An Unexpected Invitation
Morgan turned to Lott and asked, "Huh? Lott, do you find anything special about them? I noticed something peculiar about the young man behind that, and it gave me a strange feeling."
Lott, caught off guard by Morgan's comment, internally groaned. He knew why she felt that way: the young man was her sister, Altria. Without his intervention, their future would have been tumultuous, with potential conflicts involving Mordred. But now, Lott had altered that future.
In his heart, Lott mused, If it weren't for me, there would be another child named Mordred between Morgan and me.
Morgan's thoughts, however, took a different turn. She was surprised that Lott seemed to be preoccupied with the idea of having a child named Mordred, given that they had just married. She recalled the names Lott had mentioned for their future children—Gawain, Jaholis, Gareth, and Agravain. Adding Mordred made it five names already. The rapid accumulation of potential names for their children unsettled Morgan.
She was more concerned about Lott's intense desire for future progeny than the identities of the individuals below.
Perplexed by Morgan's reaction, Lott continued to focus on the matter at hand. "Morgan, I was simply observing the skills of those two. Their abilities are impressive. Altria's skills are well-known, even if she's not the King Arthur of legend yet. Her righteous brother, Kay, is also highly esteemed among the Round Table Knights. My interest in them was merely due to their evident skill."
Morgan nodded thoughtfully. "If they are so skilled, then perhaps we should recruit them as our subordinates. We're preparing for a conflict with Vortigern, and having skilled allies would be beneficial."
Lott was surprised by Morgan's proposal. Recruiting them as subordinates? That's a path I hadn't considered.
Morgan sensed Lott's surprise and found it curious. She decided to proceed with her plan and beckoned Lott to follow her. "Come, let's go."
Morgan took Lott's hand, leading him downstairs.
A Royal Encounter
Altria and Kay, having admired the grandeur of Orkney, were taken aback by the opulence compared to their previous surroundings. Altria remarked to Kay, "Brother, King Lott must be quite remarkable. I wonder what Camelot's court looks like under King Uther."
They had never imagined themselves at Princess Morgan's wedding. Sir Ector, their adoptive father, had invited them, and they were astonished to witness such wealth and culinary delights. The sumptuous food was unlike anything they had experienced before.
Altria commented, "King Lott must be an extraordinary ruler. If we become nobles, we should learn from him."
Kay agreed though he was still trying to reconcile the disparity between their modest upbringing and the splendour they were witnessing.
As they conversed, Morgan and Lott approached them. Morgan, holding Lott's hand, was elegantly veiled and walked with a commanding presence.
Altria and Kay felt a surge of nervousness. They had seen Lott and Morgan from a distance the previous night and recognized them. Now, facing them up close, they wondered if they had inadvertently offended the royal couple.
"What did we do wrong?" Kay asked in a whisper.
"I'm not sure. Maybe I ate too much last night?" Altria speculated.
Kay mulled over the idea but dismissed it, reasoning that even if they had overindulged, it shouldn't warrant a confrontation from King Lott.
As Morgan and Lott arrived before them, Altria observed Lott's handsome, charismatic appearance and Morgan's noble and enigmatic demeanour. Altria felt a strange sense of familiarity with Morgan but couldn't place why.
Morgan, scanning Altria, found something oddly familiar about her. Could she resemble me in some way?
Morgan's thoughts shifted quickly. She considered whether Lott had orchestrated this encounter deliberately, but she dismissed the idea, believing Lott didn't possess such scheming tendencies. If he had, he would have achieved far more.
Altria, feeling the tension, addressed Morgan and Lott nervously, "Your Majesty King Lott, Your Royal Highness Morgan, what brings you to us?"
Morgan waited for Lott to respond, her curiosity piqued by the unfolding situation.