Conquest Epilogue

Epilogue

Sir Percival sheathed his sword. The battle was over but he had more to do.

Acrid smoke and the stink of blood and death weren’t foreign to Percival but they were smells he never got used to. He ignored the stomach churning stench and moved from the campfire he shared with several fellow knights and went to the outer rim of the town where the dragons were kept. He pulled, as carefully as he could, the wagon that he’d had one of his servants bring from Camelot.

Kilgarrah and Allegra sat close together. She had her head on his forearms. They both looked exhausted but the tufts of bloody wool that littered their area told Percival they’d been well fed after the battle.

“Allegra.”

Her eyes snapped open. Her head loomed high above him.

“You!” she hissed.

“I come in peace with good tidings,” Percival said.

“You have nothing to say that I want to hear!”

“I bring you a gift.”

She started to object but Kilgarrah urged her to silence.

“Say what you came to say and then leave,” Kilgarrah ordered.

Percival moved behind the wagon and then stood to face the dragons.

“I was ordered to destroy all dragon eggs that I encountered. I destroyed the first three that I found.”

“Liar! There were nine eggs. You destroyed them all!” Allegra shouted. A sound of tortured loss escaped her. Percival even thought he saw a tear spill from the corner of her eye.

“I destroyed three. I was overcome with remorse. I knew what I’d done was wrong. I couldn’t continue. It was the one time I couldn’t bring myself to obey my king, so I hid the remaining six eggs and took them home where they would be safe. I knew if I was discovered I would lose my head as a traitor and my family name would forever be dishonored.”

“What are you saying?” Kilgarrah demanded. He stood to his feet and gazed into Percival’s eyes.

“All is not lost,” Percival said.

He pulled back the cloth on the wagon to reveal six teardrop-shaped eggs. Most were green or red, one was blue and one was white.

All the remaining dragons reared their heads and roared into the sky. The sound shook the earth beneath Percival and even he, a brave knight, felt faint of heart.

The roars were not of anger or sadness, however. They were of joy.

“What is this?”

Merlin had arrived. He rushed forward and looked up at his dragons.

“All is not lost!” Allegra shouted. “There are six eggs remaining!”

Merlin came to stand beside Percival. He looked down at the eggs and then over at Percival.

“How?”

“I couldn’t bring myself to destroy all of them. I saved these and have kept them hidden and safe at my home in Camelot. Allegra,” Percival said, facing Kilgarrah’s mate. “I don’t expect you to forgive me for the sins I’ve committed against you and your kind. I just hope that someday you’ll understand why I did what I did. I hope someday you’ll know how deeply sorry I am for the pain I’ve caused you. I offer myself up to you. My life is yours to take or spare.”

“Percival,” Merlin said gravely. “Are you sure of what you’re saying? I cannot protect you if you--”

“I don’t want protection. I want Allegra to know peace.”

He stood before her and lifted his arms. He waited for his world to end in a blast of fire from the dragon’s nostrils. After a few moments, when that didn’t happen, he opened his eyes.

“Leave,” Allegra said. “I wish to never see you again if it is at all possible.”

He nodded. He couldn’t deny his relief. He’d expected her to take revenge. “Thank you.”

He walked away, leaving Merlin and the dragons with the last of their kind.

*****

With a cry and a final thrust, Arthur spent himself inside Guinevere. He collapsed beside her and lay with their sweat slicked limbs entangled upon the furs of her bed. They struggled to catch their breath and listened to the howling of the wind outside their window.

“Did you hear? Merlin is calling forth the new dragons tomorrow, after he signs the peace treaty.”

“I heard,” Arthur said tiredly. He rested a hand over one of her breasts and lazily thumbed a taut nipple.

“Arthur, after the treaty is signed father wishes to return home. Will I ever see you again?”

He leaned up on one elbow and looked down at Guinevere. She was beautiful, especially with a sweat moistened brow. He loved to look into her gentle eyes. He longed for the moments when he could press his lips to hers.

“I want to ask your father for your hand in marriage tomorrow. Before I do that, would you consent to--”

“Yes. I’ll marry you. I’ll happily marry you, Arthur,” she said quickly.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too.”

*****

The signing of the peace treaty was held outside in the courtyard. It was a windy day with chilly gusts under a mostly sunny sky. A few wispy clouds moved by overhead but for the most part the day was bright and sunny.

A magnificent round table that King Thomas had made for the signing of the treaty was occupied by only Arthur, Minerva, and Thomas. Everyone else had gathered round to witness the official end to the war.

“With the signing of this treaty comes the end of the war. Never again will we raise arms in battle against one another,” King Thomas declared. “Are you in agreement, King Arthur?”

“I am, King Thomas. Never again will our people meet in battle. Peace shall reign between us for as long as I am King of Camelot.”

Thomas signed his name. Guinevere took the parchment and a quill to Arthur. He signed below Thomas’s name. As soon as quill left parchment the many people who gathered to watch the signing broke into applause.

“There is one other matter I wish to discuss,” Arthur said. He took Guinevere’s hand in his.

“Indeed?” asked Thomas. He didn’t look very surprised by the familiarity with which Arthur held Guinevere’s hand.

“I would like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage, My Lord.”

“A marriage would be good security for the treaty,” Thomas agreed.

“I don’t wish to marry her for security. I wish to marry her for love,” Arthur clarified.

Thomas looked to Minerva. “What say you, my love?”

Minerva smiled and laced her fingers with Thomas. “I say I couldn’t think of anyone I’d rather have a son-in-law than Arthur. He’s proven himself to be a man of honor. He would make a great husband to our daughter.”

Thomas stood and approached Arthur. Everyone gathered around waited with baited breath. After awhile, Thomas offered his arm, which Arthur shook.

“Granted. You may marry my daughter.”

New cheers erupted around the crowd. Arthur wrapped his arm around Guinevere.

“This round table has been in my family for generations. I offer it now to you, Arthur, as a wedding gift. May it serve you and your family for generations to come.”

“I’m honored,” Arthur said with a bow.

“Come! Let us witness the birthing of the new dragons!”

Arthur wrapped his arms around Guinevere and smiled down at her.

“After we watch the birthing of the new dragons, what do you say we disappear into the wood?” Arthur asked.

“Why on earth for?” Guinevere queried with false innocence.

“So I can take merciless advantage of you, the scoundrel that I am.”

Guinevere laughed and kissed him. “I can’t wait to begin our lives together.”

“I daresay we’ve already begun.”

He kissed her softly and, at the pointed clearing of Queen Minerva’s throat, took her hand and followed his new family to the rim of the village to watch the birth of six new dragons. 

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