Tales of Myth and Legend

Part 1 – Prologue

By Richard C.H. Davies

Warning this story contains: Giantess witch, fantasy fiction, Shrunken Man, Shrunken Women, giantess, kidnap, giant woman lick, soft vore, naked giantess, chase, hard vore, human to animal transformation

"Dammit!" Kat shouted out as she stepped into a boggy puddle with a wet squelch. Her foot carried on sinking, she didn't know how deep it was going to go. 

It caused her to stumble and fall forwards. She managed to brace her fall with her elbows, they bore the brunt of the muddy ground. She landed with a grunt. 

"Are you okay?" Michelle and Tanya rushed to her side, but taking care to skirt their way around the boggy ground. 

Peter huffed at the side and crossed his arms. He was completely caked in mud as well. 

They were surrounded by craggy and twisted trees, with huge trunks. The bark of the trees was thick and wavy, the roots that bore out to the sides were also thick and intrusive, causing many trip hazards. 

They were following an animal track through the wood, perhaps used by deer or other woodland livestock. 

The trees reached up into the sky, tall and spreading out into a dense canopy. The wind caused the multitude of branches to waggle wildly in the wind and the leaves to rustle menacingly. 

"I'm not getting you out again. Get yourself out," he complained. 

The ladies all looked up at him with slow grim looks and then all focused back on trying to help Kat crawl out of the boggy ground. 

The two ladies grabbed Kat under her armpits and gripped her forearms and dug their heels into the muddy ground and pulled. Visibly and audibly straining to pull her out. 

There was a very loud squelching and sucking sound as her leg and boot started to ease out of the puddle. 

Suddenly she was released and they all stumbled and landed in a muddy heap together. 

"Oh, fuck it!" Katie shouted out, looking at her foot, her sock was half off and the boot was missing. 

"My boot got left in the bog!" 

"Oh, for god’s sake," Rich commented as he approached, returning from his spot at the front of the trail that they had been walking. 

"What's the hold up?" Neil asked, following Rich. 

"The girls have got caught in the mud… again," Rich stated bluntly, rolling his eyes. 

Peter huffed again. 

"I don't know what you're complaining about you've both got caught in the mud too!" Tanya spat out at them, as she tried to wipe the mud away from her knees, it just smeared the fudge textured mud across her trousers even more. 

Kat managed to retrieve her boot from the boggy ground, but looked at it forlornly. It was completely covered in mud. She smacked it against the side of the nearest tree to try and clear it of mud. 

"Fuck’s sake!" She shouted out, pulling the boot onto her foot. "We're definitely lost now!" Kat growled towards Peter, Rich and Neil. "You mugs have got us all lost well away from the trail,"

"I don't see you navigating!" Neil responded bitterly. 

"Bit late now," Tanya replied, "the horse has bolted… short cut my arse, this route is more like a long cut," she kicked at a stick that was crossing the path. 

"And it's getting dark," Michelle noted nervously.  

"You've taken us well off the trail. We should head back," Kat demanded. 

"We're not heading back. We've gone too far," Rich stated. 

"I agree with Kat, we should head back," Tanya nodded. 

"Has anyone noticed it's getting dark?" Michelle commented, nobody acknowledged her. 

"Come on, just a bit further," said Neil. "I feel like we are nearly through this wood now."

They all looked around themselves. It was just a dense wall of trees and mud as far as the eye could see. 

"I remain to be convinced," Tanya put her hands on her hips. 

"We can't split up, it's not safe, so shall we take a vote?" Peter asked. 

"All in favour of carrying on with Neil's route," all three men put their hands in the air, as did Michelle.

"Michelle," Tanya glowered scoldingly at Michelle. 

"It's getting dark… besides if it was a split vote, it wouldn't do us any good, we need to get out of this place. It's spooky." Michelle shivered. 

"Come on let's just get moving again, I'm getting cold," Kat trudged forwards a few steps, her muddy boot squelching loudly. Her shoulders slumped in resignation. 

Neil shouldered his way through some branches and took his position at the front of the group. Michelle and Tanya trudged along at the bag. 

Michelle held her own arms in a close embrace, looking around nervously. 

A loud and sharp squawk from above made them all jump out of their skins. They all looked up and saw a jet-black crow looking down at them with discerning beady eyes.

The crow squawked again and ruffled its feathers.  

"Shoo!" Tanya waved her arms and jumped up and down. The crow just blinked and looked down its beak at them. 

"Horrid creature," Michelle commented. 

"Come on, keep moving," Peter broke the silence. The growing darkness was causing them all to get a bit jumpy and the crow hadn't helped. 

They continued walking through the wood, the darkness crept in like the change in the tide of the sea. 

Rich cracked a glowstick and hooked it on the back of his large backpack. He cracked another and hung it off his belt. 

The others copied him. 

Neil paused and brought out his map and compass to try and get a bearing. It was difficult without any landmarks. Their GPS and signal on their phones had stopped working several hours ago. 

Neil peered down at his compass in disbelief. He gave it a shake and then held it out again. 

Everyone crowded round him. With their large backpacks and hats on they all looked like a gang of ninja turtles. 

Rich pulled out an energy bar and started chomping down on it. 

They all closed around Neil. 

"This compass isn't working. Can I try someone else's?" 

Tanya and Rich both brandished their compasses. Rich passed his to Neil, Tanya looked down at hers and double took her look at it. The compass was spinning in circles, quite fast. 

Rich's and Neil's were all doing the same. 

"We must be standing on or near something with a magnetic field," she commented and started walking in the direction they had been heading. 

They could see her face glowing eerily from the glowstick dangling across her chest. 

They all started walking behind her. The darkness intruded further. There was no longer much natural light. 

