And here King Arthur opened his mind very freely to Merlin, and he said:
"Merlin, I do believe that the Princess Guinevere is the fairest lady in all of the world; wherefore my heart seems ever to be entirely filled with love for her, and that to such a degree that I think of her continually by day (whether I be eating, or drinking, or walking, or sitting still, or fulfilling the duties of my kingship), and likewise I dream of her many times at night. And this has been the case with me, Merlin, ever since a month ago, when I lay sick in the forest, what time she came and stood beside me like shining Sulis herself. So I am not willing that any other man than I should have her for his wife."
And Merlin was sore troubled, and at length he spoke unto the King, saying:
"The Princess Guinevere is betrothed unto Sir Lancelot of the Lake, a man of overweening pride and jealousy. There is no great love between them, but for Sir Lancelot to lose such a fair and lovely prize as the Princess Guinevere there is surety of war, for Sir Lancelots father in King Ban of Benoic, and commands a force of fine warriors to rival your own. No such a woman is worth the bloodshed thine love of the Princess Guinevere wouldst cause." Yet as Merlin didst speak, the dark shadow of foreknowledge fell upon his heart, and he knew that the King would not be dissuaded, and that he would buy his contentedness with the lives of men, and all it would beget the King was betrayal.
That conversation was the beginning of the end. Although many people blame only the Traitor Lancelot and Guinevere for the downfall of the High King, if Arthur had paid any heed to Merlin, a lot of pain would have been avoided. But then again, what's the story in that? |
