Return to Camelot by Jeffrey Allen White (the reading strategies book .TXT) 📕

given him today. The book fell off the table as Tolemac passed by, his arm knocking it off as he passed. Its’ pages flew open as it landed on the floor.

Arthur screamed again. Tolemac’s heart raced. Surely, the king was in need of help. It was far more than he was able to provide.

Tolemac retreated further away from the bed and turned over a ewer of water. The metal, making a hollow noise as it hit the floor. The water had started to soak into the carpet.

The boy started to cry, as he was afraid his king was dying before him. He did not know what to do. He turned to run to the door. Tolemac ran and collided into a man. He had not noticed him standing there.

Startled and crying, Tolemac fought to escape as the man grabbed and held him.

“Well, what do we have here?” the man asked. “You are all alone and the old fool king is throwing a nasty fit.”

Tolemac was terrified now. Would they blame him for the king’s illness? He tried to break free from the man’s grasp. The man was strong and held him firmly.

“Let me go! Let me go! I must find help for the king!” Tolemac pulled with all his might. The man was not about to release the boy. After all, he had come here just to find this boy. The one they call Tolemac.

“You best are quiet lad or your fate will be sealed with this dagger.” The man held a shiny blade up for Tolemac to see. The light fell upon its gleaming blade of steel. His eyes widened at the sight of the sharp weapon.

The man pulled Tolemac by his hair and sat him down forcibly on a chair. Tolemac cried aloud from the pain but sat as ordered. He rubbed his scalp where the man pulled him.

“What do you want? Who are you? I must find help for the king. He is ill!” Tolemac began to get up and the man’s gloved hand came down on him and with one forceful strike, Tolemac, rendered unconscious, fell to the floor.

“There’s much fight in you, that’s good and that’s…bad. You are not as I have thought you to be. The boy was far too frail a creature for a future king.” Tolemac stirred as he lay in a heap on the floor.

The man bent over the fallen boy and examined him closely. He took off his gloves and with his hand; he followed the boy’s features, touching his hair, his eyes, his nose and mouth. He ran his fingers over his cheeks. “He was so full of life, so much youth. But not for long.”

The man stood up and walked over to the bed. He grabbed Arthur’s hand and pulled off his ring. He tried to pry open his other hand but it would not open. He then touched Arthur’s closed eyes, grinning.

“So Arthur, we meet again after all these years. I would like to say that you are looking well and fit but that does not seem to be quite true. You have not fared well at all. Your queen and the treasonous friend of yours have weakened you but not enough to kill you. I have waited all these years for you to die and here you are, still alive.” The man bent over Arthur’s face.

“You see Arthur, I am back. It is I, Mordred. Are you surprised?” Mordred smiled as he realized he was really speaking only to himself as Arthur was in a deep sleep.

“Where are you? Oh, King Arthur, great ruler of Camelot, where, oh where has your little king gone? Mordred let out a laugh. He had waited a long time for this revenge and he intended to savor it. To enjoy every moment of it.

“You see the boy, Arthur?” Mordred turned towards the unmoving Tolemac. Mordred grabbed Arthur’s face and turned it so he would face the boy, as if he were awake. The king did not respond.

“What a shame, what a dirty little shame. I came all this way and you, not even civil enough to be awake when I arrive. How rude of you dear brother. Not even a simple ’How do you do.’”

Mordred let the king’s head fall back onto the bed. Arthur groaned from pain, a far away pain. Mordred smiled.

“Those nightmares still haunt you, Arthur? The big evil dragon draped menacingly around the old drafty castle looking for a meal? Perhaps your good wife would do. Oh, excuse me; she has gone, is she not? Left you for that fool Lancelot. Hahaha. What a waste, all this fun and you not awake to enjoy it with me.” Mordred went over to the boy.

“You see Arthur, I have recently found out something that even my dear departed mother didn’t know. And from what I can tell, you don’t either.” Mordred let out another laugh. “This boy...this page...your squire, how absurd!”

Mordred stepped over the boy and went to the table. He noticed the book on the floor. Its pages wet with water. “What’s this? You have been reading late at night Arthur. It is not good for your eyes. You could go blind from the strain. Then again, who cares? Certainly, it is not I! Hahaha.”