Fluttering of wings could be heard above them. 

The crow squawked again. 

"Shouldn't you be asleep by now?" Peter shouted up at the bird. It was night time. A check of the watch said it was 9pm. 

He threw a stick up at the bird. 

The bird flapped and complained noisily and hopped to another branch and then leaned forwards, clutching to its branch and squawked down at them again. The squawk was louder than before and more belligerent. 

"My compass is still screwed," Tanya commented after ten minutes of walking.

"Mine too," Neil said. "And I can't see shit ahead of me. I can't tell if I'm going to step in any boggy ground." 

"Shall we make camp?" Kat asked from the back. "My clothes and socks are sodden. We could make a fire," 

"Good idea but let's keep going," Neil replied. 

"I think she might be right," Tanya replied. "Without our compass and any landmarks to guide us we could be going in circles. 

"Okay I've got an idea," Rich replied, ever the innovator. He pulled out another glowstick, cracked it to release the chemical reaction creating a thin tube of fluorescent light and he hung it on a low hanging branch. 

"If we see this again then we are walking in circles…" 

"Okay let's go," they walked on for another ten minutes. Through the pitch-black wood. 

All of them stumbled over a root or a fallen branch at some point, causing them to swear every time; and sometimes even fall in the mud. 

"Hey look there's light!" Neil pointed ahead of them. The light was swaying from side to side as if someone was walking. "HEY!" He cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. 

A cloud of mist billowed out from his mouth. It was suddenly getting colder; the temperature change was noticeable. 

Neil tramped on ahead crunching through twigs and then slowed down and squinted, looking ahead at the source of the light. 

"It's the glowstick swinging in the wind…"

"Yup… We've been going in circles…" Peter moaned. 

Tanya brought out her map. The wood they were in was very large. No visible markers. 

They all crowded round to have a look at the map, all shining their lanterns on it. 

"I think we should make camp," Tanya decided. "If we keep walking all night, we will just get tired." 

They all nodded agreement. 

When she lowered the map, they all looked around them in shock. 

They were completely surrounded and enveloped in a low and drifting white mist. 

"What the hell?" Several of them said. Raising their arms and looking down at the mist. 

"Where has this appeared from?" Neil asked rhetorically. 

"This sometimes happens when there is a temperature and pressure change," Rich responded. "It's perfectly natural,"

Squawk!!! 

The crow made them all jump. It was above them somewhere, loudly squawking and ruffling its feathers. 

"Either we've been going in circles and he has stayed where he is and we've been pissing him off, or he's been following us…" Tanya muttered. 

"This place is freaking me out," Michelle shivered. 

"Let’s make camp then," Tanya replied. 

"Okay but let's get away from the crow…" they all agreed. 

They walked for another ten minutes, then they saw light again, it was barely perceptible in the mist. Initially it was a very faint glow that made them think it was a mirage.

"Oh, for god’s sake!!!" Rich growled angrily. "We've gone in a circle again, it must be the glowstick," 

As they approached the light it started to multiply in their vision, or seemed to, there was more than one light source. 

They heard the eerie fluttering of the crow flying overhead. 

"Unless I'm seeing something or your glowstick has bred little light babies I think this is something else entirely," Tanya muttered quietly. 

"Maybe its someone's camp," Neil added hopefully, walking ahead a bit faster, causing him to stumble over a root. 

They approached rapidly. The mist swirled around the light sources, but they soon slowed down as they realised it was a timber cottage. 

"Someone lives in this shit hole?" Peter exclaimed. They approached cautiously, holding their LED lanterns ahead of them.

The mist seemed to clear around the cottage, as if it was in the calm eye of a tornado storm. 

"Go on then, knock," Tanya waved her lantern at Neil. 

"What me?" His eyes widened with sudden fear. "Why me?"

"You got us into this mess," Tanya replied bluntly. 

"Fine," Neil tramped up to the door, it had a large iron knocker, very large. It was the size of a small child. 

There was an angry… or scared… looking gargoyle character as part of the knocker. It looked like it had been frozen for all eternity. 

He tentatively reached out, tapping the knocker. It barely clanked. 

"Oh, for pity’s sake," Tanya stepped forwards, budging him out of the way rudely. She grabbed the knocker and thumped it three times. 

The banging was very loud and caused them all to pause. It echoed and reverberated through the inside of the cottage and the sound bounced around the woodland around them creating a disconcerting echo. 

Then there was silence. 

They all waited, hearts thumping. 

Then they heard loud footsteps on wooden floorboards. 

Several floorboards creaked as the footsteps approached the door. 

The footsteps stopped and there was absolute silence. Even the rustling leaves seemed to stop for a moment. 

Then there was a loud grinding sound of a metal bolt being pulled back on the inside of the door. 

The door creaked as it opened up inside. 

The group looked in anxiously, but were instantly at ease as they saw that the occupant was an incredibly beautiful looking blonde lady. 

She looked like she was in her mid-twenties, her skin and hair were immaculate. 

She had a very wide and warm smile. 

The aromas of her cooking billowed out into the cold night, filling their nostrils and causing their stomachs to rumble hungrily. 

"Hello," the woman said warmly. "Are you lost?" 

They all nodded silently. 

"Well, you would be welcome to come in, warm up next to the fire… I've even got some stew which is nearly ready which you can have. Luckily for you I think I've got enough."

Neil smiled in return. 

"Thank you," he stepped in without further hesitation. The others did too, apart from Michelle who looked around anxiously, then saw no better option and entered the cottage. 

The lady smiled at her, watching her walk past and then shut the door behind them. She bolted the door shut again behind them all. 

