Anastasia cradled the baby in her arms. He has Roy's hair, she thought. But my eyes. He looks like Emmet. Oh, Emmet! But she would not think of Emmet on such a happy occasion. Leroy sat down next to her on the forest floor, his violet eyes twinkling in the sun. "What will you name him?" he asked.
"Leroy the Second."
"Don't be silly," he laughed. "Naming a child after his father is ancient tradition, probably older than Uther himself," Roy chuckled. Anastasia tittered.
He has such a nice laugh, she thought. "How about Mordred then? It's an old name; it runs in the family."
"Mordred," he reflected. "I like it. It's not exactly dashing, but it's a good, magical name." Roy's eyes glimmered a playful gold and the baby was lifted up into the air and into Roy's arms.
"Gotcha!" he shouted. The baby began to cry.
"See, look Roy, you're scaring him. Besides, that's not fair. You know that I can only do forest and healing magic."
"So what? We need to get our little tot used to magic." Suddenly, the sheets drying on the clothes line billowed out. Mordred's eyes slowly faded back to green. The baby gurgled innocently.
"See, sweetheart. He's already a sorcerer," Leroy argued playfully.
"Alright, you win. But hand him over so I can feed him."
Suddenly the baby's emerald eyes locked on to the amethyst ones, as if Mordred knew this was the last time he would see his father. An ugly, black arrow sprouted out of Leroy's chest. Anastasia screamed. Dear God, not Roy, too. I will not lose another loved one to Uther. She didn't. For bandits shot the arrow that was aimed at her lover's back.
Black streaks ran from the wound. The arrow was poisoned, Anastasia realized. Leroy's breath was heavy; he did not have long to live. With small shrieks, Mordred knocked down bandits one at a time. It was not enough however. Though the newborn had taken down the archers in the band, the thieves still ran towards the camp. Quickly, Anastasia grabbed the baby and her family's ring. If those tyrants want to even touch either of them, they're going to have to get past me.
Leroy saw all of this with quickly fogging eyes. With his last breath, he whispered, "Yn mynd i'r lle rydych yn hapusaf." Go to the place you are happiest he thought as his eyes flickered gold. Be free.
Anastasia found herself with Mordred and the ring in a meadow. She gasped and shook her head. She must be dreaming. But, no, she was not. The aroma of wildflowers, especially the roses filled her nostrils. A light breeze shook the trees that surrounded the meadow. A brooked babbled nearby. The grass beneath her feet was lush and green. I've been here before, she realized.