STW 3 excerpt: The End of Sir Giovalde

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“Here,” the colonel reached on his desk, grabbed the shiny black rock and tossed it to me.  “This is all that remains of him.  He was crushed like a tin can in an experiment with a machine that compresses coal into diamonds.”

I caught the stone and stood there dumbfounded for a second before totally losing my mind.  I screamed in emotional agony as I stared at the rock.  It was my fault that he had died.  If I’d only listened to him about not trusting the boy that betrayed us, none of this would have ever happened.

     

The colonel looked at me strangely, unable to comprehend my outburst.  I, in turn, gazed at him with murder on my mind.  He’d killed my best friend, my mentor, my advisor, my greatest champion.  I could no longer control my actions. 

I hauled my arm back, transformed to into knight form and hurled the stone at the man.  It hit him with such force that it went clean through his chest, leaving a gaping hole that quickly filled with blood.  Brezhnev was dead and he didn’t even have time to scream, beg for mercy or pray.

     

“Get out of here, Katerina!” I screamed as I went to pick up the stone that was once the armored body my best friend.  “Get as far away from the Kremlin as possible.  Leave everything.  Don’t look back.  When I am through destroying this place, I will find you.  If you wish to leave here, I will take you with me.  If not, that is fine, as well.”

     

Katerina left without saying a word as I stalked about the office, trying to hold off turning into a fire dragon until she reached safety.  I was angrier than I’d ever been in my life and I was tired of playing it safe.  It was time to allow my natural dragon instincts take over and become the killer everyone thought I was. 

Never again would I allow my compassion for humanity to stand in the way of what I needed to do.  Everyone considered me to be an evil murderer anyways.  I’d decided that from this moment on, whenever people accused of such, it would no longer be a lie.

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KNIGHTS OF LORE SERIES: Sir Lancelot of the Lake

Perhaps the most romantic fictional figure in the history of literature not named Romeo, Sir Lancelot has captured the hearts and minds of readers, theatre goers and movie fans for nearly a millineum. His sex appeal is timeless; changing ever so slightly to match modern ideals, the enchanted lover/fighter consistently steals the hearts of adoring young women and inspires the passionate undertakings of envious young men of each new generation who read of his adventures.

Created by author Chretien de Troyes in the twelfth century, Lancelot took the place of Mordred, who was previously cast as Queen Guinevere’s lover. The aspect that Lancelot brought to the table was the idealization of being the perfect knight until his loyalty turned to betrayal because of lust. The treachery was so profound that it brought the fabled Camelot to come to a screeching halt.  His perfidy to the unsuspecting King Arthur ranks him right up there with other great traitors such as Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of the Christ, Brutus assassination of Julius Caesar and Benedict Arnold’s traitorous turn against George Washington.

Even so, Sir Lancelot has never been reviled like other famous turncoats. Perhaps this is because his disloyalties were inspired by simple affairs of the heart, which we can all relate to.

Born to King Ban of Benwick and Queen Elaine, he was left by a lake as a child. Vivien, the Lady of the Lake took him and raised him as her own. It is striking, to me, that the Lady of the Lake gave the magickal sword Excalibur to Arthur and not Sir Lancelot. Only a mother knows the true intentions of her son’s heart and she must have had insight that he could not control his own licentious desires.

In another twist of fate, another Elaine comes into Lancelot’s life. This Elaine is the daughter of King Pelle of Astolat. He breaks her heart though, because of his love for Guinevere. She tricks him into thinking she is Guinevere and that union results in a child: Sir Galahad, the purest of all the Knights of the Round Table.

When Arthur sends his knights on the quest for the Holy Grail, everyone expects the great Lancelot to be the one to find it. His sins, however, prevent him from seeing anything other than a blurry vision of it. Later, his son, Sir Galahad is the one that finally sees the Holy Grail. After finding the much sought after relic, he requests to die, and his wish is granted. The Holy Grail is never seen again.

Sir Lancelot, though heroic and brave, is never portrayed as being as noble as his son. Though willing to serve others on the battlefield, he never embraces his role as King Arthur’s champion in such a way as to make him virtuous. Instead, he used his position to seduce King Arthur’s wife Guinevere, though by all accounts, she seduced him just as well. A mutual seduction, if you will.

When Arthur uncovers the tryst, his is furious. He banishes Lancelot and his court condemns Guinevere to death. The dashing Lancelot saves her from execution at the last moment, but instead of living happily ever after, they go their separate ways. Unable to cope with the guilt of tragically bringing an end to the fabled Camelot, Guinevere becomes a nun at a monastery while Lancelot becomes an unkempt, homeless, travelling wildman of a monk.

