As the sun etched across the sky, Lady Catelin stood upon the parapet of the north wall of Camelot. Reddish hair blowing in the wind, she felt the cool breeze caress her soft skin, cooling the fire in her heart. Her lady in waiting, Sarra, walked up to her, “My lady please, your father beckons you to the king’s throne room.”
“I will not be used by my father as a tool for his own gains! Besides, he’d rather his younger fools take the role of the king’s concubine,” the venom seeped from Catelin voice.
“But my lady, you must not say such things about…”
“And why not, you and I are no more equal than we are to a chair or a parcel of land. We are the modes of means for men who care for their horde of gold, and we are to accept this without any say or objection?”
“That is the way of things my lady, they cannot be changed.”
“That is only because so many do not want it to change,” Catelin leaned against the parapet, as if she wanted to fly away from the world that bound her to such a fate, “I feel as if I am one against a sea of millions with no one who understands my lot in life.”
“…You know better than to say that, my lady. You’ve seen how my marriage with the captain of your father’s guards has gone.”
“Yes, and you were lucky. I knew many wives who hated their husbands and some even conspired to gain their new found liberties.”
Before Sarra could respond, the two women heard loud talking coming from another doorway leading to the garden. They hid behind a large bush that concealed their presence.
“That was the worst, god awful, piece of shit I have had the displeasure of taking part in! Don’t you ever put me through that crap again!” said one voice.
Catelin turned to Sarra whispering, “Who is that man shouting?”
“I think that’s the king,” replied the maiden.
“But my lord, you have to chose a wife to be your queen,” replied one voice.
“Sir Palamedes is right,” said another, “And you cannot go about this fantasy that you keep claiming.”
“I am in a relationship, and her name is fucking Cecilia! So treat her with some damn respect!”
“Ector, you can’t expect a whole kingdom to accept the idea that their king is married to a ghost.”
“She’s not dead Merlin, all right. You even said it yourself, she just needs a new body, that’s it. One good swipe of the sword and presto, she’s back on her feet again.”
A female voice spoke to Ector, “Ector, you have to see the truth of the matter.”
“I am the king! Am I not entitled to feel the joy of love from the woman I adore? Am I to sacrifice the one thing that’s kept me going since I came here? What right do I have to marry someone, when my own heart does not truly belong to hers?”
Catelin watched the mage Merlin approached the king fatherly, “Son…the chances of a life between you and Cee are not very good.”
“That’s why we try harder. That’s why we fight on,” Ector said desperately.
Cecilia spoke to Ector with remorse, “Ector, our love is never going to be beyond the dreams that we have. They’re beautiful dreams, wonder dreams. But they’re simply dreams.”
“Cee…”
“No Ector. You can’t hold onto what isn’t there.”
Ector lowered his head in defeat, raising it up to show the tears running down his cheek. “All right, you win. Can I be alone for while? I need some time to think.”
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?”
“No, but go on.”
“Well this lord showed me is other daughter. Oh sweet mother of God. She was even worse.”
“Should I ask?”
“I thought I’d see how far this girl would go about me telling her what to do. So I said, ‘Jump out the window.’ And what does she do?”
“Did she jump?”
“No, thank God, Merlin stopped her with a spell. But damn that was scary and sad at the same time.”
“How so?”
“I want someone who has a mind that actually works and also has some idea of what independence mean. I don’t someone that I’m going to spend the rest of my life with just agreeing with me because that’s what they think I want to hear. I can get a stick to do that, or a dog even. I want something more, someone who I can respect, understand, you know? Not some shallow princess who thinks only about themselves and has no brain power. I want them to tell that I’m an idiot when I’m being an idiot. That they don’t simply agree with me cause I have a crown on my head. Not be so, flat, so bland so…dead in their heart. It’s like they’re simply waiting for death just so they can move onto the next level of existence.”
A guard came out to usher Ector back to the throne room, the king lowering his head groaning, “Oh good, more fun for me,” he turned back to Catelin, “Forgive me my lady, but I am needed to endure the joys of arranged marriage. But I thank you for letting me speak my mind, at least while I can still call it mine to have.”
