Chapter Text
Arthur paced up and down his chambers. The weather reflected his mood: cloudy and painted a moody grey. He nipped on his fingernail as he reluctantly returned to his desk, hovering near it, but not daring to sit down yet. There lay new reports, requests and lists that had found their way onto his desk, as they usually did. Only this time there was a difference.
His land has gotten struck by disaster after disaster. First supplies and resources faced an end no one would have been able to foresee, then their land got plagued by drought and ending lives Arthur begrudgingly bid farewell to, but not in the form of lists that stacked up on his desk, waiting for his signature.
Any person would trade the world to be in his position, being able to rule, having politics and an army under their command and as he thought, his gaze trailed over to his crown on his desk. It sat there. The gold gleaming in the sunlight that occasionally hit it. Arthur still felt its burden on him. It mocked him. Made him aware of his predicament. Showed him how vulnerable he still was.
He sighed. There was no use.
Sitting down on his chair he picked up the quill and dipped it in the endlessly dark ink. Each word on the pages kept adding weight to his shoulders he was sure he soon couldn’t bear. Still, he signed with his name and added each page to the ‘finished’ pile.
“Now that that is done—” he began to say to himself, but a clanking sound of horse shoes announced the arrival of his Ladies and Lords. A council was arranged to be taking place this morning, so, leaning on the window sill, he sighed yet another time.
A knock.
“Yes.”
“Your Majesty, the nobles have arrived. Shall I inform them of any delay?” His servant, George, had entered the room and stood firm and proud. Arthur contemplated. He could indeed use another minute for himself.
“Inform them that I will swiftly finish this paperwork, it is only a couple of pages from being finished and then I will meet the Lords and Ladies in the hall. That would be all.” Arthur had looked at his desk, then he faced George again who nodded in an almost unnaturally stiff manner. He would have to talk him out of that. It spooked him.
“Sire.” With that George disappeared back into the hallway, on his way to inform Arthur’s allies.
He pressed fingers to the bridge of his nose, leaning on the back of his chair. His eyes wandered over to the paperwork. He and even more his kingdom was in dire need of help as they could not withstand yet another tragedy that would befall their land. Too many had suffered fates too cruel to recall, but Arthur was struggling to come up with anything worth considering as a solution. Letting his gaze wander through the room his eyes fell on the map tapestry that had been hung up on his wall. There the kingdom was woven in, similar to how it was woven into Arthur’s very identity. He arched his brows in concern. If he had to save his kingdom from imminent doom he would have to ask for aid he would not know where to obtain. Many of the nobles faced similar fates. They could only help so much. Then he noticed the far border of the tapestry. It depicted a land under foreign rulers, rulers known for traits that long out passed anything remotely human. They were eternal, traditional and calculating. Remarks they’d rather choke out in regards to anything ‘man-like’.
They were Druids. Stuck up, cowardly, but incredibly powerful Druids and they might be the only solution Arthur could ask for. It would cost him his pride or maybe a kidney. He knew what he would choose. Worst case, he would be dethroned. But pride did not keep man alive.
There was no other option. This sigh was deep, deeper than the ones before and so his gaze fell back on his crown adorning his desk rather than his head. He made a quick change of that, but the gold felt heavier than the metal should allow.
Another knock.
“Your Majesty, the council awaits.”
“Thank you, George.” His servant bowed courteously.
The halls felt vast, colder than the stone used to be. It seemed that everything was bearing down on his situation. Still he trudged on.
“Noble folk—” he greeted the Ladies and Lords who stood up in his presence. He made his way around the table to come to a halt at the end. “—thank you for arriving this morning in this treacherous, demanding time.” The nobles nodded and sat down when the king gestured them to do so. He also waved for the guards to stand outside the hall. The door closed with an imposing bang.
At his end of the table Arthur internally cowered at the perceiving eyes imposed on his being, but he began the council.
“You have been ordered here to share with the round any new developments. Whether new requests have been made or complaints have been filed. More importantly though, we will have to address the tightening situation of our lands.”
“Yes, Lord Barden.” The older man perked up at his name and began to express his grievances and those of his people. Arthur nodded. Famine threatened to catch up with his people. They were in desperate need of food and supplies.
“Thank you for bringing that forward. Similar instances to report?” Arthur was less than pleased at the other three hands that were raised.
“With all due respect, Your Majesty—” Lord Brunnich began, “—but we need immediate solutions. Our kind is dying off in the numbers almost too high to count—” Arthur tightened his jaw. “—and if we don’t act now, I fear for the existence of this very kingdom and its loyal people.”
“Thank you, Lord Brunnich.” The round erupted in hushed talking. “But—” the pause was enough to redirect their attention to the matter at hand. “—our efforts have been set into motion. All we have to do is wait and see.”
A Lady raised her hand. “Yes, Lady Owayn?”
“I understand Lord Brunnich’s distress, but I must appeal to you—all of you—that only time will remedy whatever disease has spread over our lands.”
“Thank you—” Arthur began, but Lord Brunnich interrupted him.
“That is all nice, Lady Owayn, but that should not detain our effort to at least notify a physician of the situation.” Chatter erupted in the room, some snickering at the remark, some coming to Lady Owayn’s defence. Arthur watched them for a second before he intervened.
