Camelot

XXII

"Do you know the fate of Lancelot?" Merlin asked Percival.

Percival had no idea what I was hiding behind a nearby tree. We had the meeting by the border so Percival wouldn't have to suffer, and out new palace's location would be kept a secret. "Arthur decided to let him suffer in the dungeons for the rest of his days, he wants him to live in grief because Lancelot believes his family is dead and so does Arthur."

"But you don't believe that they're dead."

"I saw Guinevere survive the boat's fire, ha I know they had rigged the boat to be her death I would have never convinced her to enter the boat in the first place."

"Well you did and she may have survived but who really knows." Merlin played off worried like he hadn't seen me.

"It's been four years since the incident, she's not here? She's not safe?" Percival shook nervously.

"Good answer." Merlin smiled.

"Good answer? What is that suppose to mean? She could be dead?" PErcival raved.

"It was a test to see how loyal you truly were, with your reaction I trust you to know. Come on out." Merlin called to me.

I stepped out from behind the tree and the relief on Percival's face sent him to his knees with his hand on his chest."I swore to protect you, please never make me think that you're dead again." He tried to laugh it off.

"Lancelot is alive though?I needed to know.

"Yes, but he doesn't know you're alive. Shall I tell him?"

"Don't for now." Merlin spoke up, his answer shocking us both. "Lancelot's grief is satisfying Arthur, Lancelot won't easily remain acting that way if he knows the truth. Until we can figure out an attack strategy to free him it's better that he doesn't know for everyone's own protection. Including Allister."

"How is Allister? Safe?" Percival wanted to know.

"He's fine, he has a scar from a blade that scratched his face but he doesn't know. With time questions will come, I'm just hoping we have a solution by then." I tried to smile.

"I have to return to the patrol, be careful all of you. Be safe."Percival took off back through the woods.

~~~~~

It was months waiting any sort of news from Percival but Arthur sent more patrols out daily, all on Avalon's border. He has found the barrier and what happens to its victims. Let's just hope that's enough to keep everyone away.

"Mommy!" Allister hobbled around on his little feet towards me.

"Oh my little boy," I scooped him up and swung him high into the air. I had moved out of the castle and away from any close villages, I just wanted to hide, and to keep Allister safe.

"Mommy can we go to the lake today?" Allister asked that every day.

"Why not?" I smiled and went to pack a small basket.

The crystal lake was always one of my favorite places to go just to remember and think about everything that's happened. The lake was almost pure silver and gleamed beautifully, I would sit here endlessly watching Allister play. I watched my old home rippling as a liquid, I can still remember the way it used to be, my home, where I was once supposed to rule happily.

Today the lake seemed not to glow as much, like a warning. If only I had listened to it. The second after we arrived someone else joined us, though Allister playing in the weeds well out of the way.

"Guinevere, how lovely to finally meet you." The man in black bowed.

"What do you want?" I gritted my teeth as I stood sideways as to watch Allister.

"I think you know why I'm here. And luckily your life shall save mine, Arthur promised to pardon my magic if I do this correctly." The mn sneered.

"Arthur sent you." My heart skipped a beat. The day I feared for all of my life had finally come at last.

"You and your son, they'll buy my family freedom, you have to understand. I don't want to do this but he has my family and nothing will stop me from getting them back."

"I'm sorry about your family but I'm not going to leave this world, no matter what you try and do to me." I glared.

"I expect nothing less," He sent his hand up as I became paralyzed.

"What did you do!"

"A small trick I learned, immobilizes any person of magic. Makes their powers useless. I know you'd fight but I can't take any risks." He pulled out a knife. "I'm sorry, I always loved you as our Queen." He threw the knife towards my petrified self.

"No!" Peter jumped in front of me taking the knife to his gut.

"Peter! What are you doing here!" I shouted wanting to fly down to him, but I was still frozen.

"Percival defied Merlin, he told Lancelot and Arthur found out you were still alive. I guess I got here a little late." He grunted as he pulled the knife out of him.

"Fool, you shouldn't have done that. I don't want to kill anyone I don't have to." The man shook in fear of seeing the blood.

"An assassin who can't stand blood, how original. Arthur truly knows how to pick the right coward for the job." Peter laughed in his pain.

"I just want to get this over with now please where is the boy?" The man shed a tear.

"Don't touch him I'll do anything!" I pleaded.

"I'm sorry, I'm supposed to bring back both of your eyes, I can't fake that." The man was reluctant to move.

~~~~~

"I'm sorry, I'm supposed to bring back both of your eyes, I can't fake that." I could hear not to far from me.

I popped my head up out of the weeds and looked out. "Mommy?" I called when I saw her frozen. Her eyes cried out when she saw me, and the man who spoke before stood with a knife in his hand.

"Allister run!" My mom shouted at me.

I was too scared, My mommy wasn't moving and just watched as the man took a step by step toward me. This had to be magic, why would someone hurt my mommy? Why would this man be coming after me?

I fell backwards as the man stood over me, his eyes full of tears with the knife trembling in his hand. "I can't do it." The man cried as he threw the knife down.

"Kid, run into the forest and don't turn back. Go home and stay away from this place." The man ordered me.

Too scared to do anything else my legs started carrying me off, but I tripped and fell behind a tree, and there I stayed as I watched the whole thing.

"Thank you," My mommy cried.

"I saw my kid in him, I couldn't do that. You have to come up with something. I can't return empty handed." The man pleaded.

"Just kill me then." I didn't understand what my mommy was saying, I'd never heard that word before. What is kill?

"Take my eyes as Allister's." Another voice called from near them, but I didn't see who it was.

"I'm so sorry to both of you." The man lowered his head, he raised his knife and I turned away.

When I got the courage to turn back around I walked straight back to the lake. A man laid on the ground with no eyes, blood pouring out of his stomach. I couldn't find my mommy anywhere, but another pool of blood started spreading through the silvery lake. I watched as the silver faded and turned clear. I watched as my mmmy's body laid in the bottom of the lake.

This is what kill means, it's an ugly word. I never want to hear that word again!

"Allister." Another voice caught me off guard. Sitting on the ground looking at my mommy still the man walked and kneeled down next to me. "I'm sorry Allister." The man cried a tear. He was old and wore a crown. "I can promise you one thing that you will never have to remember this moment again." He placed his hand on my head as I started to drift to sleep.