The Knight Behind the Pillar by John Pateman-Gee

floor. 
                  “Well sir, speak,” Demanded Ector when no immediate response was forthcoming, “You have a lot you got to say, please enlighten us and get on with it.”
                  Merlin gave a nod in acceptance finally and then fully lifted his head.  It seemed he had been waiting for this day; he had the grave expression that knew it would come to this.  However, first he glanced towards our pillars for the slightest of moments.  We had no chance to avoid his passing glance, I pulled back for a moment behind the pillar in a delayed reaction, but noticed Arthur did not move a muscle.  No one else was looking our way, Merlin was the focus now.
                  The old man then directed himself to Alain and the others behind Ector.  “Over fifteen years ago I passed to Ector and his wife a baby boy.  And that was Arthur.” Merlin calmly addressed the room. 
                  “What!” Exclaimed Arthur from my side. 
                  It would have been loud enough for the room to hear if it wasn’t for Ector also booming at the same time.  “And you lied to us.” He accused yelling fiercely and pointing.
                  Ector’s stance toward Merlin was purposefully intimidating and he obstructed Merlin’s path, but Merlin seemed undaunted and continued to avoid eye contact.  There was an indescribable stillness in the air; even the dust floating and flickering in the light from above had seemingly stopped moving.  
                  I would have watched further to standoff between the men, only my attention had change priorities and drifted instead to Arthur.  As close as he was, he was now out of my reach having now stepped forward to the side of the pillar.  The room had made no reaction to Arthur’s outburst, it was not as loud as I first thought and I was relieved.  All of the noble’s senses were trained on the central figures and the importance of what was being told.  Except having stepped forward it was only a matter of time before Arthur would be noticed and my apprehension of being discovered tensed every muscle to a point that even to breath felt like I needed to concentrate.  I contemplated leaving, but there was no hope of me leaving the room now without being seen, everyone was looking towards Merlin and Ector, and beyond them while it was a little to one side was the open view of the doorway.  Besides I did not feel it was right to abandon Arthur and felt required to stay. 
                  When Ector had asked who his son was, Arthur had no reaction to that question and this indicated to me that he too only thought the question was about him being a king.  Although Arthur not reacting earlier might have been due to total disbelief.   Now Merlin had definitely confirmed Arthur was not Ector’s son, not his own blood, if he was king or not was not as important right now.
    Alain words floated across my thoughts. “Ector please, at least give this man a chance to say something useful.” He asked with authority and a touch of mid impatience as he finally stepped in to redirect Ector’s anger bubbling over. 
                  A pause of unforgiving silence occurred, suspense to the point you would start to shout get on with it had you been anywhere else. 
                  Merlin finally continued slowly, perhaps he was aware of each word’s importance and the grip of the audience he held.  “I told him, Ector here that is, that the boy was of a noble family who had been lost and he needed a new home.  A lie, some might think so.  He was of course of noble birth and as I see it he was lost and he needed a good supportive home.  For good reason I said nothing in respect that he was the son of the king, the high king, or that he might one day be king.”
                  All eyes were on Merlin except two pairs.  One set stared