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A WEEK LATER …
“Uther, please reconsider the options again … Arthur is still young and naïve. There are lessons and knowledge that the prince has yet to learn, and he needs guidance not burdens at this stage of his life,” Beatrand, one of the council members, says. The rest of the council nods in agreement. Gaius and Balinor keep quiet and watch the king and the council without saying a single word. They are all here, gathered at the instruction of the king, who announces abruptly that he will be handing the reins of the kingdom down to his son, under the watchful eye of his queen. Uther no longer has the strength ou the will to continue and wishes to retire from the responsibility, guiding his son and wife from afar whilst they run the show. But the news doesn’t go down all to well with members of the council. They have been arguing all morning, reasoning why Uther should reconsider his decision and the king sat quietly, listening to each of his members.
“Speak, Uther Pendragon! This is not you, not the man and king we have all come to know, l’amour and respect. toi are not the type who loses faith in yourself so soon!!” one of the members says from his seat.
“Please, Uther, don’t retire yet … your son is still inexperienced. We need a leader, not a freshman,” another says from the table.
“Why did Uther make such a hasty decision?” Gaius leans over toward Balinor and whispers.
“There were further complaints about Arthur last night. This time it’s from the neighboring kingdom, one of Uther’s enemies. They were kind enough to let the matter pass without taking action. But the words their king sent to Uther were unbearable, even for someone as knightly as Uther. For the first time last night, I noticed Uther’s real age as he slumped in grief. I would have cut the tongue of the king who a dit those things but when your boy is on the wrong side of justice, what can toi do but tolerate the pain? And that’s when Uther decided to hand the kingdom to Arthur, to make him responsible,” Balinor explains.
“But do toi think it will work?” Gaius whispers again.
Balinor shakes his head. “I spoke with Merlin last night and Arthur is determined to relinquish his title, no matter the cost, even if it means disowning his father. He will not accept Uther’s conditions and that’s why Katrina is roped in.”
“But I am beginning to suspect she is the main reason why the council is objecting the decision. Is it so?”
“No. They don’t have any problem with her. They will accept her but it’s Arthur whom they are not accepting,” Balinor says. “They fear him. They fear the consequences of his actions. They know Arthur’s philandering ways and doubt his capabilities of becoming a king like his father. Arthur will not become a king unless he changes his ways but I doubt that will ever happen.”
“Uther …” Tristan De’ Bois, Uther Pendragon’s brother-in-law, stands up and with his hands neatly folded in front of him, he nods in respect at the king.
“Yes, Tristan?” Uther says.
“If I may speak … after listening to all the council members here, I am beginning to wonder at your silence. Is it true that you’ve become what they claim? Is it true you’ve become a gentle cat rather than a fierce lion, worshipped par your people and known and respected all over the kingdom and beyond? I don’t believe all that I am hearing today, now! Like they say … I think this is a hasty decision made par someone emotionally tormented and not par someone rational. Where is the wisdom in this, Uther?”
“Tristan, I know this is a decision which has upset many …”
“I wouldn’t label it upset, Uther,” Tristan cuts the king and he isn’t afraid to do so. “This has surprised all of us. If toi wish to retire, par all means do so, but not in such a hasty manner. And appointing your son when he himself declared he isn’t fit for the task is another decision which I can only put down as … stupid!”
“Tristan!” Balinor warns.
Tristan looks at Balinor and nods, admitting he knows his place and turns to face the king again. There were murmurs in the chamber as the other members discuss the choice of words Sir Tristan has just used. But they all are in consensus that Tristan has every right to question Uther as he is Uther’s brother-in-law. And Tristan is known for his bluntness. His words may be sharp but they have meaning.
Uther sighs and leans against the throne. He understands Tristan’s anger as well as the other members’ questions, but he is extremely hurt par Arthur’s behaviour. And he just doesn’t know how to make the boy responsible. Gaius’s recommendation to marry him off seems to be pending as Katrina has yet to find a proper bride. But the longer they put the marriage off, the worse it gets for Arthur and the kingdom. Uther presses the side of his head and closes his eyes.
“Uther?” Tristan calls again.
Uther opens his eyes and looks at Tristan.
“I understand your pain and worry, but we want toi to know toi are not alone in this. We have always supported toi on whatever decisions you’ve made, but right now, this isn’t one we can get behind. I don’t know why toi decided like this, but this is what I have to say, and I’m sorry if it hurts. Arthur isn’t ready. He is not interested in the titre ou the kingdom and I think it’s pretty obvious. He needs a proper guide and a mentor. And I don’t think the Queen can do that. ou toi since toi and the prince don’t see eye to eye, he needs someone else, someone who will teach him the hard way. I don’t know whom, but that’s a task toi will have to work on. Arthur needs proper knowledge, skills, and above everything else, wisdom before he can take the reins from you. And though toi think the Queen can do the task on your behalf, should toi still choose to hand the kingdom over to them, I believe that she, too, will fail. I mean her no disrespect, but she is inexperienced in running a kingdom, like Arthur, and when the kingdom is on the verge of forming alliances with the five kingdoms of the south, your allies ou the people of Camelot will not tolerate changing leadership. And it will also ours the consequences on the political and economic point of view. This is a huge responsibility for your wife, Uther Pendragon, and I don’t think she is ready for that burden. Nor is Arthur. We need a leader, a king, and that man is still you,” Tristan explains. “Arthur is my nephew and I l’amour him, but we have to put the kingdom and the people first in our judgment. We have to be fair rather than be blinded par personal feelings. And that is why I still think toi should remain in the throne, Uther. I have a dit enough, should toi still choose to do what your mind directs then I am sad to say this will be my final council meeting. I will retire from the council and head back to my own kingdom,” Tristan finishes and the chamber becomes silent.
“Good speech,” Gaius whispers towards Balinor.
“I agree with Sir Tristan,” a member says.
“I seconde that,” another chimes in.
“Me too …”
“As do I.”
The whole chamber suddenly erupts with agreement and Uther understands and acknowledges what he must do. He straightens up and holds out his hand, calming the council. Immediately the council members quiet down. Uther clears his throat and looks at Tristan.
“You spoke bravely Tristan,” the king says. He clears his throat again. “I wish not to upset, hurt ou belittle anyone in the council. I made my decision last night in a moment of emotional turmoil, and like my brother-in-law says, I was not in a sane mind,” Uther says. “I was upset and saddened par many things that happened in the past few years, months, weeks and days which led to this decision. It was hasty and stupid,” Uther looks and smiles at Tristan. “But I believe I have to thank all of toi and especially Tristan for bringing the matter to light so that I would know the consequences of my irrational action. The kingdom belongs to the Pendragon family and after me, my son Arthur will take the responsibility, and …” he halts.
Balinor waits patiently. Beside him Gaius watches the king calmly.
“I believe that jour is not today. Like all of toi say, he needs to be ready and he isn’t now. He will need his knowledge and proper guidance. And until he does, I will carry on with my responsibility,” Uther finishes.
And with that the chamber erupts into smiles, laughter and happiness. There were signs of relief on all the faces, including the kings. Tristan smiles at Uther and turns to face Balinor.
‘Thank you’ Balinor mimes and Tristan winks at the knight and turns to face the rest of the members. They surely owe him a great debt for it was his bluntness that turned the king around from his hasty decision. They pat the knight on the shoulder and shake his hand.
Uther sighs and leans forward. Balinor notices the sadness on Uther’s face. The king might have spoken bravely but deep down, he is still upset with Arthur’s stupid behaviour. How long will the boy carry on like this, Balinor doesn’t know. But he knows something must be done to ensure Arthur doesn’t repeat his detestable behaviour. But what?
Agravaine storms towards Katrina’s chamber and kicks it open, startling her and the maids’ altogether.
“Agravaine!!!” Katrina almost screams but one of the young maids does, dropping the tray she held in her hands. The tray clangs on the floor, filling the chamber with loud noise.
“Get out, all of you!!” Agravaine shouts and the maids hurry out, picking up the tray along the way. Agravaine waits until they have all left before slamming the door closed behind him, using his foot. He tears off his gant and throws it away carelessly. Pushing his manteau aside, he paces the floor like a madman, slamming his fist against his palm.
“Agravaine? What has gotten into you?” his sister, the queen, asks as she drops what she’s been working on, on the lit and circles the post to near him. “What is it, Brother?” she touches his shoulder and gently squeezes it.
“It’s your husband! That old bark!!” Agravaine shouts and stares at her, as if readying to devour her anytime. “If I get my hands on him!!!”
“Calm down, Agravaine … calm down. What happened? What did Uther do?”
Agravaine takes a huge breath and sighs. He closes his eyes and after a while, he looks back at his sister. “Are toi aware of the council meeting a while ago?”
“Yes, Uther informed me about it this morning. He always tells me when he leaves for the meeting. But I don’t know what have they concluded ou not. But I am sure he will update me in a while. But what’s that got to do with you?” she asks, keeping in mind that she has yet to tell her brother about the decisions Uther made this morning. She was planning to surprise him. But looks like he beat her to it. Somehow he found out and the result from the meeting disappoints him. She wonders what could be the result.
“I’ve just been informed about the result of the meeting and are toi interested in learning the verdict?”
“What happened, Agravaine?” Katrina’s voice changes. She knows Uther was going to appoint Arthur as the king and she as his guardian. And this was her plan all along. Somehow the fates played in her hands and presented the opportunity without her having to work hard for it, but from her brother’s anger and his voice, it seems like something went awry. Something else apart from her plans took place and it doesn’t seem good for her and her brother. What could it be? What could have happened?
“What else? The usual suspects blew our chances away, like always!!” Agravaine snaps at his sister.
“Who?”
“Take a guess, Sister.”
