Friendly Faces of the Past {Caitrin/Celta}

[Celta Meiru]

A smile was fixed upon the lips of Celta Meiru as she trotted along the road on Eolas on the way out of Camelot. She was going to visit a friend, although the friend had no idea she was even coming. She had no idea just how much her day would be altered by this surprise visit. Celta had first made this decision a week before, when she was eating dinner with her adoptive parents. They were all discussing the other nobles of the court, and her mother was gossiping about the women, as usual.

Celta almost choked on a piece of meat when the name Caitrin de Archer came up in her mother's casual conversation. Caitrin was one of Celta's dearest childhood friends before the fire had destroyed her family and life in Mercia. Celta didn't usually enjoy the company of other girls, but Caitrin was always the exception. They would go off and play, run around and have adventures together where Celta would wind up getting them into trouble with her mischievous self.

And then the fire happened. Once she lost her mother and brother, Celta didn't think anything else could happen, until her father told her she could no longer stay in Mercia because the men were still out there looking for her father and her to finish what they had started. Then he left her alone to seek revenge for their family. Celta packed up the little amount she could and left with Eolas soon after, and she knew everyone in Mercia thought she was dead like the others in the house fire. No one truly thought men had murdered them in cold blood. Celta had to leave her friends behind, including Caitrin, who couldn't even know Celta was alive because it would endanger both of them.

So this is what had become of her close friend? She was now a ward in her uncle's estate, unknowingly in the same court as Celta and her second family. What had happened that made Caitrin leave her home and family to live with her uncle? Well, Celta wanted to see her best friend again, so she would visit her and see just how well she is received and remembered by Caitrin.

Eolas jumped into a canter, shaking Celta from her thoughts as she smiled at the estate in front of her. Once she was at the front of the house, she stopped her horse and dismounted, patting Eolas' neck as a servant took the reins while Celta kindly told him to take care of her mare. She walked over to the front door of the house and knocked a few times before stepping back and waiting with her head down, a soft yet sad smile on her face as she remembered better days.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin had been acting rather idle all week. Her mare, Lily, was suffering from an illness of some sort so she had been unable to be saddled up for the time being. After Caitrin’s previous experience with some of her Uncle’s other horses she had thought better of saddling up another horse, and had therefore just remained on his estate. She had walked into Camelot yesterday to get some herbs for her Uncle’s headache but apart from that she had not left her Uncle’s estate since Lily had gotten ill. It wasn’t all bad, and the break from society had done her a deal of good in some ways.

Caitrin had been in Camelot less than a year, but she was already well settled in the courts, and her Uncle constantly told her that she never failed to turn heads when she entered the room. She took all of this at face value of course, she had no interest in being married off to the next wealthy courtier as soon as possible, she just wanted to be free and to enjoy herself for the time being. Hadn’t she earned that right? If her father had got his way she would already be more than two years married and probably with a child to prove it. Caitrin pulled a face, she wasn’t ready to be a mother yet, she wasn’t even ready to be a wife yet. Little occupied her thoughts with men than teasing and flirtations, they were too much fun to toy with so why would she limit herself to just one man? She would have to settle down one day, but she had the rest of her life to think about that.

At present, Caitrin had found a book from her Uncle’s study which was of some interest to her. It was a book of pretty verses and she wondered why her Uncle should have such a book at all; perhaps it was her Aunts. She was amusing herself reading it, wondering if any man would try and recite such words to her to win her over. If they did it probably wouldn’t work. She was currently circling her Uncle’s solar with the book in hand, her eyes transfixed on the author’s handwriting. It was a rather uncharacteristic way for Caitrin to be spending her afternoon, she would of course rather be out on horseback, or perhaps at the centre of court but for now she would have to make do.

There was a knock on the solar door and one of her servants, Edith, popped her head around the door, “Lady Caitrin, there is a visitor here for you.” Caitrin furrowed her brow and looked on at Edith. Who on earth would be calling upon her? She did not know that many people in an intimate enough way in Camelot to warrant them calling on her at her home. The only exception of course would be Arthur, but she doubted that he would call upon her.

“Who is it?” Caitrin asked and Edith shook her head,

“She would not give her name, should I send her in my Lady?” Curiosity pulled at Caitrin’s lips and she furrowed her brow. Caitrin could not recall being incredibly close to any female courtiers, so why would one be calling upon her? Curiosity however got the better of her so she nodded and waved Edith away,

“Yes please Edith.” The girl bobbed her head and rushed off, presumably to tell the young lady in question that Caitrin was available to converse with. Caitrin listened carefully, as if hoping hearing the young girls voice would give some clue to who she was. Caitrin however could hear nothing so she returned to the scribbles in the book before looking up as she heard the solar door open once more, revealing who had called upon her.

