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Down through history there has been many stories of heroes and the weapons of power. Thor with his Warhammer Mjölnir, the sword of Aries and Mars, Attila the Hun’s sword, and King Author’s Excalibur. These are but a few legends. Yet for every one of these legends there are two legendary weapons lost to time. Among those lost weapons are the few whose power comes with a cost. They are the cursed weapons of power. Each curse is unique to the weapon. The Black sword is but one such weapon of great power. This is the story of the weapon and its newest welder.

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Chapter 11

City Square, Avalon

Silver hurried through the empty streets of Avalon City towards the Tower of Sagas. Silver knew that Dame Eleanor would know by now that Lady Kathrine had claimed the staff of her ancestor. The Grand Marshal had eyes and ears throughout the city. She had to reach Grand Master Grahone and the City Council before Eleanor could move against Lady Kathrine and her companions. Her only hope was that she was in time.

“Damn it! Why did Lady Kathrine have to use the Charm of Making? Why couldn’t she follow tradition and enter the Crystal Chamber? The curse would have been lifted. Hundreds of maidens would have been saved. We would have had our puppet Queen and Grahone’s plans could’ve proceeded uninterrupted. Damn that woman’s impatience.” Silver grumbled to herself as she entered the city square.

“In my home world we have a saying Mistress Silver. Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity.” The man’s voice had Silver spinning in place to find him. This was one man she didn’t want to face in open combat. “Care to explain why you left the party in such a hurry?”

“My reasons for leaving are mine own and not for public discussion Lord David.” Silver snarled. “I suggest that you return to your wife. She shall have need of yours and Master Dale’s swords for protection.”

“Silver you made three mistaken assumptions just now. The first of which is Kathy needing me and Dale for protection. She has the greatest Champion in the history of Camelot to protect her. Then you must consider her magical power. Even with all of the mages within that tower of yours backing you up you’re nowhere being her equal in power. So, you see she doesn’t really need mine or anyone else’s protection. The second mistake you made was assuming that you have a choice in what you will and will not tell me.” David snarled as he placed his hand on his rapier. “We can do this the hard way or the easy way. The choice is yours.”

“I hope the bitch tries the hard way Dave.” The sound of Dale Grant’s voice coming from behind her sent a shiver down Silver’s back. There was a cold uncaring tone of death in Dale’s words. “I’ve always thought she was just too full of herself for her own damned good. She’s been relaying on her reputation as a survivor of the Aos Sídhe Court and that damned curse to protect her. I got a cold beer that says I can take her in under twenty minutes.”

“I say it takes only me fifteen minutes. I’ll even give you an over and under of fifteen seconds. Sound fare?” David asked his friend much to Silver’s ire.

“Do you fools truly believe that your steel is a match for my magic?” Silver snarled as she summoned her staff. “I’ll leave your bones here as a warning to that whore.”

“You know something Silver. You just royally fucked up sister.” Dale snarked as he summoned his pipe. Walking towards the edge of the square Dale weaved a massive warding spell. There he leaned against a hitching post and lite up his pipe. “David give me a shout when you done fucking that bitch up.”

“You really shouldn’t have said that Grand Mistress Silver of the Labyrinth.” David snarled as held his hands away from his swords. “You want a battle of magic. I’ll give you a battle of magic.”

“Foolish man! You would have had a chance if you used your sword!” Silver laughed then called forth her first spell. “Lig Apollo's Lance sear d'anam!”

As the beam of purest white light shoot from Silver’s staff David swatted it aside with contemptuous ease. “Really Silver? Apollo’s Lance? Is that the best you got?”

“NO! That’s impossible! No man is immune to the purest light of Apollo’s Lance!” Silver screamed then called on another spell. “Tine íon Dragon!”

“iritSpay ofyay aterway uashsqay isthay ameflay!” David shouted calling on the water spirits to drowned the flame that shot from Silver’s staff. David knew that if that dragon’s flame got near him he would be dead.

“WHAT?! How is this possible?! It’s not possible to dowse Dragon’s fire!” Silver gasped as the flames from her staff sputtered then died. For the next ten minutes Silver used every spell she could think of to attack David. She hurled lightning bolts, fireballs, giant boulders, pilers of ice. The battle between the two mages drew the City Watch and the Gray Wolf Knights to the city square.