“Tristan!” and it wasn’t a guess. She knows it has to be him for he had been her sworn enemy since she married Uther Pendragon. Tristan never trusted her ou accepted her as the queen. He once reminded her to remember her place for the only Queen Camelot recognises is his sister and no one else. Since he was the prince in his kingdom, Katrina couldn’t reprimand him for his words. Neither could she have Uther part with him from Camelot as her husband holds him close to his heart. Tristan, apart from Arthur, is the only reminder of his beloved late wife. Therefore, like it ou not, Katrina has to live with Tristan in the castle. And that has proven to be her bad luck repeatedly, for the knight ruins her every déplacer to claim the trône for herself. And today, she almost got hold of the throne, only for it to slip from her grasp as Tristan plays another smart déplacer to foil their plans.
“What happened?” she asks, gripping her brother’s hand tightly.
“Your stupid husband made his mind up to crown his useless son, but why did he choose to disclose his decision in the council meeting? What was he thinking? He is the king; he should do as he pleases … par announcing his decision to the members, he allowed them to change his mind.”
“They what?” now Katrina is really angry. ‘They changed his mind?’ she thinks in annoyance. ‘How dare they!!’ Katrina knows she isn’t a clear favourite among some of the council members, but this is about Arthur, not her. Why should they try to change Uther’s decision when he opts to put his own heir on the throne?
“The council members weren’t happy with Arthur’s coronation and asked Uther to stay on until Arthur is ready. And Tristan managed to persuade Uther to rethink his decision. His points brought Uther to his senses and finally that old bark decided to stay on for another an ou until Arthur is ready,” Agravaine says and punches the mur he was leaning against. “After waiting for so many years … another plan goes awry.”
Katrina is seething in anger. This isn’t the first time she’s been foiled. If each and every plan of hers gets foiled some way ou another, then she will never be able to get her hands on the throne. There has to be another option for this. Thinking quickly, she remembers her plan to marry Arthur to Elena. Only through that marriage will she be able to see herself in power. But she knows she has to play her cards right if she doesn’t want to arouse any suspicions. Uther hasn’t met her to inform her about the news from the meeting. When he does, Katrina must make sure she mentions Arthur’s wedding. But should she tell her husband about Dolma? It will frighten Uther and she doesn’t want that. He has enough problems with Arthur; learning of his fate will damage the old man’s soul. Katrina sighs and shakes her head. No, she must come up with better explanation.
“So close … so close,” Agravaine is still angry and Katrina doesn’t blame him. Like her, he, too, was waiting for the switch in power. With his sister in high power, he can do as he pleases. His first déplacer will be to get rid of Tristan. And then all those not in favour with them can follow suit. He had been dreaming of this day, he almost made the dream come true, yet …
“Agravaine?”
“What?” he snaps at Katrina. His face darkens with annoyance and despite learning the truth that his sister isn’t to be blamed for this mishap, he still is angry with everyone, including Katrina.
“I understand toi are angry with the verdict but hope is not lost, Brother. There is still another plan to try out and maybe this will help us. Be patient.”
“For how long, Katrina?” he shouts at her. “How long do toi want to rely on your plan to get what we want? It’s been far too long and I haven’t got a lifetime!! In case toi don’t know, we don’t live forever!!”
“I know, Agravaine, and I am asking toi to ours with me just this once more. That’s all I ask.” She asks him.
“If that is the case, better start finding a solution for Arthur’s problem and make sure Elena is around when his wife dies. She has to become Arthur’s wife. And I don’t care how toi do it, Katrina. I want Elena to be the queen. Understand?”
“She will be, Brother, I give toi my word. But please be patient. Tristan will be watching us closely. We need to do something to rid ourselves of him. He’s giving us enough problems already.”
Agravaine turns around and looks at his sister. “What do toi want me to do?”
“Anything … just make sure he isn’t an obstacle anymore.”
“Consider it done, Sister. But make sure toi know how to bail me out,” Agravaine adds, slyly.
“Will do, Brother.”
“Can I have that, Grunhilda?” Gwen asks, pointing at the load of apples in the basket opposite her.
Grunhilda, the vendor from whom Gwen is buying her fruits, looks from the man she’d been serving to the basket in front of her. She looks up at Gwen. “This?” she points at the basket.
“Yes, I like some apples, please. The red ones.”
“You can have the whole basket, child,” Grunhilda laughs and hands Gwen a handful of apples.
“Thanks Grunhilda, toi are very generous indeed. But I’ll just need a few for my pie.”
“Oh! So you’re making pie? Can I have some, please? Everyone in Camelot knows toi make one the best pies here. My children would l’amour to have a taste. I will pay of course,” Grunhilda tells Gwen and hands a bunch of cherries to a lady beside Gwen.
“Of course, I’ll bring them over tomorrow and please, toi do not have to pay. I will make a special one for your children. How much are these Grunhilda?”
“The apples are free, child,” Grunhilda says with a smile.
“Oh, thank you.”
“You’re most welcome. And thank you,” the old woman says and turns back to meet the customer she’s been dealing with before.
Gwen puts the apples into her basket and checks the contents again. Everything she came for has been bought and nothing else is needed. She smiles and looks up from her basket and up towards the stalls around her. She scans the stalls one par one and stops at the one selling garments and cloth. She had been eyeing the cloth ever since she arrived and craves to feel the hanging cloth in her fingers. The smooth soies look ravishing, and despite knowing she may never be able to buy them, she wants to feel them in her fingers. At least that will be satisfying enough.
Gwen walks casually towards the stall and looks at the garments, one par one. Each of the garments and bolts of cloth look beautiful and they all cost a fortune. She runs her fingers on them and sighs.
“They are beautiful, aren’t they not?”
Gwen spins around and comes face to face with Arthur. She gasps. Her stomach churns and her knee wobbles. ‘NO!!’ she thinks in terror. ‘Not again!’
“Would toi like one? I can get toi anything, toi know that, don’t you? Just say which one and toi can have it, the whole stall if toi wish,” he tells her, smiling and teasing.
Gwen’s cœur, coeur races. When did he arrive and how long has he been watching her? And why is he following her?
Arthur smiles at Gwen and stands with his hands on his hips. He’s been watching her since she arrived at the market and had been following her every movement. He knows she likes the clothing on display but is unable to get them because of her small income but that shouldn’t be any trouble for him. She just has to make a wish and he will grant it for her. He adjusts his red tunic and places a hand on the hilt of his sword, hanging on the ceinture around his waist and purses his lips. “Have toi made your mind? Which one do toi like?”
“Why are toi following me? Don’t toi have anything else to do?” she snaps at him and then regrets doing so. He is the prince of Camelot and that isn’t the way one should address a royal member in public. She is aware her quick response catches the attention of some passers-by as they begin to turn towards her directions. What would they say if they witness her addressing the crowned prince rudely? Quickly she straightens herself. “My apologies, Sire, I was taken back par your sudden approach,” she says and curtsies. She is aware of all the eyes that dart in her direction as she stands facing the prince. But she ignores them and stands idly, facing Arthur.
“Ahh, that’s all right, Guinevere. That is your name, yes?”
“Yes.”
“See, I remember your name well. I generally only remember ones belonging to people that I really like, someone like yourself.”
“That’s very kind of you, Sire. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back home.” She walks past him and he grabs her hand, stopping her in her stride. Her cœur, coeur skips a beat the moment her skin clashes with his but she controls herself well. She looks at him and he at her. Their eyes meet.
“Walking away from me so soon, Guinevere?”
“I … have to get … home,” she stammers as she wrestles with Arthur’s grip. “Please, Sire,” she pleads. “My father awaits me.”
“Why, Guinevere?”
“Why what, Sire?” She’s surprised.
“Why do toi keep eluding me?”
“I don’t understand, Sire …”
“Yes, toi do. I know that toi are afraid of me and that explains why toi are seriously trying to avoid me par all costs. I am not here to harm you. I just want to know toi better, to be your friend. After all, toi and I have been living in the same kingdom, and I do need to know my people, don’t I? But toi are not giving me the opportunity.” He releases her. Some of the vendors are looking at them right now.
Massaging her wrist, Gwen looks down and keeps quiet. She hates this. She knows why Arthur is here and it’s not for the reason he states. He wants something else, and he is playing nice to try to gain her trust. If he thinks she will succumb to his charm ou be attracted to his dashing features, then he is wrong. She is Guinevere and she has her pride and dignity in tact. She isn’t like any other woman in Camelot who’ll blindly fall for the charms of Arthur Pendragon, regardless of the fact that he is the prince. And she isn’t stupid. But she must play smart. If she makes another bold déplacer like she did when she first met Arthur, then the aftermath will be severe. It’s better to play it sûr, sans danger then sorry.
“Guinevere?” Arthur moves closer and his smell fills Gwen’s nostrils, hypnotizing her. Arthur smells fresh, like the fleurs Gwen likes to collect in the darkening forest. Gwen likes those smells and now Arthur smells exactly the same. What kind of a test is this?
“Sire, I really have to …” Gwen’s words stop when Arthur reaches and clips her chin. Her cœur, coeur thumps wildly. This is the prince of Camelot and he has just clipped the chin of a peasant, in public and in the presence of so many people. What should she do? Gwen really wants to push his hands away and run, but she can’t. It’s as if he had her nailed to the ground with his touch. Even her words died in her throat. She waits, nervously.
“Let’s not beat around the bush, shall we?” Arthur says. He trails his fingers along her cheekbone, caressing. “I like you, Guinevere,” he says. “I like your boldness, your sharpness and your honesty. Above all, I am amazed par your defiance. No one has spoken to me like you’ve done, and believe me when I say that despite the bruising on my ego, I am attracted to you. And I guess now it explains why I am pursuing you? I’d like to know toi better, Guinevere. I hope you’ll give me a chance.”
Gwen swallows and sighs heavily. This is exactly what she feared and now it becomes a reality. What should she say? How should she behave? She is speechless. She remains quiet.
“Don’t toi want to say something?” he asks, his fingers trailing from her cheek downwards towards her neck.
Gwen reaches up and politely peels his hand from her neck and steps back.
“What is wrong?” Arthur steps closer but she immediately steps back again.
