Ch. 7 – Aftermath

“How many wounded?” Bedivere demanded.

“A few dozen, and several dozen more killed. Most of our casualties were here in the outer courtyard. They breached the inner courtyard, but were driven back out here. Merlin is tending to the survivors as we speak.”

“Sir Bedivere!”

Turning he saw his friend running up. “Sir Kay, what did you find?”

“You had best come have a look at this.”

Bedivere followed the knight into the nearby guardhouse, gasping at seeing the remains of his fallen friend.

“Sir Gawain…”

“When we arrived, His Highness saw Mordred and his mother running from this building. I can only assume that he is the one who did Sir Gawain in,” Kay said.

“Sir Bedivere! Sir Kay!”

The men turned to find their fellow knight entering the guardhouse.

“Sir Lancelot… it seems we have lost one more Knight of the Round Table,” Kay said.

“Sir Gawain, you courageous fool,” Lancelot said, kneeling beside his friend’s remains. “He… swung down on a rope from the second level, assaulted Mordred and two of his men on his own, all to lower the drawbridge for His Highness. I tried to convince him to allow me to help but…”

“Your leadership was needed to keep the enemy forces contained,” Bedivere nodded. “He was a good man, better than most. He shall be dearly missed.”

“Aye.” Lancelot turned to Kay. “Sir Kay, it is my hated duty to inform you that… we have lost another of our members besides Sir Gawain.”

“Wh… what are you saying?”

*****

“Easy man, lie still,” Merlin coaxed.

“Aye… it just hurts…”

Merlin moved his hand over the injured soldier’s body, focusing on the wounds he had received. The progress was a bit slow, but soon he had managed to stop the bleeding and help the man’s body to heal itself more quickly. So it went in the aftermath of any battle like this one. He always prioritized the most dire cases first, but there was never enough time to save all the wounded.

“Merlin.”

The old man looked up, seeing the source of the voice. “Arthur, I am glad to see you have returned safely.”

“It pleases me as well to see you unharmed, old friend,” Arthur replied.

Greeting him with a hug, Merlin said, “I have done what I can for our wounded. Many were hurt, more than I care to count, but I am no fool. It could have been far worse.”

“Yes… I saw my bastard son and his mother fleeing the battle. Clearly, Mordred led this attack, but what of Morgan le Fay? What do you know of her involvement in this?” Arthur asked.

“Hmm… I am unsure of how much I know for certain, but there is a great deal that I suspect. Speak with your men for a while, Arthur. When you are done, find me in David’s chambers. Perhaps by then I will have confirmed my suspicion.”

“Very well.”

“Arthur!!!”

“Kay? What is it? What troubles you?” Arthur asked, seeing his brother approach.

“Sir Lancelot… he has just told me… Father has been slain…” Kay heaved.

“What?! Where?!”

“In the entry hall of the tower.”

“With me!” Arthur said, jogging towards the tower. “You mentioned Sir Lancelot informed you of this. What of Sir Gawain?”

“Dead. He… assailed Mordred in the guardhouse, held him off long enough to lower the drawbridge for us. He gave his life to allow us passage.”

“Christ… when I see Mordred again, may God have mercy on me for what I will do to him.”

“Only if I do not get there first,” Kay agreed.

By this time, the pair had arrived at the entrance to the central tower. On the other side of the doors, both lowered their heads at seeing the fallen body of Sir Ector. Judging by the hole in his torso, it was clear he had been run through with a spear. Choking back a tear, Arthur knelt down next to the man who had taken him in all those many years ago.

“I know that… I am the son of Uther Pendragon. But you, Sir Ector, are the man who raised me. You brought me into your home, taught me right and wrong, helped me become a man. In this moment, bloodlines mean nothing to me. You will always be… my father.”

With a heavy sigh, Arthur closed Ector’s eyelids, at last allowing him to rest peacefully. He stood and turned to his brother.

“Send out your scouts. I want to know where Mordred is and what he is planning. He must be made to pay for this, Kay.”

“My brother, it shall be my great pleasure.”

*****

“Madeleine, are you there?” Dave asked from his balcony.

“David! Thank the Lord you are unharmed!” she replied, rushing to her balcony.

“Are you safe? Did anyone come for you?”

“No all was quiet. I do not think Mordred’s men ever made it this far into the castle. I am uncertain what they hoped to accomplish in all this.”

“Merlin has a theory. He should be here before long. Here, let me undo the enchantment on your door.”

A quick levitation over to Madeleine’s room, and Dave disabled the magical protection on her door. Breathing a sigh of relief, he took Madeleine in his arms, holding her close for several long moments.

“You should go, lest we are discovered,” Madeleine whispered.