When Mylisant and Bridget arrived with their soldiers Dale stopped them with a wave of his pipe. “Dame Mylisant, Dame Bridget, if I was you I won’t interfere. This is one time that where discretion is the better part of valor.”

As if to underscore his point Dale deflected a ricocheting fireball into the city square’s fountain. The impact of the spell destroyed the fountain. Dale smiled at their looks of unadulterated fear as he took a drag off his pipe. “Like I said ladies. I would stay out of this one. Kiddies like you will get hurt.”

While Dale kept the knights and City Watch occupied. David continued to toy with Silver. He just stood there deflecting her attacks as if they were annoying gnats. Like his wife Kathrine. David Pendragon had come to accept the fact that he was in truth the reincarnation of the Grand Wizard Merlin. With this acceptance came a vast knowledge of the arcane arts. After ten minutes David tried of the game.

“Silver you really don’t gasp the situation here. For every spell you know. I can think of a hundred ways to counter them.” David sighed then went on the attack for the first time. “Chicle bazoka, siempre en la boca!”

Before Silver could react she found herself trapped in a large transparent pink bubble flouting three feet off the ground. Only her staff and head remained outside of the bubble. Her first instinct was to attack the bubble with magic. For the next five minutes she sent spell, after spell, against the pink substance. Nothing she tried worked. Instead, the bubble first turned opaque then solid as a rock.

“WHAT MANNER OF ENTRAPMENT SPELL IS THIS?!” She screeched at the top of her lungs in frustration. As she continued to struggle against the bubble David and Dale walked up to her smiling. The Gray Wolf Knights and the City Watch could stair in awe at the sight of their most power mage so easily imprisoned.

“Bazooka Bubble Gum?! Really David? You have lost your mind mate.” Dale chuckled.

“What can I say? I’m a sucker for the classics!” David chuckled. Then turned to the entrapped Silver. “If I were you Silver. I would quite your struggling.”

“When I get out of this little man. I shall visit you with the Hell of Ten Thousand Needles. You shall know pain unlike any mortal man in history. You shall” The smack to her jaw shut Silver up.

“Let me give you a piece of advice Silver. Quite while you still have your head.” Dale snarled as he tapped the pink bubble. “This here shit is airtight. I have a feeling that the only reason you are even still breathing air is because of David’s self-restraint. Personally, I would have just killed your worthless ass.”

“Do what you will with me little man. Sooner or later, I will escape. I survived as a plaything for the Aos Sídhe courts for hundreds of years.” Silver sneered. “I have all the time in the world. I will outlive you all.”

“She has a point Dave. Until that tattoo covers her whole body she can’t die.” Dale told him as he reached up and pulled off her mask. “I would say that she has another hundred to hundred and twenty-five years left.”

“A lot longer than we have.” David sighed as he looked up at Silver’s face. “Dale how long was slavery practiced legally in the US?”

“Depends on who you ask. Some say three-hundred and forty years. Others go by the founding of our nation to the end of the Civil War eighty years later. Personally, I’ve always subscribed to the Professor Mitchell’s Founder’s theory of a hundred and fifty-four years. He uses the opening of the first slave market in New York as his point of origin. Why are you asking?” Dale answered.

“Because that is exactly how long Silver will be cursed to live by this spell. She gets to be Kathrine’s personal slave until the day she dies.” David snarled. “I told you Silver. You made three mistakes. The biggest fucking mistake you ever made in your life was to threaten my family and expecting a knight’s chivalry in defeat.”

“David what are doing?” Dale asked him as David stepped back raising his hands.

“Dispensing justice.” David snarled as he began to chant in the one language he hate the most Latin. “Perfidiae tua te in servitutem servet ac alios in servitutem redigas! Tua perversa desideria in vultu tuo reddantur!”

Dale stood back watching as he translated David’s words in his head. ‘Let your own treachery enslave you as you would enslave others! Let your own twisted desires be reflected in your visage!’ When the meaning of those words struck him Dale shivered. He knew that he would kill to defend himself and his son but that was nothing compared to what David was doing now.

“Enjoy the rest of your worthless life as my wife’s personal slave and protector.” David snarled as he guided the spell with his emotions. The spell he wove was both vicious and merciful at the same time. It was also very complex.

The first thing David’s spell did was to bind Silver’s magic for only one purpose. She could only use her magic now to protect Kathrine Pendragon. Silver felt her very core fade away into nothingness. All that was left behind was two desires. To serve and protect the Lady Kathrine for the rest of her days.