“Attention, Ladies and Lords! I am painfully aware of the situation unfolding in front of us and as much as I wish to answer your pleading calls, we have to remain patient and discuss further measures. No bickering has ever led to a useful discussion. Therefore I implore you to withhold your grievances and hurt and assist in the resolution of this problem.”
Lady Owayn who had gotten from her seat, clearly agitated, silently sat back down. Arthur regarded her briefly before addressing the room once more. “Thank you, everybody.”
Arthur recalled his own distress in the chambers prior to this debate. A terrible feeling befell him at the possible solution he would suggest.
“I—” he began and all courage fell to the ground, but he composed himself, took a breath and then placed his hands on the table to lean his weight onto it as he had gotten up now himself. “—I might have a solution to our problem,” he announced and attracted the attention of all the people present. “—but it will take a toll on all of us.”
“What is it, Your Majesty?” A Lord asked.
“A union.” The implication not only laid on his tongue, but also heavy in the air as assuming and even distressed looks filled the room.
“You’re not suggesting—”
“A union with the Druids.” Hushed whispers broke out, but Arthur continued. “They are a powerful folk, with power we could currently only dream of and with their alliance secured we could help foster hope and prosperity among our folk again, too. And I know, we can all recollect the instance at Eltham, but we might have to put our differences aside and ask for the much needed aid.”
“Your Majesty, again, with all due respect, but I fear our people would rather suffer hunger and disease than mingle with beings acting conceited far beyond our imagination,” now Lord Chiswick answered and got an incredulous look in return.
“Who agrees with Lord Chiswick?” Arthur asked and didn’t even have to ponder over what answer outweighed, “Understood, thank you.” In cases like this they were united in near unanimity.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. The council had gone both according to his expectations, but also so far beyond what he had hoped for. It was almost devastating.
Some Lords were still grouped to discuss the debate.
Lady Guinevere walked up to him. “Your Majesty?”
“Yes?” He let go of his nose, but he had difficulty concealing his displeasure of the situation around her.
“I wanted to thank you for offering a solution that causes so much divide, but I also wanted to give you my support in this endeavour as I believe your solution could prove to be successful. However, I may have to ask what approach you intend to take?” her eyes beamed up at him and while he appreciated her support to this cause—he always could use more allies—he had to admit that he had barely taken time to address said question, despite it being a pressing one.
“I must disappoint you, Lady Guinevere as I have yet to find that out myself.” He felt small and scrutinized. Not by her, but just by how this day was going.
“I understand. This is a matter of difficulty. May I therefore offer further assistance?”
“Which is?”
“A proposal. But to clear up my intention: an actual proposal, to Emperor Emrys.”
Arthur furrowed his brows, he feared they fell onto his eyes. Her proposal was anything but easily digestible. Rather it was bordering on being preposterous. He told her this.
“I understand your discontent—”
“Bewilderment.”
“—bewilderment,” she continued. “But I can picture such an alliance would not only save us from further tragedy, but secure our land and might even increase it.”
“I can’t quite follow.” Arthur readjusted his stance and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He noticed Lady Guinevere straightening her posture as well.
“We could acquire their land. We would have to come to various agreements, but I believe that Emperor Emrys will see the mutual benefit in this arrangement.” She had raised her eyebrows and gestured with her hands before she interlocked them in front of her waist, her mouth slightly agape in anticipation of an answer.
“I can hardly imagine Emperor Emrys and his people would accept becoming a vassal to this kingdom.”
“Your Majesty, it is not vassal I mean, but equals.”
Arthur was incredulous.
“I fear I can hardly offer that either. Nonetheless, I thank you for your proposal, Lady Guinevere.”
She bowed and left Arthur to his thoughts. He closed his eyes in dismay. This day would prove to be incredibly long.
Even more relieved he was when he finally entered his chambers again. With the door closed behind him, he felt like a caterpillar in its cocoon. He was hiding, a fact he couldn’t hide from himself anymore. He had become the coward his father had worried for him to become. Unable to rule, led by his feelings instead of his mind, but they dealt with powers greater than any miracle humans could ever conceive of. There was barely anything they could do, they had tried all they got. Still his father’s voice sounded distant, but just as cold in his head, talking down on him.
It had been years since he had taken the throne. Although it was the first tragedy to this immense scale, he had faced obstacles before. No land was free of them. Yet now his father had resurfaced in his mind with such a force he feared he had been resurrected. A thought he both welcomed as the son, but also terribly despised as a person being aware of common sense. If the Druids had suddenly become masters in the art of resurrection, well then call him invested. So many of his closest had died, beginning with his mother. So much he had missed out on could she have only been in his life. But there was no time to grieve.
He looked back at the tapestry. The lands that separated humans and Druids were far and wide. It would take him days to arrive there. If he went there himself, which both proved his investment in the cause, but also left his people without their ruler in times where they needed him most. Another problem to solve. Was there anything that was not in shambles?
“Sire? Your dinner.” It must be his food then.
“Thank you, George. Set it down on the table.” He pointed towards the far end of it where he dined alone on a regular evening. “While you are here, can you inform the knights of a council I will hold with them two days from now? You don’t have to inform them now, tomorrow is plenty of time. But just so they have time to accommodate.”
