The Witch of Camelot

Forty-Eight...Words Before Sleep...

Forty-Eight…Words Before Sleep...

The king and my uncle gave us a few more instructions before bidding us to leave and get some rest. Troilus escorted us home in silence.

            Once in our rooms Arthur began pacing, remaining mute. His lack of words frightened and concerned me; he was never quiet for long, not with me. His expression altered with every rising and falling emotion so that his thoughts were ironically unreadable.

            I sat down on my bed after watching him from the doorway for some time. I felt exhausted and weary but I understood the situation and knew what had to be done. ‘Arthur we ought to get some sleep,’ I murmured not looking at him but watching as the moon sunk and the first light of dawn began to edge into the room.

            He stopped in his pacing, his back to me, and whispered ‘Nimue,’ his voice barely audible. ‘She knew, all along she knew.’ I didn’t have to ask who or what he meant. ‘She left her only son alone and in misery; she’s no better than him.’

            ‘She was ordered by your father, forbidden from seeing you or seeking out your company.’ I replied quietly, feeling he was owed the honest truth but afraid that it would fuel his anger against Uther.

            He turned to me trying to fight back relief in case I was wrong, ‘how do you know that?’

            I blushed slightly, ‘She told me when she came to visit me earlier in the evening.’

            He raised his eyebrows, ‘Why did she come and see you Nim? I mean she had only just returned and she does not know that you are to come with me to the North; so what was it about?’

            ‘She,’ I paused, ‘she wanted to know how you had been,’ I answered only half lying.

            ‘Is that all?’ he queried. I nodded hoping that my expression was convincing, but Arthur had known me too long, he knew when I was holding back. ‘Nim, what exactly did she say? Uther did not seem surprised that she had called on you.’

            Taking a deep breath I tried to arrange my words casually, offhand, as if his mother’s words had no effect on me.  ‘She inquired after you and explained that she has known of you presence here in Camelot since your arrival but that she had been prevented from attending to you due to the aforesaid reason. She then went onto tell me that you were to be recognised and anointed as prince very shortly and that once that time came our friendship may be forced to end due to your elevation of rank and my birthplace.’

            He stared at me dumbfounded for a moment, his mouth half open, ‘Was she rude to you?’ he whispered after a time.

            I shrugged, ‘to her I am a mere servant, she could have me beaten and sent away for an improper friendship with her son if she so desired; only my connection to Merlin and the protection your father has long afforded me stopped her from doing just that I believe.’

            ‘You think she wants rid of you?’ He gasped; suddenly I wondered if I had given too much away.

            I shrugged, ‘I suppose she wishes you to have many friends of the noble classes Arthur, she undoubtedly see’s little need for me at your future court.’

            An emotion filled his eyes that I did not recognise; he stepped forward in one single fluid movement and embraced me strongly. ‘Nimue you shall forever have a place at my court and no woman who claims connection to me only through blood can ever deny you that position.’

            I inhaled his scent deeply, wishing that we could stay so intertwined for eternity but too soon he was gone from me, leaving my body cold. Arthur walked over to his bed and started removing his boots and then his shirt; for the first time in my life I felt embarrassed at seeing him so naked and turn away to hide my blushes. When I turned back he was already under his blanket, lying on his back with his hands behind his head staring at the celling.

            As he lay there I self-consciously pulled the screen across, undressed and crawled into bed myself.

            ‘How long should we sleep do you think?’ I asked quietly.

            ‘I doubt I will sleep long, there is too much to think on, more has changed in the last night than has since I arrived here.’ Arthur replied solemnly.

            ‘We must sleep,’ I answered, ‘Merlin will probably stir us before midday and then we must pack.’

            ‘I wish we could explain to Percy and Tor,’ he answered sadly.

            I nodded before remembering he could not see me. ‘I agree, perhaps we can tell them that we are visiting family and will not be back these six months, by then all should have blown over enough to take them aside secretly and explain; surely. I do not like the idea of deceiving them more than we must or for longer than is necessary.’

            ‘Me neither,’ he agreed, ‘that is a good plan though, tomorrow in the afternoon we should seek them out and tell them as few details as possible.’

            ‘We shall,’ I replied, ‘and soon we will all be back together again, you’ll see Arthur it won’t be long.’

            ‘Do you hope that Nim or see it?’ Arthur asked tiredly, yawning loudly.

            ‘See,’ I lied.

            He hummed contentedly, ‘Good, I am glad of it.’ And with that the young prince fell asleep in our chambers for the penultimate time.