When the Black Hunter returned to the Lair, he was in good spirits despite how grim his mission had turned out that night. He related the tale to his ally when he appeared and the two shared a long laugh over the fate of the couple.
“I should return to that house tonight, to assure all is well,” Aaronn mused over his cup of wine. “I have asked Osric to make up more baskets as we are short a few, due to the extreme need we have found this year. ‘Tis clear now that I must do more to help the poor next season. When the harvests are this heavy, ‘tis no reason for anyone to go without!”
“We are nearly done with the twelve days, brother,” Olran smiled a bit. “I feel very good about what we have been able to do so far, and I anticipate celebrating Yule with our brother Knights, if they are coming.”
“Ye know they will,” Aaronn assured. “The weather this week seems to be warming; the snow has stopped for the moment. The roads should be somewhat passable.”
Finishing their wine, they left the Lair for their beds and a good night’s sleep, resting well.
In the morning they rose and shared their usual plate of Glenda’s excellent pastries, finding them stuffed with diced apples, currents, and walnuts, one of their very favorite combinations. When they went downstairs, they found that Arthur’s herald had come with the news of his imminent arrival, and the staff leapt to their well-honed duties. Within the hour, wine was heating, more pastries were in the oven, and breakfast was being prepared for the King and the Knights. The bedrooms upstairs were quickly redressed with fresh sheets, and the hearths all cleaned and relit, so that the rooms would be warm and cozy. The baths were also prepared, and the masseuses were summoned. Fresh towels, robes, and house slippers were laid out for their favorite guests. By the time the King’s party arrived, everything was ready to welcome them.
“How does yer staff do it, Aaronn?” Arthur asked as he was handed the cup of welcome. “I barely give ye enough time to make breakfast, and when I arrive, ‘tis as if I have been expected for a week! I wish some of the other noble houses were so welcoming.”
“I and my staff are honored to host the King’s Yule revels,” Aaronn replied with just a trace of a smile. “Please, enter in peace and be welcome!”
“I shall enter in peace, and in peace we will abide,” Arthur finished the ritual phrase, after pouring a few drops from the cup onto the ground as was customary in thanksgiving for all good things. He found the inside of the house decorated in the spirit of the season; fresh green boughs and sprigs of holly dressed the corners of the rooms, adding their brilliant color to the holiday. Bundles of mistletoe were everywhere, the smell of frankincense and myrrh wafting through the house and mixing with the smell of delicious food cooking.
“Come, ye have time to warm yerselves in the baths if ye wish,” Aaronn invited, and took them down the hall, handing them a bag of the Mother’s Herb and a pipe.
The rest of the day was very pleasant, and by the time it grew dark Arthur and the Knights were ready for some deep and restful sleep. Once he was certain that everyone except his ally was abed, the Black Knight resumed his mission, delivering the rest of his parcels and gifts to the poor families of the city. When he finished, he went to the house his ally had visited the night before, just to be certain all was well. Appearing in the common room of the home, he found everything neat and tidy, the fire banked properly and the priestess asleep in the main bedroom. He saw the children’s new toys had been carefully put away, excepting the doll given to the youngest. It warmed his heart to see her clutching her doll closely under the covers. With a smile, he went back down the stairs and made to leave. A movement and a noise caught his attention; he went to investigate, searching the ground floor for the cause of the noise. He found the Green Man, seated in front of a roaring fire, holding a silver cup filled with steaming liquid.
“Greetings, Sir Black Knight,” he heard the god’s resonant voice call out. “Come, sit with me a bit and share a cup with me on this night. I should like to return yer hospitality.”
“I would be honored, My Lord Cernunnos,” the Black Knight returned, taking the comfortable chair that materialized and accepting a cup of warmed wine. “Thank ye for this, ‘tis very fine,” he complimented. “How may I be of service to ye, My Lord?”
“Ye already have, Sir Knight,” the Green Man answered. “Ye have come to relieve the suffering of the poor, of the infirm, and of the weak. Ye have saved the lives of children, ye and yer ally, and seen to the needs of the elderly. I thank ye for that.”