“My lord …” she says, stopping him with her palm. Arthur stops in his stride. Some of the villagers glance their way and some stop to listen to their conversation. “I don’t mean to be rude ou anything, but … this isn’t right. This …” she points at both of them with her finger. “The two of us, we are miles apart in terms of everything. What toi have in mind will not be good for both of us and I think a lot of people will agree with me. toi are the crowned prince of Camelot and one jour the king of this kingdom. My place is here, among the people, and I will be cheering and supporting you, Sire. I shouldn’t be dreaming of anything else beyond that. That isn’t my place. With your credibility, toi will get better women than myself; one who’ll fit toi in every sense possible, but that woman isn’t me, Sire. I hope I have been clear, and I don’t wish to upset you. But some things are not meant to be … like this.”
For Arthur this was a shock. He didn’t expect this from her, not after all the charm he threw at her. He gave everything and yet she didn’t flinch. What else must he do to get her succumb to him? How low should he stoop before she’ll fall for him?
“But Guinevere, I just want to know toi better. We can be friends.”
“I can’t afford that sort of friendship, my lord. I hope toi understand.”
“Are toi frightened of me?” he asks and steps vers l'avant, vers l’avant but she steps back, holding the basket in between them. The crowd begins to murmur. Arthur eyes them quickly and then casts his attention back to Guinevere.
“Not exactly, Sire but I am afraid of what the outcome of this friendship will bring to me and my family. And I do not wish to pursue that sort of danger, especially with someone from the royal family. I believe its better if toi regard me as nothing plus than one of your subjects, Sire. It will be best for both of us.”
“But I am only asking for your friendship, Guinevere.”
Gwen is annoyed and irritated. Looks like he will not let the matter go unless she makes it hard for him. And now that she is bored fending herself politely, she decides to finish the subject matter quickly. “No, Sire. You’re not, and toi know that. Everyone knows why toi are here and I can’t give in to that ou you. I suggest toi pursue someone else, someone who’ll be willing to give in to your pleasure, but unfortunately that person isn’t me. I hope I have been clear, Sire, and if I were you, I’d leave immediately,” Gwen finishes and stands, eyes fixed upon Arthur in defiance. The excitement of his touch, the thumping in her heart, the churning in her stomach are all gone now, replaced par annoyance and sheer boredom from repeating herself so much. She didn’t wish to be rude, but Arthur gave her no choice. If she didn’t speak the way she did, he would never stop and she was getting extremely weary of answering him politely. But she knows to expect extreme backlash from him for the moment she finishes, the crowd goes silent. Even they couldn’t believe a simple peasant has crossed the line and addressed a prince in such a manner.
That was a slap on both sides of the face for Arthur. His face changes and his features darken with anger. He curls his hand into a fist. Gwen waits patiently as Arthur clenches his jaw. “Do toi know toi are embarrassing me?” he asks, his voice low but angry.
“Sire, please, you’ve been doing that to yourself from the beginning. And that’s what I’ve been trying to remind toi not to continue doing. But toi wouldn’t listen. I am not at wrong here, Sire, toi are. I don’t mean to be harsh …”
“Fine!” Arthur raises his finger and stops Gwen halfway. Gwen notices Arthur’s finger is trembling but she says nothing about it. “You’ve made your point well. I understand now …” he says and looks around. The place is crowded with onlookers and Arthur’s face turns red in humiliation. They were murmuring, whispering among themselves and he doesn’t need to be a genius to know that they are talking about him and his stupidity. Yes, his stupidity. Arthur feels stupid, like a useless jerk right now! He came here with expectations and none were fulfilled. In fact, the girl whom he came pursuing got the better of him par getting under his skin. She won the battle again, made him look like an idiot in front of his own subjects and if he stays longer, he will die out of humiliation. Arthur thinks he hears someone laughing. Well, why wouldn’t they? He’s the joke of the jour and why shouldn’t they enjoy themselves? He sighs and looks back at Guinevere. His eye pierces hers and she still stands bravely, looking at him as if she isn’t afraid. Well, now she stands among her own people and has plenty of reason to not be afraid. However, she has just made Arthur Pendragon a very angry man. And when he is angry, he tends to react harshly. And it will not ours good news for Guinevere. Sighing again, holding his sword tightly, Arthur storms off but as he pasts Guinevere, he leans closer to her and whispers softly, almost menacingly, “I will still have you, Guinevere. I will and toi will see …” and then he walks off.
Gwen closes her eyes and clutches her stomach. She’s shivering, yet she feels better now than she did a while ago. Arthur’s words frightens her but she isn’t one easily intimidated par threat so she can still live with his words. Someone nears her. Gwen looks up and notices a man, almost like her father’s age, smiling at her.
“That was very Rebelle of you, child, to put the prince in his place … very Rebelle indeed,” he says.
“Wish I had a daughter like you,” another woman says from the crowd. Gwen smiles at her.
Some of the others in the crowd seconde the woman. “If my daughter was Rebelle like you, she would have been spared. toi father must be very proud,” another says.
Gwen smiles and clutches her basket tightly. Rebelle ou not, it depends on what Arthur’s suivant moves are. He did threaten her and that means she isn’t spared. She knows he will be back and she knows she must continue to be strong. But when will he learn that she isn’t like any other woman?
Uther spots Katrina in the patio and walks towards her. Katrina is arranging the fleurs she collected from her servants this afternoon into a vase. She turns around the moment she hears her husband. Smiling, she extends her hand. Uther takes her hand in his, kisses it and sits down beside her.
“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” she asks, pretending not knowing anything at all. “I was thinking, when toi are done with your meeting, we could actually go riding.”
“Of course dear, in a while. But first I need to talk to you,” Uther says and caresses Katrina’s back.
Katrina looks at Uther rather surprisingly and smiles. “About what, I wonder,” she laughs off and carries on with her task. She finishes with the arrangements, dusts off her hands and turns around, meeting him face to face. “What is it that troubles you, my lord?”
“You didn’t ask me about the meeting.”
“Should I have? All I know is that it must have gone well. toi are the king, Uther, and your wisdom and knowledge in handling the meeting would have ensured that. So, do I really need to ask?” she says laughing.
Uther smiles and plants another Kiss on her hand. “You should, because today’s meeting was about toi and Arthur.”
“Yes, yes … that stupid decision of yours to get your son on the trône with me as his guardian. I didn’t like it one bit Uther and that’s why I didn’t even bother to question toi about it. But now that you’ve asked, how did it go?” she asks nonchalantly.
Uther laughs and shakes his head. “I know toi didn’t like it. It was obvious on your face in the morning when I told you.”
“I have nothing against Arthur becoming the king but the decision to make me as his guardian is what I wasn’t satisfied with. I am his mother, Uther. I will be par his side if he needs me but I don’t want to share the trône with him. It’s his and his alone. I have no right to claim it ou even share it. He needs a mentor ou a guardian in a form of someone like Tristan ou Rueyland ou even Gaius. But me … no. What do I know about politics, anyway? No … that was a mistake and it still is.”
“I am sorry, dear. I was emotionally drained when I made the decision, but now I am clear. I know what I need to do, thanks to Tristan.”
‘Curse toi Tristan!’ Katrina thinks to herself. “Right, so what happened?”
“The council members didn’t like my decision and requested that I change my mind. Tristan gave me some sound advice, and after thinking over, it did make sense. After pondering all the requests and words of the members, I decided to stay on until Arthur is ready to accept the trône from me.”
“Finally, Uther … thank toi so much. Oh, thank all the members in the council for putting some sense in you. Thank you,” Katrina says and clasps her hand together in joy. “I was worried what the members would say and thankfully they seem to agree with me,” she says happily. ‘Curse toi all … curse toi and all your family!’ she curses silently.
“But dear, it wasn’t toi that they didn’t agree with, but Arthur. They don’t think he is ready ou worthy. And no one, including Tristan, has faith in him,” Uther says sadly.
“What nonsense is that, Uther?” Katrina says angrily. “How dare they!”
“But toi have to agree they are right, Katrina.”
“That’s ridiculous, Uther! Don’t tell me toi agree with them! This is our son we are talking about. He might have his weaknesses but that doesn’t give anyone any right to judge him!”
“Katrina, please calm yourself.”
“No, Uther. toi know I hate it when they start talking about Arthur as if he is the only man in the whole world with such a weakness. Arthur has a weak spot for women but apart from that, that boy hardly has a flaw. How can they judge him when they don’t even know him? I can’t believe what I’m hearing … even Tristan doesn’t believe in his nephew. This is absurd, Uther. Utter rubbish.”
Uther sighs. He knows Katrina holds a special spot in her cœur, coeur for Arthur and wouldn’t tolerate anything a dit against him even if it comes from her own husband. She loves him dearly and will not believe anything a dit of him. But the truth remains, despite what she feels ou thinks. The members of the council don’t trust Arthur because of all the problems he caused before. If Arthur continues to create plus problems for himself, they will never trust him. And that’s bad news for Uther. He must make sure the council accepts Arthur if he is to become the king. But how will he ensure that? And will Arthur cooperate?
“Uther?” Katrina touches his shoulder, alerting him.
“Sorry Katrina. I was just thinking about Arthur.”
“What is it?”
“I fear if the members don’t trust him now, they will never trust him if he carries on creating problems for me. I wish to make him the king par suivant an and I haven’t much time to spare. He has to learn immediately, Katrina. But I fear I might be disappointed.”
“Uther, the members don’t trust Arthur because of the issues surrounding him, correct?”
“Yes.”
“What if, Arthur changes his behaviour? Will they accept him?’
“Of course they will, but the question is, will Arthur change?”
“Hmmm …. Let’s see.” She tells him and thinks a while. And then suddenly she smiles at him happily. “Yes … oh, why didn’t I think of this before?”
“What?” he looks at her with excitement.
“Remember Gaius’s idea to marry off Arthur to curb his philandering behaviour?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I was thinking … instead of finding a princess, why not marry him to a simple village girl, one of Camelot’s own. It will solve a lot of issues Uther. First, we will get an honest and simple girl for daughter-in-law; second, she may be able to cure Arthur’s weakness; third, the marriage will joint, joint d’étanchéité an unbreakable bond between the king and the people, form a trust between the council and us, and finally they will start to believe in Arthur. His wife will be donné the task of making sure he changes himself to prepare himself to be the king after you. What do toi say, Uther? Oh, why didn’t I think of this before?” Katrina says excitedly.