When Arthur overcomes his own secluded madness caused by the betrayal of Lancelot and the fall of Camelot, he challenges his bastard son Mordred, who has come to take his place a king. Lancelot returns to help his old friend and the old betrayal is forgiven, but it proves too late to save Camelot, as Arthur is fatally wounded by Mordred and taken to Avalon by his sister. Some accounts have Sir Lancelot dying as well in that battle, while others have him surviving. However, he and Guinevere are never able to rekindle the flames of the fiery tryst and live out their lives in servitude to their God in penance for their own heartbreaking sins.

As times have changed and taboos fell away, the myth of Sir Lancelot has also changed. Author Marion Zimmer Bradley portrays Sir Lancelot as a man who has such insatiable sexual appetite that he has affairs with both Guinevere and King Arthur in Mists of Avalon! One of my favorite authors, Bernard Cornwell portrays Sir Lancelot as a sniveling fool and coward in his Warlord Chronicles, which is a devastating and violent look at the Dark Ages legend.

Through it all Sir Lancelot still survives in books, novels, plays and movies. There are restaurants, flour brands and Ipad protectors that bear his name. He is a character in video games about King Arthur. His character has been played by such notable actors as Richard Gere, Nicholas Clay, John Cleese and Jeremy Sheffield, amongst others. Not too shabby for literary history’s most famous adulterer.

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KNIGHTS OF LORE SERIES: KING ARTHUR, the once and future king

Alright, alright, technically King Arthur was a king and not a knight. I will concede that point. However, Arthur, accordingly to legends, fought like a knight, led knights into battle, sent them on quests and created a force so great it is still being talked about, and even copied today. Just look at Marvel Comics Avengers and D.C. Comics League of Justice. Don’t think they borrowed the idea of heroes gathering to save humanity from lurking evil from the Knights of the Round Table? I would beg to differ.

By most accounts, the story, legend, myth of Arthur is the first and perhaps greatest mainstream story of medieval times. However, much is still in the air about Arthur. No one knows for sure when he lived, or if he even lived at all. They didn’t call it the dark ages for nothing!

The Arthurian legends begin in the 5^th Century CE. Whatever exploits he had at the time were kept alive by bards, singing poems about him around hearths and bonfires. It wasn’t until the 12^th century that the once and future king became immortalized in print. Geoffrey of Monmouth, a Welsh monk penned ‘The History of the Kings of Britain’, and in that tome, Arthur became perhaps the first non-conquering king to become forever renowned in world history.

Before that there was Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and the Caesars of Rome. Arthur was different. He fought for his people and to save his homeland. That was all he ever wanted. That is why he is still beloved today.

In the darkness of the 4^th century, Britain gained its freedom from Rome, the great city-state of the day, whose fingerprint is still felt in the world. Because of the power vacuum left by Rome’s abandonment of Britain, Saxon’s from the North Country and Picts from Scotland decided to move in, push the Brits out and stake their claim. Uther Pendragon was the King of Britain at this point. He was a worthy king, strong but maybe too headstrong.

Merlin enters the picture and uses his magick to trick a rival king’s wife into thinking Uther was her husband. They slept together and Arthur was conceived. In return for this favor, Uther promised Merlin the child. Merlin, the great druid seer, knew that Uther would not be able to totally defeat the Saxons because he was too arrogant. So he took Arthur to live with some country folk, not only to keep him from harm’s way of the ever-invading Saxon’s, but also so the boy could learn humility.

Everyone knows how the rest of the story goes. Uther dies, Arthur is not yet a man, and is still unknown. Merlin sets a magickal sword inside a stone and proclaims that whoever pulls it out shall be King of Britain. When Arthur loses his older brother’s sword just before a great festival and knight games, he sees the Sword in the Stone and pulls it out. Without even knowing it, he becomes King of Britain and changes the world forever.

The boy king is challenged by all the other kings of Britain and defeats them all to become the One King. After garnering his power and emboldening his people, he decisively defeats the Saxons and sets the stage for his homeland to experience a golden age. All is right with the world, peace has come at last, the harvests are plentiful, and churches begin to pop up.

This great time reaches its apex when Arthur marries the Welsh noblewoman Guinevere and creates the Knights of the Round Table. What follows is one of the greatest dramas ever written, even though it has been re-written hundreds of times. Betrayal, lust, greed, evil magick, incestuous relationships; it’s all there. In the end, Arthur and his evil bastard, incestuously born son, Mordred slay each other in battle over who should be King of Britain. Arthur’s sister (who happens to also be Mordred’s mother) takes the fatally wounded King Arthur to her veiled utopian society called Avalon, where she serves as the high priestess of her pagan gods and goddesses. (Note: In some versions Mordred is Arthur’s nephew who has an affair with Guinevere, in other’s it is Arthur’s trusted knight Lancelot who betrays him with a tryst with the king’s wife.)