“What time do you wish to hold this council?”
“The exact time when the usual council takes place. I will postpone the usual one until the day after that.”
“Sire.” He made a quick way out of the room and with that Arthur was alone. He paid a quick glance towards the plate filled with every person’s desires, but even guilt threatened to choke him today as he could only see people struggling to fill their stomachs.
Nonetheless he sat down and began to eat.
While he laid there in his bed, pondering, he thought back to Lady Guinevere’s proposal. She was one of the closest nobles he could consult so he took her word to heart. This on the other hand made him sick to his stomach.
The human kingdom and the Druid empire had a strenuous relationship at best. While under the rule of his father there had been disputes over land and resources and with all the other instances, especially Eltham, each folk had developed animosity towards the other. The Druids were painted as cowards, allies leaving their friends in need to die alone and humans were said to be brutish and emotional. Arthur knew these to be exaggerations, but it did paint an accurate picture of why he was so hesitant to even consider Emperor Emrys as a last resort. Even more in a proposal. It was common tradition for humans to secure themselves through marriage, but Druids were even more traditional. Peculiarly in this instance though they relied on a power which ordained not only their Emperor or Empress, but also their loved one. To go behind such a ritual would invoke outrage.
Arthur chuckled.
He imagined himself showing up at the grand palace of Emperor Emrys where he would go in—the guards in his vision would just let him pass unquestioned—then he would go up to where Emperor Emrys would reside, knock, enter and then ask for his hand. While he started out chuckling, all humour had left him as he feared said vision to be far too close to what could transpire. He plopped a pillow down onto his head and exhaled before breathing in its scent.
Looking back up at the canopy over his bed he imagined what he looked like. He had never had the occasion to come face to face with the Emperor as he had only come into power when Arthur was already deep in problems. There just never had been the time. Still he could imagine the physical traits Druids were known for. Since their lifespan exceeded those of mortal humans, their appearance barely changed in one lifetime, a human lifetime. They stunned by possessing blinding beauty, an almost ethereal aura that surrounded their every step making every possible suitor too intimidated to even try to pursue anything. Arthur would likely be one of those. Despite him being king, he wasn’t immune to emotions and he feared he would be overcome by awe or even dread. Not to forget he was human. Not the ideal candidate to win over a Druid, even less the Emperor.
Still, he had to give Lady Guinevere credit. It was a possibility. One that lodged itself uncomfortably in his throat, but an idea worth trying nonetheless. How he would go about convincing his council was another challenge.
Several more minutes were spent on pondering, thinking of all the lives lost before Arthur fell into a restless sleep.
Rain pattered softly against the castle windows. The wind howled outside and Arthur's shoes clacked on the stone floor. He looked out a window. The court was mostly empty apart from servants walking horses off to bring them into a stable until their owners would return. Said owners were currently on their way to the hall as they had been asked to attend a council. More so a private council as the attendees consisted of his closest advisors and knights.
“Thank you everyone for coming,” Arthur began as he entered for the second time this week. “There is a matter concerning the very future of this kingdom and frankly, I am in desperate need of your assistance.” He sounded even more desperate than he had thought he would let on, but there was no time to conceal what was truly seething beneath his skin.
He again let the table support his weight before he dared to look at his friends. Concern was a shared emotion. “Mere days ago our trusted friend, Guinevere—” he gestured to her which got him a nod in return. “—offered me a solution to our predicament.” Before he continued he watched for initial reactions. “As we are currently beset by catastrophe after catastrophe we are in need of help. The realization that this is not a job we could face on our own, is clear as day and as this promises a turn, our hope will subside when I tell you what our solution is: an alliance.”
Chatter broke out and Arthur wanted to give them the time to come to terms with said solution. Eventually they turned back to him.
“A union does not give cause for such discontent, Your Majesty,” Sir Leon commented and several others agreed.
“I agree, there is cause for concern though, that I withheld, but not for any longer. The union that was suggested was with none other than the Druid Emperor, in the form of a proposal.”
Now their faces resembled the surprise he had dreamed of during the night. There was no way around it and even after having shared it Arthur felt no less stressed. Rather the opposite.
“A marriage proposal?” Sir Elyan, brother of Gwen asked. Arthur could only nod.
“With the Emperor?” Sir Gwaine looked rather amused. His like-minded partners did not share the sentiment.
“Yes, Gwaine. A proposal,” Sir Percival, the closest to Sir Gwaine answered.
“It does not call for much hope, is all,” Arthur explained. “I’m less than suitable and even if I would make it so far to partake in their ritual even then would I not be able to secure anything.” Arthur sighed.
“But nothing is lost, Your Majesty. You have never had an audience with the Emperor, therefore his impression of your person could vary drastically to what we currently fear.” The others agreed again with Sir Leon’s assessment. He truly was a voice of reason.
“You might be correct with that. But there is still the council and our people to convince of my endeavour. The Druids share vastly different values than those of our people. Not to forget the animosity they regarded us with for the last century. This would prove to be more difficult than we would like it to be.” Arthur crossed his arms. Leon perked up again.
“The council will see the merit though. We are all in this and if we want change then we can only do what is left to us.”
