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Chapter Five

“The Aftermath"

 
 
 
 
 

The storm has finally subsided and the sky's beginning to clear up.  I just hope that there will be no more “tempest” brewing along the horizon.  I do not think I can bear another one.  But the sun is still nowhere to be found, still hiding himself from amongst the clouds.  Across the valley, there was hardly any movement at all from the two contending armies.  The battle has finally been decided.  The lot has been cast.  In spite of the savagery and barbarism that I witnessed this day, I marveled at the way these men-of-war conduct themselves as men of high honor and virtue, whether victorious or vanquished.  These warriors lived by the ethics of war and would die by the “code of chivalry” from whence they were borne.

“Still...” I mused again, “...there is nothing noble about waging a war.  What virtue and what honor one derives from slaying another?  When it leaves nothing in its wake but death and destruction!”

Then I looked again towards the knight in silvery armor, still cradling the corpse of his fallen friend --- a friend whom he has slain with his own sword.  I just do not how much pain and anguish he must have been feeling right now.  What thoughts may have been going through his mind at this very moment.  I could only surmise and symphatize with him for the loss.  For surely, it is too difficult, too agonizing and heart rending to see someone whom you treasured the most to die by your own hands.  It must have been tormenting.  I shook my head in total disbelief, resigned to the fact that destiny so ordained that one of them should fall by the sword of another --- and a friend’s sword at that!>

Then after awhile I saw three horses slowly approached the still grieving knight in silvery armor.  My eyes opened wide after beholding that one of the rider is the lady herself, accompanied by two other knights.

The knight in silvery armor remained from where he is, still cradling that fallen knight in black armor, unmindful of their approaching presence.

Afterwards, the two knights dismounted from their horses when they were several yards away, tugging along the horse of the lady.  The knights, dressed in black tunic much like the fallen old warrior, knelt down in their right knees as if to pay their homage and last respect for the knight in black armor.

Then one of them, after awhile, broke the silence and spoke in a hushed manner and respectful voice,

“Sir Gervaise...”

Ah, so then! Gervaise... is the name of this virtuous, but unfortunate knight in silvery armor (I said to myself as if he was introduced to me personally).

But the knight in silvery armor, lost in his mournful grieving over the death of his old friend, did not in anyway responded.  There was hardly any gesture of acknowledgment for their presence.  The two knights just looked at each other, perhaps trying to compose the right words to speak.  Then the other knight spoke again...

“Sir Gervaise...”

“...do you not remember me, Sir Gervaise...?”

“I am Sir Kevann... and this is my twin, Sir Maeldwyn.”

“Do you not remember us...?”

And with that the knight in silvery armor, looked at them with hardly any expression written in his bloodied face.  His eyes seemed to be looking beyond them.  He must have been very tired and exasperated from all that he has gone through this day.

“We have attended to you as your pages and squires many years ago and even until the time you were commissioned to go on a quest in Palestine.. .” 

Then afterwards, I saw his face lightened up and a smile streaked passed his pale, colorless lips.  I thought, he must have now remembered who these other two knights before him.

Sir Kevann and Maeldwyn smiled also in response, relieved upon seeing Sir Gervaise accorded them a smile.  Then Kevann found some boldness to speak again and said...

“Sire, I thought for awhile there, you have completely forgotten who we are.  Forgive us for invading your solitude.   We have come in peace and we have no desire to battle you this day.  Sire, we have come on an errand from our King.  His majesty bid me say that this battle belongs to you.  You have won it fairly and that we finally concede to the fact that our champion is vanquished through fair and honest duel...”

The knight in silvery armor then laid his friend straight in the ground, resting the hands of the old knight in black in the chest. He then placed the sword on top of the golden breastplate with the handle gripped by the hands.  Then he place the shield with the markings of a cross and a king’s crown above it on top of the sword.  He then stood up after he wiped clean the blood that have dried up in the mouth of his fallen friend.

“...God must have intended that this battle be decided in your favor and we can not do otherwise but concede to his sovereign will” thus Sir Maeldwyn spoke with so much angst written all over his boyish face.  Then both of then leaned over the fallen corpse of the knight in black armor and again fell down to their knees.