"I keep it locked, you never know who is about in woods at night," she chuckled sweetly, and gestured for them all to sit around the fireplace on the large pile matt. 

She was dressed in a very old-fashioned gown, that stretched to her ankles. She had relatively long and well-manicured nails. 

A large black cauldron was boiling over the fire in the fireplace. 

"Wow, an actual cauldron. I didn't know people still used these," Kat commented, taking off her boots and hanging her socks up to dry. 

"It’s very good for stews… and the like," the lady commented. She sprinkled some herbs or spices into the cauldron and then sat down in a tall backed chair. 

They all turned themselves to see her. Noticing there was no TV or similar appliances in the cottage. 

"Do you live here alone?" Tanya asked. 

"Mostly," the woman nodded. "The wildlife in this wood keep me entertained and well informed," she replied. "I have the occasional visitor from a dear friend of mine."

The light of the fire flickered across her face, as she looked down upon them. 

"Feel free to take off your coats and jumpers. Make yourself comfortable. The stew will take a bit longer."

They did as they were advised and settled back on the mat. 

"Good… perhaps we can start with some introductions. What are your names?"

"I'm Tanya. This is Kat, Michelle, Neil, Rich and Peter," Tanya volunteered their names, pointing at each of them. "We are friends from College," she added. 

"Ahh, I see, pleasure to meet you all… well I am Embermesrelda… but, in the spirit of you shortening your names for me, you can call me Ember…"

"Good to meet you," they all murmured politely. 

"What are you doing in the woods at such an hour?" Ember asked them. 

"We got lost," Tanya started. 

"We didn't get…"

"We got lost," Tanya interrupted Neil's intervention. "We are out on a charity two-day hike… our friend Neil thought he had found a great shortcut…" Neil huffed. 

Ember smiled. 

"Sometimes the shortest path is a straight line," she commented. 

Neil nodded, agreeing with her. 

"But then again sometimes it isn't, it very much depends on the terrain in between," she concluded. Neil's mood soured again.

"In fact, I recall a story about that," she continued. "If you would like to hear it?"

They all nodded. 

"Here goes," Ember started. They looked interested to know what was next. 

Tales of Myth and Legend

Part 2 – The Tale of Sir Arthur

By Richard C.H. Davies

Warning this story contains: Giantess witch, fantasy fiction, Shrunken Man, Shrunken Women, giantess, kidnap, giant woman lick, soft vore, naked giantess, chase, hard vore, human to animal transformation

"Have you heard of the tale of King Arthur?" She asked. 

They all nodded and suddenly looked bored. 

"Well, how about hearing the true story?" Several of them shrugged. 

"It's all mythical anyway," Peter noted. Ember shrugged; she gently laid her slender hands on the armrests of her chair; Ignoring his jibe. 

"Before King Arthur was King, he was known as Arthur, she started. He was a wandering Knight; he was of no particular interest to anybody. Perhaps except," she raised an index finger, "for the Lady of Lake Windermere, so here goes…" she cleared her throat as she began her story. “Many, many… many years ago, one dark stormy day…

…Arthur found himself in some particularly beastly weather. He had to dismount from his horse and tug it by the reins to move it forwards. He pushed through the brambles and branches. 

The wind and rain pounded down upon them. What little of his leather armour there was, was completely sodden. 

A flash of lightning caused his horse to rear, strike him on the shoulder and gallop away in a panicked frenzy. 

Arthur was alone and lost, like all of you perhaps. 

He pushed on and on, climbing over muddy hills, trudging through soggy ditches. Completely alone. The horse has fled with his pack. 

Then after some hours he topped the chest of hillock and witnessed what he initially thought was an angel. He beheld a bright glowing light atop a stone tower. 

He stumbled through the long grasses, down the hill, crossed a stream and brushed through a reed bed. Until he looked up at a stone castle. It was not a particularly large castle. It was a modest one. But it had a magnificent large hall with a timber pitched roof and a huge stone tower to the side. 

The glowing miracle shone like a beacon. 

He wondered if he was beholding the famed Holy Grail itself. The very Grail that he was searching for. It would bring him fame and fortune. 

He staggered to the iron portcullis. It was raised. 

He continued through to the large wooden oaken doors. 

"Who goes there!" a guard shouted through his trim visor, his voice cracking in the night and through the wind and the rain. He was looking through a peephole in the oak door. 

"It is Arthur, I am a Knight!" Arthur shouted back. 

"A Knight he says…" the guard mumbled, looking back at someone. 

"A Knight ehh?" Another voice spoke at his side. "Where's 'is 'orse then?"

"He's got no horse," the other replied. 

"Well, he's not much of a Knight without an 'orse, ask 'im ask where's 'is 'orse…"

"Ere sir Knight, where's your horse then?" 

"My horse panicked in the storm, I was thrown clear and my horse galloped away…" Arthur replied, clearing his wet fringe of hair from his face. "Sirs please won't you let me in… I'm soaking wet and this storm has paid a terrible toll on me. I have an important mission,"

"Mission, eh?" The guard said. 

"What's the mission methinks?" The other whispered loudly. "Ask 'im,"

"You ask him, you lazy bones," the other argued back. 

"It's ye job to ask them questions. Ye ask them questions and I poke 'em with me pointy lance if thee get them answers wrong. Ye're the delinquent one of us…"

There was a pause. 

"Delinquent?" The guard asked back confused. 

"Yeah… ye know, ye speak all proper and such…"

"You mean eloquent, you fool?" There was a sound of leather hitting metal. 

Then a sharp yelp. Then another pause.  

