(it's not a wild goose chase if it's for god)

[knightgallant]

Although he had been hopeful that the Well of the Chalice would offer some divine insight into his quest --a renewal of one of his visions, or perhaps a sign that he was on the right path-- that Galahad left empty-handed in the end did not surprise him. Many times now he had left holy sites without further clues to his final destination.

He had expected this. He had understood from his very first glimpse of the holy artifact in a waking vision, that finding it would be difficult. It would be a test of his patience, perseverance, and faith. He accepted this, and had instead chosen to practice gratitude for the opportunity to measure the strength of his faith. (After all, a faith untested was a faith unworthy of one of Arthur's men, let alone God.) Very few men would ever witness holy perfection, and it was paramount to him that, as adoptive heir to Arthur's dominion especially, he prove Camelot's devotion to the King of Kings on the court's behalf. He had verbally staked his life on finding the Grail before the entire court, and his resolve to find the artifact was still strong.

Any disappointment he felt, Galahad soothed with the consolation of a quiet meal in the wood outside the Well's chapel. As he ate, he contemplated the worn and dirtied map spread out beside him.

"Where do we ride next?" He idly questioned his horse, in between bites of the bread and cheese the Well's priest had granted him. "We have gone on pilgrimage all the way to this place, and the furthest reaches of Briton and Arthur's domain." The horse twitched an ear in relaxed response, and then turned away from his master to drink from the small river before the knight's feet. "I have heard wild tales of a wood in the north that people say is the last place Saint Hector stood before he ascended to Paradise. Is that not a promising locale?"

The horse's tail flicked at insects buzzing around its hindquarters as he nibbled at reeds growing from the riverbed, but he gave no other response besides that. Smiling, the knight decided to take pity on the beast and grant it some peace. This he offered in silence, along with a pat to the horse's neck. "Eat your fill, Amr. Tomorrow is a long ride."

Comments

[mostoutspoken]

It had been a long, hard journey to this place, but as his King had asked of him to find his provincial son, Merek refused to give up. He had pushed through many inhospitable wilds, faced bandits and fae alike, and gone through over a dozen horses in his time on the road. It was a test of his physical prowess as a knight, of that he was certain, and yet he remained undaunted. The knight was known for his strength, his unwavering bravery, and his unusual tactics to get the desired result in battle. What he faced on this quest could not stop him, not when he had a duty to his King to fulfill.

And so it was that three weeks passed from Merek's departure from Camelot when he finally came to the Well of the Chalice. Those who knew Galahad well had given him a path to follow and a list of places to search for the adopted son of Arthur. Now, here he was, on the last of his supplies before he would have to make another detour before continuing on. Luck - or fate, depending on one's beliefs - was on his side, though, and Merek broke into an easy smile as he came down a small path on his tired horse and saw Galahad sitting by the stream. to think, he didn't even need to speak to the men at the holy site to see if Galahad had been recently there!

Once he was a little closer, he called out to the younger man. "Hail, Galahad, heir apparent to the court at Camelot!" When he was but a few feet away, Merek dismounted his horse and set it to drink and graze from the stream before turning to Galahad and bowing deeply. "It is an honor to meet you, my Lord. I am Merek, son of Brandeles, and I have been sent by his Majesty King Arthur, who has bid you return home to Camelot at once."