In truth, Athelstan isn't completely sure he does truly understand what had motivated King Ecbert that day. There's a long silence in which it is clear Athelstan is contemplating how to explain. It's not exactly a secret but it all seemed strange even now but he found himself grateful all the same.

"I think that he thought that I was like him and perhaps in a way I am. I was curious and I wanted to know everything that there was to know. I had an open mind. After I had healed and some time later... I had returned to my work illuminating the Word of God and then he showed me a precious store of documents from all sorts of cultures and religions and I then set to translating them for him. I think that is why he saved me, he knew somehow that I could help him with his quest for knowledge."