Ayden stood in his father's armoury watching the men sort through the weapons and armour. He had been here many times but it had never been so interesting. The knights were in awe of the swords and the fine workmanship displayed before them. Ayden was small for his age, though nearly eight he was still barely up to his father's waist. His view of the world was mostly people's torsos, all the action happened above his head. But one of the men, the dark one called Merlin; he bent down to talk to him and smiled a lot. He wasn't like the others, the prince and Gawain and the one with the deep voice. Merlin was not a warrior, he did not react to the armour the way the others did. He found something and called out. His father must have forgotten he was there because he told Merlin things that Ayden had never heard before, things that had the hidden sound of a secret. And the prince said something about his father being a knight and Ayden did not understand his father's answer until he had thought about it.
'I was like you Arthur, a king's son.'
How they all stared then, the men from Camelot. Ayden finally understood that this meant his father was now a king and that he himself was a prince, he knew enough from his mother's stories to work it out. And so he thought 'my mother is a queen.' This pleased him and without realising he said it aloud to himself. 'Queen Lillian.' His father heard him and turned around. Ayden looked up at him. 'Is it true father, that you are a king?' Brand looked uncomfortable.
'I will talk to you about it later Ayden, Now go to your mother please.'
Ayden went and found his mother in the barn. He stood leaning on the wall watching her. She glanced up at him a few times then finally spoke.
'You look a little our of sorts my son?'
'Queen Lillian,' said Ayden quietly.
'What was that my love?'
'Father said he was a prince like Arthur.'
'Did he?' asked Lillian. 'Then he must be.'
The boy had been confused by this seeming secret of his father's but his mother's answer settled things. She did not seem concerned about it so Ayden took her lead and let it sink to the back of his mind.
*
Brand left Arthur and his men and sought out Lillian who was now in the field behind the house. She looked at him and he knew that Ayden had told her. She walked slowly over to where he stood, leaving the boy playing with the calf. Brand watched Ayden; his blond hair against the russet flank of the cow caught the sunlight just as Lillian's did. His heart was full. He loved the boy as much as he loved his wife, for Ayden was of her and so like her, that he could feel no other emotion.
'So what are you to do now Brand? He knows so much that you must tell him what you believe and it will hurt him unless…you accept the truth.'
'He is not of my blood Lillian and so he cannot inherit what is mine.'
Lillian sighed heavily, she reached up and took her husbands face in her hands, though she only just managed to cover his beard, 'he is yours my love,' she said wearily.
Brand took her hand and kissed the palm. 'I don't love him or you any the less Lillian. You don't have to keep on lying to me.' He looked into her eyes and she read the same cold stubbornness that she had always found there when they talked of Ayden.
Her eyes flashed with anger. Years of frustration gathered within her and it was all she could do to not scream, instead she turned her back on him and returned to Ayden. She crouched down and helped him feed the calf, tears of sorrow welling in her eyes.
Brand saw her refusal to fight with him as an admission of guilt he always saw it that way. Ever since he found them, sitting so close, their fair heads together, her laughing that way…. he knew she had not been true. And she would not deny it, she would not berate him, she dismissed it as foolishness. And then came the child, the same fairness, the same slight frame he could not see anything of himself in him. Ayden was not his son. He would stake his life on it.
Watching her boy, Lillian thought of the journeyman who they had taken in through that long harsh winter and the day that Brand accused her. She so wished she had handled it differently. She had grown careless of his jealousy over the years. The first time she treated it like a joke and that seemed to work. And nothing had really come of it, he would rage like a bear then calm down until the next time she smiled too kindly, or laughed too much. Then he would growl at her and the whole affair would start again. Perhaps at the beginning, when she first fell in love with Brand and he with her with her...if things had been different then…if she had not been the blacksmith's wife and he the prince.
'I was not free' Lillian said out loud.
'What mother?' asked Ayden.
'Nothing my love…come. Let's pack food for our guests to take on their journey.'
As she stood up Ayden threw his arms around her neck and kissed her. He held on, even as she rose to her feet so that she had to bend down again. 'I love you mother,' he whispered. Lillian was not given to tears but her child's touch loosened them from her. She sobbed silently. The boy comforted her, and wiped the tears from her cheeks, he did not really understand why she was crying: perhaps she did not want to be a queen just as he did not want to be a prince.
'It's alright he said,' you can still just be my mother.'
