The Mask of King Arthur, Book II: Tales of the Knights

Two sides of the coin

Two sides of the coin

Ahhh, greetings bard! Welcome to my humble abode!

Hm? What are you doing here, Taliesin? Why, I brought you here, of course! Would you care for a drink? A leg of meat, perhaps? Oh, don't bother struggling against the chains, they are enchanted, and shall hold you fast. Where are you? Why, you're at castle Lefay, my mighty and magnificent fortress in the otherworld. You have have seen the entrance to my fortress in the mortal world, it's through the ancient long barrow at the place the Saxons call West Kennet. I have brought you here, because I have heard you are collecting the tales of my thimble-brained brother Riothamus, yet you have failed to inquire about me, or the part I play in these tales. That kind of hurts my personal pride, Taliesin. As the greatest villain of the Pendragon Warriors, I expected you would come and inquire to me about my part in things.

Yes, you have realized who I am, bard. I am called Morgana Le Fay; enchantress of evil, sorceress of sin, witch of wickedness, mistress of malice, and I am the most powerful dark fairy you'll ever meet. I have sent untold monsters -goblins, trolls, dragons, and orges- to the mortal world to attack the poor, witless peasants. My minions have kidnapped maidens, raided villages, and pillages countryside villas. The Pendragon warriors and archery maidens always oppose me, battling my minions all across Britiannia, and foiling my plans all across the island. It's a little game we play, you see. They play the role of heroes, and I play the role of villain.

My little brother, high king Riothamus -whom the peasants call 'King Arthur'- oh how I hate him. I started life as a mortal girl; my twin sister Morgause and I were the eldest children of Consul Ambrosius Aurelianis the elder and the lady Igraine. One day, when we were but six and our brother but a baby, we wandered too close to a fairy mound while out playing. We were kidnapped by the fay, and taken to the otherworld, as baby Riothamus was left behind on the grass behind us, crying. Morgause and I were raised as fairy children at a fay queens court, and taught great and powerful magic. Our mournful parents searched far and wide for us, but could not find my sister or myself. Morgause, who married a great fairy lord and had several children, devoted herself to good and benevolent magic, helping and healing mortals whenever she ventured over to their realm.

But I... I was bitter that my brother was allowed to grow up in the mortal world, even if our parents died early in his childhood. I grew bitter as his star rose, as he defeated the Saxons and became a hero. I also hated all other mortals, for having grown up with normal and happy childhoods. So, I worked my way up the hierarchy of the otherworld, and became a powerful fay noblewoman in both magic and authority. I began lashing out at the mortal world, sending every evil force to attack those pathetic, magic-less beings. I reveled every time one of my lackeys caused suffering; every time a maiden was devoured by a dragon, I felt twinge of delight. Each sobbing child who was torn to pieces by one of my trolls, I have a euphoric sense of joy. I magically feed off the pain, death, and destruction I cause these inferior vermin that call themselves human. The agony suffering of the innocent is the only thing that brings me true happiness in this world.

My brother, of course, stands in my path, as does his champions. The Pendragons are aided by Mryddin, a mystical alchemist, prophet, and seer who supposedly has visions of the future. He was once a man named Lailoken, a soldier in the army of a Briton kingdom in the old north. He fought in a series of battle against a Pictish raiding party from north of the wall. It was in this war that all of his comrades, the kingdom he lived in, and even his family were wiped out by the picts. Lalioken went mad, and became a crazed hermit in the forest. After several years of living like a feral animal, until a holy man named Kentigern found him in the Caldonian forest. The priest healed Lalioken's broken mind, restoring his sanity and baptizing gave the former wild man his new name; Mryddin Wyllt. Mryddin had always had the power to see the future, but his bout with madness seemed to only enhance his abilities. Kentigern then sent the seer to king Riothamus's court, where he has become Riothamus's chief advisor. he has foreseen many of my plots, and his alchemy skill has created many weapons to use against my monsters, such as exploding flasks filled with Greek fire. I loath to look upon that dewin- so-called wizard, in his long green robes and brown beard and long shaggy hair. Mryddin has made my war on my brother far harder than it would have been otherwise.

Ugh, Guenevere... I knew you'd bring Riothamus's wife and queen up! Yes, I have known her since childhood, we met when I was being brought up in the fairy court. Her father was mighty giant, and he fostered her with a Briton noble in the mortal world. Oh, I remember those times well, when she would visit the fay court as a child. All of the fay children fawned over her and her pretty red hair, even my dear sister Morgause. She probably doesn't remember those times, seeing she was merely a child when she visited the otherworld. But even though our meetings were only like a dream to her, I remember them as if it was yesterday. I have tried many many times to get rid of my half-giantess sister in law, but she and her archery maidens seemed to defeat every witch, siren, and Lamia I sent after them. Gwen is more than capable of defending herself- a fact that makes me hate my sister-in-law all the more.

But I am not alone in my hatred of all that is good and just. I have many allies I have won over to my cause, my Nephew Merdraut (called Mordred in the common speech). He is the son of my sister Morgause, and greatly hungers for power in the mortal world. I reached out to him when his mother was busy, poisoned his heart and mind against his mortal uncle. My brother has never met me in person, of course. He may not even be aware of my existence. but he has faced Mordred and his evil fay troopers many times, in clashes all across this island. Mordered is his most reoccurring foe, though I have sent others after Riothamus. My own mortal Saxon lover, Accolon, once challenged my brother to a duel at my urging. I gave him an enchanted scabbard, to increase his strength and stamina. Riothamus still bested him, however, and after a long and difficult sword fight that last for many hours, my brother managed to slay Accolon. He took the magic scabbard for himself, and thus made me hate him all the more. I spread the word among my lover's Saxon kin, and my lies stirred many of them to wrath against Riothamus.

That's is a part of my power; the damage I can cause through lies and deceptions. I have spread many lies amongst the populace of Britannia, to smear the name of my brother as a hero. I made up fantastical claims, such as Riothamus and I being lovers, or Guenevere having an extramarital affair with the aging Lancelot. And I even made up a lie about Mordred being my brother's illegitimate son. I told these lies to corrupt my brother's growing legend, and to poison the hearts and minds of the people he protects against him. For it is in this way, corrupting how people remember 'King Arthur' and his brave warriors, that may be my most evil and deceptive action of all, one that shall radiate throughout history!

Well... the time grows late, bard, and I must return you to the mortal world. My fellow fay hold bards such as yourself to be sacred, and if I harm you or hold you too long, even I shall have to face their return to your place at my brother's court, and weave a tale of the terrors you've seen here. And let Riothamus know that Mordred and I are plotting his doom, and we will be ever ready to strike the greatest hero of Britannia down when he least expects it!