Timeline: Pre series 1
Setting: The de Archer estate
Time of Day: Afternoon
Notes: Slight god mod, but the servants would have brought Celta into the house, I’ll edit if you don’t like!!
In case you don’t know, a solar is essentially a medieval livingroom/study

[Celta Meiru]

After she had knocked on the front door to her former best friend's estate, her heart started to hammer. What if Caitrin didn't remember her? Or, what if she did, and she was angry at her for never telling her she was alive? It killed Celta inside knowing she had hurt her friends, especially Caitrin, when she just up and left, leaving them to believe she had died. It would kill her all over again if Caitrin shut her down here before Celta could explain. She didn't think she'd ever be able to truly forgive herself for what she had done to her friends.

The door opened in front of her, and she looked up quickly to see a smiling face of a servant. Celta smiled kindly herself and bowed her head, asking if Lady Caitrin was home at the present. The servant nodded and invited her inside, and so Celta stepped into the home, even more nervous than before. The servant told her to wait there so she could be introduced, and she nodded silently, her heart in her throat. She never gave her name because she wanted to surprise Caitrin. She thought that would be best so that Caitrin would believe it more and would...hopefully...be more apt to accept her as a guest there.

She took the time to glance around her at the beautiful home. It suited Caitrin perfectly. It fit her personality to the tee, and she figured she had done her share of making it more suited to her needs and desires so she could be happy here. Celta hoped her old friend was happy. SHe hoped that nothing bad had happened in the years she has been gone.

"My lady? Uhm...excuse me, my lady?" A voice repeated as Celta stopped staring at a painting and turned around to face the female servant who was staring at her. She smiled bashfully and walked after her, swallowing a lump in her throat and entering the solar with a tentative smile upon her face.

"Caitrin," she could only say her name as her smile grew and she looked upon the more mature yet beautiful face of her dear friend.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin was still engrossed with the scribbling inside the book she was reading. Usually she was anything but an avid reader, after all there always seemed to be so many other things to do with ones day. She preferred to be outdoors, it was where she felt her happiest, but circumstances as they were she had to put up with this for the time being. She now found herself just praying that Lily recovered from her illness sooner rather than later so that they could go out on their usual rides through the scenery which Camelot had to offer. Caitrin began amusing herself, wondering if such a book had started a courtship or two in its time. She certainly would not be using any of its pretty, poetic words on any man who sought to court her in the future. No, Caitrin sought a much more crude, and flirtatious courtship rather than a traditional one. It was after all more fun to tease and toy with men than to increase their egos.

Edith was taking her time in presenting the woman so Caitrin amused herself instead with continuing her reading, only raising her eyes once more in front of her when a woman joined her in the room. Caitrin was still holding the book in one hand and felt slightly rude for a moment but those feelings were replaced with wonder and curiosity of who this woman was exactly. As Caitrin looked on at the woman, in pure wonder, her memories began to stir back to her childhood. She could have sworn she had exactly the same look about her as an old friend she had once beheld, but no, that was impossible wasn’t it?

“Caitrin.” Even her voice was the same, there was still a strong Mercian accent there, which Caitrin herself had twinges of from time to time. She just looked on at the woman in utter bewilderment, no, it surely could not be the same girl she had once known? She had died, Caitrin had grieved her death alongside her families but that was years ago. How could she be here? And still alive? This was impossible!

She stepped towards the woman, what Caitrin was about to suggest was so impossible, but at the same time it seemed like the only logical explanation. She just looked at the brunette in front of her and pressed her lips together in a smile, “Celta?” This was impossible, Caitrin kept telling herself that, but wasn’t it more impossible for a woman of exactly the same looks and voice to be seeking her out and addressing her as a close acquaintance? No coincidence in the world was that great. “It is you isn’t it?

[Celta Meiru]

Celta felt her tense nerves forcing her heart to race as the servant woman led her into the solar. She had no idea what was going to happen here, and she closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. Stopping in the room, her eyes fell immediately on the woman there. Caitrin. She let that name slip from her lips instantly before she could think of anything else more coherent and introductory to say. In the one word, she almost came undone, yet she held herself together and stood tall, clearing her throat against the lump and clasping her hands together in front of her.

She watched the other young woman's reactions, and she had several different emotions plain on her face. The first was curiosity as to who she was, and Celta's heart sank again. She did not remember her. However, that was quickly replaced by complete confusion and bewilderment, to which Celta unclasped her white knuckles and waited as Caitrin took a step towards her.

"Celta?" Caitrin finally spoke one word right back, and it was also her name. Celta's eyes watered, and she fought a quivering lip as she grinned back with a bright yet still sad face. Her best friend remembered her from a few years of separation. Thank goodness. Celta walked towards her and nodded as she asked if it was really her.

"Yes. It's me, Cait," she responded excitedly, standing in front of her now, unsure whether to hug her or stay where she was. Now that Caitrin knew the truth, she could either yell at her old friend or choose to hug her, but Celta would not push her to do either. It was up to her how she would react. Celta was just glad to see her again and be able to show her she was really there and alive, in one piece.