“Of course,” Dave sighed.

After a final kiss, he returned to his balcony. As soon as he entered his room, a knock came at his door.

“Come in.”

“David,” Merlin greeted him. “If you will fetch your Incantus.”

The two men took a seat at a small, circular table in the corner of the room, the large book resting between them. Merlin began to flip through the pages, finally landing somewhere in the latter half of the book.

“Ah, here we are…”

“What are we looking for?” Dave asked.

“The spell Morgan le Fay used on me before your timely arrival.”

“Let me see… the leech spell?”

“Indeed. She said that she learned of it on a journey across the seas.”

“But if she learned it across the seas, why is it in the Incantus?”

Merlin grinned. “The Incantus is made of a special sort of sorcery, one that allows it a certain degree of self-awareness. It is able to detect when a new and unknown spell is used on its owner. As this Incantus was once mine, it now knows of the spell Morgan attempted to use against me.”

“Hmm… it says here that the leech spell is one that causes a sorcerer’s power and life force to be drained into the caster of the spell. It first requires that the victim be either immobilized or knocked unconscious. Then, the user must focus on the victim’s channel, drawing their power out of them through the channel.”

“Indeed,” said Merlin. “It was a most dreadful sensation. She was attempting to kill me from the inside out.”

“So her purpose was to increase her own power exponentially while eliminating her strongest rival at the same time,” Dave surmised.

“Precisely. Accomplishing those two goals would have allowed her to be an open combatant in Mordred’s war against Camelot.”

“Why? What is preventing her from doing so in any case?”

“Me,” Merlin said simply. “Morgan le Fay knows that if she were to enter the war so openly, I would have no choice but to do the same. While she may have youth, I have experience. When backed by Arthur’s forces, she knows that I would be superior to her on the field of battle.”

“Meaning she had to eliminate you in single combat, where she would have a greater chance of success.”

“Indeed, and make no mistake, she quite nearly did.”

“So what changes now that she has failed in this?” Dave wondered.

“If I know Mordred, he has been using his raider tactics as his mother’s request, as this allowed them to remain undetected until they could strike at Camelot and attempt to accomplish her goals. But now, I would not be surprised if he decides to engage Camelot in open warfare.”

“If he does not, I shall,” said Arthur as he entered the room.

“Arthur? What troubles you?” Merlin asked, seeing the twisted look on his friend’s face.

“My father and Sir Gawain have been slain,” Arthur sighed. “I now realize that Mordred is a man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. He will not rest until he takes Camelot for his own. As soon as Sir Kay’s scouts track down his location, I am bringing the battle to him.”

“I understand your sentiments, Arthur, but be wary of your emotions. As close as you were to Sir Ector and Sir Gawain, Mordred may well be expecting some rash action in reply. Be careful you do not fall into a trap,” Merlin cautioned. “This entire battle was one great deception in and of itself. David and I have uncovered what we believe to be their true goal in the battle tonight.”

“I am well aware of his devious nature,” Arthur huffed. “I am convening the Knights of the Round Table in twenty minutes, and I request the two of you attend as well. You can present your findings there. If you will excuse me, I must make preparations.”

As Arthur slammed the door behind him, Dave asked Merlin, “Has he ever been this upset before? It does not seem in his character.”

“It is a rare sight to behold, this much is certain. Even in retreat, Mordred has managed to strike at the heart of Camelot, attacking those most dear to Arthur. I pray that I shall be able to calm him during our campaign against Mordred.”

“Campaign? You plan to go with him?” Dave asked.

“I must. Should they encounter Morgan le Fay, I am their only hope of survival.”

“But what of my training? How will I continue to learn sorcery?”

“I believe you have learned enough to study the Incantus on your own time, learning what you are able to in my absence.” Merlin waved a hand over the book, continuing, “I have enchanted your Incantus to aid you. Spells that you should have little difficulty mastering on your own shall appear as green text. Those that may require my assistance, yet pose no danger to you shall appear as blue. Finally, spells that are forbidden for you to attempt without me shall appear as red. Under no circumstances are you to touch those spells; I shall tell you when the time is right for them.”

“I assume traveling through time is a red spell?” Dave asked with a smirk.

“The reddest of the red!” Merlin fired back with a slight laugh. “I cannot have my best pupil lose his body across space and time by accident!”

“Ah… so it will be fine if I lose my body across space and time on purpose!”

Merlin stood, drying the tears from his raucous laughter. “My boy… I have not laughed like that in ages! In any case, I shall return to Camelot with some regularity, as distance is nothing to me with the teleportation spell. In those times, we shall attempt some of the more difficult spells together. Ah, but it is nearly time for us to join Arthur. Shall we?”