“Thank you, Leon. Your word is a guide for us today.” The aforementioned basked coyly in his compliment and got a friendly slap to his shoulder.
“First, I wanted to appeal for your approval though as you are the people who are closest to me. The council will not have to wait for long after this has transpired, but I frankly am afraid of what they will have to say,” Arthur admitted and got sympathetic looks in return.
“No matter what happens, we are on your side, Your Majesty,” Elyan said and others sounded their sympathy as well.
“Thank you.”
“Presume you go to get an audience with Emperor Emrys, who will be in your place?” Sir Lancelot asked. Arthur thought about it, but his response was swift.
“In my place Sir Leon will serve as replacement.” The choice was obvious as he had proven to be reliable and level headed unlike a candidate like Gwaine. And while the thought was filled with humour in theory, in practice it would make for a disaster for the kingdom, not in the currently reoccurring type though. Possibly worse. Arthur snickered quietly as the knights and noble people discussed the thought.
“Thank you for that honour, Your Majesty,” Sir Leon said as he stood and bowed with his hand on his stomach.
“I will also call more regular council meetings into action once my departure is known and set. We will also set up correspondence so both sides know of the other and will be able to confide or discuss matters.”
The knights nodded. “We can not risk being out of the picture regarding any issues. This is of most importance and if any of you have requests or changes to note, do not refrain from coming forward with them and we can work out different solutions.” Arthur did not want to pride himself with his willingness to cooperate, but it was not a trait commonly found in kings and queens of the human race.
“Then I would call the end to this council. I thank you for attending and assisting me in this matter. I command you to keep the contents of this round to yourself until further instructions from my side. You may go back to the duties you abandoned for this,” he said and the others laughed, clearly not interested in doing said thing.
“We’ll all be thrilled to do that,” Sir Percival said and coaxed out another laugh before the nobles said their goodbyes and left the hall.
Again Arthur was left alone.
He sighed. This council had gone down definitely more preferable than the one that happened before it, but it left Arthur little consoled nonetheless as the real problem lay still before him: the audience with Emperor Emrys.
As he was eating again this evening and looked over letter and letter, report over report, he put his fork down and looked at the tapestry. His heart jumped ever so slightly as he imagined the encounter with Emrys and he could not even put a finger on what made him so uneasy, but it left him unnerved. He could only imagine what a commoner would feel in his position and their heart would probably give out, but he was not sure if his heart was not up to do the same. He pressed a hand to his forehead where he pushed his hair out of his face. He clasped his hands in front of his mouth. Eyes closed in deep resignation.
~~~
A fortnight had passed and Arthur had long since spoken to the council regarding his decision. A lot of objections had been voiced which Arthur had expected, but in the end even the most opposed had to give in and planned the trip that was now being prepared.
“Muck out the stables once we have ridden off. And someone instruct the maids to clean my chambers while I’m gone, but every other day should be more than enough,” Arthur said as his servant wrapped his cape around his shoulder, held it, came around to secure it at the front and then smoothed it out. He looked at himself in the mirror.
His chainmail had been put on, an arm cover placed over his right shoulder and arm and a belt had been wrapped around his middle. A spot he had become rather self-conscious about as he had put on weight which made the belt fit him less. Embarrassingly he had to get a new hole punched into the already wearing out leather—might be time for a new belt—but he did not want to think about it too much, because as insecure he might be, he had other matters to stress about. Like the ride over to Cymru (Wales) where the palace of Emperor Emrys was situated. They were not too far apart, but it was another fortnight long ride that needed preparation. The only good thing is that it gave him ample time to think of his speech when he was face to face with Emrys. He had been to an audience with an Empress before, Emrys’ mother, Hunith. Then his father had still been in power and brought him along and while she was a kind and caring woman, his father had not left the same impression. That impression was far from impossible to spill over onto the new Emperor of the Druids so Arthur had to make sure that he would give his all. After all, his kingdom was on the line.
“Yes, Sire.” his servant said and made his way over to where a tub had been filled earlier. Arthur watched him as he folded nearby towels as he himself put on his gloves and gave himself a last check in the mirror. He was past his prime. Time has caught up to him and painted its first lines on his once youthful skin. Then again his experience was anything but merciful. He had fought battles, lost some as well, of course, but he just lived a life that was more ridden with stress than most would imagine. Not that he needed pity, he was the king of Camelot, if one had privilege it was him, but many people would be astounded as to the things that had happened to him. But he wasted no further thought and followed George out of his chambers.
“Sire,” Sir Leon said as Arthur stepped out onto the courtyard. He bowed before he accompanied him to the stables where knights Percival and Elyan waited.
“How long will you be gone, you assume?” Leon asked. They gently caressed the horses that were now being saddled up. Arthur contemplated.
“A month at least with the way there and back. I might stay a couple of days to discuss the matter first. I first want to get to get to know him.”
“That is sensible.”
“Sire,” both Elyan and Percival said as the two men arrived at their side.
“Gentlemen. Prepare for the ride ahead as we will spend a lot of it together and might want to rip our heads off afterwards,” Arthur joked and earned a couple of laughs as more knights entered the conversation. “Good, have the pigeons been prepared?” Arthur informed himself and the keeper of them gave him the necessary details.
