Gwydre at 14 years old and Llacheu at 7 years old.
Once again, it has been a time in Camelot where all men who have potential of being a knight, come and experience knight training on the actual training grounds, and one of those men included Gwydre himself.
Gwydre has always dreamed of becoming a knight, like his father. He always looked up to him and admired how even if he was king, he was considered everything that the knight's code stands for. He was chivalrous. And for that, Gwydre couldn't choose a better man to look up to than his own father.
His father always told him and Llacheu that whatever they chose to do, whatever they wanted to be, as long as it makes them happy, his father and his mother would always support them no matter what happens and that they will always be proud of them. But nevertheless, Gwydre felt that it was an obligation to be a knight when he became an heir to the throne. This obligation helped him become a better person, one that would make his family proud of him, one that made him happy.
In his chambers, Gwydre was putting on his armour with the help of his mother, who felt nervous and excited for her son. She always thought that this day would come, but she didn't know that it would come this soon. It only meant one thing and it meant that her son was becoming a noble young man, inside and out. He was beginning to learn to listen to both his heart and mind. As Guinevere helps him, she starts to speak up so that Gwydre would calm down, knowing that her son was very nervous about having to fail on the first day of training.
"Did you know that I used to this to your father? I used to help him dress when Merlin cannot be found." with this, she laughed slightly then continued with her story, whispering "He doesn't dress himself very well. He always needed help." Gwydre's eyes widened and began to laugh loudly with his mother.
"And that… will be our little secret." she said as she finished putting on his breastplate. She steps backward to look at her son, looking fully prepared for knight training. She smiles but then it fades away as she sees worry in Gwydre's eyes.
"What is it Gwydre? You look like you have something on your mind." she smiled sadly, looking at him, thinking that she might know his answer.
"Um… It's nothing, Mother. I'm fine." he smiled slightly, hoping that his mother would leave it alone. Guinvere stepped forward again slowly, looking into his eyes.
"Well, your eyes do not seem to look nothing…" she stopped in front of him and held his shoulders "I'm your mother, Gwydre. You can tell me. It's just like I told your father because of his stubbornness, if you ever have something on your mind, anything at all… you could tell me… Come now Gwydre, what's on your mind?" she asked softly.
Gwydre sighed, just like his father, he knew that he won't win this battle.
"I'm just afraid that I would disappoint Father… I feel like I should never make a mistake in front of him… I feel that as heir to the throne, I should never make the wrong decisions. Ever." he looked down on his feet, afraid to look into his mother's caring eyes.
Guinevere tilted his chin up, making him look into her eyes. "Gwydre, didn't you father and I tell you that no matter what happens, we will always be proud of you?" she asked him softly.
Gwydre sighed "Yes, you told me, Mother." he answered quietly.
"Then you've nothing to be worried about. Everybody makes mistakes, we all do. Even your father made some if his own." she said as she gave a him a soft smile.
"Really?" he asked quietly, as if he wanted to doubt her.
"Of course he did. And it was perfectly fine, because it was the only way for him to learn. He grew up to be a fair and just king because of these mistakes… I believe that that is exactly what you will become in the future. Yes, you would have to make decisions of your own, but never let them hold you back. As long as you know in your heart and mind that what you did was right, that is when you'll know that you will become the king that you've always wanted to be, inside and out. " she said as she held her son's face with both hands, giving him a soft smile.
Gwydre finally smiled at her and gave her a tight hug. He turned to her ear and began to whisper something.
"Thank you so much, Mother. For everything." he whispered as tears began to appear in his eyes.
Guinevere heard him very well and smiled as she stroke his hair. After a moment, Arthur knocked on the door and let himself in. He sees his wife and his son in a tight hug. Guinevere was facing him and Gwydre's back faced him. Guinevere sees him and then she smiles at him.
As Arthur walked toward them, they start to pull away and Guinevere held her son's face in her hands.
"Wipe those tears away, you don't want them to fade in your eyes while you train." She mutters quietly to Gwydre while she wipes away the tears in his face.
She then turns Gwydre around to realize that his father was there. He looked surprised to see his father, back from a quest.
"Father! What are you doing here?" he asked, still taking in the knowledge that his father was back.
"Did I not say that I'm to be the one training you?" Arthur asked as he put arm around Guinevere, who walked to him and gave him a sweet smile.
He looks at them both, then notices a knowing look in his mother's eyes, then he suddenly knew. He widened his eyes.
"Mother… you knew? You knew that Father would come back today?" he asked.
"How could I not? Your father made it a priority to send a letter when he would come back, and… it was to be a surprise, in which I think, we've succeeded. " she said plainly.
"Indeed." it was the only word that came out of his mouth.
"Well then, off you go. You wouldn't want the others waiting for you both." Guinevere said as she pulls away from Arthur and walked toward Gwydre to give him a hug.
Once they hug, Guinevere whispers in his ear and closes her eyes. "I'm so proud of you. We love you so much." she stroke his hair for the last time before pulling away.
Gwydre smiles while he looks at her and then turned to his father.
"I'll be waiting for you outside, Father." he nods at Arthur, who was confused by his actions, and leaves.
Arthur looks at Guinevere with furrowed brows.
"What was that?" he asked, wondering why Gwydre's attitude had changed.
Guinevere sighed "He's nervous. He thinks he would not be a good king when the time comes. He fears that he might not make you proud of him because he makes mistakes… he is frightened, because he thinks that he'll lose in his first knight training." she explains thoroughly and quietly, not wanting Gwydre to hear them.
"How do you know this?" Arthur asked looking at her, feeling very confused, wondering why he knew this just now.
"He told me so. While I was helping him with his armour, I've seen worry in his eyes. He 's just like you, being nervous when under pressure and responsibility." Guinevere stared at him for a moment before she gave him a soft smile.
"Indeed. He is just like me, because he relies on your counsel and then he suddenly feels better." Arthur looked at her, grinning.
Guinevere smiles and takes his face in her hands "Thank you but I'm afraid you are giving me so much value. You feel better because you believe in yourself and it's not because I say so." she looks at him as she caresses his face. She brings her hands around his neck and mutters to him.
"Look after him. It may be just simple training, but I know it requires fighting." Guinevere reminds him, even she knew that Gwydre was ready, she still thought of his safety.
Arthur brings his hands around her waist and nods slowly "Of course, you know I will. Now, your son and I have a training session we must attend to. Will you be watching us?" he asks, grinning at her like an excited child.
"Of course I will but, through the windows, my love." she smiles at her lovingly.
"Alright. At least I know that a pair of beautiful eyes would be watching us through the windows." he smiles at her back, wiggling his eyebrows quickly.
Guinevere giggles and leans up to kiss him. Arthur leans down and they share a soft, lingering kiss. After a moment, they reluctantly pull away from each other's embrace and they look at one another, still holding hands.
"Now, go on. Gwydre's waiting for you… I'm so proud of you both." she smiles at him widely.
"I am too. I've always been." Arthur releases one of her hands and caressed her face for a moment. He pulls away and headed toward the door.
Little did the royal couple know that Gwydre was listening to every word they said and when he heard that his father was always proud of him, it brought out a wide, contented smile on his face, knowing that everything he thought was true. Even if he fails today,as long as he tried, his father would still be proud of him.