivational as he had hoped. Sir Avain set oil around the cathedral in an attempt to make a trap for the Saxons. His lack of knowledge of siegecraft and architecture meant that he did not really know how to do this effectively, however. Finally, Sir Donna organised men to build a series of basic barricades. Hopefully some simple defences would help to slow the attackers down.
At dawn, the Saxons came. Clashing their axes against the shield, and outnumbering the defenders nearly four to one, they came screaming into the town. Sir Balthazar met them at the barricades. The fighting was fierce, but Sir Balthazar was struck insensible by a Saxon axe. With his fall, the defenders fled in a rout back to the manor house, taking heavy casualties. The Saxons swarmed into the town, slaughtering all those who had not fled or found shelter within the manor. When they came to destroy the cathedral, however, Sir Connor and Sir Donna were waiting for them there. The oil prepared by Sir Avain was set on fire, limiting the paths of attack. The two knights stood in the door of the church, and slew all who would approach. In the end, the Saxons were forced to abandon their assault upon the cathedral, and they used fire to force Sir Connor and Sir Donna back inside for shelter.
Only the manor house still held out. The Saxons regrouped to attack it, when Sir Avain sallied out from a postern gate on horseback. His goal was to slay Earl Morcar in single combat: with his death, the Saxons might be demoralised. Sir Avain managed to fight his way to Earl Morcar, and he dismounted to challenge him to single combat. The Saxon accepted, but he struck Sir Avain down with a single blow. Sir Donna saw him fall from the church. If they stayed in the church, there was a good chance that Sir Connor and Sir Donna could survive, but Sir Avain, Sir Balthazar, and all the people of the town would surely die. The two knights charged out from the church suicidally, fighting their way to Sir Avain's body before Earl Morcar finished him off. Sir Donna was cleft by many axes and fell, but with her aid, Sir Connor was able to reach Earl Morcar and slay him. The Saxons were furious and pressed fiercely against him: Sir Connor grabbed Sir Avain's body and fled to the manor. To his amazement, he was alive!
The actions of the four brave knights had bought a respite. Sir Connor parleyed with Siegland, the new Saxon leader after Morcar's death, and surrendered to her on the condition that he be allowed to bury the fallen, and that the inhabitants of the manor be allowed to leave unhindered. Such were the casualties that the knights had inflicted upon the attackers that Siegland agreed to Sir Connor's terms. Sir Donna's body was retrieved, and the survivors fled as the Saxons began to burn Ely. Lady Eliza was too ill to be moved: she perished upon the road, as did Sir Avain and Sir Balthazar, whose injuries were too severe. Only a hundred or more of the town's five hundred citizens were still alive, but this was a hundred who lived who would have died had it not been for the heroic sacrifices of four knights. Sir Connor and the refugees were met before long by another lord. The Irish knight explained what had happened, and left the people of Ely there, returning to Salisbury with the bodies of the fallen heroes.
Meanwhile, Sir Athelwulf, Aelfwynn, Ganulf, Aelflaed, and the other Saxons reached Camelot, where they went before King Arthur. The High King accepted their verdict that both sides were to blame. He officially pardoned Ganulf, and offered that Saxons who had sworn fealty to him could be granted rulership of their own lands in the future. He also agreed to tolerate the Wotanic faith if it would work alongside Christian missionaries and achieved greater structure, so that it would no longer be an instrument of rebellion. A leader of the Saxon church would need to be found: had Nelda foreseen this, and was this her true plan? Finally, King Arthur reluctantly agreed to Ganulf's request for a duel of honour against Duke Hervis. The Duke was presently putting down the rebellion in Anglia: without Ganulf or Morcar, the rest of the rebels were easily destroyed. Duke Hervis was then summoned to Camelot to meet Ganulf's challenge, and the older and more experienced knight easily defeated and slew Ganulf, exonerating him from guilt in the eyes of the law. However, King Arthur knew that justice had not been done. He 'rewarded' Duke Hervis with new lands around London, and then required the Duke to never return to Anglia again. In his place, Aelflaed would be appointed Steward of Anglia. It was not a perfect solution, but peace of a kind would finally come to Anglia.