“I am pleased to have accomplished the task ye set for me,” the Black Knight replied humbly. “I am a wealthy man and the thought of good people going without because of someone else’s greed is appalling.”
“Ye have a caring heart, my son,” the Green Man said, a slight smile on his face. “As does yer ally.”
The Black Knight finished the cup, only to see it refill itself with the same liquid as before.
“He is a good man, even if he is sometimes a bit heavy-handed in his work. I would have no other with me.”
“Indeed. Now, as to the reason I am here. This family is special, for the youngest will be a powerful Lady of Avalon one day. I would like ye to look after them as Lord Aaronn.”
“Of course, I meant to in any case, Great Father,” the Black Knight responded.
“Also, ‘tis someone else here in Londinium ye should watch for. He is a special young man, with a very special gift of being exactly where he should be at exactly the right moment. His name is Regael; watch for him in the streets of Londinium,” the Green Man instructed.
“I shall watch for him, My Lord,” the Black Knight responded.
“I must be off, as ye must. I think yer ally will need yer assistance before the night is through, and I must finish my work tonight as well. Thank ye for yer service, Black Knight of Avalon.”
“It is always offered. Blessed Yule, My Lord,” the Black Knight answered.
“Blessed Yule,” the Green Man responded into his mind, and in a wink of an eye he vanished, along with all traces of his presence. The Black Knight smiled, feeling very warm despite the chill temperature of the house, and after one more inspection to assure that all was well, he departed, leaving his token behind with another fat bag of gold.
As soon as the Black Knight left the house, warning bells began to sound in his mind, and he could hear his ally’s call. As quickly as the silver roads could take him to the Black Hunter’s location, he was there and what he saw chilled him more than the frost. He saw his ally, surrounded by a group of men, defending a young woman from them. There were over twenty in the group, and from what the Black Knight could hear, they had shockingly sinister plans for the young woman once they had dealt with her defender. He could hear their expressions of lust, and hearing their thoughts made him sick to his stomach.
It was cold and the knight wanted to be inside as quickly as possible. Maneuvering himself into the place of best advantage, the Black Knight set himself before beginning to throw his knives at a rapid pace. When he was practicing his art, he could see everything all at once, as if time itself had slowed. Within a few moments, it was all over; some were slain, some were too badly injured to fight back, and others had fled. The woman fainted from cold and shock, leaving the two friends to speak in privacy.
“I am glad ye happened along when ye did,” the Black Hunter panted, accepting the offered flask and draining it. “I called and called, but ye did not answer. Where were ye, in the Faerie realms?” he asked with a bit of anger.
“I shall explain everything to ye later, my ally. For now, ye should go before the town guards come,” the Black Knight responded. “I shall look after her.”
“Very well, but ye owe me a full explanation!” the Black Hunter exclaimed and disappeared into the shadows.
Once he was gone, the Black Knight bent to see to the young woman, noting she was very pretty. Her face was badly bruised, as if she had been beaten, and she was very thin. He also noted that she wore a wedding band on her finger. The Black Knight frowned a bit as he considered just who might have inflicted her injuries. After dropping a token and the scroll that always appeared after such events, he picked her up carefully. Mindful that she might have broken bones, he disappeared into the gathering snowstorm, heading for Vondra’s inn.
Arriving at the back door where Vondra was overseeing that night’s festivities, the knight knocked and the door opened. The voluptuous redhead answered, saw the woman, and looked at him with questioning eyes.
“Vondra, would ye have a place for her tonight?” he asked quietly.
“I am full up, sir, ‘tis Twelfth Night,” Vondra answered. “I cannot even put her in my room, for I have rented it out as well.”
“I see, very well, I know someplace else I can take her.” The Black Knight smiled and disappeared in front of her. Appearing on the veranda at Aaronnsdale Villa, he knocked on the heavy oaken door and waited. Osric soon answered, and beckoned him inside. Olran was already there, warming himself from the inside out on a cup of good Orkney whiskey. The King and the Knights came downstairs quickly, having been roused by the knocking.