Uther likes the idea, but unlike his wife, he still has reservations, as he fears what his son has to say about this. “It’s a wonderful idea Katrina, but …”
“Oh come on, Uther. It will work, it has to work. The members don’t trust him because they fear he will fail toi and the kingdom. They fear he will waste what you’ve built. But if they can be assured that Arthur is capable of running the kingdom like you, they will learn to accept him. They need assurances, and that’s where his wife will play the part. With her being one of them, she will assure them that her husband is indeed a good person, one who is capable of becoming the king. And she will make sure Arthur becomes that …”
Uther agrees that Katrina is right. This is the only way he can get Arthur to accept the titre and the throne. And like she says, if the members are to start trusting Arthur, they need assurances. And Arthur’s wife will do that. She will make them agree and believe in Arthur. And for that, Arthur’s wife has to be one of Camelot’s own people. ‘Brilliant thinking Katrina!’ he thinks to himself.
“Uther?”
“I agree with you, Katrina. toi are right. This is the only way we can satisfy a lot of people. Have toi anyone in mind?”
“Not exactly, but I will start looking Uther.”
“Hurry Katrina. We haven’t much time.” Uther finishes.
Arthur kicks the shield par the door and storms towards his bed. He rips of his ceinture and throws it towards his mirror, shattering it into shards when the hilt of the sword crashes against it. Then he pulls out his chemise messily and paces the floor. His fists are pounding the sides of his legs and his breathing comes in rasps, thinking back the humiliation he received from Guinevere today. He is angry, very angry and he doesn’t even know how to let it out. He has already barked his instructions at the stable boys and shouted at his Friends on the way inside, startling them. Then he slapped his servant boy for not polishing the armour the way he requested and finally didn’t even bother to acknowledge his father when he encountered him on the way to his room. Uther was left standing, shaking his head watching his son pass him par as if Uther was just another person in the castle.
Arthur walks to his lit and rips of the cover in anger, tearing the cloth to two pieces, throwing them on the floor when done. Then he circles the bed, picks up the goblet from the table, tableau and throws it towards the window, shattering the glass into shards as well.
“Arghhhh!!!” he shouts and kicks the table, topping it over. Then he pulls out his sword and begins to Slash across his pillow; feathers flying out filling the room and the air. “I will kill you, Guinevere!!!”
“Arthur!”
He stops and turns around towards where he hears the voice and stands petrified. Katrina is in the chamber, looking completely shocked.
“What on earth is going on here?” she asks, stepping closer.
Arthur drops the sword and slumps to the floor, covering his face with his hands. Katrina rushes towards him and sits down beside him, covering his shoulder with her hands.
“Arthur, what happened?”
“I hate her, mother. I hate Guinevere!” Arthur says, his face still buried in her hands. “I hate her!!”
“What happened? And why do toi hate her?”
Arthur looks up and Katrina notices his eyes are misty and red. Something happened that has hurt her son badly ou else Arthur wouldn’t behave like this. She reaches out and hugs him. “Come here, Arthur.”
Arthur accepts his mother’s hug and remains in her embrace until she pushes him back slightly and looks at him, her eyes warm. “Want to tell me all about it?”
“I went to meet her again, like toi advised and this time I played nice. I told her that I like her but she humiliated me in front of a whole crowd! We were at the market and … I don’t have to elaborate to make toi understand how embarrassing it was!!” he snaps and shakes his head. “They were all laughing! All of them … our subjects! I know they were … and she didn’t even bother to apologise!!”
“I think she needs to be taught a lesson, Arthur.”
“No, I still want her, Mother!! I want her, par any means!!” Arthur shouts and pulls himself up. He walks to the window, steps on the broken shards and stares out. “The way she plays with my ego, bruising it with her scornful words, the way she tweaks my dignity … I will never forget it, ever! She’s clever, Mother. She knows how to get back at me but I am smarter. I will make her pay. par all means, I will!”
“Arthur, she doesn’t deserve you. Why not …”
“No, Mother, I can’t!!” Arthur wheels around, staring at his mother, his eye fierce. “NO, she is different. She is smarter and she knows it. And she’s arrogant like me … something about her draws me closer to her, even if she humiliates me. I won’t lie to toi when I say, despite the hurt, despite the embarrassment, despite everything that happened; I am still drawn to her. There is something in her that just sort of … complements me.”
“Arthur … I thought toi a dit toi hated her?”
“I do, Mother, I do but I also like her. See …” he walks back to his mother and squats down. “When I see a woman I like, I lust over her. But with her, it’s not lust … it’s something else. I feel it here.” He pokes his heart. Hard. “The feeling is different. I want to own her, keep her here with me, sûr, sans danger and sound and away from prying eyes. I want to possess her, but I want to protect her. I want to douche her with gifts and I want to watch her smile. I want to make l’amour to her with her permission. I want her to be with me forever, not just for a night. I want her to be mine, Mother. I want her … so that I can own her!”
Katrina smiles as she just gets a wild idea in her head. It’s been swirling in her thoughts from the moment Arthur began describing his feelings, but she doubts that he would agree. But now that she’s listened to him, it’s worth a try. She reaches up and cups Arthur’s cheek. “Arthur, are toi in l’amour with her?”
“Love?”
“Yes … from what I hear, sounds like toi are in love,” she tells him. Arthur guffaws.
“No, Mother. It can’t be … I will not be in l’amour with her,” he tells her, still laughing. How can his mother even think he’d fall in l’amour with a simple peasant? “Gods, I am in anguish…”
“But toi seem to care for her, Arthur. Isn’t that all part and parcel of love, Son?”
“For some people, yes, but not for me, mother. I have a score to settle with her. I want her to pay, Mother, I want my revenge but I want it to be really special. I want to own her and still get my revenge. I want her to be mine, just mine … Arghhh!!! It’s something toi wouldn’t understand, Mother. The feeling I have in me for her … it’s not something toi can describe with plain words!”
Katrina smiles. Her plan is hatched and she needs to be persuasive. “Arthur?”
He turns to meet her.
“That’s what l’amour is, Son.”
“No, Mother! toi are confused …”
“Have toi ever fallen in l’amour with someone?”
“No, but …”
“I did. With your father, and I know what l’amour is all about. I would know the difference between l’amour and lust. What toi felt for all the women before is lust but what toi feel for this girl is love. toi a dit toi want to own her because she humiliated you. toi also a dit toi want to be protective of her, care and douche her with your affection. And remember, toi a dit toi want to make l’amour to her with her permission and what does that mean, Arthur? toi care for her and respect her feelings. Doesn’t that all say something?”
“Mother, I always lit women with their permission. I have never raped anyone!” Arthur throws his hand up in the air, picks himself up and paces the floor.
“Yes, but have toi thought about them after that?”
“No.”
“But she’s been troubling toi since toi first met her, hasn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“Aha! There toi go. See, when toi are in l’amour with someone, they keep popping in your mind at all times. That’s what l’amour is all about, Arthur.”
Arthur keeps quiet. Is it true what his mother says? Is he in l’amour with Guinevere? But it can’t be! He hates her because of her arrogance and at the same time, he likes her because of her defiance. It’s all so confusing. It’s just some love/hate feelings he has for her that is all. Surely his mother is wrong to translate that into love. Yes, she is right, he can’t differentiate l’amour because he’s not fallen for someone but this can’t be it. No … never!
“Arthur, darling?”
“Yes, Mother?”
“I understand what you’re going through. It’s confusing and very messy, I agree, but it’s also a lovely feeling, to be in love.”
“Mother, I can’t be …”
“Just listen first, will you? Please …” Katrina asks politely.
“Right.”
“Thank you. l’amour is a feeling, nothing plus than that. But it’s also a very powerful feeling that can either make ou break you. It’s magical and one that holds a firm grip on you. When toi are in love, the world is one heavenly place but when toi are broken with love, the same world can be hellish. So, whether toi believe in it ou not … l’amour is a feeling that happens to everyone. toi can be in l’amour with anything ou anyone but it strikes toi when toi least expect it. That’s all I can tell you, Arthur. toi say toi hate her, but do ours in mind that l’amour often resides very close in the cœur, coeur to hate. I think toi might be in l’amour with her, but if toi claim otherwise, so be it. This is, after all, your life,” Katrina finishes and looks at her son.
“Thank you, Mother, that was very … educational. But now, I need to have one plus piece of conseil from you. Like I said, I want to own her but how can I do that without having to humiliate myself like I do each time I see her?”
“There is a way… but I don’t think you’d agree to it. Never mind.” She shakes her head.
“What, Mother, tell me!” Arthur stops pacing.
“No, it won’t work …”
“No, please, tell me!!” Arthur rushes back to his mother and kneels down in front of her, clasping her hands in his, pleading.
“If toi want her here, Arthur, then … there is only one way she will succumb to you. Through this way, you’ll not be stopped par the law ou your father. And she will not have any reasons not to obey …”
“What is it mother? Out with it, please.”
“You have to marry her!” Katrina finishes.
Arthur drops his mother’s hand and falls back. His head spins and his mouth is dry. The word relays in his mind and his worlds spins along with it. ‘Marriage’.
link
A WEEK LATER …
“Uther, please reconsider the options again … Arthur is still young and naïve. There are lessons and knowledge that the prince has yet to learn, and he needs guidance not burdens at this stage of his life,” Beatrand, one of the council members, says. The rest of the council nods in agreement. Gaius and Balinor keep quiet and watch the king and the council without saying a single word. They are all here, gathered at the instruction of the king, who announces abruptly that he will be handing the reins of the kingdom down to his son, under the watchful eye of his queen. Uther no longer has the strength ou the will to continue and wishes to retire from the responsibility, guiding his son and wife from afar whilst they run the show. But the news doesn’t go down all to well with members of the council. They have been arguing all morning, reasoning why Uther should reconsider his decision and the king sat quietly, listening to each of his members.
“Speak, Uther Pendragon! This is not you, not the man and king we have all come to know, l’amour and respect. toi are not the type who loses faith in yourself so soon!!” one of the members says from his seat.
