Invocatus Rex, Part I: Xavier, Chapter IV

[smwright.livejournal.com]

Title: Invocatus Rex, Xavier, Chapter IV
Fandom: Original Fiction, The Witch War Histories, Vol. III
Prompt: #36 Devotee
For: by Taming the Muse
Warnings: Increasing angst and mucho strange mojo. Sniffles for Etienne.
Rating: PG-ish
Summary: As some of the family depart for England, Aisling goes with them, giving Etienne an all too brief respite… for a dying druid, the last of his kind, calls on The Healer, and in doing so, turns the entire house on its collective head.
Word Count: 4,075
A/N: Memories almost wholly reorganized, and all stories tagged! Ongoing story, in chronological order, here.
A/N2: Once again, beta by meredevachon, who is as intimately familiar with this family as I am. *g*

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This chapter has been moved, along with all prior chapters, to my LJ, where they're located in chronological order in the IR section of my memories.

Comments

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Curiouser and Curiouser. That was a fascinating little snapshot from the past re-enacted in the present. I'm not sure that I'm quite satisfied with Etienne's easy explanation that it's the old druid's need to contact him that triggered the episode - for it to have happened so soon after the spell in the cave seems to much of a coincidence.

My heart continues to ache for Xavier having to stand by and watch Sylvie and Kincaid. They are made for each other and he knows it, and that gives him even more dismay at the envy he carries.

“Do you believe in legends, Xavier?” That line just made me shiver. I'm desperate to know who Kincaid became, and why he's not telling.
You make me more curious with every chapter, but that's okay. It just makes me want to read the next one!

[smwright.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure that I'm quite satisfied with Etienne's easy explanation that it's the old druid's need to contact him that triggered the episode
Neither was meredevachone (http://meredevachon.livejournal.com), but her displeasure was for another reason. That's two comments though; I may need to work on it more. hmm...

My heart continues to ache for Xavier having to stand by and watch Sylvie and Kincaid. They are made for each other and he knows it, and that gives him even more dismay at the envy he carries.
There's actually a lovely explanation for this, and it's slated for a short story to be written at some nebulous point in the future. Argh! If I ever get to the point where all the bits I want to write now are done, I may have to go ahead and do it. It doesn't explain his love for her, but it does explain the ache and angst and unrequitedness of it all. (unrequitedness, hee, don't you love it when there just isn't a word?)

“Do you believe in legends, Xavier?” That line just made me shiver.
I can at least promise more of that little mystery, although it's a bit down the road. *grins* Glad you enjoyed the line. It's one of my favorite tidbits of dialogue, conveying Kincaid's sense of continuing wonder and awe at all they're surrounded by (even though he's embraced it in taking on Sylvie permanently).

I'm desperate to know who Kincaid became, and why he's not telling.
Well, now that I can't really say or make promises about. If you guess, I'll tell you you've gotten it right. Is that fair?

Next week's the fun week... Oh, and I hope to do a one-shot with Declan either this week or next (not for TtM though).

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

“Do you believe in legends, Xavier?”
From a man who was possessed by a knight from Britain, who sent Medraut into Wales for seven years.... Medraut is Mordred. So who was Kincaid?
Are we in an anti-Arthurian legend here, with Arthur the king Kincaid's character feels should not be on the throne? Ahh, hang on. Mordred was Arthur's son by his sister, who was a witch. So does this follow Arthur's death? Is that what the characters in the prologue were running from - Arthur's last battle? Is the sword Excalibur? Or is it Albion, or one of the other swords of Weyland?
You have me well and truly hooked here. I can see possibilities, but my knowledge of Arthurian legend is not good enough to do more than speculate.
Great chapter, but what a mystery to leave us with for a week. Well done. I'll look forward to the next.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're doing well.
But Mordred, too, fell at Camlann. Now, with that, re-read the early bit of the prologue and what Kincaid says while possessed. You may be the only one to guess who Kincaid was. Even my husband didn't, and I think he knows the legends better than I do! (some of them at least)
Sylvie doesn't actually give it away until Book Four, and only then in a passing comment! (And I probably shouldn't have told you that much!)

