Arthurian Cultivation

I was having the most delicious, indulgent dream. I was dancing with Sephy, one of the few women from my past life I'd been deeply fond of. She was in a rare if not unique turn of events fond of me as well. We danced in a ballroom, coming close enough that my teachers would've chided me for indecency.

The warmth of the Ban household must've brought out memories of old. This dream was a twisted memory of the last time we'd had a chance to see each other before letters became our sole means of communication. Letters of polite friends edging on courtship, beneath which hid our coded messages.

Part of the reason I held her so dear was our mutual hate of the Harkleys. If the crystal stopper failed, at least Sephy had gained some of my insights. Her red hair brushed my face, matching the red that coloured her full lips, her sharp eyes twitching with amusement, all adding much context to why I held her so dear.

Sephy was the one thing I wanted to hold from my past life. A flame I didn't want to see snuffed out. She'd been a pillar of support and without her, I fear I might've slipped into madness. If I had one goal now I was free it was to find her.

I stepped away from her as the dance demanded, and the dream began to change, there was nothingness behind me. I fell, a sickening sense of being untethered spreading through me as the ballroom faded away filled my body.

Something was wrong. I like all children of houses of renown was taught to spot the meddling of dream gifted. Fighting it was beyond me but I could at least sense the change from a natural dream to something else.

I crashed onto a carpet of grass, there was no pain just a muted shock throughout my body. Blinking I realised I had landed right beside Lancelot. Who scrambled away from me in shock.

“I was having a lovely dream, was this really necessary.”

"Is a dream with me so unpleasant?" That voice was familiar. I pushed myself up onto my elbows and found the Lady of the Lake smiling down at me. She offered me a hand up which I took as my brain struggled to keep up.

"It would likely ruffle some sensibilities if we pursued the actions I was considering in that dream in this. One of the rare times I would not be keen on an audience." I quipped before I could stop myself.

"Oh, I don't know." She winked at me, her face the most human it'd ever seemed. I felt my blood stir and did my best to ignore it, cursing whatever oddity in my mind that caused my lust to be aroused by powerful and dangerous women. "I appreciate your time though, and I assure you you'll get to see your muse again soon once you help me with a task."

"I am wounded that you think my mind would be on others while in your fine company my Lady." I bowed even as I banished the last of my frustrations and lust.

“Are you actually flirting with the Lady of the Lake?” Lancelot was staring at me utterly baffled.

“Be quiet daughter. Don't talk to the changeling.” Elaine was also here? I spotted her on the other side of the lake, that was a surprise. I could imagine Lancelot being foolish enough to poke into my past but I thought better of Elaine.

“Oh no you didn't try and look into me did you? I did specifically say no to.”

“No they were quite respectful Taliesin, they just wanted to know if their guest had brought any unwanted attention to their home. Their question was nicely circumspect, unfortunately, you have performed in strange circles I keep an ear out for potential critics.

“And I'm here for what my Lady? How can I help apart from explaining I'm not a changeling. Wait? I'm not a changeling am I?” I asked a seed of doubt suddenly growing. Being a changeling would make my Death gift seem like a rash compared to the Pox.

"Taliesin do not fear, your name was given freely, it is yours forever more. It does make it easier for me to watch over you and has a few constraints as well as advantages some of which you've already uncovered. But your mind and fate are your own. I admit using it to bring you here because I wish to converse with these two but they insist on being so very worried I shall bind them or otherwise control them. You know I'm not so cruel.” The Lady smiled as she mentioned constraints, likely sensing the squall of rage within me. I put that aside and assessed her request.

“So I'm here as a sort of interpreter am I? Well, I'm pleased to be of assistance, and to not be a changeling. What wisdom and witticisms do you wish for me to impart?”

“Oh Lady of the Lake, please let us know what we can do to be safe this night.” Elaine finally spoke up, clearly still very suspicious of the whole situation. Lancelot was just staring at me, beset by bafflement.

“Help me with her first.” The Lady sighed.

“I shall call you Oracle for our talk. You must understand that you are in a presence deeply beyond you. Keep your wits about you but I assure you that it is in your best interest to not act this way. If the Lady guarantees your safety then you have it. Is there something that would placate you?”

“I would feel most at ease if she permitted my daughter to leave.”

“That won't work. It is her I wish most to speak to. Our conversation is happening because I wish to see Ban's daughter for myself and see out a debt long-standing. Considering the source of her recently revealed gifts I thought she'd be most pleased.” the Lady just watched me. Of the jobs I'd expected after resurrection, a mouthpiece of one of the great fae was not among them. Elaine looked nonplussed by the response.