"Sorry sir Knight," the guard looked back through the peephole. "My fellow guardsman would like to enquire as to the purpose of your mission,"

"Why," he cleared his throat, "I am searching for the Holy Grail. I believe I beheld it hovering above this very tower,"

"Oh, did you now?" The guard replied, his eyes growing wide with wonder. "I mean that's probably something we would notice. Pat, have you seen any Holy Grails?" He asked the other guard. 

"Not lately, no," the other replied with a chuckle. 

"Please sirs, may I enter?" 

"I'm not sure…" 

"Let him pass," a smooth female voice commanded. 

"Of course, Lady Windermere, of course," the guard cleared his throat and spoke in his finest voice. 

There was a loud clunk, followed by several others as the fast iron and oak braces and bolts were released. The huge oak doors instantly creaked open out towards Arthur. 

He stepped backwards and peered in through the grim light. 

The guards held lanterns at their side, and then he beheld a sight that nearly made him fall to his knees. 

There was a lady with a white flowing dress, it seemed not to allow mud to soil it. Her blonde silken hair billowed and cascaded over her shoulders. Her lips were luscious and her glorious blue eyes were icy but wondrous. 

"You are welcome as my guest sir Knight, known as Arthur…"

"Oh, dear lady, thank you… thank you. I am eternally grateful for your hospitality. I am appalled at my appearance."

"We shall have you bathed in the finest rosemary infused bath," she turned to her side. "Ladies, please see to this brave knight’s every need." She turned back to him, fixating him with those beautiful, intelligent and powerful eyes. "Sir knight. I would be delighted if you shall join me for dinner, shall we say in two hours?" 

Arthur stepped forward and gently took the ladies hand, he bent forward and pressed his lips ever so softly on the top of her hand and kissed it. 

"I would be honoured my Lady. What may I call you if I may be so bold? I heard your name to be Lady Windermere?"

"I am Lady Guinevere of Windermere," she replied evenly and without any haughtiness whatsoever. 

Arthur bowed very deeply, his leather jerkin creaking from the strain of such a performance.

"I am truly honoured to make your acquaintance," he replied, completely besotted with her already. 

"As am I sir Knight. I will see you in hours deuce," she turned and seemed to float away. 

Gentle hands of her maidens guided a stunned Arthur to his guest chamber where he could bathe. 

Impossibly the iron bath was already drawn and steaming. 

Clothes were laid out for him. His very size, precisely so, clean and pressed. Shoes with gleaming buckles. He was astonished. 

He tried to query about Lady Guinevere to the maidens but they appeared to be mutes or shy, he didn't know. They just blushed and guided him to the next task. 

They scrubbed his body in the bath and cleaned him up, they trimmed his hair, beard and cleaned his nails and teeth. They didn't shy from the task. 

Finally, he was ready to sup with the Lady of the castle. 

*

"Hold on, I thought Arthur met Guinevere, once he had his sword, and so on?" Rich interrupted. 

"Well, it depends who you listen to," Ember replied. She paused, waiting for any other questions to be exhausted and then resumed her story. 

*

Arthur was taken to the dining room. It was a vast chamber with an impossible number of lit candles. The finest silver was set out and piles of food. He marvelled at the sight in front of him. 

There was side of beef, joint of lamp, several roast chickens, partridge, pheasant, peacock, and root vegetables aplenty. He knew he would sleep well tonight, content and with a full belly. 

The most marvellous sight was the Lady, she sat at the end of the table. Her arms resting elegantly on the arm rests of her high- backed chair. 

She looked pure and beautiful. 

"You look radiant my Lady," Arthur bowed deeply at the threshold of the room. 

"Why thank you sir Knight," the lady tipped her head politely. She gestured for him to join the seat next to her. Breaking tradition for him as the guest to sit at the other end of the table. 

He liked the informality of it. 

He took his seat and waited for her to select her food. 

"Can I pour you some wine?" He offered. She nodded her thanks. 

"It is so very dull living here surrounded by hills and nothingness. Tell me sir Knight, about some of your wandering tales."

Arthur accepted her invitation, breaking off a chicken thigh; and causing him to gain greasy hands. He regaled her with a number of his brave tales of saving maidens, helping townsfolk, and helping to find lost children. He may have embellished one or two or all of the tales a bit, but a story sometimes needs a bit of embellishment to get the point across, don't you think?

Ember looked across at the faces of her young guests. They were listening with rapt interest. 

"I think the stew is about ready." She stood up and used a large ladle to pour out each of their bowls. She gave them a slice of bread and a spoon and returned to her seat with her own. 

"How do you like it?" She asked. Rich and Neil nodded with smiles. 

"It tastes amazing!" they said. Michelle looked sick, she rolled something around in her mouth and plucked something out of her mouth with disgust, it looked like a small limb of a bird, or frog, or bat. 

She dared not think about it any further in case her imagination took hold further. 

"I can't eat this," she whispered to Kat. 

"Just scoff it down, we are her guests," Kat whispered back, and then smiled sweetly to Ember. 

"Lovely food, thank you for your kind hospitality… I suppose you're a bit like Lady Windermere," 

Ember smiled ever so sweetly. 

"That's very kind of you to say my dear," she said, blushing slightly. "Good hospitality has run through the ages of our kind and it will hopefully never be forgotten. 

Michelle choked and coughed on something. Kat gave her a sharp glance and she swallowed, it felt like another limb. She nearly hurled but managed to keep it down. 

"Can you tell more of the story?" Neil asked Ember. Her eyes lit up with pleasure. 

"Ah of course, I was worried you were just humouring me whilst you waited for food," they were all slurping on the stew as she continued. 

Arthur told many a tale to Lady Windermere. Right into the night they spoke and shared his tales. 

She charmed him thoroughly. She rested her chin on her hands, leaned forwards with extreme interest. 

