[1] WEEPING MONK // you're not what I was looking for

27| New Beginnings {Part Two}

[TW// referenced self harm, grief. Minor wounds]

Emotions run on high as secrets and lies are uncovered.

Lancelot walked with her to find her father after a while of sitting quietly together. When they left there was still daylight above the trees. Lancelot did not miss the looks that the Fey pointed in his direction as they navigated the camp or how they gave him a little more space to walk than necessary. Ari had pulled herself back into the queen that she was, her face harder than usual but it did not stop her from acknowledging her people. Lancelot searched through his senses and they soon found the old king in the larger tent from before with Gawain and Arthur and a couple of the Fey elders, the Sunborn standing more than a head taller than each of them like Lancelot did. They each turned towards them when they entered, Lancelot stepping into the tent at Ari's side.

The old king sighed slowly. "Leave us a moment, please," he said to Arthur and the others. They did, leaving through the archway in the tent where Ari was stood, Arthur and the elders throwing sharp glances in Lancelot's general direction.

Flashes of anger and sadness, relief and frustration passed over her features and Ari did not know which to listen to. Her feet moved as she came closer and closer to him. Then her arms lifted out and pushed under his like she had done before. Her father held her close as she cried into his chest, her hands wrapping around to his back tightly. Unashamed tears fell from his own cheeks as the old king was finally able to hold his daughter once again. He hugged her tighter, keeping her upright as Ari sobbed quietly in his arms.

"You never brought back that deer," she squeezed out sadly.

Her father laughed halfheartedly through his tears, unbothered about them falling in Lancelot's company, "No, no I didn't. I'm sorry."

Ari shook her head, pulling back to look up at him, "Mother, she-"

"I know," he ran his hand to smooth down her lightly waved hair which matched the colour of his own, "I know, I'm sorry." Ari's head fell back onto his chest.

Lancelot started to step back to leave them to talk, averting his eyes away from their embrace. The old king noticed him moving away.

"Lancelot," he called quietly, unhooking his arms with regret from his daughter once more as he stepped forward. Lancelot's head came up and his body turned back as the old king approached him again as he had done before.

"I know you have questions," the old king started, somewhat hushing his voice.

Lancelot pursed his lips and looked round the man at Ari. He could see that she was desperate to talk with her father, his own conversation could wait. Lancelot stepped back again to put some distance between them, lowering his face gently with respect for who her father is.