15th of May, 460 CE (Common Era)

The Mystical Forest Brocéliande

“..... The spiders Merlin? You know of them?”

“..... Neither sword nor ax can free you from Arachne’s grasp..... Her voice, her charm; it is soothing as the serpent in hold of the devil’s asp.....”

Queen Guinevere looked curiously on the aging sorcerer.

“..... Arachne Merlin?”

“.... A fallen princess my lady..... One of whom sought to compare her beauty alone to that of the queen of the gods.....”

Gowain The Green fell immediately silent.

Percivelle now joined in with a renewed vigor of voice.

“..... Arachne? She is but a forest spirit or a demon, an aberration of a creature; the head and the breasts, and the arms of a woman..... The body and the legs of a spider..... She is a widow of the blackest of blacks, if I am not mistaken.....”

“..... Indeed Percivelle, many a wandering knight have titled Arachne as being The Black Widow of the Wood..... Only those that seek possession of The Grail have need fear of her curse.....”

Merlin now looked on Gowain in raised concern.

“.... How old I must be getting.....” Merlin remarked, the aging sorcerer shaking his head.

“..... Lord Gowain? You should not have come.....”

“Halt!” The queen commanded of her company.

“Merlin? what of this business have you in meaning?”