“He was more than a father to us, a friend who took us under his wings when you left in favor of the other sovereign.  We bade him not to go and involve himself in this war, but he was too stubborn to yield to our wishes upon learning that you were at the head of this expedition and waging war.  We thought he was already too old for his age to take the challenge.  Our King then recalled him from retirement and assumed command of the remaining knights of our realm.  His majesty has no other choice, for all the bravest and finest knights of our kingdom has fallen in the earlier stages of this war.  Now we have to succumbed to our defeat, and be under the mercy of the one who vanquished us.”  Thus, spoke Sir Maeldwyn, who seem to be more bolder than the two.  Sir Kevann just breathed a sigh and concurred with his twin.

Indeed these two knights were twins judging by their looks.  Nobody will be able to distinguish them from each other.  Their demeanor suggest one of refine deportment.  Their bearings speaks all the more that they were raised in high civilities.  They have the manners of gentle forbearance and exudes a strength of character and confidence.  They seemed to be too young for their ages, much less being a knight.  Yet, here they are, addressing the knight in silvery armor as one would address a peer.

“Ah... good Sirs” said the knight in silvery armor.

“...as much as it is against my will, you know very well that I can not turn away from my vows.  If only it is not a sin to slay myself here and now, I would have not hesitated to do so.  It grieves me so much that there was no other way I can change our destiny, but nevertheless, I have to live the rest of my life with the specter of our old friend’s death haunting me.  May God have mercy upon us all and even more so to me...!”

“But then again, I can not say how I am pleased to see you and how you have turned out to be --- becoming the knight you dreamed of.  Perhaps if we have met under a different circumstances, I would have jump with elation upon seeing you as a full pledge Knight of high ranking.  But it grieves my heart that we have found ourselves under different banners who have to contend against each other.  Nevertheless, it is good to see you and I am relieved to find both of you in good stead.  I have not made a mistake in taking you under my tutelage and served me as my pages and squires.  Look how you turned out to be, your mother must have been very proud of you.  Indeed the joy is mine, believe me Sirs.  I pray that I had not taught you manners which are unbecoming of a gentleman.  I hope I had made myself as a good example for you to emulate... Or have I?”

“Yes, Sire... indeed you were” answered the two knights in black tunic.

“Now, good Sirs, forgive me for asking, but pray tell me, what it is that you have graced me with your presence? 

“What is your pleasure...?” asked the knight in silvery armor.

“Forgive us, Sir Gervaise...” answered Sir Kevann, “...We now deliver unto you the lady whom you sought after throughout this war.  It is to our misfortune that we have detained the lady against her wishes.  My King his majesty humbly request your kindness through this errands to make now your demands.  His majesty also bid your kind indulgement for this matter, not to exact from us too much of a retribution to indemnify and recompense the undue damages we may have brought upon everyone concern by detaining your Queen.” 

The knight in silvery armor then, walked past them and came where the lady is, who was sitting sideways on top of the horse. 

Solemn and weeping, the lady took a glance at her champion, battered and bruised from his skirmish with the knight in black armor.  But she spoke no words.  She just covered her sad and forlorn face with her quivering hands.  I thought maybe she could not bear the sight of her champion, wounded and bleeding.  All I can hear was her incessant sobbing.

The knight in silvery armor then knelt on his right knee before her presence, but obviously struggling from the pain that he had been suffering, and with a hushed and respectful manner of a knightly gentleman spoke,

“My Lady, your Highness . . .”

Their eyes caught one another and for a moment just looked at each other as if their eyes were engage in conversation.  And for awhile there, they seemed to convey what they need to say to each other without even exchanging words.  Indeed there was more to these two than just being a Queen and a champion.  Then afterwards, the knight in silvery armor bowed his head once again and spoke...

“My Lady, this day have I delivered you from those who have detained you against your will... and the King that has done this injustice to you has willingly obliged to release you to me.  I have vanquished their champion in ransom for your freedom.”