She laughed at the appropriate punchlines and she covered her left breast with her hand and recoiled with shock and fear when it was called for. 

Arthur found himself lost in her beautiful eyes. He lost track of time, and indeed his sobriety. 

He found that when he stood up to go to the garderobes, that he was quite drunk. He had to stagger all the way there. 

"Garderobe?" Peter asked. 

"Its an old fashioned toilet that was linked to a castle," Ember replied. Peter nodded and she continued her tale.  

When Arthur returned the table was completely cleared and the number of lit candles had significantly diminished. 

Lady Windermere still sat at her chair, looking as beautiful as ever. He wondered if she was as drunk. 

"I'm afraid I must bid you good night… or good morning," he chuckled noting the hour. "I seem to have imbibed too much for my constitution to handle and I worry that I will do injustice to your hospitality."

Lady Windermere nodded very kindly. 

"Of course sir Knight. Would you join me for a night cap?" She invited, gesturing to his empty chair. 

He nodded his thanks and staggered over to the chair. Before he sat down she held up her hand, inviting him to pause. 

He stood still, swaying slightly from the wine, although he thought that he was perfectly still. 

"I think such a brave and dutiful Knight should have a uniform to befit his nature," she whispered some words, foreign sounding and with a flourish of her fingers there was a flash of light, brighter than tens of candles and he looked down his chest. 

He staggered back in surprise. 

He beheld a beautiful tunic, fitted perfectly to his body, it replaced his other outfit. There was a beautifully embroidered emblem of a red dragon on the front below his chest. 

"I…" he stammered. Lost for words. 

"Magic?" He exclaimed finally. 

"I have… a special set of skills, magic is a science of sorts…" she gave a thin and modest smile. "I'm glad it worked, I haven't used my skills for years," she lied. 

"Incredible," he stammered. Thinking that this was all an alcohol infused dream. 

"I mean to ask you," the lady started. "I have no true protection here. I have no loyal and brave knights. Would you be my brave knight here?" She enquired, almost apologetically. 

"My lady I would be so honoured," Arthur replied with a clumsy bow. "It would be a true pleasure," 

Lady Windermere sat back in her chair with a wide smile of thanks. 

She sat there beholding him in his glorious new tunic. 

Then her smile straightened slightly. 

"Sir Arthur, I would like to hear you say it," 

"My lady?" 

"I would like to hear you say that you will act as my loyal Knight…" 

He looked confused. 

"Yes, I would be honoured," 

"Please say the words, sir Knight… for my… pleasure," he frowned and then pondered what she was asking of him. 

He stepped forwards, gently took her fingers with his hand, knelt (somewhat clumsily), and held her hand in front of his face. 

"My Lady Guinevere, Lady of Windermere and this magnificent abode, I offer you my humble service as your Knight." He gently kissed her hand. She accepted it with a nod of her head. But he continued. "I will serve you and protect you as befits the role of a Knight of more noble birth than I…"

"Birth right does not make one noble," Lady Guinevere retracted her hand sharply but still elegantly. "You will remember that sir Knight. The actions of individuals are what makes one noble." 

Arthur nodded, receiving his first lesson from his new Lady. 

"I must anoint you as a Knight, it would be befitting," she picked up a steak knife from the table set. It was of unusual metal. 

"This is no ordinary metal, it is the metal from a falling star," she started. 

She stood, for the first time for hours, from her chair, held the small steak knife aloft, above her. 

Arthur looked up, looked up at her glorious body, her beautiful chin, which looked up along her arm to the knife which pointed skywards. 

Suddenly the lady's other hand gestured towards the main chandelier which was burning with candles. 

Arthur gasped as the candle light, the fire, seemed to be sucked away from the candlesticks and soared across the air and hovered in a ball of flame above her outstretched palm. 

She muttered some foreign words, then shouted some more, her voice contained such power that it felt like the ground shook. 

Arthur suddenly felt very heavy from his shoulders down. 

He watched in astonishment as she lifted the fireball and smashed the fireball at the knife. 

There was a crash, an explosion of light and fire. 

Arthur averted his gaze, he lowered his face to the ground. Stunned. He felt searing heat on the back of his neck, but he trusted his new Lady, who he was now the loyal servant to. 

"I dub thee," he looked up again, as she spoke in a regal voice. His eyes widened in amazement. She was holding a magnificent broadsword aloft where the steak knife had been. 

She lowered the sword, which was bejewelled with Ruby's, sapphires and other precious stones and metals. It glistened with glory and looked sharp enough to cut anything. 

"Sir Arthur of Windermere," she gently tapped the flat of the sword on each shoulder. "Rise sir Knight… my Knight," Arthur slowly stood and stood face to face with her. 

He smiled with honour, but his smile faltered slightly, his lady suddenly looked ever so tired. Her beautiful face was still beautiful but she looked slightly older. There were crow’s-feet on the edges of her eyes. Her cheeks looked slightly more gaunt and her eyes had slightly purple eyebags. 

"My radiant Lady Windermere," he bowed. "I thank you for your trust and honour bestowed upon me this night," she gently handed the sword to him, which he graciously accepted and he admired it. 

The lady stepped backwards, staggering slightly, and clutched the backrest of her chair, leaning heavily on it. 

"My lady," sir Arthur stepped forwards to assist but she politely waved him off. 

"I am well, sir Knight. I believe I have just had too much wine. I must get some rest. 

I will look forward to breaking my fast with you in the morning." And with that she slowly walked out of the dining hall. 

Her maidens scurried in and quickly whisked Arthur back to his room with his new outfit and magnificent sword. 

*

Arthur awoke with a chronic headache. He rubbed his forehead and groaned. His throat felt parched. 

