Arthurian Cultivation

“Jasper, I've just remembered something I must speak to Ban about. Please leave and double-check the privacy runes. Only disturb us if the other Lords of Fos demand our attention.” Elaine's voice was pleasant but firm. The butler nodded and promptly left, hustling out the couple of servants with him.

“What's going on?” Lancelot turned to her mother. Elaine passed some signal to Ban through her eyes, and he turned to face me as well. Great now I had two powerful cultivators' attention. She hushed her daughter firmly and then came over to me. I finally put down the spoon. Treacle Sponge would have to wait.

“Taliesin, I can see you have an idea of what that glamour is. Am I incorrect?” Elaine's voice was pleasant, as was her smile but the energy in the room was practically crackling.

“My answer on that depends, I feel I've just stepped into something more than merely saying a few words,” I replied.

“No way, this guy knows? What is it? TELL ME.” Lancelot tried to barrel forward but was grabbed by Ban who was dabbing off his lips with a napkin.

“Taliesin, we do not know what Lancelot's second gift is. As she is of the Oracle blood the range is quite vast, and with Ban's family unknown there are questions there as well. The only people we might be able to ask are people who could and would rip our daughter from us if her potential was deemed great enough.” Elaine said, her voice was gentle but clear.

“The Lady In Peach has tried to poach her.” Ban rumbled.

“I'm never going to be a witch. They wanted me to use knives!”

“Thankfully she agreed you weren't suited to witchcraft. Still she wouldn't tell us what the gift was, but her advice was to not ask this question of those we don't trust implicitly, which sadly includes even the Fos.”

“WHY AREN'T YOU ASKING HIM?” The Squire thrashed in her father's grip.

“Lancelot, the young man would be volunteering knowledge worth a lot of money. Knowledge that will reduce the leverage powerful groups have over our family. This is information that could get him killed and you abducted. This is not something to force on a guest.” Elaine's voice was absolutely firm.

“But you can't-”

“I'll tell you. Just give me a moment to collect myself.” I cut her off. I took a deep breath as the pressure in the room lightened considerably at my declaration. I liked Ban and Elaine, they could be beating this out of me right now but approached it with decorum and class. Lancelot, I could take or leave, but I could respect what was driving her.

My mind was swimming. I had relaxed in their company, feeling genuinely welcome. That's where the flinch had come from, I'd not expected to have to hide, to mask myself. Just like my casual core consumption had damaged the trust between me and Bors. Both moments were a reminder that a single error could expose me.

Equally, I didn't have the energy, nor did I want to spend the rest of my life hidden behind a mask. Treating the world as my captor, waiting for someone to catch me. Waiting for traps that never were. Corrupting all enjoyment of the pleasures of the world.

I'd basked in the Ban family company. Their love and care for each other had amused me as much as I'd envied it. All that would've been ruined if I was constantly on guard. Right now I could ask them for a thousand and one oaths, I could extort them, and the warmth would grow cold.

It also felt like a betrayal, not just of their kindness, but of my very self. I was new to being a bardic cultivator but this sounded a discordant note in my soul. I tell stories and while I might keep my own secrets, locking my knowledge behind walls of control, or demanding tithes for it felt wrong.

“I have only three things I'd like to ask of you all. Primarily I expect safety and privacy, you should not reveal who gave you this knowledge, nor investigate, demand or otherwise seek to harm or manipulate me to gain more knowledge or explore my past. Second should be obvious, it would be unacceptable to hurt or kill me to contain the information. Lancelot will have to at least hold back on revealing it till other credible sources who could've provided it to you pass by. I shall of course reciprocate and not share this with others.”

“Agreed.” All three spoke. I could feel the truth in it.

“Lastly, I am personally in need of some connections and expansion of my reputation. You appear to be well respected. I'd appreciate some introductions, and general goodwill which I shall of course endeavour to live up to.”

“Agreed,” Ban spoke first, Elaine nodded and confirmed a moment later.

“Well, then noble Lancelot. Your gift is vanishingly rare, the Lady In Peach was right to advise you to remain silent. I assume you have noticed the glamour is stronger under the moon?” I knew it was rare in part because of the context in which I'd seen it. The displays of power during the hunts run by the Quillvern family. The Royal family of Albion.

“Yes, we've been calling it moon glamour. I get it from other sources at times but there's no rhyme or reason to it.”

“It's known as moon glamour. But at its core, it's the glamour of reflection. Cultivators long ago learned the light of the moon is light reflected off its surface from the sun as it rests on the other side of the world. The phases of the moon are the shadows of the world upon it.” Lancelot was nodding frantically. Behind her, Elaine was yanking a mirror off the wall to immediately start testing.

“I should be clear, it's not just light being reflected. It's the very act of one thing being reflected off of something else. The reason I imagine it's been tough for you is that it's a glamour most often encountered in short bursts like a ball bouncing off a wall, or is very weak if constant like light off a lake.” I coughed at that. The image of the lady of the lake appeared in my mind. Now came the last piece of information. I knew who the Albion royals claimed to be related to. How much had the fae foreseen?

“So it's useful? I mean I can use it in combat.” Lancelot was practically begging. I decided there and then, there was no way I was leaving her with half the information.

“The most notable practitioners of this gift are the Quilvern. The High King of Albion and his kin. It is part of their claim to being related to the Lady of the Lake.”

Everyone looked stunned. Lancelot's face rose and then fell. Ban radiated energy I associated with the Evil Eye, while Elaine looked at her reflection in the mirror.

“Fuck!” Lancelot yelled, breaking the silence, “So I've got an amazing gift that'll get me nabbed the second I use it?”

“You're sure of this?” Elaine asked, wringing her hands as the weight of what I was saying hit home.

“I am sure. I have witnessed it in person before. Plus, I believe I may have been pushed here to share this knowledge with you. It's related to something your husband has agreed to not speak about.” The man's eyebrows knit together before his jaw fell open, eyes resting on the lute which was slung over the back of my chair.

“You've seen her,” he said collapsing back into his chair.

“I believe we agreed to not ask for the sources of my information.” Was my only reply, I drained my glass of wine.

“So what do I do?”

“That is up to you, I will share more of what I know of the glamour over the next few days as I stay here. It seems your family may need to chat.” I got up the room was silent, each lost in their own thoughts. I felt dirty like I'd damaged the harmony I'd found.

“Thank you. I fully appreciate what you have offered here, what you are risking by saying it.” Ban stood clasping my shoulder as I tried to leave.

“It is a bard’s job to share stories. I'm just sorry we missed a chance to make music together.” I smiled even though I didn't feel it.