“Sir Knight!” Arthur exclaimed. “What are ye doing out on such a night?”
“I have come to ask Lord Aaronn if he might extend sanctuary to this young woman. She was violently accosted in the streets of Londinium,” he answered. “May she stay?”
“As Aaronn is unavailable at the moment, I shall answer in his stead,” Olran offered. “As a Knight of Camelot, I extend sanctuary of the house to this young woman. No one may come to claim her until we know everything pertinent to her case. Her honor is ours to defend,” he finished, taking the young woman from the Black Knight and cradling her gently in his arms.
“I have always said ye are a good soul, brother Olran,” Arthur put in. “As King of Britain, I add my sanction to this. She will remain here, until we find out exactly what has transpired to leave her in such a situation.”
“Thank ye, My Lord,” Olran replied graciously. Turning, he took her down into the barracks area, where Saleena took her into her care. Olran left her knowing that she would be well looked after until she woke.
By the time he returned to the great room, the Black Knight had gone and a party atmosphere roused. When Aaronn joined them all, dressed in comfortable clothing, robe and slippers, the fire had been stoked and the night staff had laid out trays of sliced meats, breads, and cheeses in anticipation of their Lord and guests’ hunger.
“What is this, a late-night party?” he asked with a grin.
Olran smiled and put a cup of whiskey into his best friends’ hand, handing him a loaded pipe as well.
“Merry and Blessed Yule, my brother,” he wished him.
“A very Merry and Blessed Yule to ye as well, my brother,” Aaronn responded.
Olran told him of the Black Knight’s visit as they circulated with pipes of Herb. The Knights began to tell stories of past adventures, laughing all the while. As they did so, the woman downstairs regained consciousness, finding that she had been washed and dressed in comfortable clothing while asleep. She was startled at her surroundings, and when Saleena appeared with food, she was bombarded with questions.
“Hush now, and eat something,” Saleena responded patiently. “As ye eat, I shall attempt to explain everything I know.”
The woman was ravenous and fell upon the plate, eating rapidly but with good manners, remembering to use the napkin when necessary. When she finished the plate, she burped into the napkin and sat back against the wall, enjoying being full for the first time in a long while.
“My name is Cerys,” she said, “and I am the wife of a man named Bron. He promised my father he would treat me well when we were wed, but my life has been a hell since that day. I was out in the cold due to my husband’s rage, for I could not face another beating,” she wept, choking the words out. “I must go before he finds me here. Ye cannot imagine his anger if he discovers I have been helped by anyone.”
“Ye need have no fear, ye are at Aaronnsdale Villa,” Saleena responded. “My Lord is a Knight of Camelot, and ye have been extended sanctuary at Avalon. Ye cannot be taken anywhere without My Lord Aaronn’s say so, despite yer married status. I suggest that ye relax and let yer body heal. Ye will be safe among us, and I should mention that the King of Britain is here to celebrate the holidays along with the Inner Circle of Camelot; yer husband would be most unwise to come looking for ye here.”
“He will come, I know it!” Cerys wept.
“Then let him come; I would like to see him try to take ye from a Knight of Camelot whose skills are honed to a razor’s edge,” Saleena laughed. “Come, join our party upstairs, ‘tis plenty of drink and food for all. Ye will have a chance to explain everything to My Lord Arthur.”
“The King is truly upstairs?” Cerys queried, her tears slowing. “But I have nothing to wear!”
“That we can remedy; I think ye would look marvelous in red.” Saleena smiled and took her by the hand, leading her to the clothing stores in the villa. Together, they found a dress that fit Cerys, as well as hose and slippers to go with it. Soon she was dressed and ready, and Saleena took her upstairs to meet her host and his friends.
“My Lord?” Saleena called to Aaronn from the top of the barracks stairway. “Yer guest is awake and ready to join in the fun.”
“Good!” Aaronn answered and walked to her. “Welcome to my villa. My name is Aaronn; what are ye called?”
“M… my name is Cerys,” she answered a bit fearfully.