The second thing the spell did was to remove the Mark of Enhanced Honor. Silver screamed in unending agony as the mark was burned away resetting her life expectancy to 150 years. While the mark was burned from her body it also burned away her clothing and jewelry leaving her naked inside the bubble. In her unimaginable pain Silver dropped her staff. Once she dropped her staff the material stretched out to encase her hands. Then to her horror the bubble began to shrink and change colors.

With each passing second Silver felt the material of the bubble pulling tighter, and tighter about her body. She didn’t know what the strange material was, but she knew that it would soon encase her from the chin down replacing the Mark of Enhanced Honor. In one final moment of mental clarity Silver recognized the curse she was placed. With all of her strength she asked through gritted teeth. “How do you know the Curse of the Slave’s Flesh? It was lost to all time.”

“The wording of the spell may have been lost to time Silver, but not the concept. Remember Medusa’s gaze turned flesh into stone. Midas’s touch turned everything to gold. The philosopher stone turned flesh into steel. A Stone Dragon’s breath turned everything to granite. These are just a few literary references. I know a great many more.” David chuckled as he waved his hand over her body. Twisting and shaping the spell even more as he drew on some of the darker, aspects of Modern Fiction. “Allow me to introduce you to one of the darker workings from Modern Fiction.”

“David please tell me that you’re not using one Roberta Foxx’s Colony Forty-one stories as a guide for your spell?” Dale pleaded.

“Yup!” David snarked as Dale facepalmed. “Hey what can I say. The gal’s got a real talent for writing dystopian, sci-fi.”

“The girl has a mind that is so twisted a corkscrew gets lost in it.” Dale snarked then chuckled. “Though if you’re using her as your guide. You could do worse. At least she leaves her characters with some semblance of remaining human.”

As the men discussed the merits of shared author of science fiction. David’s spell continued to shape Silver’s personal chrome metal prison. Not only was the spell shaping her metallic prison it was shaping Silver’s body as well. She felt every inch of her body being compressed and remodeled. She even felt her face reshaping.

“I got to say David. When she’s done she’ll be one hell of a looker.” Dale commented. “Too bad from the looks of it she end up being underage.”

“Honestly, Dale I wasn’t expecting the spell to rewind her biological clock.” David told him. “Did she ever say how old she was when she took the Mark?”

“To be honest David. I don’t remember. All she ever said was that she was a guest of the Aos Sídhe courts.” Dale told him honestly as he jerked his thumb towards the girl that now lay panting on the ground before them. “Looks like she’s done cooking.”

“What is your true name slave?” David demanded of her as the silver chrome skinned girl rolled to her knees with her head bowed.

“Master I was named Sìle MacFhionghain by my mother. I was but a maiden of fourteen summers when I was sold to the Queen of the Summer Court. It was she who placed the Mark upon my body for a birthday gift Master.” Sile answered him hoarsely.

“Stand up girl.” David ordered her. He and Dale watched the young girl for any sign of treachery as she struggled to stand on the six-inch spike that had formed from her heel. “Steady yourself slave.”

“Yes Master.” Sile answered quickly as she was hit by an electrical charge down the full length of her spine. Sile quickly realized that her human Owners would be far crueler than the Aos Sídhe ever dreamed of being. Not knowing what else to do Sile shifted her weight onto the balls of her feet.

“What do you remember of your former life slave?” David asked her.

“I remember all of my former life, Master.” Sile answered honestly as the memories of her old life as Silver of the Labyrinth came rushing to back her.

“Exactly who is behind the threats to my wife Sile?” David asked her. “Is she still in danger now that she has recovered Morgana’s staff?”

“Master the Mistress is still in great peril. Grand Master Grahone seeks to use her as a puppet ruler. His greed knows no limits. I was on my way to inform him of Mistress’s rise to power. That all of the Council’s plans were now for not. The Order of the Bear and City Council of Elders must shift their designs for controlling Avalon. They will now be forced to support Dame Eleanor and the Gray Wolf Knights. Dame Eleanor desires a war of genocidal conquest against the Aos Sídhe and their allied Fay races.” Sile told him honestly.

“Is the Avalon army even strong enough to wage such a war?” Dale asked her.

“It can be Master.” Sile answered.

“What does that mean Sile?” Dale asked her.

