Aiden Efell

“Ah, but now we fulfil out noble quest. We can keep talking afterwards,” Galahad said, in all sincerity. This wasn’t something he talked about much with anyone, and he appreciated both Aiden’s neutrality and his sincere responses. Leading the way inside, he lifted the tray of tarts high over his shoulder and called as he went, “We are in need of some brave children to help us get rid of these tarts! Are there any around here?”

Aiden was almost caught by surprise when a hoard of tiny feet stamped down the stairs and soon enough they were surrounded by a group of children of different ages with their eyes wide with curiosity. “Hey now, I’m sure there’s enough for everybody,” he said, taking a couple of the tarts and handing them to the orphans. “Or enough to share, for sure.” He felt bad for eating some on the way, these children needed them more than he did. At the same time, they didn’t know some were missing and the spark in their eyes was filling him with a strange feeling of joy.

“I will find you then” Morfydd replied, glad at least that she would not have to go in search of him. This new life would be a far more busy one and with each step she had taken towards the castle it had all become more and more real to her. She’d made it, she was accomplished. Now she could settle into a routine and adjust to her new line of work and then focus on achieving her final goal - happiness. “Thank you for your escort”

Aiden bowed. “It’s was my pleasure, lady Morfydd,” he assured her. “I will count the minutes until the moment you come looking for me. They will be the longest moments of my life.” His playful grin was meant to hide the fact that he didn’t quite want to let her go but she was surely tired after all the travelling and he knew better than to force his presence onto a lady. “Thank you for letting me escort you.”

“Why, thank you. You’re one of my favourite dukes,” Galahad replied with a grin, lifting the half-eaten tart in his hand in a kind of salute. As he spoke they came to the end of the street, and the orphanage came into view only a few feet away from them. “Ah, here we are.”

“Ah, of course. Just when I was starting to have fun,” he said, perhaps with a hint of disappointment in his voice. “Well, what can we do? It seems that we’re just going to have to give these out to some hungry children instead of continuing in our fruitful conversation.” Giving Galahad a smile, he stopped in front of the entrance, nodding. “After you, sir Galahad.”

Color flooded her cheeks as she realized the way that her words were likely interpreted, “I merely meant that if someone so important has time than there’s no reason why I shouldn’t as well” she defended lightly, averting her gaze so that he might not notice her embarrassment, “Do you come by the castle often?” she wondered aloud, thinking it was perhaps a silly question. Based on the limited amount she knew of his situation he was likely a guest as well but he just as easily could have lived somewhere else within the kingdom. They has only spoken twice now but she already prized his company despite knowing so little about him. Their destination was near though and she knew that meant their conversation was sure to end soon so she asked mainly so that she could make some guesses at how difficult it might be to see him again. “You know, so I’ll know how loudly i’ll need to call” she added jokingly.

“Quite often,” Aiden laughed. He and his retinue were the guests of the King’s, who offered them shelter when Hamtun was attacked. But as the guest wing of the castle was reserved for the most important guests of the crown, Aiden was given a part of the Citadel that was made for the rest of nobility. He was invited to the castle as often as he pleased, though. “You could say I’m a frequent visitor. You needn’t call that loudly,” he promised with a smirk.

“Well, that is certainly true,” Galahad chuckled, reaching out to take one such tart. Glistening red jam was oozing out of the pastry over his fingers, and he licked it off with a smile. “As a prophesied knight, I must do my best to keep up my strength, after all.”

“Very true,” Aiden nodded enthusiastically. “Well, from what I can say so far, you are one my favourite knights for sure.” The duke met a few of them and most have been too serious or cocky in a way he didn’t care for. This one he liked, though.

Before Queen Elaine had left Camelot she had told Morfydd of the new role that she would be given. She had told her that she wanted to continue to nurture her into the smart and beautiful woman that she had been becoming before her departure. Hopefully that would mean that Morfydd would have time to develop relationships both personal and professional. To be safe she would definitely mention it in her next letter. As she thought her brow furrowed sightly before she finally nodded, “The King of Camelot has sisters and a wife that I am sure he makes time for. If he has time to be otherwise engaged than I should as well.”

Aiden’s smile spread across his face. “What a daring comparison,” he laughed, nodding. “Very well then, I shall teach you the secrets of leaving the boring aspects of life behind whenever our busy schedules allow it.” Mostly her schedule, he thought to himself, as he did not have much on his agenda lately. He made sure to present himself as incredibly busy and necessary, though, as much as he could. “Just call my name and I’ll come running.”

“Oh, darling, tell me something I don’t know.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true,” Galahad said, through there was still a faint frown on his forehead. It didn’t quite feel like that - it felt like by taking up his place he was accepting the prophecy and all the responsibility that came with it. Or was that just something he told himself to make it easier, because the other option was to admit that he had never had any choice at all but was just some kind of puppet for fate? He shook his head and found a smile. “How much easier it would be if I’d just been prophesied to liberate some tarts.”

“What a  shame that the seers are not as progressive,” Aiden sighed theatrically. “But although you were not prophesised to do so, there is none saying you cannot do it anyway.” He offered the plate to the knight with a wide grin.

“Then you know as much as I do,” Galahad said with a small smile. He felt silent for a few moments, watching the road in front of them, not really sure what to say. This wasn’t something he talked about much, even with his mother and sister. It had been a part of him for so long, it many ways he was used to it, but if he really looked inside himself … “Sometimes I feel like a fraud,” he admitted. “I see people watching me, expecting great things, or something special. But I don’t think I’m any different or better than any other man.”