“If you would go on ahead. I just want to change into some clean clothes first,” Dave said.

“Very well.” As Merlin opened the door, he added with a grin, “By the way, impressive use of the forget-me-knob spell.”

“Wait… what?” Dave replied, but Merlin was already gone.

*****

“May God the Almighty grant us the wisdom to discover the right, the will to choose it over all else, and the power to help it endure. Amen.”

The four men took their seats at the table.

“My friends, we come together in dark and trying times,” Arthur began. “Two of our fellows have been slain tonight, Sir Gawain and Sir Ector. Such an assault cannot go unanswered. Once Sir Kay’s scouts return, we shall bring the fight to Mordred and end this war once and for all.”

The room rumbled as the knights pounded their fists on the table in approval.

“An excellent plan, Your Highness,” Lancelot said. “Mordred’s forces took significant losses in this battle. I estimate they are at half strength at best, and I doubt they would be able to defend against a direct assault from the full armies of Camelot.”

“I agree. Thus, I have sent word for all troops out in the kingdom attempting to defend our smaller towns to assemble here. Mordred is a man who only understands strength and might. If that is what he wishes, that is what we shall give him.”

“Sir Lancelot, your statement that Mordred has lost half his men does beg an interesting question. What was his purpose in attacking Camelot like this? What could prompt such a decision, given the losses he knew he would most likely receive?” Bedivere asked.

“I believe we can answer that,” said Merlin, entering the room with Dave.

“Ah, there you are, old friend,” Arthur said. “Merlin and David have information that I believe to be vital to our success.”

“What information is that?” Lancelot inquired.

“This battle was merely a diversion,” Merlin began. “Mordred and his men were attempting to distract from their true purpose in attacking Camelot: me.”

“You? Why you?” Arthur asked.

“While Mordred’s forces occupied the attentions of the soldiers outside, Morgan le Fay snuck into the castle and attacked me in my chambers. Her goal was to eliminate me and take my power for herself, thus giving her the ability to become an open combatant against Camelot.”

“Forgive me, but I do not understand,” Kay said. “Why would she not already be an open combatant against Camelot?”

“In all the reports we have received of Mordred’s raids on the outlying towns and villages, not once have we been told of an attack using sorcery,” Merlin explained. “Such a report would have caused me to investigate personally. This is not something Morgan le Fay would have wanted, as I would have been superior to her when backed by Camelot’s armies. She had to bide her time until she could attempt to eliminate me in single combat. She did fail in this goal, thanks to the arrival of my apprentice.”

“Is it safe to assume that she is now an open combatant in any case?” Arthur asked.

“Most likely. I believe she will still look for an opportunity to get me alone and take me out, but this will be exceedingly difficult with the presence of your armies,” Merlin replied.

“Very well. We ride as soon as Sir Kay’s scouts return with Mordred’s location. At that time, Sir Bedivere shall remain here in charge of Camelot,” said Arthur.

“Your Highness, there is one more thing,” Dave chimed in.

“What is that, David?”

“This is something that I have only begun to understand, but according to history and all the texts and legends of Camelot… this battle never happened.”

“Never happened? What does he mean?” Arthur asked Merlin.

“I am unsure; this is the first I am hearing of this.”

“Allow me to explain,” Dave said. “According to everything I know about the war between Mordred and Camelot, Mordred never came close to breaching the walls of Camelot until the very end of the war. With this battle today, that has changed dramatically. In addition, were there ever an epic duel between Merlin and Morgan le Fay, such an event would certainly have been told of in legend. But as the duel in question has not appeared in any of the legends from my time…”

“It is reasonable to conclude that the duel should not have occurred!” Merlin realized.

“Exactly. This means, as best as I can surmise, that history is beginning to deviate further from its intended path. More troubling still, this may not be in any way related to my presence.”

“How can all this not be related to your presence?” Lancelot asked warily.

“Because Merlin and I still have not discovered who has brought me here and for what purpose. Clearly there is a more powerful force at work here than even Merlin himself, and we still do not know if that force is malevolent or benevolent,” Dave replied.

“All the same, we must react with effective measures to these events, even if history is beginning to deviate,” Arthur said.

“I agree, but I do have one request to make that may help in getting history back on the path it needs to be on,” Dave said.

“And that is?”

“When you are off to war against Mordred, Sir Lancelot must remain here in charge of Camelot.”

Arthur rubbed his chin, pondering this request. “I am not keen on someone else overriding my decisions. Besides, I may well need Sir Lancelot on the field of battle.”

“I understand, Your Highness, but it is imperative that Sir Lancelot remain here.”

“May I ask why?”

“Apologies, but I cannot reveal the reason, as it would amount to revealing something vital of the future of Camelot,” Dave replied.