*
Gawain was sent to prepare the horses, while the others spoke privately with Lillian about the guardians. Arthur wanted to filter the information for Gawain as he had already noticed how the young knight had begun to show signs of stress. He hoped to not press him into a fight, but exactly how he was to do that he had not yet determined.
'Now I must tell you what I found in the journal said Lillian. This Aidith of yours was canny,' she said to Merlin. 'Here… look. In this passage when she is in Heaf…. here…she writes out a vow she made to her lover. She has written certain words with the letter a little differently, see the first letter a little larger. Merlin peered at the book and nodded his head, in agreement but Arthur just shrugged.
'If you read these words alone then she tells you how to find the stone Arthur.'
Arthur was suddenly more interested.
Lillian showed them the scribble around the page and pointed out the words
For you my love I will endure anything. all that I have is yours. I will keep your love safe in the chamber of my heart. And I will remain the guardian of your love forever. You may doubt me but I shall prove to you myself worthy and that our love will find the way to treasure.
'I just didn't notice this,' said Merlin a little disappointed in himself.
'She understands,' I think said Lillian, 'that only someone stronger than she was can destroy the stone, she is testing you to give you the best chance of doing it. You must match her, then better her and in the chamber I am certain you will either find the stone or else where it is hidden.' Lillian looked at the three men before her. I'm not sure she considered that more than one might enter the chamber. She looked at each of them in turn then said sadly. 'Be prepared for one if you to fall.'
Merlin felt sickened, 'if that one should be Arthur!' He could not bear to even think it.
*
Brand had become decidedly disengaged as the morning progressed. Arthur noticed and charged Merlin with the task of finding out what ailed their host and to put it right if it was in his power to do so. Merlin approached Brand on the pretext of asking his advice on the armour he had chosen.
Brand seemed courteous enough to Merlin and yet still had an agitated look.
'I could not help but notice you are unhappy about something Brand,' said Merlin in the friendliest way possible. 'Have we somehow offended you?'
Brand was glaring in the direction of the Prince and his knights and Merlin followed his gaze. Brand was watching Gawain talking to Lillian.
'I don't like the way he looks at her,' said Brand.
Merlin really hadn't noticed but now he thought about it Gawain had been known to fall for a pretty woman whether she was bound or not. He was surprised that Brand should be so insecure after hundreds years with the same woman and couldn't help the thought showing on his face. Brand caught his look, narrowed his eyes in anger and strode off in the direction of his forge.
Merlin went to follow him and then thought better of it. He was the last person to offer advice in affairs of the heart. Look what had happened when he told Arthur that Gwen would wait for him, the very next time he saw her, she only has eyes for Lancelot. No he wouldn't be dishing out any relationship advice in the foreseeable future.
'Did you sort it out? Asked Arthur as Merlin came alongside him.
I think Gawain is paying too much attention to Lillian,' answered Merlin.
The Prince groaned. 'Oh, that he did not have my face.' seethed Arthur, 'some day I've no doubt some wronged husband will come at me with a dagger!' Arthur shook his head in annoyance. 'It is not seemly to talk of this with Lillian or her husband so I shall have to deal with Gawain myself when we are alone.'
Arthur raised his hand and gave the signal to ride out. Through the window of his forge Brand watched the riders set off, his dark eyes glittering like coals.
Ayden came up behind him and slipped his hand into his father's. Brand did not close his hand and return his affection. Ayden lifted his arms up and tried to span his waist. The fire that raged in Brand's heart was fierce but at his sons touch it began to subside. He looked down at the boy then lifted him up.
*
The castle nestled in amongst the trees and shrubs that had claimed the land. One stonewall rose above the rest and Rupert indicated to Arthur that it was where they had found the carvings.
Suddenly Gawain's voice rang out from behind them. 'I cannot see the castle, Sire!' said Gawain in alarm. Lillian put her arm out to him and grabbed the reins of his horse. She called to Arthur. 'He sees the forest Arthur, he cannot go with you!'' Arthur reined his horse and turned to see them better. Gawain and Lillian were a little way off. She had been just a little ahead of him. Arthur considered going back, he had not had time to talk to Gawain about Lillian but now was not right the time.
'Gawain,' he called. 'Stay here! Protect Lillian.' Then he turned and made for the ruin. Lillian with superb horsemanship had managed to stop Gawain's horse.