Catelin welcomed Ector and curtsied before Ector and the guard left to return to the throne room. Catelin turned to Sarra, now coming from the bush, “Come, I need to get into some cleaner clothes.”
“But why, my lady?”
“Because I think I found someone who understands me.”
Ector and the guard entered the throne room. The king fell onto the throne with a thud. “So then, not that we have cleaned up the mess caused from the last candidate’s skills, let us move to the next hopeful for this lucky bachelor.”
Merlin walked next to the king, “You may want to be a bit more enth…”
“Merlin,” Ector said to the mage, “I just spent the better part of this damn day looking at Barbies and air heads. You know I hate them, I know I hate them. So let’s cut the crap and get this over with, please? I think these people are beginning to reduce my intelligence.”
At that moment the Duke of Bernicia walked in, “My lord, my oldest daughter request a audience with you, if you would give her time to prepare for her arrival.”
“How long does she need to get ready?”
“She and her lady in waiting are changing into some cleaner fabric, they were not originally anticipating to being a part of this enterprise.”
“Ah, lovely, is she like her younger sisters we’ve seen earlier?”
“Not exactly your majesty. Truth be told, and much to my shame, she is somewhat stubborn in comparison to most ladies.”
“Can you be specific please, I’m not very good with innuendos?”
Sir Kay interjected, “He means she’s a shrew, my lord.”
Ector mumbled, “Oh good. Well as long she doesn’t try to jump out of window like the other one, I’ll be happy.”
When the herald announced the lady’s arrival, Ector was pleasantly stunned to find the woman from the garden enter the room dressed in the finest gown and shining in the sunlight. He felt his whole mood lift as he leaned against one hand. “So I can assume that you are the older daughter of our gracious and kind lord of Bernicia?”
Catelin curtsied again, “Yes my lord, my name is Lady Catelin.”
“So, my lady, what exactly do you see as a woman’s place as a man’s wife?”
“‘A woman’s place?’, my lord, I would not be so bold to think a man would consider any woman, let alone his own wife, to look at her as he would a dog or a plow in the field, where their place is defined before they are borne onto the earth.”
Her father moved quickly to stop Catelin from speaking further, but Ector raised his hand and allowed her to continue.
“I am a woman by birth, but this no means justifies that I be seen lower than a man. Do I not have eyes to see the glorious sun, do I not feel the same wrath when a person is oppressed? Do I not find shelter when the weather is dark, or strength in others when times are hard? I seek to find companionship with my husband, not servitude.”
Ector smiled and leaned forward. “My dear, please do not hold back your thoughts.” He chuckled as he spoke. Several members of the court looked at the king with wide eyes, but Merlin, Kay and Bedivere lightly smiled as they the scene unfold.
“But my lord, if a wife is simply a living statue of jewels and fragrance, then you would want a sculpture than a wife. If you are looking for way to make peace and allies, then acts of valor would speak more than a joining of hands. And if you are looking for a wife to produce children, I believe that whores who prowl the inns would be more than capable of apply their trade to such a noble cause. And if you are looking for a wife to satisfy lust of the flesh, I believe your left hand would be more enough to suffice.”
The entire room was silent. Not a single breath or whisper was heard. Catelin started to sweat on her brow, she had pushed her luck too far. Ector smiled from ear to ear, he turned to Merlin, Kay and Bedivere who showed their approval of the girl.
“My dear,” Ector asked softly, “I have a few more questions to ask, if you don’t mind?’
“Of course, my lord,” she lightly exhaled relief as she finished.
“You’ve been here in Camelot for about five days, yes?”
“Yes my lord.”
“Have you ever seen the sun set over the trees here?”
“I don’t believe I have.”
“Well then, you would be wise to stay a watch, it is beautiful beyond words.”
“I think I may be able to oblige you my lord.”
Ector smiled. “Outstanding.”