Morgan Rice - A Cry of Honor

“You are a liar!” Godfrey screamed out across the hall to Gareth, red-faced, drawing his sword as he bore down on him.

The sound of the sword being drawn echoed throughout the chamber, and as soon as it did, suddenly there came the sound of dozens of swords being drawn, as all of the fierce warriors behind Gareth jumped into action.

The Silver and Legion responded, drawing their swords, too.

There came a tense standoff in the room, rows of soldiers on both sides standing with swords drawn, facing each other. The room was thick with tension.

“The law is on my side,” Gareth said slowly, deliberately. “I can have all of you imprisoned here today, every single one of you.”

“You can only imprison us by the law of King’s Court,” Gwendolyn called out, stepping forward. “But as of today, we are no longer members of King’s Court. None of us. I and this force will leave this place for good. You can sit there and rule unlawfully in our father’s throne, and we will rule in own court, in absentia. And if you try to send men to take me away again, we will consider it an act of war, and I assure you, we will fight back. You have lords loyal to you. We have lords loyal to us, too. As of this day, we no longer serve you. If the Council will not depose you by rightful law, then we shall leave this place and form our own council.”

“You can leave King’s court if you wish,” Gareth said, “but you shall now be known as heretics and traitors. You are breaking the King’s law. If I ever encounter you in the field, I will kill you all. And if you ever come to King’s Court again, you will all be killed.”

Gwendolyn shook her head.

“You are a pathetic human being,” she said. “I curse the day you became my brother. Father looks down at you in disgrace.”

Gareth threw his head back and screamed with laughter.

“Father looks down at no one. He is dead, my dear. Don’t you remember? Someone killed him.”

Gareth screamed and screamed with laughter.

They had all had enough. They turned as one and stormed out the hall, the dozens of them marching away, down the corridor, out of this place. As they prepared to walk out the doors and never see King’s Court again, they were accompanied all the way by the sound of Gareth’s laugher, echoing off the ancient walls.

Erec rode on Warfkin down the forest path, heading north, finally, after all these months, heading back to his home, back to King’s Court, this time, with his new bride-to-be, Alistair. She rode behind him, clutching onto him, as she had been for hours since they entered the thick wood. Erec had not stopped galloping since he’d rescued her from that lord’s castle, wanting to gain as much distance from the place as possible.

Erec recognized this wood: he was now on the outskirts of Savaria, hardly a day’s ride away, and as he rode between the thick trees, he turned and checked back over his shoulder one more time, wanting to make sure they were not being followed. They were not. The horizon sat empty, as it had every time he’d checked that day, and for the first time, as they entered the tree cover, he felt they could relax.

He slowed the horse. Poor Alistair had been gripping his chest for so many hours, he was sure she could use some rest. And so could he. He was beyond exhausted from the intense battle, and from the non-stop riding. He hadn’t slept in days, and this seemed like a good place to stop.

Erec found a secluded spot, well-sheltered, beside a lake, protected by tall, swaying trees, and he stopped before it and dismounted and held out a hand to help Alistair down. The feel of her hand, of her soft skin, electrified him as he helped her down off the horse; she looked exhausted, but as beautiful and noble as ever. He was thrilled to be by her side after all those days of fighting for her, after all the days of being apart – and after almost losing her. It had been too close of a call. He was ecstatic that he had saved her from an awful fate, and determined that the two of them should never be apart again.

As the two of them stood there, she turned and looked up at him, the waters of the lake reflected in her soulful eyes. She looked back at him with such love and devotion, he felt his heart melt. He knew deep in his bones that he had made the right choice. There was no finer woman he could hope to be with.

“My Lord,” she said, looking down to the ground softly, “I don’t know how to thank you. You saved my life.”

He reached down, placed a finger under her chin, leaned in, and kissed her. They kissed for a long time, and her lips were the smoothest things he’d ever felt. She leaned in, kissing him firmly, running a hand along his cheek, as he ran a hand along hers. He reached up and brushed back her hair gently, outlining the curve of her beautiful face. He had never seen anyone so beautiful, from any corner of the kingdom, and he could hardly believe his luck to be with her.

“You have nothing to thank me for,” he replied. “It is you who has saved me. You saved me from an empty life, from searching for my love.”

She took his hand and led him to the mossy ground beside the lake. They sat down beside the crystal clear waters, and as the second sun began to set, she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder, and he reached over and draped a hand around her shoulder, holding her tight.

“I waited for you every day with bated breath,” she said, “as you competed in your tournaments. When they sold me into slavery, I fought with everything I had. But they were too powerful for me. I cried and cried for days, thinking only of you.”

The thought tore Erec up inside.

“I’m sorry, my lady,” he said. “I should have known the innkeeper would deal with you in that way. I should have been there sooner to protect you.”

She smiled up at him.

“You protect me now,” she said. “That is all that matters.”

“I shall protect you with everything I have, for the rest of my days,” he said.

She leaned in and they kissed again, holding it for a long time.

She pulled back, and he looked into her eyes, and was entranced.

“My lady,” he said, “I can see in your eyes that you are of special birth. Can’t you tell me your secret?”

She turned and looked away, a sadness overcoming her face.

“I don’t want to withhold anything from you, my Lord,” she said. “But I made a vow never to reveal where I am from.”

“But why such a vow?” he asked. “Could the place be so terrible?”

“The place was beautiful, my Lord,” she said. “More beautiful than anything I have ever seen. That is not why I left.”

“Then tell me,” he said, intrigued. “Tell me at least one thing about your past. Am I correct? Do you hail from royalty?”

She looked to the lake, sighed, waited a long time, and then looked back at him.

“If I tell you one thing,” she said, “will you vow not to ask again?”

Erec nodded back.

“I vow,” he said solemnly.

She looked into his eyes, then finally, said:

“I am daughter of a king.”

Erec, despite himself, was amazed at the news. He had sensed it, but to hear her say the words surprised him. Now he was infused with a burning desire to know which king she hailed from; why she had left; why she had chosen to become a maidservant; what had happened in her past; why the secrecy. He was dying to know more.

But he had vowed, and as a man of honor, he would not break his vow.

“Very well, my lady,” he said. “I shall not ask you again. But know this: whatever happened in your past, I am here to protect you now, and I love you more than my heart can say. You and I shall start a new life together. One you shall be proud to speak of for the rest of your days.”