The Calling
Chapter 43

“Land” whispered Francis as the boat rocked up on the shoreline. He looked back and across the water and felt a tinge of guilt over his actions coupled with the remorse of their fallen comrade. The rest of the journey had been tense with none of the occupants of the boat speaking and Francis knew his actions over the sirens had led to this. His weakness had endangered all of their lives and Francis sighed inwardly, resound in the promise largely to himself that he would not place anyone in danger again. He watched in silence as Lord Kay leapt from the front of the boat into the sea. Water splashed up against his armoured legs and he thrust his way through the shallow water, his hands gripping firmly on the front of the boat as he hauled it through the waves and up onto land. He stared over the land at Bedivere stood upon the shoreline looking over the rolling dunes and up onto land.

“What does thoust see?” called Kay as he hauled the boat upon the sand bank.

“Nothing but mist...” said Bedivere softly as he peered over the landscape. Lord Kay discarded the boat and walked over the beach to join Bedivere amidst the sand grass.

“Do we trust the boy?” asked Kay glancing back over his shoulder toward Francis who was struggling to climb out of the boat.

“He has much to prove and a long path to travel” said Bedivere following his gaze. He placed a hand on his comrade’s shoulder and smiled waving down the beach as Francis stumbled in the water, “remember how Arthur was when he took the throne”

Kay laughed, “Aye, your counsel is sound as always my Lord” he said, “Arthur was an idiot was he not” he laughed again.

“He too lacked the wisdom of age when he took to the throne, as does the boy” he looked down at Francis who was climbing up the dunes toward them. “It is our duty as Knight Royal to guide the boy to greatness”

“Which way boy” demanded Kay as Francis stopped before them.

Francis narrowed his eyes, he couldn’t blame Lord Kay for his attitude toward him he considered. He had just seen his friend die before them, then he had led them almost to their own deaths, so why shouldn’t he act this way. Francis surmised that he would probably have reacted in much the same way. He listened to the voice in his mind as it played on the breeze and turned his head inland. “This way...” he said softly pointing toward a small crop of trees.

“Then lead us and we shall follow thee” said Kay, resigned to his fate.

“Mordred!” snapped Morgan as she stormed into the dungeon area of the castle.

“Leave me” he whispered softly as he stood half naked above Gwen.

“Mordred...leave the girl” she said her tone softening

“I told thee Morgan, that I would have my fun. Now leave me to my pleasure” his voice was quiet, but full of menace toward her.

“If that girl has been harmed...or touched in any way” she stalked forward into the chamber, watching Mordred’s naked buttocks intently.

“I have not touched her yet, but if thine will leave I will soon remedy that fact” he said pushing her legs open and moving slowly between her thighs, stroking the inside of her legs with his hand. “She will enjoy my pleasure” he purred, “or die in my ecstasy, but I shall taste her” he licked his lips and moved his hands over her breasts, squeezing her fleshy mounds tightly in his sweaty paws.

Morgan moved close to him and gazed over his shoulder, looking down toward his groin, “Tis smaller than I remember” she teased smiling.

“Be thee gone!” snapped Mordred. “I have business to attend”

Morgan ran her fingers through Mordred’s hair and tightened her grip on his black mane, “I told thee, the girl must not be harmed” she whispered in his ear and with her free hand she reached around his waist and firmly grasped his testicles, her fingers toying with the tender objects in her hand. She squeezed and smiled as he doubled over with the sudden sharp pain running through his groin and sending an intense agony up through his body. “If thoust does harm her in any way, I shall be sure to rip these from thine body and feed them to yon crows” she whispered through smiling teeth. “I have had your pleasure before remember, and I do not recall it being a pleasant experience” she released her grip and watched him drop to the floor gripping at his groin as a fire welled up through his groin. “Full of sweating and noise as I recall, and over within minutes” she smiled and stepped over Mordred’s writhing body and reached forward toward Gwen offering her hand for the girl to take, “do not flatter thine ability to pleasure a woman” she said over her shoulder, “for thine own inadequacy”

Gwen stared at her hand and attempted to cover her semi-naked body from the gaze of the older woman. “Are thoust hurt?” Morgan asked. Gwen shook her head as she lay amidst the hay, her hands covering her groin and breasts. “Whilst thee are under this roof, thee are under my protection” Morgan said softly, “now dress thyself. The cold bites and the eyes of those here are offensive” Gwen pulled at her knickers and jodhpurs pulling them up over her knees and around her waist, then pulled her bra down before reaching for her top and pulling it over her head she listened as Morgan spoke, “Your clothing is strange” she commented, “the fabric is harsh and ungainly, but I sense they are comfortable are they not?” Gwen nodded and wiped her nose and mouth with the back of her hand. “Have thee lost thine tongue?” said Morgan amused at the girl’s refusal to speak, “do not fear me, you need only fear, fear itself...and there is naught be too scared of within these walls” Gwen glanced at Mordred who was pulling himself up onto his hands and knees and Morgan followed her gaze and laughed, “do not fear Mordred” she said, “he shall not harm thee, will thee Nephew”

Mordred shook his head slowly, “Nay” he whispered softly as he adjusted his own clothing.

Morgan held her hand out toward Gwen and smiled warmly at the girl, “Now then...” she started, “what madness is this?” her eyes flicked over toward Percival and Tristan, battered and close to death from their wounds.

“We sought to discover their goal” said Mordred, “loosen their tongue to make them squeal”

“And thee would do that by half killing them, then taking thy own pleasure” she chided him, “We know why they are here, I thought that would be obvious, even to one such as yourself” the force of the insult toward Mordred was not lost on the Knight, nor anyone else in the room. “They are here for her...” Morgan’s eyes strayed back to the girl who still hovered by the wall, her arms wrapped closely around her chest. “They are under orders to protect and save her” she laughed and looked at the two Knights, “thoust have done a good service to your King!” she goaded. “Now girl!” she snapped staring at Gwen, “take my hand, I wish to walk in the moonlight”

Gwen reached out and tentatively took the older woman’s hand and allowed herself to be led from the darkened room. She glanced back into the room as she left and her eyes strayed to the figure of Mordred who stood stock still in the center of the room, his hand still hovering over his groin and a look of pure hate and seething cross his face.