The Flower of King and Knights

The Rise of Lady Catelin

The people left the king alone as he stared out into the distance. “God I hate this place,” Ector said bitterly, “I hate what’s it done to my life. What it’s done to Cee, to all these people,…what it’s done to me.”

Catelin, driven to disgust began to move towards Ector as he continued talking. “No, no this isn’t right of me to blame this place. And the truth does need to be heard. Merlin is right, and so is Cee. But God I love her so much. And yet even in my heart of hearts, I know that we can never be together.”

“Oh I wish to feel the warmth of her skin. To smell soft scent of her hair. To hear her sing in the moonlight. But to have her back, one must give their own life. What right do I have to make that choice? I don’t. It’s almost funny, I always dreamed of being a king, and now all I wish is to be a average joe again. But I’m not, I need to accept the fact, that this is what I am, who I was supposed to be. And has much as I hate to say it, and I to say it, Cee and I will never be together. At least I still have her to be my voice of reason. Lord knows these people are idiot savants at driving me crazy.”

No sooner had Ector finished his last sentence that Catelin lost her balance, falling onto the ground before him.

“Well that was neatly planned out wasn’t it?” Ector said to himself before helping her up.

“Oh my head,” moaned Catelin.

Ector led her to a bench nearby, looking at her head to see how serious the wound was. “Hmm, doesn’t look as if it’s anything serious. You should be lucky, I took a fall no more than this and I…” he stopped himself from saying “hospital”, “had to stay in a…special bed for three days.”

“By Jesu, what a horrid fall!”

“Meh, it wasn’t so bad, but the bloody outfits they me put in were downright embarrassing.”

“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand, my lord.”

“Yeah, now that you say that, it would be a little odd. Nevermind. How’s your head?”

“It still hurts, but I think I will be fine.”

“Good, good. So, how’d you enjoy the feast the other night?”

“What?”

“We spoke before at the feast when Launcelot and the other knights returned to Camelot, right?”

“I’m surprised you remembered me, my lord. I’m flattered.”

Ector noticed that as he looked her truly for the first time, he was entranced by her beauty. He caught himself staring at her, shaking his head lightly before regaining his sense. “I’m glad I found someone who could carry an intelligent conversation. Most people here…they make my head hurt sometimes.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s not your fault, they’re just, it’s a long story.”

“Well, there doesn’t seem to be any pressing matters.”

“…All right. Merlin and the others decided that I need to find a wife for the sake of good politics. And this lord came up with two of the daughters.”

Catelin knew Ector was speaking of her sisters, but she let him continue.

“And the first one, good God! She couldn’t even get my name right!”

“Did she have a speech impediment?”

“No, she could say ‘parliamentarian’ as if it was no one’s business, but “Ector”? Hell no, that threw her for a loop…You probably don’t what that means do you?”