Meanwhile, back at Camelot, word had arrived of Count Uffo's rebellion. Sir Griflet and Sir Gawain, the Marshal and the King's Champion, immediately mustered an army and marched on Silchester. Among the knights were Sir Avain, Sir Balthazar and Sir Connor of Salisbury. The rebellion was suppressed with great haste: those of Count Uffo's men who were Companions of Arthur yielded immediately; many others did not particularly want to be in rebellion; and those that were left fled or surrendered. It did not take very long at all until only the city of Silchester, with Count Uffo in it, was all that remained of the rebellion. The army set up camp outside, reluctant to hurt the citizens through siege or assault, and called for the Count to come forth and face Sir Griflet or Sir Gawain in a duel. The craven Uffo refused, and the army waited for something to happen.
This was the situation when Sir Gaheris arrived in camp. He had abandoned the quest to warn that Silchester was in revolt! Well, that was hardly news now, and Sir Avain doubted that this was his true motive in leaving the quest in the first place. Sir Gaheris bid Sir Balthazar go and reinforce Sir Athelwulf, Sir Donna and Aelfwynn in Anglia, and the three bored knights decided to do so. With the roads now open again, they soon reached Anglia and heard that the three had been last seen heading towards Ely. They reached Ely only a few days behind the others, and met their squires there. Sir Balthazar decided to visit the lord of Ely. but he turned out to be in Norwich with Duke Hervis, leaving his sickly wife Lady Eliza behind. The knights met with the lady, and spoke to her master-at-arms Tom, who agreed to give them a boat and a guide to take them into the Fens. Their guide, Harry, was not very familiar with the twisting marsh, however, and the group soon became hopelessly lost.
In Ganulf's camp, Sir Donna sought out her companions and shared what Nelda had told her. They were all worried, especially by her motives, but decided not to flee. In a few days, Morcar, an ealdorman of Essex, brought his small band of rebels through the Fens to parley with Ganulf. At a feast that night, the two leaders shared stories of injustices suffered, and of their respective deeds to date, before agreeing to unite and attack Ely. At this, Sir Athelwulf spoke: what then? Their rebellion was doomed, and all knew it. Better to cast themselves at King Arthur's mercy and seek justice rather than vengeance. Morcar was furious. Suddenly Nelda appeared, and began to agree with Sir Athelwulf - except that she encouraged Ganulf to murder King Arthur in his court room! The knights argued back, and the argument continued until Aelfwynn realised that Nelda was dissembling. She did not want Ganulf to murder King Arthur. Was she deliberately trying to lose the argument? With that, Nelda vanished, and the feast broke up into arguing and recriminations.
The next morning, Ganulf came to see the three emissaries. He told them that most of the camp had decided to support Morcar and attack Ely. He, however, had been swayed. He and his partner Aelflaed, and a few other followers, would travel with them to meet King Arthur and seek justice from him. They slipped away before anyone noticed they were gone. Deep in the Fens, they met Sir Avain, Sir Balthazar, and Sir Connor, who were still lost. The group was finally reunited, and returned to Ely. Once they reached it, however, a difficult choice was before them. They knew that Morcar intended to lead his band against the town. Ely was on an island in the swamp, and hard to reach by land. However, that meant that its defences were weak, and it was not prepared for raiders from the marsh. Furthermore, with its lord absent, there was no leader. Sir Athelwulf and Aelfwynn rode on to Camelot with Ganulf and his followers, while Sir Avain, Sir Balthazar, Sir Connor and Sir Donna prepared to defend the town. Even though they all knew in their hearts that it was an impossible battle, they could not abandon the people of Ely to certain death.
There was not much time to prepare. Sir Balthazar immediately informed Lady Eliza and Tom of the peril, and an evacuation began. With only narrow causeways connecting the island to the mainland, however, it would not be possible to get everyone out. Sir Balthazar toured the defenses with Tom, and decided to conduct the battle from the manor rather than the cathedral. Sir Connor tried to give an inspiring speech to the men-at-arms, but he was depressed by the prospect of his impending death, and his accent was near-incomprehensible at best: his speech was not as motivational as he had hoped. Sir Avain set oil around the cathedral in an attempt to make a trap for the Saxons. His lack of knowledge of siegecraft and architecture meant that he did not really know how to do this effectively, however. Finally, Sir Donna organised men to build a series of basic barricades. Hopefully some simple defences would help to slow the attackers down.
