The Witch of Camelot

Thirty-eight....a farewell, a gift and a promise....

                Thirty-eight…..

Sir Ector ended up spending nearly all of his evenings with king Uther and despite Arthur and I going often to his room seeking audience we were turned away every time but one.  “Come in the pair of you, I do not have much time, Cei and I leave in the morning. The High Council has been concluded and my wife will be waiting at home anxious for news no doubt.”

                Arthur smiled sadly at mention of his foster mother, “you’ll tell her that I miss her won’t you father?”

                “Of course my boy, of course.” Ector replied stopping momentarily in his flight around the room to ensure everything was ready for their departure to smile at his foster son his eyes full of pride. “Ah how you have grown.” he added gently.

                “Not so very much father.” laughed Arthur.

                “No not in height, not yet, but already I see you are growing into the man you were born to be.”

                Arthur flushed red; he never knew quite how to respond to compliments. “Thank you father.” he murmured.

                “Before I leave I have something I want to give you.” Ector turned and padded slowly over to the table which still sat beneath the window but was now overfull with personal objects in need of removal. Pulling a large wooden box towards him Sir Ector inserted a minuet key and turned it in the lock carefully. His calloused hands then proceeded to lift the lid and withdrew from within the container a long, thin object contained within a pouch.

                Smiling broadly he moved back across the room to where Arthur and I were standing and passed it to the prince, “this is for you my son, I missed your birthday but could not go without gifting you something of sentimental value to myself.”

                Arthur’s face lit up with excitement, “oh what is it father?” he asked in a rush.

                “Open it and see!” laughed Ector.

                Doing as instructed Arthur loosened the strings on the pouch and peered inside, his face shone with surprise and happiness as he removed a fine bone handled dagger accompanied by a leather sheaf decorated with the familiar swilling la tene patterns that embellished so many of my own processions and Merlin’s too. “This was yours wasn’t it father?” Arthur asked barely above a whisper too awed to speak at his natural level.

                Nodding with that same sad but immensely proud smile brightening his features Ector replied, “Yes Arthur that was my first ever dagger and I wish to pass it on to you as my father passed it on to me.” I felt a twinge of unease inside my stomach I hoped Cei did not know of this gift.  “I wanted you to have it as something to remember us all by.”

                “I could never forget you father!” exclaimed Arthur sounding thoroughly outraged.

                “Aye you say that now my son but in reality it will not be long before you are being showered with expensive and precious gifts from all sorts of people, knights trying to prove their loyalty, lords trying to buy your favour or your hand for their daughter, even your father in an attempt to appease your lost childhood with him and the queen will gift you such jewels and weapons and armour and beasts as I never could.

It is not much physically my son but emotionally this gift given from me to you is a reminder of mine and my wives love for you. You shall always be our son no matter what and should you ever need us we shall be by your side as soon as we are able – that I vow.”

                I noticed then that Sir Ector had a silver tear trailing down his face and felt incredibly touched, this great man truly did love Arthur and cared about him as deeply and strongly as every father should for his son. I knew then that Sir Ector would lay down his life for the young prince…

                Cutting the emotional farewell short James, Ector’s servant, appeared at the door looking stressed and over worked. “My lord” he hurried without invitation, “the king wishes to see you again, privately in his chambers. The carts will need loading soon Sir is everything ready?”

                “I am on my way James and no but bring William and Cei back from the sparring ground at once and see they put all to rights before I return.”

                “Yes Sir of course sir.” replied James hurrying from the room.

                Sighing Sir Ector turned to Arthur and embraced him quickly, “I must go my son, business calls. But do not forget what I have said, Drusilla and I will always be at your call if you should need us, we are proud to call you our son and know that we have always loved you as if you truly were our own.” With another hurried embrace he quickly added a short farewell to me and then went from the room in a flurry to the kings chambers where what was discussed Arthur and I never discovered.