“Correspondence should work on a regular basis,” Leon added.
“Did we receive another from Emperor Emrys?” Arthur again asked the pigeon keeper, but there were no new messages. He had several exchanges with the Emperor. First he had to ask for an audience which he surprisingly got. He had worried quite some time that he would be right out denied, but then they set a date not without Arthur informing him of their time consuming journey. With that it was basically settled and last they received directions although Arthur was more than familiar with the land. Still he appreciated the gesture.
“Alright, then off we go, I say,” Arthur announced and ordered his men to walk their horses outside.
“Sire, have a good and safe journey,” Leon said as he put a hand to the king’s shoulder. “And bring us good news.”
“Thank you, Leon.” They pulled each other into a hug and so did Percival and Elyan with Leon.
“Inform me of your first stop.”
As Arthur slowly rode off, he raised his hand in affirmation and with that he and his knights and advisors left the castle grounds.
~~~
“How many days are we still away from Cymru?” Arthur asked his guide, guiding them through the lands. They had been on their horses on and off for about ten days and while they expected the journey to be strenuous, it of course took a toll on them nonetheless. Despite that, Arthur was keen to arrive. His fear had not yet fully faded, but it had diffused and he soon became excited to see the breathtaking empire of the Druids again.
Not only were its inhabitants known for their incredible beauty, but also their land and architecture. If one nation encompassed beauty, it was the Druids. If only their personality was known for said thing. But Arthur could not take on his father's prejudices and then face the new Emperor. He would need to stay open-minded as best as he could and take on whatever challenge may come their way.
“About three days, Your Majesty,” the guide answered as Arthur scooped up some more soup. He nodded. He felt somewhat down. It could be the inclement weather they had faced almost every day of their journey. It could also be the distance from home and the uncertainty that it brought with it, because despite all the correspondence and all the ‘all-is-well’-messages, he could never be sure if he was not there to witness it. It plagued him. His knights had caught on as well, but they did not address it.
“How are you feeling, Sire?” Percival asked as he then bit down on a piece of vegetable.
“Uncertain. I will be more than relieved to finally enter a proper building again—” he referenced their tents and chuckled. “—but I also am worried about how things will go with Emperor Emrys. His personality is a mystery to me and it gnaws on me, truthfully.”
“Understandably.” His men looked at him as he bit down on some vegetables.
This evening the sky was clear, so when a conversation started around him Arthur glanced up towards the sky and watched the faint gleam of the stars above them. He would not claim himself to be particularly spiritual, but he knew Druids were and used the stars not only to guide them through the world, but also through their life. They told stories about them, painted murals depicting them and sang them in song and poetry. Arthur was curious if he would get to see any of it.
The last three days were mostly uneventful. They did come across some bandits, but they were hardly a challenge as they came more than under prepared. Their weapons were weak and their armour almost non-existent. It was laughable. In the end they admitted defeat and scurried off into the woods they came from. Apart from said instance their way was easy. That was until they reached the gates of Cardiff.
Guards were stationed, they had spotted them several distances before and despite coming prepared, Arthur’s nerves had been acting up for quite some time now.
“Hold!” The guard to their left said. “Who are you?”
“Arthur Pendragon, king of Camelot. I have requested an audience with Emperor Emrys.”
The guard regarded him with suspicion, but as the wind would conveniently hit them from the side, Arthur’s cape fell towards his front, showing off his kingdom’s crest. That seemed to paint them in a more credible light.
“Was there not Uther Pendragon before you?” The other guard asked.
“Yes, but is not with us anymore.” Arthur was not keen on talking any more with these twats as they clearly had not been informed of his arrival. He looked around as they discussed something in Cymraeg, their native language.
“I have to apologize, your Majesty. Emperor Emrys awaits you in the grand hall,” the guard who had spoken to them first said and ordered for another to open the gate.
“All right.” Deep down Arthur wanted to shake his head, but he refrained from doing so.
The gate opened up to the scenery Arthur still remembered from his first trip to Cardiff. It had been a few years back already, but he was glad to find that his memory had been quite accurate to the original.
The buildings, which were only commoner houses, were painted in light or earthy colours, but were ornamented with teal or green parts. Some had tiles that caught the sunlight in a way Arthur had never witnessed before. It struck him with awe and his knights seemed to be affected by similar amazement. The people regarded them with a mixture of wary and curious eyes. Arthur was well aware that his kingdom’s colours were quite a rarity in a land so full of earth’s colours. The crest did not help the part.
“We seem to be quite popular, Sire,” Elyan, next to Arthur, said to him. Hushed voices spoke Cymraeg around them and while they virtually understood nothing, he did understand some of the tones people evinced.
“Not exactly sure about that, Elyan.” Arthur looked on as some kids stared at them. He could not blame them. Were he their age he would have done the same. Still it amused him.
At the gate of the palace they came to a halt again and waited for the guards to approve and announce their arrival.
“Welcome to Caerdydd, Your Majesty,” the guard said and waved them through. Arthur thanked them before their horses rode on.