At dawn, the Saxons came. Clashing their axes against the shield, and outnumbering the defenders nearly four to one, they came screaming into the town. Sir Balthazar met them at the barricades. The fighting was fierce, but Sir Balthazar was struck insensible by a Saxon axe. With his fall, the defenders fled in a rout back to the manor house, taking heavy casualties. The Saxons swarmed into the town, slaughtering all those who had not fled or found shelter within the manor. When they came to destroy the cathedral, however, Sir Connor and Sir Donna were waiting for them there. The oil prepared by Sir Avain was set on fire, limiting the paths of attack. The two knights stood in the door of the church, and slew all who would approach. In the end, the Saxons were forced to abandon their assault upon the cathedral, and they used fire to force Sir Connor and Sir Donna back inside for shelter.
Only the manor house still held out. The Saxons regrouped to attack it, when Sir Avain sallied out from a postern gate on horseback. His goal was to slay Earl Morcar in single combat: with his death, the Saxons might be demoralised. Sir Avain managed to fight his way to Earl Morcar, and he dismounted to challenge him to single combat. The Saxon accepted, but he struck Sir Avain down with a single blow. Sir Donna saw him fall from the church. If they stayed in the church, there was a good chance that Sir Connor and Sir Donna could survive, but Sir Avain, Sir Balthazar, and all the people of the town would surely die. The two knights charged out from the church suicidally, fighting their way to Sir Avain's body before Earl Morcar finished him off. Sir Donna was cleft by many axes and fell, but with her aid, Sir Connor was able to reach Earl Morcar and slay him. The Saxons were furious and pressed fiercely against him: Sir Connor grabbed Sir Avain's body and fled to the manor. To his amazement, he was alive!
The actions of the four brave knights had bought a respite. Sir Connor parleyed with Siegland, the new Saxon leader after Morcar's death, and surrendered to her on the condition that he be allowed to bury the fallen, and that the inhabitants of the manor be allowed to leave unhindered. Such were the casualties that the knights had inflicted upon the attackers that Siegland agreed to Sir Connor's terms. Sir Donna's body was retrieved, and the survivors fled as the Saxons began to burn Ely. Lady Eliza was too ill to be moved: she perished upon the road, as did Sir Avain and Sir Balthazar, whose injuries were too severe. Only a hundred or more of the town's five hundred citizens were still alive, but this was a hundred who lived who would have died had it not been for the heroic sacrifices of four knights. Sir Connor and the refugees were met before long by another lord. The Irish knight explained what had happened, and left the people of Ely there, returning to Salisbury with the bodies of the fallen heroes.
Meanwhile, Sir Athelwulf, Aelfwynn, Ganulf, Aelflaed, and the other Saxons reached Camelot, where they went before King Arthur. The High King accepted their verdict that both sides were to blame. He officially pardoned Ganulf, and offered that Saxons who had sworn fealty to him could be granted rulership of their own lands in the future. He also agreed to tolerate the Wotanic faith if it would work alongside Christian missionaries and achieved greater structure, so that it would no longer be an instrument of rebellion. A leader of the Saxon church would need to be found: had Nelda foreseen this, and was this her true plan? Finally, King Arthur reluctantly agreed to Ganulf's request for a duel of honour against Duke Hervis. The Duke was presently putting down the rebellion in Anglia: without Ganulf or Morcar, the rest of the rebels were easily destroyed. Duke Hervis was then summoned to Camelot to meet Ganulf's challenge, and the older and more experienced knight easily defeated and slew Ganulf, exonerating him from guilt in the eyes of the law. However, King Arthur knew that justice had not been done. He 'rewarded' Duke Hervis with new lands around London, and then required the Duke to never return to Anglia again. In his place, Aelflaed would be appointed Steward of Anglia. It was not a perfect solution, but peace of a kind would finally come to Anglia.
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