I would be overstepping my bounds if I were to suggest I got to know Prince Uther well, despite the fact I tutored him for a number of hours most weeks of the year. The Prince though was not the sort of person on really got to know and I don't believe it was wholly due to out differences in rank, I noticed for instance that the Prince did not keep the company of any of his contemporaries, despite the fact they undoubtedly spent a lot of time in each other's company and were all pages. I often wondered why that was, but then I had not had many friends myself when I was a boy, on the other hand an interest in books is not really common among young boys whereas an interest in being a knight most certainly was.

Ever since noticing the bruise on Prince Uther's face I had began to see more evidence of such harsh acts towards the boy, he often arrived for lessons with red rimmed eyes as if he had been crying, but there were not always bruises to show for it. True to Cedas's advice I never brought it up and instead concentrated on getting the Prince interested in learning. This was an uphill battle on an unprecedented level as far as I was concerned, although I have to admit one of the best ways of learning something is to do it yourself. That being the case I soon found myself to be an expert on the history of Camelot as well as the various order disputes with the other seven kingdoms.

Prince Uther was not the sort of person amiable to treaties and cease fires, however. He seemed to be of the opinion that whenever possible force should be favoured over words. My attempts to teach him the benefits of diplomacy seemed to fall on deaf ears.

I did however have his full attention when it came to recounting the battles of the past, in fact hat's how he came to read, write and do arithmetic, all of which, admittedly one would need to lead a company of knights into battle. But really, I think something should be said about learning for learning's sake.

When time permitted I continued my studies with Cedas, who was cantankerous as ever, but no-one would ever deny he knew just about everything there was to know about archiving. During one lesson on the various methods of cataloguing we were both surprised when one of the royal brothers came into our midst. I believed it was Prince Caius, truth be told I couldn't really tell the middle two princes apart. Of course, he wouldn't have had the foggiest idea of what my name was, so I felt we were even on that score.

Cedas and I hurriedly got to our feet and bowed, although personally I didn't rate this prince much, etiquette needed to be respected. The Prince barely looked our way instead he curtly demanded information on the Duchy of Cornwall.

"Cornwall, Your Highness?" Cedas repeated, somewhat timidly. "What specifically did you wish to know, sire?"

It was a necessary question, we did after all have an enormous amount of information on Cornwall, it would take weeks to go through it all.

Prince Caius didn't appreciate this fact in the least, in fact he looked very affronted as if we had dealt him a severe insult.

"I have no time to answer the questions of servants," he said, coldly. "Just get me information. The Duke and his entourage are coming for a council, I won't be thought of as ignorant." He leveled us with a stare that plainly said if he was he would hold Cedas and probably me, if he remembered my face, responsible.

And with that rather broad order he swept out of the library, not even bothering to say when he expected the information, some people simply had no idea how a researcher did his work.

Cedas was annoyed as I at this less than clear request, he had an advantage however, he was able to palm the work off to me. I supposed I should have been honoured as it represented my first foray into the work of an archivist and all the necessary work needed for such.

All the same, I heartily wished it could have been something not to do with the royal family...

Fortunately, I rather quickly discovered when my research would be needed, the castle was abuzz with talk of the Duke of Cornwall's visit. Apparently the Duke was considered one of the most handsome men in all of Albion so the female servants in particular were very much looking forward to his visit.

I thought all rather ridiculous, but at least I knew when the Duke was coming and that was soon!

So into the archives I went hunting through the myriad of documents and books concerning Cornwall. One day I decided to bring Prince Uther in on the research, not only because I was running out of time but because there were things to be learned.

Not that Prince Uther was at all interested in what I was trying to teach namely how to select research materials, no he was more interested in Cornwall’s military history.

I suppose I should be glad he had some interest because when I first told him what we were doing his response was dismissive. “Cornwall? Who cares about Cornwall, they don’t even have a king!”

But upon seeing all the books and dispatches relating to the various battles their army had proved instrumental in, the Prince proved to be a bit of hinderance as he insisted on reading through every dispatch and commenting on it.

So I was treated to remarks such as - “They beat the Mercia’s first batallion!”

“They have a mounted calvary of archers!”

“They’ve kept the Irish from breaching their coastline for hundreds of years with hardly any help at all!”

I suppose I should be thankful the Prince was finally appreciating the library for what it could be, but this was not a very good time. I certainly didn’t want to get on the bad side of Prince Caius, I was sure he was just as frightening as the King and Prince Ambrosius when he lost his temper.

It would have helped if I’d know specifically what the Duke of Cornwall was coming here to discuss, I had to assume though that it was military strategy of some sort, so at least I was on the right track there.

You can’t imagine my surprise when towards sunset Prince Caius himself returned to the library. I was expecting to have to deliver what I had collected – with the inherit difficult that would cause – not have the Prince come in person. What if he didn’t think I had collected the correct information?

Prince Uther was as surprised as I was, but a small smile appeared on his face. “Uncle Caius!”

Prince Caius didn’t even bother to greet his newphew instead he addressed me. “Where’s Cedas?”

I gave a quick bow. “Sire, Cedas instructed me to get the information for you so –“

“You?” Prince Caius snapped, looking me up and down. “I don’t even know who the Hell you are –“

“He’s my tutor, Uncle,” Prince Uther interjected, to my surprise, since that was tantamount to him defending me, which I most certainly never expected.

Prince Caius face went red and I shrank back, wondering what exactly my punishment was going to be. Wasn't he at least going to look at it before condemning me?

Suddenly, Prince Caius slammed his fist down on the table that stood between us. "Is that the game then? Is that what his most gracious and benevolent Majesty has decreed? That I receive assistance from a simpleton and the most useless prince in the seven kingdoms?"

I finched, not just for myself, but for Prince Uther, stealing a quick look at him I saw his face was completely impassive.

"Cedas choose you, did he?" The Prince repeated slowly as if to a small child. "Tell me can you even read?"

"Yes, sire, of course I can, sire," I hurriedly picked up all the material I had gathered. It was quite an armful, but was, I thought an accurate description of the current diplomatic situation between Camelot and Cornwall.

Prince Caius stared at the various scrolls and two slim volumes, his upper lip curling in disdain. Finally he spoke. "You've picked the ones that say Cornwall, at least. Boy," he turned in Prince Uther's direction, "bring those to my chambers and be quick about it, damn it."

"Yes, Uncle," Prince Uther didn't seem to think his uncle was in too dangerous a mood, which was a relief, though in that case I shuddered to think what a bad mood would entail.

Prince Uther managed to take the whole pile all at once and hurry from the library without the stack so much as wobbling. It seemed that among other things training to be a knight gave one enviable balance.

Prince Caius put his other hand on the table and leaned forward, his eyes bored into mine. "Now, you listen to me, if any of that information is wrong and I end up looking the fool in any way, you will pay for it, understand?"

I swallowed hard, my heart was pounding in my chest so loudly I could barely hear the Prince's threat.

Apparently, I answered far too slowly for his liking because he grabbed me by the shoulder and shook me so hard my teeth clacked together. "Understand?!" He repeated.

"Y-yes, sire." I gasped, I had bit my tongue when he shook me and I tasted the bitter tang of blood.

With that Prince Caius smiled, a truly chilling smile I thought and then swept from the library.

I sat down, my legs all but giving out on me and rubbed my shoulder, which now throbbed from the force of Prince Caius's grip.

The royal family was truly the strangest one I had ever met.