In the middle of the court they all got off and took in their surroundings. The palace was a considerable amount larger than Camelot, but Arthur was not all too surprised about that. The Druid empire had existed long before Camelot was established so they would have to have some idea of what and how to build after all that time. Still, his pride was stung ever so slightly. Nevertheless the palace was an amalgamation of all the architecture they had seen outside: a naturally light coloured façade with green embellishments and various other details. In front of them throned a tower and they were surrounded by tall walls hiding living quarters and other places from prying eyes, like theirs.
As their men started to unload the horses of their luggage Arthur took several steps towards the tall door leading inside the palace. As he looked back briefly he heard it opening and swiftly turned to look. There in the entrance stood a tall man, right about his size, dark hair and clad in clothing so intricate it was far beyond Arthur’s comprehension.
“King of Men, you have arrived.” His voice was honeyed, but authoritative. “Welcome to your companions, too.” All of them bowed before him as he made his way over to them. Once he came to stop in front of them he ordered his people to take away their horses.
“They can stay in our stables for now.”
“Thank you, Emperor Emrys.” At the sounding of his name, Emperor Emrys gave them a sly smile. Meanwhile he ordered for their luggage to be taken to their rooms as well.
“You’re welcome, but let me lead you inside. There is much to see.”
And while his nerves were through the roof the entirety of their way through the city, Arthur now felt some tranquility reside inside him which he welcomed. It did not make for a good impression as king to be scared.
The Emperor showed them various halls, walked them through endless hallways and finally showed them the dining hall and their respective rooms and bathrooms. If Arthur had felt inadequately furnished in his kingdom then he was in for a treat as he looked at the amenities the palace in Caerdydd had. They were precious. Probably more precious than the entire treasury in Camelot. Arthur felt himself get a little annoyed while his men stared on awestruck.
“That should cover all the important places. Anything else I can provide you with?” Emperor Emrys asked. The knights asked various questions and while it was Arthur’s cue to do the same, he was keeping to himself. Trying to digest the input he had just received.
“Great, now that that is done, I will now show you to your rooms.” Again, Arthur’s men showed their excitement while he trotted behind them, occasionally glancing up at detailed, but abstract paintings of various inhabitants of the palace, he assumed.
“Over there is Sir Percival's room,” Emperor Emrys said and pointed to their right and then walked on to the door at the end of the corridor. “And this is where the King of Men will reside.” A curious name for Arthur, but he did not correct him. He actually feared that Emrys was not even aware of his actual name, but the prospect of it entertained him too much to actually inform him.
The door opened to a room twice the size of his men’s allotted rooms. Arthur shot them a sly smile, but none took offence to it.
The room was lit by windows four times Arthur's height which impressed him to no end. The bed was similar as it allowed for three people to rest there. Everything else was in a comparatively normal size, he silently thanked for it, but it was in the style that was everywhere in this place.
“It should provide you with your every need. Otherwise you can let our people know,” Emrys said almost sweetly as Arthur walked around. When he came to stop at one of the windows, his men admiring the interior as well, he felt a presence behind him, but he didn’t turn.
“Is it to your liking?” A quiet voice. Arthur turned his head slightly.
“More than. I can’t thank you enough, Emperor Emrys.”
“I’m glad.”
Both men watched the life bustling outside before Arthur turned around and caught a close glimpse of Emperor Emrys. His light blue eyes beheld him already and the image was engraved into Arthur’s subconscious. He was also blessed with beautifully high cheek bones, but what stood out to Arthur were the ears that stuck out from the sides of his head. They were incredibly endearing and perfected the youthful image of the man in front of him.
“May I show you your bathroom?” The Druid asked. Arthur nodded and followed him to an adjacent room with a tall, but slim door. The Emperor signalled for him to go in first and Arthur was yet again hit by amazement. It was incredible and Arthur already dreaded the day they had to depart for home.
“It’s stunning.” He looked up and noticed an intricate glass lamp with embellishments.
“I had hoped you would find it to your liking.”
Emrys again came into vision and gave him an intrigued smile. Arthur averted his eyes. “There are many things that can be adjusted or customized as well. I want your stay to feel like home. That is an impossible endeavour, but you’re supposed to feel as comfortable as possible.”
Arthur was surprised to find such hospitality. His view of Druids seemed to have been flawed, but then again he had not yet announced what his issue was so he should not feel any high hopes.
“Thank you. That is very gracious, because I can appreciate a difference from what I’m seeing every day. This is a nice change.” He gave him a thoughtful smile, but then they walked back into the bedroom. After them came the flood of knights who wanted a look into the bathroom themselves.
“What is it like where you are from?” Emperor Emrys asked. Arthur thought.
“Not as lustrous as you would find it here. It is rather simple and pale in comparison,” he admitted and watched Emrys’ interested gaze that was almost locked on him. He felt heat creeping up his neck. “But then again it is but a mere kingdom.” He tried to laugh it off, but Emperor Emrys shook his head.
“A kingdom worth visiting, I presume. I’d love to go there some day.”
“Oh?” Arthur had not meant to sound so surprised, but it sort of evaded his control. Emperor Emrys seemed amused however and regarded him with his head tilted to the side. Again his eyes were piercing him.
“It is not often that I get to visit new places. Although I have heard of you, I would love to make my own impression of the land you call Camelot.” The way he said the name made Arthur’s heart feel light.
