Lady Knight Missione (Merlin fanfic)

PART TWO - Chapter Eleven

I ride for only about a couple of hours when I hear other horse's hooves in the distance. I rest my hand on the hilt of my sword out of reflex and uncertainty as I slow Nadine to a trot. The trail ahead of us turns abruptly so that I have to sneak beside the forestry to get a quicker look without getting noticed. What I see are three horses with three Knights that wear the same kind of outfit as Sir Bedivere did. These aren't just any Knights, these are Camelot Knights.

I turn out of their way in hopes of not getting spotted and to give myself time to figure out what I should do. They are only a short distance away but far enough for me to leave without getting noticed. If I ride up to them and say my greetings, then maybe I can get to know them better, and get a better chance of becoming a Knight as well. If I turn and go away then I will have to arrive in Camelot alone, without friend or even aid.

They're gone. Before I can think or react, make those images in my head go away they come at me in full force. Alex's laugh, her blonde hair swaying in the wind as we spare, and her advances to Elie. She smiles at me and then runs up ahead of us all. Nothing can slow her down. Her image fades slightly as Elie's face takes her place. He smiles at me and says, more like mouths the words, 'thank you.' I say back to him, 'you're welcome.' He's running now, up ahead to catch up with Alex. He catches her and they fall to the ground as he tickles her without mercy. She squeals and laughs. Then she is yelling at me, telling me something in our secret words, and pretty soon we are both holding down Elie as we tickle him too without mercy. We all laugh and laugh. Al isn't too far away, laughing as well. His laugh is a deep throaty aged one, but it is not unwelcome. I look up and there's a twinkle in his eye as he laughs. He looks almost like a child. How strange, to think of Al as a child.

I turn back to Elie and Alex, but they no longer laugh, they no longer move, and they no longer live. Alex is motionless with blood still warm pooling from her mortal wounds. Her image is gone, and then it is Elie. He doesn't move either. Al is trying to tell me something, but I don't understand. They all are gone. They all have left... Left me. But it's not their fault, it's those bandits, those tyrants; and when I become a Knight, a powerful Knight, I will hunt them down and I will show no mercy as I slaughter all that remain left alive.

I turn from my dark but true thoughts and to the Camelot Knights in front of me. I should make my presence known. As I am about to do just that to the men, others start charging, coming from all directions towards the three. I recognize them, they are bandits, but not just any. They all have a crest sewn over their heart. I remember it as the crest that was sewn into the bandits clothing, those bandits who laid dead by and in Al's cottage. They are the ones who killed them, and they are the ones who will pay.

I gallop towards them, jump off and draw my sword from my side as the other K nights do as well, but I hardly notice. All I see red, as I practically throw my sword's blade at them, the enemy, wounding as many as I can until I get to the last one. He is tall, large with a beard and mustache and he is the one giving orders. Their leader. My rule, my one rule is that, 'I shall not kill unless that is all I can do' is thrown away. He still holds his sword but I don't know if he is going to fight or not, but it doesn't matter. I pull my blade back and plunge it, into his stomach. The anger, my anger and bitterness are egging me on, pushing the sword further in him until I feel his blood drip into my hands. I pull the sword out and watch as he takes his last breathe. He falls to the ground, dead. I killed him. I avenged my friends, my family's deaths. Shouldn't I be happy? Shouldn't I be relieved? But all I feel is guilt and the sudden realization of what I have truly done. 'I murdered this man.' And in this moment, I know, I know that I will never forgive myself.

"Are you okay?" Asks a voice. It's a nice voice. It's calm and somewhat nervous. There's something in it that makes me feel warm and like hope is clawing in my chest trying to get free.