Aiden watched the knight carefully, frowning ever so slightly at his words. “You didn’t choose this,” he said, shaking his head a little. “It’s not like you woke up one day and told yourself ‘I’m bored, I think I’m going to be the chosen one today’, right? Even if you do end up disappointing them - which I’m not saying you will - that is their problem and not yours.” 

“A kind offer. I do believe I would benefit from the tutelage whenever you may find time enough in your schedule to allow it” Morfydd replied. Though their walk through town had been rather leisurely she could see the castle clearly now. The wind still buffeted her and she more than likely appeared an utter mess but who didn’t after as long a ride in a carriage? She was just absolutely thrilled to be back and get her life started. 

“I’d be honoured,” he nodded as they walked. He felt a strange kind of joy when he walked beside her, knowing she wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. He liked to surround himself with pleasant things and she certainly was pleasant to be around. “But maybe your busy schedule will stand in the way?” he suggested.

“… I wasn’t,” Galahad said, looking at Aiden in a way that made it clear that he would be now. He had always trusted in his mother and Merlin’s visions, and had never considered the possibility of something like that changing. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a prophecy changing that way,” he ventured, but he was clearly uncertain.

“Right,” Aiden shrugged. “What do I know about the way prophecies work, right?” He paused. “Nothing. I know nothing about prophecies,” he added quickly to reassure Galahad. “But I can imagine the pressure must be exhausting.”

Galahad couldn’t help smiling a little at all of Aiden’s questions, though his amusement was still mingled with a good deal of embarrassment at it all. “I was raised by the Lady of the Lake,” he explained. “She has some foresight, and told me about it all. And when I came to Camelot, Merlin said the same. I was afraid,” he admitted. “I’m still afraid at times. It’s … a lot. But I trusted them, so …”

“Do you think it may change in time?” Aiden mused, thinking hard about all this. “Like, that one day you may sit down on the chair and there will be, like, a struck of lightning - and you die? Aren’t you worried about that?”

“A rightful punishment for a crime so heinous!” Morfydd joked, sobering a little as he spoke, “I believe I’ll have to learn from you. How does one rid their lives completely of the things that make them unhappy?”

“You see, that is not as easy,” Aiden smiled. “That’s a lecture that cannot be taught just like that in the middle of the street. But I would be happy to take some time from my incredibly busy schedule and teach you, my lady.”

“I do so love to laugh and smile” Morfydd replied, tilting her head upwards ever so slightly as they were met by a gust of wind. The maid smiled as her hair whippoorwilled behind her, “I spent much of my life a tad downcast and I’m learning that it’s simply not for me. I do believe that it is only a matter of time before I request your saving though, glad though I am for my work. We’ve only met but twice now, but I don’t believe I have once seen you frown. To be so joyful - you’re the warrior, my lord”

“Ah,” Aiden gasped and chuckled. “But how could I ever frown in such a lovely company? To imagine my grimace could sadden you - I would have to force myself on a blade for such a crime!” He laughed and shook his head. “In all honesty, I too find it easier to deal with life when looking out for the best of it. If something doesn’t make me happy, I simply leave it behind,” he explained.

“You’re quite the poet” Morfydd noted as she accepted the arm that he offered to her and fell into step besides him, “I’ve met none that meet your measure of flattery and still manage to make it seem so charming”. Of course she knew that his words were an exaggeration for it made no sense that a city such as this one would become duller by the temporary absence of one woman, but no one had ever spoken to her in such a way. Even Cynon hadn’t tried to banter with her. She found it refreshing, even if it did make her cheeks ache with the amount she found herself smiling while in Aiden’s presence. “My trip was indeed a success. I come back to you prepared to engage stuffy politicians and a rather formidable stack of scrolls” she said partially in jest. She was grateful for the work and the trust bestowed upon her but was hyper aware that it all sounded rather boring. 

Aiden chuckled. “I was told to be especially skilled with words by many a teacher in my childhood. I’m glad to hear none compare to me.” He half-bowed to accept the compliment. 

He offered his arm for her to take so they could start walking towards the courtyard. “I admire you greatly, Lady Morfydd, for being able to withstand such task. Stuffy politicians are my least favourite kind of people and stacks of scrolls put me to sleep. And yet you manage to talk about them with a smile on your face, no dread or plea for me to ease your misery. You’re a warrior, my lady.”

Seeing the smile growing on Aiden’s face, Galahad felt his own cheeks growing warm with embarrassment and he looked up at the sky as he answered. “Um. Yes.” He coughed lightly and sighed. There wasn’t any getting around it, but he always felt awkward talking of it - like it was an exercise in his own vanity. “My shield, my sword … even my seat at the Round Table. Supposedly anyone else who wields them, or sits in the chair, will meet with harm. I’m meant to find something, some powerful object, I think.”

Aiden’s eyes were widened with awe as the other spoke. “Weren’t you afraid? When they told you? Or did you always know you wouldn’t suffer consequences, that you were the one the prophecy spoke about? How did you know, exactly? This is so fascinating, sir knight,” he nodded appreciatively.

“No …. I was raised in Avalon by the Lady of the Lake. I have no family crest to wear,” Galahad explained tenatively. It was so complicated to get into the nature of his family, especially when he could no longer truthfully say he did not know who they were. But it was true that he had no crest; he was a bastard, and did not bear either his mother’s or his father’s name. “It was given to me by another knight, who said it would bear me to great fortune. He seemed to think I was prophesied to have it,” he admitted, a little uncomfortably.

“I’m sorry,” Aiden glanced at the knight. Not wanting to remain serious for too long, he latched onto the interesting parts of what Galahad said. “You were prophesied?” he repeated with an interested grin on his face. “Now that is something. Tell me, fair knight, what does this prophecy say?”