“But you already revealed that Mordred would attack Camelot at the end of the war!” Lancelot interrupted.

“Yes, because it was necessary to illustrate that history is deviating, and even so, that event could eventually happen all the same. Even though certain events have changed, I believe it is still possible to put history back on its intended path. If you will trust what I am telling you, I can help with that.”

“And in order to begin to right the ship, Lancelot must remain here in Camelot?” Arthur asked.

“Yes. It is absolutely essential.”

“Hmm… what do you think, Merlin?”

“Everything David has said makes perfect sense to me. As well, I have some powers of premonition, and as David was speaking, I was able to catch a glimpse of the future of which he speaks. He tells the truth. I agree with him in placing Sir Lancelot in charge of Camelot.”

Arthur nodded. “On your word, old friend, I shall trust him. Sir Lancelot shall have command of Camelot once we set out after Mordred. Sir Kay, when are your scouts due back?”

“They are not to return in full until they have found Mordred, but if no trace is discovered by the end of the week, at least one shall report in to deliver the update to me.”

“Very well,” said Arthur. “Sir Kay shall keep me informed of any news. Unless you hear otherwise, we shall ride at the end of the week. Dismissed.”

“Merlin, may we speak in private?” Dave asked.

“Of course, in my chambers.”

As the group filed out of the room, Lancelot approached Arthur.

“Sire… I shall truly miss the thrill of battle.”

“I know, my friend. I pray we shall not need your strength.”

“I must wonder how wise it is to put so much faith in David’s mysterious assurances. Are we certain he is not attempting to undermine Camelot?” Lancelot asked.

“I am worried about that myself, but Merlin trusts him implicitly. That speaks volumes in my mind. Besides, David’s concern is not as small and petty as Camelot or Mordred. No, his concern is for history itself. History must be set back on its intended path, or he could risk changing something that results in him never being born. We may not know the future outcome of all this, but whatever it may be, David shall endeavor to make it happen. He must, for his own sake.”

“Very well. Be assured that I shall keep Camelot safe in your absence, and most especially Queen Guinevere. I feel you should know that there was an incident in her chambers during the battle.”

“Oh?”

“A pair of Mordred’s soldiers broke off and went after her. I arrived just as they were attempting to ravage her. I managed to stop them, but I do worry that she may be a target again in the future.”

Arthur grinned, “Sir Lancelot, I now have no doubt about my decision. It is good to leave you in charge here. You are strong and relentless; such traits will undoubtedly keep Camelot and my wife safe from all invading forces.”

*****

“What did you wish to speak of, David?” Merlin asked as they arrived in his chambers.

“Something you said earlier. How did you know about the forget-me-knob spell I cast?”

Merlin chuckled. “David, I am a master sorcerer. Every sort of magic leaves behind some form of residue. Detecting this on the doors to yours and Madeleine’s chambers was child’s play for me.”

“I see. Be assured, it was only a precautionary measure once I learned of the attack on Camelot,” Dave said.

“Really? By my estimations, the magical protections on your doors had been in effect for some time, perhaps since this morning. Surely you did not know at that point that Camelot would come under attack?” Merlin replied with a knowing grin.

“I… I-I am unsure of what you mean,” Dave stammered.

“David, I am no fool. The forget-me-knob spell is a brilliant means to hide the fact that you have begun a relationship with Madeleine.”

“You… you know? How?”

“Premonition, remember? From the moment you first told me you were not of this time, I was able to glimpse a bit of the future. The details eluded me, but it was clear that your fate and Madeleine’s were closely intertwined. I assumed it would only be a matter of time before you began a relationship with her.”

“I see… I suppose you will tell Arthur of this.”

“I might. But first, I wish to know of your intentions with Madeleine,” Merlin said.

“There is nothing to tell except that I have fallen in love with her,” Dave replied. “I wish to marry her and spend my life with her.”

“And how do you plan to do this? She is not of your time,” Merlin pressed.

“True, but neither is she of this time. She should not be alive. Therefore, I plan to solve both problems with a single action.”

“That action being?”

“When I return to my own time, I plan to bring her with me.”

“Interesting. She is agreeable to this as well?”

“She is. In fact, she is excited to learn of all the new and wondrous things she will see in the future,” Dave replied. “I have been quite impressed at how quickly she has understood some of the concepts I have explained to her.”

“Most interesting indeed. Perhaps taking her out of this time and into yours would be the most beneficial thing for history in the end. Very well, I have made my decision, David. The secret of your relationship with Madeleine is safe with me. I believe your actions to be of noble intent.”

“Thank you. This means so much to us.”