“By command of the Emerald Queen all citizens of Avalon City with military training will muster forth for war, Master.” Sile explained.

“Didn’t the boys and Morgan say something about how a lot of the former members of the City Watch and Knight orders being a military reserve?” Dale asked David.

“They did, but they never found out how strong of a reserve force.” David answered.

“The Grand Army of Avalon is quite formidable Masters. Should the Queen call forth the reserves. The Infantry would number thirty thousand strong. The Cavalry would field ten thousand strong. Unlike the standing City Militia and the Knightly Orders, the Grand Army can call upon a force of fifty mages.” Sile explained for the men.

“Ah shit. Not good Dale.” David groaned.

“That Army isn’t our biggest problem David. Dame Eleanor or Master Grahone can use our children as leverage against Kathrine and us.” Dale pointed out.

“Masters, Grahone has a plan in place to capture Dame Morgan and her companions upon their return through the city gates. By now Dame Eleanor has heard of Mistress’s rise to power. She will be forced to unleash the Hunters.” Sile told them.

“Who are the Hunters?” David asked her.

“BE SILENT SLAVE!” Mylisant screamed as she neared the trio. When both men turned towards her Mylisant was already drawing her sword. “You are under arrest.”

“Squires remove their swords.” Bridget ordered their squires. “Guards take the slave to the auction house. You are to say nothing of what transpired here.”

“You two really haven’t figured it out yet. You’re all hopelessly out classed.” Dale chuckled as he took a drag off his pipe. Blowing out the smoke he recited a spell that only he could use. “Bound by dishonor! Bound in steel! Until death you shall serve! Kneel in servitude before thy Master!”

“Holy Shit!” David gasped in surprise as the eight squires and two knights fell to the ground screaming in pain. Even as they thrashed about on the ground their armor turned liquid and modeled tightly about their bodies. Seeing this the fifteen members of the City Watch ran from the city square in horror. “I thought that spell was nothing more than fiction.”

“The Binding of Honor’s Blade is a Metal Mage’s specialty spell Master.” Sile told David as she watched the ten women thrashing about on the ground. “Will they become my sisters Master Dale?”

“Depends on their innocence Sile. The greater the guilt of betrayal on their souls the greater their pain and suffering. If they’re only following the orders of their commander they shall join you in your slavery.” Dale snarled as he pushed a more power into his spell. “If they were acting on their own or fanatically agreed with their commander then they’ll die for their treachery.”

Hearing this Sile knew that she would soon have nine sisters joining her in her enslavement to Queen Kathrine. She tried to hide her feelings on the matter, but Master David saw the small smile that graced her lips. When he said nothing Sile no longer tried to conceal her joy. She knew that she would have to explain her joy at the enslavement of the knight and squires.

“Dame Bridget and her squires are not fanatical followers of Dame Eleanor. They truly believe that the Gray Wolf is the final line of Avalon’s defenses. They are not willing to die for Dame Eleanor’s vision for Avalon.”

“What of Dame Mylisant, Sile?” David asked her.

“She is one of Dame Eleanor’s rabid dog fanatics. There are a good number of them within the Gray Wolf Knights. They hear Dame Eleanor’s words and believe that she is our true messiah.” Sile answered with a snarl filled with true hate.

“Who are the most fanatical of Dame Eleanor’s followers?” Dale asked her.

“Dame Atheena the Huntress and her Hunters.” Sile answered coldly. “They would be the first of her followers to die in her cause.”

“Would Dame Eleanor send these Hunters after our children and students?” Dale asked.

“With a smile Master. They would follow Dame Eleanor’s orders even if it meant storming the gates of Imrryr with nothing more than a wooden soup spoons.” Sile told him as she looked down at the ten motionless forms on the ground. Each body looked as if it had been dipped into a vat of multicolored liquid metal. Each one a different color of the spectrum. There was also one other major difference between the soldiers and Sile. From the chin up Sile still looked human. The members of the Gray Wolf detail had taken on the appearance of characters from the Marvel Comics comic book Space Knights in their armor.

“Sile are there more of these sub orders within the Gray Wolves?” David asked her.

“Yes Master. There are also similar orders with the City Watch and Order of the Bear. Though not as numerous or fanatical.” Sile answered him as the first of the former Gray Wolves stood up. Once the woman was standing the visor of her helmet snapped open to reveal the face of Dame Bridget. Only there was no life in her eyes and the skin of her face had an unnatural appearance.