“Taliesin.”

“Daughter no names!”

“I think that ship has long sailed Oracle.” I heard the Lady laugh, a tinkling noise that made my Hearth quiver.

“Taliesin I request you relay my request to understand how she can speak my father's name. I wish to know the price of such information and be free to decline it if it is too great.” Lancelot's artful request surprised me. It should not have, she'd been like that at dinner crafting a question designed to get a rise out of me.

“A clear request Squire. My Lady the Squire-”

“I have ears, considered it relayed. Oh, sometimes reputation is such a burden. Taliesin please tell the daughter of Ban that as I keep stressing this conversation is under the auspices of a long-held debt that I owe Ban and his kin. Our conversation this eve will demand nothing of them and if our discussion is likely to draw significantly on the debt I shall warn them. This stands for both her and the Oracle”

I cut Lancelot off as she went to speak, I could see Elaine about to yell again. “I shall repeat that for peace of mind despite your functioning ears Squire.”

After I repeated the terms Lancelot bowed and turned to her mother. “Thank you Taliesin, and thank you Lady. Oracle is this acceptable?”

“Yes, I apologise for my earlier conduct. I seek only to protect my daughter.”

“A noble goal. Now we must speak. Taliesin, please return and tell Ban not to worry and his family will wake tomorrow unharmed by this little misadventure. Also please do tell him I am proud of the man he has become.”

“Of course my Lady, can I just…” The falling sensation rushed over me again, and I cursed. I just wanted to ask a question!

“So they’re safe, you swear?”

“ess I swr!” I managed to speak despite his vice-like grip on my throat. The fury of a peak Iron Knight worried about his family. He eased his grip and I slid down the wall choking. The considerable weight of his evil eye lay like lead on my lungs

“Could you settle your Evil Eye elsewhere, I may be less fussed than others but I'm still acutely aware of your displeasure,” I asked after getting back to my feet. He grunted, and the pressure lifted. I took in a bellows breath free of the physical and spiritual aspects of his ire.

Getting into the room had been tough, and just getting to this point had taken a lot of haranguing Jasper till the man finally cracked. When he did Ban appeared full of rage and dragged me into the sanctum ready to tear me limb from limb. He knew something had gone awry.

We now sat in a heavily runed room, I couldn't even guess at half the spells at play. The pair were resting on a pair of cots, both looking relaxed in their slumber.

“She told you she was proud of me?”

“You mentioned you were a foundling. I assume there's more to that story.”

“Some confusing memories which are now much clearer, both in what I remember making more sense and as if some veil has been lifted.” Ban huffed, clearly lost in thought.

“I feel a right cur, I did not intend to bring trouble to your doorstep, and you've been nothing but pleasant.” I collapsed into a chair.

“I do not blame you, if anything I am indebted to you. It must be hard to find oneself a tool of such powerful forces.”

“I am still myself, I was put within spitting distance of your family by her and she relied on our natures to put us in contact. Some might rail and chafe at the idea of fate, but I know if I'd come here under my own power, I would've acted like this, be as I am now. It is only her choice of location that turns my bardic bumbling into destiny.”

“She knew I liked music. She knew you would recognize the glamour, that Lance chafes at the lack of knowledge enough to show off. I see it.”

“I doubt I am done. I suspect there are layers upon layers to her decision. Hopefully, I shall bring my discord to those more deserving of upset.”

“Do not worry, this would have to happen. Better her benevolence than someone pretending to be a friend with a knife behind their back. You have my sympathy and thanks. Damnation, I shall not sleep this night. Yet staying cooped up in here leaves me feeling like a caged tiger. But I must watch over them.”

“I find myself in a similar position, I shall keep you company if you so wish.” I offered. I was annoyed to have lost the dream of Sephie but it wasn't going to come back for wanting.

“You mentioned music. I am fond of an instrument that you a man of Albion may know. My fondness for it stems from that hazy period of my childhood.” He opened a box. He drew from it an instrument I knew only by reputation, the Land of the Woad played them. A bag with a series of flutes connected. Bagpipes which was a fitting name.

“May I ask why these are down in here in what I took to be your inner sanctum?”

“My neighbours don't appreciate the playing, and playing upstairs tends to wear the privacy runes down too fast.” Ban began to inflate the bag, it sounded like someone sitting on a cat, very slowly. "How about we tune-up first with a classic? Battle of the Cairns?"

"A splendid idea." I strummed and set our beat. The pipes began to sing, a mournful howl that fit the battle song well.

“Arise, with sword and armour,

Arise, as the war drums pound,

Arise, for hearth and home.”

Arise, as the battle cries sound”