The Witch of Camelot

Sixty...Breaking Fast...

Sixty…Breaking Fast...

Half way through the meal Arthur swept into the room, apologising loudly and jovially to his adopted parents declaring that, ‘even for winter the day was too good to be missed!’

            He sat fluidly down in the seat to the left of Ector which had been left spare for him and happily helped himself to the food lay out upon the table for selection.

            ‘Brother, it is good to see you up and well,’ he said in way of greeting to Cei, filling up his goblet as he did so. ‘How fairs your head?’

            ‘Well enough brother,’ Cei replied curtly still stung by my earlier rebukes. ‘How did you find your journey here?’

            ‘It was fair; we met with little bad weather and no outlaws so it was, by all accounts a pleasant expedition.’ Answering Cei Arthur turned to smile at me; it was more of a beam really, in fact since entering the room he had seemed to lend it a new, brighter light, joy radiating off him.

            ‘Nimue did you sleep well?’ he enquired politely.

            ‘Yes, I thank you Arthur, the chambers you have given me my lord and lady are splendid beyond compare.’ I inclined my head towards the top of the table.

            ‘I am glad you like them my dear,’ Drusilla answered.

           ‘You will see grander no doubt when we all return to Camelot,’ Ector added, a thoughtful expression on his face. It was not one of envy for the king’s wealth more of a look of remembrance as if he had forgotten that our time in the north was to be rather more brief than we would have liked.

            ‘When do we ride to Camelot?’ Cei asked suddenly his eyes had brightened at the prospect of travel and adventure.

            ‘Surely not too soon,’ Drusilla suggested, fully in the knowledge that any protest to our speedy departure would be useless.

           ‘We shall leave at sunrise the day after next,’ her husband answered the table of expectant guests and knights.

           Even I was shocked by how quickly we would be heading back; after all I was sure merlin had promised us longer to rest and explore.

        ‘Must we father?’ Arthur asked, as aware as his mother that his wishes would not be fulfilled.

            ‘Yes my son, the city is teaming with dangers and if anyone has discovered your disappearance as yet then they may already be planning to ambush us on the road.’

            Arthur conceded that Sir Ector spoke the truth, it was agreed upon and conversation moved on.

After breakfast Troilus and our escort excused themselves to check the horses and supplies, taking Sir Ector’s knights who would accompany us home with them. Thus the family and I were left alone.

            There was a time of semi-awkward silence before Arthur turned to me and asked, ‘Nim would you like me to show you the town? We could walk through the woods too and alongside the river the day is a good one for it.’

            A smile split my initially weary face, ‘I would love to.’

            ‘Brilliant, Geoffrey if we could have some water skins we would be very grateful.’

            ‘Yes Sir, I shall fetch them straight away.’ He answered, immediately disappearing to fulfil his duty.

            Not long after the pair of us were out in the open walking through the surprisingly wide streets of the town. It was sparsely populated with enough room between each house for the owner to cultivate a little land and grow veg upon it. We passed several workshops for candle making, pottery and even a busy blacksmith’s whose trade was fed largely by the knights.

            We barely spoke until, outside the other side of the town and beyond the moot we entered a line of trees which we walked among without fear of being overheard.

            A pleasant calm settled over us and Arthur finally asked me a question, but not the one I feared.

            ‘What do you think of my mother?’

            ‘She is so very kind.’ I replied, noticing the reflection in the conversation from the night before.

            ‘And my father?’

            ‘He has always been kind to us on his visits and now I see he is no different within his own home and amongst his own men. He is a generous and good man, no wonder you were raised to be a gentleman.’ Arthur laughed quietly.

            ‘And what of Cei?’

            I scowled, ‘I fear I shall never see eye to eye with his Arthur but for your sake I will endeavour to put up with him.’

            Again he laughed. ‘Cei is a self-centred man bent on the want for self-improvement and adventure without the valour or courage that must be had to achieve them.’

            I nodded in agreement, ‘he sees only hierarchical values when he looks at people, he must learn that everyone has their worth.’

            ‘Was he unpleasant to you this morning?’ Arthur asked latching on to my tone of voice and drawing up short to look at me with concern.

            I shrugged my shoulders and walked on a little, ‘not as bad as I had come to expect but bad enough, I think I made it clear enough that I was not just a serving girl to be disregarded and ridiculed.’

            Arthur’s concern faded into a small smile, ‘I bet he’s feeling rather put out right now having been told to mind his manners by a farmer’s daughter. One day he will no longer make these mistakes and see that we all have our role to play.’

            I nodded, ‘yes, and let us hope he comes to that realisation soon!’