“Merry Yule to ye, Cerys,” Aaronn wished her. “May I offer ye a cup of mulled wine? ‘Tis excellent; I find it the perfect thing for such an icy night.”
“O my, I have not tasted mulled wine for a long time, My Lord,” Cerys answered. “I would like a cup, please?”
“Come with me then, and I shall pour ye a cup myself.” Aaronn smiled and extended his hand.
When Cerys placed her hand in his, she noted at once thick callouses indicating his work with the sword, and felt comforted for the first time in many years. Surely her beast of a husband would not be able to overcome such a man, she thought as he ladled a steaming cupful and handed it to her. Sipping carefully, she found the temperature just right and the taste quite delicious.
She smiled after swallowing the sip, and complimented the maker. “My goodness, ye are right, ‘tis quite tasty! My mother used to make something similar, but she passed through the Veil many years ago. Did ye make this?” she asked timidly.
“Nay, my Steward Osric crafted this. I am enjoying it very much, and I am glad ye are, as well. Have ye eaten?”
“I have had a plate, but I could have another. It had been four days since I had a meal,” Cerys confessed with embarrassment.
“Let us talk about that while we visit the table, my dear. My brother Olran said that the Black Knight brought ye here after finding ye in a very difficult situation. Of course, ye have sanctuary in my home for as long as ‘tis required,” he reinforced. Taking her to the table where all the small foods were set out, he put a plate in her hand and walked her through, while she told him everything that had happened to her in the last five years.
Aaronn’s blood boiled to hear her harrowing account of abuse at the hands of her vile husband, who had treated her as his property. She was a very beautiful woman, and Aaronn felt very protective of her, despite having known her only a short time. But then he felt that way about most women, having been raised on Avalon so long ago.
“Let him come then, with as many bully boys as he can muster. We will see if they can prevail against Knights of Camelot,” Aaronn replied seriously. “What skills have ye? I am certain I can always use an industrious pair of hands about my villa.”
“I sing, and play the floor harp as well as many other instruments. I can teach, too. Before I was wed, I used to take students from time to time,” she revealed.
“A music teacher is something I do not have currently in residence here at the villa. We will talk more in the morning concerning yer employment,” he smiled.
She made merry that night as she had not for many years, laughing, eating, and drinking her fill. She listened as the Knights told stories from the old days of the wars, and her eyes filled with tears to hear them remember old friends who had passed in battle. She began to see the Knights of Camelot in a new light, as a brotherhood in arms that truly cared for each other, and for Britain’s people. By the end of the evening, she felt as if she might truly be safe, and she slept well that night for the first time in many.
***
In the morning, very early, a group of men appeared in Aaronnsdale’s courtyard, armed with crude weapons and still drunk from their revels. At their head stood Bron, a large, strong and ugly man with a seething fury in his eyes. Due to the amount of drink he had imbibed the night before, he was even more ferocious than usual, particularly enraged at having to come and fetch his wife home from the house of another man. He strode to the door, despite the very early hour, and pounded upon it with his meaty fist until someone answered. Osric the steward opened the door, and Bron attempted to push past him to gain entry. He found himself magickally restrained, as Osric’s Druid training manifested as ropes, binding him hand and foot, so that he fell onto the floor of the entryway. Only by twisting his body to the side did he avoid a broken nose, and his anger was vented upon the steward, who stood coldly above him.
“I want my wife!” he demanded. “Bring ‘er t’ me!”
Osric firmly closed the door on the other men. “I shall bring no one but the Lord of the Villa; ye will wait right here until I return with him!” he responded coolly, and left him there on the floor, fuming.
Climbing the stairs to Aaronn’s room, Osric knocked for entry, finding that his master was awake already, and nearly dressed.
“Ah, ye heard our guest arrive,” Osric quipped sarcastically. “Ye’ll hit him once or twice for his rudeness, won’t ye?”
“We will see, Steward,” Aaronn answered as he patted himself down, making sure all his weapons were in place.
