The Adventures of Gally and the Roundtable

An Unexpected Delivery

My mother looked like she had seen a ghost, or had she heard one. Her face was pale and her eyes sunken into her head. The light from the candle flame flickers more as I notice her hands shaking. She just looks up at me holding eye contact.

"You're scaring me, what's going on?" I ask, a slight tremble in my voice makes my speech sound wobbly.

"They said that they wouldn't write, wouldn't get you involved," she mumbles to herself as she gets up from the sofa. Making her way over to the kitchen area, she sets down the candlestick on the counter.

"Who wouldn't write, who is LC?" Asking my mother sternly, I place the letter down on the sofa.

I raise up onto my feet stepping over the chest, my legs feel unsteady from the nerves. My heart beats hard against my chest, causing a heat to flow through my body. I drag my feet along the timber floor boards over to my mother who is staring out of the kitchen window. She doesn't acknowledge me as she is lost in her own thoughts. Whatever they are, I want in. I haven't even opened the chest yet and already I am nervous as to what this could mean for me.

"Mother, what is wrong?" I put my hand on the top of her arm and rub it sympathetically.

She looks at me with a sorry look on her face, her eyes are red from the emotion. I haven't seen her like this for a long time, something must be important about this chest for her to act like this. Saying nothing she grabs my hand and leads me back over to the living area, taking a seat she pats the cushion next to her encouraging me to sit. Instinctively I start to play with the bottom of my shirt, my knee starts to twitch in a nervous manner.

"So, I have never told you this but your Great-Grandfather, my Grandfather, was quite well known to many people," my mother begins to open about what the letter and chest potentially means.

"He meant a lot to me and you were even named after him," probably not what she should have led with but at least it is something.

"So, my Great-Grandfather is this LC?" I try to surmise as my mother isn't making much sense.

"No, no they worked with your Great-Grandfather," being no clearer I have to ask another question.

"So, what is going on mother, who is my Great-Grandfather, who is this LC character and why would they send me an old chest for my birthday?" Throwing a lot at her I expect some clarity now from her.

"Gally, you were named after my Grandfather Ser Gallahad. He was a Knight of the Roundtable," she confirms.

"WHAT!" I shout. Forgetting that I was talking to my mother I gasp, putting a hand over my mouth.

"Your Great-Grandfather worked with this LC, who was a consultant of sorts," my mother is rather blaise with the whole admission.

"Mother, what does LC mean?' Not being able to help the forceful tone again I forget myself in responding to her.

I can't help but turn from her, bringing my hands up to head. My diaphragm deflates as I let out the air in a loud audible sigh. I turn back around to my mother who is still visibly shook, just sitting there on the stall looking at the floor. I pace towards her with a feeling of intent, it washes over me like a winter storm. Aiming for the seat next to her I step over the chest and plant myself back down on the chair. In complete awe of what could be inside this grand chest, I run my hand over the curved lid. Feeling the course wood and harsh metal under my fingers, what could be in here.

"LC is Lynden Crouch, an old friend of your Great-Grandfathers." She confirms.

"Why would Lynden Crouch be sending me a chest for my birthday?" Now we know who has sent it, we now need to know the why? He has never sent me something anything before, so why now and why me?