Private Investigation

The Right Choice

March 1954

Tedros stood in the middle of his father's study, staring out of the window as drops of rain raced down the pane of glass. He could feel the eyes of the portraits around the room glaring at him, as if they knew why he had been summoned at such short notice.  

Two days ago Tedros had received a letter from his father demanding he return home to discus 'urgent business'. He new it must be bad because Arthur had never cared for his sons opinion about anything which probably meant he was in trouble. 

Tedros dug his hands into his pockets as a nervous habit. He felt a small metal object entangled with his eyes that he struggled to identify from touch alone. He pulled it out and let it rest in his palm. A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked down at the silver ring. It wasn't overly expensive or flashy, it didn't have gems or an extravagant pattern but that made it worth all the more to him, because Agatha bought it. He could remember her shy smile as she gave it to him for his birthday.  Agatha had felt guilty about not being able to buy anything better, she had pulled in a few favours and managed to get it for a third of the price but it was still an insane amount for the girl that had never even stepped foot in a jewellery shop before that. That one ring was worth more to Tedros than all the expensive gifts he had ever received combined. 

A loud thud startled Tedros as he turned to see his father drop a newspaper and several letters onto his desk. "I was starting to think you wouldn't come." Arthur remarked making his way towards a decanter of strong alcohol. 

"Well I can hardly just drop everything and travel across the country. I have a job, a life."

"That's not a job," Arthur muttered but his son simply ignored it, instead looking to the door which had been left ajar. Outside he could just about make out an older woman with sunken eyes and hallow cheeks. Her hair was wrapped in a lavender turban and a matching shawl was pulled tightly around her shoulders. Tedros' heart sank at the sight of Lady Gremaline.  

"What did the doctors say?" 

Arthur didn't need to look up from his glass to know who his son was referring to. The once powerful general collapsed into a chair with a sigh and turned to his son. "There's nothing they can do. It's just a case of waiting." Arthur had already lost so many people in his life, in different ways, but each was just as painful as the last. 

"I'm sorry." Tedros said quietly, never sure how to approach his father, especially about sensitive matters. 

Gremaline was an old friend of Arthur's that had stood by his side through all manners of hardships, so when she fell ill Arthur thought it would be best for her to stay in familiar company.   

"A problem has arisen." Arthur said turning to a portrait of his grandfather, not wanting to dwell on something he perceived to be irrelevant. "It is regarding your latest fling." 

Tedros glared at his father whose eyes had drifted down to the empty glass in his hand. Any sympathy he had towards his father evaporated away. "You mean he girl I have been dating for eighteen months. That's not a damn fling." 

Arthur merely ignored his sons outburst and carried on. "The company she keeps and the activities she participates in are not those of a lady. She will ruin your reputation and that of this family." 

"What reputation?" Tedros shouted finally getting his fathers attention. "All I am is General Pendragon's son. I love her and I don't give a shit what anyone else has to say about that." 

Arthur slammed his glass on the table beside him but instead of going to stand before hi son he went to the desk. "That is exactly what I said about your mother and look how that ended up."It was no secret that both Pendragons had a fiery temper. Tedros waited a moment deciding whether to press this nerve or not.