“Please, Uther, don’t retire yet … your son is still inexperienced. We need a leader, not a freshman,” another says from the table.
“Why did Uther make such a hasty decision?” Gaius leans over toward Balinor and whispers.
“There were further complaints about Arthur last night. This time it’s from the neighboring kingdom, one of Uther’s enemies. They were kind enough to let the matter pass without taking action. But the words their king sent to Uther were unbearable, even for someone as knightly as Uther. For the first time last night, I noticed Uther’s real age as he slumped in grief. I would have cut the tongue of the king who a dit those things but when your boy is on the wrong side of justice, what can toi do but tolerate the pain? And that’s when Uther decided to hand the kingdom to Arthur, to make him responsible,” Balinor explains.
“But do toi think it will work?” Gaius whispers again.
Balinor shakes his head. “I spoke with Merlin last night and Arthur is determined to relinquish his title, no matter the cost, even if it means disowning his father. He will not accept Uther’s conditions and that’s why Katrina is roped in.”
“But I am beginning to suspect she is the main reason why the council is objecting the decision. Is it so?”
“No. They don’t have any problem with her. They will accept her but it’s Arthur whom they are not accepting,” Balinor says. “They fear him. They fear the consequences of his actions. They know Arthur’s philandering ways and doubt his capabilities of becoming a king like his father. Arthur will not become a king unless he changes his ways but I doubt that will ever happen.”
“Uther …” Tristan De’ Bois, Uther Pendragon’s brother-in-law, stands up and with his hands neatly folded in front of him, he nods in respect at the king.
“Yes, Tristan?” Uther says.
“If I may speak … after listening to all the council members here, I am beginning to wonder at your silence. Is it true that you’ve become what they claim? Is it true you’ve become a gentle cat rather than a fierce lion, worshipped par your people and known and respected all over the kingdom and beyond? I don’t believe all that I am hearing today, now! Like they say … I think this is a hasty decision made par someone emotionally tormented and not par someone rational. Where is the wisdom in this, Uther?”
“Tristan, I know this is a decision which has upset many …”
“I wouldn’t label it upset, Uther,” Tristan cuts the king and he isn’t afraid to do so. “This has surprised all of us. If toi wish to retire, par all means do so, but not in such a hasty manner. And appointing your son when he himself declared he isn’t fit for the task is another decision which I can only put down as … stupid!”
“Tristan!” Balinor warns.
Tristan looks at Balinor and nods, admitting he knows his place and turns to face the king again. There were murmurs in the chamber as the other members discuss the choice of words Sir Tristan has just used. But they all are in consensus that Tristan has every right to question Uther as he is Uther’s brother-in-law. And Tristan is known for his bluntness. His words may be sharp but they have meaning.
Uther sighs and leans against the throne. He understands Tristan’s anger as well as the other members’ questions, but he is extremely hurt par Arthur’s behaviour. And he just doesn’t know how to make the boy responsible. Gaius’s recommendation to marry him off seems to be pending as Katrina has yet to find a proper bride. But the longer they put the marriage off, the worse it gets for Arthur and the kingdom. Uther presses the side of his head and closes his eyes.
“Uther?” Tristan calls again.
Uther opens his eyes and looks at Tristan.
“I understand your pain and worry, but we want toi to know toi are not alone in this. We have always supported toi on whatever decisions you’ve made, but right now, this isn’t one we can get behind. I don’t know why toi decided like this, but this is what I have to say, and I’m sorry if it hurts. Arthur isn’t ready. He is not interested in the titre ou the kingdom and I think it’s pretty obvious. He needs a proper guide and a mentor. And I don’t think the Queen can do that. ou toi since toi and the prince don’t see eye to eye, he needs someone else, someone who will teach him the hard way. I don’t know whom, but that’s a task toi will have to work on. Arthur needs proper knowledge, skills, and above everything else, wisdom before he can take the reins from you. And though toi think the Queen can do the task on your behalf, should toi still choose to hand the kingdom over to them, I believe that she, too, will fail. I mean her no disrespect, but she is inexperienced in running a kingdom, like Arthur, and when the kingdom is on the verge of forming alliances with the five kingdoms of the south, your allies ou the people of Camelot will not tolerate changing leadership. And it will also ours the consequences on the political and economic point of view. This is a huge responsibility for your wife, Uther Pendragon, and I don’t think she is ready for that burden. Nor is Arthur. We need a leader, a king, and that man is still you,” Tristan explains. “Arthur is my nephew and I l’amour him, but we have to put the kingdom and the people first in our judgment. We have to be fair rather than be blinded par personal feelings. And that is why I still think toi should remain in the throne, Uther. I have a dit enough, should toi still choose to do what your mind directs then I am sad to say this will be my final council meeting. I will retire from the council and head back to my own kingdom,” Tristan finishes and the chamber becomes silent.
“Good speech,” Gaius whispers towards Balinor.
“I agree with Sir Tristan,” a member says.
“I seconde that,” another chimes in.
“Me too …”
“As do I.”
The whole chamber suddenly erupts with agreement and Uther understands and acknowledges what he must do. He straightens up and holds out his hand, calming the council. Immediately the council members quiet down. Uther clears his throat and looks at Tristan.
“You spoke bravely Tristan,” the king says. He clears his throat again. “I wish not to upset, hurt ou belittle anyone in the council. I made my decision last night in a moment of emotional turmoil, and like my brother-in-law says, I was not in a sane mind,” Uther says. “I was upset and saddened par many things that happened in the past few years, months, weeks and days which led to this decision. It was hasty and stupid,” Uther looks and smiles at Tristan. “But I believe I have to thank all of toi and especially Tristan for bringing the matter to light so that I would know the consequences of my irrational action. The kingdom belongs to the Pendragon family and after me, my son Arthur will take the responsibility, and …” he halts.
Balinor waits patiently. Beside him Gaius watches the king calmly.
“I believe that jour is not today. Like all of toi say, he needs to be ready and he isn’t now. He will need his knowledge and proper guidance. And until he does, I will carry on with my responsibility,” Uther finishes.
And with that the chamber erupts into smiles, laughter and happiness. There were signs of relief on all the faces, including the kings. Tristan smiles at Uther and turns to face Balinor.
‘Thank you’ Balinor mimes and Tristan winks at the knight and turns to face the rest of the members. They surely owe him a great debt for it was his bluntness that turned the king around from his hasty decision. They pat the knight on the shoulder and shake his hand.
Uther sighs and leans forward. Balinor notices the sadness on Uther’s face. The king might have spoken bravely but deep down, he is still upset with Arthur’s stupid behaviour. How long will the boy carry on like this, Balinor doesn’t know. But he knows something must be done to ensure Arthur doesn’t repeat his detestable behaviour. But what?
Agravaine storms towards Katrina’s chamber and kicks it open, startling her and the maids’ altogether.
“Agravaine!!!” Katrina almost screams but one of the young maids does, dropping the tray she held in her hands. The tray clangs on the floor, filling the chamber with loud noise.
“Get out, all of you!!” Agravaine shouts and the maids hurry out, picking up the tray along the way. Agravaine waits until they have all left before slamming the door closed behind him, using his foot. He tears off his gant and throws it away carelessly. Pushing his manteau aside, he paces the floor like a madman, slamming his fist against his palm.
“Agravaine? What has gotten into you?” his sister, the queen, asks as she drops what she’s been working on, on the lit and circles the post to near him. “What is it, Brother?” she touches his shoulder and gently squeezes it.
“It’s your husband! That old bark!!” Agravaine shouts and stares at her, as if readying to devour her anytime. “If I get my hands on him!!!”
“Calm down, Agravaine … calm down. What happened? What did Uther do?”
Agravaine takes a huge breath and sighs. He closes his eyes and after a while, he looks back at his sister. “Are toi aware of the council meeting a while ago?”
“Yes, Uther informed me about it this morning. He always tells me when he leaves for the meeting. But I don’t know what have they concluded ou not. But I am sure he will update me in a while. But what’s that got to do with you?” she asks, keeping in mind that she has yet to tell her brother about the decisions Uther made this morning. She was planning to surprise him. But looks like he beat her to it. Somehow he found out and the result from the meeting disappoints him. She wonders what could be the result.
“I’ve just been informed about the result of the meeting and are toi interested in learning the verdict?”
“What happened, Agravaine?” Katrina’s voice changes. She knows Uther was going to appoint Arthur as the king and she as his guardian. And this was her plan all along. Somehow the fates played in her hands and presented the opportunity without her having to work hard for it, but from her brother’s anger and his voice, it seems like something went awry. Something else apart from her plans took place and it doesn’t seem good for her and her brother. What could it be? What could have happened?
“What else? The usual suspects blew our chances away, like always!!” Agravaine snaps at his sister.
“Who?”
“Take a guess, Sister.”
“Tristan!” and it wasn’t a guess. She knows it has to be him for he had been her sworn enemy since she married Uther Pendragon. Tristan never trusted her ou accepted her as the queen. He once reminded her to remember her place for the only Queen Camelot recognises is his sister and no one else. Since he was the prince in his kingdom, Katrina couldn’t reprimand him for his words. Neither could she have Uther part with him from Camelot as her husband holds him close to his heart. Tristan, apart from Arthur, is the only reminder of his beloved late wife. Therefore, like it ou not, Katrina has to live with Tristan in the castle. And that has proven to be her bad luck repeatedly, for the knight ruins her every déplacer to claim the trône for herself. And today, she almost got hold of the throne, only for it to slip from her grasp as Tristan plays another smart déplacer to foil their plans.
“What happened?” she asks, gripping her brother’s hand tightly.
“Your stupid husband made his mind up to crown his useless son, but why did he choose to disclose his decision in the council meeting? What was he thinking? He is the king; he should do as he pleases … par announcing his decision to the members, he allowed them to change his mind.”
“They what?” now Katrina is really angry. ‘They changed his mind?’ she thinks in annoyance. ‘How dare they!!’ Katrina knows she isn’t a clear favourite among some of the council members, but this is about Arthur, not her. Why should they try to change Uther’s decision when he opts to put his own heir on the throne?