But the Lady remained silent as ever with hardly any expression from her beautiful but sad and forlorn face.  It must have pained her so much to know that such freedom would have require so much blood to be shed.  Such a price indeed was paid for her freedom.  What a ransom it was --- men lay dead, scattered and strewn all across the valley; two kingdom stirred into war, leaving in its wake hundreds of weeping widows and orphaned children; and two old friends who have to slay one another!  “How can you account for all of these without having to grieve...?” I said asking myself as if I demand an answer.  What a ransom indeed it was.  But such grief over what has already transpired this day won’t surely be rectified by a shedding of tears.

Again I heard the knight in silvery armor spoke once more, “My Lady, I am giving you the liberty to exact demands from those who have detained you against your will.  These errand knights that have accompanied you are waiting to take to their King your demands.”

Then for the first time, I heard the Lady spoke up, saying,

“Forgive me Sir Gervaise . . .”

“...will my demands, if I may have the liberty to do so bring about the lives of all these fallen knights and soldiers?”

“Would it matter...?”  Then she paused for awhile and took a deep sigh while looking over the wide expanse of the valley.  Then afterwards she spoke again,

“If there is any one person who should have died this day... I wish it was me!  O, how I wish all of these is just one bad dreamings of mine.  How could I ever bring about myself to bear the tragedy that has befallen all those fine and brave soldiers.  Was it my fate? Was it my destiny to exact so much blood just for my deliverance?  Is my coming into being also entails such grave injustice for all of these men?”

“Hand me a sword Sir Gervaise, for I have resolved to slay myself. Or maybe perhaps, you may do me an honor by thrusting your sword upon me.  I could not bear any longer this anguish that have consumed so much of my being.   Just the thought of so many having to shed their blood for my own deliverance is more than I can bear...!”

“Hush...! my Lady,” as she was interrupted by Sir Gervaise.

“You speak the truth with regards to demands.  No amount of worldly spoils nor riches would be enough to pay for all the blood that has been shed and all the lives that has been cut short this day.  Truly indeed, it was not for all of these things why these men have so endeavored to win this war.  As for your wishes... would it be of any consolation to your grieving heart to thus condemn yourself and lay upon your shoulder all the guilt and blame?” 

“It is true just as you have said, that nothing in this world could bring back the lives of these men that have fallen this day, but neither will your  self-condemnation and blaming one self would also bring them back to life.  And if killing yourself will thus be your resolve, then indeed, you would have done another injustice to all of these men... their lives would not have mattered that much to you.  We have indeed gone to this quest and fought for nothing and died in vain!”

“Please my Lady...” as Sir Gervaise continued, “Please give justice to those who gave up their lives in defense of their noble creeds and vows, whether friend or foe, by sparing your life.  Otherwise, I would have regretted this day that I have killed my only friend, just so I may be proven true to my vows as your worthy champion.”

The Lady then fell silent.  Sir Gervaise, the knight in silvery armor has spoken well indeed.  Then the knight in silvery armor struggled on his feet and turned to the two other knights, Sir Kevann and Maeldwyn.

“Good Sirs, go tell his majesty your King, that he has already handed us what we came for.  We are not making anymore demands.  Go tell the good King that you have lost as many goodly knights and men this day just as we also have.  It would be a great dishonor for these fallen men and a shame for us all if we will exact from you such worldly retribution.  We did not came here to battle you for riches and wealth --- but for pride and honor.  That I believe, good Sirs, we have won it this day.  Asking for more would have been insulting for both of the armies that gathered in this valley.  The ignominy of defeat, I know will be more than what your King can handle.”

“But go tell the good King, that we did not came here to shame you nor insult you for this matter, but to redeem what belongs to us.  Let us call this day over and wage no more battle.  We are not asking anymore retribution from all of these madness.  Both of us are guilty of the same crime.”  The two knights started motioning to their stallions when Sir Gervaise halted them saying,

“But before you go, Sir knights, grant me one request.”

 “What is it Sire...?” replied the two,

 “...say it, and we assure you it shall be done even as you speak.”

“Go, tell his majesty, that Sir Velmore, be accorded the proper burial befitting a Knight of his stature...” Sir Gervaise said while pointing to the fallen knight in black armor with the golden breastplate.  So, the fallen knight’s name is Velmore.  Now I begun to take mental note of every name my ears have heard.  Somehow I felt that there will be more to than just being an accidental witness to all of these.  There must be some reason one way or another. I could only wonder what must it be.  But how about the lady . . .? What is her name?

