Guinevere (Book 1)

Chapter 2

Enid sighs loudly, jolting me from thoughts, "I told you this dress was trouble! Why could you not have picked a simpler gown? Even I struggle with this one..."

"That's all very well, Enid, but I do not want these neighbouring royals to think my father has brought his Princess up to be a scruff."

Enid merely shot a look at me and snorted in response. After a few minutes of silence and intense concentration, there is a chuckle of triumph from my handmaid. This is followed by a strong tug as she pulls tight the laces, forcing the breath from my lungs. Some skirt straightening, hair tweaking and fighting the feeling of light-headedness, and I am finally ready.

Enid looks me up and down and nods in approval. "On second thought, that gown was a good choice, Guin. You may pass for a Princess after all!"

"I couldn't have done it without you; I got those laces into a real mess."

She opens her mouth to reply, but we hear the bell of the Keep's tower rings out - Camelot has arrived.

Enid thrusts a pair of matching silk shoes at me as I run towards the door. Racing out of my chambers as fast as the cumbersome skirts would allow me, I hurry down the endless hallways towards the main entrance and courtyard to the Keep. From there we will watch the procession of Camelot's men through our city.

Making the final turn, I am now only metres from the entrance doors. Slowing to a walk, my lungs in their compressed state fight for air as I try to compose myself. Through the large entry doors to the Keep, are the crowd of waiting courtiers and nobles in the stone courtyard. They split down the middle and fall silent as I hurry through them and take my place at Father's side. Taking a few moments to straighten my skirts and run my fingers through my hair I then take his arm. Looking up at his face I see him looking curiously at my other hand. I follow his gaze; I'm still clutching my shoes in my hand! Face reddening further, I drop them to the floor and shuffle my feet into them, using Father's strong arm as balance. Father chuckles at my clumsy efforts and isn't the least bit surprised at this spectacle.

The signal is given and the huge exterior doors of the Keep are opened. Immediately we hear the roar of thousands of ecstatic citizens, all here to celebrate this historic event; for the first time in a very long time, we are about to receive the great King and knights of Camelot. Tales about them, present and past monarchs and knights, had been told to Camelardians for generations; the battles of King Uther, magicians and magic, even dragons. Many of them are no more than stories, but they have captured the imagination of children since before even my grandfather would have been a child. Naturally, these tales were also told to me by Father and Enid when I was small, which captivated and amazed me. Especially the tales of dragons; those were always my favourites.

As I looked down upon the city and the main road through it, I expected to see a sight similar to that of our own army; all things chainmail and cloaks, tedious marching, mud, irritable horses and so forth. The excitement for me is not in the procession but in the greeting of our guests. Father had met Uther in Camelot on a few occasions for tournaments and kingdom-wide council meetings. He had frequently referred to him as; '...a miserable ageing man, stuck in the glory days.' He had said nothing of the knights, other than commending their skill and discipline on the field, and less about Camelot itself. Yet, in remembrance of the fantastical stories I'd been told as a child, I was secretly just as thrilled as our people to welcome them.

The giant oak gates at the city wall are unbarred and are slowly opened, creaking and cracking as they do, which is audible even from up here. It's not until you stand before them that it can be fully appreciated why the doors take so much time and effort to open. As one of the main defence barriers of the city, they are constructed from strong, old oak. Each door stands at the height of five men, stood one atop the other. The thickness of them is the same as the length of a great sword. Both gates are ornately carved with flower motifs and in the centre across the span of the two doors, there is a large shield featuring the crest of the Cameliard Kings. When both gates are fully open, ten horses abreast can pass through comfortably.