“Besides Dame Atheena and her Hunters. Which of these fanatical orders are the greatest threat?” Dale asked Sile.

“There are three such orders, Master. The first Dame Ala of the Snow with her Snow Leopards. While not a numerous as the Hunters the Snow leopards are better trained. The largest of the radicals is Dame Grizzel the Sentinel and her Ruby Sentries. They number just over one hundred. The smallest and deadliest of the orders is the Night Sabers led by Dame Libet the Silent.” Sile told him as the next of her newest sisters stood up. This one’s visor snapped open to revel one of the squires.

“Damn Dale I knew that spell was cruel, but this is a whole new leave of fucked up. What did that spell do to them?” David asked his pipe smoking friend.

“The Binding of Honor’s Blade is a threefold curse and only effective against those in armor, my Master.” Sile told David.

“Thank you Sile, but that doesn’t exactly answer my question.” David told her as the next three stood up. Their visors snapped open to revel the now totally emotionless faces of the three squires. As the next three stood up there was something about the way they looked that tickled a memory from David’s childhood. “Dale did Lee ever read that old Marvel comic book Space Knights?”

“He did. I had the hardest time getting him to put the damned books down. Though I got to say that the artwork for the armor was outstanding. Their armor was not only functional but feasible with the right advances in nanotechnology and metallurgy. Why?” Dale asked as he puffed on his pipe watching the last two members of the Gray Wolf order stand up. When their visors snapped open Dale realized where David was going with his question. “Son of a bitch! They do look like those female Space Knights from those comic books.”

“Wasn’t there a graphic novel titled the Rainbow Knights of Venus?” David asked him as he walked around the ten armored individuals. There were five different collars for the suits. Every collar of the LGBT flag was represented with the exception of orange. There was red, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

“There was. I hate to say this, but I was actually consulted by the artists and authors for that book. They wanted advice on how to draw the armor. They wanted it to be as believable as possible.” Dale told David as he began his own inspection of the ten armored individuals. “I hate to say this David, but if I was to design a space age armor this is what it would look like. The only thing missing is the space age weapons and jump packs.”

“I got a feeling Dale that space age weapons like blasters, lasers, and jump packs won’t work in this world.” David told him honestly. “What I’m worried about is our subconscious influence on the technology of this world.”

“You’re not the only one David. Have you checked on Morgan’s armor lately?” Dale asked him. When David shook his head no Dale sighed. “It’s radically changed. It no longer looks like something out of a medieval fantasy. If I didn’t know better I would swear that her armor was modeled after the Land Warrior Exo-suit Armor.”

“Dale I thought your specialty was medieval armor and weapons. How do you know about the Land Warrior Exo-suit Armor?” David asked his friend.

“My wife Cinthia was one of the leading scientists on the Exo-suit Armor project. She would bounce ideas off me now and then when it came to their designs.” Dale explained as he studied the armor of Dame Bridget and Mylisant. “If she ever saw these ten suits of armor. She would be ecstatic. They would prove more than half her theories in polymorphic metallurgy.”

“Excuse me Masters but what is this strange magic you speak of?” Sile asked the two men as she put her hand on a squire’s shoulder. “Is this not the workings of Honor’s Blade? Are they not the living weapons they were cursed to become?”

“The is yes to both of your questions Sile. What we are talking about is how our subconscious minds are influencing our magic.” David explained for her.

“I know not of this subconscious mind, Master but I do know how magic works. When one casts a spell the magic takes in all of your desires for the spell. Then makes those desires real. The type of spell matters not. Magic is magic. Be it necromancy, elemental, alchemy, White or Dark arts, all magic uses the same four components. Power, focus, intent, and desire. Without all four magic fails.” As Sile explained how magic worked she had a sudden realization concerning her Masters. They are extremely knowledgeable about many things but knew very little about magic. This realization both excited and terrified her for the same reason.

It excited her in the fact that if they allowed her. She would be able to act as teacher for her new Masters and Mistress. She would finally have students. The reason she felt terror was simple. The sheer power of her Masters and Mistress beyond comprehension. They could level enter cities on a whim. Decimate whole armies with a word. What scared her the most was they all held a vast knowledge of spells yet were totally untrained in the magical arts. Before Sile could come to terms with this realization a ghostly figure of emerald flames appeared over the square.