That is where most stories would end. But how you can ‘end’ a story about a once and future king? Arthur’s destiny is to come back to defend Britain when she needs him most. Seeing how he didn’t come back during World War I or II, it makes you wonder how bleak things will get before he actually returns to protect his homeland once more.

For those of us who do look forward to the return of King Arthur of Britain, that wait might soon be over. The second in line for the British throne is none other than Prince William Arthur. Coincidence? Perhaps Princess Diana and Prince Charles tempted fate by naming their son Arthur, or perhaps destiny says this is the right time. Now where is Merlin?

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KNIGHTS OF LORE SERIES: ZOMBIE RAVEN KNIGHTS

According to my readers one of their favorite characters in Suffer the Witch Chronicles Vol. 1. Rise of the Raven Knights, is Sir Giovalde. Giovalde is the sergeant at arms of a mob of undead souls who were cursed by a witch to spend eternity trapped in the bodies of ravens.  But these ravens weren’t meant to be prisoners; they were enchanted into becoming immortal warriors at the witch’s service against an enemy coven that wants to kill her. Whenever their master’s blood is spilt they shape-shift into supernatural knights armed with impenetrable onyx armor and swords that can cut through steel.

Generosity

When the witch that cursed the Raven Knights into her servitude dies, the immortal Knights are left in limbo. Their hopes now lie with a young boy named Gazzy Windstorm, who tried to save the witch from her fatal accident. With her last wish she bequeaths the boy all her paranormal powers.

Nobility

The Raven Knights lay in wait until many years later when the boy grows up and finally realizes his special powers are, in fact, supernatural, and learns the secret that has been kept from him his entire life: that he is actually the heir to the witch that gave him these gifts. He recruits his sister, Lori, to help him explore the late witch’s creepy mansion and finds the Raven Knights waiting for them.

Loyalty

When Gazzy and Lori’s shock finally subsides they understand that their magical powers, combined with the cunning savagery of the Raven Knights, could be used for the greater good of humanity. The Raven Knights, however, have other plans. They seek to avenge the death of their late witch leader so their souls can be released to the afterlife.

Honorabilty

It doesn’t take long for the murderers, the rival witch coven, to attack Gazzy and Lori, forcing them to join the quest of the Raven Knights. In return, the Raven Knights agree to help their new masters right the wrongs in the world we live in.

Chivalry

The reason I think the character of Sir Giovalde is so beloved by my readers is because of his sense of unfailing sense of duty, something that is as rare as pure gold in today’s world. He has morals, as knights are supposed to.

Understanding

Gazzy, as most young wizards are, lives life by the seat of his pants. Some of my readers have even told me his antics pissed them off at points. But luckily for him, Sir Giovalde is there to encourage him to find the right way to do things.

Bravery

You see, Gazzy has the amazing magical gift of shape-shifting into a fire breathing dragon, making him the most devastating force alive. But he has no experience whatsoever and the evil coven he’s become the target of is cooking up a plan to resurrect the spirit of one of Hell’s greatest demons, Lilith, to destroy him and conquer the world. Sir Giovalde and his Raven Knights are at the ready to come to his rescue, even if it costs them their one chance at redemption and peace.

I hope that my brief description of Sir Giovalde and his Raven Knights inspires you to pick up and read a copy of Suffer the Witch Chronicles, Vol. I. Rise of the Raven Knights. It the kind of action packed dark fantasy that you won’t wish to put down.

I also hope you take a journey with me to learn more about knights, especially knights of and older age, when doing the greater good actually meant something. This is the first in a series of blogs I will post in the coming weeks about knights, as I dig deeper to increase my own knowledge of the lore of knights, such as the Knights of the Round Table, the Knights Templars, Dark Ages Knights and others. I want to find out what they wore, how they fought, what weapons they used, what the shield wall smelled like and to also learn why on Earth they would don such heavy, restrictive armor to do battle against other blood thirsty knights on battlefields across Europe and Asia.

So, until next time, follow the example of Sir Giovalde and open the door for a lady, help a little old lady cross the street, give a homeless person some coin, let someone cut over into your lane, give something away for free on craigslist, stand with a harassed person against a bully or whatever else you can do to help the greater good.

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