The Calling
Chapter 44

“Can anyone else smell apples?” asked Francis as they through the trees.

“Tis known as the Isle of Apples” said Kay as he strode a short distance behind Francis.

Francis paused and looked back at him and frowned, “pardon?”

“The Isle of Apples...” said Bedivere, “is said to be the dwelling of the Lady Nimue, the lady of the lake” he explained as he walked past Francis, “we must continue to move if we are to reach our objective” he urged.

“Yes...yes...” agreed Francis, “can you tell me more about this lady”

“It is said that she dwells on this fabled isle, and holds Excalibur sacred. Her power to deceive is greater than Merlin himself and her will is absolute” He walked alongside Francis as he spoke and occasionally glanced in his direction as the strands of grass whipped up against his legs. “Her deceit lasted into a lustful unity with Merlin and brought Arthur to the point of restitution. Upon his death, it was Arthur’s instructions that Excalibur shoult be return to the Lady”

“But why?” queried Francis, “I don’t understand any of this” he waved around the trees as they pushed their way through the wood. “If the sword was returned then why all of this? And why now?”

“It would appear thoust questions may soon be answered my Lord...” said Bedivere softly as he stopped and stared before them. A large oak tree stood alone in the center of a large clearing, its branches reached out over the smaller trees into the forest as it stood tall and proud towering over the rest of the vegetation around it. Its branches were covered in white and pink blossom, which fell slowly to the floor of the forest, covering the floor in a blanket of petals and bloom. The center of the tree was hollow and through the chiseled bark stepped a woman bathed in a shower of golden rays. Francis gazed at her beauty through the cavalcade of colour and looked at the figure beside him. Bedivere was knelt on one knee at his side, with his head bowed low to the floor in respectful pose toward the approaching woman. He cast a glance behind toward Kay who was in the same pose as Bedivere and looked back at the woman. She was as beautiful in person as she was in his dreams as she floated toward him on an apparent cloud of air. He could see the shadow of water coasting across her body and behind her, lay small pools of water as she slid over the ground. Her hair glistened in the small light from the sky, as the sun shone down within the clearing. Francis frowned and cast his gaze into the sky and could see a beacon of light shining like a column through the trees and over the Lady. Small pearls of water clung to her hair and small rivers of water ran along her arms and fell from the ends of her fingers.

“You are here” she smiled softly as she spoke and gazed at him.

“Well...yes...” said Francis uncertainly. He looked at her unsure what he was doing.

“You are here because you followed the call” she whispered softly. He frowned as she spoke, “I know what you are feeling. Your mind is my mind in many ways and different in other ways. We are connected through your birthright”

“My birthright? you mean through King Arthur?” the Lady nodded and smiled kindly at him as he shook his head, “look...I don’t mean to sound stupid or anything, but how can I be connected to King Arthur? The King Arthur...of the Britons! I mean it’s not like I haven’t heard of him or anything, but I mean...me. I can’t be”

“You can...and you are” she said softly as she walked forward away from the tree. She gently took Francis by the arm and led him away from the tree and further into the woods. He blushed at her touch and his eyes were distracted by her naked body beneath her flowing white robes. “Does my form embarrass you?” she asked innocently.

“No... no...” stammered Francis, “it’s just...I mean...well...”

She laughed and placed her head on his shoulder as they walked through the flowers arm in arm. “Be still” she commanded. Francis obeyed her instructions and remained quiet as they walked. The light seemed to follow them through the forest and the flowers sprouted underfoot as they moved from clearing to clearing, his eyes darting about for any signs of danger. “You are safe here” she commented pausing briefly to look at him.

“How did you...I mean that’s the second time”

“As I said...we are connected” She looked behind them as they continued through the forest, “your comrades are brave men” she said looking at the trailing Bedivere and Kay, “do not take them for granted” her smile faded as she searched the forest for someone, “you are missing someone” she commented.

“Sir Galahad” said Francis gazing at the floor.

“Ah yes, the first to fall”

“There will be others” gasped Francis.

“Another has gone already” the Lady remarked casually as she picked her way through the bluebells and daffodils. “Be sure their deaths are not in vain”

“Can you explain what is this” Francis looked around them, ~“how can you be sure we are safe”

“This is the Isle of Apples” she explained, “my home. It is enchanted and while I am here it does not exist...and yet it exists everywhere”

“I don’t understand”

“I would not expect you to” she smiled cryptically, “do not worry, while you are on the Isle you are safe”

Francis nodded, “can you at least tell me about my connection with King Arthur then?”

The Lady smiled, “The boy Arthur was chosen by divinity not by blood right to lead and protect the Britons by Holy powers against the Saxon hoards. His communion was divine and his chastity proven, by the holiest of ascension his acts were devout and pure and as such he was given the holy blade of Excalibur” she took his arm and continued to walk through the expanding forest of flowers as she talked, “he led the Britons to glory” she said smiling, “and prosperity came to the land, then a serpent soiled the garden and tainted the pure of heart”

“Mordred” whispered Francis.

The Lady shook her head, “Guinevere” she said sadly. “She tempted Arthur with the ways of the flesh and corrupted him through her body. Then came Mordred and his kindred, Morgan. Their machinations of the throne and use age of Lancelot to seduce the Lady Guinevere served to usurp power and the crown.” she sighed and stopped, looking at her feet. “Then came Camlaan”

“That’s where he died” Francis said triumphantly, “I know all of this, well most of it, but why me”

“I am getting to that” she admonished, “The battle was bloody and vicious and there were but seven survivors...” her voice trailed away to the Knights who bore witness to the battle, “the seven took the body and laid the King in an eternal sleep to heal his wounds. But, his wounds were fatal. The Knights never knew and left the King wounded and alone, returning the sword to myself and the scabbard to the Fisher King”

“But where do I fit in?” said Francis impatiently.

She waved him away and moved by herself through the grass and the flowers and Francis watched as streams of pollen rose from the blooms as she glided across the carpet of colour. “The Knights continued their lives, all separate and yet all combined by a single tie...Camlaan. The three observers...myself, Merlin and Morgan were not permitted by the rules of battle to participate through our magical knowledge, lest we influence the tide of war. But Morgan was...is mad with power, and she made a pact with darker forces beyond our control for the crown. It is because of this we are here” she beckoned Francis forward, holding her hand out to him. “Over the centuries that tie us, people were born and people died and through it all the bloodline remained strong...and yet...” she stopped and searched him with her eyes. “you are the last”

“The last?”

The Lady nodded, “the last of the line Pendragon. You have no heirs?” Francis shook his head, “and no kin” again he shook his head.

“No... just me and mum” he admitted.

“Then it is you” she breathed and smiled, “you are the last in the line of Pendragon. The last of Arthur’s loin” she reached forward with her hand sand grasped his. Francis could feel a glow run through his body as she looked at him. “It must be you”

“Yes, but for what?” he insisted.

“You must save us all” she smiled and released his hands turning and walking through the flowers.