“Hear my proclamation people of Avalon! My Successor has claimed her rightful place! Let no one challenge her succession! Without facing the Green Knight’s axe!” As the figure’s voice boomed out across the city Sile and the ten knights fell to right knee and raised their right hands in salute.

“I think Kathrine reached the throne room without any problems Dale.” David snarked.

“I’d bet my last paycheck on it Dave.” Dale said as he looked up to where the figure was just a few moments before. Taking a deep drag of his pipe Dale turned thoughtful “Dave did the face of that ghost look familiar to you?”

“She did but I can’t remember from where?” David told him as he summoned his own pipe and lighting up. “You got any ideas?”

Sile looked at her two Masters in stunned disbelief. How could these learned and scholarly men not know the face of the Emerald Queen. In her shock one thought ran through her mind as she watched them smoke. ‘That must be some good shit!’

Throne room of Castle Avalon, Avalon City.

Kathrine Pendragon threw open the doors to the throne room with a simple push of her magic. Behind her stood Sir Bertilak, Dame Helga, and Tobin the Troll Slayer, three of Avalon’s greatest champions. The four knights standing watch before the Emerald throne stepped forward with every intention of stopping her. Only to be thrown from their feet by a blast of hurricane force wind. As she strode towards the throne Kathrine let her magical power flow about her like an emerald flame.

As they moved in her wake the trio of heroes were bathed in an unearthly green light. To the throne room guards the trio appeared to be infused with Kathrine’s power. Little did they know that they were only seeing the light thrown off by Kathrine’s still growing magical power. From the moment she had recovered the Rune-Forged Emerald spirit staff her magical power had begun to grow exponentially. Kathrine was just a few short steps from her full power now. All she had to do to reach her full potential was to claim the emerald crown.

When she reached the throne that very crown slowly floated into the air above her head. Taking a deep breath Kathrine turned and sat down on the throne. No sooner had her backside touched the velvet padding of the seat than a ghostly figure of emerald flame appeared. It was holding the Emerald Crown of Avalon in its hands. The ghostly figure lowered the crown onto Kathrine’s head with a smile. The figure turned to face the now full throne room and raised its arms high. Until now only Kathrine had seen the face of the figure.

“Here my proclamation people of Avalon! My Successor has claimed her rightful place! Let no one challenge her succession! Without facing the Green Knight’s axe!” The ghost of Morgana Le Fay called out before vanishing in a flash of green fire.

“Was that really the ghost of Queen Morgana?” Dame Helga asked in awe.

“It was she. Of us all I would know her face best. I was there as she advised Author and his knights. I was there when she challenged Merlin to a battle of wits. It was Morgana Le Fay who did charge me to be judge and tester of Author’s Round Table knights. On the sands of the southern shore, I bore witness as Morgana was crowned Queen of Avalon by Oberon himself.” Bertilak told her honestly.

“NO! This cannot be! Guards seize those traitors and throw that usurper in the dungeon.” Master Thornhill, Chairman of the City Council cried.

“You would challenge my ancestress’s proclamation?” Kathrine snarled as she stood up from the throne. She looked at the twelve throne room guards. “You have a choice to make knights of the Gary Wolf. Are you going to follow the orders of a corrupt politician or kneel before your rightful Queen?”

“If they will not kneel my Queen. They will meet their final rewards at the edge of Braindead.” Bertilak snarled as he placed his battle axe across his shoulder.

“Give them a moment to decide Sir Bertilak.” Kathrine told him kindly. “After all. It is not every day that a person is given a choice between life and certain death.”

“My Queen you are far too merciful. In your ancestor’s day. I would have already collected the heads of these false knights.” The Green Knight hissed as he eyed the Gray Wolf knights like starving apex predator. His next words drove them all to their knees in respect of Kathrine. “Please my Queen. They do not deserve mercy.”

“By the Fay Queen Tatiana. We the Lancers of the Archangel Gabriella swear our undying fealty to our Queen. The first of her line. Wife to a child of Author’s Line. Kathrine La Fay Pendragon.” The Commander of the throne room guards shouted.

“You traitors! I’ll have your spurs for this outrage! I’ll have you all banished from Avalon!” Thornhill screamed as he stormed through the middle of the kneeling knights to stand before the throne. “Watchmen arrest the traitors and throw this usurping whore in the dungeon!”