“I’m glad to hear it.” As Emperor Emrys looked at him intently one last time and they basked in short silence, Emrys then made his way over to the knights who were aweing over the interior still. Arthur chuckled.
“With this, I would say you all take your time to arrive. My people have already brought in your belongings, unpack, refresh yourself and then I would say change into formal wear as we will hold a banquet later. There will be nobility present to welcome you into your new residence and I hope you all look forward to that,” Emrys announced, nodded and then left the room, a long train off of his suit following him. Arthur couldn’t help but stare. This was all a lot to process.
As Arthur had shaved—he had not really had the time to do it on his way to the empire—, bathed, a thing he found weirdly confusing and intriguing as unlike the baths in Camelot where one would have to preheat the water then fill it into a tub, the Druids were accustomed to baths that had water running out of roof mounted pipes where you would pull a lever or turn it to adjust the temperature. It was not even wizardry, which the Druids were known for, that fueled what Emrys later explained to him as a ‘shower’, but just ‘basic plumbing’. Arthur was dumbfounded to say the least.
Then he had the arduous task to dress himself. Not that he had a struggle with the actual process of it, he had long dressed himself now, but he feared that any and every option would not suffice in the environment that he found himself in. By that he did not mean the climate, but just the overall glamour that this place harboured.
With an outfit picked out, he waited for his men in the hallway. There he took another look at himself in a mirror until the first men came out.
“Looking good, Sire,” Edward, one of the younger knights said as he spotted Arthur.
“Yeah? I fear that I’m still far from presentable.”
His knights laughed. “No worries, we all do.” Said knight turned to another one who left his room and with that Arthur was left to his thoughts again.
“Have you tested the amenities,” Elyan asked Arthur as they walked down the huge stairs at the entrance. He shared his amusement with him and laughed when Arthur told him of his struggle.
“If Emperor Emrys knew of this, he would think we are fools,” he said and both men laughed.
Their eyes fell onto the now open door to the dining hall. There awaited a dozen Druid nobles all dressed to the nines, to their nines apparently. Arthur opened his mouth in disbelief.
“This can’t be real.”
“I fear it is,” Elyan answered as he snickered and turned around to inform the others.
Once the men entered the room several pairs of eyes turned to face them. It was anything but pleasant.
“Ah, there are my guests! Come in, help yourself to drinks and food. There’s plenty,” Emperor Emrys announced and went to grab Arthur by the shoulder to gesture into the immensely huge room. Said room was furnished as to be expected by now. A massive table served as the centre piece where most of the food was placed and surrounded by intricate decorations. The walls were covered in even more detailed wallpaper and everywhere were lush plants and lights illuminated it all in an amazing light. It seemed this day was to be an awestruck one.
“I hope you had some time for yourself and to prepare,” Emrys continued and Arthur only now noticed the music playing in front of the table. He turned his attention back to the Emperor when he pulled him forwards.
“Definitely, I still have to excuse our appearance. I fear we can not give you a run for your money still.” Arthur said self-deprecatingly and watched Emrys laugh.
“Oh not to worry, King of Men. You all look marvelous.” Arthur raised his eyebrows. He had trouble figuring out if he used satire or not. He gave him the benefit of the doubt.
“Mother, I want you to meet the King of Men, coming from Camelot,” he said and Arthur suddenly found himself in front of who he recognised as former Empress Hunith. He bowed deeply before he shook her hand in deep admiration. Although his father, Uther, had not been able to get on well with her, he had always appreciated her politics. She was known for generosity and Arthur could only hope that her son presented signs of similar traits to her.
“Your Majesty, it’s an honour,” she said to him.
“The honour is mine. It has been long since we last came together. Certainly under different circumstances, but I’m glad to see you.”
“Likewise. Still my condolences to the fate that befell your father. He will be held in dear memory.”
“Thank you.”
Next to him, Emperor Emrys regarded Arthur with a thoughtful look. Arthur turned his gaze away from him to listen to his mother.
“I hope you had a good trip here? I know the land can be treacherous.”
Arthur nodded as all three slowly walked around, seemingly aimlessly. He did not mind though. On their way he picked up a glass of what was said to be an exquisite Druid wine. Arthur did not mind it either. It was comparatively sweet to wine served in his lands, but it was a nice alternation.
“We did have an altercation with bandits about three days from here, but we were able to take them on pretty easily.” It sounded more like a boast than he had meant to and the smug smile on Emrys’ face told him that he had caught onto that, but did not mention it. It seemed to have eluded Hunith though.
“That is terrible, but I’m glad you came out unscathed.”
“Men are known to prove their ability in combat,” Emrys added and again Arthur was not able to discern his tone.
“That is true, but I have to apologize, I have to attend to other guests. It was a pleasure to meet again, Arthur Pendragon.” She gave him a lovely smile before making her way through the crowd to talk to some high ranking people. Arthur came to meet Emrys’ gaze.
“When did you two meet before,” he asked and walked on with Arthur following him. He was sipping on his wine before he began to speak.
“While my father was still king. I must have been nineteen at the time.” Arthur regarded him and found himself confused when Emperor Emrys erupted in laughter.
“It’s amusing to hear your age. Nineteen is such an endearingly small number.” Arthur nodded.
“I understand, likewise it is the other way around for us.”
