First Official Visit

By Montez

Disclaimer: see chapter one

Chapter 16

"Arthur!" Leon called across the yard, not knowing that Hunith really knew who they were and not wanting to risk a slip just because his father was now there. "We need to be heading out".

Sir Richard was already on his horse, Cador stepped forward as Hunith handed a couple of wrapped parcels to Leon, "It's not much," She said quietly, "But I know every little bit can help."

Once he tied the items to the saddle Leon turned back, "I can never thank you enough for all you did for us, for Arthur." He stepped forward a little, "If I may?" He moved his arms to hug the young mother. "we will forever be indebted to you, again thank you."

She reached up and placed her hand on the older boy's face, "It was my pleasure, I am just grateful I was able to help. I pray you have a safe journey home, Sir Leon" Leon gave a small jerk at her referencing him as a 'Sir'. Hunith smiled, glanced at Sir Cador, whom Leon looked toward, a smile and slight nod telling the younger man that his father had indeed told the woman before him who they were. A small smile crossed his face as Leon gave the young mother a slight bow and mounted the horse a fellow Knight had sent for him.

Cador stepped up next, "As we spoke last evening, please remember that the service you have done for our Kingdom will not be forgotten, here…" he handed her a small pouch he had with him. "I hope this can repay a fraction of what your kindness is owed."

She felt the weight and shock crossed her face, "Please, I cannot accept this. I did want anyone, what any mother would have done." Hunith tried to hand it back, but Cador's hand wrapped around hers.

"Please, I know your Kingdom is not the easiest to live in and I know of the struggles some of our own villages endure. I just wish it could be more. You have returned our boys when we thought they were lost, there can never be enough repayment." Cador squeezed her hand gently as she nodded.

"Arthur." Cador called for his Prince again.

The young boy looked up then turned back to Merlin, "Thank you for being my friend while I was here and helping take care of me. I don't have much with me, but I want you to have this," Arthur reached in his boot and withdrew one of his throwing knives. "it's really sharp so be careful."

Merlin held the gift in his hands as if it was the most amazing thing ever, "really, I can keep it?" it was a plain silver knife with a wooden handle engraved with a dragon. When he saw Arthur nod in response, the dark-haired boy smiled so wide it seemed to light up the whole clearing. "Will's never gonna believe this. Thank you so much and thank you for being my friend too." Merlin came up and threw his arms around the blond who froze a moment before giving an awkward hug back.

Arthur then turned to the woman who nursed him back to health and took care of them, Hunith knelt in front of him. "Thank you for taking care of Leon and me, because of you I'll get to see my father again." He smiled shyly.

As with Leon, Hunith placed her hand on the uninjured side of the small boys' face, "It was a pleasure Arthur, I am glad you were led to my home." In that moment the young mother gave the young Prince something he had never had when she pulled him into her arms and gave him a gentle, motherly hug. For just a moment Arthur froze, then he brought his arms up around her and buried his head on her shoulder, and just like Leon had said, it seemed like everything bad that had happened just melted away. No, she wasn't his real mother, but she was a mother and she had cared for them like a mother.

A small sob escaped the blond boy as he whispered, "thank you." After another moment he pulled away giving her a small smile as she reached up and brushed a stray tear that escaped.

Returning the smile she stood, looking at the men before her, then the boy next to her, "I pray for you to have a safe trip home," she rubbed a loving hand over Arthur's head, "and when you get there you give your father the biggest hug ever okay, I know he has missed you terribly." Hunith stepped back as Merlin came to lean against her side, carefully clutching the knife his friend had given him.

"You ready?" Leon looked down at his charged.

Arthur looked up and nodded, "ready." With that Sir Cador lifted the Prince up to sit in front of Leon. Another smile and small wave the party turned, heading toward the river and trail that would finally lead them home.