Merlin grinned. “That is how I know your actions to be of noble intent. Your concern is not only for yourself, but for her wellbeing also. The two of you have already been bonded together in your own hearts. I have no doubts of your dedication to each other. Still, you should remain discrete, and make sure you have a plan in the event you are discovered by Arthur.”

“I will.” Dave sighed before continuing, “So… is your premonition the reason you supported me in the meeting with the Knights of the Round Table?”

“It is. When you mentioned the fact that Mordred was not supposed to attack Camelot proper until the end of the war, a vision came to me, one far clearer than most I have received.”

“What did you see?”

“Many things. I saw how the war shall end, what shall bring it about… everything,” Merlin replied sadly.

“So you know the truth.”

“Indeed. Stopping Mordred will cost Camelot everything.”

“Yet you still supported me?”

“Of course, David. It must come to pass as your legends say it does, and that includes Sir Lancelot. His role in all this is perhaps more critical than any. He must remain here… or history could be damaged beyond repair.”

“Wow… to think that you can understand the scope of everything. Tell me, is premonition a power that can be learned?” Dave asked.

“Alas, no. It is one of the few forms of sorcery that is bestowed at birth. If the ability is not present within a person at that time, it shall never be.”

“Can I-”

“I know what you are about to say, and the answer is no. You do not have the gift of foresight, David.”

“Had to try,” Dave replied with a laugh.

*****

Guinevere turned at hearing her the door open to see her husband enter her chambers.

“Arthur!”

“Dearest Guinevere, thank the Lord you are safe!” Arthur exclaimed, rushing to embrace her in his arms.

“I… I very nearly was not,” she choked through her tears.

“I know… Sir Lancelot told me. Be at ease, you are safe now.”

“Yes but… Mordred’s men came so close. It was terrifying, what I knew they would do to me! What if they return? What if they stop at nothing to take me?”

“They shall not have the chance, I assure you of that. When Kay’s scouts return with Mordred’s location, I plan to go straight after him and end this war once and for all. He has taken much, and I shall not allow him to take anything more.”

“Arthur…”

“He has slain my father, Guinevere. My path is set, and it leads to Mordred. I will stop at nothing to end his reign of terror. As long as I have breath, he shall not sit on the throne of Camelot.”

“But what of the men who will die in this campaign?” Guinevere asked.

“Their sacrifice shall be a noble one. But this cannot be avoided any longer. I must go and deal with Mordred myself. For too long I have tried to simply contain him, but the time for that is past. By week’s end, we shall be off to war.”

“Arthur, you cannot leave me here unprotected!” she protested.

“I have no intention of leaving you unprotected, my love. In my absence, Sir Lancelot shall have command of Camelot. He has done a splendid job of protecting you once already, and I have no doubt he can do so again!”

“That is a relief. Still… there must be some alternative to such violence. If you could only come together with Mordred and find a way to make peace?”

“Were I dealing with a rational individual, I would pursue such action without hesitation. But Mordred is not a rational individual. He only respects power and might, nothing more. Negotiations are useless in dealing with him,” Arthur admitted. “My love, you do not look well. You should rest.”

“Yes… yes I believe I should…”

“Shall I stay here with you?”

“No… no, as much as I might like that, you have much work to do. I can only guess as to the preparations you must make for your campaign,” Guinevere said.

“There is time enough for that in the morning. Tonight, you are my primary concern. Come. To bed with you.”

*****

“Madeleine?”

Dave heard no reply. He levitated over to Madeleine’s balcony and peered into her chambers.

“Madeleine? Are you here?”

Dave could not see in, as the curtain was drawn shut. Confused at first, the curtain was suddenly flung open, revealing a very naked Madeleine before him.

“Good evening, my hero,” she giggled.

“Madeleine, I must tell-”

Before Dave could even get a sentence out, Madeleine had already thrown herself at him, kissing him deeply and with ferocity. Taking a firm grip on his waist, she began to drag him towards her bed, her lips never once releasing his.

“David,” she panted, “after the events of today, I find you more irresistible than ever before. Please, do not say a word. Just have your way me.”

Though normally rational and logical, Dave continued to be unable to keep his wits about him while in the presence of this little goddess. Every move she made was so seductive, yet she seemed so pure at the same time. Many of the women he was familiar with from his time only threw themselves at men when they needed something, but not Madeleine. The only reason she was doing this was because of her feelings for him.

Ah, fuck it.

Maintaining their lip-lock, Dave focused his mind on his clothes, willing them to fall off his body and onto the floor. In an instant, he was as naked as she was, and painfully hard to boot. Whipped up in their mutual passions, Madeleine leapt into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. Dave cupped her curvaceous ass in his hands as he steadied himself, adjusting to the feeling of her weight on his upright body. Wiggling her pelvis a couple of times, Madeleine soon found the best angle from which she could impale herself on Dave’s rod.