“...and that,” continued Sir Gervaise, “...you would do no less also for all the fallen knights and warriors from your side, whether nobles or not, lest the vultures circling above the valley and wandering wolves feast on their corpses.  It is the least thing we can do for these gallant men, who courageously stood on their creeds and vows.”

“Also Good Sirs, allow me to indulge myself for this liberty, if it is not too much of asking. Please have a monument erected on this very site from whence the greatest and mightiest knights of our realm has fallen.  Commemorating the bravery and the battle that as transpired within this valley.  So that all who may pass by be reminded of the courage and the bravery that was displayed in this plains and also the foolishness of wars.”

Then Sir Gervaise paused and surveys the plains of the valley again and took a deep sigh, then he added,

“Go Sirs, hasten now to your King.”

“It shall be done, Sire!” said Sir Maeldwyn.

“Indeed we shall see to it Sir Gervaise... you have our assurances, Sire!” seconded Sir Kevann.

So the two knights in black tunics rode off towards their line and into their ranks, leaving the lady and Sir Gervaise all alone by themselves.

Afterwards I heard Sir Gervaise moaned in pain from all the wounds he has been suffering.  Still weak from the loss of too much blood, his knees gave way and was not able to control himself.  He collapse onto the ground.

“Sir Gervaise...!” cried the lady.  She quickly went down from her mount and rushed by the side of the knight in silvery armor.  She then cradled him in her tender arms.

“Gervaise...! Gervaise...!  Forgive me,  I have not noticed that you were hurting so bad.  You must be tended to...”  And with that, she tore a portion of what remains of her tattered and filthy clothing.  She then tried to apply a makeshift bandage upon the wounds of the hurting knight in silvery armor --- All the while whispering some vague words that I can hardly hear from where I was hiding.

“O, Gervaise... must you die now?” asked the Lady crying.

“Ah... my Lady...” answered the knight in silvery armor with a smile streaking past upon his face.  But it quickly vanished in pain and he struggled for every breath, shallow and rapidly gasping for air.  He tried all the more to speak,

“Indeed, I shall gladly die a thousand death if only I would die in your arms... To gaze at your lovely eyes in my final hour is more than enough to compensate me in all the quest that I have gone through in your name”

Then Sir Gervaise removed the bloodied gloves from his hands and gently touched the lady’s face and wiped away the tears.

“Hush, Sir Gervaise... Hush!” said the Lady, “You have lost a lot of blood, you are delirious.”

“No, my Lady” answered back the knight in silvery armor, “. . . I am not speaking as one who is delirious.”

“Speak no more please, my dear knight” pleaded once more the lady.

“Please forgive me my Queen... you must indulge me for a little while.  I only have this few moments to speak my heart, afterwards you shall see no more of me.”

“Why...?  Where will you go?” asked the Lady.

“The battle is over.  Will you thus leave after all you have done for me?”

“Sir Gervaise, I can not just leave you here in your present condition.  Not that I owe you my deliverance.  You must be tended to!”

The knight in silvery armor just smiled again and stared at those lovely eyes no man would ever missed for anything else, and for awhile he just look at those pair of shining jewel that almost rivaled even the most beautiful stars in the evening skies.

“Ah, Chervelle...” said Sir Gervaise. “...the fairest of the fair ladies I have had the pleasure of setting upon my eyes with...”

“Queen Chervelle...!  Hah! “ then, at last, the lady’s name.  I said it as if I almost jump upon finally hearing the name of the lady in question all through out this whole episode.

“...I have not dreamed of anything else but dreamed of you, tended by your lovely arms.  I have not asked of anything that fancies my pleasure more, than just to be drawn closer to you and behold thy beautiful countenance.  I have asked nothing more and wished nothing else, but this --- that I may have the pleasure of confiding what is in my heart to the one that I adored. Thus will I be pacified...”

“Hearken unto me my Queen!  This might be the last time I would indulge in what my heart longs to say.”