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin just found herself staring for a few moments. She dropped her book out of pure shock and, slightly embarrassed, picked it up, and stroked the binding of the old book before she looked up at the woman once more. She set the book down at the table, which was close by, and just continued to...stare. This wasn’t possible; how was this possible? Her friend had died all those years ago in the fire hadn’t she? That was what Caitrin had been led to believe, and indeed what everyone believed. How could she be here now, in Camelot of all places?

Placing the back of her hand over her mouth, Caitrin tried to just keep in the shock and emotions which she was feeling at the moment as her friend confirmed that she was indeed Celta, and that by consequence, Caitrin was not going crazy. Her mouth broke out into a wide smile and for a few moments she didn’t know what to do and then it struck her all at once.

Stepping forwards, Caitrin threw her arms around Celta and pulled her into a hug, they were of similar height so it wasn’t awkward in the slightest, no it just felt natural. She didn’t know what to say, for she knew she had to say something to just break this shocked silence, “I thought-“ She trailed off, she couldn’t say that she thought her friend had died all those years ago, not out loud. It just seemed to bring back all her emotions once more. Now she was holding her friend in her arms she was fully convinced that she was real, and that Caitrin wasn’t just having some sort of mental breakdown or something like that. Living with her Uncle, that was probably possible.

She drew back from her friend and put her hands on her shoulders for a moment, just taking her in in complete awe. She had grown so much from that child she had once known. She blinked a few times, dropping her hands to her side and gesturing to Celta on the whole, “Look at you, you’ve changed so much.”

[Celta Meiru]

Celta wasn't sure what to expect as she kept smiling at her friend. They had recognized each other, it was true, but now what? Caitrin dropped the book she was holding, and as Celta's smile grew in amusement, she saw that the young woman was still just staring at her. Celta tilted her head to the side patiently and waited for Caitrin to move or say something, anything. She was probably working through the simple fact that Celta was here, and Celta wouldn't blame her for that. She popped in, unannounced and without giving Caitrin any idea she was alive and living nearby.

However, all pessimistic thoughts flew from her mind as soon as Caitrin started grinning as wide as she and threw her arms around her best friend. Celta returned the hug enthusiastically, smiling from ear to ear in both immense relief and joy. It was just like old times again. She stood there for a few more moments in peaceful silence before she heard Caitrin speak.

"I thought-" Celta frowned and sighed sadly, nodding once before Caitrin pulled back to just look at her friend to make absolute sure she wasn't dreaming. Celta smiled and shrugged casually.

"I know. And I am sorry for that thought. I never should have put you through any of that," Celta responded calmly and quietly, her head bowed low in shame. She blushed a little at the compliment and smiled, gesturing right back to her. "So have you, my friend. You are more mature than you used to be...although if I remember correctly, I was usually the one getting us into trouble in the first place!" Celta laughed at the memories surfacing in her mind, her eyes shining mischievously. Celta hadn't smiled like this in a long time. It was good to see her friend again. She looked around them and then back at Caitrin, curiosity getting the better of her.

"So, have you been well?"

[Caitrin de Archer]

Caitrin was slightly embarrassed that she had dropped the book, but that emotion was quickly replaced with just pure shock. She could still not believe that Celta was here, in Camelot. How long had she been here? How had she even come to be here in the first place? Everyone had assumed her and her family dead long ago, she wondered what had happened to her friend to make her leave her homeland under such circumstances. Though these questions were not to be rushed, her friend was here now, these questions could all be taken in time.

As Celta returned her embrace it felt like old times, like nothing had ever changed; like they were still children back in Mercia, laughing and carefree. However the world had changed, they had both changed outwardly, but how much they had changed inwardly had yet to be seen. Caitrin knew she was very different in ways to the young girl that Celta had known, so she wondered how different she would find her old friend. As they broke apart, and Celta spoke, Caitrin pressed her lips together. “That doesn’t matter; you’re here now.” She pointed out, the grief she had felt when her friend had supposedly died seemed to fade in her mind, replaced with the excitement of discovering that she was in fact alive and well.

Caitrin felt quite proud in a way as Celta confirmed that she too had changed. Caitrin was always being told by her Uncle that she was growing into quite an amiable young woman, but he was family and he had to say those sorts of things didn’t he? Celta’s latter words caused her to laugh softly and she raised an eye brow, “I got us into a fair share of trouble.” She pointed out gently, oh those days when they had been so mischievous and had constantly been getting into trouble with their parents.

Caitrin nodded softly, “I have been extremely well.” She confirmed, well she had been well ever since she had made the transition to Camelot, but these things were perhaps not to be spoken yet. Caitrin was still getting used to the idea that her friend was here, and not in some unmarked grave back in Mercia, “And yourself? What happened to you Celta?” She couldn’t help but ask, but she felt a burning curiosity inside of her just to know how her friend had escaped the fate everyone had given her. How had she escaped the fire?