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

re-read the early bit of the prologue
I would, but I can't get in. I either get web page denied, or just the headers. No story.
As for what Kincaid said... You mean - My father was the enemy of the man you loved and whose memory you protect.” I'll have to think on that. Who were Arthur's enemies? There was Mordred... and Kay was not so keen on him, although I seem to remember he got over that. Who else? I can't remember at the moment.
See, my further guesses are merely betraying my lack of of a real clue *g*

[smwright.livejournal.com]

How do you do that? Your timing is amazing. Just got out of the shower.

I would, but I can't get in. I either get web page denied, or just the headers. No story.
Right. I moved it when I posted the new chapter last night. Oops. I do that every week to keep track of this one since I can't post publicly (damned publishers, and this one's gone flaky). It's on my LJ now. Here. (http://swweeks.livejournal.com/27637.html)

As for what Kincaid said... You mean - My father was the enemy of the man you loved and whose memory you protect.
Now you can access the prologue again. Figure out who is the enemy (and you've really already done this), and I'll tell you it's the father bit that's important in Kincaid's comment. Which knight was the known enemy of Arthur's enemy? Now, who was his son (who was also a knight)?

Damn, I'm the fucking Sphinx!

[smwright.livejournal.com]

Okay. This isn't it, because it's on a disc at my office. Will have to fix that as soon as I get there today. At any rate, it's close enough for the current purpose. Here. (http://swweeks.livejournal.com/24147.html)

Now. Done. *g*

[smwright.livejournal.com]

I seem to have done away with the prologue. Oops. Hold on.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

but what a mystery to leave us with for a week

Me??? What about Sparrow? Who deserves the harder spanking I ask?

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Yes, but I beta for Sparrow, so I don't have to wait a week for that. *snigger*

[smwright.livejournal.com]

See, that's just not sporting at all.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Figure out who is the enemy (and you've really already done this), and I'll tell you it's the father bit that's important in Kincaid's comment. Which knight was the known enemy of Arthur's enemy? Now, who was his son (who was also a knight)?

When Arthur went to fight Lancelot, Mordred raised rebellion. Arthur returned to fight Mordred and they both died. Although there are too many different version of who Mordred was, his ancestry and his fate and what I don't know is which version you are using.

But lets stick with that. So the Medraut here is not the original Mordred, although he has guardianship of the sword and is married to the Sylvie of the time.

We can't be talking Galahad (although that is a name powerful enough in legend to tonguetie Kincaid) because Lancelot was surely no more Mordred's enemy than any other of the knights.
But when you say Knight, do you mean one of Arthur's Knights? Because as far as I remember, only Lancelot had a son who was also a Knight of the Table.

An obvious choice would be Bedivere, as the only survivor of the final battle, but did he have a son?

As for the sword, now I can see Chapter 3 again, it both raised and felled a king. It should therefore be Excalibur, but Excalibur was thrown into the lake. So is it Mordred's sword? If so, I guess it probably has a history of its own.

This is fun, but I think I might stop now and just wait to learn more next week.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

Looking at your response is a bit like looking at a brand new puzzle lying in all its pieces on the table. Everything is right there - just not put together yet. This is fun. *grins* I should warn you, this week's chapter gives quite a lot of information about the first Sylvie's family and the coming of Medraut. It really doesn't dispel the mystery of Kincaid though.

As for your lovely clues, all I shall do it remind you that Lancelot was was also in love with Guinevere. As for both raising and felling a king, I'll refer you to the poem here (http://swweeks.livejournal.com/22537.html). The answer is only a brief line, but it's there. I'm afraid I'm still learning to craft a true mystery, but I do enjoy the process!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

You are such a tease.
I wikipedia'd The Singing Sword, since it didn't stir any bells and I got this - The Singing Sword is the primary weapon of the fictional character Prince Valiant, a Knight of the Round Table and then stuff about the Prince of Ord carrying it later.
That's it! I'm stopping now. *turns head away and starts to hum, loudly* Doesn't matter what you say. I'm not playing any more. No. I'm not.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

I'm not playing any more. No. I'm not.
I could never resist a challenge.

Don't bother googling The Singing Sword. That's not the clue.

They will call me bastard and usurper

I said the sword both raised and felled a king. I didn't say it was the same king.