Reclaiming England. (Nano Novel 2016)

Chapter Nine: An Old Friend

       

Sir Gwaine stood before Arthur, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Let me face him. I will avenge my brothers," he said.

"Gwaine, I cannot let you!" Arthur sighed, shaking his head. "You will regret your actions."

"No. I must avenge my brothers. Lancelot doesn't regret killing them!" the knight hissed.

Arthur sighed, lifting himself from the chair he sat in.

"I cannot stop you?" he asked. Sir Gwaine nodded.

"You cannot stop me. I shall kill the traitor." And he left the tent. Arthur watched him go, his heart heavy. His knights were turning on each other, attacking each other. Those who were brothers now hated his shield brother.

There was nothing he could do; Gwaine would not be persuaded to leave Lancelot until he had his revenge.

Exiting the tent, he saw Sir Gwaine standing before Lancelot's city, his sword in his hand and his helmet firm on his head.

"Lancelot! Traitor! Come and fight me! I challenge you!" he shouted. There was silence from the city for a long while, before Lancelot appeared over the battlements.

"Come out and fight fair, or would you prefer to strike me down weapon less like you did my brothers!" Gwaine shouted.

Lancelot was quiet a long time, and Gwaine paced in anger. Arthur watched from the tents, wanting to intervene but knowing he would not be able to stop the fight.

"I did not mean to kill Gareth and Gaheris," Lancelot responded.

"But you did! You killed my brothers and I am honour bound to avenge them – traitor!"

"I do not wish to fight you, brother ," Lancelot called down.

"You are no kin of mine!" Gwaine shouted. "Now fight me!"

With a long sigh, Lancelot nodded.

"Very well, I see that I cannot persuade you otherwise." And he vanished behind the wall.

Arthur closed his eyes – he had hoped Lancelot would refuse Gwaine's challenge. But it was not so, and now his two good friends would fight – perhaps to the death.

The Glastonbury Underground was much smaller than the London – only about twenty people. They all lived together in a large building, a little out of town. Maria was at first surprised that they were so close together, until Mark explained that there was a very small America presence in the town, and they could survive better if they were together.

The people seemed glad to see Arthur, and piled him with questions. There were those who didn't believe that he actually was the Arthur from the legends, those that who were sure the bones in the abbey just a few miles away were the bones of the Once and Future King.

But even so, Arthur had stood up against the Americans – in public. It gave them hope, just as Maria predicted. And – like Maria predicted – photos of Arthur holding the sword went viral for a few hours before they were taken down.

Maria and her friends decided to stay the day at Glastonbury, getting to know people and taking about joining up with the London Underground – even twenty people could make a difference.

At the dinner meal, while Arthur was talking with some of the high-ranking people, Maria and the others joined the rest of the Underground for the meal. They all ate in a large mess hall, long tables set out around the room.