Then he remembered the events of last night. Or indeed last night's dream, it couldn't possibly be real. 

He expected to wake up with his horse next to him somewhere in the wilderness or the moors. 

He groaned as he sat up. He looked down his body, he had been undressed. He was in a large room with a four poster bed. 

There was a fire still dying down in the fireplace and a bed warmer that was still warm. They must have tended to him through the night. 

There was a goblet of water next to him. He downed the contents. 

In the corner of his room there was a straw manikin and it was adorned with his new tunic. Stood up against the wall was his new magical sword. 

He was amazed. It hadn't been an alcohol infused dream. This was incredible. It was real. 

He swung his legs over the bed and got dressed in his new outfit. It renewed him with energy. 

Heftng his sword up he slid it into a scabbard on his belt and then started down to the dining hall. 

He was greeted by maidens and again the vast table was covered with foods of all different types, cheeses, quails eggs, duck eggs, hen eggs, breads and pastries, fruit and savouries, hams and chutneys. Yoghurts and milks. He was stunned once again. 

"Is my lady up?" He asked a maiden. 

"Lady Windermere invites you to dine and she will join you later to discuss your quest."

"Quest?" Arthur asked with interest. The maiden curtseyed and offered nothing more. She turned and left for the pantry. 

Arthur ate his breakfast with vigour and his hangover soon passed him by. 

*

Arthur strode out in the courtyard of the castle. The sun shone brightly through a dark cloud, causing him to cover his eyes as he walked out to join Lady Windermere. 

She was directing her servants to preparing for something. 

She turned to greet him warmly. 

"Sir Arthur, my dear Knight, good morning. I trust you enjoyed breaking your fast. I do apologise for not being able to join you. I woke up early to commence preparations," 

"Good morning, my lady, I trust you slept soundly. I truly enjoyed your company last night and thank you for your wonderful gifts you have bestowed upon me." He bowed deeply, working hard to avoid the tip of his scabbard from scraping in the mud of the courtyard. 

"One of your maidens mentioned a quest for me…" he started. 

The lady's face darkened. 

"Which maiden mentioned the quest?" She asked abruptly. 

Arthur spotted her across the courtyard with some other maidens. She was packing some leather sachels and trying to avoid eye contact. 

"My lady I do not wish to cause an altercation…"

"Sir Knight. I thank you for your honourable intentions but please remember that honesty is another virtue of a true Knight. I trust that you are an honest Knight?" 

"Indeed," Arthur bowed his head. He felt humbled by her very presence. "It was that maiden over there my lady. Please do not punish her…"

"Seraphim," lady Windermere called to the maiden, who looked up sharply and visibly quivered. The lady merely gave her a piercing stare and gestured to two other maidens. "You've drawn attention to yourself, you can make yourself useful in the stable," she gestured and Seraphim was taken by her elbows and guided into the stables. 

Arthur was disconcerted by the look of fear on her face. 

Lady Windermere had a tough streak, that was clear. He had better remain on her good side. 

"I heard that you lost your horse and your knightly equipment," lady Windermere changed the subject. 

She perhaps wasn't aware that his horse was a pack horse, his sword was a rusty thing and his equipment had gone mouldy days before he had arrived at the castle. He wasn't missing much. 

"Indeed my lady. My steed has gone missing, I fear I cannot perform my Knightly duties you deserve," 

"No matter," lady Windermere focused on the stable building and chanted in her foreign language, she twirled her fingers and twisted and weaved them in the air. 

She clapped her hands together and there was a powerful bang and a shock wave. Arthur stumbled back, feeling that he had witnessed more magic in action. 

The stable doors opened and two maidens exited leading a beautiful white mare. It had a long mane and tail. It looked perfect, freshly cleaned, it somehow looked familiar to him. 

The horse stumbled out uncertainly, initially. 

"My thanks, my lady," Arthur applauded her magic. "Incredible, my breath continues to be taken away by your magnificence," he sighed. 

Lady Windermere gave a tired but satisfied smile. 

Arthur suddenly looked worried. 

"My lady," she stumbled slightly and he propped her up under her arms, he bore her weight, which was very light. 

"Dear Knight. The magic has drained me, I haven't cast spells for such a long time," she lied, partially. She regularly used magic but these recent spells had indeed taken a toll on her. 

Her Life Force Well was empty. 

"The magic has tired my body and my soul. Without means to restore my magical well I will look older and more tired to your eyes. I apologise for this," 

"Please my lady never apologise. I thank you for your great sacrifice. Is there anything I can do to restore your… magical well?" 

Lady Windermere looked at him and her beautiful eyes, surrounded with wrinkles, searched for something. She smiled, seeing his adoration for her in his eyes. 

"I need people to be here around me at Castle Windermere sir Knight. I need to have many people around me, their energy helps me to restore my magical well."

Arthur considered this, she was probably being quite literal. He had no idea how magic worked. All he knew was that he wanted to please her and return the many favours she had bestowed upon him. It was now his knightly duty to serve her. 

He took another breath as the white mare approached. 

The leather saddle was magnificent. To its side was affixed a beautiful round shield with the dragon logo on it. The same as his tunic. A head mail armour piece was part of the equipment and a short sword. 

"What shall we name her sir Knight? We must name your horse." 

Arthur pondered this for a moment. He felt it should be a grand and meaningful name. 

"I know, how about Seraphim," lady Windermere suggested, with a wry smile. "Fitting…. considering she revealed your quest don't you agree?" 

Arthur nodded eagerly; he looked around briefly for Seraphim. He hadn't seen her leave the stable with the other maidens. 

The horse nuzzled him and whinnied loudly. 

"She's a spirited one Seraphim. No doubt giving her a good long ride will help even out her spirits," lady Windermere leaned close to the horse's head and peered into its left eye. 