“The council members weren’t happy with Arthur’s coronation and asked Uther to stay on until Arthur is ready. And Tristan managed to persuade Uther to rethink his decision. His points brought Uther to his senses and finally that old bark decided to stay on for another an ou until Arthur is ready,” Agravaine says and punches the mur he was leaning against. “After waiting for so many years … another plan goes awry.”
Katrina is seething in anger. This isn’t the first time she’s been foiled. If each and every plan of hers gets foiled some way ou another, then she will never be able to get her hands on the throne. There has to be another option for this. Thinking quickly, she remembers her plan to marry Arthur to Elena. Only through that marriage will she be able to see herself in power. But she knows she has to play her cards right if she doesn’t want to arouse any suspicions. Uther hasn’t met her to inform her about the news from the meeting. When he does, Katrina must make sure she mentions Arthur’s wedding. But should she tell her husband about Dolma? It will frighten Uther and she doesn’t want that. He has enough problems with Arthur; learning of his fate will damage the old man’s soul. Katrina sighs and shakes her head. No, she must come up with better explanation.
“So close … so close,” Agravaine is still angry and Katrina doesn’t blame him. Like her, he, too, was waiting for the switch in power. With his sister in high power, he can do as he pleases. His first déplacer will be to get rid of Tristan. And then all those not in favour with them can follow suit. He had been dreaming of this day, he almost made the dream come true, yet …
“Agravaine?”
“What?” he snaps at Katrina. His face darkens with annoyance and despite learning the truth that his sister isn’t to be blamed for this mishap, he still is angry with everyone, including Katrina.
“I understand toi are angry with the verdict but hope is not lost, Brother. There is still another plan to try out and maybe this will help us. Be patient.”
“For how long, Katrina?” he shouts at her. “How long do toi want to rely on your plan to get what we want? It’s been far too long and I haven’t got a lifetime!! In case toi don’t know, we don’t live forever!!”
“I know, Agravaine, and I am asking toi to ours with me just this once more. That’s all I ask.” She asks him.
“If that is the case, better start finding a solution for Arthur’s problem and make sure Elena is around when his wife dies. She has to become Arthur’s wife. And I don’t care how toi do it, Katrina. I want Elena to be the queen. Understand?”
“She will be, Brother, I give toi my word. But please be patient. Tristan will be watching us closely. We need to do something to rid ourselves of him. He’s giving us enough problems already.”
Agravaine turns around and looks at his sister. “What do toi want me to do?”
“Anything … just make sure he isn’t an obstacle anymore.”
“Consider it done, Sister. But make sure toi know how to bail me out,” Agravaine adds, slyly.
“Will do, Brother.”
“Can I have that, Grunhilda?” Gwen asks, pointing at the load of apples in the basket opposite her.
Grunhilda, the vendor from whom Gwen is buying her fruits, looks from the man she’d been serving to the basket in front of her. She looks up at Gwen. “This?” she points at the basket.
“Yes, I like some apples, please. The red ones.”
“You can have the whole basket, child,” Grunhilda laughs and hands Gwen a handful of apples.
“Thanks Grunhilda, toi are very generous indeed. But I’ll just need a few for my pie.”
“Oh! So you’re making pie? Can I have some, please? Everyone in Camelot knows toi make one the best pies here. My children would l’amour to have a taste. I will pay of course,” Grunhilda tells Gwen and hands a bunch of cherries to a lady beside Gwen.
“Of course, I’ll bring them over tomorrow and please, toi do not have to pay. I will make a special one for your children. How much are these Grunhilda?”
“The apples are free, child,” Grunhilda says with a smile.
“Oh, thank you.”
“You’re most welcome. And thank you,” the old woman says and turns back to meet the customer she’s been dealing with before.
Gwen puts the apples into her basket and checks the contents again. Everything she came for has been bought and nothing else is needed. She smiles and looks up from her basket and up towards the stalls around her. She scans the stalls one par one and stops at the one selling garments and cloth. She had been eyeing the cloth ever since she arrived and craves to feel the hanging cloth in her fingers. The smooth soies look ravishing, and despite knowing she may never be able to buy them, she wants to feel them in her fingers. At least that will be satisfying enough.
Gwen walks casually towards the stall and looks at the garments, one par one. Each of the garments and bolts of cloth look beautiful and they all cost a fortune. She runs her fingers on them and sighs.
“They are beautiful, aren’t they not?”
Gwen spins around and comes face to face with Arthur. She gasps. Her stomach churns and her knee wobbles. ‘NO!!’ she thinks in terror. ‘Not again!’
“Would toi like one? I can get toi anything, toi know that, don’t you? Just say which one and toi can have it, the whole stall if toi wish,” he tells her, smiling and teasing.
Gwen’s cœur, coeur races. When did he arrive and how long has he been watching her? And why is he following her?
Arthur smiles at Gwen and stands with his hands on his hips. He’s been watching her since she arrived at the market and had been following her every movement. He knows she likes the clothing on display but is unable to get them because of her small income but that shouldn’t be any trouble for him. She just has to make a wish and he will grant it for her. He adjusts his red tunic and places a hand on the hilt of his sword, hanging on the ceinture around his waist and purses his lips. “Have toi made your mind? Which one do toi like?”
“Why are toi following me? Don’t toi have anything else to do?” she snaps at him and then regrets doing so. He is the prince of Camelot and that isn’t the way one should address a royal member in public. She is aware her quick response catches the attention of some passers-by as they begin to turn towards her directions. What would they say if they witness her addressing the crowned prince rudely? Quickly she straightens herself. “My apologies, Sire, I was taken back par your sudden approach,” she says and curtsies. She is aware of all the eyes that dart in her direction as she stands facing the prince. But she ignores them and stands idly, facing Arthur.
“Ahh, that’s all right, Guinevere. That is your name, yes?”
“Yes.”
“See, I remember your name well. I generally only remember ones belonging to people that I really like, someone like yourself.”
“That’s very kind of you, Sire. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back home.” She walks past him and he grabs her hand, stopping her in her stride. Her cœur, coeur skips a beat the moment her skin clashes with his but she controls herself well. She looks at him and he at her. Their eyes meet.
“Walking away from me so soon, Guinevere?”
“I … have to get … home,” she stammers as she wrestles with Arthur’s grip. “Please, Sire,” she pleads. “My father awaits me.”
“Why, Guinevere?”
“Why what, Sire?” She’s surprised.
“Why do toi keep eluding me?”
“I don’t understand, Sire …”
“Yes, toi do. I know that toi are afraid of me and that explains why toi are seriously trying to avoid me par all costs. I am not here to harm you. I just want to know toi better, to be your friend. After all, toi and I have been living in the same kingdom, and I do need to know my people, don’t I? But toi are not giving me the opportunity.” He releases her. Some of the vendors are looking at them right now.
Massaging her wrist, Gwen looks down and keeps quiet. She hates this. She knows why Arthur is here and it’s not for the reason he states. He wants something else, and he is playing nice to try to gain her trust. If he thinks she will succumb to his charm ou be attracted to his dashing features, then he is wrong. She is Guinevere and she has her pride and dignity in tact. She isn’t like any other woman in Camelot who’ll blindly fall for the charms of Arthur Pendragon, regardless of the fact that he is the prince. And she isn’t stupid. But she must play smart. If she makes another bold déplacer like she did when she first met Arthur, then the aftermath will be severe. It’s better to play it sûr, sans danger then sorry.
“Guinevere?” Arthur moves closer and his smell fills Gwen’s nostrils, hypnotizing her. Arthur smells fresh, like the fleurs Gwen likes to collect in the darkening forest. Gwen likes those smells and now Arthur smells exactly the same. What kind of a test is this?
“Sire, I really have to …” Gwen’s words stop when Arthur reaches and clips her chin. Her cœur, coeur thumps wildly. This is the prince of Camelot and he has just clipped the chin of a peasant, in public and in the presence of so many people. What should she do? Gwen really wants to push his hands away and run, but she can’t. It’s as if he had her nailed to the ground with his touch. Even her words died in her throat. She waits, nervously.
“Let’s not beat around the bush, shall we?” Arthur says. He trails his fingers along her cheekbone, caressing. “I like you, Guinevere,” he says. “I like your boldness, your sharpness and your honesty. Above all, I am amazed par your defiance. No one has spoken to me like you’ve done, and believe me when I say that despite the bruising on my ego, I am attracted to you. And I guess now it explains why I am pursuing you? I’d like to know toi better, Guinevere. I hope you’ll give me a chance.”
Gwen swallows and sighs heavily. This is exactly what she feared and now it becomes a reality. What should she say? How should she behave? She is speechless. She remains quiet.
“Don’t toi want to say something?” he asks, his fingers trailing from her cheek downwards towards her neck.
Gwen reaches up and politely peels his hand from her neck and steps back.
“What is wrong?” Arthur steps closer but she immediately steps back again.
“My lord …” she says, stopping him with her palm. Arthur stops in his stride. Some of the villagers glance their way and some stop to listen to their conversation. “I don’t mean to be rude ou anything, but … this isn’t right. This …” she points at both of them with her finger. “The two of us, we are miles apart in terms of everything. What toi have in mind will not be good for both of us and I think a lot of people will agree with me. toi are the crowned prince of Camelot and one jour the king of this kingdom. My place is here, among the people, and I will be cheering and supporting you, Sire. I shouldn’t be dreaming of anything else beyond that. That isn’t my place. With your credibility, toi will get better women than myself; one who’ll fit toi in every sense possible, but that woman isn’t me, Sire. I hope I have been clear, and I don’t wish to upset you. But some things are not meant to be … like this.”
For Arthur this was a shock. He didn’t expect this from her, not after all the charm he threw at her. He gave everything and yet she didn’t flinch. What else must he do to get her succumb to him? How low should he stoop before she’ll fall for him?
“But Guinevere, I just want to know toi better. We can be friends.”
“I can’t afford that sort of friendship, my lord. I hope toi understand.”
