510: Oh Joyous Year part 2

Sir Padern here

When Edar finished the hoohaw he and the other lords in King Nanteliod's army do and came back to our campfires, he looked distressed. We all did, once he told us that the king had died on the battlefield. Edar took us home to Leicester to assess our next move. It wasn't looking too good: we kept getting reports of the usurper conquering more and more kingdoms and counties, and with Nanteliod out of the way King Lot was maneuvering for the high kingship—and squeezing Edar something fierce! He asked all of us, the experienced knights under his command and his boon companions too, our opinion. Everyone had a different mind.

But then Sir Brastius, Iron Man of Britain, came to court and spoke with us on behalf of this boy king. The word of Brastius carries a lot of weight with all Lindseymen, and those of us Candlebees who misadventured in Cornwall back in the day. (Heh! It was pleasing to me to recount for Brandegoris and Bledri how a very young Edar had skewered one of Brastius's men on his lance like a meat kebob.) So at the urging of Brastius and we knights of Leicester, Edar travelled to the court of this new king to see and speak with him that he might form his own opinion of him as a man and liege.

The meeting went well, and soon we were marching in this boy king's army to fight against Lot, our erstwhile ally, in a clash of wills in the kingdom of Bedegraine. My, but we Candlebees were on fire! Under Edar's command we cut through enemy lines, soon reaching the knight commanding Lot's forces on the field! He was surrounded by a tough-looking lot of Pictish bodyguards, but we engaged them nonetheless. As we hacked our way through their members I could see out of the corner of my eye Sir Gwalchmai drawing up on the commander. But then I felt a searing pain down my spine; I think one of those damn Pict "knights" got me from behind. I managed to stay on my horse after the initial blow, but then felt myself sliding to the ground and looking up at the battle raging around me. At least it didn't hurt any more.

Sir Brandegoris here

While fighting the ambitious King Lot of Lothian my good friend and the best knight of Leicester fell to a treacherous Pict. Of all the great battles and the tough opponents we have faced in the past it was a PICT which took Sir Paderns life. I have developed quite a hatred for them. They are like a locust plague, and a blight upon our lands. The fact that Lot uses them in battle speaks volumes about his dishonor, and so I hate him as much as I hate that damnable centurion king!

The only positive thing to report is that even though Sir Gwalchmai has been erranting for quite sometime, he is no doubt the most skilled fighter in christendom. He slew not one but two commanders and turned the tide of battle all by himself. Also, Sir Bledri is really coming around as a warrior as well and really starting to blossom. Eddie the third shows a good skill at arms but more than anything he learned good practicality and sense from Padern and he daily exhibits it. He will be one to keep an eye on.

I'm 38 years old now, but I feel much older. Edar himself is the last original Candlebee. I built a Tomb for my Lord Padern in a Saxon-free Lincoln as he always wanted. I swore fealty to Derfel Count of Lindsey and he gave me a po dunk little manor in return. He is young, but I'm not sure that that is an excuse for his ingratitude to me. Time will tell if this situation improves. Last year's battles and plunder, coupled with the ransoming of my captive, gave me more than enough libra to build Padern's Tomb and to begin a large stone tower at Tilton. After last years Pictish raiding I feel that Tilton needs to upgrade its defenses. I will hope the tower is completed and that Tilton's reputation as cursed proves to be a false one. If it works out I might also build a pallisade and ditch and rampart. We will see. Padern would have approved. Lot will pay. I promised Padern that much at his burial. Father Merle offered to bless my towers construction and I allowed it. He says that if my tower is completed that I should show my appreciation to God by again attending mass regularly. I said that I would consider it. We will see.

I'm not sure what the future hold...except more battle. I hope this boy-king Arthur is all that Brastius believes him to be.