The horse's feet trod up and down quickly, she was jumpy. 

"Better she remembers her obedience at all times," Lady Windermere spoke evenly to the horse. 

The horse looked very concerned and broke eye contact. 

"How will people believe me and follow me here? We are quite far from the nearest village and further still from any town." Arthur asked. "They will ask who will pay them and feed them," 

"Every good Knight must create a legend. I have just the thing," 

"Aqualisha!" She called out to the sky. There was a pause. Arthur wondered what was happening. 

Then there was an almighty call of an Eagle. A beautiful brown and white Eagle descended from the skies and landed atop the saddle of the horse. 

Lady Windermere gestured at Arthur's sword. 

"Aqualisha will take your sword, Excalibur, to the town of Ambleside, you must be there in two weeks from now. There it will be embedded in stone. Many will try to withdraw it, but only you will be able to Arthur. You must not tell anyone; it is an ensorcelled sword. This will enable your legend to begin."

"Excalibur," Arthur repeated as if in a dream. 

"For now, you may have this shorter sword," lady Windermere pointed to the sword beneath the shield on the saddle pack. The sword looked very familiar to him; it was uncannily like a newer version of his rusty blade he had lost. 

"Fly Aqualisha!" The lady passed the sword to the Eagle, which grasped the sword in its talons and with an almighty cry and beating of its wings it flew off with the sword. 

Arthur was stunned. He couldn't believe all of this could happen, let alone to him. He watched the Eagle disappear past the tower. 

"Now if you please," sighed Lady Windermere, I must rest. 

"Of course, my lady. I will be on my way. You have given me three tasks to get busy with," the lady raised her eyebrows invitingly. 

"Oh?"

"Bring you loyal subjects, reclaim Excalibur and prove to you that you haven't made a mistake in choosing me to be your sole loyal Knight," the lady smiled, although it was a tired smile. 

Her cheeks and face, whilst still containing her beauty was starting to look haggard. 

Arthur bowed and gave her hand a final kiss, he bid her farewell and mounted Seraphim's saddle. 

Seraphim seemed eager to get some distance from Lady Windermere, Arthur couldn't work out why the horse had such an aversion to her. 

"Now he's a true Knight, he's got 'is 'orse" the guard at the gate tipped his helmet at Arthur. "Sir Arthur, we bid you farewell and safe adventures," Arthur thanked them as he passed through the castle gateway. 

"Try not to lose the horse this time," the other guard shouted out after him. 

*

Lady Windermere watched Arthur disappear through the gatehouse. She waited until the guards at the tower signalled that he had passed the furthest hillock and was beyond visible range. 

Finally, she could release her illusion. She collapsed into the arms of her maidens. 

The beautiful castle Windermere suddenly turned decrepit and ruined. The tower had many stones missing, the walls were cracked and in disrepair. The roof of the grand Hall was rotten and leaking. 

She desperately hoped that her plan would work. She needed tradesmen to repair the place, but she also needed people to restore her magical well. She needed to absorb their Life Force. 

"Take me to my chamber," she instructed her maidens and then passed out. 

*

It took some weeks for Arthur to return, in fact it took him four weeks almost precisely. 

He trotted up to the iron portcullis and was greeted by the guards who waved him through. 

"Lady Windermere needs you sir Knight, she has declined in health and energy since your departure," the captain of the guard urged Arthur. "Do you bring others, I see?"

Arthur looked over his shoulder and gestured for the trail of people behind him to follow through the gatehouse. 

At the head of the trail were several tradesmen on horses, further back a few wagons, some with supplies, others loaded full of peasants, further back and trailing over several hundred metres was a scattering of walking peasants, all were eager to earn a wage.  

Arthur had promised a fair and generous lady of the castle at Windermere. He had promised riches to those who would work for her favour and honour and title to those who used their skills to impress her. 

He had gathered quite a following. The boon to his credibility, of course, was effortlessly extracting Excalibur out of the stone in front of a hundred witnesses, some of whom were minstrels, who were already spreading the tale of Sir Arthur Pendragon, the mighty wielder of Excalibur the magical sword. 

This was after many hundreds of brave knights had attempted to extract the sword from the stone. 

Arthur had noticed the Eagle trailing his journey throughout the lands. It had watched his every move. He wondered if it had somehow reported his progress to its mistress. 

From what he had seen nothing was impossible for her. 

Sir Arthur immediately reported to Lady Windermere.

He ran to her bedside and held her hand. She looked haggard and worn. She looked like she was on her deathbed.

"My dear Lady," he pressed his forehead against her wrist, a tear rolled down his gaunt cheek. "I have failed you; I have taken too long on my quest…"

"Sir knight…" she rasped. "You return…" she coughed with a crackle in her lungs. "Come closer to me,"

He did so, she gestured him over to bring his face close to hers.

"Dear Knight, bring me two of my new subjects. Bring me two of the most lonely and desperate,"

"My lady?" He asked in surprise. He wasn't quite sure why.

"Please sir Knight, without question," she replied and then drifted off to sleep.

He immediately turned on his tail and picked the most dishevelled of the peasants. Two of them who were sitting on their own shivering in the courtyard whilst others made camp and set about tasks.

He brought them to her room, guiding the uncertain and pitiful things into Lady Windermere's grand chamber; albeit the wind howled through holes in the stone wall.

"Leave us sir Knight," she asked him. He shut the door behind him, leaving the two peasants to look at their new Lady.

He stood guard outside.

He heard a very strange word being uttered.

"Kurczyć!" He heard. He didn't know what it meant. Lady Windermere said it twice, her voice wavering.