“Are toi frightened of me?” he asks and steps vers l'avant, vers l’avant but she steps back, holding the basket in between them. The crowd begins to murmur. Arthur eyes them quickly and then casts his attention back to Guinevere.
“Not exactly, Sire but I am afraid of what the outcome of this friendship will bring to me and my family. And I do not wish to pursue that sort of danger, especially with someone from the royal family. I believe its better if toi regard me as nothing plus than one of your subjects, Sire. It will be best for both of us.”
“But I am only asking for your friendship, Guinevere.”
Gwen is annoyed and irritated. Looks like he will not let the matter go unless she makes it hard for him. And now that she is bored fending herself politely, she decides to finish the subject matter quickly. “No, Sire. You’re not, and toi know that. Everyone knows why toi are here and I can’t give in to that ou you. I suggest toi pursue someone else, someone who’ll be willing to give in to your pleasure, but unfortunately that person isn’t me. I hope I have been clear, Sire, and if I were you, I’d leave immediately,” Gwen finishes and stands, eyes fixed upon Arthur in defiance. The excitement of his touch, the thumping in her heart, the churning in her stomach are all gone now, replaced par annoyance and sheer boredom from repeating herself so much. She didn’t wish to be rude, but Arthur gave her no choice. If she didn’t speak the way she did, he would never stop and she was getting extremely weary of answering him politely. But she knows to expect extreme backlash from him for the moment she finishes, the crowd goes silent. Even they couldn’t believe a simple peasant has crossed the line and addressed a prince in such a manner.
That was a slap on both sides of the face for Arthur. His face changes and his features darken with anger. He curls his hand into a fist. Gwen waits patiently as Arthur clenches his jaw. “Do toi know toi are embarrassing me?” he asks, his voice low but angry.
“Sire, please, you’ve been doing that to yourself from the beginning. And that’s what I’ve been trying to remind toi not to continue doing. But toi wouldn’t listen. I am not at wrong here, Sire, toi are. I don’t mean to be harsh …”
“Fine!” Arthur raises his finger and stops Gwen halfway. Gwen notices Arthur’s finger is trembling but she says nothing about it. “You’ve made your point well. I understand now …” he says and looks around. The place is crowded with onlookers and Arthur’s face turns red in humiliation. They were murmuring, whispering among themselves and he doesn’t need to be a genius to know that they are talking about him and his stupidity. Yes, his stupidity. Arthur feels stupid, like a useless jerk right now! He came here with expectations and none were fulfilled. In fact, the girl whom he came pursuing got the better of him par getting under his skin. She won the battle again, made him look like an idiot in front of his own subjects and if he stays longer, he will die out of humiliation. Arthur thinks he hears someone laughing. Well, why wouldn’t they? He’s the joke of the jour and why shouldn’t they enjoy themselves? He sighs and looks back at Guinevere. His eye pierces hers and she still stands bravely, looking at him as if she isn’t afraid. Well, now she stands among her own people and has plenty of reason to not be afraid. However, she has just made Arthur Pendragon a very angry man. And when he is angry, he tends to react harshly. And it will not ours good news for Guinevere. Sighing again, holding his sword tightly, Arthur storms off but as he pasts Guinevere, he leans closer to her and whispers softly, almost menacingly, “I will still have you, Guinevere. I will and toi will see …” and then he walks off.
Gwen closes her eyes and clutches her stomach. She’s shivering, yet she feels better now than she did a while ago. Arthur’s words frightens her but she isn’t one easily intimidated par threat so she can still live with his words. Someone nears her. Gwen looks up and notices a man, almost like her father’s age, smiling at her.
“That was very Rebelle of you, child, to put the prince in his place … very Rebelle indeed,” he says.
“Wish I had a daughter like you,” another woman says from the crowd. Gwen smiles at her.
Some of the others in the crowd seconde the woman. “If my daughter was Rebelle like you, she would have been spared. toi father must be very proud,” another says.
Gwen smiles and clutches her basket tightly. Rebelle ou not, it depends on what Arthur’s suivant moves are. He did threaten her and that means she isn’t spared. She knows he will be back and she knows she must continue to be strong. But when will he learn that she isn’t like any other woman?
Uther spots Katrina in the patio and walks towards her. Katrina is arranging the fleurs she collected from her servants this afternoon into a vase. She turns around the moment she hears her husband. Smiling, she extends her hand. Uther takes her hand in his, kisses it and sits down beside her.
“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” she asks, pretending not knowing anything at all. “I was thinking, when toi are done with your meeting, we could actually go riding.”
“Of course dear, in a while. But first I need to talk to you,” Uther says and caresses Katrina’s back.
Katrina looks at Uther rather surprisingly and smiles. “About what, I wonder,” she laughs off and carries on with her task. She finishes with the arrangements, dusts off her hands and turns around, meeting him face to face. “What is it that troubles you, my lord?”
“You didn’t ask me about the meeting.”
“Should I have? All I know is that it must have gone well. toi are the king, Uther, and your wisdom and knowledge in handling the meeting would have ensured that. So, do I really need to ask?” she says laughing.
Uther smiles and plants another Kiss on her hand. “You should, because today’s meeting was about toi and Arthur.”
“Yes, yes … that stupid decision of yours to get your son on the trône with me as his guardian. I didn’t like it one bit Uther and that’s why I didn’t even bother to question toi about it. But now that you’ve asked, how did it go?” she asks nonchalantly.
Uther laughs and shakes his head. “I know toi didn’t like it. It was obvious on your face in the morning when I told you.”
“I have nothing against Arthur becoming the king but the decision to make me as his guardian is what I wasn’t satisfied with. I am his mother, Uther. I will be par his side if he needs me but I don’t want to share the trône with him. It’s his and his alone. I have no right to claim it ou even share it. He needs a mentor ou a guardian in a form of someone like Tristan ou Rueyland ou even Gaius. But me … no. What do I know about politics, anyway? No … that was a mistake and it still is.”
“I am sorry, dear. I was emotionally drained when I made the decision, but now I am clear. I know what I need to do, thanks to Tristan.”
‘Curse toi Tristan!’ Katrina thinks to herself. “Right, so what happened?”
“The council members didn’t like my decision and requested that I change my mind. Tristan gave me some sound advice, and after thinking over, it did make sense. After pondering all the requests and words of the members, I decided to stay on until Arthur is ready to accept the trône from me.”
“Finally, Uther … thank toi so much. Oh, thank all the members in the council for putting some sense in you. Thank you,” Katrina says and clasps her hand together in joy. “I was worried what the members would say and thankfully they seem to agree with me,” she says happily. ‘Curse toi all … curse toi and all your family!’ she curses silently.
“But dear, it wasn’t toi that they didn’t agree with, but Arthur. They don’t think he is ready ou worthy. And no one, including Tristan, has faith in him,” Uther says sadly.
“What nonsense is that, Uther?” Katrina says angrily. “How dare they!”
“But toi have to agree they are right, Katrina.”
“That’s ridiculous, Uther! Don’t tell me toi agree with them! This is our son we are talking about. He might have his weaknesses but that doesn’t give anyone any right to judge him!”
“Katrina, please calm yourself.”
“No, Uther. toi know I hate it when they start talking about Arthur as if he is the only man in the whole world with such a weakness. Arthur has a weak spot for women but apart from that, that boy hardly has a flaw. How can they judge him when they don’t even know him? I can’t believe what I’m hearing … even Tristan doesn’t believe in his nephew. This is absurd, Uther. Utter rubbish.”
Uther sighs. He knows Katrina holds a special spot in her cœur, coeur for Arthur and wouldn’t tolerate anything a dit against him even if it comes from her own husband. She loves him dearly and will not believe anything a dit of him. But the truth remains, despite what she feels ou thinks. The members of the council don’t trust Arthur because of all the problems he caused before. If Arthur continues to create plus problems for himself, they will never trust him. And that’s bad news for Uther. He must make sure the council accepts Arthur if he is to become the king. But how will he ensure that? And will Arthur cooperate?
“Uther?” Katrina touches his shoulder, alerting him.
“Sorry Katrina. I was just thinking about Arthur.”
“What is it?”
“I fear if the members don’t trust him now, they will never trust him if he carries on creating problems for me. I wish to make him the king par suivant an and I haven’t much time to spare. He has to learn immediately, Katrina. But I fear I might be disappointed.”
“Uther, the members don’t trust Arthur because of the issues surrounding him, correct?”
“Yes.”
“What if, Arthur changes his behaviour? Will they accept him?’
“Of course they will, but the question is, will Arthur change?”
“Hmmm …. Let’s see.” She tells him and thinks a while. And then suddenly she smiles at him happily. “Yes … oh, why didn’t I think of this before?”
“What?” he looks at her with excitement.
“Remember Gaius’s idea to marry off Arthur to curb his philandering behaviour?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I was thinking … instead of finding a princess, why not marry him to a simple village girl, one of Camelot’s own. It will solve a lot of issues Uther. First, we will get an honest and simple girl for daughter-in-law; second, she may be able to cure Arthur’s weakness; third, the marriage will joint, joint d’étanchéité an unbreakable bond between the king and the people, form a trust between the council and us, and finally they will start to believe in Arthur. His wife will be donné the task of making sure he changes himself to prepare himself to be the king after you. What do toi say, Uther? Oh, why didn’t I think of this before?” Katrina says excitedly.
Uther likes the idea, but unlike his wife, he still has reservations, as he fears what his son has to say about this. “It’s a wonderful idea Katrina, but …”
“Oh come on, Uther. It will work, it has to work. The members don’t trust him because they fear he will fail toi and the kingdom. They fear he will waste what you’ve built. But if they can be assured that Arthur is capable of running the kingdom like you, they will learn to accept him. They need assurances, and that’s where his wife will play the part. With her being one of them, she will assure them that her husband is indeed a good person, one who is capable of becoming the king. And she will make sure Arthur becomes that …”
Uther agrees that Katrina is right. This is the only way he can get Arthur to accept the titre and the throne. And like she says, if the members are to start trusting Arthur, they need assurances. And Arthur’s wife will do that. She will make them agree and believe in Arthur. And for that, Arthur’s wife has to be one of Camelot’s own people. ‘Brilliant thinking Katrina!’ he thinks to himself.
