EPISODE 124

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[ iseult wakes and walks over to her mirror. she brushes her hair, and admires her rounded belly. ] 

ISEULT : 

Oh, but…
What happened to the lot of you?

BRUNOR :
Chouchen got hands.

ISEULT :
I see you went on celebrating long after I left.

TRISTAN :
I’m sorry, my love, I just collapsed…

ISEULT :
And when did you get back, exactly?

PERCIVAL :
The birds had started chirping, so…
It must’ve been close to dawn…
But I picked up this deer antler on the way back!
It’s for you, my queen!

ISEULT :
…
…Thank you, Percival.
I will put it with… everything you’ve got me.
Now, where’s Bedivere? I should hope he’s in a better state than the rest of you. 

DINADAN :
You must be kidding.
You should’ve seen him. He was so drunk, he threw me into the ground face first. 

ISEULT :
At his age, he should take some care, especially if he means to take the road again.
Oh, Mordred, do you know when you’ll be leaving? 

MORDRED :
We’re supposed to leave tomorrow, but… ( Ugh… ) 

ISEULT :
…I see.

[ she looks among her supplies. ] 

ISEULT :
I’ll brew you all something to help with nausea. 

[ chorus of thanks!! ] 

GUINEVERE :
…
I’ve known you to be a better opponent.

BEDIVERE :
I doubt it.
You don’t have to coddle my ego when it comes to chess…
I’m no Kay.

GUINEVERE :
There’s nothing to coddle. Kay truly gives me trouble when we play, although I fear he also boasts of it throughout the kingdom. 

BEDIVERE :
…
Ugh, I miss him.

GUINEVERE :
Haha, I miss him too. And I know the feeling, I…
…I think of Arthur often. 

BEDIVERE :
…
Listen, I get why you left, I do.
So does Arthur.
He’s very angry with himself.

GUINEVERE :
( Hmpf! )
He always is, after the fact. It doesn’t change what he did.
And you are not without blame, either.
Your loyalty to your king is commendable, Bedivere.
I only wish you were just as loyal to our friendship.
I should’ve been told. But the three of you, the legendary three…
You thought I could not handle the truth.
And so I find myself excluded from my own role without so much as a say in it, again and again.

BEDIVERE :
…
…Truth be told…
…he also meant to protect you. 

GUINEVERE :
Protect me from what, exactly? 

BEDIVERE :
From Morgan.

GUINEVERE :
…
Morgan and I are very good friends.
…Would she have tried anything, if I’d known about it? 

BEDIVERE :
Arthur thought she might.
Do you remember the day she came to pledge allegiance to the Round Table?

GUINEVERE :
That’s where I met her.
She was gracious and kind from the start. She treated me as though I was her own sister. 

BEDIVERE :
Believe me, Arthur noticed as much.

GUINEVERE :
Do you think she was trying to use me?
For revenge? If that is so, why not make a move in all these years?

BEDIVERE :
Because she’s patient, that one.
She seems to be counting on Merlin’s prophecy about Mordred to achieve her goals.
So we thought leaving you out of it would give Morgan one less reason to hurt you.
In retrospect, it was stupid of us.
That… or we were looking for excuses.
You see, that’s not it.
You want the truth?
Here’s something Arthur will never tell you, because he’s never told me, either.
While Morgan was pregnant, when he learned of it…
…he tried to intimidate her.
I don’t know how. All I could see were the consequences.
But I think that’s where Morgan’s resentment comes from. Perhaps even more so than the attempted murder of her newborn son. 

GUINEVERE :
…

BEDIVERE :
I know full well this won’t make you want to come back.
But all I can tell you is this ⎯ when you went, you left a void behind.
Arthur misses you terribly.
So does Kay, even if he won’t say it.
( Heh. ) And so do I.
I know all the bards do is sing of the legendary three,
but they’re only looking at martial might.
You’ve always been right there with us.
And I’m grateful for all you’ve done.
Especially all those months you cared for me, when I was unable to fulfill my duty.

GUINEVERE :
…
I apologize. It was petty of me.

BEDIVERE :
Apology accepted. Besides, it got me thinking.

GUINEVERE :
What are we going to do about Mordred?
Does Arthur mean to solve this issue with violence? 

BEDIVERE :
…
Arthur is full of hope.
Always has been, about everything.
He’s always tried to make decisions that would benefit the many, rather than the few.
And in some way, on that matter…
…Mordred’s just like him.
So no, there is no plan…
…for now.

GUINEVERE :
…
[ sighs. ]
Checkmate. 

[ someone knocks. ]

GUINEVERE :
Come in.

ISEULT :
Guinevere!
A messenger just came in with a missive…
…penned by Arthur and Mark!
They’re saying that if we don’t return to them,
they’ll declare war against Lancelot and her allies!

ROUND TABLE TRIVIA

The Legendary Three, referring to Arthur, Kay and Bedivere, used to be a popular ballad for bards to sing. 

[ the legendary three against the giant yspadadden, colorized ] 

It was written following their battle against the giant Yspadadden, head of the great giant tribe of Logres, of which they were the victors. 

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