The Unclad Woman

A Story by Peter Joseph Swanson

an excerpt from my published novel Merlin's Charge

“There!” Arthur alerted him. “I see someone there!”

Parsifal grabbed Arthur’s arm to pull him along but Arthur stood fast in his place. Parsifal urged, “Come on!”

“I think we should wait for Merlin’s return.”

“It’s a woman! An unclad woman! Let’s go!”

“That’s dangerous!” Arthur warned. “And besides, you forget. We’re on our way to a monastery. We’re on a quest to learn about what the holy grail is. We shouldn’t be up to this sort of thing. I don’t think one climbs up onto a milking wench just before he enters a chapel.”

“That’s tomorrow. This is tonight.”

Arthur repeated. “There is often danger in a bog!”

Parsifal laughed. “I’ll face such danger as unclad women!”

“Nay, not the woman, the bog!”

“I’ve hunted in bogs my entire life,” Parsifal bragged. “I’m a great hunter. You just have to be surefooted and wary.”

Arthur reluctantly followed him. “If it’s mischief you’re after, you’re tempting

O’ Fortuna. It’s a bog!”

“Hurry!”

“My foot is slipping,” Arthur complained.

“Don’t be so clumsy. Walk like me. Hurry. She’ll be enough for two!”

Arthur stated, “Nay! I will not climb up onto an unclad woman. Not like this. Not here! I’m going back to the fire. If you’d like her for your sport, then kindly try not to make too much noise.”

Before Arthur turned away, the unclad woman ran up to them, laughing in hysteria. Parsifal stood in utter disbelief.

“Run!” Arthur warned. “Something’s not right!”