“Oh yesssss…”

Slowly she sunk onto him until his full length was engulfed within her womanhood. By now, Dave had gained more control of his body, in spite of the heavenly sensations his cock was experiencing. Wrapping his arms tight around Madeleine lithe body, he began a series of rhythmic pumps, their eyes locked firmly on each other’s. Despite her natural curves, Dave found her to be surprisingly light and easy to carry in this position. As he began to pound harder, Dave moved a bit closer to the bed, allowing Madeleine to release her hands from his neck and lean back against the mattress.

“David… you… are… amazing!” she panted.

“Not so bad… yourself,” he managed to grunt in reply.

As they continued their frenzied lovemaking, Dave couldn’t resist leaning forward to cup one of her jiggling tits in his hand. The bulge in Madeleine’s eyes confirmed her positive reaction to this, so Dave took her other breast in hand as well. He first traced his fingers around the edges of her globes, finding her particularly sensitive on the undersides. He continued his circular motions, allowing his fingers to draw ever closer to her erect nipples. She mewed and moaned at his every touch, silently begging him to fondle her. All the while, Dave maintained his feverish pace, pounding her pussy for all he was worth.

At last, Dave reached her sensitive nipples, beginning to tweak them in his fingers. Madeleine’s jaw dropped at the sensations and soon rocketed into a thrashing orgasm. Still, Dave was not satiated. She wondered for a moment if he might be increasing his stamina with magic, but then saw that his ring was not glowing. This was nothing but him. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by another orgasm, this one even stronger than the last one, though not as long lasting. Every look on her face belied her sheer enjoyment and begged Dave for more.

“I have an idea, Madeleine. Do you trust me?”

“I have said it many times… and I say it again… with my life… David,” she breathed. “Whatever you wish of me… I am yours.”

“Lie on the bed and roll onto your stomach,” Dave said with a grin.

Unsure of what he was up to, she complied. Madeleine knew she had no reason to worry; Dave truly was the best of men. He would take wonderful care of her.

“Now, lift your butt up a little,” she heard him say.

As Madeleine did as he instructed, Dave slid a pillow underneath her body, folding the bed sheet over it in the process.

“To make sure we don’t ruin the pillow,” he chuckled.

“I do not understand?”

“Well, have you ever observed various animals when they reproduce? Dogs, cats, squirrels?”

“Yes I have, but… oh!”

Madeleine at last realized what Dave was up to: he intended to take her from behind. Part of her was excited at his exercise of control, but a larger part of her was worried. Was this safe? It seemed so… animalistic. What if it went in the wrong way?

“I will be very careful,” Dave reassured her, sensing her hesitation. “I believe you will like this quite a bit, but if you do not, you need only say so. I will stop without question.”

“But… I am yours, am I not?” Madeleine asked in confusion.

“Madeleine, in my mind, you are not inferior to me. We have a saying in my time: no means no. It matters not how long two lovers have been together, if one says no, their wishes must be respected. Otherwise, it becomes rape. We are partners, Madeleine, and as partners, your thoughts and feelings are important to me. I do not wish to do anything to make you uncomfortable, and I certainly never want to give you reason not to trust me.”

Madeleine looked over her shoulder at him in bewilderment. “You mean that? We… are partners?”

“Partners, lovers, companions… whatever you may call it, I cannot see you as anything but my equal,” Dave replied.

Madeleine sighed, still uncomprehending of his treatment of her. By all accounts, she had given herself to him, and was his to be used as he pleased. Yet in spite of this, he cared more for her than for his own desires.

“I say it once more, David: I trust you.” With a giggle, she reached between her legs and took a gentile grip on his cock. “And I trust that you know where this is supposed to go.”

“You mean here?” Dave said, rubbing his swollen tip against her entrance.

Both lovers moaned in pleasure as he entered her. Madeleine could tell an instant difference, as he was stretching her from a different angle. He also felt bigger than before; she surmised that he must be able to penetrate deeper from this angle. As for Dave, it was all he could do to keep from blowing his load in those first few seconds. Madeleine’s tight little pussy was even more so from behind. After taking several deep breaths to calm himself, he placed his hands on her delicious ass and began to thrust at a slow, steady pace.

“Oh David…” Madeleine cooed.

Madeleine had to admit to herself that Dave was right; she enjoyed this new position very much. She loved the feeling of control he had over her in those moments, yet also the security of his strong hands caressing every inch of her back as they made love. Soon, he wrapped his arms around her torso and pressed his body against hers, lying on her back as he continued his lazy thrusts. She could feel his hands working their magic, even in a position she had thought to be primal and animalistic. Madeleine replied in kind, reaching her hand behind her to run her fingers through Dave’s short, brown hair. This resulted in the pleasant surprise of him leaning over and kissing his way up her neck.

