Unknownfate
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Chapter 4
🕑 Added 2025-03-29 00:05:09 +0000 UTCLancelot stood rigid, his purple armor glinting under the light. His head remained bowed, unwilling to meet my eyes. Around him, the tension thickened. Many still harbored resentment for his past sins, their pain not yet dulled by time.
At last, he spoke, his voice heavy with remorse. "I am unworthy of your forgiveness, my king."
I sighed. "Yes, you are. Yet still, I offer it. If you name me your king, then I shall extend my mercy. But know this—should you kneel, you must earn the trust of your brothers, for my forgiveness is mine alone to give. Theirs must be won."
Lancelot hesitated only a moment before drawing Arondight. His sword, The Unfading Light of the Lake, shimmered in his grip.
Mordred’s fingers curled tightly around Clarent. Others instinctively grasped the hilts of their blades.
But Lancelot did not raise his sword.
Instead, he dropped to one knee, pressing Arondight’s tip into the ground. "My king, I will never be absolved for my sins... but I swear this: my life is yours, for I have no other way to atone."
Mordred remained rigid, his grip betraying his unrelenting disdain.
"Sir Mordred, stand by my side. I permit it.”
Mordred hesitated, unsure of his emotions, yet eventually moved to my side, standing like a loyal guardian, glaring at everyone in the room.
Then, shifting my gaze, I called out, "And you, Sir Agravain—what is your answer?"
“What does your majesty desire? Why have you summoned us here?" Agravain inquired, his gaze fixed on me. I understood his question wasn’t truly meant for him, but rather for the others.
“I too have been called to this peculiar time. This signifies that Merlin’s prophecy has come to fruition; I am meant to return to lead when the kingdom requires me. I shall rule, protect, and guide. Will you assist me?”
The man knelt, bowing his head. “Yes, my King, I shall.”
A rare, genuine smile graced my lips as I extended my hand toward him. "Then rise. Stand at my side."
With my strategist at my right and my heir at my left, I turned to the rest of my knights. "And what of you? Will you remain, or will you depart?"
Sir Gawain was the next to kneel, and his brothers soon followed—Sir Gareth, Sir Gaheris, Sir Ector, and Kay. Sir Lionel, a loyal follower of Lancelot, hesitated only briefly before ultimately joining them.
(Gawain)
(Gareth)
One by one, everyone knelt down. No one challenged my purpose, unlike during my time as the Lion King, when I pursued ruthless ambitions.
Yet, a tension remained; many had betrayed me before, some grappled with the implications of my identity as a woman. Still, everyone knelt, recognizing my mercy and love.
“I thank you all for joining me once again. However, understand this: I will show you no mercy if you choose to leave now. If you can’t convince me to allow it, then those who leave now will be the first to face my lance.” My words were resolute, as I had granted them mercy twice before and would not do so again.
With that, I returned my weapons—except my lance—to my soul space and seated myself on my throne. “Sir Agravain, I will be summoning some Enforcement Knights; you are to use them to defend the City and learn what you can of this time, for my knowledge is limited.”
Bringing forth the Enforcement Knights was a simple task compared to summoning my knights. They were not men of flesh and blood, but constructs—inhuman guardians of Camelot’s will. The Lance alone could call them into being.
“Yes, my King,” Agravain responded with a deep bow. “I shall ensure the city remains safe from all threats.”
“And for the rest of you, go inspect the city and inform Sir Agravain of any needs; he will relay them to me.”
They nodded in understanding.
I knew we lacked food, supplies, and countless other necessities, but I did not have to concern myself with the specifics. Let them assess our needs.
I had the Holy Grail, and through it, I could grant what we required. Trade with the outside world come later. For now, securing my kingdom was paramount.
Sir Gareth was among the first to depart, eager to explore. Others soon followed, though some remained, casting uncertain glances at one another, words unspoken yet heavy in the air.
“Sir Mordred,” I called, drawing his attention, “it has been some time since you last trained. I would not have my heir grow rusty. Head to the training grounds—perhaps take Sir Lancelot with you. Spar with any who are willing.”
Mordred appeared slightly offended when I referred to him as rusty, but as I spoke further, a fierce smile crept onto his face. He seemed to relish the thought of smashing the Frenchman’s face in.
Gladly… Father,” he said, watching me carefully as if testing whether I would object to the title. When I did not, he smirked and strode toward the door, passing Lancelot without hesitation. “Oi! Meet me there—I need a punching bag. I mean, a partner. Ha!”
I couldn’t help but smile at his antics. Lancelot, silent as ever, stood and followed, trailed by Gawain and Tristan. More knights departed, unwilling to voice whatever lay on their minds for now.
In the end, only three remained—myself, Sir Kay, and Sir Ector.
Eventually, Ecor stood up again. “Look at you, all grown up… it’s about time,” he said, nervously testing the waters with his tone.
I understood; I had changed significantly. “You blink, and you miss everything,” I teased, directing my quip at both him and Kay. Their smiles revealed their relief that I retained some humor amid the seriousness.
Kay exhaled, clearly relieved by my response. “You don’t happen to have a twin, do you? Because I’d love to meet her.”