“Sir Bertilak, I grow weary of these threats. Be so kind to remove this fool’s head.” Kathrine calmly ordered the Green Knight.

“Consider it done, my Queen.” Bertilak answered with a bow then leaped from the dais. As he landed Braindead howled with glee as Thronhill’s head rolled across the floor. With a flourish Bertilak spun the battle axe in his hands. “Who is next my Queen? Which fool’s soul shall be next to feed my ax’s never ending hunger?”

“Stay your blade for now, my Champion. I still wish to used diplomacy if possible.” Kathrine told the Green Knight in her most regal manner. Kathrine sat ack down on the throne as she looked over the remaining six members of the City Counsel. “You six have come forward. I have questions.”

When they didn’t move right away Kathrine turned to Tobin. With a heavy put upon sigh she asked the man politely. “Master Tobin if you would be so kind as to gather the rest of the City Counsel.”

“It would be a pleasure, my Queen.” Tobin chuckled as he moved toward the six individuals in question. “You lot heard her Majesty move to the front.”

“We do not take orders from Kings and Queens, Tobin. They take orders from us.” One of them snarled and turned to the others. “We are leaving. Let the whore have the crown. We run this city. She’ll learn like those fools in their towers where the true power lies in this city.”

“If they move toward the door Master Tobin. You have my permission to end their lives.” Kathrine told the hero with a soft sigh. “I truly did want to try diplomacy.”

Tobin’s claymore flashed in the candlelight of the throne as he brought it down across the chest of the man who led the counsel in revolt. The other five members of the City Counsel yelled and ran for the door. Only to find their path blocked by adventurers from Tobin’s tavern. When the last Counselman fell to Tobin’s claymore he breathes out a sigh of relief. After twenty-three years the cancer of corruption that plagued his city was finally being cut out. He turned to Kathrine and bowed from the waist. “The cancer has been struck down my Queen.”

“Do they have family?” Kathrine asked calmly.

“They do my Queen.” Helga answered from her place neat the dais.

“Dame Helga send ten of your most loyal Watchmen to each of their homes. There they will round up of the families of these traitors. Allow them only one pack of clothing and food for each member of the family. Your Watchmen will escort their families to the boarders of Avalon’s recognized territory. Where they go from there I do not care. Never to return under penalty of death.” Kathrine ordered the woman.

“It would be better to end their lives in their homes, Majesty.” Helga told her.

“Dame Helga I do not subscribe to Machiavelli’s ideals on merciless cruelty by the crown. I can afford to spare the lives of their families.” Kathrine told the female knight in her best imitation of Marie Antoinette. “As they leave our territory give them this warning Dame Helga. I have shown you mercy. Do not mistake it for weakness. You have your lives. Return and you shall face the Iron Maiden.”

“As you command my Queen.” Helga told her with a bow. Then turned and walked towards the door. “City Watch to me! We have our orders! The Queen as passed her judgement!”

Once the City Watch had left Kathrine stood up facing the remaining knights. “Captain send someone to find my husband and Lord Grant. Please have someone clean up this mess. Give the bodies to the pigs.”

The throne room Captain pointed to two members of her detail and wave towards the door. She never said word, but the two guards ran to carry out Kathrine’s orders. The only knight who never moved was Sir Bertilak. He just stood motionless at the foot of the dais with his hands resting on the pommel of his battle axe. Kathrine looked out at the twelve remaining commoners.

“Who speaks for you good people?” She asked.

“I do your Majesty.” A well-muscled man answered as he stepped forward.

“Your Majesty this is Isake. The town’s blacksmith. Headman for the artisan guild.” Tobin told her from his place at the foot of the dais.

“Master Isake will the people of Avalon revolt against my role?” Kathrine asked him as kindly as she could. Knowing full well that this man could cause major problems for her in the long run.

“Rule wisely your Majesty the people will follow you. We’ve been governed by enough fools over the last twenty years.” Isake snorted as he waved towards the bodies.

“I can assure you Master Isake. The days of the City Council consisting of nothing, but nobles, sagas, clergy, and knights is over. I want only commoners on the Council. No sagas, knights, or clergy. I want people who have work for their living. Right, there is all the proof you shall ever need.” Kathrine told the man as she pointed to the cooling bodies of the former Council. “Know this Master Isake. I do not suffer fools lightly. Choose your fellow Council members wisely. Fail your fellow citizens of Avalon. You fail them you fail me. Fail me and it will not be Master Tobin who comes for your head.”

