Chapter 71: Burn baby, burn. 468 CE

A/N: Bruh, I guess I worded my words a little wrong on the previous chapter.

Okay, time for some lesson about this.

Courtly love has some key principles:

1. Love for love's sake: which means that the idea that you are in love is simply enough to pursue the love itself, even if the one you're in love is already married.

2. Exaltation of the Beloved lady: which means hardcore simping.

3. That love is noble: that if you are in love, means that you are a better person.

4. Unfulfilled love: which means that the idea of courtly love is supposed to be unfulfilled, you cannot marry your 'love', just keep it going for own sake.

Why I said it comes from muslim literature? well, because on the crusades, the french learned some stuff from the muslims... you see that 3rd point? that comes from an islamic teaching, we are taught to love, and love is a noble thing, we are even taught to marry more than one women if you are sure that you can support them("If you fear you might fail to give orphan women their ˹due˺ rights ˹if you were to marry them˺, then marry other women of your choice—two, three, or four. But if you are afraid you will fail to maintain justice, then ˹content yourselves with˺ one ...." 4:3)

While the rest of the idea comes from arabic literature, it's just f*cked up that the idea of courtly love takes some things from muslim literature, and that the entire of idea of courtly love is the opposite of what islam is teaching...(I'm muslim by the way...)

Anyway, enough of lecture, to the chapter...

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[3rd POV]

*BAMM!*

A man in a room slammed the table so hard that it made a crack on the surface of the table. The man looked furious, disappointed, but there's a trace of doubt and denial in his face. In front of him, is a young beautiful, looking at him with pity and sadness.

"You're lying." said the man calmly, but rage fueled his words. "She won't do this to me."

"I saw it myself Arthur." the woman said softly. "Do you want me to show you?"

"It's just one of your tricks." insisted Arthur.

"I may be a witch Arthur, but I am not this evil to lie to you about something like this." refuted the woman in pity. "Lancelot and Guinevere ar-"

"Don't." Arthur cut her off. "Don't say it again."

The woman sighed. "Arthur. I am your sister, I will not let this continue, even if you deny it, I will stop this."

Arthur then sat down on his chair. He clenched the chair so hard it almost cracked. "Alright… show me."

"Arthur, if you don't want to see it, it's fin-"

"No Morgana, show me."

Morgana then closed her eyes, preparing for what she's about to do. She then walked up to him, and cast a spell to his head, showing her memory to him.

At first Arthur was calm, but then, he snapped. He stood up, and rushed outside.

"Why! Why are you doing this to me Guinevere!?" he shouted to himself. He practically ran towards Guinevere's chamber, with Morgana following him closely.

As both of them neared Guinevere's chamber, Morgana saw Arthur tremble. The rain had stopped outside, as if the world stopped for Arthur. He had a cold sweat, he didn't want to believe it, but that memory that Morgana showed him was so real… her face looked like she had forgotten about him, that he was but a mere fling.

He stood in front of the door. It was quiet, either they were sleeping, or gone from the place. At first, he wanted to open the door softly like he used to, he remembered how he always visited this room to meet Guinevere, the love of his life.

But then, he remembered what they were doing inside, so instead, he used his feet to open the door, breaking the hinges of the door, and revealing his noble knight and vassal, Lancelot, and his queen, in bed together, all sweaty and tired.

And so, the fall of Camelot, Arthur's kingdom, had just begun.

—

A group of men were not gathering around a large round table. Swords were scattered everywhere on top of it, and the room was as tense as it could be.

Lancelot and Guinevere were cuffed in chains in the corner, Lancelot was beaten to a pulp, while Guinevere was sobbing uncontrollably. Both of them barely had any clothes, just enough to cover their private parts.

The Eternals were standing in a corner, watching as the events in front of them unfold.

"M-My king… what has happened?" questioned a knight named Gawain.

"Ask Lancelot yourself, Gawain." said Arthur coldly. "He had betrayed my trust."

The other knights and vassals know what has happened. Lancelot had done what they couldn't. All of the knights were in love with the queen, but cannot do anything about it, well, except Lancelot apparently.

Arthur then turned around, and he walked to Lancelot. He crouched down, lifted Lancelot's bruised chin, and said to him. "What do you say for yourself, Lancelot?"

Lancelot was quiet, but then he smirked. "You are not worthy of Guinevere, Arthur. You who ignored her while you work endlessly, choosing the kingdom over your own wife everyday. You are path-"

Arthur then punched Lancelot, making Lancelot spew blood from his mouth. He stood again, and walked to the sobbing Guinevere.

"I-I'm sorry my love, P-Please–" she sobbed, but Arthur ignored her. He walked back to the round table, where he placed his hand on the table.

"What are you going to do, my king?" Sir Percy, the black knight asked.

Arthur thought about it for a second, ignoring the eerie silence around him. He then turned around, and looked at Guinevere.

"Death." said Arthur coldly, making all of the round table gasp, and Guinevere crying louder. "Guinevere will be sentenced to death for infidelity."

He then looked at Lancelot, who was seeping with rage as he heard the sentence. "As for Lancelot… I'll think of something worse for him, but for now, lock him in jail."

At this point, the round table is split. The knights were trying to argue to the king to reconsider his sentence. Some argued that she should be banished instead of being killed, but the king wouldn't budge.

On one side, the knights followed the king's order, and agreed with the thought. They have done something horrible, and the queen has betrayed the king.

On the other side, the knights who loved the queen wanted to protect her, and they thought that the punishment was unfair.

All of them kept arguing at each other, while the king just remained silent as Guinevere's cry was ignored.

He looked at the Eternals on the corner, and walked up to him.

"I thank you for your service to my kingdom in these years." said the king calmly, "But I ask you not to interfere with this affair, you are my guests, and I am not going to make you deal with my problems."

Arthur then looked at Pluto, who was leaning against the wall. "Is this what you're trying to tell me tonight, friend?"

"You didn't believe me," said Pluto calmly.

"Forgive me." he said. "I was blinded by lust and envy. Perhaps this is the punishment of the gods." he then looked at Thena, and bowed his head. "Forgive me my lady, for disturbing you all this time. Is there anything that I could do for you?"

Thena shook her head. "No, it's alright, I forgive you."

Arthur nodded, and looked back at Pluto. "Do you still want to use the hall?"

Pluto shook his head. "We don't need it anymore."

"Then if you need anything, you can ask me."

Arthur then left the group and the room, leaving the knights arguing to themselves.

Meanwhile, Pluto was standing on the corner, leaning against the wall, smiling devilishly as chaos was slowly starting to consume the kingdom.