The Queen, the lady Chervelle, just let him be.  Then to his hearts content I heard him spoke up,
 

“These wounds I have this day, that I can bear...
But the wounds that I have in my heart,
is something that has caused me so much despair.

I have loved you with all my heart, and that,
I bleed for you right from its very start.

Yet, I have kept myself from what is most forbidden,
and have kept it all the more in secret and unspoken.

But, Oh!  my heart, unrestrained, 
kept all the more insisting,
going against all rightness of reasons, it cries, rebelling!
Thus it leaves me always, helpless and weak,
everytime it craves for you and wanting to speak.

Ah, my Lady, Forgive me for my indiscretion
If I may be breaking my vows for this revelation.
I just could not hold it any longer, 
the love of which have grown so much stronger.

Will you thus condemn me now?
If I had just broken the chastity of my vow.
If I have yielded to my hearts unrelenting affection?
Will you forgive me not for this blatant transgression

O, How I quake in fear whenever
I am consumed with its passion,
knowing that such might cause me, my soul’s salvation.

Ah, how wretched a man I am
despairing in all its shame!
Worse than a man who is insane loving you still,
even if it is all but in vain.

Thus, the reason why I must depart quickly hence,
and hasten not return to your disarming presence.
Lest, I might endanger the wholeness of your person, 
and I be damned unto the well of uttermost perdition.


“Go now my Lady” as he finished revealing to his hearts content of what he feels for his Lady. 

“...for yonder is the King to whom you rightly belong, and even now two knights are fast approaching their way to fetch you to your King.”

“But before you go my Lady, forgive me if I may so take this liberty... I ask that you release me from my vows as your champion.  Although it grieves me to depart from your service for good, I must, for I see no other way to be relieved of this suffering.”

Then a long pause ensued between the lady and the knight in silvery armor.  The lady then tenderly brushed his hair aside and wipe away the blood that has dried up in his face.  Then the Lady Chervelle replied,
 

“O, Gervaise... I have long known
what has been bothering you,
And never doubt the sincerity
of the love you now said is true.

I have known all the while the secrets
you have been keeping from me
If only you found me still free,
I might have pledged my love to thee.

Who could ever resist
your genteel charms?
Who would ever dreamed not
of falling in your arms?
Young Damsels  swooning
upon each wave of your hair,
while Fair Maidens faint in love 
when graced by your princely air.

Your stately demeanor
and comely bearing
is almost mythical, like a god
that made a sudden appearing 

O, how is it that you
have fallen for me?
Why chose me amongst
the much fairer company?
 

Is there not anyone that
captures you heart’s attention?
What have I done to deserve
such sincere affection?”


Then the Knight in silvery armor spoke again,
 

“I do not know my lady what has come over me.
Something about you has quickened my heart
and have awaken a love sleeping quiescently.
You held me close to you then,
so close, I can almost breathe your breath.
That even to this moment I can still
smell the fragrance of your hair,
like the scent of a thousand flowers
bursting forth from a springtime’s lair.”

“You melt my heart with
so much of your thoughtfulness.
You overwhelmed my thoughts
with so much of your sweetness.
Your’s is a presence
full of such gracefulness,
And you graced my heart
with so much of your tenderness.

I then tried to ignore and resist
But the more I did the more it persist.

“Now, my heart is wrenching in pain
knowing that to wish for you is but insane
Yet still, my heart kept on wishing
but wishing in vain.”

“Ah, Heart . . .! 
Why love what must not!”


“Look, my Lady, peer unto me and see what my love for you has become of me.  Although I am so consumed about my passion for your love, I dare not spoke a single word about it until this moment.  And even now, I dared not ask you how you feel for me too, for heaven’s forbid what I might do if you say so yourself.  All I ask of you now is your understanding why I must leave.  For if I don’t, I might not be able to help myself  in yielding to what my heart’s desires and pursue what it craves for.  Thus I say again, I must leave, for your sake and mine, lest I drag you along with me and commit a grievous error between us”

“Leave me thus here my Lady... and hearken not to the pantings of my heart.  I will not ever permit myself to see you fall to the same vanities I have found myself into.  For it will grieve me even more if I let you.  I just want you to know that it was never my intention to pursue what I deeply longed for.  May God forgive me from transgressing my first estate, that is ‘to love God, with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and with all my strength.’  Thus, I fear more of God’s retribution than lose sight of the one that please my heart.”

