The Knight Behind the Pillar (11 page)

             
Finally Arthur strolled across to me.  Now was the time for a decision as I noticed the daylight was not as strong as it was before for the first time. 

             
“Did you want a hand up?” Arthur asked, with strength to carry out such a simple task I now envied

             
“No I’m alright, just give me time.” I gasped bracing myself for more punishment as I pushed up from the ground and found a tree for support. 

             
“You’re going to be able to travel?” He asked and there was genuine concerned in his tone.

             
“Yes, course, I’ll be fine.” I said, thinking that I was lying convincingly.  “I guess it depends on which direction we’re heading and how far.”

             
Waiting for an answer was almost as painful as trying to stand still without collapsing.  A deadly serious face looked back at me, was he still deciding I couldn’t be sure, but forget the country I needed a decision!

             
“I want answers, “said a determined voice, “and when I get them then I’ll decide if I want to be king.”

             
“Sounds like a good idea.” I commented casually, just happy with any decision.

             
“You said it before a king is always right, that’s because no one questions the king.  They’re in command and so I can leave at anytime I want.”  He firmly stated, convincing himself maybe.  “But first I need to find out who I am and if I’m going to run, at least I’ll know who I’m running from.”

             
At least we would be then equal in that knowledge I thought, but said “Agreed.”

             
Strangely then I felt like something was needed from me at that moment.  Then I realised what it might be and began to bow my head.  Abruptly the world started spinning and I was falling until I found Arthur’s hand grasping my arm to steady me. 

             
“What were you doing?  Bowing?  Don’t bow, eh, you know, that’s, I mean just don’t alright, don’t!”  Exclaimed a very self-conscious and extremely flustered Arthur.

             
I feared I might have ruined our restored fellowship in one simple foolish action.  “Yes, but you’re king, truly an actual king!” I tried to explain quickly with difficulty as no real explanation came to mind. 

             
The idea that Arthur was a considered by everyone to be a future king had really just dawned on me now, despite everything that had happened over the past few hours. 

             
“No I am not,” He rejected looking down self-conscious, even embarrassed at the idea.  Only then he relaxed a little.  “At most I’m a, well…. I guess I’m a prince.  And you say you are as well, so we are the same.  So why bow, there’s no need?”

             
Thinking about it I guess he had a point, “For now,” I agreed, knowing this was not entirely true and my observation still earned a scowl from Arthur.  “Look it seemed the right thing to do, if you decide to be king you will be king of everyone and everything.  I’ll be your subject and that’s amazing, it’s impossible, the whole thing is the most impossible thing I’ve heard of.  I might’ve joked back at Caerleon, but I never thought it would be true, but now it’s real, and it’s you!”

             
It generally was the most impossible thing, here before me was the future king of Briton.  He was my age, looked only slightly better off from the dirt and undergrowth we had picked up from the woodland floor and yet he was about to consider if he wanted to be the powerful man in the country!  He would be the richest, most respected or disrespected commander of all men.  Make laws, break laws, his will would be the most important voice to follow and follow to death if needed.  And then at the same time everything he thought was real was gone.  Would I like to be him right now?  No, I decided and was sure of it.  I was a former prince and happy with that, mostly.  I knew who I was, who my father was, his mad rage, how he obsessed over things and his iron fist and how wonderful and beautiful my mother was and how annoying my brothers were.  I might be alone by choice, but I knew who I was and what I had was true. 

             
Arthur stood there alone despite my company and my last words just lingered in the air around him.  He had looked away and I thought I might have just changed his mind about going back, but instead it was look to seek more courage from the comfort of the unchanging wood.

             
“Come on lets go.” He instructed with a tired even voice I thought a little unconvinced, “With any luck they’ve found someone else.” 

             
Obliviously still not wanting to completely face the reality of his calling at this moment or at least with me he set off for the horse.  Just before he left to find it I gained a glimpse of his face.  It was the ultimate portrait of anxiety and fear, only I knew I would never doubt his bravery from that time on. 

             
While he was gone to regroup he must have found something to clean his face and also a far sterner composure had formed.  For some reason Arthur was suddenly keen to get back with a new determination to get answers.  He returned with his horse and offered it to me to ride, but horses and I were certainly not on good terms today and we all walked or I did my best with the horse as my support.  Confident I had certainly not broken anything as I tested my legs I was relieved, but everything was still sore and tender. 

             
We took a while, but together we got out of the woodland.  Before us the water meadow seemed more of a bog than meadow with the water table slowly rising.  It was not long before the time of high tide.  We hauled ourselves forward through the tall grass and aimed for the firelight and torch lights of the town ahead that beckoned us onwards.  The town now very much represented a source of warmth and hospitality we had a growing desperate need for.  Daylight had all but gone and at each step you sunk a little into the mud of the wetland and had to pull yourself out for effort.

              “You saw me fall off?” I asked. 

             
It was a pointless comment, just a line to see if I could get a bite of conversation as the silence had befallen us.

             
“No not really.  I heard you fall or hit something from a distance if truthful.  You were too far ahead for me to actually see clearly.”  Replied Arthur. 

             
I stopped.  It emphasized my point, but also gave me a break from the returning aches that now protested as I walked.  “Ahead!” I queried with some confusion.

             
“Yes, you were well ahead,” Said Arthur not looking back or stopping, “I had just got out of the town, well I think I was around here somewhere when you galloped pass faster than the wind.”

