Forbidden Love (Rewritten) | Arthur Pendragon

17 • LANCELOT AND EOWYN

"Arthur keeps looking at you," Gwen said.

Eowyn, who was making sure her pouch contained all the necessary potions and aid supplies, looked up. Her eyes locked for a brief second with Arthur's, who was helping Morgana mount her horse before he rapidly glanced away. Eowyn did not react and only closed her pouch and mounted her horse.

Morgana was to undertake a pilgrimage to her father's grave, and as her servant and friend, Gwen was to accompany her, naturally. The Lady had also invited Eowyn to come along. Their friendship had deepened after the adventures with the druids and so Morgana also wanted her dear friend on this pilgrimage.

"You haven't talked much since the tournament, have you?" Gwen then asked.

"No, barely," Eowyn said.

The kiss in the house felt like a fever dream. It felt like it had never happened. As if she had imagined it. Arthur and Eowyn always searched each other, yet never could come close. It was as if they were strangers. They tried, so hard, to ignore each other but in vain. Their hearts could not deny their feelings, but they could not acknowledge it either. Because nothing would ever be possible between them. In the eyes of the crown, Eowyn was nothing.

Yet, according to the prophecy, she was to marry her. And according to the Great Dragon, a destiny could not be modified. However, in the beliefs of the Norse Arts, destiny could be influenced. So, in the end, it was very possible that the prophecy never happened.

"Perhaps when he'll be king, it will be different," Gwen tried to reassure.

"I doubt it will change anything,"

Eowyn's lineage was not the problem. At least, the lack of nobility in her blood was not the problem. The magic it contained, however, was. Arthur could very well change the courtly rules but the core issue would not be resolved. He was taught to hate magic. The moment he would find out about who she truly was, the love he felt for her would shift to hatred. And he would hunt her like Uther had hunted the druids.

Of course, Eowyn could simply conceal this information from him. Arthur would never know and they perhaps could marry and grow old together. But it would mean living a life of pretense. It would mean denying who she was truly. It would mean lying to him for the rest of her life. She wished not to settle for that. She wished not to settle for so little. Eowyn wanted to be loved fully. For who she was fully. And Arthur was not the one loving her the way she wanted to be loved. Lancelot was. Yet he had vanished. So Eowyn was all alone.

Morgana's party had departed from the castle and was now in the forest. Apparently, Morgana's father's grave was in a plain beyond the forest. Merlin had gone once, unbeknown to the lady of course, when Tauren tried to kill the King. Each year, Morgana visits it to remember her lost father. Eowyn envies her a bit. She envied the fact she knew her father. And that she still has a way to talk to him. Eowyn knew nothing of her birth parents or of the father she was supposed to have. Hunith had never married. She was a single mother and never spoke of Merlin's birth father. Eowyn had no way, nothing to pilgrimage to for her past was nothing but a mystery yet to be unravelled.

"You look troubled, Eowyn," she heard Morgana suddenly say.

"Sorry, I have a lot on my mind lately,"

"You're very secretive these days. I'm beginning to think there's a man involved,"

Eowyn laughed. "No, no. No man would ever want to be with someone like me, believe me,"

"Don't say such a thing," Gwen said. "You'd be surprised to know how many men want to court you,"

"Gwen's right," Morgana agreed. "Courtier are very fond of you,"