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Chapter 4 – Chance Meeting
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(Arthuria's POV)
I don't realize it at first, that this is the day where we will lose our mother. What we knew, this morning everything was still okay. Father said he was gonna visit his friend who lived out of this Kingdom, so he was gonna go back home rather late and mother said she was gonna work as usual, but she would go back home on the lunch.
Then everything went to hell.
Instead of our mother, it was Sir Loire who came to our house, telling us to evacuate immediately.
What I know, Sir Loire's carrying our little brother Tristram on his hands while I'm holding hands with my twin. We're running on the street, looking for another survivor (or to be more precise, our parent) in our way to get out of Danafor who is under attack. On the halfway, there's a fallen rock upcoming from above so I push Bellatrix to Sir Loire. That's how I get separated from them. My twin sister is so stubborn and persisted, she's tried to dig or climb the fallen rock that blocking our way and Sir Loire's tried to persuade her, insisted that he's gonna save me so she should stay with Tristram on the other side.
This is something I have to do.
Calmly, I put my hand on the rock "Sir Loire, take my sister and brother out of this place, now. You are ordered by my mother to pick us out of our home and you already fulfill your job. Now, I'm asking you to bring my sister and brother out of this place, safely".
Sir Loire sounded appalled "but—".
"it's an order!", I know they can't see me, but I still try to smile reassuringly "don't worry. It's alright, I'm gonna find my own way out of this place. Bella, as his older sister, you have to take care of our little brother. Take care of Triss. Let's meet again on the grass-field of the valley near the mountain where we usually play, okay?".
I can hear something shuffle before Sir Loire answers me "as you wish, Lady".
I can hear my sister's screams after I heard Sir Loire asking her to leave "NO! SISTER!".
Her voice is only getting far the longer I hear it. I lean my forehead on the rock "don't worry, we will meet again as long as the Fate wish so. I'm sure of it".
I wipe my tears that disguised by the rain before I run to find another way to get out of this place, but I don't expect of what I'm gonna see after this. I cover my mouth after I see it in horror before I drop to my knees.
I see it... my mother is killed by an unknown purple-skinned Creature...
Sweet voice within my head whispers "it's a Demon".
Across from my mother who is stabbed by the Demon's claw, is my father who staring with horror and shock.
Everything's happened too fast after that.
What I know, that Demon was kicked by my father before my father went to hug mother for the last time, crying. Behind him, the Demon who killed my mother struggled to get up but it won't do. I walk to that Demon before I stand right in front of this Demon. I don't care for whatever reason this Demon killed my mother, nor I care about why. What I know, this Demon killed my mother, the only mother that I've ever got after I lost one in my previous life, Lady Igraine that I barely remembered. I let my anger, hatred, grudge, sadness, sorrow and rage to fulfill me as I reach out my hand.
Once again, that voice whispers "use it".
"this is for my mother", I remember that I have made a pact with certain Goddess, Supreme Deity, so I can use Holy Spear as my main weapon, or more known as Sacred Treasure in this world, that has been planted in my body. Holy Spear appears on my hand before I launch my attack to this Demon as I cry out "Rhongomyniad!".
That Demon is flying to the sky, I don't know where it's gonna land but I don't care. I summon three pairs of white-feathered wings that come out of my back before I leap to him. Pointing my Holy Spear to that Demon, I send another attack that surely will gravely hurt him or hopefully enough to kill him. Without knowing where that Demon will end up, I land on the ground and my wings disappear. Walking aimlessly on the street, I have no idea what should I tell to Sir Loire, my sister and my brother about my mother.
Is this Karma for my Sins on the previous life? Hah, perhaps.
I feel all my energy leaving my body before I collapse forward, but someone gently catches me and wraps their arms around me.
Who?
"finally I found you, my King".
I mumble weakly, too numb to recognize who is this "...I'm no longer a King".
"for me, you will always be my King. What I must yet accomplish, if nothing else... is still within my hands. I will always protect you till the very end and when the time's come... please, render your judgment on my sins. That is the only reason I am here".
I lift my head and my eyes widen "it can't be... you are...".
There's no mistaking it. His loyalty to me is unwavering. Of all people, he's the only one who loyal to me to the very end.
In my head, I feel like I heard someone telling me "this is no longer the story of the former King Of Knights and the former Knight Of Treachery, but also the Knight who began to trudge forward. this is a story of certain Knight from the land that was burned away because of a mistake that was made long ago, looking for the end of his journey. The radiance of his arm will forever undimmed. Even then and now, he still seeked for an end to his journey. His loyalty to you is unwavering. He is the one and only, the most loyal of your Knights, the one-arm Knight".
"how could you be here? What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here so how...", although my mind is fulfilled by these questions, I only can call his name as I see his gentle smile. Even if he's far younger than I remember (perhaps he's reincarnated too?) but the way he looks at me and the care on his voice, sweet and gentle smile on his face doesn't change. Remembering what happened to my mother just now, I can't stop my tears "...Bedivere...".
I'm not sure why I'm crying, either due to my lost of my mother or the relief of meet with my trusted ally. He looks startled when I start crying but he doesn't ask me what happened, only letting me to cry on his chest before he carries me, telling me that we need to get out of this place as soon as possible and treat my wounds. I just realize that bloods flowing out of my head when he mentions it, before I lose my consciousness.