As he and Osric emerged from the room, the other Knights joined them, all having been wakened from a sound sleep by Bron’s noise. The man soon found himself surrounded by burly, belligerent men who wanted him gone as soon as possible.
“What is it ye want here?” Aaronn demanded.
“Ye have m’ wife, I hear. I want ‘er back!” Bron demanded in a very hostile tone. “I ‘ave brought m’ friends along to ‘elp me, if ye want a fight.”
“Do ye have any idea who I am?” Aaronn asked, reaching down and picking Bron up by main strength, setting him on his feet. “Osric, please release him.”
“As ye wish, My Lord,” Osric replied, and the magickal restraints vanished. Bron teetered for a bit to regain his balance until Arthur put out an assisting hand to steady him.
“Don’t know, don’t care,” Bron answered, not even looking at Arthur or any of the other well-known men standing there. His eyes were hard on Aaron. “Ye’ve got m’ property, ‘tis theft in my world. Ye’ll either give it back, or I’ll take it.”
“Not from my house, ye won’t. As it happens, I have granted the lady sanctuary at the holy isle of Avalon. Ye may not have her until she is ready to go.”
“Ye’ve no right, ye rich swine! Ye ‘ave everythin’ already, an’ now ye want m’ wife, too!” Bron stepped towards Aaronn in a threatening manner, which was an error on his part. Aaronn simply redirected his blow, causing Bron to fall to the floor. Aaronn again was grateful to Diredra’s training long ago as he watched the angry man struggle to his feet, very clumsily.
“Ye really don’t know, do ye?” Aaronn queried. “I was born on the streets and lived on the streets until I was five. If not for the King’s mercy, I might have died there. He took me in and fostered me as his ward. I doubt any of yer friends would have done the same. Cerys is here because the Black Knight saved her from being assaulted in the streets. She was out there only because ye forced her out. Ye are therefore responsible for every injury she suffered. If ye were a good man, a godly man, ye would beg her forgiveness for yer prideful ways. If ye think ye can take her from my house, come with me to the arena and prove ye are the better man,” he challenged.
Only then did Bron truly note that there were famous Knights of Camelot in the room, staring at him with flinty eyes, with hands on their weapons. He recognized Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristan, and there were two of the Orkney brothers amongst them, as well as Sir Bedwyr. Finally, his eyes fell upon Arthur, whose Pendragon insignia was unmistakable.
“Aye, let us see what a ‘man’ like you can do against a trained Knight of Camelot,” Arthur agreed. “I shall act as marshall,” he volunteered. “Brothers, perhaps ye would go outside and inform this man’s friends that this has become a private matter between Lord Aaronn and him? They should leave now,” he asked of the Knights.
“Of course, My Lord. We will do so at once!” Lancelot agreed, motioning to the others to join him outside.
It took very little effort to convince the gang of bully boys to depart, especially when the Knights produced swords and advanced upon them. Their laughter followed the gang of men all the way out the gates, and they all swore they could hear it the entire way back to Londinium.
As all this transpired, the Green Man watched from the shadows, a very pleased smile upon his face. He decided to watch the event in the private arena of Aaronnsdale, as well. He had not seen a bully get what was coming to him for a long time, and looked forward to the show.
The three men walked to the sands, Aaronn truly anticipating teaching the man the lesson he so richly deserved. He stood to one side and divested himself of all of his weapons, stripping off his shirt afterwards. Bron was dismayed to see his athletic physique, the muscles rippling under his skin like taut cords, and he made to apologize so as to avoid the confrontation.
“My Lord, perhaps I’ve been rash,” he began, only to be cut off sharply by Aaronn’s words.
“Ye have indeed been rash, Bron. Yer wife has told me everything about yer relationship, how ye believe she is yer property as much as a cow or a pig. While some might tolerate such behavior, I do not. Ye come to my house, force yer way in, insult the King and my friends the Knights, threatening violence the day after Yule, a time of peace and joy. Nay, ye will not get out of this with a mere apology; now defend yerself!”