Mordred put the book on the bed near Arthur’s legs. “How stupid of you dear brother to not know what is even going on right under you very nose. Then, you did not even know your own wife and that French excuse for a knight were making you look the fool. That was Mother’s touch you see. She was always so very good at potions, spells, and that sort of thing. I always wondered if they ever knew it was her potion controlling their desires. Then again, who cares? No need to dwell on the past, right dear brother?”

Arthur moaned again. “Oh, did I say something to upset you? Oh well, I meant it!” Mordred took the book and ripped the pages out, letting them fall on Arthur. The pages went flying about. He threw the leather cover into the fire.

“That is what I think of you. You should burn for all eternity! My mother died because of you. She fell ill and wasted away longing for you. Her beauty and powers withered because of you! The life taken from her by you!”

Tolemac opened his eyes. For a moment, he did not remember where he was. His eyes focused on the man standing by the king’s bed. Tolemac lifted his head to see better, the pain reeling from the man’s sudden attack. He did not recognize this man. He struggled to pull himself to his feet.

The door was on the other side of the chamber. Tolemac had only one chance to escape, he thought. The man was laughing and speaking to Arthur. Not really, to him but rather at him, he feared the king was dead.

Tolemac turned towards the door and positioned himself for it. It was now or never. He stood and took a step...the man saw him and seized him even before he could advance one unsteady step.
“Put me down! Let me go! The king will punish you!” Tolemac thrashed about but Mordred held him tightly.

“You waste your strength boy, but it does not matter. You will be dead soon, along with....” Mordred turned to the king. “Along with your father.”

Mordred quickly fled the room with the boy held firmly under control. Tolemac tried to scream but his mouth was covered with the man’s leathered glove’s taste.

Mordred opened the door and disappeared into the castle’s dark corridors. The unconscious king asleep on the bed and his boy, his only son stolen from him, and gone from his life once more.

The room was now still. The air started to cool and a draft had picked up. It circled the room, scattering papers and clothing as it swirled repeatedly. A green light started to glow. A fine mist appeared from nowhere. The glowing green light spew its’ rays outward across the room.

The strange green mist swirled around and finally centered on Arthur. The coldness of the mist made the sleeping king’s body quiver with it’s’ touch. The light grew more intense and became a bright ball of light. It hovered over the bed taking on strength and magnifying as time passed by. A shrill cry echoed throughout the castle. Guards and servants stopped in their tracks, hearing the unearthly sound rip through the air.

The ball of light now filled the room. A shape started to form from inside it. A man’s shape appeared slowly. It was becoming more solid. It was Merlin. He floated above Arthur’s bed. He looked around the room.

“It has started, Arthur. You must save the boy.” The light that engulfed Merlin now poured its rays through the windows of the room, which were flung opened with a great force. The light filled the early morning countryside with its’ eerie glow.

Then it was gone. As fast as it had appeared, it had disappeared. Both the light and Merlin vanished. Arthur moved in his bed, still asleep. Tolemac and Mordred were gone. A lone wolf howled in the distance. It was now dusk. Time had moved on. Night had become day.

A servant entered the kings’ chambers. She had brought the king and the boy something to eat. They were spending so much time together and often forgot to stop and eat. She moved to the table. The room was dark except for a fire in the hearth. She noticed the boy was not there and the king was sitting in his chair near the dying fire.

Carefully placing the platter on the table, she went over to the king to ask if he needed something. She noticed his hand dangling from the side.

“Poor dear, must have fallen asleep while reading.” She went to wake the king. As she neared him, she noticed something so terrible it caused her to scream. Her cry was heard throughout the castle. Alerted guards and servants turned towards the scream.

Arthur was sitting upright in his chair. He had the bedclothes around him. It was wet from his sweat. Arthur was breathing but it was slow and labored. His hair was matted and his face ashen.

His face startled her so. From his eyes, it was if he had been crying tears of blood!


Chapter 4

The bells from the abbey rang out their morning call for devotion. Everyone had been awake and working for hours already. Several nuns had been gathering vegetables from the common garden