“I love you, Madeleine,” he whispered, giving her earlobe a playful nibble for good measure.

“And I you, David,” she replied with a sweet giggle. “You are so gentile, my love, but I think you are holding back. Do not. Please, give me everything you have to give,” she continued, egging him on.

“Oh, you want me to go harder?” Dave asked, a wicked grin spreading on his face.

“I do… I want you… to erupt within me,” Madeleine moaned.

“As you wish.”

Dave rose back up on his knees, holding Madeleine’s waist to steady her and keep her ass nice and high. As he began to thrust with more intensity, Madeleine’s eyes bulged from the sensations. Animalistic as it might be, she couldn’t deny how incredible this felt. She gripped the sheets tightly and buried her face in a pillow to try and muffle her screams of pleasure. She felt Dave kneading her ass as he upped his tempo, pounding her for all he was worth. They would last long like this, but neither did they care.

“Madeleine… I… I’m about to-”

“Do it! Give it all to me, my love!” Madeleine pleaded.

“Fuck… fuck… fuck, fuck, fuck, YEEEEEEESSSSS!!!”

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHH! DAVIIIIIIIIIIIIID!!!”

As they rode out the final waves of their climaxes, Dave collapsed forward, twisting a bit to lie halfway on Madeleine and halfway on the bed. She barely noticed, merely concentrating on her breathing in those moments. Soon, she found the strength to allow her eyes to flutter open, gazing on the wondrous sight of her lover’s face. Giggling uncontrollably, the pair laid there for some time, doing nothing but kissing and enjoying each other’s touch.

“I apologize… I completely interrupted you, David,” Madeleine said with a laugh.

“Oh, um… you see, I was speaking with Merlin earlier, after the meeting with Arthur and his knights.”

“Of course.”

“He… he knows, Madeleine.”

“He knows? What does he know?”

“About us,” Dave replied.

Madeleine was stunned for a moment, unable to reply.

“He was able to detect the spell I cast on our doors,” Dave continued. “From that, it was easy for him to put the pieces of the puzzle together.”

“I see… I suppose then King Arthur shall come to render punishment?” Madeleine replied.

“No. Merlin asked me about my intentions. I told him the truth. I love you, and plan to bring you home with me to my time.”

“How did he react?”

“He was hesitant at first, but soon came to realize it as the best solution. As we have known since my arrival, you are not supposed to be alive in this time, and removing you from this time is the easiest way to rectify the problem. Once he realized this, he promised me that he would not reveal our relationship to anyone,” Dave said, moving to pull the covers over them.

“He would do that for us?” Madeleine asked, laying her head on Dave’s chest.

“Yes. But he did recommend we have a contingency plan in the event King Arthur finds out of his own accord. I can only imagine what he would do in such a situation.”

“Indeed. Still, I have no doubt that my hero would protect me… even from King Arthur, should it be necessary,” Madeleine sighed, beginning to doze in and out of consciousness.

Dave smiled at the touch of her warm body against his. Even in the midst of this uncertainty, he feared nothing. As long as he had Madeleine by his side, everything would work out just fine.

“I love you,” he whispered, kissing her goodnight on the forehead.

“Mmm hmm… David, what was that word you kept saying earlier? Fuck, was it?”

“Oh, a modern substitute meaning ‘to have sex’, though it is considered quite vulgar…”

*****

“Lord Mordred?”

“Ah, Gregor. Come in,” Mordred replied welcoming him into the small bedroom. “So, what do you hear from your informants?”

“It is as they told me. Lord Geoffrey is the guest in the room at the end of the hallway. He and a… lady friend.”

“I see… and I take it this is Lord Geoffrey, son of Robin, the Duke of Saxon?”

“The same.”

“Ah… it seems that Robin has moved up in the world with the untimely death of his brother, Lord Byron.”

“Indeed. With our men murdering Lord Byron and his daughter a week ago, Robin became the sole heir to the land here in Saxon,” Gregor said.

“Now, does Robin know of his son’s activities on evenings such as this?”

“He is aware of his son’s great interest in the fairer sex, and sees no issue with him pursuing his conquests as he does. However, he is unaware that this is not enough for the boy, and he seeks to further satiate his lust with women of ill repute, such as his current bedmate. Such association would, in Robin’s mind, bring shame and dishonor to the family name.”

“Most interesting… it is good that you came back to me with this information, Gregor. Otherwise, I would have killed you on sight for your desertion.”

“Lord Mordred, I swear I did not desert-”

“It matters not to me, provided your information proves useful to our cause. I have an assignment for you.”