'Try and forget about the stone Gawain.' Commanded Lillian' You must end the quest in your heart or the forest will take you.' Gawain willingly closed his eyes and she led him away from the castle boundary. She insisted that he did not come so close again. She was reluctant to leave him alone, but had to be in sight of Arthur and his men for her magic to work and reveal the chamber. Gawain agreed to wait beneath a scrubby tree. Lillian took his hand and made sure she had his attention. 'Now Gawain,' she said. 'You are not ready for the forest, you cannot afford to think on the stone or you will be compelled to enter Heaf. Do you understand?'
'I am fine Lillian,' he said and took her other hand.
'Sir Knight,' said Lillian recognising the look in his eyes. I do not welcome your attention. I am after all old enough to be your grandmother ten times over.'
She turned and walked away leaving an utterly bewildered man behind her.
*
Arthur, Merlin and Rupert dismounted outside the outer walls, now a low heap of ruins. Lillian had already told them to approach with caution. The castle was alive to them now that they had passed through Heaf. They had lost Gawain but there was nothing they could do about it now. The three men stood before the east wall. The carvings in the stone were indeed of a King who looked remarkably like Arthur and it bore more than a little resemblance to Aidith's drawing. Lillian had told them that the figures had changed the moment Arthur accepted the quest. '
The carvings had no power now to confound or disturb them. Although it still foretold a terrible battle they felt empowered by knowing its source.
'What was it you said to me Merlin,' asked Arthur, 'there is more than one possible future? Merlin nodded, 'Well lets make this future a lie shall we?'
Merlin smiled warmly at his friend and marvelled at how perfectly he could reduce an impossible task to a simple one.
They heard Lillian's voice carrying over the ruins and the ground slowly seemed to shift. Rupert was steady as ever and Arthur with his usual determination was exuding an excited anticipation. Around them the walls of the castle started to form, a stone at a time. At first they could see the ghostly figures of the masons flitting around the walls in a blur as though time was speeded up, They felt themselves rise through the air as floors were constructed below them, then as the building work accelerated stones seemed to fall into place all by themselves, sometimes the work was undone and sometime damaged as the years of building and rebuilding was compressed in a few short minutes. Finally they stood in a broad hallway at the top of a square tower, ahead of them was a door of iron with five locks.
Arthur drew his sword and indicated that the others follow. He ran along the hallway to the door and examined the locks. 'Rupert what do you make of these?' Rupert shook his head. 'Like nothing I've seen sire.' Merlin came forward. He put away his sword and ran his hands over the door.
'These are not true locks Arthur the locks are here, look!'
Merlin pointed to delicate ironwork figures that decorated the edges of the door. Arthur looked at him doubtfully. How do you know that?
'If you look here at the side of them, these huge locks do not cross from door to frame…but these do.'
It was as Merlin said. On closer inspection it was obvious that the locks were mere decoration and that the decoration was an intricate system of bolts that fastened the door into the frame. It was impossible to see how it was to be opened. Arthur cursed in annoyance. He hated having to unpick tangles like this.
'Every thing is upside down,' said Merlin who was pacing the width of the hall, 'perhaps there is a key taking the place of something else and the something else is the key.'
'You have lost me completely,' said Arthur.
'Look for a key,' said Merlin. They divided up and started to search the rooms and the hallway. 'Got something here!' Shouted Rupert. In a narrow chamber was a small music stand beautifully carved with notes, each note resembling a key.
'That is the decoration,' announced Merlin, 'so now we need to find something we think is decorative and that will be the real key.'
They searched everywhere but found nothing decorative at all that was not set into stone or painted on the wall. Arthur was frustrated he was all fired up for a fight and here they were answering riddles. He lent against the wall and distractedly hit his sword against the iron door. A resonant note sang out around the walls and with a metallic groan the figures around the edge of the door moved. 'What did you do?' asked Merlin, 'Just this,' said Arthur hitting the door. The deep note sounded once again and again the figures moved. 'Notes are the key,' exclaimed Merlin, 'find an instrument or something!'
Rupert had seen a flute in the same room as the music stand. He fetched it and held it out to Merlin.' Not me!' said Merlin. 'I can't.' Arthur snatched the flute from Rupert's hands and reluctantly put it to his lips. He closed his eyes and played; a haunting melody wove its way through the hall, the figures and ropes of ivy slid from the doorframe like something living. Merlin and Rupert drew their swords and the Chamber of the Stone opened.
*