493 - Envoys to Malahaut

The Spring Court was notable for the reason that the king was absent from it, residing only in his quarters and rumors going around that he was ill for the loss of his second son so soon after the first. This affected everyone, and even made it possible for the Saxon kings Octa and Eosa to escape from their prison.

Earl Roderick was charged with traveling to King Malahaut in the north to formalize an alliance against the Saxons. The knights traveled with their Earl, but the diplomacy mission in itself was of cold comfort. Uther's forces were again denied access to Eburacum, and what was more outrageous, was that there were other, Saxon envoys present at the negotiatons and they excluded Sir Roderick from nearly every plan and conversation!

Roderick returned home frustrated, and was even ambushed on the way by a small Saxon force, of whom the Knights quickly disposed of.

The highlight of the summer was once again the hunting competition, with many extraordinary sights this time. Sir Morris and Sir Pellogres witnessed many fabulous creatures but caught none, partly because of the creatures escaping and partly because of the pure awe which they inspired in the knights. Sir Morris was gravely wounded on the last hunting day by a red deer, but luckily Sir Plaine had joined him so he could come to the rescue.

Indeed, it was Sir Plaine himself who had the most magnificent encounters of them all. He fought and befell a great Manticore all by himself, a ferocious beast from lands far away that hunts human flesh! Upon returning with the head of the beast, he met encountered again the knight whom he met years ago during a hunt. Now, Sir Plaine identified the man as King Pellinore. The king complimented Sir Plaine on hunting down such a fine beast as a Manticore, and asked him if he had seen the Questing Beast anywhere. Sir Plaine told King Pellinore that times were dire, and men such as Pellinore would be needed on his throne, not hunting in the woods. King Pellinore seemed to awaken from a slumber as his eyes regained a long-lost spark, realizing that he had been on the hunt for a decades time, his children left without their father and his lands without a king. With tears in his eyes, he cursed his foolishness of youth, also understanding that he was no longer young, thanked Sir Plaine and set off for his throne.

Sir Plaine was agreed to be the winner of the hunt, the knight clearly having regained his composure through his new marriage.

During winter court, Sir Pellogres had a conversation with Earl Roderick over the hand of Jenna, and the Earl advised that it would be perhaps wise to turn to Christianity, even if just for appearance's sake, and should Pellogres once more prove himself in the field of battle or otherwise an honored man, he would be a very strong candidate for lady Jenna's hand, who was reaching marriageable age.

Sir Morris had a bleak year, laying in bed from the wounds sustained during the hunt and losing his dear wife Deanna to childbirth along with the child, who would have been a fourth son.

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