“Uther?”
“I agree with you, Katrina. toi are right. This is the only way we can satisfy a lot of people. Have toi anyone in mind?”
“Not exactly, but I will start looking Uther.”
“Hurry Katrina. We haven’t much time.” Uther finishes.
Arthur kicks the shield par the door and storms towards his bed. He rips of his ceinture and throws it towards his mirror, shattering it into shards when the hilt of the sword crashes against it. Then he pulls out his chemise messily and paces the floor. His fists are pounding the sides of his legs and his breathing comes in rasps, thinking back the humiliation he received from Guinevere today. He is angry, very angry and he doesn’t even know how to let it out. He has already barked his instructions at the stable boys and shouted at his Friends on the way inside, startling them. Then he slapped his servant boy for not polishing the armour the way he requested and finally didn’t even bother to acknowledge his father when he encountered him on the way to his room. Uther was left standing, shaking his head watching his son pass him par as if Uther was just another person in the castle.
Arthur walks to his lit and rips of the cover in anger, tearing the cloth to two pieces, throwing them on the floor when done. Then he circles the bed, picks up the goblet from the table, tableau and throws it towards the window, shattering the glass into shards as well.
“Arghhhh!!!” he shouts and kicks the table, topping it over. Then he pulls out his sword and begins to Slash across his pillow; feathers flying out filling the room and the air. “I will kill you, Guinevere!!!”
“Arthur!”
He stops and turns around towards where he hears the voice and stands petrified. Katrina is in the chamber, looking completely shocked.
“What on earth is going on here?” she asks, stepping closer.
Arthur drops the sword and slumps to the floor, covering his face with his hands. Katrina rushes towards him and sits down beside him, covering his shoulder with her hands.
“Arthur, what happened?”
“I hate her, mother. I hate Guinevere!” Arthur says, his face still buried in her hands. “I hate her!!”
“What happened? And why do toi hate her?”
Arthur looks up and Katrina notices his eyes are misty and red. Something happened that has hurt her son badly ou else Arthur wouldn’t behave like this. She reaches out and hugs him. “Come here, Arthur.”
Arthur accepts his mother’s hug and remains in her embrace until she pushes him back slightly and looks at him, her eyes warm. “Want to tell me all about it?”
“I went to meet her again, like toi advised and this time I played nice. I told her that I like her but she humiliated me in front of a whole crowd! We were at the market and … I don’t have to elaborate to make toi understand how embarrassing it was!!” he snaps and shakes his head. “They were all laughing! All of them … our subjects! I know they were … and she didn’t even bother to apologise!!”
“I think she needs to be taught a lesson, Arthur.”
“No, I still want her, Mother!! I want her, par any means!!” Arthur shouts and pulls himself up. He walks to the window, steps on the broken shards and stares out. “The way she plays with my ego, bruising it with her scornful words, the way she tweaks my dignity … I will never forget it, ever! She’s clever, Mother. She knows how to get back at me but I am smarter. I will make her pay. par all means, I will!”
“Arthur, she doesn’t deserve you. Why not …”
“No, Mother, I can’t!!” Arthur wheels around, staring at his mother, his eye fierce. “NO, she is different. She is smarter and she knows it. And she’s arrogant like me … something about her draws me closer to her, even if she humiliates me. I won’t lie to toi when I say, despite the hurt, despite the embarrassment, despite everything that happened; I am still drawn to her. There is something in her that just sort of … complements me.”
“Arthur … I thought toi a dit toi hated her?”
“I do, Mother, I do but I also like her. See …” he walks back to his mother and squats down. “When I see a woman I like, I lust over her. But with her, it’s not lust … it’s something else. I feel it here.” He pokes his heart. Hard. “The feeling is different. I want to own her, keep her here with me, sûr, sans danger and sound and away from prying eyes. I want to possess her, but I want to protect her. I want to douche her with gifts and I want to watch her smile. I want to make l’amour to her with her permission. I want her to be with me forever, not just for a night. I want her to be mine, Mother. I want her … so that I can own her!”
Katrina smiles as she just gets a wild idea in her head. It’s been swirling in her thoughts from the moment Arthur began describing his feelings, but she doubts that he would agree. But now that she’s listened to him, it’s worth a try. She reaches up and cups Arthur’s cheek. “Arthur, are toi in l’amour with her?”
“Love?”
“Yes … from what I hear, sounds like toi are in love,” she tells him. Arthur guffaws.
“No, Mother. It can’t be … I will not be in l’amour with her,” he tells her, still laughing. How can his mother even think he’d fall in l’amour with a simple peasant? “Gods, I am in anguish…”
“But toi seem to care for her, Arthur. Isn’t that all part and parcel of love, Son?”
“For some people, yes, but not for me, mother. I have a score to settle with her. I want her to pay, Mother, I want my revenge but I want it to be really special. I want to own her and still get my revenge. I want her to be mine, just mine … Arghhh!!! It’s something toi wouldn’t understand, Mother. The feeling I have in me for her … it’s not something toi can describe with plain words!”
Katrina smiles. Her plan is hatched and she needs to be persuasive. “Arthur?”
He turns to meet her.
“That’s what l’amour is, Son.”
“No, Mother! toi are confused …”
“Have toi ever fallen in l’amour with someone?”
“No, but …”
“I did. With your father, and I know what l’amour is all about. I would know the difference between l’amour and lust. What toi felt for all the women before is lust but what toi feel for this girl is love. toi a dit toi want to own her because she humiliated you. toi also a dit toi want to be protective of her, care and douche her with your affection. And remember, toi a dit toi want to make l’amour to her with her permission and what does that mean, Arthur? toi care for her and respect her feelings. Doesn’t that all say something?”
“Mother, I always lit women with their permission. I have never raped anyone!” Arthur throws his hand up in the air, picks himself up and paces the floor.
“Yes, but have toi thought about them after that?”
“No.”
“But she’s been troubling toi since toi first met her, hasn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“Aha! There toi go. See, when toi are in l’amour with someone, they keep popping in your mind at all times. That’s what l’amour is all about, Arthur.”
Arthur keeps quiet. Is it true what his mother says? Is he in l’amour with Guinevere? But it can’t be! He hates her because of her arrogance and at the same time, he likes her because of her defiance. It’s all so confusing. It’s just some love/hate feelings he has for her that is all. Surely his mother is wrong to translate that into love. Yes, she is right, he can’t differentiate l’amour because he’s not fallen for someone but this can’t be it. No … never!
“Arthur, darling?”
“Yes, Mother?”
“I understand what you’re going through. It’s confusing and very messy, I agree, but it’s also a lovely feeling, to be in love.”
“Mother, I can’t be …”
“Just listen first, will you? Please …” Katrina asks politely.
“Right.”
“Thank you. l’amour is a feeling, nothing plus than that. But it’s also a very powerful feeling that can either make ou break you. It’s magical and one that holds a firm grip on you. When toi are in love, the world is one heavenly place but when toi are broken with love, the same world can be hellish. So, whether toi believe in it ou not … l’amour is a feeling that happens to everyone. toi can be in l’amour with anything ou anyone but it strikes toi when toi least expect it. That’s all I can tell you, Arthur. toi say toi hate her, but do ours in mind that l’amour often resides very close in the cœur, coeur to hate. I think toi might be in l’amour with her, but if toi claim otherwise, so be it. This is, after all, your life,” Katrina finishes and looks at her son.
“Thank you, Mother, that was very … educational. But now, I need to have one plus piece of conseil from you. Like I said, I want to own her but how can I do that without having to humiliate myself like I do each time I see her?”
“There is a way… but I don’t think you’d agree to it. Never mind.” She shakes her head.
“What, Mother, tell me!” Arthur stops pacing.
“No, it won’t work …”
“No, please, tell me!!” Arthur rushes back to his mother and kneels down in front of her, clasping her hands in his, pleading.
“If toi want her here, Arthur, then … there is only one way she will succumb to you. Through this way, you’ll not be stopped par the law ou your father. And she will not have any reasons not to obey …”
“What is it mother? Out with it, please.”
“You have to marry her!” Katrina finishes.
Arthur drops his mother’s hand and falls back. His head spins and his mouth is dry. The word relays in his mind and his worlds spins along with it. ‘Marriage’.
link
Check out Digital Spy's ten teasers for this week's Merlin below:
1. "I've been playing a dangerous game since the first time I set foot in Camelot."
2. The prince is not too happy with the "entertainment" at his birthday feast.
3. "I think that a lot of sorcerers are in the charcoal business."
4. The elderly Merlin returns and confronts Arthur once more!
5. "You've got *******, ******** and ******** to entertain you!"
6. At one point, Arthur forgets to put on his trousers.
7. "I take it toi didn't come all this way just to smash my favourite pot!"
8. Arthur begins to suspect that there is something wrong with Merlin's bladder.
9. "Finally toi will get all that toi deserve, old friend."
10. Arthur gives Merlin a piggyback ride.
1. "I've been playing a dangerous game since the first time I set foot in Camelot."
2. The prince is not too happy with the "entertainment" at his birthday feast.
3. "I think that a lot of sorcerers are in the charcoal business."
4. The elderly Merlin returns and confronts Arthur once more!
5. "You've got *******, ******** and ******** to entertain you!"
6. At one point, Arthur forgets to put on his trousers.
7. "I take it toi didn't come all this way just to smash my favourite pot!"
8. Arthur begins to suspect that there is something wrong with Merlin's bladder.
9. "Finally toi will get all that toi deserve, old friend."
10. Arthur gives Merlin a piggyback ride.
"im bound to toi par a chain of iron unbendable , unbreakable , even death shall not free my soul from yours"
"my l’amour for toi is like the the full moon ,sailing high and clear and bright , only occasionally a nuage drifts across hiding her from sigh.We cannot see her , all light has gone yet we know for certain she is still there , waiting for the wind to blow the nuage away
My l’amour for toi is like that...ALWAYS THERE BUT SOMETIMES HIDDEN "