“Would you like to give an estimate to my age?” Emrys said and looked at him with a challenge in his eyes. Arthur noticed that he was not only the well composed Emperor he thought he was, but he proved to be a mischievous one as well. An interesting twist.
“I could never dare, Your Majesty.” It was more than weird to say that to someone else, Arthur realized.
“It’s alright. Go on. Give it a try.” Again, a sly smile played on Emrys’ lips.
“I would guess around … seventy? Maybe eighty?” He raised his eyebrows in surprise when Emrys laughed again.
“Not quite. Add another two hundred years and you get there, but not bad, King of Men.” Emrys put a firm hand on Arthur’s shoulder before they walked on and Emrys grabbed a glass of wine himself.
“I probably just should have kept that to myself,” Arthur said, softly laughing as well and got an intent look back. He again noticed the brightness of Emperor Emrys’ eyes as they scanned his face, moving swiftly from one place to another. He wondered how Emrys regarded him and if he shared a similar sentiment. He doubted it.
“No, no, it’s amusing. Humans always have incredibly different visions of us and our lives. Asking questions like these gives me a glimpse of that.” This time Emrys looked to the ground as he spoke and it was Arthur who regarded him with a stare. He tore his eyes away and took a self-conscious sip of his wine. Had it changed in taste? He could not be certain.
“I see.”
As Emrys had introduced Arthur and his knights to various nobles, all more or less keen to get to know them, their kinds had history after all, he found himself incredibly tired. Then again they had ridden here a long way and it had already started to turn darker outside. The colours of the sunset played in the sky when Arthur gave a quick glance outside. It brightened him up a bit as well. But his luck would arrive soon as said nobles made their way to the table to soon attend the oration that Emrys was supposed to give.
“Croeso i bawb i’r wledd hon lle rydym yn croesawu ein gwesteion pellgyrhaeddol o deyrnas Camelot,” Emperor Emrys began his speech in Cymraeg and applause erupted in the room. “Or to say it in the tongue of our guests: welcome all to this banquet where we welcome you—” he gestured towards Arthur and his knights and pulled all gazes on them. “—our far travelled guests from the kingdom of Camelot. Welcome.” Another round of applause.
“I want to thank you all for attending today's banquet and hope you all had a pleasant time so far.” The guests started to chatter before Emperor Emrys resumed. “This night is a special night as this marks the first visit of King of Men, Arthur Pendragon!” Another round of applause filled the room. Arthur was unsure as to what to do. Fighting with his inner voice he decided to stand up and waved a quick hand. He sat down just as quickly. He also noticed that it was the first time that Emrys had actually announced him by his name. Apparently he did in fact know his name. Arthur was almost disappointed, but he could not help the flutter within him that spread at the way Emperor Emrys pronounced his name. It was not vastly different, but he did speak with an accent special to Cymru. He felt heat rise in himself. The knights closest to him clapped him on his shoulders when he sat back down.
“With his visit to our land we hope to gain and secure a trusted ally.” This sentence seemed to spark quite the conversations and not all seemed good hearted as people gave them discrediting looks. Arthur noticed a significant shift in the atmosphere. “And since our shared history is very much present in our minds—” again, a lot of chatter. “—I hope that we can put our past and differences behind us and have a new beginning.”
Arthur looked around and noticed his knights shift as well. This did not go as he had hoped at the beginning of the banquet. Before he had been quite oblivious to the still residing distrust between Druids and humans, but now it was quite literally, unceremoniously shoved down his throat. He tried to clear it.
“A chan fy mod i’n dal i gael eich sylw, hoffwn i chi gyd wylio’ch tafodau gan efallai na fydd ein gwesteion tramor yn gallu deall y dirmyg rydych chi’n ei ddangos tuag atynt, ond byddant yn gallu ei deimlo.” (And as I still have your attention, I would like for you all to watch your tongues as our foreign guests might not be able to understand the disdain you bring towards them, but they will be able to feel it.)
Arthur did not even try to understand what was just said and as one of his advisors tried to make sense of it with his little knowledge of Cymraeg, he wasn’t sure if he was any more in the clear. He did however notice the change in facial expression on Emperor Emrys’ face. He looked around and saw upset faces, but no one talked. He looked back at Emrys.
“With that I hereby declare the banquet dinner open.” Emperor Emrys sat down, after yet again applause, where he immediately got entangled in a conversation.
Arthur and Emrys had shared several glances throughout the dinner and while most were hard to decipher, he was almost clear about the smiles sent his way. He still couldn’t help the heat that rose again and again. It was worse when Emrys regarded him with a slightly tilted head and eyes slightly closed. It made things stir in Arthur which had not been stirred in quite some time.
As he was unbuttoning his shirt in his room he looked upon himself. Chest hair peaked out of his shirt and as his hands wandered further down he got to see the hair that travelled further to then hide underneath his trousers and pants.
When he found his eyes again he had already put away the shirt and was struggling to take off his trousers. They weren’t tight or anything, he was just that clumsy today. He sighed and put away his trousers as well.
Making himself comfortable in his bed, he looked through the massive windows. There he could see the stars as they twinkled in the sky. It was surely not the last thing he beheld, but the last thing he remembered before drifting off to long deserved sleep.