The Call of Camelot

Chapter 12 - Son of Morgause

As the sun began to set, the woodlands around us took on another form, the thickness of the trees and ferns, which in the warmth of the sunlight were vibrant and beautiful, now appeared eerie and uninviting in the absence of any natural light.

The atmosphere of my journey back to Camelot was far different to how it had been on the trip into the forest.

The shock of Laura's true identity had stunned me, her revelation leaving me open-mouthed and, despite the surge of questions that exploded within my mind, I was lost for words.

I thought back to when I'd first met her, and the instant dislike we'd felt towards one another, though I still wasn't sure why she had inspired such feelings of animosity in me, I knew now what her reasons were for hating me.

My mind circled back to my first night at the hotel, and the frightening dream that had turned out to be a living nightmare, nausea rising in my throat at the renewed sense of intrusion that someone could cast such a terrible spell on me.

But even if I had thought of something to say at Laura's reveal, I wouldn't have had time to ask it, almost as soon as I saw her face she disappeared, vanishing amongst a sudden gust of wind that carried her from the clearing.

Leaving Mordred and I alone in bewildered silence

Since leaving the stream neither of us had spoke a word to one another, his silence I knew was coming from his own anger, anger directed solely at me.  It was quite clear I'd lost his trust, made obvious by his insistence that we both ride on Kits back while his own white stallion trotted behind us.  It was incredibly awkward, especially as Mordred's arms were wrapped around me to hold the reins, perhaps ensuring that I wouldn't leap from Kits backs and run off into the woods.

"You are angry with me" I whispered reluctantly, unable to cope with the awkwardness a moment longer.

"You have made a fool of me my lady" his official tone and the use of "my lady" making his displeasure abundantly clear.

"I have no excuse Mordred, I'm the one whose been a fool" my decision to leave the palace without Mordred had been a serious faux-pas, by running away I'd placed myself in great danger and I knew if anything had happened to me, Mordred would blame himself.

The thought had already crossed my mind that Percivals uncharacteristic display of kindness in the stables had perhaps been a veiled attempt to anger Mordred like this, and more importantly, that by escaping the palace, it would provoke the anger of the King.

I'd already made the mental note to deal with Percival later! And also to not dwell too much on what welcome Arthur would have for me once we returned to the palace.

"You are far from a fool Cara" was Mordred's eventual reply, relief dampening my guilt slightly at hearing him speak my name, and not call me "my lady"

Though the silence between us had become slightly more bearable as we rode further into the forest, the air was still heavy with our unresolved argument, so it was a relief when Mordred was the one who spoke first

"You have not asked me why the priestess spoke to me with such familiarity"

That was because I knew better than to ask, when Laura had mentioned to Mordred that he of all people he should know that a sword couldn't harm her, I knew she'd made that comment to inspire the memory of his dead Mother, and of the community both she and Mordred had once belonged to.

Since the moment Mordred and I had met, I'd wanted to talk about Morgause, afterall I owed her everything. It had been her sacrifice that had allowed me to grow up in a happy home, free from danger, but in exchange for my happy childhood, Mordred had been forced to spend his without a mother.