             
“But you raced out of the stables and I had to waste time finding a horse.  I couldn’t have been ahead.” I stated. 

             
This did not make much sense.  I thought I had no chance of catching Arthur up for at least some time, if at all. 

             
“There was no point going fast through the town so I slowed down once out of the gate.  I thought no one would notice me that way, it looked less suspicious.  Anyways, my horse is the same one I had ridden for the last few days.  I didn’t think he would take too kindly to being pushed too hard.”

             
“So I raced past you and didn’t even notice I’d done it.” I summarised. 

             
And I could have avoided stealing a beast of a creature and could’ve gone for something I might have handled better.  Or better still just ran after him!  I did not admit this, nor did I admit how ashamed I was of my horsemanship and could only imagine what a fool I looked.

             
Arthur was nodding ahead.  “When I made it to the wood you were already out cold and on the ground.”   

             
I sighed, it all amounted to being a hell of a day and seemingly I now suffered all the ensuing pain for nothing.  Arthur had for now also forgotten my suffering and was not waiting on me so I had to make an effort to catch him up. 

             
As we came nearer to civilisation, music floated out from the main street.  It drifted along the evening air and followed the smoke of many fires.  A gathering of sorts was taking place.  Flute and drum in an upbeat tune for dancing was the sound, it called to us from across the meadow and we eagerly pushed on towards it. 

             
I had never known so many people gathered together in one place before.  No wait.  That was my thought earlier today.  I needed to completely readjust my thinking to what was commonplace and what was rare.  No longer was it out of the ordinary to find yourself casually chatting to a king so what was considered extraordinary now? 

             
However, it did seem like the population of the world had found itself in one place once again.  A feeling of celebration and hope was all around and helped by the smell of good food cooking that filled our nostrils.  There was also so much noise with feasting, dancing and laughter.  Day to day hardships were forgotten and replaced by merrymaking.  Now we had reached the town I failed to recognise it from the home I have known for the last few years, so full of joy.  These might have been the same people from the crowds this morning, but unlike the tense apprehension that emulated from that crowd, these good people acted like the world was a new and all fears had been set upon a shelf.  And yet they did not even get to see the new king today!  It was the strangest moment of my life, I felt tense but not due to fear.  It was a feeling of holding a secret, like a planned surprise for someone and the excitement of knowing something no one else yet knew.  I was with the future king, he walked among them and no one gave us any regard or had any idea.  We were helped in part by our matching damp woodland disguises.   Why would anyone stop to look at us thinking we were anyone of any importance, cut, and bruised and with mud dripping from us both?  Except I knew the answer to the question of who Arthur was, I had the knowledge all of these folk sought and it was a powerful moment.  I realised I was not sure I liked it.  I was more sure I was hungry I decided, but we walked on through and passed regretfully the cooking meat without stopping. 

             
My own thoughts aside, it was hard to be down hearted as the merriment continued around us and yet Arthur’s face was grave.  These were his, going to be his, subjects and people to rule.  We were invisible for now and were hearing parts of conversations that told us their hopes of a better life and predominantly a desire for a better king than those presently or to just be rid of Aries.  The fear of such talk vanished in the murky ale for now.  To our surprise the story of the new king pulling the sword when no other had the strength was already prevalent.  It had also already evolved into a number of different versions and included an extensive battle to Caerleon and even fighting various creatures of myth on occasion.  We floated between the gatherings and Arthur was turning paler with every step and at any moment I expected the pressure of it all would turn him back around.  Instead he started to make purposeful strides to head towards the fort once again.

             
Unfortunately we were not as unseen as we thought as a familiar voice reached me.  “Tor, Tor my boy.” Clegis yelled across to us. 

             
His booming voice was unmistakable over the noise of drums and dance.  Clegis owned a hay loft and stables within the town I had made my sleeping quarters.  It was still a hay loft, still being used, but I had secured a corner to myself and that of my remaining home comforts consisting of a small old chest and a now very tattered blanket.  The building was stone built, again one of the buildings the Romans had invested in during the time when they occupied the fort and town.  Clegis himself lived in a good sized timber hut next to it and was far warmer in the winter I always observed. 

             
A privilege of being the son of a king, I had just enough coin in my pockets left to afford to lodge outside of the fortress.  This was sadly running out and I estimated I had only a couple more years of rent left before this last remaining luxury ran out by which time I hoped to be a knight.  The alternative was sleeping in the public halls of the fortress with the dogs, their flees and the damp and with other pages, squires and the ever changing guard and their flees as well!  Before my life as a page and squire I had my own room, bed, a fire and even a half decent rug for the room.  While I accepted my new life I took the opportunity of the hay loft as oppose to the halls when after just one night in the fort, my first night, and I swore I would not sleep there again. 

             
Instead I found Clegis; admittedly he was hard to miss.  He was a larger than life character with wild dark thick hair and a beard that hid any idea of a neck as the twisted curls of the man’s hair struck out in all directions and draped across his shoulders.  Always he had the brightest smile that made it through the wilderness and blue eyes that twinkled fun and a little trouble.  Importantly he always had a tankard in one hand and a deal to be had in the other, not best assumed to always be on the right side of legal.  He welcomed me and my coin with open arms and while he was my official landlord I suppose I could regard him as a sort of friend as well.  Or maybe more of an embarrassing family member no one likes to admit to having.