Bron was a bully. He had been in countless fights. He readied himself accordingly, but when the Knight began to pound him with his fists, he staggered back under the blows. They came rapid-fire, so fast he could barely see the fists before they struck. Aaronn pummeled him from head to toe, so he had no choice but to lie still and think until he recovered while Aaronn stood over him, barely breathing hard.
At that moment, Cerys appeared in the arena, having been watching from the entrance. She could hardly believe that her brute of a husband had been so thoroughly punished in such a short time. She walked to where he lay, took off her wedding band, and threw it in his face, hitting him square in the eye.
“We are done, ye and I. I want no more part of ye! We are finished, an’ I never wish to see ye ever again!” she shouted at him. Slowly, with gratitude in her eyes, she turned to her host. “I wish to thank ye, My Lord Aaronn, for what ye have done this day, and for offering me sanctuary in yer home. I think I shall be quite happy here.”
“Oh, I see!” Bron shouted back angrily. “Ye’ve been with ‘im, ‘aven’t ye?”
“And now ye would insult me again?” Aaronn growled, bending over and picking him up. “Will ye learn naught? Perhaps I should call for the Black Knight to come for ye; perhaps then ye would learn yer lesson!”
No sooner had the words left his lips, than the Black Knight appeared, with the Black Hunter stepping in to play his part.
“I have seen everything I need to see, Lord Aaronn. I should be only too happy to take him away where he will not trouble anyone again,” he offered.
“Nay, I do not wish t’ leave Britain!” Bron shouted out in a panic, for he had heard the tales of people disappearing at the hands of the Black Knight, never to be seen or heard from again. “If she ‘as no wish t’ remain as my wife, then so be it! I wan’ naught t’ do with ‘er!”
“So be it!” Arthur intoned. “Sir Black Knight, if ye would please return this… person… to his home?” he asked politely.
“I should be only too happy to take him away, My Lord Pendragon, and while I am there, I will retrieve Cerys’ belongings. Come, maggot!” the Black Knight replied. Striding to Bron’s side, he bound him to prevent resistance and walked him off the sands, disappearing as soon as they were in the shadows.
It was at this point that the Green Man had seen enough, and he strode out onto the sands. Everyone within the arena dropped to a knee at his approach, and he raised them up one by one, speaking to each one with a special message.
“Arthur Pendragon, who is twice over crowned, once by the Mother’s hand, once by the Christian’s hand, beware the sin of arrogance and pride. ‘Twill be the downfall of yer kingdom, for ‘twill keep ye from seeing the truth. Remember the vows ye gave at yer king-making, to be the steward of Britain and its people. Ye are the Land!”
“Aye, My Lord Cernunnos, I hear yer words,” Arthur replied respectfully.
“Aaronn of Avalon, ye have grown mighty since coming to Camelot. The Lady Ceridwen has favored ye. Keep to yer path and remain true to your vows.”
“I have always tried to do just that, My Lord Cernunnos, and please relay my gratitude to the Lady.”
“Cerys, yer mother was a lady of Avalon. Ye have the gift of music that can be used to soothe the wounded, instruct the ignorant, or to accuse the guilty. Ye have found yer way to a good life, make the most of it,” he said gently, putting his hand on her head.
“I shall, My Lord Cernunnos. I recognize the opportunity that awaits me here. I thank ye for yer blessing,” Cerys responded in a shaky voice. She was overwhelmed by the power that had come from the god’s touch, and could barely speak at all.
“May this house be blessed, and those within, as well. A Blessed Yule to all, I give ye good day,” the Green Man bid them farewell, and disappeared just as the dawn’s light fell upon the land.
They all knelt there as the sun rose, only to disappear behind the thick, fluffy clouds that gathered to block its light. As the snow began to fall again, in thick flurries, they ran for the kitchen door and the warm mulled wine and sumptuous breakfast that Glenda had prepared for all. While they consumed it, Aaronn offered Cerys a permanent place at the villa, teaching music to the children of the staff. He paid her extravagantly, as he did all his staff, being the generous man, he was. The villa continued to prosper, watched over always by Ceridwen and Cernunnos.