I laughed softly. “The closest I have is dear Mordred, and for you, Kay... I give you my blessing.”
His expression turned to one of immediate horror, which only made my amusement grow.
“Speaking of him, are you truly certain? Not just forgiving him, but designating him as heir?” Ecor inquired, prompting a heavy sigh from me.
“Yes, he is the heir, even if it’s only due to Morgan. I can’t deny him his rights, even if I don’t intend to vacate this seat anytime soon.” And indeed, I didn’t; I was more or less immortal and saw no need for an heir. However, I would not deny Mordred his place as such.
We spoke for a little longer. It was… nice. I had missed this. Yet I knew such moments would be rare. A chasm lay between us now, and it would only widen as they came to witness my power in full.
Few would be able to speak freely with me as time went on. Soon, even they would hesitate, weighed down by the divine authority I carried.
Only Mordred would dare to challenge me, and that, perhaps, was why I forgave him so readily. Because I knew he would always be honest with me.
-----
At last, I was alone.
I rose from my throne and made my way to the balcony, overlooking the city and the land beyond.
From here, nothing escaped my gaze. I could see hundreds of kilometers in every direction, should I want to. And with Rhongomyniad, my sight could reach beyond even my borders—across all of Britain and beyond.
But today, I had no need for such a thing.
Instead, I simply watched, taking in the sight of Camelot standing proud and pristine once more, its towers reaching for the sky, its walls untouched by time.
Outside its walls, I saw them—the people.
The world had already begun to take notice. They kept their distance, no doubt wary of the gathered law enforcement. Yet none turned away, their curiosity outweighing their fear.
I could not blame them. Camelot was breathtaking, even to me.
The air inside the city was pure, untouched by the pollution that tainted the lands beyond. It was as though a piece of a lost age had returned, a sanctuary of legend reborn.
A magical place.
My kingdom.
And I would not allow it to fall again.
-----
Sir Agravain dove into his tasks immediately, having been allocated 500 enforcement knights.
Each knight was only marginally weaker than a typical servant—nothing exceptional—but still, few humans could face even one and emerge victorious.
Sir Agravain felt a considerable degree of satisfaction with the knights, finding them far superior to most he had encountered in his time; only the Round Table members surpassed them in capability.
What made these knights even more satisfactory was their obedience; they followed orders without question, proving to be unwaveringly loyal and delightfully easy to command.
Even as he worked, he struggled to comprehend why their king had chosen to forgive everyone, although it seemed that he… she would at least not do so again.
Shaking his head, he refocused on his work. He had received three types of knights, all tall and imposing, clad in gleaming blue armor—the king's favored color. Some wielded great halberds, others carried the classic sword and shield, and there were also those armed with bows and a smaller sword.
He assigned the archers to the walls, positioning one at each tower while the others patrolled between the towers along the defensive barrier.
As he stood on the wall, gazing out, he couldn’t help but notice the vast number of people gathering below. The absence of nearby villages led him to infer that these individuals had come from a distance.
Looking at the archers on the walls, an unsettling realization dawned on him: he needed more reinforcements.
Fortunately, the king was set to provide additional support, and he would be responsible for compiling the request list, ensuring that more enforcement knights would be his top priority.
"All of you, pair up—one with a halberd and one with a sword and shield; patrol the city and capture anyone who isn’t a knight of the Round Table," he commanded, defining routes for each pair throughout the city.
Before long, he heard the unmistakable sounds of fighting resonating through the otherwise empty city. Cursing under his breath, he figured a skirmish had erupted between the loyalists and those who had sided with the traitor knight in his rebellion.
“Damn it all," he muttered, hastily making his way towards the source of the commotion.
-----
Elsewhere in the city, Sir Gareth moved with ease, unbothered by the quiet. The lack of people made exploring surreal, but she found some enjoyment in it. She was finally able to venture into places she had never been allowed before.
One building in particular caught her attention—a grand three-story structure with a large wooden sign shaped like a rose above the door. In the past, she had often seen knights coming and going from this place, though she had never been permitted inside. Now, with no one to stop her, curiosity got the better of her.
Before she could take a step inside, a voice called out behind her.
“Gareth! What do you think you’re doing?”
She turned, sheepish. “Ah, Brother Gaheris, you startled me.”
Gaheris crossed his arms. “That is not a place for you. Why don’t you go check on the city’s needs? Or head to the training grounds—there’s quite a bit happening there.”
Scratching the back of her head, Gareth nodded. She nearly missed her brother, who muttered something about the city lacking women, though she wasn’t sure how Agravain could solve that or why it was even an issue.
-----
Across the city, other knights moved with purpose, assessing what the city lacked—food, drink, clothing, and, notably, people. Some found their way to the walls, observing the gathering crowds.
These people seemed strange, dressed in fine clothes with unusual accessories, appearing healthy—nothing like the starving peasants of their time.
However, most knights soon gravitated toward the training ground, eager to witness or join in on the fighting.
Everyone had their thoughts about the current situation and their feelings toward one another. The last time they were together, many had fought, some even to the death.
Yet, none had been able to resist answering the call of their king, even them, noble Knights of Camelot couldn’t resist the chance to live again.