“Who will you send your Majesty?” Isake asked as he swallowing the lump in his throat looking at the Green Knight.

“You are a common citizen Master Isake. You will never fall to Sir Bertilak’s axe. Nor would I disgrace my position as your Queen.” Kathrine told him with a soft chuckle. “No. Should you and your fellow Councilmen fail this city. You shall face the White Wolf of Imrryr. I can assure you Master Isake. You don’t want that.”

“May I know why I should fear this White Wolf of Imrryr, your Majesty?” Isake asked.

“Simple Master Isake. My daughter hates corrupt politicians with an unparalleled passion.” Kathrine chuckled as Isake turned white and pissed his pants. Kathrine couldn’t help herself as her snark-side reared its head. “And by the way. In my daughter’s eyes. All politicians are corrupt pieces of shit.”

With that final warning Kathrine stood up and waved her hand in dismissal. “You may leave. Come back when you have found eight more Councilman, Master Isake.”

Once she was alone with just Sir Bertilak, and Master Tobin, Kathrine sat down heavily on the throne. “By the goddess I hope I did the right thing.”

“You have begun your rule on the right foot your Majesty. The old City Council was filled with the worst of our sagas and knights. Small, minded men and women who never saw the greater good. Only what their positions on the Council could do for them. Master Thornhill was taking bribes for public works construction. Mistress Underwood used her position to insure that only selected merchants could sell their wares in the marketplace. Sir Camden continuously raised taxies in the city stables. Dame Issa placed tariffs on any wagon not belong to the teamsters guild. I could go on and on your Majesty. If you had tried them in a court the result would have been the same. They would have been just as guilty and just as dead. Only their deaths would have been far more public.” Tobin assured Kathrine as the first of the bodies was removed from the throne. He saw the smiles on the faces of the city body collectors. “If you doubt me your Majesty. Just look to the faces of those men. They can already tell that things are changing for the better.”

“Your Majesty, Lords David and Dale will be here shortly.” The guard who went to collect her husband said as she reentered the room. Kathrine could tell that the squire was upset by something she saw. “He and Lord Dale are busy dealing with matters of magic. Please don’t ask me to explain your Majesty. I tried to understand their words, but my understanding of this magic called science fails.”

“Don’t worry squire. I know how my husband and fellow Professor can get. If you had managed to follow their conversation. I would send you to the tower the tower of sagas for training.” Kathrine chuckled. The pounding of a staff on the floor by the court herald drew her attention towards the door.

“Presenting his Lordships David Pendragon and Dale Grant with slaves.” The moment Kathrine heard the word slaves she knew someone had paid the price for pissing off David and Dale with their freedom. Kathrine’s only worry was who had paid. The second she saw the eleven humanoid figures encased in polymorphic metal she had her answer or part of it anyway.

“Okay you two. Who’s in the armor?” Kathrine asked them with a sigh.

“Mistress the knights are your personal bodyguards.” A young girl said in black armor as she stepped forward to kneel in front of Kathrine. “I’m a gift to you from your husband Lord David, Mistress.”

“David dear. Who is this young lady?” Kathrine asked in her ‘I’m pissed but I’ll wait for an explanation’ tone of voice.

“I am Sile Mistress. Your slave.” Sile told her before David could say anything.

“Who did you used to be Sile?” Kathrine asked her.

“I was Silver of the Labyrinth Mistress. Master lifted the Mark of Enhanced Honor. I belong to you now.” Sile told Kathrine with a smile. When Kathrine heard who the girl used to be her anger cold.

“Up here and be silent.” Kathrine ordered her as she snapped her fingers and pointed to the side of the throne. As Sile dropped to her knees beside the throne Kathrine looked over at David and Dale. “Okay boys. From the beginning. You can start with those ten walked metal statues.”

“That’s on me Kathy.” Dale told her as he snapped his own fingers. “Revel.”

When Kathrine saw the faces of Dames Mylisant and Bridget along with their squires had her answer to who had pissed of the two men. Taking a deep breath to calm herself Kathrine ask one question. “How much of the city needs to be rebuilt guys?”

“Not much Kathrine. Just the fountain in the city square and a few pieces of road.” David told her then went to tell her about his fight with Silver and David cursing the two knights with their squires.

-----tbc-----