I could not hear anything from the Lady in response to Sir Gervaise.  She just looked straight into the eyes of her loving knight as if trying to find some reasons to prevent him from leaving.  The knight in silvery armor seemed resolute enough to stand by his decision to leave, with or without the lady’s approval.  I can almost feel for sure her true feelings for him, but could not do anything about it... She is the King’s misses,  for God’s sake!  I am also certain that the knight knew all about it too, but too noble and godly for him to pursue such forbidding venture.  Ah, star-crossed lovers indeed they are, who were destined to find themselves in a forbidding situation.  So close they are to each other, and yet, so far for them to consummate their affections. Ah, heaven’s forbid that they should not. 
 

It must have been so exasperating
to watch something so close and beautiful
yet so far and unreachable...

How difficult it must have been
to resist something so tempting
yet, O, so forbidding.

But how can you resist something so captivating,
When it’s dangling right before you and beckoning?
Can you turn your back to something so enchanting
When it leaves you desperately wanting... Begging?

Ah, it feels as if your whole body is aching,
When each time you tried resisting
Your heart’s crying out defying... Rebelling!
Insisting all the more, craving... Desiring!

When one is torn between feelings and sound reasoning
The struggle from within is quite exhausting,
Thus, leaving one gasping for breath... Panting!
As if one’s chest is about to explode... Collapsing!

It must have been so frustrating.
It must have been so exasperating.
To wish and crave for something so tempting
Yet, O, so forbidding.

Catch yourself, if you find yourself glancing, reaching,
Lest, by the wayside, you see yourself stumbling, falling
Or, spend the rest of your life remorsing... Regretting!


Then after awhile, the Lady, Queen Chervelle took a deep breath, and glances towards the two knights send in errand by her King to fetch her... Then finally she spoke...
 

“O, Gervaise, If I do insist you stay
with me and remain my champion
It will grieve my heart if I be the one
causing your unending frustration.

I will not allow myself anymore
to further your agony.
For it grieves my heart so much
to see you in this misery.

Thus, If release from your vows,
would be of any consolation
‘Though it pains me to let you go,
I shall grant you my approbation...


“But I just want to let you know, that never have you transgress your vow.  Insofar as I am concern, you have not committed what you say is wrong.  For how could a love so pure and noble such as yours be ever sinful?  You have not thus far erred in yielding yourself to its temptation...

“So I say, do not be harsh on yourself so far as to damn your soul for something you have not yet capitulated to. Why must be so hard on yourself?  If unrequited love in itself is painful enough, why compound it with so much guilt.  Up until this very hour, your love still tries to protect me from itself, lest you do not want to see me fall and err in the same way as you say you did.  In spite of its passion, still, the nobility of yourself all the more has proven its true character.  You have indeed, served me well beyond the call of your knightly creed.  For even in this affairs, my interest were well above your selfish pursuit, even denying what your heart’s so desires.  You have very well conducted yourself highly and worthy indeed of a knight of your stature.”

“Ah, if only there is some other way by which I can untangle you from the web of your own deceitful heart, I would not hesitate in doing so.”

“O, Sir Gervaise,  as much as I hate to see you go, I will nevertheless let you, if only you find healing for your wounded heart.  My heart bleeds for you too,  and I wish nothing more but the expediency of your love to its proper recipient.”

“May God speed you on your quest to find your heart’s comfort, and may he favored you the peace you so desire throughout your life. You have my prayer always.”

“Good bye, Sir Gervaise... You shall, and will always be my Champion.”

I then saw the lady leaned over the face of Sir Gervaise and graced his bloodied lips with a tender kiss...

Then, just as they were finished saying goodbyes to each other, two knights on an errand from the King to fetch her, halted their stallions a few yards away from them.  The Lady, Queen Chervelle, inconsolable from all the events that have transpired because of her, grieves even more.  Knowing for sure, that this will be the last time she will ever see her champion.  The battle has been won for her, but such victory also cost her to lose her champion, not in the act of war that result in death, but in the war that raged on in the heart of her favored champion.