He could have sworn he heard tiny screams and shouts for help but it wasn't from her voice, it sounded too distant to him.

He walked the long corridor looking through arrowlets to the outside, he could see no danger. Where did the screams come from? He had no idea.

An hour later the heavy door to Lady Windermere's room creaked open and Sir Arthur turned to behold the most beautiful and radiant woman. His lady was restored in youth, beauty and strength.

She looked upon him.

"My lady!" He spoke with adoration, dropping to his knee. He took her hand in both of his and kissed it. "You are recovered and well? It is miraculous!" He spoke in wonder.

"I am, my brave sir Knight, but only for a while. My magic is hungry for sustenance,"
She spoke to him with a strong voice, a strength he had never heard in her before.

"The peasants my lady," he peered into her chamber. "Where are they?" He asked.

Lady Windermere's eyes flicked briefly to her chamber and then she reached for her door.

"You have restored me, and my power…" she started, with her new voice of power "and for this, I shall allow you to take my hand in marriage," she said.

Sir Arthur nearly bowled over in shock and joy.

"My lady," he remained on his knee. "You give me the greatest honour, when shall we wed?" He asked her.

"Immediately," she spoke with certainty. As her handmaidens appeared to the side and cooed with joy. "We must begin preparations, I will require some more subjects to steady myself with,"

Sir Arthur nodded in agreement.

"Once we are wed you will be my loyal husband and Knight protector, and you will guard not just my body," she guided him to stand. "But also, my most precious secrets," she said and then she embraced him in the most warming and overwhelming kiss.

Stars exploded in Sir Arthur's mind and he was instantly besotted with Lady Windermere, his wife to be.

"I will bring you some subjects my Fiancée," Sir Arthur said and went to his task.

Lady Windermere returned to her chambers and spotted the Crow in her window.

"Aqualisha my dear friend," Lady Windermere called out. "I will bring you some of my new subjects for you to refill your well with,"

The crow squawked excitedly and flew into the room. Lady Windermere spoke some words to gift her some power.

The bird suddenly grew in size and transformed into a beautiful dark-haired woman. She had striking black eyebrows, which arched above her eyes. Her eyes themselves were golden, the colour of an eagles, but soon transformed into a deep blue colour.

"Ember," she spoke in a raspy voice. "I thank you, my dear friend, I have been stuck in avian form for so long I didn't even remember what it is like to walk like a human anymore," she smiled weakly.

"Our power will be restored dear sister, save your voice and your strength," Lady Windermere plucked something out of her pocket between her fingertips. "And please call me Lady Windermere for now, I do not wish to be overheard to be Ember,"

"You should be proud of your heritage and bond to flame and fire my sister," Aqualisha urged her. 

"As should you my dear witch of water," Ember replied; "but we should remain vigilant until all of our strength and our sisters return here to us."

Ember opened her hand up like the petals of a flower to reveal a tiny peasant woman inside. 

The tiny woman was naked and terrified, she looked upwards towards the two giant faces that peered down at her. 

"Your sacrifice," Ember offered the tiny woman to Aqualisha; whose eyes burned with hunger, lust and greed. 

"My dear sister, you are so generous, you remain weak and yet you gift me one of your two first offerings," she kissed Ember on her lips. "I adore you." 

Ember nodded. They were not true sisters of blood; but their bond and witch’s coven were strong. 

"Now, my dear Aqualisha, you must summon our sisters Aine, Ariel and Danu, also the all-mother Sovereign, but you must not let Badb or Morrigan hear or our success or they will attempt to plunder it again,"

"Sister," Aqualisha cooked her head in disappointment, "I was there, I know it was nearly eighty years ago but I recall the battle here…" she shivered. "They betrayed us and took giant form, they feasted on the people here and the battle was bloody and sacrifices were made aplenty," she looked down at the floor. 

"Then you agree that we must rebuild as quietly as possible. Once we have our strength and our sisters, we can rebuild the illusion spell and dispel their own wicked spells of monsters and storms which have kept people at bay for so long," Ember growled. 

The tiny woman looked so confused. She could hear very clearly what they were saying. Were they gods? They were mentioning some godly names. 

She knew Aqualisha was the legendary sorceress of water, Ember of fire, Ariel was the goddess of the air, and Danu of the earth and fertility. Aine was the goddess of love. Sovereign was the all-mother.  

Then Badb and Morrigan she had heard of as well but they were surely mythical. They had been said to be able to transform into crows and fly to anywhere. They could grow to the size of giantesses and would raid towns and villages.  

She looked up at them in a new light now. She was no longer scared. 

Aqualisha looked down at her hungrily. 

"Now, my little thing, are you ready for your sacrifice?" She smiled widely. 

The peasant kneeled on the giant hand, locked her hands together in prayer and bowed her head. 

"I would be honoured to be your sacrifice goddess!" She called out. 

Both of the giantesses recoiled. It had been quite some time since they had been in the presence of a willing sacrifice. 

Aqualisha's shoulders hung in disappointment. 

"Great, we wait for thirty years and my first sacrifice… actually wants to be sacrificed," she glanced at Ember who pursed her lips sympathetically. 

"Only Aine can absorb the Life Force of emotions like love, adoration and so on," Aqualisha explained to the tiny naked woman in her hand. "If you truly want to serve me, I need you to be terrified, I need you to scream, squeal, wiggle, squirm and to feel your terror. That is the source of our power my little thing," she looked solemn. "I'm afraid it is so, I wish it were otherwise,"

The tiny woman looked confused as she looked at Ember's sombre face and back to Aqualisha's. 

"But…" she started. "I'm happy to please you," 

"I can tell my tiny little dear," Aqualisha spoke softly. "That's why I'm so sorry to do this,"