(Mordred's POV)
I'm really scared that I want to cry out loud for my sister. My father in previous life, Arthuria Pendragon, she did it again. She's always like this, I know it. She always sacrificed and put other's importances on top of hers own well-being. This time, she did it for me. I want nothing but to run back to her side, but she has asked me to take care of our brother and meet again on our favorite place where we can see this Kingdom from there. I choose to believe her this time, that's the only reason of why I trudge forward and refuse to cry even under this rain that can easily disguise my tears. I can cry later, but for now, I have to be strong for my brother and my twin sister.
In the halfway, Sir Loire stops and asks me to take care of my brother, handing my brother to me before he pulls out his sword, asking me to hide with my brother nearby. I obey him this time, carrying my li'l brother on my arms before hiding behind the pillar.
I see it. Dragon and strange creature I don't know—
"it's a Demon".
I don't know who it was, but thank you for telling me. When I see Sir Loire is cornered, I put down Tristram on the ground, safely wrapped in his blanket and wondering if he's able to sleep even in this commotion as I look at his ever-closed eyes "heh, I wonder if you wake up or not?".
Looking behind, I see that monster attacks Sir Loire with its claw and my eyes widen at the sight of his bloods flowing out of his body. When he collapses on the ground with those blank eyes, mouthing to tell me to run away, my anger is going uncontrollable. I know I'm short-tempered but I deserve to be angry this time right, father?
My father in this life, Meliodas, told me once that I'm indeed short-tempered compared to my twin but there's a time when we need to be angry and we are allowed to be angry. Sir Loire has been kind to us and he's helpful person, the kindest man of Holy Knights who work under my father Meliodas. I have the right to be angry now, right?
I feel magic power seeping on my body before I reach out my hand. This sword, my Noble Phantasm or more known as Sacred Treasure in this world, is no longer the demonic Sword as my rebellion against my beautiful father, but as the proof and resolve of my loyalty to protect my family and precious people in this land where I born "Clarent!".
With anger as my main source of magic power, surprisingly I can swipe them all with one move. I hear someone's weak chuckles nearby and I see Sir Loire is the one who chuckling weakly. I go straight to help him as Clarent goes back into my body "Sir Loire! Hold yourself together!".
"no, little Lady... I'm satisfied already... now I know... that you're... so much like your parent... you're gonna be the pride of your parent... I'm sure of it...", Sir Loire lifts his hand, cupping my cheek "I know you're a good girl... who care deeply to your family... but I always wonder why... does your eyes always look sad... as if you bear an unforgivable sins... and you've always burdened yourself with it... just like your twin sister has...".
My eyes widen. The truth of Sir Loire's words feel like sword piercing my heart but his kind words are too good for me and I feel like I don't deserve for it. I can't stop my tears and grab his hands tightly "I am sorry... Sir Loire... I'm so sorry... I couldn't save you...".
"nah, don't be... a child like you... should have enjoyed your life more...", Sir Loire chuckles, patting my head "you can cry now... let it all out... so you can smile again tomorrow... I hope the life will not be crueler than this for you... you two are still too young... to hate this world...".
I nod my heads because it's the only thing I can do right now. After Sir Loire passed away, I cry for the lost of someone that I haven't felt for a long time until I hear someone calling. I see two tall man stand tall behind me, though they look far younger than I remembered.
"I can't believe this...", blonde haired green-eyed man stares down to me "are you... Mordred?".
"no way... how could they be here? Gawain and Lancelot...", I wipe my tears and I choose to not answer their question. I don't know if they've reincarnated to this world too or something, but considering one of them recognized me and the other one looks like ready to kill me with his sword, it means they must have remembered everything about their past life. I pick Tristram up from his hideout "let's go, brother. We have to go, to where our older sister waiting for us".
I glance sideways from the corner of my eyes, they only stand still and don't follow me. I walk away under the rain before I'm startled by Gawain who picks me up. Ignoring my protest, Lancelot snatches Tristram from my hands before telling me that they will help us to get out of this place.
On the outskirt, there, where I have promised to meet with my sister, we wait and we have an unexpected guest "both you and your sister have quite interesting magic, huh?".
We turn our head and meet with shoulder-length dark-haired golden-eyed woman with voluptuous body who levitates on the air. She lifts her finger, pointing behind us "ah, looks like the ones you've been waiting for, have finally arrived here".
Just like me, Lancelot and Gawain also turn their head and we find someone, white-haired green-eyed man with silver right hand cladded in white cape that stained with bloods. He is slowly walking to our direction, bloods flowing out of his right hand and his vacant eyes frighten us who wondering if he's alright. My twin sister in on his arms, covered in bloods just like him. He collapses but still holding my sister.
I run to them without thinking twice "big sister!".
The mysterious woman snaps her finger again and this time, both my twin sister and the man who keeps holding her disappear from our sight. Turning my head, I growl "who are you? What are you doing to my sister?".
"don't worry, little girl. I'm your parent's, Meliodas and Elizabeth's friend. My name is Merlin, the Sorceress Merlin", this beautiful woman who claimed herself as Merlin reaches out her hand to us "come with me, we have to get out of here and more importantly, we have to take care of your wounds".
Well, we couldn't say 'no' to that, not when we don't even have any choice left.