She then hesitatingly motioned towards her stallion and mount it with the assistance of the two errand knights.

Sir Gervaise, the knight in silvery armor, slumped on the ground, sadly followed her with his forlorn eyes.  Knowing all too well that they will never see each other again...
 

“Ah, a love lost without having
the chance to fight for it.
A love given without
the reality of its fulfillment.
A love unrequited without
the possibility of seeing it returned.

Was it better to love and yet suffer its pain,
or suffer the pain of having not loved at all?”

 Ah, I do not know the answer.


And thereafter, I saw the knight in silvery armor, perhaps regained some decent strength, slowly stood up and motioned toward his stallion.  He limped towards the four legged beast and mount it with all the strength he could muster.  That once formidable looking, statuesque, princely figure I saw many moments ago, were all but absent from his countenance.  All but a shadow of the knight I saw during the battle.  Who would ever be?  Yes, he won the battle, and yes, he won the victory, but at what price?  At what cost to him?  Men lay dead, who turned out to be his allies once.  Maybe perhaps, because of his profession, he may live with that.  But I do not think he could live with the pain that he has slain his very best friend, and for what?  He had even lost the lady of his heart whom he so diligently sought out throughout this war.  Ah... What irony!  The knight in black armor, Sir Velmore was right.  "You just do not know what may lie ahead of you at the crossroads."  Yet still, my highest admiration for this knight in silvery armor remains.  He has indeed proven himself to be man enough to take the challenge life and fate has thrown at him.

So there he goes, a sullen figure mounted on a steed, with nowhere else to go.  I just shook my head in sympathy.  Pitied him for all the pain he had to endure while living.  The dead was more fortunate than those who lived through this nightmare.  They will not be burdened anymore to carry the guilt around their shoulders and the haunting images of death.  Life for them are all but over.

Then afterwards I looked up towards the heavens, and quite relieved to find out that there were now more stars than clouds.  And I finally realized that the whole day has gone by and it was already way past sunset.  O, how time flies?

The armies that once stood against each other were all gone except for some few unfortunate individuals who were, I believe, assigned to rummage among the dead.  I saw some of them piling bodies upon bodies of dead men, mostly lowly and nameless foot soldiers, and buried them altogether in a common grave.  While their knights who have fallen this day were carried off by their comrades to be given honorable and stately burials.

The knight in silvery armor passed by some of them on the way to who knows where, with hardly any expression written  on his sullen face.  He was no longer sitting upright, but crouching low, slumped on his horse.  I followed him with my eyes until he vanished at the edge of the valley and into the darkened forest.

Will I ever see him again . . .?  Shall I follow him, instead?  I do not know, maybe . . . perhaps . . .

Thereafter, I stood up from where I was, after making sure there was no one else around me.  I then remembered the young lad, and quickly looked towards the place where I believe I left him,  but he was not there anymore.  Maybe he has gone home with his flock.  Then for the last time, I surveyed the ground, and for a moment just stood there gazing at those once gleaming knights and soldiers, all sprawled in the floor of the valley.  I shook my head in disbelief, while I started going back to my tent.

I built a fire to get some warmth which my body badly needed against the chilly climate creeping in every parts and joints of my bones.  I cooked myself some dinner afterwards, which is mostly consisted of just a slice of hardened bread and some stew which I concocted myself.  I felt a stabbing pain in my belly when the hot soup entered my stomach, which made me realized that I had not eaten a single meal the whole day.  But then later on it passed away.  After that, I went into my tent and made ready to tuck myself in for the much needed sleep, after all the exhaustion from watching the “tempest” that blew all day.  What a day it was indeed...!

I thought about everything I saw and maybe tomorrow, I shall find some answer to all the questions that is ringing in my ears.  Right now, the images I have witnessed this day were heavily etched on my mind.  I could not shake myself off from its horrifying scenes.  If there is any redeeming part in all of this events, it is but the chivalry and nobility of this one true knight --- Sir Gervaise.

In the morrow I said, I will continue my journey.  Now that the storm has passed.

In the morrow... I said...

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