Cameron didn't sleep nearly as well as usual that night. He lied in bed and whined all the while. Why did he want to go with so badly? He didn't know his own motive for asking the question. It had to have been something to do with not wanting Felix to leave. He kept thinking of how it would be with just the Queen. What was so bad about that? He tried not to dwell on it for too long, but failed in that respect. Only the King was on his mind, for as long as the moon was high.
What if Felix didn't come back? He was headed, as awkwardly described at the table, to war. It was a small war, with what Cameron knew would be some of the best fighters of the Kingdom, as well as the knight from Cambria, what was his name? Afon, that's right. He distracted himself from the more concerning matter, by trying to wonder what this apparent knight looked like. Was he a dragon, neck stretched and breath fiery? Perhaps he was a great wolf, with sharp fangs and quick, muscled arms? Maybe a mighty eagle, a beak sharper than the finest spearpoint?
Speaking of which, what did this apparently special knight wield? That left a myriad of options, and Cameron was left imagining every combination of species and weapon he could think of. He was thinking of a gryphon with some great battle-ax when he finally drifted to sleep.
—
It was the very next day that this mystery would be solved!
"Sir Afon of Cambria has arrived at the port, awaiting a royal welcome," a guard announced, after having burst into the throne room. In there was the King, having been in the middle of a consultation with an assortment of bishops of the smaller towns throughout the Kingdom.
"My apologies, Your Holinesses, but this is an important matter" the King quickly mewled to the holy officials, who nodded in understanding, glad to simply have met the ruler of their nation.
"The Cardinal should be in the Church, if you would like to meet with him," he followed up quickly, before getting up and hurrying off.
He made his way to the gardens, where he knew his wife and her favorite dog would be on a nice day like this. Indeed, when he got there, he saw Cameron and Ophelia chatting.
"Awfully nice day to be out like this, but our noble company has just arrived," Felix described.
"Let us give him a most warming greeting, then!" Ophelia excitedly mewed.
"Can— uh. May I come see, too?" the collie asked, correcting himself after minding his manners. His half-asleep questions had a chance of being answered!
The royal couple looked at each other.
"Wouldn't do any harm, would it?" Ophelia asked.
"Well... he's not exactly royalty, but, hell, I shouldn't think so," Felix nodded. "He should get a chance to see this knight."
Cameron stood and barked in delight, before accompanying the lions outside. The three took a short but slow carriage ride through town, with the cheering of all those who decided to come out and watch. Ophelia didn't much mind the noise, now, with what she knew was her family by her side. Yes, she considered Cameron family at this point. It was hard not to, in fact.
It was also hard to not notice the fairly large ship in the harbor, and, as the royal party stepped out of the roomy car they rode in, they were greeted with two rows of silver-armored knights, lining a path to the ship. It was evident with the banners they were presenting that they were Valentia's own. These banners featured a blue top third, with the bottom two-thirds striped vertically with red and yellow.
Off the ship came a lone, grand figure. There he was: Afon, all the way from Cambria, this country being a great distance north. He was clad in cobalt armor, which was decorated with curved and pointed bronze accents. He was large, too... Such a body size required good training, or good food. He marched slowly between the rows of Valentian knights, smiling as he looked to each of them. For a weapon, he carried a large halberd, a spear-axe of considerable length.
The most surprising thing Cameron realized, though, didn't come until this knight was within proper seeing distance:
Afon was a corgi. Nothing at all like what Cameron was picturing last night. Not that corgis couldn't be knights! They just— you know, usually weren't! It was in many ways apparent, though, that this corgi was well qualified for his position, with his scars and weary face.
"'Tis an honor," he said in a low, accented voice, bowing before the royalty, "to be in your presences. Your unsurpassed Majesty amazes me," he praised, then got up. It was clear in his expression that he meant what he said, or at least the virtue of a more figurative speech.
"Thank you, Sir Afon," Ophelia smiled warmly.
"It's wonderful to have such a prolific knight to accompany on this venture," Felix stated.
Afon noticed something, though. He leaned his head to the side, and smiled. "And who might this collie be?"
"My name is Cameron!" the dog in question barked shyly in reply.
"He serves me. I brought him along," Ophelia quickly explained.
"Hm. Adorable," Afon lightheartedly chuckled, and mounted a horse prepared for him. "I imagine someone like him would serve you well, Your Majesty."
This strange and indirect compliment made Cameron feel all the warmer and prouder. He was glad to have been worthy of it! As he watched Afon be accompanied towards the castle, and got into the carriage to follow, Cameron felt this sense of pride wash over him. It made his fur stand on end.
—
That feeling eventually faded, as good things often seem to do, by nightfall. The distractions that the novelty of seeing the corgi knight and the festivities associated with such an arrival were soon replaced with the familiar dread about the upcoming situation. He was in the same situation as last night, left whimpering in the moonlight, wallowing in his own stress.
Suddenly, he received a knock at the door, making him jolt from his pensive state and leap out of bed, to see who it was:
"I heard whimpering," Afon said immediately, the knight in his looser sleepwear. "I never like hearing such a sorrowful sound," he explained quietly, his face depicting his worry. "Let me come in."
Not at all wanting to deny this sudden request, Cameron opened the door, letting the corgi in.
"What's the matter, then?" Afon asked in a whisper, his ears perked high, as he sat on the bed. He seemed seriously concerned as much as he was annoyed.
"I don't at all want the King to leave," the collie beside him admitted, with a bit of a whine.
"Why not?" Afon replied. "What a strange thing to dislike. You serve the Queen, don't you?"
"That's exactly the point. I don't know why I'm so uncomfortable at the prospect. I mean, there is the risk of Felix getting hurt, but a very low one. He'll be all safe, right?" Cameron tried to confirm.
"It's my job to make sure that's true," the corgi determinedly said. "And I don't plan on quitting anytime soon."
"I'm forever grateful, Sir Afon," the collie sighed. "It's a comforting thing, what you just said."
"Indeed. And they won't let you go with?" the corgi inquired.
"That's the case," Cameron sighed, his ears drooping.
"How come?" Afon asked, concerned. "Let me guess: too dangerous."
"Exactly," Cam chuckled, amused the knight guessed so correctly.
"For one thing," Afon started, "it's not just my duty to protect the King, I'll say that much. It is also the duty to protect whoever accompanies His Highness," he elaborated. "And another thing: Have you ever actually been outside of the Kingdom before, Cameron?" he then asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I've been beggar for the portion of my life, before so suddenly finding a place here," Cameron described his short origin. "I wouldn't have ever thought of it."
"I hold it to be true that every man should travel to a different country at least once in their lives, and not just the one next door. A different country," Afon clarified with this emphasis. "It's one of the most important things a person can do. I think that damn well applies to you, Cameron."
"Do you mean you want me to come with?" the collie asked, his ears perking up once again, and his tail wagging along with this glimmering hope.
The two then begun to discuss a plan involving sneaking into the royal cellar, one that made the collie giggle himself to sleep after they finalized it.