It was twenty minutes later that the first knight noticed their approach, quickly the other three men who made up the group Sir Cador had brought upriver with him stood, their excitement and relief palpable. "Sir Leon, Sire." The men gathered around. Quick handshakes were exchanged by Leon and his fellow Knights. The men unsure how to approach the Prince, yes, he was a boy, and they were beyond thrilled that he had been found safe, but he was still the Prince. One of the men finally approached, patting the young boy's leg as he sat in front of Leon, "Prince Arthur, you cannot imagine our relief that you have been found, your father, and your Kingdom has missed you dearly."

The shy boy returned being around Knights he wasn't familiar with as he gave them a small smile, "I'm glad to be going home." He said softly, the men breathed a relieved sigh.

Sir Cador looked over his small party, "Mount up gentleman, we need to regroup with the rest of our party. We have a Prince to return to his father." A small cheer erupted from the men who took to their horses, Sir Evan, who had given his horse up for Leon and Arthur was pulled up behind Sir Richard as the men headed back downriver.

The reception of their returned Prince and comrade was much the same when they arrived a few hours later, the party of now seven meeting up with the remainder of Sir Cador's party. Leon was quickly pulled into talking with his fellow Knight's, Arthur staying close to Sir Cador. "How are you feeling Sire?" the young boy shrugged his shoulder a little, careful to not pull it funny as it still hurt some.

"Okay," he whispered before looking at the older man, "Can you just call me Arthur? That's what Leon called me and Hunith and Merlin."

Cador looked at his friend's son, "I can call your Arthur until we are back at the Citadel if you want, once we have returned, I must go back to the formality."

The blond watched the knight's interacting, "I wish everyone can call me Arthur all the time, I feel normal when I'm called by just my name, not special." Arthur glanced back up at the older Knight, "Can I just be normal? I have heard you call Father by his name."

This was not the conversation he ever dreamed the young Prince would start, "You are special Arthur, you are our Prince and will one day be our King. By right's you are required to be addressed as such. I call your father by his name at times because I have known him since we were young, but when it is necessary, I address him as his position requires. Do you understand?"

"It's a silly rule, I want Leon to keep calling me by my name." Arthur again met Sir Cador's gaze, "Do you think Father would allow it if I asked?"

"I don't know, but you can ask him when we get home." Cador reached over gently squeezing Arthur's uninjured shoulder.

It was quiet for a few minutes; the excitement of their arrival had died down and the men went about preparing meals and making the camp ready for the night. Arthur had watched as the fires were light, he quietly spoke again, "Do you promise my Father is okay?"

A tremor of fear was present in the small boy's voice. He had been told the night before that his father lived, but there was a small part of him, the part that remembered his father being knocked to his knee, desperately fighting two men at once as Arthur had tried his best to reach him, to help him, that he was afraid he was not being told the truth. Cador looked at his Prince again, seeing a terrified boy looking at him. "I swear to you Arthur, you father is alive. As I told you he was injured but is on the mend. His only thought from the moment he awoke was of you. When we get closer to the Citadel, I will send a rider ahead to alert the King that we have found you and that you are safe." Cador could see exhaustion starting to cloud the young Prince's face. "You need to rest; we are still two days out and we will be riding hard to get you home."

The men were settling, bedrolls being laid out, one of the knight's had offered his for the Prince. "Is it okay if I sleep near Leon?" It was obvious a bond had strengthened between the two as Cador had noticed even as his son continued talking amongst his fellow knights, Leon would still seek out his charge.

"You will have to ask him." The First Knight responded, a small smile on his face as he watched Arthur's face light up some through his tiredness. The boy had quickly grabbed the bedroll and rushed over to Leon who was lying next to one of the fires with a couple other knights. Cador watched the short exchange and the nod from his son who then helped the Prince lay out the roll, the boy laying down and appearing to fall asleep almost immediately. If any of his fellow knight's noticed how once Leon laid down, he placed his hand on the sleeping boy's arm no one said a word.