*****

Geoffrey stirred, feeling the warm body pressed against his. She was a pretty thing, and quite energetic to boot; she had already aroused him twice in a row with little effort before they passed. As he lay there in the dark, just thinking about those events was enough to get him hard once more.

“Annie… wake up,” Geoffrey whispered. “It is time to play a while longer.”

When she did not reply, Geoffrey shook her body a bit.

“Come now, I paid good money for your services, my dear. The entire night is mine, now snap to,” he said a bit more forcefully.

Annie still did not awaken, leaving him little choice but to roll her off his chest.

“Stupid whore, wake up!”

As she rolled to the other side of the bed, Geoffrey’s eyes went wide in shock and horror. Her eyes were glazed over, and her head hung limp. Something had snapped her neck. Geoffrey had not a clue as to what had occurred, but there was no disputing the facts: the girl was dead.

“No… no, no, no…”

*****

Mordred pressed his ear against the door, smiling at what he was hearing. All was going according to plan.

“Well done indeed, Gregor.”

“It was easy. Just had to snap her neck, make it look like the boy killed her during a… passionate encounter,” Gregor chuckled.

“Good. If you will wait back in our room, I shall have a chat with our friend. Oh, and make sure to remove all traces of my insignia. We do not want you to be linked to me in the event our plot is uncovered.”

“Understood.”

As Gregor walked off, Mordred knocked quietly on the door.

“Is everything alright in there?”

“Y-Yes! We are fine, now go away!”

“Are you certain?” Mordred asked, opening the door a bit.

“NO! STOP!” Geoffrey cried, but it was too late. Mordred was in the room.

“Oh my… what happened, young man?” he asked, expressing a tone of deep concern.

“I… I know not. We lay together, then we slept. When I awoke, she was…”

“Gone. Poor girl.” Taking a closer look at the young man, he saw that he could not be much older than twenty. Mordred continued, “Forgive me, but are you not Lord Geoffrey, son of Robin, Duke of Saxon?”

“I am.”

“Well met, my good man! I am Lord Mordred. I hail from the lands to the east of here.” Mordred suspected rightly that a young man such as Geoffrey could be easily blinded by vanity, and thus poured out his charm. “I have long admired your family and their standing in these lands.”

“T-Thank you… friend,” Geoffrey replied.

“I must ask, did you do this to the poor girl?”

“No! We… we met in the market, found out we were the same age, and…”

“Young man, you need not lie to me,” Mordred chuckled. “I know just what sort of woman sleeps in an inn such as this one.”

“Please… my father cannot know about any of this!” Geoffrey pleaded. “He would end me!”

“Shh, do not fret. I do not take you for a murderer. Your reply tells me everything I need to know of you. Allow me to aid you.”

“Aid me? How?”

“We two are the only witnesses thus far. If each of us comes to the soldiers in town with the same story, they shall believe us. Now, I saw a man in another room of this inn, a mean-looking fellow. Do you not suppose it was he that committed this heinous crime?”

“Well, I was asleep-”

“Lord Geoffrey, do you not suppose that it was he that committed this heinous crime?” Mordred asked more forcefully.

“Oh! Yes, I suppose it was!”

“Good, then that is what we shall tell the soldiers.”

“My thanks, friend! How can I ever repay you?”

“Well… since you asked, I wish an audience with your father. I have a proposition I wish to discuss with him. If you can arrange such a meeting, I can guarantee he shall never know of your true whereabouts this evening.”

“Of course! I shall tell him that we met in the bar and talked long into the evening of our homelands, and that you seem to be a man of honor,” Geoffrey replied.

“Excellent. Now, let us confirm that our story is correct.”

*****

Gregor awoke from his nap to a loud banging at the bedroom door.

“Open up in there!”

“Coming…”

Opening the door, Gregor was surprised to see a pair of soldiers where he had expected to find Mordred.

“May I help you?”

Paying him no mind, the soldier turned to the young man behind him. “This the one you saw?”

“Yes, that is the man! I saw him kill the girl at the end of the hall!”

“What did you say?” Gregor asked.

“And you, you saw him as well?” the soldier asked another individual in the hall.

“Oh yes, I could never forget his face. He is certainly the killer.”

“Alright man, you are coming with us.”

Before Gregor could comprehend what was happening, the two soldiers had grabbed him and bound his hands, dragging him down the hallway. Glancing over his shoulder, he gasped at seeing Mordred standing next to the young man. He said nothing, but only smiled and waved at Gregor.

“You… you bastard! I SHALL KILL YOU!” Gregor screamed in a rage.

“So long. Enjoy your swift execution,” Mordred whispered to himself with a grin.