A Tale That Dawned [Book 4 of Selvina's Tale series]

Chapter 26: A King's Failure

King Arthur, Merlin, and the four remaining knights walked with heads bowed and spirits low. Draped on the king's griffin were the bodies of Sir Kay and Sir Bors, stark reminders of their utter failure. Their mounts had fled the area, wanting nothing to do with a dragon, forcing the armoured knights to walk back to camp on foot.

Little was said for quite a time until Sir Galahad spoke, his voice heavily choked with regret. "I couldn't stop it. It was as if my blade had a mind of its own... I was not strong enough..." He glanced back at the griffin padding quietly behind them, eyeing Sir Bors's headless body and then shifted his gaze to King Arthur. "I failed you, my king."

King Arthur shook his head. "No, Galahad, I failed in protecting Selvina. I should have had a firmer watch on her whereabouts."

"I mean no disrespect, my lord," Sir Tristan was saying, leaning heavily on Sir Perceval and putting as little weight as possible on his injured leg. Merlin had stopped its bleeding but, already exhausted from giving life to the beaten knights once before, could not heal it fully. "But we all failed this day. The empress bested us, despite being outnumbered. We were not prepared..."

"She wasn't even in her dragon form," Sir Lamorak muttered, frowning deeply. "We should have had the upper hand. How could we fail so completely? We lost two of our brothers and the one girl we were tasked in keeping safe, the only one that gave us a fighting chance in this war. Now the enemy has her!"

"Stead yourself, Lamorak," Merlin cautioned. "There is no benefit in placing blame and wishing things had happened differently. All is not lost."

"How can you say that?" Lamorak asked with a growl.

"Selvina is taken but not dead. The empress, powerful as she is, would not kill her."

"You don't know that for certain."

"If she wanted her dead she could have killed her on the road," King Arthur noted. "For whatever reason she wishes her alive and that gives us a chance, albeit a slim one."

The knights returned to Maron over an hour later and were met on the road by Queen Marian and General Little, both of them looking shocked and confused.

"The war tent," Queen Marian ordered, her face grim. "Now."

****

Once everyone was gathered within the war tent, all finding a seat at the Round Table, Queen Marian spoke. "Tell me everything."

And so King Arthur and Merlin did, their voices low and halting. The defeat fell heavily upon them and Queen Marian could tell they felt utterly ashamed and guilty. Her brows were furrowed, however, and no sympathy came from her. The Knights of the Round Table, renowned for their prowess and victorious conquests, could use a few defeats, she thought.

"I should have had her watched at all times," King Arthur was saying with a shake of his head. "I knew offering her too much freedom was dangerous. It is my fault she was captured, your highness, and it is I who should take the blame."

"No, my king," interjected Sir Galahad. "I should have fought harder."

"As I should have," added Sir Perceval.

"I should have been more careful," added Sir Tristan.

Sir Lamorak began to talk but was interrupted by a fist slamming on the table. The knights turned their gazes to Queen Marian, who was frowning deeply.

"Sorry to interrupt your little pissing contest about who is the biggest failure," she started angrily, "but all of you are equally at fault and thus all to blame."