La Damoiselle Arthur 9 (Patreon)

Chapter 9

In which the Lady Arthur does fathom the name of his knight in shining armor!

The fire glinted off The Unknown Knights white armor, painting in reds and oranges. He sat back, alarmed. Arthur had suggested he knew the knight’s true name, and he did not know what to do were that to prove true.

“If you know my name, perhaps it would be best not to speak it,” The Unknown Knight said. “It would be better for us both if I were to remain anonymous.”

“Your words sound most wise, Unknown Knight. And, were I but some silly girl perhaps I would head them.  I am, however, Arthur, King of the Britons, and no fool, Unknown Knight. Or, shall I call you Lancelot?”

The Unknown Knight sat, thinking.

“Do you deny it?” Arthur said, amused. “Remember your oath. You must speak truth!”

“Fine!” Lancelot said, kicking a small stone into the fire. “You guessed rightly and ruined my plan. I hope you are pleased with yourself!”

“I am most pleased,” Arthur said, with a smug nod.

“How did you know?”

“I suppose you could call it my woman’s intuition. It seems my transformation to the fairer sex has given me some gifts to compensate for what was taken away.”

Lancelot fumed. “I did not count on that.”

“Anyway, I would know you anywhere. Did you think to fool me with that absurd voice?” Arthur lowered his voice as much as he could and made a serious, frowny face. “I am the Unknown Knight!”

Lancelot could not help but laugh. “Fine. Perhaps my plan was poorly conceived.”

“If it were conceived at all.”

Arthur, indeed, was quite charming, his big eyes sparkling in the firelight. Lancelot felt himself warming to the new Arthur, despite his sass.“In my defense, I had little time.”

“Yes, well, please take off your helmet at least. There is no reason to conceal your face.”

“You speak true,” Lancelot said, unbuckling his helmet.  As he removed it with one hand, he ran the other through his long golden hair. “It is a relief to finally be able to breath!”

Arthur looked at his old friend in wonder.  He had never noticed just how handsome he was. Arthur, of course, had recognized the other man’s good looks, and new the women of the court did swoon over him. But now, it seemed he was looking at him with new eyes, and the sight of that rugged square jawed visage moved him as it never had before.  It felt as if his whole body sighed.

“What is it?” Lancelot said, meeting Arthur’s eyes.

The both froze. Arthur’s cheeks reddened. Lancelot had been feeling drawn to Arthur in a new way, seeing how cute and perky he seemed as a female, and they each felt the heat in the other’s eyes as they started, a powerful magnetic attraction that had not been part of their relationship before.

Subconsciously, Arthur’s hand went to the crucifix he wore around his neck, under his shirt. Guinevere had gifted him before they had even married. The new feelings toward Lancelot disturbed Arthur, though he was not yet able to admit to himself what they were, and as he pushed those romantic inklings down, anger rose in their place. He felt furious at Lancelot for making him feel this way! Of course, the newly shaped maided could not confront her feelings and the true reason for her discomfort, so she displaced them onto something else, something more manly. “How dare you?” Arthur snapped.

“Pardon?” Lancelot sad, shocked out of his amorous gazing at the beautiful woman before him by her-- his-- sudden fury.

“I ordered you to Londinium!” Arthur said, his voice cold and hard. “You disobeyed me!”

“I had no choice--”

“You did, and you chose to defy me!”

Arthur stood. “I am still your king!”

“I do not deny--”

“Then how do you justify refusing my orders? Following me? Creeping around the forest like some -- rogue?”

Lancelot’s temper rose in response to Arthur’s attacks. “It’s a good thing I did, or you would still be captive of that foul Huntsman!”

“Don’t you dare try and justify your actions!” Arthur shouted, outraged as he remembered the humiliating positon he been in when Lancelot had come upon him-- bent over the Huntsman’s knee, receiving a good spanking.

Lancelot stood, towering over Arthur, his eyes blazing with rage. Arthur was reminded of how much smaller he was now, how much weaker. He almost flinched, but held firm.

And then Lancelot dropped to his knees before Arthur. “Don’t you see I had no choice? I am sworn to defend my king. And more, I could not allow a lady to go off unprotected. I did what I did to honor my oaths to you as your loyal knight, and to do my duty to protect you as a lady.”

“I am not a lady,” Arthur said, but his voice was now shaky, unsure. Lancelot’s words and the strength of his devotion had shaken Arthur.

“Yet, you are,” Lancelot said. “It cannot be denied.  The world does not care who you are inside that shape. It will see only a woman, as your experience with the Huntsman has proven!”

Lancelot continued on. “Indeed, it was my concern for your reputation, a concern you raised, yourself, that inspired me to pose as the Unknown Knight, that none would gossip about you. Don’t you see?  All believe I am in Londinium. Your virtue will not be questioned.”

“Well,” Arthur said, completely thrown off. “When you put it that way it does make some sense.” Arthur considered, but the logic of Lancelot’s words and the passion, while comforting, still aroused his anger, so he decided to ignore the reasonableness of the other man’s deeds and instead he crossed his arms and said, “I am still furious at you!”

And with that, Arthur spun and stormed off to the barn.

Lancelot sighed.  He acts like a woman, Lancelot said. However much he may claim otherwise! He had endured more than a few such scenes with the various women he had known over the years. He knew what to do. Wait a bit, then go find her.  Him.

Arthur, for his part, immediately rued his action and found himself sitting on an old keg in the barn. The night had grown cold, and he shivered, looking up at the stars. His mind now turned to one question: where was Merlin?